False Start (Red Zone Rivals, #5)

by Kandi Steiner

“Madelyn,” he pleaded, and he waited until I looked at him to continue. “This is a deal that works for both of us, and you know it. Tell me you wouldn’t sleep better at night knowing that a six-foot-seven, two-hundred-and-thirty pounds and counting professional athlete has your back.”

“Besides — this would guarantee that I wouldn’t rush buying a house. I wouldn’t be in a hurry to get you your commission if I knew I could watch over you in the meantime.”

“I don’t need—” “I know you don’t need me,” he said, cutting me off. His eyes flashed with something achingly familiar when he added, “But I need you.”

I didn’t care about being logical. I only cared about making sure she was okay.

“No fighting with Marshall.” Marshall. So that was the fucker’s name. Madelyn must have seen how tense my jaw was because she arched a threatening brow. “I mean it. If you go fighting him, it’s going to cause more issues for me. So, be the six-foot-seven bodyguard all you want, but do not goad him, do not call him names, and do not lay a finger on him.” “I won’t,” I promise. “Unless he lays a finger on you.”

“Madelyn,” I said, leveling her with a gaze that I hoped told her she was being ridiculous. I took a tentative step toward her. “Come on. We’re adults, and we used to be friends. I think we can handle some fake kissing.” “Absolutely not.”

I wanted to meet her son. I wanted to know the child she had made. “I can’t break his heart, Kyle,” she said, her wet eyes finding mine. “I can’t.”

“You calling me trash, Robbins?” “If you’re trash, then I’m a dumpster diver.”

Again, she let out an incredulous laugh that told me she thought I was acting insane. And maybe I was. If anyone in this world could make me crazy, it was this girl.

But when he’d seen the bruises on my arms, he’d lost his mind. A chill swept over me even now as I remembered the way he’d carefully held me, his eyes shielded under furrowed brows as they assessed me for damage. And then, his jaw had tightened, his resolve set. He wanted to protect me.

And while I’d been quick to point out that I could take care of my damn self, thank you very much, I couldn’t deny that seeing that protectiveness wash over him had done something to me. I liked the thought of someone having my back. I loved the thought of seeing Marshall squirm when he realized he couldn’t touch me — not with a beastly NFL tight end watching his every move.

“Oh, come on. Have a little fun. You’ve got a personal stylist, a credit card without a limit, and a hunky football player carrying your shit. It could be worse.”

I’m great with zippers. Bra clasps, too.”

“Do we need to get you a bib?” I tried to joke, though my voice was softer than I would have preferred. “You’re drooling a bit there.” But Kyle didn’t joke back. It was like looking at me in this dress, he was shocked silent. And that made my throat dry up like the Sahara Desert.

“Isn’t she stunning?” Larissa probed, continuing to accessorize me. I watched her drape a long, delicate chain around my neck, the gold bar at the end of it settling in the gap of the dress at my chest. When my eyes found Kyle again, he was subtly shaking his head, his eyes drinking me in again. “Always has been,” he said, his voice almost too low for me to hear.

Kyle stood, hastily smoothing a hand over his stomach like he was wearing a suit and not a t-shirt. He was quiet as his eyes washed over me, his hands finding his pockets like he didn’t know what else to do with them. Like if he didn’t tuck them away, he might reach for me, instead.

I felt the heat from his gaze like a roaring bonfire, and by the time his eyes reconnected with mine, my neck was flushed a bright pink. He swallowed, shaking his head. “Goddamn, Mads.”

“What’s wrong?” “Zipper’s stuck.” At that, Kyle beamed, standing and tucking his phone away before spreading his arms wide like he was God’s gift to the world. “My specialty.” I glared at him. “I’ll wait.” “Come on,” he said on a hearty chuckle. “I’ve got you.”

“Maybe we should practice.” I swallowed, trying to wet my mouth so I wouldn’t cough from the desert dryness when I attempted a response. “Practice what?” I opened my eyes, finding Kyle staring right back at me with just a slight tilt of his lips. “Flirting,” he said, and his knuckles found my spine again, this time running up the length he’d just traced down. I shivered, feeling every centimeter of that touch until he found one of my straps and carefully, slowly, slid it off my shoulder. “Touching,” he said softer, and my heart stopped when he bent and lowered his lips to the sensitive spot just behind the shell of my ear. “Kissing.”

“Next, you’ll say we need to practice horizontal dancing.” Kyle quirked a smile. “That wasn’t on my list, but I’d be happy to add it.”

“I’m serious, you know.” “I’m sure you are.” “Better for us to get comfortable when no one is around. Wouldn’t want my friends to see that pretty blush on your cheeks the first time I kiss you in front of them.”

The next day, I sat in my car with a bag full of rocks in my lap, but they might as well have been in my stomach. I was about to meet Sebastian for the first time.

It mattered to me that Madelyn was trusting me to meet him. Period.

Today was a big deal. It meant a lot to her, to me.

“You know how you can thank me?” “I’m not telling you who she is.” “Ugh!” She pouted. “Fine, but can you give me something? Tell me how you know her, or what level of serious it is. Oh, tell me your tropes!”

For a moment, I let myself sit in the privacy of my car and watch them.

“To him, we are friends. Now, and after all this is done. Okay? This is serious, Kyle.” “I know.” “I mean it,” she echoed. “I know, Mads.”

I stepped into her, careful not to push too close. I knew she was in a nervous state, and I only wanted to calm her — not agitate her more. “I’m in this,”

“You’re a real jerk for doing that, you know.” “Well, I need a date to this wedding.” “More like you need to insert yourself into a situation you should just leave alone.” “Shut up and let me take care of you.”

“Sebastian, this is my friend, Kyle.” I didn’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t for the kid’s eyes to go as wide as baseballs, nor would I have put “crush my legs in a fierce hug” on my bingo card. But that was exactly what he did. And when he pulled back, he jumped up and down excitedly. “Mommy never has friends!”

She smiled. “He’s a good kid.” “He is,” I agreed. “And you’re a good mom.”

“He looks like you,” I added. “Laughs like you, too.”

“It was one of my favorite sounds. I loved how you’d hold it back until you had no choice but to let it free, like you’d try to be annoyed by me but then I’d somehow win.” Madelyn rolled her eyes. “I was mostly laughing at you, not because you said something funny.”

Used to be my goal, to get that laugh out of you at least once a day.” I paused, waiting until she uncovered her face. “Think I might need to bring that goal back front and center, actually. Think I might like to hear you laugh more now.”

She was scared of him.

“Hey,” I said, calling her attention. For a long second, her gaze was stuck on where he was charging toward us. I didn’t dare touch her with him watching our every move, but I called her name. “Mads.” Her eyes snapped to mine. Slowly, I took a deep breath, nodding my head toward her to do the same. “I’m right here,” I told her. “I’ve got you. Okay?” Madelyn just swallowed.

“You are safe,” I said, softer this time.

I covered just the edge of her hand on the blanket with my own, angling my body so the touch was hidden from Marshall’s view. It was like touching an electric fenc...

Finally, she pulled a fresh breath through her nose, nodding, her eyes slipping to where my hand covered hers before she slowly found my gaze again. And in that moment, in that particular light, she looked like that girl I fell in love with years ago — her brown eyes golden in the bit of sun sneaking through the trees, the...

Then, I climbed to my feet, cracking my neck before I turned to face Marshall. He was just a few yards away now. His stride slowed a bit when he realized how tall I was, and that made my fake grin even easie...

How this man could be trusted to help or save anything was beyond me.

“Madelyn, who the fuck is this?” “I’m Kyle,” Kyle repeated. “I just told you that. Is your hearing bad, or are you just stupid?”

“What did you just say to me?” “Wow, your hearing really is shit, isn’t it?”

When he saw Marshall, his face went absolutely blank. He didn’t light up with excitement at the presence of his father, nor did he cower or show any negative emotion.

Although something told me he knew, even if he’d never bore witness to it. Kids just know.

“Who do you think you are, introducing our son to some random man without asking me first?” “I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have to get permission from you for a damn thing,” Kyle said.

“The only reason I’m letting you live is because I care enough about that woman to do what she asks me to,” he said, and when his finger pointed right at me, I felt it like a bolt of lightning to the heart. “But slip up even one time,” he continued, shaking his head as a damn near evil smile spread on his stupidly handsome face. “And I will risk it all. Understand? I will risk it all.”

Because Kyle walked right up to me, framed my face in his massive hands, and pressed a long, slow kiss… To my forehead.

Because that kiss claimed me. It sent a message to my ex-husband. But it was also innocent enough not to cause questions for my son. The fact that Kyle understood how important that part of the equation was made me weak in the knees. “I’ve got you,” he whispered against my skin when he broke the kiss, and then he pulled me under his arm, smiling at Marshall just as he rejoined us.

“We can leave. We can go right now. I’ll—” I kissed him.