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—Holly—
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“I didn’t expect you to be so good with kids,” I said casually, sitting in the dugout beside Isaiah while Scout played catch with Elio and his parents out on the diamond.
Isaiah shrugged. “I know how they roll; got a handful of nieces and nephews, so...” He shrugged again.
I smiled and nudged his side. “It shows. You’re great with Elio. He’s really taken a shining to the both of you.”
“Kid deserves the best day we can give him,” Isaiah murmured, then pinned me with his dark gaze. “You’re good with him.”
My heart gave a little kick. “He means a lot to me,” I admitted.
Isaiah thought for a minute, then hummed. “Meet up with me again tonight.”
I couldn’t help but balk. “Not the time or place to discuss this.”
He kicked back and threaded his fingers behind his head, being all casually sexy, and grinned at me. “We’re alone, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, but this is work.”
“So? If the kid and his family weren’t here, I’d have dragged you off for a quickie already.”
“Isaiah!” My voice pitched, echoing the immediate heat flooding my core.
“Don’t say the thought doesn’t get you hot, Mama,” he deadpanned.
If looks could create orgasms, I would have come undone simply by the way his eyes dropped down my body.
“It doesn’t,” I sassed.
Lies. All of it.
Straight-up deception at its finest.
I squeezed my thighs together and squirmed a little.
Isaiah’s smirk morphed into a shit-eating grin. “And that’s why I don’t believe you.”
I ignored his chuckle and met his eyes again. “You suck.”
“You do. My cock.”
Shocked at his brazenness, I widened my eyes and internally screamed.
His laughter grew. “You’re blushing.”
“Hell yeah I’m blushing! What we did last night cannot be discussed here, especially today.”
Isaiah waved his hand. “The kid’s out of earshot—it’s fine.”
“This is my job, Isaiah. I must be professional.”
“This is my job, too,” he countered. “You’re lucky every part of yours isn’t scrutinized by the media and public.”
My heart sank as I grew solemn. “I know that’s the part Scout struggles with the most. Especially after years of being in the spotlight.”
Isaiah nodded. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty fucking cool hearing fans scream your name, but there’s no off switch. Some days it would be great to not have that. Especially when going to and from a booty call,” he added.
Unjust jealousy from his cavalier comment hit hard. I folded my arms across my chest and focused on Scout, Elio, and his family playing ball. “And this is where the conversation ends.”
A scoff came from my left. “Please don’t tell me you’re jealous, Holly.”
My jaw ticked with irritation. “While I know you’ve got history, I’d rather not talk about it until I’m part of it.”
“Who said you’ll ever be part of my history? You could be the one to tame all of this.” He motioned up and down his body, cocky smirk creating another pinch of irritation. “Besides, the other women were no big deal.”
While I was down for casual, it still stung knowing that I’d eventually be one of those faceless women on Isaiah’s previously fucked list.
I turned to him and lowered my voice. “So, it’s okay to talk about them since they meant nothing?”
He flipped his hand. “Yeah.”
“If that’s the case, let me share too. Granted, I’ve never had to sneak around until now, but since I moved to Portland, my tastes have become more... risqué. First there was Boston—the first man to promise and actually deliver multiple orgasms. Then there was Mateo, who worshipped me for literal hours. Then there was Idris, and let me tell you that his dick was as wide as it was l—”
“Enough!” Isaiah growled, possession darkening his face without warning.
I set a hand on his forearm and said sweetly, “Oh, but don’t worry, they all meant nothing to me.”
“Doesn’t fucking matter. I don’t want to hear—” Understanding filtered through his expression. “I see what you did there, babe. Point taken.”
“Sucks, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, it kinda does.”
We sat in silence for a moment before Isaiah inhaled sharply. “So, you were just kidding about those guys, right? To prove a point?”
I turned my head in slow motion, smiling wickedly while leaving him hanging for a second. “Hate to break it to ya, but it’s all true.”
“Get up,” he demanded.
“What? No!”
He shot to his feet and loomed over me. “Get the fuck up, Holly, before I throw you over my shoulder and cause a scene.”
My mouth turned dry, and I froze for a beat before slowly rising to the bait. “Don’t order me around.”
Silent warnings flashed in his eyes. “Get your ass inside.”
I made a pointed look toward Scout and the family on the diamond. “But—”
“They’re fine,” Isaiah cut me off. “Inside. Now.”
Standing my ground, I put my hands on my hips. “Why?”
“Because I told you so.”
I scoffed. “I’m afraid that reason is not good enough.”
Much to my dismay, he leaned close and spoke directly against the shell of my ear. “Because you’re with me now, and I’m gonna fuck those other men from your mind.”
“Can’t you handle knowing I’ve had other—” I gasped the millisecond his fingers snapped to between my legs and squeezed my outer pussy lips in caution.
“Finish that sentence, Mama. I dare you.”
The deep, gritty warning sent a shiver down my spine. As I craned my neck to look into his stormy expression, I felt the earth drop out from under my feet. It was all there, written throughout his near-black irises: irritation, dominance... a claim.
A ghost of a whisper passed my lips as I subtly shook my head. “What sentence?”
Approval showed on his face. “That’s my girl. Now, inside. We’ve got a little business to take care of.”
I hesitated, then Isaiah turned and called out to Scout. “Yo, Gats! We’re gonna take five.”
“Yep,” Scout shouted back with a thumbs-up.
Isaiah’s attention returned to me, and he issued one word that left no room for argument.
“Inside.”
