“Don’tthrow my food away, please. If you refuse to let them eat it, I’ll just take it back.”
He nodded, releasing his grasp on it. He hoisted himself up onto the counter and continued to stare at me. A hundred retorts went through my head but I chose the mature route. “I got RSVPs from every kid. They’ll be here at six. I figured we could order pizza. I’m having them all bring five bucks.”
“I can order pizza for them.”
“So, pizza is okay?”
“Yes. Pizza is always okay.” He leaned forward, his knee almost hitting my side. God. He was huge. Deliciously muscly and assholey.What a combo.“Did you make a precious plan for the night?”
“Hey!” I smacked his chest. Mistake. Such a mistake. It was firm. And strong. And perfect. “Practice went well this week with my plans. Don’t you agree?”
He sighed and shrugged. “I guess.”
“God, would it kill you to give me a damn compliment? Would it? I thought this week was great.” I took the bag of candy and threw it at him. He caught it, of course, and grinned at me.
Holy wet my panties shit. That smile.“Fiona. The coffee stain on your shirt looks nice.”
“You’re such an asshole! Ugh!”
I left the kitchen to the sound of laughter and gave myself a tour. Fuck that guy. Fuck him and his gorgeous face and dick personality. I needed space—especially if I would be there all damn night. I snuck a text to Jade.
Fiona: Don’t worry about finding me dead. Worry about bailing me out of jail.
Jade: I can’t wait to hear about this. Diane can’t wait. I may have told everyone.
Fiona: Give me a camera and I’ll livestream it.
I entered the living room, if this mansion had just one. It held two black couches, one small white table and a stereo. What captured my attention the most was the sleek bookcase. It had to contain at least three hundred books and it covered an entire wall. “My god. A shelf has never been so sexy before.”
“Interesting,” he replied, standing a foot behind me.
I jumped. “Do you tend to slink around your own house without making a goddamn sound?” I put my hand over my heart and got closer to the beauty. Classics, mysteries, biographies—he had them all. “I’m impressed. I didn’t realize you could read.”
He gasped for a second before letting out a snort. Like, an unattractive, embarrassing sound that combined a laugh and a cough. “Shit. You really are good for my ego.”
“Excuse me—can we talk about the sound you just made?” I smiled. I couldn’t help it. Gideon Titan, baseball legend with billboards everywhere, had just snorted. And he looked damn adorable standing there. “Sexy fantasy dreams would be destroyed across the nation if women knew aboutthatsound.”
“Are yours destroyed?” Those eyes smoldered at me again andChrist. My breath hitched.How amazing would he be in bed… No. Stop it. STOP IT.
“Nah. I think about your body, not your mouth. Whenever you make sound, it pisses me off.”
“Right back at ya, Barbie.” He grinned, wickedly. We stood there, feet apart with our breaths coming out a little faster. Okay, I was breathing weirdly, but I couldn’t help it. He had an aura about him that told me he was an animal in bed. I mean, shit, all that aggression and anger needed a release. “Let me show you the basement. I figured all the guys could stay down there tonight.”
“It’s not a dungeon, is it?”
“God. Do you think before you speak?”
“Not really. Life’s more fun that way.” I laughed and he led me toward another long hallway. It stretched toward the south of the house. The sun began setting and the view struck me. “Wow. This is beautiful.”
“Yeah?” He didn’t stop walking until he realized I’d remained in front of the window. “The AC bill is huge in the summer. The sun heats this place up.”
“I’m sure it is, but with a view like this, it has to be worth it. Damn. You can see the mountains in the background. Can I take a picture of this?”
“I guess.”
I took my phone from my pocket and found the perfect angle. The palm trees and the mountains clashed against the setting sun. It rivaled a painting. I snapped a couple of shots and froze when Gideon bent low. Like, his cheek was inches from mine. “Uh, whatcha doing?”
“I wanna see the shot. Damn. Will you send that to me? That’s a good one.”
