“Well, the same color is all over your ass and a little in your hair.”
Gabi gasped and looked at her rear end. Sure enough, there were smudges of that perfect antique turquoise on her pants and in the ends of her hair when she pulled it over her shoulder. She groaned out loud.
Kylie opened the trunk and threw an old towel at her. “Here, cover the seat.”
Growling a string of curses she’d never used before, Gabi caught it, covered her seat, and slumped into the car with her arms crossed.
Why had she suddenly turned into a horny sixteen-year-old? If he had suggested they fuck right there on the floor, she would have done it without a second thought. The idea terrified and so scintillated her, she didn’t think her skin would ever return to its normal color.
Kylie just laughed when she plopped into the driver’s seat and put the key in the ignition. “That must have been one hell of a kiss,” she muttered.
Hands over her face, Gabi settled back into the seat and let out a groan.
“For the record, I’m a teensy jealous.”
“I shouldn’t have kissed him, Ky,” she said through her fingers. “It was like I was on fire all of the sudden and ... and had never been touched by a man.”
Kylie looked at her as they backed out of the driveway. “It’s partly true, my dear. Matt was no man, and you’ve had no one else in three years. It’s about time. Even your body knows it.”
Hoo, boy, did it ever. If her feminine bits had their way, he would already be inside her. It was as if they were screaming his name. She still felt hot from his kiss. It was so masterful, so in charge, that just the memory made her dampen yet again. “I know,” she said quietly. “I’m just afraid.”
“Why?”
She pondered that question while Kylie peeled off down the street. Really, what would it hurt to have a little fun? She’d earned it, right?
But her heart. She couldn’t lose that again, and being with Mason might be like chucking it down a giant black hole.
She just shrugged.
Kylie didn’t push her but smiled. “I can’t wait for the game on Friday.”
Ugh. She had forgotten about that stunt for a few blissful moments. “I hate you, Ky.”
“I know, but you won’t for long, especially since you have me to thank for that kiss.”
Gabi didn’t answer, she simply looked out her window, resigned to a night of heated fantasies and very little sleep. The man was like catnip, and her inner sex-kitten wanted more. So much more.
Chapter 12
Gabi
“Dad!” Gabi waved excitedly when she saw him come around the luggage carousel the next morning.
He grinned from ear to ear when he saw her. “Gabi Rae!” he called and dropped all of his bags to catch her in his arms. He spun her around as he had since she was born. “Oh it’s so good to see you.”
She laughed. “It’s good to see you too, Dad.” Oh how she missed him. He was the most amazing man.
He set her down on her feet. “I’ve got to get a look at you, make sure you’re all in one piece.”
“Dad.” She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.
“Yep, still my same girl.” He winked. “Come on, let’s get out of here, I can’t wait to get this vacation started.”
She stood on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek. “Me too! I’m really so glad to see you, Dad. I’ve missed you so much.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I’ve missed you too, ladybug. More than you know.”
“Kylie’s waiting in the car,” she told him, picking up one of his bags even though he protested.
He smiled happily. “I get to see both my daughters today?” He put his free arm around her and they walked toward the door. “This is going to be a great day.”
“Georgie!” Kylie sang from behind the steering wheel when he opened the door. “How are you? I’m so glad you’re here!”
“Well, if it isn’t Miss Missouri,” he teased, kissing the cheek she offered him as he sat down in the passenger seat. “I’m the best I’ve been in months now that I’ve got my two girls.”
Kylie clapped her hands together and then guided them out into traffic. “We have got the most amazing trip planned for you.”
Her dad stretched out his legs. “As long as it involves lots of delicious food and beer, I’m up for whatever you girls can throw at me.”
Gabi giggled. “We’ll have fifteen pounds on you before you leave on Sunday.” She didn’t say it, but he could use it. He was well over six feet and looked like a twig. A handsome, dad-like twig, but a twig nonetheless.
“Perfect,” he said, sticking his stomach out to pat it. “Got to fill this bad boy out.”
They laughed and chatted happily as Kylie steered them downtown for their first deep-dish pizza adventure. They had both worked out a plan with Mrs. Finch so they could have the next three days off, barring any emergencies. For that, they were on call.
Gabi felt like she was on summer vacation, and she smiled into the sunlight as the skyline of Chicago grew closer. She really did love it here. St. Louis would always be the place she called home, but Chicago was where her heart lived now.
She was selfishly hoping she could convince her father to move here while he was visiting.
Then she would have everything near her. Kylie, her dad, her work, Mason ... Wait. No, not Mason. Her toes curled in her tennis shoes as she thought about their kiss for the hundredth time since then. Her stomach did a weird little dance, and she checked her phone to find it mockingly void of notifications. As it had been for days.
She sighed and put her head back against the seat. She shouldn’t care, but part of her worried that he hadn’t enjoyed the kiss. That maybe, because she was so out of practice, she was bad at it.
Shit.
“You okay, Gabs?” Kylie asked, looking at her in the rearview mirror. “You’ve got the reds all of the sudden.”
“I’m fine,” she lied. “Just warm.”
Kylie sent her a narrowed look and her ever-thoughtful father adjusted the air vents so it would blow her direction.
“There you go, ladybug.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she sank into her seat and did her best to focus on the conversation. Kylie was pointing out all the important landmarks, and her dad was rapid-firing questions about traffic and crime rates. She tried to interject here and there but Mason and his hot-as-fuck kiss were always in the front of her thoughts.
Once they were downtown, they bee-lined it to Gabi’s favorite historic deep-dish pizzeria, and settled into a booth with cold beers and gigantic smiles.
“Now this is cool,” her dad said, looking around at the old brick walls and brass fixtures. “Just what I had in mind.”
“I think Giovanni’s is better,” Kylie pointed out. “This is Gab’s favorite. But don’t worry, you’ll get to try both.”
Her dad laughed and took a swig of beer. “I can’t wait to be the tiebreaker.”
“It’s a serious job,” Gabi warned him. “We don’t take our pizza lightly.”
“Well, I would hope not,” he deadpanned. “It is of utmost importance.”
The girls giggled.
“Thank you,” he went on. “Both of you, for being willing to show an old man around.”
“Dad,” Gabi said, grabbing his arm, “we love you. Of course we’re willing.”
“I can’t believe you’re wasting your time with us,” Kylie pointed out, “and not trying to pick up some hot babes while you’re in town.”
Her father laughed and shook his head. Kylie always brought up the fact that he didn’t date. He always treated the subject with good humor, but he just wouldn’t budge. “I already have the most beautiful girls in Chicago to hang out with, why would I need another?”
But Kylie had half a beer in her and that made her about as stoppable as a rhinoceros. Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t you get lonely, though?”
“Nah,” he said, looking into his own dri
nk with a sad smile. “I’ve already had the most amazing love with a woman I didn’t deserve.” He looked up and right into their eyes. “It would be selfish to ask for more.”
Gabi’s heart clenched and Kylie let out an “awww.” Sometimes she forgot how romantic her dad was; she wanted something like that. A love that lasted through unforeseeable circumstances. Unconditional.
Mason flitted through her mind again, and she felt something pull significantly inside her chest. She shook the thought away. Mason was nothing but lust and sweat and skin against skin.
“Besides,” her father said, relaxing into the booth, “I don’t think either one of you have room to talk when it comes to dating.”
Kylie’s eyes brightened. “Actually, Gabi has ...” She stopped when Gabi kicked her hard in the shin. “Ow, Gabi.”
Gabi narrowed her eyes as if to say “that’s what you get” while her father looked at each one of them, trying to figure out what was happening. “We’re just so busy with work,” Gabi offered.
“Uh-huh, same for me,” her father answered dryly. “Now, tell me about this game we get to see at Wrigley.”
Gabi relaxed as they moved on with the conversation, she wouldn’t even know what to begin to tell him about Mason. He wasn’t a relationship, after all. A good time, definitely, but was that what she wanted?
Yes. Unequivocally yes.
Mason
“What are you smiling about?” Cruz asked, walking back into the room where Mason was carefully staining the cabinet doors.
He finished a careful stroke of the brush and grinned at his friend. “Nothing, I just really like staining,” and went back to work.
Cruz scoffed. “Right. And it has nothing to do with your little redhead?”
Mason froze just slightly but thought he covered really well. “Maybe a little.”
Cruz just shook his head and laid his own project out on the table across from Mason. He was getting started on the balusters for the bannister after Mason had decided he had more than enough to work on. They looked gorgeous as he laid them out side by side.
“Those look perfect, man,” Mason told him, pausing to look closer. “Absolutely perfect.”
Cruz grinned. “Better than the one you made.”
He laughed. “You’re probably right.” He shook his head, completely impressed. “I’m going to have to start paying you more.”
“What can I say? I’m the whole package. Beauty and talent.”
Mason laughed. “Speaking of beauty, would you want to catch the Cubs game with me Friday night?”
Cruz gave him a withering look—he was not a baseball fan.
“Kylie will be there.”
His whole face changed, and he let out a disbelieving laugh. “Then yes, count me in. I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll even dress like a loser baseball fan.”
Mason narrowed his eyes.
He shrugged. “I can’t help it, you all look so silly in your little hats.”
Mason refrained from pointing out his fútbol jerseys looked equally ridiculous. “I have a buddy who has a suite at Wrigley, and he was able to finagle them for me. I’m going to owe him some custom work for his wife’s kitchen, but ...” He thought of seeing Gabi at a baseball game and nothing had ever seemed more worth it. “I think it’ll be more than worth it.”
“Awesome,” Cruz said, getting back to work. “I’ve never had the good seats at Wrigley, and if Kylie’s there, I’m there. How’d you get them to say yes?”
“I haven’t.”
Cruz stopped moving and looked up at him. “Are you serious, man?”
He shrugged.
“Cabrón.”
“Don’t get mad. Kylie will be there; she was the one that told me that’s where they’d be. She just doesn’t know about the box seats yet.”
Cruz visibly relaxed. “But little Strawberry Shortcake doesn’t know at all?”
He grinned and shook his head.
Cruz let out a laugh. “You are either brave or very, very stupid.”
“I like to think it’s a healthy bit of both.”
They worked silently for a few minutes before Cruz mentioned, “Veronica told me this morning how much she likes working here.”
“I’m glad.”
“She says it ‘gives her purpose.’ I just think she likes the clothes she gets to wear.”
Mason chuckled.
“Either way, she seems to be doing a lot better. I caught her on the computer last night looking up design schools instead of watching make-up tutorials.”
Mason’s chest expanded a little. He was relieved and proud of her all at the same time. And she really was revolutionizing the front desk area. Everything was organized within an inch of its life, and she made helpful notes on orders that came in that he would never have thought to do. “I’m really happy for her. And you too.”
Cruz made some sort of snort. “You and me both. This is the first week in a while I’ve been able to sleep soundly. I haven’t had to worry about her sneaking out the window to go see her shitty boyfriend. In fact, I think she dumped him.”
“Good.”
They worked for a little longer, and Mason was almost done with the first coat on the last cabinet door when Cruz said, “So, are you going to tell me why you were smiling about your redhead or not?”
Memory of the hottest fucking kiss he’d ever had burst into his mind, and he had to concentrate to keep his cock under control. There were no words to describe it.
“Nope,” he finally answered. “And her name is Gabi.”
Cruz chuckled and held up his hands. “All right, fine. Gabi.”
Grinning, Mason focused on the last stroke of his paintbrush and thought about how he’d like to touch Gabi in exactly the same way—slowly, expertly, with just the right amount of pressure. He’d make sure he’d make a masterpiece out of her pleasure, that is, if she ever let him.
Chapter 13
Gabi
“I am so excited, Gabi Rae, you have no idea,” her dad told her as they left the apartment for the baseball game. He had on a new Cardinals jersey but the same hat he’d worn when Gabi was born. It was his lucky hat.
“I’m glad,” she told him and knocked on Kylie’s door. “I am too, though I’m a little afraid we’ll get chased out of there dressed like this.” She was proudly wearing her Cards gear as well.
“Ugh,” Kylie groaned as she pulled open the door. She was in head-to-toe Cubs down to a little blue ribbon in her ponytail. “I can’t believe I have to be seen with you two clowns.”
“I can’t help it if we like a quality team and you don’t,” her father told her. “You can always come over to our side if you want.”
“I would never,” Kylie swore as she turned her key in the door. “My family would disown me. Born and raised a Cubs fan.” She made a face. “Well, when I’m paying attention anyway.”
Her dad laughed.
They took the “L” to the game so her father could get the whole experience, and he was so animated and excited that Gabi couldn’t stop smiling. He deserved this; he deserved all the good things.
Kylie on the other hand, though excited, seemed distracted. She kept looking at her phone and sending quick texts, making sure to keep the screen of her phone away from Gabi’s eyes.
It was all highly suspicious, and she made a mental note to ask Kylie about it later. For the moment, she just enjoyed the conversation with her father and ignored the irritated looks of Cubs fans.
The ballpark was already swarming with people, and it took a full thirty minutes before they found their seats. When they did, it was with a beer in one hand and a hotdog in the other.
She had never seen her dad look so satisfied. He kept remarking on how incredible it was that this stadium was still around, how it was one of the originals, how cool it was that there were apartments that could look right onto the field. And what would it be like to live there and have seats to every game?
“Better than Busch
Stadium?” Kylie asked teasingly.
To which her father quickly replied, “Only in historical value.”
Kylie giggled.
Once they were fully settled in, Gabi began to relax. She loved being at baseball games of any kind. It was such a unique atmosphere. Plus, hot guys in tight pants and beer and hotdogs. What more could a girl ask for?
“Excuse me, are you the Turner party?”
All three of them turned to find a stadium employee staring down at them.
“Uh, yes,” Gabi answered, suddenly worried that something was terribly wrong. “Is everything okay?”
“Of course,” he cleared his throat. “It’s just that your seats have been randomly chosen to be, uh, upgraded for the game. I’m here to escort you to one of our suites.”
Gabi blinked and narrowed her eyes, trying to comprehend how that could have possibly happened, but her father whooped and Kylie stood up, looking not at all surprised or confused. “What do you mean? How is that possible?”
The young kid looked nervous and glanced up the stairs like he wanted to escape. “Uh, it’s a give-away we do sometimes on Friday nights. And you won.” He smiled hopefully. “Congratulations.”
“But ...”
“Gabi, stop,” her dad implored. “It’s a suite.”
She looked from him to Kylie, who suddenly appeared to be acting like an over-excited guest on The Price is Right. She was a great friend, but a terrible actress. “All right.” She stood up. “I’m suspicious, but I’ll bite.”
Her dad high-fived Kylie and they followed their escort up a million steps, into the back halls of the stadium and finally to the suites.
Her dad excitedly exclaimed about everything the whole time, and Kylie helped rile him up even more. Gabi just kept turning it over and over in her head. Who had Kylie been texting on the train over, and why was she acting so fucking weird?
As soon as the door to their suite opened, she had her answer. Sitting casually in one of the plush seats was Mason with a Cubs shirt that strained across his shoulders and biceps, and a hat to match. She felt her heart pound furiously as he looked up at her, and a grin spread from ear to ear. Damn it all, that man was too gorgeous to just be out in public.
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