Be Mine

by Jen Frederick

  “Come on then.” She jerks her head toward the condo’s entrance. As soon as we’re inside, she drops her phone on the counter. I slip it into my front pocket.

  The little teenage nanny sidles up to me. “Hey, Nick. I haven’t seen you in a couple of weeks.”

  I take a step back. “I’m getting ready for the season to start.”

  “You’re going to do so awesome. Do you get to invite people to the games?”

  Over the perky blonde’s shoulder, Lainey’s suppressing a laugh. She obviously can tell how uncomfortable I am.

  Thankfully, I’m saved when a little ball of curls, soft skin, and ribbons hurtles toward me. I drop the bag and catch the little girl up in my arms.

  “Unca Nick!” Cassidy screams.

  Her tutu scratches against my stubble as I lift her high and press a dozen kisses against her face while she squeals and kisses me back. Lainey fills my heart. This girl makes it overflow.

  “Unca Nick is taking you out for dinner,” I say.

  “Dinner!” she squeals. “Let me go. I gotta get dressed.” She wriggles out of my grasp.

  “Thanks for everything, Dani.” Lainey opens the door.

  Dani takes her sweet old time in gathering her shit up. If this girl’s going to continue taking care of Cass, I need the nanny to know where I stand. I join Lainey, hooking my right hand around the top of the door. In front of me, Lainey sucks in a deep breath and starts to move. I grab her hip and anchor her close.

  “If you move, Dani’s going to think you and I are fighting,” I murmur quietly.

  “We will be if you don’t give me my phone back.”

  “You saw that, huh?”

  “I’m a mom. I have eyes everywhere.”

  “That sounds uncomfortable.”

  “Not as uncomfortable as you’re going to be when I’m done with you.”

  “Stop flirting with me in front of the child.”

  “Cass is in the bedroom changing.”

  “I’m talking about the one you hired.”

  Dani approaches with her bag slung over one shoulder. Her gaze catches on my hand gripping Lainey’s hip. I, very obviously, rub my thumb along the hipbone. Dani’s face falls with disappointment. Lainey stiffens and the motion pushes her ass against my dick. I harden immediately. Maybe this was a bad idea by me, but I don’t let go.

  “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” Dani asks quietly.

  “Ten would be perfect,” Lainey replies.

  Dani peels her eyes away from Lainey’s hip and gives a respectful nod before exiting. The girl might be young but she understands the dynamic here. There’s only one woman that I want and it’s the brunette in my grip. My thumb fits perfectly into the groove where the hip flows into the leg and my fingers find the lush curve of her ass. I pull her back against me until the evidence of my arousal lays flush against her body.

  “What are you doing?” she asks in a hushed voice.

  Wanting you so bad that it’s keeping me up at night. “Making sure that Cass’s nanny knows that the only woman in this place that I want in my bed is you.”

  “Nick, I—”

  “Mommy! Unca Nick! I’m ready. Let’s go!” Cass races out of her bedroom.

  I bite back my curse and reluctantly release Lainey. “Give me a minute.” I turn around to face the wall. I need to get my raging hard-on under control so I don’t terrify Cass.

  “Cass, baby, did you use the potty?” her mom asks.

  “No,” comes the pouty reply.

  “Then run and use it. When you’re done, we’ll leave,” instructs Lainey. The little girl’s feet patter against the tile. When the door closes, Lainey turns to me. “While you’re recovering, you can give me my phone back.”

  Shit. I forgot the whole purpose of my visit. It wasn’t to play with Cass or seduce Lainey. It was to get Charlotte’s deets for my brother.

  “Yeah, in a minute.” I fish the phone out and enter Cass’s birthday when the screen asks for the passcode.

  “Nick, give me that back.” Slender fingers climb up my arm.

  “One more sec.” I stretch it up above my head to read the screen. A quick look at the texts reveals Charlie’s whereabouts. Lainey tries to climb me like a tree which does little to quell my rising lust. “You may want to step back,” I warn, my tongue thick with lust. “I’m about two seconds from stripping you down to your birthday suit and eating you for dinner.”

  She halts immediately—much to my dismay.

  “Cass is in the next room.”

  “I know,” I sigh. “It’s about the only thing that’s keeping me in check at the moment.”

  She releases my arm and backs off. “This seems…sudden.”

  I turn to face her. My hands are itching to sweep her up again, but I’m afraid that if I do touch her again, I’ll follow through of my promise which would probably scar poor Cass for life. I shove my mitts in my jeans’ pockets. “No, it’s not sudden. It’s been building and we both know it. The only new thing that’s going on is that we’re both finally acknowledging it.”

  Lainey purses her pretty lips. “I’m not acknowledging anything. Now give me my phone.”

  She rushes me, but I’m used to evading three hundred pound defensive players. With an easy sidestep, I dance out of reach and backpedal only my momentum is halted by a little body at the back of my legs.

  “Unca Nick?” The sprite says uncertainly, her small hands warding me off.

  I do a one-legged hop, grab the doorframe and let my momentum swing me in the bathroom. Lainey follows me in, desperate to rip the phone from my hands. Either that or she really wants to get her palms on my body. This might be a fun game if we didn’t have a third party watching us intently.

  Cassie’s little voice chirps behind me. “Are we playing, Mama?”

  Lainey jerks, bumps my arm with her head and the phone goes flying into toilet.

  “Oh sh-shugar,” Lainey cries, pushing me out the way. Before I can stop her, she plungers her hand into the toilet water. When she pulls the phone out, the screen is black. The look she sends me is burning hot and not in a good way.

  My humor drains. I don’t know Lainey’s financial situation, but before she left, it wasn’t good. “I’ll buy you a new one.”

  “You’re a walking, talking penis-head,” she snaps. “Let me use your phone.”

  Not before I call Nate. “Let’s go and get you a new phone.” I step out of the bathroom and swing Cass up in my arms. “We’re going to the mall first, princess.”

  “Nick!” Lainey yells after me.

  “After,” I yell back. I hear the faucet turn on. I guess she’s going to wash her hands. A moment later the hair dryer starts blaring.

  I shift Cass to one hip. “I have to call my brother. Can you wait a minute?”

  The sprite nods agreeably. Man, the shit I do for Nate. He better work this thing out with Charlie or else I’m kidnapping both of them and locking them in a room.

  “I’m hungry, Unca Nick.”

  “How about a sandwich?”

  She claps her starfish fingers and beams. Jesus, this girl is adorable. I’d do anything for her and her mother.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Lainey

  The blow dryer does not revive my phone and the water splashed on my face does not erase my lust. When Nick said he was seconds away from going down on me, I was thisclose to letting it happen. My entire body is wired and ready but I have a kid. I can’t be jumping into bed with Nick without first figuring out exactly what’s going on between us. It can’t be only sex—not with Cassidy in my life.

  I push my palms against the side of the sink and heave a deep sigh. The other night when Charlotte came over, I’d made an internal vow to start being fearless but I’ve done nothing but act like a coward. Frustrated with myself, I stalk out of the bathroom to confront Nick only to find him eating peanut butter sandwiches with Cassidy.

  “Unca Nick’s gotta call his brother before we go, Mama,�
� Cassidy tells me. Her stubby legs swing back and forth, hitting Nick in the shins. I’d like to kick him there.

  “I made you a sandwich too. I figured we could have a snack before we get a phone. I don’t know how long that takes but Charlie always complains about the process.” He wouldn’t know, I realize, because he’s always had things done for him. Simple things like doing the laundry or buying a phone are new for him and yet…he takes the time to make a sandwhich for my daughter. If that’s not a man to take a risk on, I don’t know who is.

  He points to the plate beside him. He shoves the rest of his sandwich in his mouth, gulps down half a glass of milk, and then leans over to ruffle Cassidy’s hair. “Be right back, sweetheart. Make sure your mom eats her sandwich.”

  “Sit down, Mama.” Cassidy smiles sweetly up at me, having no idea what an asshole her favorite person is. “We put ’nanas in yours.”

  “Did you now?” I give in, taking the seat Nick abandoned. “How’d you know I’d want my sandwich just like that?”

  “I didn’t,” she admits solemnly. “Unca Nick said you liked them.”

  “You love your Uncle Nick, don’t you?” I sigh. The sandwich is just how I like it—chunky peanut butter with a drizzle of honey and sliced bananas. I wonder when Nick saw me eat them. I can’t remember ever making them in front of him, but I must’ve because how else would he have known? His own sandwich was a flat affair of bread and peanut butter, hold the honey.

  “Yup. He’s the bestest.” The peanut buttery smile she gives me tugs at my heart.

  I reach over and swipe a napkin across her face. “Your Uncle Nick sometimes does things that are aggravating.”

  “What’s that?” she says around her last mouthful of sandwich.

  “Don’t talk with your mouth full,” I chastise gently. “Aggravating is like when you’re tickled too much, and it isn’t fun anymore.”

  “Oh, I don’t like that. Can’t you tell him to stop? He always stops when I tell him to. You should speak up more, Mama.”

  “I suppose I should.”

  She climbs off her chair and presses sticky fingers against my face. “Sometimes you can’t stop tickling because you just want to hear more laughing.”

  I poke her in the side. “Like this?”

  She arches away, holding her side and giggling. “Like that! Hurry up.” She skips away. “I wanna go to the park.”

  Nick strolls in, leans one broad shoulder against the doorframe, and tucks his clean, dry phone into his pocket.

  “Call your brother?”

  “I did.” He holds out his hand. “Get your stuff. We’ll stop by the cell store and I’ll replace your phone.”

  There’s no point in arguing with him. My phone is dead and I can’t function without it.

  “Come on, Cassidy. You ready?” I grab my purse.

  As we’re walking out, Nick places a hand on the small of my back. The closeness is dangerous. When we were standing at the door waiting for Dani to leave, I nearly had a sexual meltdown. Even now, the simple touch causes all my nerve endings to jingle in excitement. He bends down, his mouth only a fraction away from the top of my ear. “I’m not doing this to hurt Charlie. I want her to be happy, same as I want you to be happy.”

  “Have you ever been afraid of anything?” I ask him, as the butterflies start rioting in my stomach.

  “Yeah. When Charlotte got cancer, I was afraid I’d lose her. Every time Nate goes dark and I don’t hear from him, I’m afraid he’s not coming back. Sometimes I’m running for my life out on the field, but I keep moving forward because the reward for trying is awesome.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I think we should try. For all of our sakes.” He tips his head toward the end of the hallway where my pride and joy skips happily toward the elevator.

  I’ve tried to be content with what I’ve had because each time I’ve reached for more, my hands have been brutally smacked. Maybe a wiser girl would tuck her hands tight to her sides, give this beautiful man a goodbye wave, and be content with the world she’d built for herself and her daughter.

  But I’m not that wise girl. I never have been. I wet my lips and watch as Nick’s gorgeous eyes darken in anticipation. “Yes. I want to try.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Nick

  “Just because it ended up alright doesn’t mean you’re forgiven for stealing my phone,” Lainey tells me a couple weeks later as we watch my brother and Charlotte stare lovingly into each other’s eyes.

  Charlotte returned from San Diego with Nate in tow. We took them out for a celebratory dinner at Stacks. The two of them are beaming. I’m happy for my brother. I’m happy for Charlotte. But shit. Could they glow less?

  “I’m enduring my punishment right now,” I inform her quietly.

  “It’s pretty terrible,” Lainey admits.

  Another punishment is sitting next to Lainey and watching her eat. We promised each other we’d explore this attraction between us, but life—football, Cassidy, Charlie and Nate—have managed to keep us separated. We can’t seem to find a moment to ourselves and it’s driving me up a wall. I think Lainey’s getting off on it, too. She knows the power she holds over me and doesn’t hesitate to exert it which is fucking sexy as hell, but excruciatingly painful.

  Swear to God, she’s tormenting me right now. Each morsel she places in her mouth is chewed carefully and slowly. My dick grows harder by the second. I can hardly be in the same room as her without springing to attention like a pre-pubescent boy. I had better control at fifteen than I do now.

  I sigh and shove another piece of bread in my mouth. Her steak isn't half gone but we've been sitting at this table for—I check my watch—forty-five minutes now. That's a long time, isn't it?

  “How’s the team look?”

  She dabs at the corners of her mouth with a napkin, unintentionally drawing attention to her red lips. My eyes linger on their plushness, wanting to press them against my skin.

  She notices my stare. “Did you want something?”

  I draw a deep, impatient breath.

  "No," I answer tersely.

  Lainey raises one perfect eyebrow. Her eyes seem to be laughing, as if she knows exactly what’s going on in my jeans.

  “Make an excuse for us to leave.” I’d think of something, but my brain is focused on Lainey’s shirt falling off her shoulder. My dick pulses in excitement. There’s something seriously wrong with me. I’m getting hard over the smallest things—her bare shoulder, the plump curve of her ass, the way that her lip gloss shimmers in the lamplight.

  “What am I supposed to say?”

  That you want to take me home to fuck. “The nanny,” I suggest. “Say that the nanny needs to go home.”

  Lainey’s eyes drift down my frame, pausing on my biceps and then lingering over my hands. I swear on my mother’s still-breathing body that if Lainey doesn’t look away in the next second, I’m taking her on the table.

  She might sense my desperation because she announces abruptly. “The nanny has to go home. Sorry.” She slings her purse over her shoulder and gets up.

  “I have to go, too. The nanny might need a ride home.” I hustle after Lainey as my brother and Charlotte make weak protests. Reese doesn’t notice we’re gone until Lainey and I are halfway across the room.

  “Should we feel bad about abandoning Reese?” Lainey asks. A nervous laugh bubbles up her throat. “He looked shell shocked.”

  “He’s a big boy. He can figure out an excuse on his own.” I push open the door and gently hustle her out the door. The parking lot is empty but for a few cars. There aren’t many at Stacks as it’s in the middle of the week and the season hasn’t started. “Your car or mine?” I ask.

  All summer a fire’s burned in me. I thought it was hunger for the game, a drive to win; but as my hand closes around her small waist, I realize the core of it was her.

  “Nick, I don’t think this is such a good idea—”

  I slam my mouth against hers. I’ve waite
d too long to hear another excuse. She opens her mouth. At first, it feels like she’s going to push me away. Slap me. Maybe knee me in the balls. I brace for the worst, but when it comes, I’m not prepared.

  The worst is that she kisses me back with so much need and mad desire that my bones are liquified. I stagger backward, taking her with me until I find the metal frame of a vehicle to prop me up. My dick throbs insistently against the zipper of my jeans and my tongue tingles with anticipation. Finally, I’m going to taste her. Finally, I’m going to touch her. Finally. Finally. Finally.

  She tastes like a contradiction—tart and sweet at the same time. I won’t ever want to kiss another woman in my life. Her flavor will be the only one I’ll want in my mouth from this moment until the time that I die. Her tongue flicks against mine and my knees turn to water. Holy fuck, she’s potent. I wrap my hand in her hair until the strands are wound tight around my fingers. She can’t escape me now.

  Our kiss is messy, wet, and ravenous. We kiss as if the end of the world might arrive if our mouths lose contact. I run my hands over her back, cup her righteous ass, and press her hard against me. My dick is ready to explode from just the kiss and the over the clothes contact. I’m so done for.

  She peels her mouth away from mine. Panting, she says, “This is a bad idea. We’re in a parking lot.”

  “Uh huh.” I have no idea what she’s saying. Her hands untuck my shirt and nails scrape across my abs. She could be telling me we’re flying to the moon at this point and I’d smile and nod.

  “We should go inside.” Her fingers dance across the waistband of my jeans. Nimble fingers grip the zipper and slide it down.

  A chorus of angels start singing Hallelujah in the back of my head.

  "No. Right here." I thrust into her hands. I can’t wait. If we go somewhere, she’ll remember Cassidy. Charlie will want to talk about Nate. Reese will complain about his lack of dates. “Right now.”

  My plans for Lainey’s first time did not include a quickie outside a bar but I’m going to take what I can get.