Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #7)(76)

Spence laughed. “I once watched you talk your way into a multimillion-dollar deal with Google in five minutes. My money’s on you.”

“This isn’t business.”

“No, it’s not,” Spence said. “It’s better. So don’t screw it up.”





Chapter 25




Sadie didn’t get anxious or nervous until she and Caleb pulled up to her parents’ house in Outer Sunset. The sudden pounding heart and sweaty palms were annoying. She’d long ago taught herself how to take a mental step back from her family and treat them like . . . well, entertainment. She was no longer part of the circus but just an audience member.

But tonight Caleb was going to witness the circus.

Great, and now she was sweating in other more creative places. “You brought a bathing suit with you, right?” she asked. “For the hot tub?”

He looked over at her briefly. “You’ve asked me that five times, but yes, I did. You said it was tradition, after dinner you all go outside and bake yourselves.”

“And stargaze.” Her mom taught science. Her dad had done the same before moving into administration. They were big astronomy buffs. Which of course had nothing to do with why she wanted Caleb to strip out of his gorgeous suit . . . And as she thought it, the first little inkling of misgiving hit and her anxiety doubled. She tried to discreetly fan her shirt to give her hot skin some air.

Caleb glanced at her again, and she realized he knew her well enough to know when something was wrong. “You okay?”

“Me? I’m great.”

“Uh-huh.” Reaching for her hand, he gave it a squeeze, and then melted her heart when he brought their entwined fingers to his mouth and brushed his lips against her palm. “It’s going to be okay,” he said. “Parents love me.”

She had to laugh. “Because you’re cocky?”

“I was going to say because I’m easygoing and friendly.”

She laughed again. “You weren’t either of those things last night in bed. In fact, you were downright demanding and bossy.”

He sent her a badass smile that had all her good parts quivering. “Are you complaining?”

Hell no. She’d had good sex before, and yet even good sex was somewhat predictable. But with Caleb, she never knew what to expect. He had the distinct ability to be making love to her while adding a certain level of dirty to it that kept things . . . thrilling. She never knew if he was going to get straight to business or if he’d spend long minutes worshipping her body first.

It was . . . addicting.

“Ready?” Caleb asked.

No. But it was six o’clock on the dot.

The neighborhood was made up of hardworking people and neat rows of cookie-cutter Victorian houses that had weathered the ravages of time and economic strain and gain. Caleb easily managed to parallel park into a spot that she would have never managed to get into. “Did you grow up here?” he asked.

“Yes.” She stared at the house. “It’s not too late to make a run for it.”

He came around and gave her a hand out of the car, pulling her into him. Lifting her chin, he looked into her eyes. “Breathe, babe. We’ve got this.”

She was so glad he thought so. Her mom opened the front door, Sadie’s sister standing right behind her. Both were dressed up for the evening, wearing cocktail dresses in the color of the wedding—pale pink. Sadie had figured this would be the case so she’d dressed up too, but she hadn’t gotten the pink memo. She was wearing her little black dress she’d worn on her and Caleb’s first date, mostly because she liked the way his gaze heated every time he looked at her.

Introductions were made and Sadie watched her dad join the group, as well as Clara’s fiancé, Greg. All of them were seemingly instantly taken with Caleb, who at one point glanced over at Sadie, eyes amused, like see ?

She rolled hers.

“Caleb Parker,” her dad said. “I just saw the episode of Shark Tank where you guest starred.”

“And oh my goodness,” her mom said, “that new app you just put out, it’s going to revolutionize the way teachers teach science in the classrooms. Too bad you can’t come up with a way to make sure kids won’t lose the art of writing in cursive.”

Her mom could barely turn on her laptop without getting six viruses or wiring half her retirement money to a Nigerian prince, but she was worried about the lost art of cursive. A thought Sadie refrained from saying out loud. Wow. Look at her growing up.

Her mom turned to Sadie next, expression dialed to confused as to how her daughter had managed to catch a guy so far out of her league. Clara was also staring at Caleb, who seemed perfectly at ease with the attention. “You’re drooling,” Sadie whispered beneath her breath to her sister.

Clara grinned unabashedly. “Sorry, but he’s the hottest guy you’ve ever dated. He might be the hottest guy on the planet.”

From behind Clara, Greg cleared his throat.

Clara winced. “After you, baby, of course.”

Greg’s eyes were laughing. “Of course. Did you tell Sadie the latest bridesmaid dress news?”

Oh God. What now?

Clara pulled out her phone and accessed her pictures. She pulled up one of Sadie in a sample of the chosen bridesmaid dress. “Do you see what I see?”