I lift a single brow.
“Okay,” he chuckles. “I’m not very good at holding strong on those.”
“I think it might be a good idea, you know, to make sure we’re both clear about what this is.”
“Trust me, Miller. You’ve made it perfectly clear what this is for you and I told you I’m fine with it. I’ll keep it casual.”
“No sleepovers,” I begin.
“Yeah.” His tone is entirely unimpressed. “Got that one already.”
“No kissing unless we’re hooking up. No PDA.”
He narrows his eyes through the reflection. “We’ve always been a little touchy though.”
“Right, but now that we’re sleeping together, I think that should stop. You know, to keep the lines clear.”
“Just so I can keep things clear, are these rules to remind me what this little arrangement is, or are they a reminder for you?”
God, this man drives me nuts with how much he can wiggle his way into my brain and understand its patterns. Sure, I don’t want to hurt him, knowing how many people he’s counted on only for them to leave, but more so, after last night, I think I need the boundaries these rules will enforce to keep me from growing attached when I don’t have the space for that in my life or career.
I’ve never been worried about that before.
“And lastly,” I shift, needing to include the most important rule of all. “This ends the moment I leave Chicago for my next job. There will be no grand declarations of love after all is said and done. We enjoy ourselves, but we remember exactly what this is. A summer fling.”
“A summer fling,” he repeats. “You drive away and it’s over just like that?”
“Just like that.”
Kai hesitates. “If that’s what you want.”
It is, and even if he won’t admit it right now, it’s what he wants too. Long-term, he and Max need someone grounded and safe. We both know that someone isn’t me.
“You know.” Kai’s palm sinks into the side opening of my overalls, grazing my ribs and stomach. “I’m pitching tonight.”
“I do know that.”
“And baseball superstitions are very serious. I can’t risk messing with them.”
He drags his fingertips up my stomach before his thumb dusts over my already stiff nipple.
I fall back into his chest. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying, I can’t break routine.” He kisses the sensitive skin just below my ear as he gracefully unhooks one of the straps on my shoulder. The fabric falls open, exposing my bare chest and Kai stares right at me through the reflection. “If I pitch well tonight, I’m going to assume it’s because of last night and I’m going to have to spend the rest of the summer sinking into you every chance I get. You know, because of superstitions.”
“And if you pitch poorly?”
He smiles against my skin. “We’ll just have to keep fucking until we figure out what we did wrong.”
I giggle at his logic. Yes, giggle. Like a schoolgirl with a crush.
Kai trails his hand over my breast and stomach, dipping lower. He takes his time exploring my skin, touching and kissing me before his middle finger grazes my clit. He rubs gentle, easy circles, working me up, but it’s different from last night. There’s nothing rushed or frenzied. It’s slow and searching.
Reaching back, I hook my palm around the base of his neck.
Kai hums into my ear, and I’m about to drop this chai right to the floor so I can use both of my hands to explore him, but then there’s a knock on his door and we both pause.
It’s his brother and son, I’m sure.
Kai pulls his fingers from me before bringing them to his mouth and licking them clean, all while staring right at me through the mirror. “God, you taste good.”
“Who the hell are you and where did this version come from?”
With a single hand, he reclasps my strap. “Been here the whole time. Just forgot what it was like to enjoy things for myself.”
A knock sounds at his door again.
“And I’ve never enjoyed something as much as I enjoy fucking you.” He finishes with a kiss to my temple before taking off towards his room, but he turns back to give me one more look through the mirror. “Now put some goddamn clothes on before you make me miss my game.”
His smile is light and relaxed as he closes the door between our rooms.
All I can do is look at myself in the mirror and try to figure out who the hell is looking back at me. Because right now, I don’t see any sign of the woman who showed up in Chicago five weeks ago.