Caught Up (Windy City, #3)

by Liz Tomforde

“And Ace,” he calls out. “Keep your dick in your pants. We all know how fucking fertile you are, and I’m too young and too goddamn attractive for someone to be calling me Grandpa.”

how tight his pants are.” “You’ll be watching?” “The game? Or your ass?” “Both.” Miller’s greens dart to me over her shoulder. Shit. The old me popped out without thought, two seconds after she gave my brother a warning for hitting on her. A smirk lifts on her lips, but she doesn’t fully answer my question. “Yeah, I’ll be watching.”

“Will I see you in Chicago?” I desperately ask before she’s fully out the door.

“Dad, that was a very long, drawn-out way for you to tell me not to have sex with your pitcher.” “Well, my way sounded a whole lot more poetic than that, but yeah, don’t have sex with my pitcher.”

She slides her palms against the counter. “And I look good in your kitchen.” I attempt to hold back, but fuck it, I like sparring with this woman. “That you do.” There’s no question there. Miller looks damn good in my kitchen when I allow myself to look. “Does your boyfriend know what a flirt you are?” “Oh, come on, Kai. You’re better than that. Be direct. Ask me if I’m single.” There’s a sly smile on her lips, a smile that screams she likes flirting with me as much as I do her.

“Country boy, huh?” The mental picture of him in Wranglers, much in the way he wears his baseball pants, is doing all sorts of things to my imagination. “Miller.” “Hmm?” “You’re sexualizing me in your mind right now, aren’t you?” “Absolutely.”

Save my number in your phone. You’re stuck with me for a bit.

I find Kai leaning against the stairwell, hands in his pockets and watching us. “Hi.” His blue eyes are soft. “Hi.”

Wordlessly, Kai slides a large hand around my waist, pulling me into a row behind them all. “You’re with me, Montgomery.”

“He’s never been to one of my games before,” I tell her, my voice a bit hoarse. “Thank you for bringing him, Mills.”

“I don’t see you wearing number twenty-one. Where’s your jersey?”

“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.” Miller’s lips part, a shocked and satisfied grin lifting on the corners. “Well, with that kind of promise, I’ll be sure to wear it next time.”

He loves her. It’s obvious in the way he looks at her, in the way he reaches for her when she’s near. She brings him a comfort he was missing, and she equally brings me the same, knowing how well they get along.

“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.”

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?”

“You flirting with me, Montgomery?” “Have been since we met. You gonna start flirting back?”

“Well, we all have our limits now, don’t we?” “And I’m yours?” His eyes trail my face, once again landing on my lips. “I think you might be.”

“Kai, I am not your problem.” My attention dips to her lips. “Be my problem.” Swallowing, she tilts her head, testing me. “Then do something to make me your problem.”

“First you want me to watch your son, travel with you, and now I need to cook for you? God, what else do you want me to do?” His thumb trails down my jaw before sliding against my lower lip. “I want you to kiss me again.” Oh. He stares at my mouth. “I really liked kissing you, Mills.”

“Because if I kiss you again,” he continues, “I have a feeling I’m going to want to do it every time I see you.”

A knowing smile lifts on his lips. “Miller Montgomery, you cold, unattached woman. Get over here and cuddle with me.” “Stop saying cuddle!”

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

“I love how much you hate that you’re attracted to me.”

She nods against my palm as it rests on her cheek. “You can’t miss his first steps.” Fucking hell. Now that the adrenaline is settling, my chest physically aches because of this woman. She’s too good to us, too good to me.

“Kai,” she whispers. “Hmm?” “Are you going to kiss me?” “Thinking about it.” “What happened to your no-more-kissing rule?” “Wanting to break it.”

“Thank you for coming. I think this is my favorite family dinner yet.” “Oh, yeah?” “Yeah. Mostly because of the pie.” I give him a gentle swat on the upper arm. “And because of the girl who made it.”

“Please don’t sleep outside,” he softly pleads. “I don’t sleep well knowing you’re out there.”

“What was that for?” I ask, searching for air. “I like you vulnerable, Mills.”

“Yes, baby. Suffocate me.”

“For me?” “It’s always been only for you.”

“I hope you’re able to get some sleep with all the cartwheels your brain is doing right now.”

He was right. There’s no way I’ll be able to forget him.

The door closes, but I can still hear Isaiah in the hall. “Miller, I know you’re in there, and I’m proud of you too, girl!”

I do the same to her because I don’t give a fuck about her rules right now. She’s only here for a little while longer so in this moment, I’m going to treat her how I want to treat her—as if she were mine.

“Thank you,” she exhales against my neck. “For making me forget about real life for a second.” My eyes close at her words. This is real life. This is my real life.

I tuck the photo of Miller under the band, close to the one of Max, running my thumb over both of the edges.

“Thank you for tonight.” He leans his cheek on my hair. “I’d do anything for you, Miller.”

“Told you, Mills. You’re already falling.” “I don’t fall in love.”

I plan to steal every second while pretending there’s no end date to us in sight. Because unfortunately for me, I know no one else will ever compare to how complete she makes both me and my son feel.

“Miller, I don’t think you’ve been just a nanny to anyone in that family,” Kennedy says.

I hate you. You don’t hate me. You’re right. It’s just about the opposite of that. Stop texting me. I need to start driving.

“I like you.” A laugh rumbles in my chest. “I like you too, Mills.” “Will you kiss me?” “You don’t want me to kiss you casually, remember?” “I changed my mind.”

“Thank you.” “You’re welcome, baby.” I simply shake my head at her with a laugh,

“He’s my brother. I’d do anything for him.” She smiles softly. “Just how you’d do anything for Max.” “And you.”

“I’d do anything for you,” I repeat. “You know that?” “I think I’d do anything for you too.”

“All my skin care is in here. And my toothbrush.” “It is.” “Why?” “Because you’ve got only a few days left here and I’m done with your no-sleepover rule.”

“Yeah, and it’s nice to talk to someone when my head is a mess over you.” My chest rumbles in a laugh. “Your head is a mess over me, huh, Mills? I’m flattered.” “You should be.”

“You want to know how what feels like?” “To be yours.”

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

“Today was a good day.” She smiles against my chest. “They could all be good days.”