“Not dumped, exactly,” Lea said, coming closer. “Phoebe managed to snag tickets last minute to Hamilton. And Ben and I haven’t been out together without the baby since she was born, so…we have to go. We need to go.”
Ben walked over and slipped an arm around his wife. “Whatever she wants, she gets.”
“Feel free to stay here and watch the game, though,” Ethan told him, moving to his wife’s side.
Phoebe turned to Sophia. “Same with you. Enjoy the wine and chocolate. Elle wasn’t going to make it tonight anyway, so I sent some over to her, too. There was no need for either of you to miss out.”
“Thanks.” Sophia nodded. “Enjoy the show. It’s amazing.”
Lea’s eyes rounded. “Oh my God, did you get to see Lin perform?”
She nodded. “Yes. He was fantastic.”
Ryder had no idea what they were talking about, and he could tell by the way his buddies’ eyes glazed over they joined him in the clueless population.
“I did, too. But I’m excited to see it again,” Phoebe said, hooking her arm through her husband’s. “We should get going or we’ll miss the first act.”
Twenty seconds later, he stood in the family room alone, staring at Sophia.
“So, that just happened,” she said with a grin. “What game were you here to watch?”
“Mets.”
Her eyes widened. “The Mets are on tonight? Sweet.” Grinning, she grabbed the wine and cake, then moved to the fridge, where she managed to grab a beer. “Keiffer’s TV isn’t quite as big as this one.” She nodded toward the gorgeous monster on the wall. “But, you’re more than welcome to come up and watch the game with me. I’ll even share some of my chocolate, if you’ll give up a few slices of that pizza.”
“You like the Mets?” he asked inanely.
She snickered. “Hello? I’m from Queens. Of course I love the Mets.” Grin still in place, she strode past him and headed up the stairs. Halfway there, she turned to look over her shoulder at him. “Are you coming?”
Because he wanted to come with her…literally, he knew he should tell her no. It was the smart thing to do. Watching the game with her, in a private condo, with their out-of-control chemistry, was not a good idea. It was a bad one. In fact, it was downright dumb.
So why did he nod and ascend the stairs behind her?
Because he was fucking stupid.
Chapter Nine
No, it was because she had the beer and the TV, and the game started in four minutes, he silently argued with himself. And he continued to stick to that as they sat on her couch and enjoyed the food and drink and first five innings of the game.
“Ah, come on, ump.” She shot to her feet. “He was out. Are you kidding me?” Her eyes blazed as she turned to him, mouth open, brow furrowed. “Do you believe that?
What he couldn’t believe was how strong the urge was to pull her onto his lap and suck her full lower lip into his mouth. She must’ve read some of it in his eyes, because her demeanor changed from outraged to aroused.
Her breathing changed, too, as if breath clogged her throat. She sank back down on the couch and blinked at him. “Ryder.” She cleared her throat. “You shouldn’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want to ravage me from head to toe.”
A smile tugged his lips, as he lost his mind and reached for her. “I was thinking toe to head.”
“That’s different then,” she said, reaching for him too, gaze locked on his mouth.
Once again, he could tell she wanted it on hers. And because that was exactly what he’d wanted, he ignored the alarm bells going off in his head, and closed the remaining distance between them.
Her flowery scent filled his nostrils, increasing the heat already coursing through his body. Sliding his hands up into her hair, he held her where he wanted her and skimmed his mouth over her jaw, grazing her skin with his teeth, before capturing her sigh in a kiss he’d wanted to take for days.
Lazy, deep, tasting her in slow, thorough sweeps that had her trembling in his arms. He missed this. Missed the crazy, all-consuming out-of-control need she invoked, and the way she responded in kind. Her hands were in his hair now, and her tongue met his in a hungry, wild manner, driving him fucking insane. He had to be insane to be kissing her again.
