11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
LOGAN
I stepped back onto the sidewalk after leaving the auto supply store and headed toward where I parked my truck. Having today off, and with the girls at Maggie's again until Thursday, I spent the day running errands. Grocery store, home improvement store for the parts to fix the upstairs sink, and then the parts I needed for my truck. It was easier to do things like this when I didn’t have kids in tow. But even more so, it allowed me to spend more quality time with them if we didn’t need to do a lot of tedious tasks.
I froze, hearing a familiar giggle, and looked across the street toward the park. Alice laughed as she ran around, kicking a soccer ball. I smiled when Nikki appeared, stealing the ball and running the opposite way. They were both pretty good, given they'd never played before.
Izzy chased Nikki, acting like she was going to steal the ball back. I stood, taking in the scene, debating going over. It wasn't that I didn't want to see my girls—I missed them during these long stretches—but after last week, it was clear the attraction I felt for Izzy was hard to ignore. Best thing I could do for both of us was continue to my truck.
But I couldn't make my feet move, nor could I tear my gaze away from the beautiful blonde. Her ass in capri leggings looked just as good as it did in tiny shorts. No surprise, she was wearing another crop top. How many half-shirts did she own?
Giving up on the battle, I made my way across the street, all the while trying to talk myself out of it.
“Daddy,” Alice called when she spotted me, running my way.
I stepped onto the grass from the sidewalk and lifted her into my arms.
“Did you come to play with us?” Nikki asked once she and Izzy made their way over to us.
I smiled, trying to keep my gaze on my daughter and not let it drift over to Izzy. “I didn't know you guys were here, but I saw you from over there.” I pointed across the street. “So yeah, I thought I'd come play.”
I set Alice down and then lost the battle to not look over at Izzy. She stood with one foot on the ball, hands on her hips.
“Izzy's really good at soccer,” Nikki said before adding, “She played in high school.”
“Oh?” The corner of my mouth lifted into a smirk. “Better than me?”
“So much better.”
Izzy chuckled at my daughter’s response, and I raised an eyebrow before moving quickly toward her. She took off with the ball and I ran after her. Once I got close enough to steal the ball, she spun, not even slowing down, and headed back the other way.
Nikki ran down the opposite side of the field. “Pass it to me,” she yelled to Izzy.
I smirked. Little traitor.
“Daddy, Daddy, get her, get her,” Alice egged me on.
I was going to get her, alright. No, wait. Not like that. We were just playing a friendly game of soccer. But that didn't stop me from imagining ways it could be anything but.
Alice continued to encourage me as Nikki helped Izzy keep the ball from me. At least one of my children was on my side. Honestly, I wasn’t surprised. Nikki was much more competitive than Alice.
Izzy slowed as I came up behind her, turning one way and then the other, preventing me from getting the ball away from her. She smiled over her shoulder at me, and the sight made my chest feel tight. Jesus, she was beautiful.
I crowded her space, and then, with a smirk, I wrapped my arms around her from the back. I tensed as my forearms brushed against the bare skin of her stomach, and my dick jumped to attention.
“I got her. Alice, get the ball.”
Alice smiled and stole the ball, running down the field away from Nikki.
“You're cheating,” Izzy yelled.
I lifted her off the ground and lowered my mouth to her ear. “And what are you gonna do about it?”
Her breath hitched, and a shiver raced through her. The smell of strawberries was so strong, my mouth so close to her neck, I had to fight the urge to move my lips lower and press against the skin there.
What the fuck was I thinking?
I blinked and let her go, dropping my hands to my sides and stepping back. She spun and we stood there, staring at each other for a heartbeat before she blinked and took off after the ball again.
I wasn’t giving up that easily, though, and jumped right back in. Who knew practicing soccer could be so much fun? Sure, it was a game, but I shouldn't have been enjoying it—at least not in the way I was.
Being close to Izzy. Touching her. All of it was a very bad idea.
So why did it make me so happy?