Caught Up (Windy City, #3)

by Liz Tomforde

“And I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth ruining my summer by spending the next two months working for a guy with a giant stick up his ass.” “I’m being responsible. I don’t have a stick up my ass.” “Probably been lodged so far up there and for so damn long that you forgot it was even inside of you.”

“What do you say? Wanna hang out with me while your dad is working? We can watch his game and make fun of how tight his pants are.” “You’ll be watching?” “The game? Or your ass?” “Both.”

“She says, ‘Tell Kai if he doesn’t leave me alone, I’m going to feed his kid all the sugar I can find in this hotel, sit him in front of a screen so he can get brainwashed by whatever the hell a Cocomelon is, then leave his grouchy ass to deal with Max all night.’” “Not funny.” I go to grab his phone. “Ace,” Monty says under his palm so outsiders can’t read his lips. “Cameras.” Exhaling a resigned sigh, I say, “Text her back and tell her she’s fired.” Monty chuckles under his breath. Sanderson holds up his phone for me to read as texts continue to roll in. Miller I got fired in the third and sixth innings too! This must be a new record. Tell him his change-up should get him fired. That was ugly. Oh, and tell him his baseball pants aren’t doing anything for his ass. Actually, don’t lie. His change-up though, that’s not a lie. It really was ugly.

“It’s never too late to go deep in me, Baseball Daddy.” A startled laugh bursts from my lips, breaking the tension. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Kenny,” he whines like the child he tends to be. “Sanderson is free. Hey, Sanderson!” she calls out. “Rhodes needs some work.” “No—” “What’s hurting?” he asks, stepping up. My brother’s eyes widen. “Nothing.” Kennedy falls into laughter behind him. “C’mon, Isaiah. Tell him what you wanted me to rub out.” Sanderson holds his hands up. “I swear to God if you say your dick, I’m quitting on the spot.”

“I got you next time, Rhodes.” “Thank God because next time what I need rubbed out is my di⁠—” “You always make me regret it.”

When we reach the bar and join his teammates, Travis takes the spot next to me, and I can feel the annoyance radiating off Kai’s body as he stands behind me. Little does he know, Travis already told me back in the hotel lobby that the boys were all planning to rile up Kai tonight by conveniently never allowing him a moment alone with me, and who am I to interrupt team bonding, no matter how weirdly it’s done.

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.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, that’d be different if I thought I had a shot in hell, but as it stands, I like my balls right where they are, and Monty scares me enough as it is. My big brother, however…” Both our attention finds him at the bar, jaw ticking.

He scratches the back of his neck. “Which side of the bed do you prefer?” We both look at it. “The furthest side from the door. That way if a murderer comes in, he’ll kill you first.”

“Besides being tempted to murder my catcher,” Kai adds with a yawn, “today was a good day.” “They can all be good days.” His breathing slows and his words are barely a sleepy whisper when he says, “At least for the next six weeks.”

In what world am I supposed to simply be okay with her leaving? How the hell am I supposed to forget what her laugh sounds like? What her lips taste like? I want her. Fuck, do I want her.

“Because it’s her dream, and I care about her too much to not help her chase it, even if that means I won’t be there when she gets everything she’s worked for.”

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

“Why? Why would that be there? Why is it next to Max’s picture?” He doesn’t answer me, so I pull my attention away from the picture to find him staring at me and it isn’t until he has my full attention that he says, “Because when life or work gets too stressful, too overwhelming for me, I’m able to see who matters most. And that’s you, Miller.” He shakes his head. “And it’s in there because I’m so fucking in love with you, it’s too painful not to be able to see you every second of the day.”

“You’re everywhere, and when you leave tomorrow, I’ll still see you everywhere. In this kitchen. In Max’s room. In my bed. There’s nothing about us that’s easy. This is fucking miserable, Miller, knowing there’s a clock counting down the seconds until I don’t have you anymore, but I’d do it all over again. I’d fall in love with you all over again. I’d break my heart all over again because loving you was one of the two greatest surprises of my life.”