“Well, get on it. You said it yourself, she’s leaving.”
I take another swig of my beer. “We’re done talking about this.”
“I think she’s into you too.”
That gains my attention. “You think so?”
He gestures to me. “This insecure dad thing doesn’t suit you.”
“I’m not being insecure.”
I’m completely insecure.
“I’m being realistic. Miller is young and successful. She doesn’t stay put for long. I’m inching towards retirement and have a kid who will always be my priority. Women like that don’t go for guys like me.”
Isaiah’s eyes are wide and unblinking. “You whiny little bitch. You need to get laid and find some of that swag that left when Max showed up at your door. I never thought I’d see the day where I’d have to be Malakai Rhodes’ personal hype man but here we go.” He sits up straighter. “First of all, having Max is a bonus, not a deterrent—”
“I never said he’s a deterrent.”
My brother holds his hand up to stop me. “I know you didn’t, but you’re thinking other women might view him that way. We don’t give a fuck about those women. There are people out there, let’s take the hot nanny who is living in your side yard for example, who will look at you being a father as a major check in the pro column. And the retirement thing—you’re a professional athlete. Of course, you’re close to retirement. We all are. You’re making it seem like you’re in your seventies and about to sign up for an AARP card. You used to have girls falling at your feet. Remember who the fuck you are. You’re Kai Rhodes, starting pitcher and sexy as hell.”
I raise my brow at him.
“And I’m only saying that because minus the eye color and glasses, you look a lot like me. Come on, man. Remember my prom date who only said yes to me because she wanted to ride in the same limo as you?”
“Krista?”
“Kaitlin.” He sighs, eyes looking up towards the ceiling. “Who I thought was the love of my life until I realized she was in love with my big brother, as was every other girl I wanted in high school.”
“You find a new love of your life every other week.”
He waves me off. “All I’m saying is, there would be a horde of women who would happily get you out of your self-inflicted dry spell.”
“Don’t need a horde of women.”
“Of course, you don’t. Because you’re only interested in one.”
I shake him off, my voice low. “She’s Monty’s kid.”
Just then, the elevator doors open on the lobby level, and like the magnet she’s become, my attention finds her as soon as she’s in the room. That dark hair is curled, falling over the tattoos I’ve begun to memorize, and instead of Miller’s typical overalls, dark denim jeans act as a second skin, so tight I can see every striation in her thighs. A cream-colored tank dips between her breasts, her typically bare lips are painted in red, and her eyes are set on me.
“Does she look like a kid to you?” Isaiah asks, trying to gain my attention, but it does nothing to take my eyes off her. “I didn’t think so. She looks like a grown-ass woman who knows exactly what she wants.” He pats my leg as he stands from the couch. “And that, my brother, would be you.”
Miller keeps her jade green gaze attached to mine from across the room and it does all sorts of things to my head and my dick. If I could pull my eyes off her, I imagine I’d find a few of my teammates checking her out as well. Not that I could blame them, she’s fucking stunning and that red around her lips has me daydreaming of seeing it smeared around my cock.
But then Travis steps up to offer her a beer, pulling her attention away from mine, and earning one of her smiles.
“And yes,” Isaiah says, walking backward to join the rest of the boys. “To answer your question. Trav is interested.”
Fucking hell.
“Let’s go!” Cody yells into the lobby. “Cars are here.”
Miller says something to my catcher, which causes Travis to join the rest of the team filing outside, but she stays put, lingering behind. I stand and do the same, waiting for the lobby to empty.
Miller’s eyes take their time trailing up my body until finally, they connect with mine. “Hi,” she says, her red painted lips lifting.
“Hi there.”
“You look hot.”
I didn’t think too much of my jeans and button-down while I was getting ready, but now I’m categorizing this as an outfit I need to repeat at my earliest convenience.