The Game Plan (Game On, #3)(11)

He stops and looks back at me. “Apparently only with you, Cherry.”

I don’t say another word, just watch his tight ass move beneath his jeans as he walks away.

“Well, f*ck me,” I mutter. I’ve been played. Again.





* * *



Dex



It’s official: I’ve lost my f*cking mind. After spending the night basically staring up at the ceiling, I’d decided to leave Fiona alone. Be polite. Retreat into my shell. A safe and solid plan.

One that crumbled like sun-dried turf the second I saw her sitting in the kitchen, the morning light glowing like a nimbus around her golden hair. She was so beautiful she made my heart hurt.

Sharing a cup of coffee with her, watching those lovely full lips of hers move as she made idle small talk with me was more than I could take.

I want Fiona.

Badly.

Enough to ignore certain fears and go after her. But I’m so out of my element that a tremor goes through my fingers as I run them through my hair and gather it up in a knot.

Frowning, I comb my beard and stare into the mirror. My beard is a part of me now. How everyone sees me. Hell, it’s why Fiona kissed me. And I have the urge to shave it off. Shave my hair off too. I honestly don’t even know what I’d see reflected back at me if I did.

The door opens, and Gray saunters in as if he owns the place. Which he does. But still.

“Knocking, Gray-Gray, is a valuable skill.”

“I’m too tired to knock.” He flops onto the armchair by the window and leans his head back with a groan.

“Shouldn’t you be satisfying your wife?”

“I satisfied the f*ck out of her.” He drags a hand over his face. “And then she fell asleep.”

I snort, and he glares.

“Fell asleep on a wave of extreme post-coital bliss,” he assures before looking me over. “Going out, big guy?”

In truth, Gray is two inches taller than me. But he’s built for speed while I’m built for blocking, which means I carry more bulk muscle.

“I’m taking Fiona to the Japanese Garden.”

Silence follows.

“So…Fiona, huh?” Gray sounds thoughtful.

Setting my hands on the dresser, I brace for a fight. “I want her.”

More silence. I turn. He studies me with a blank look.

“Are you pissed?” I ask. I won’t blame him. Hell, I expect it.

“If you were Johnson? Or Thompson? Or Marshal? Or any of those sharks, I’d punch your throat. But you? You think I wouldn’t trust you with Fi? I’d take a bullet for you, man.”

Damn. My throat closes, and I have to clear it to talk. “You should get some sleep. You look like shit.”

He lets his head roll back on the chair. “What’s the point? Little Man will be up any second now.”

“I’m taking him with us,” I say, putting my wallet in my back pocket.

Gray makes a strangled noise. “Seriously?”

My lips twitch. “Why do you think I’m here?”

“Uh, to hang out with us?”

“That. And you sounded like you could use a break. So here I am.”

“You came to help us out?” His voice is creaky, raw.

“I told you I know babies. So let me give you a break today.”

I swear Grayson goes weepy. He blinks rapidly before taking a breath. “I love you, man. I’m one step away from kissing you right now.”

“You keep saying that, but I’ve yet to see any follow-through.”

Slowly, he shakes his head. “I love my kid. Like, seriously love him. But I confess, I’m dreaming of some sort of sleep drug for babies right about now.”

I reach for my boots. “He’ll figure the sleep thing out soon. Then you will too. Go on and get his things ready.”

Gray kind of falls-crawls out of the chair before righting. He really is dead on his feet. I feel for the guy.

He’s halfway out the door before he halts. “Dex, man…just…watch yourself with Fi.”

“You said you didn’t mind.”

“Not you.” He winces and pushes a fist against the doorframe. “She’s kind of capricious. And I’ve never seen you go after a girl, so…”

He doesn’t want me getting hurt. Well, I don’t either. But it’s a risk I’ll have to take. Besides… “I think there’s more solidity to Fi than you’re giving her credit for.”

He nods, but it’s clear he doesn’t agree. Thankfully, an irate squawk sounds downstairs. Little Leo is awake. Gray inclines his head. “You sure about this?”

I know he’s asking about more than babysitting. And I should be thinking about my sanity. But I can only think of Fiona and how her lips explored mine. Best feeling ever.

“As I am of anything.”





Chapter Four





Fiona



“I wonder what it is that you’re thinking,” Dex says from his casual slouch on the bench across from me. He’s taken me to the Japanese Tea Garden, a place so utterly beautiful and tranquil I blinked back tears as soon as we’d entered.

Now we’re sitting in the Tea House, me at the railing, idly gazing at the glass-like reflecting pool that surrounds us, and Dex with sketch pad and pencil in hand. His expression is relaxed, a smile in his hazel eyes.