“Mmm,” he hums.
“What, Bug?”
He points to the door again. “Mmm.”
“Are you trying to say Miller?”
“Mmm.”
“Yeah, that’s Miller.” I rock in the chair, rubbing a hand over his back as I tilt my head to look at him. “Do you love Miller?”
He probably doesn’t know what I’m asking, but he nods against me anyway, recognizing the question in my inflection.
Even if he doesn’t understand what he just answered, I know my boy loves that girl.
“I know you do.” I place a kiss on the top of his head. “She loves you too, buddy.”
Minutes later, Max is passed out asleep in my arms, so I carefully place him in his crib, turning off most of the lights, but then the relaxed and calm vibe completely changes when Miller cracks the door between our rooms.
Stress is evident on her pretty face.
“I’m going to bed.”
I catch the door before she closes it. “What’s wrong?”
“Just tired.”
Bullshit. She was tired before that phone call, but she’s not anymore. Now she’s upset.
“What did she want?”
“Kai—”
“Are you going back early?”
The question comes out so needy and desperate, and maybe it’s against her rules to show that side of me, but I don’t give a shit. I’m quickly learning I’m both of those things when it comes to her.
“No . . . no, I’m not going back early. It was about the upcoming article, but it’s also not a big deal.”
She forces a smile, but it doesn’t look right. It’s not light, devilish, or dirty. I don’t recognize it at all.
I’ve seen Miller upset about work before, but mostly when she’s having trouble in the kitchen. This stress on her face doesn’t seem to be the same as that previous version. I can feel the distance she’s putting up even though she’s less than a foot from me, and that distance only grows when she says, “I’m going to get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
And she closes the door on me.
What the hell was with that phone call?
Miller is the fun one. The wild one. The one who knows how to let loose when I’m too overwhelmed about life. So, an hour later, while I’m lying in the dark and see the crack of light under our door still shining from her room, I pull my phone out to text my brother.
Me: You awake?
Isaiah: Yeah.
Me: You alone or do you have company over?
It’s my brother. I’ve got to ask.
Isaiah: Alone. I’m changing my ways, remember?
Me: Sure. Would you mind coming over and hanging with Max for an hour or so? He’s already asleep and I need to get Miller out of her room.
Isaiah: Sounds kinky. Does Monty know you’re sneaking his daughter out of the hotel right under his nose?
Me: Please shut up. Are you coming over or not?
Isaiah: Geez. You go forty-eight hours without getting laid and you’re a grouch again. Yes, I’m coming over.
The door between our rooms is unlocked. It hasn’t been locked in weeks, so I open it to find a wide-awake Miller sitting at the desk with her laptop open and notepad covered in messy scribbles. She’s got one foot on the chair as she rests her chin on her knee, espresso brown hair pulled up in a knot as the light from the computer illuminates her face. She’s sitting so close, as if hoping whatever information is on the screen will magically transfer to her brain, and even from the doorway, I can tell she’s stressing over recipes.
“Mills, put your bathing suit on. You’re coming with me.”
She whips around. “Why?”
“Because I need to loosen my shoulder in the pool.”
“But—” She gestures towards her computer.
“You don’t have to put your suit on, but you’re coming with me. In fact, I prefer you naked anyway.”
She chuckles, rolling her eyes as she closes her computer. “Fine.”
Once Isaiah is settled in my room, Miller and I find the pool. I thought this one would be an indoor one, seeing as Boston freezes over in the winter, but it’s outside and on the rooftop.
She’s in that forest green swimsuit again, and now that I know what’s underneath, I refuse to hide my gawking as she leaves her towel on a chair and walks her ass to the pool. Her hips sway, her thick thighs rubbing together with every step, fucking mouthwatering with all that tanned and tatted skin.
“This is exactly why I needed you to come with me. This is the kind of motivation I was looking for.”