I turn to look at him. “Merfest?”
“Yep. I’d like to see you in a coconut bra.”
I roll my eyes. “Seriously? A conference for mermaids?”
He holds up his finger. “And mermen. Men can have fins too, you know.”
“Fine, can you stop at a Walgreens or something?” I shove my phone back in my bag.
“Nah, I got everything you need.”
“I’m not using someone else’s toothbrush.”
He turns onto the highway back toward his house. I’m way too familiar with the route from the airport to his house, which says how much of a headache he’s been since I started working for his family. “It’s all new.”
“You probably own stock in Oral-B.”
“Proctor and Gamble, and yes, I do. My dad didn’t like them as an investment, so of course I bought a ton of shares. You’re a smart cookie.” He winks.
Before I know it, we’re in front of his beach house.
Lord, help me get through this night. Surely he has an off switch when he’s tired.
As sad as it is to admit, I’ve had more fun messing with Lena tonight than if I went to Carmelo’s with the guys. Once Annabelle is fed and put to bed for the three hours max that she’ll sleep before she needs me, I go into my bathroom and grab Lena a toothbrush and a pair of my shorts and a T-shirt.
She’s on the couch, sitting with her back ramrod straight and her feet on the floor, looking as if she’s here for a confessional.
“Relax.” I place the stuff on the table. “You can take your shoes off.”
“Thank you for this. Hopefully I’m out of your hair first thing in the morning.” She slips off her black flats and wiggles toes that sport a vibrant pink I’d never have imagined would be her style.
“No problem.” I sit on the couch and blow out a breath. “You can take the guest room. Top of the stairs, straight ahead.”
She nods and scoops up the things I gave her. “Thank you.”
“Maybe I’m not the big bad wolf you assume.” I eye her as she stops her retreat to the stairs.
“I don’t think that.”
“Are you hungry?” I ask. I know I should let her go up to her room and hide out while I do what I usually do, but I’m kind of sick of spending my nights alone.
“I’m fine.”
“I mean, I’m starved, so I was going to make something. If you want to join me.” I inch toward the end of the chair, about to get up.
“Well… I didn’t eat at the game because I didn’t want to disturb Annabelle.”
I hold up my hand. “Then I’ll make you a late dinner. Go change and come back down.”
She doesn’t say anything else, but heads over to the stairs and walks up them so quietly she could be a thief.
I stare at my contents in the fridge. Hummus, chicken breasts, vegetables. All healthy and none of it appealing right now. So I pick up the phone and call for Chinese since there aren’t many places still open.
Unsure what Lena likes, I order a little bit of everything. I’ll be paying for the sodium in two nights at my game, but so be it.
Sitting back down in the chair, I turn on the television, keeping the baby monitor at my side. There’s a woman in my house and I’m not even thinking about sleeping with her. That’s a scary thought. But then again, it’s Lena. She despises me even if I don’t exactly feel different about her. She’s annoying as hell, but if I’m honest, there’s something about her I find… intriguing.
I hear the stairs creak before she turns the corner wearing my T-shirt that’s tied in the front and a pair of shorts that are rolled at least three times at the waist. Her sandy-blonde hair is thrown up in a messy ponytail, and her expression looks almost shy. Not at all like the spitfire who can spar with me.
There goes that whole thought about having a woman in my house I don’t want to sleep with. In fact, right now, I’m reliving that kiss on my family’s plane on New Year’s Eve.
“I ordered Chinese. I don’t have anything worth eating,” I say.
“Thanks.”
“You can stop thanking me. I’m sure I’ve put you in enough shitty positions that I at least owe you dinner.”
She shakes her head but smiles, insinuating I’m correct. Of course I am. I’ve given her so much shit since she started, but it’s been more about my dad than her.
“If you want to go out, I’ll watch Annabelle.”
I rock my head back. “Oh, because I can’t stay home?”
“No.” Her eyes meet mine and there’s genuine kindness there. “I just meant you’ve really adapted to this single dad role and probably haven’t had time to do the kind of things you used to—”
“I never had to go out every night. I do enjoy staying in sometimes.”
“I was merely suggesting—”
“I know what you were suggesting. That I’m a manwhore who wants to go back to the arena and pick up one of those bunnies.”
She looks away from me and sits on the edge of the sofa. I have no idea why it’s grating on my nerves that she can’t allow herself to get comfortable. I’m not a monster.
“That’s not it.” Her voice is small.
“You think I’m a manwhore, right?” I shouldn’t push this issue. Just eat the Chinese, go to bed, and when I wake up, she’ll probably be gone.
“Can we please not?” Her gaze remains diverted away from me.
“Why? I won’t get offended.”
“Do you ever stop?” Her voice is louder now and her cheeks are turning light pink.
I’m starting to enjoy myself, just like in the car. “I’ll stop when you answer.”
She says nothing, and I catch her chewing on the inside of her cheek. Just when I’m about to press her again, she says, “I think you’re a professional hockey player. I think you’re Ford Jacobs, heir to Jacobs Enterprises. I think you’ve rarely gone without something you’ve wanted. I think that’s just normal life for you.”
“What’s normal life for me?”
“The girls falling for you, for one. Let’s not sit here and pretend you’re not hot as hell. And that you have money and you’re a professional athlete. You’re like the horse that wins the Triple Crown of horse racing.”
I tilt my head, intrigued that she paid me that compliment.
“I doubt you’ve been told no many times in your life.”
“Once in the seventh grade, but I was going through my awkward phase.” I wink to lighten the mood because although she’s complimenting me, I hear resentment in her tone. “What about you? You enjoy telling me no.”
“It’s my job to tell you no.”
All that comes to mind right now is when she didn’t tell me no or push me away when I kissed her all those months ago. When my lips pressed to hers and a strangled moan sounded from her throat. She definitely wasn’t saying no then. “True, but—”
“The kiss was just a New Year’s tradition. If there had been other people there—”
“You would’ve kissed another guy?” I cover my heart with my hand and fall back into the plush chair. “You’re killing me.”