Caught Up (Windy City, #3)

by Liz Tomforde

Hands in my pockets, I nod toward the opposite side of the house. “Come.” “God,” she moans, head falling back. “I can’t wait to hear you say that in the bedroom.”

Her lips press together, holding back a grin. “You keep talking like that, Kai, and I’ll be ditching the ‘baseball’ part and just be calling you ‘daddy.’”

I miss letting loose and flirting with a beautiful woman, remembering how easy life used to be, and Miller makes it pretty easy to get caught up in pretending I still have the freedom to be that man.

“You’re not going to warn her about the boys?” Kai asks as my dad starts up the stairs. “Tell her to stay away from them?” I roll my eyes at the pitcher. “Have you met my kid? I should’ve warned the boys about her. She can take care of herself.”

She nods toward the summer moon sitting just above the city line in the distance. “This feels pretty inspirational.” She’s not wrong. It’s stunning out here. Both the view and the girl I shouldn’t be looking at.

“I don’t see you wearing number twenty-one. Where’s your jersey?” “I’m more of a fourteen gal myself.” Her softball number. I keep my mouth shut to not out that I’ve looked at that photo of her on her dad’s desk too many times and know the reference well. “If you’re going to start coming to my games, I better see Rhodes on your back and I’m not talking about my brother.” “Is this some athlete kink you got? Need to see a girl in your jersey?” The old flirty side of me that I’ve kept hidden and locked down for the most part since Max came into my life is itching to break free. I pop my shoulders. “I like to see pretty girls in my jersey. Like to take it off them too.”

For one night, I don’t want to think about whose daughter she is, and I sure as hell don’t want to think about her leaving in less than two months. My steps swallow hers, chasing after her. Reaching around Miller for the handle of the door, I pull in, holding it closed with my chest to her back and my arms caging her in on either side. I lower my lips to her ear. “Is that what you need to hear, Miller? That I think you’re hot? Do you really need to hear me say I can’t keep my fucking eyes off you when you’re in the room, or have you finally picked up on that?” Her body stiffens and from behind, I watch her throat move in a long swallow. “No. I like watching you beat yourself up over wanting to look at me. It’s much more satisfying to know I piss you off than it would be to know I turn you on.” A small laugh rumbles in my chest. “Well, much to my frustration you, Miller, are excellent at both.”

There’s only one instance in which I can see myself gagging in Kai Rhodes’ presence, and it sure as hell isn’t from liquor.

“You promised to help me find my balance in life. I thought I’d try to help you find your joy.”

When the time comes, I want it to be hard for Miller to leave and not just because I’ve enjoyed having her here, but because it’s one of the most important parts of life. Finding people that make your heart ache when they’re not around. Having a place to call home.

Grabbing the leg of her chair, I pull it, dragging her to sit next to me and letting her know our business meeting is officially over. “Tell me everything.”

I allow myself to eye-fuck the hell out of her because I’ve spent too many days pretending like she’s not the only thing I see.

“You need my mouth?” “I need your dick.” He chuckles. “Patience, Mills. I want to get you off at least once first. Who knows how long I’ll last once I’m inside of you.”

Kai looks down at me, all big and towering. “What are you doing?” “I’m praying.” Finding the button on his pants, I unzip. “What the fuck do you think I’m doing?”

Literally and figuratively I’m on my knees for this man.

His tone is so soft and sincere that it almost makes me blush. I’m not one to be shy regarding sex. But Kai is looking at me like I’m his favorite thing he’s ever seen and the way his words are spoken it’s as if he’s thanking me for being here.

“Come here.” His voice is hoarse, grabbing my ass, and pulling me to straddle him on the ground.

Kai flicks my nipple with his tongue one more time before he meets my mouth. “I need to taste the rest of you.” Yep. Definitely going to come again because I sure as hell haven’t been spoken to so freely in the bedroom before.

Where the fuck did he learn to do this? Irrational jealousy zips through me, knowing there were other women before me. He’s got a literal child, one that I care about, and I’m over here fuming because he had the audacity to have sex with someone before he ever met me.

I simply fist the sheets and squeeze my thighs in response. “Mmm,” he hums, vibrating my entire core. “Yes, baby. Suffocate me.”

This guy is a walking juxtaposition. Dirty-talking confidence turned right back to the soft man who’s gone through his life alone.

“You’ve made me come three times since that night in the kitchen.” My breaths are erratic as I try to calm down. “And I haven’t taken care of you once. That seems awfully unfair.” Kai pulls a condom out of the back pocket of his pants. The one my panties aren’t currently occupying. “Is that how you think this works? Who the hell has been giving you orgasms only to expect them in return?” He shakes his head. “Don’t answer that. I changed my mind. I don’t want to know.”

He laughs and it’s entirely without humor. “Getting you off gets me off. You should stop entertaining boys with any other mindset.”

He drops his briefs to the ground, and I can’t breathe. “In fact, you should stop entertaining other boys in general.”

“How long have you been keeping that in your back pocket?” I ask. “Been carrying one with me since the night we went out in Texas.” “After that night, you mean?” “No. I slipped one in my wallet before we left for the bar.” My brows lift. “For me?” “It’s always been only for you.”

“You think you’ll be able to keep yourself detached because you’re not looking at my face while I fuck you?” The mattress sinks as Kai climbs on behind me. Thick thighs kiss mine and I hate how well he sees me, knows me and what my chaotic head is doing. One arm snakes around my waist, the other cupping my breasts as he pulls me up, my back flush to his chest. He lowers his mouth to my ear. “Well, it doesn’t matter if you see me or not. You’re going to feel every inch of me. I’ll be so deep, you’ll be able to feel me in your fucking throat, and I can promise you, Miller, your body won’t let you forget me.”

Kai spreads his knees, using his thighs to open mine as I try to adjust to his size. “Too big,” I tell him, my words muffled into the sheets. That fucking chuckle rumbles again. “I’m only halfway in, Mills.” With bewilderment, my eyes find him over my shoulder. “That can’t be true.” “It is. I’m looking right at it. Goddamn, you should see us, Miller. You look beautiful, trying your hardest to stretch around me. It’s really too bad you didn’t want to see anything.”

I’m speechless. I’m obsessed. I think I’m in trouble.

“Fine,” he says, lifting the sheets over my naked body to tuck me in because of course he does. “I hope you’re able to get some sleep with all the cartwheels your brain is doing right now.”

“Mills, you already are mine. Even if I haven’t been allowed to show you, you’ve always been mine.”

My favorite thing about this man is how stable, how constant he is.

Today is Miller’s birthday and it started just the way I wanted it to—with my face between her legs.

I lean down to her ear, speaking quietly. “Toss your hair over your shoulder like that again, will you. It’s giving me flashbacks to a much happier Miller with a mouth full of my cock.” Finally, the smallest, most discreet smile pulls at her lips. “Jesus,” I chuckle. “That’s what gets you to smile? Am I going to have to fuck the attitude right out of you, or what?” “Probably.”

“Miller,” he says, making sure my attention is on him. “If you ever decide to stop running and make a home…” His eyes are begging, pleading. “Make it with me.”

Having someone else to take care of while your heart is breaking is an odd relief. You want to wallow in self-pity but can’t because someone else is relying on you.

And as I disassemble the thing, Kai’s handwriting comes into view, right there on the back of the photo. Our names—Max, Miller, and Malakai are accompanied by the date and year with a small inscription below. I hope you’re out there finding your joy because you’re the reason we found ours.

And once again, I want to cry, crumble, dissolve into nothing because he’s everywhere.

that man is embedded in every moment of my life.

You don’t need everyone to know your name for it to mean you’re doing something great with your life. Trust me, when the right person knows your name, it’s enough.”

“I don’t like the term ‘settling down.’ I didn’t settle for anything. I simply stopped running when the two best boys I know caught me.”

We could’ve gone years and I still would’ve claimed her as mine the moment she decided she wanted to be.

“This is what I want. This life together. The three of us. You keep me grounded, Kai, and I’ll keep you wild.”

With our friends surrounding us, I finally got my family.

I love you, Miller, and I’m pretty envious that Max gets to call you Mom because I’d really like the opportunity to call you my wife.”