Looking in his direction again, I froze when our eyes met in the reflection of the bar’s mirror. He looked so familiar. Why was he familiar? I glanced down at the hat beside him and remembered — he was the same guy I bumped into in the alley.

  How embarrassing.

  Among all the other traits the gene fairy forgot to pass on to me from my mother, grace was also one of them. While Mom could walk all day in stilettos with a book on top of her head, I had to wear wedge heels or no heels. Otherwise, I’d be flat on my face.

  Sinking into my seat, I sat back up straight when Alize snapped her fingers at me, giving me the look. I didn’t get the look often because I didn’t often see her anymore. I think it was a relief to us both. She didn’t need to be reminded that she was nearing middle age and I didn’t need to be reminded of my many failures.

  Like now.

  My senior year in high school, she bought a small apartment for me to live in from the settlement of divorce number three. The day after I turned eighteen, I moved there to be closer to school, and I hadn’t spent a single night under her roof since.

  The waiter arrived, sliding our salads in place. I practically dove for my fork and speared a cherry tomato with about ten times more vengeance than the vegetable — sorry, fruit — deserved. I popped it into my mouth and bit down hard, loving that I now had something to do.

  Thirty more minutes.

  I could survive thirty more minutes.

  With an embarrassingly loud, “Au revoir, my darling,” Alize set down the phone. Good heavens. Didn’t she realize Carlos was a Spanish name?

  From across the table, she beamed at me. “Success!”

  I fake-beamed back. “Yay!”

  “Your appointments begin at nine next Saturday morning, and you’ll finish up at three.”

  Six hours in a salon? No, thank you.

  “The designer I told you about has a plethora of custom designs you can choose from. Stop by her shop tomorrow and select one. I’ll text you her address and let her know to expect you.”

  Nope. Not doing that either.

  I stuffed a huge fork full of lettuce into my mouth as her thumbs flew over her keyboard. My phone pinged, and she gave me a satisfied look. “There. All settled. How lucky are you to have me as a relative?”

  Do you mean mother? I’m a lucky, lucky girl indeed.

  I was still chewing, giving me an excuse to not answer when she splayed her red-tipped fingers onto the table. She leaned forward, her eyes wide with excitement.

  Oh no, what next?

  “I have a brilliant idea. I’ll have Winston pick you up, and the two of you can go together! Let me contact him now.”

  I stopped chewing as she picked up her phone.

  No. No, no, no.

  I shook my head fervently and chewed harder, willing the food to disappear from my mouth so I could scream at her to stop. Frantic, I lunged over the table and slammed my hand down over hers. It was the first time I’d touched her in years.

  “No! I won’t be in the same room with him let alone in a car with him. Are you out of your mind?”

  She looked genuinely surprised. “Why ever not?”

  I gripped her hand harder. “Because he tried to rape me,” I hissed. “Remember?”

  She yanked her hand away and rolled her eyes. “That’s ridiculous. You young girls are so sensitive nowadays. You think a strong hand from an alpha male who knows what he wants is something to be afraid of? Rape!” She scoffed. “You should be down on your knees thanking the universe that a man like that is interested in someone like you. Did you know that the government is getting ready to pay billions to have access to some of the tech equipment his family owns? And there’s rumors that Winston will be running for governor. Just think, you could be the First Lady someday.”

  My heart was beating so hard, I could hear the blood pounding in my ears. The periphery of my vision dimmed, and my fingers tingled, signaling my fight or flight response.

  I opened my mouth to say something, anything, when a strong arm wrapped around my shoulders and squeezed me against a hard body, and a manly scent filled my senses.

  “Hey, baby,” hottie guy from the bar said, giving me a hard kiss. “Sorry I’m late.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Kane

  I didn’t know I had the ability to be as furious as I was now, but dammit, I was seething. I’d followed that beautiful young woman into this restaurant and had been happy to realize that the seating arrangement allowed me to be close enough to observe without being observed.

  Stalker much?

  Yes, it was damn stalker, but I was so fucking drawn to her. To her smile and grace as she endured the continual insults from that horrible plastic Barbie doll that was apparently her mother.

  And when Barbie talked about attempted rape so casually, every nerve ending inside my body snapped. Next thing I knew, I was pressing my lips to this precious person and giving her whatever comfort I could.

  Now what?

  Staring into dazed blue eyes, I pulled Eliana tighter to my side before looking across at Barbie. She looked equally stunned.

  I stuck out a hand. “Kane Steele. It’s wonderful to finally meet the woman who gave birth to this glorious creature. I can’t even imagine how proud you must be of Eliana.”

  Silence became a living thing as they both continued to stare at me.

  Then Barbie’s eyes moved, flicking down my face and to the sweaty compression tank I’d worn for my run. Her eyes were the same color blue as her daughters, but they lacked the depth and warmth the younger woman possessed.

  Tapping my chest, I said, “Sorry, I didn’t have time to change before heading over here. I was already running so late…” I lifted a shoulder as if that explained everything.

  Silence.

  This wasn’t going the way I’d hoped.

  The blue eyes shifted from me to Eliana. “Who is this, my darling?” The bitch’s voice was as stiff as her forehead.

  “Kane Steele,” I answered for her in case she hadn’t heard me earlier. I lifted Eliana’s glass and took a sip. Damn, that shit was sweet.

  Setting the glass back down, I turned to the girl beside me. “You still have that headache from this morning?”

  Eliana blinked up at me and seemed to come out of her daze. “Actually…” she smiled, and my balls tightened, “I’m feeling much better. Thank you.”

  I gave her a squeeze. “You’re very welcome.”

  “Eliana, why didn’t you tell me about Kane?” Barbie’s face didn’t move as she spoke.

  Eliana didn’t miss a beat. “Because I wanted to surprise you, of course.”

  Barbie showed a glimpse of teeth. “Well, you certainly did.”

  Just then, the waiter came up to the table. “Can I get you any—?” The kid’s eyes widened. “Holy sh… crap. You’re Kane Steele, right? The beast of first base!”

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Barbie’s entire demeanor change. When I was a sweaty nobody, I was dirt beneath her feet. I see how it is.

  I stuck out a hand to the kid. “Sure am. Been to many games?”

  His face fell. “Not many. Mostly watch on TV. Don’t miss a game if I can help it.”

  “Glad to hear it. It’s fans like you who will help us break out of this slump.”

  The kid’s entire face lit up.

  “See that hat there?” I pointed at the stool. “Hand it over, and I’ll sign it for you.”

  No one on planet Earth had ever moved that fast. I scrawled my name on the brim and handed it over, then took his name. “Are you free to come to tonight’s game?”

  I swore tears welled in his eyes. He nodded.

  Typing his name into my phone, I sent an email and got an almost immediate confirmation. “You’ll have two tickets at will-call. See ya then.”

  “Th-thanks so much. This is the raddest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  I held up my fist, and he bumped it.

  “If it isn’t too much trouble,” Barbie interrupted, her voice droll with upscale sarcasm, “I’d like a refill of lemon water.”

  The kid blushed and apologized, nearly falling over his feet in an effort to get right on it.

  “So, Kane, what exactly is it you do?”

  “First baseman for the New York Beasts, ma’am.” Damn, it felt good to watch her lips tighten when I called her that.

  “Please call me Alize.”

  I grinned at her and gave Eliana a squeeze. “Yes, ma’am.”

  She sighed, and before she could ask me another question, like my net worth, I kissed Eliana’s forehead. “What were you two talking about before I arrived?”

  “Mom dearest wants me to attend the children’s hospital gala next weekend and was setting up appointments for me to get all dolled up beforehand. Hair, nails, the works.”

  “Better not let them change the color of your hair,” I told her, and she grinned so wide, and with so much gratitude in her eyes, it made me feel like a hero. “I think God was thinking about sunshine and happiness when you were born.” I looked over at Barbie. “Where does she get these fabulous looks from? Aside from the eye color, she doesn’t resemble you at all.”

  Barbie’s plastic face turned into cement. “Her father.”

  “Well, good for you for banging such a good-looking guy.” I patted Eliana’s back as she choked. “You okay, baby? So back to that gala. Should I cancel the spa day I had planned for you? And can you still pick up my tux at the cleaners on the way home?”

  Eliana sputtered but quickly recovered. “T-tux? Yes, of course. Thank you for the reminder. It’s been such an unusual day, I’d completely forgotten. Anything else you need?”

  “Home?” Barbie asked, leaning forward. “Are you two living together?”

  Eliana’s eyes went into full-blown panic, so I jumped in. “Not officially, but we might as well be.”

  “And when was I going to be informed of this?”

  “Now,” Eliana said, batting her long lashes. “Part of the surprise.”

  Barbie narrowed her eyes and turned them back to me. “So, you’re planning on attending the gala? I didn’t know baseball players could afford tickets.”

  I laughed. Not very subtle, but I’d go with it. “Well, this is the MLB. Major. League. Baseball.” I said it slow in case she needed to take notes. Then I went for the throat. “But my family’s been attending the gala for years.”

  Her eyebrows would have risen had they been able to move. “Your family? Might I know them?”

  “Probably. They attend most every major event, even though they live on the West Coast.”

  This was actually kind of fun. I’d never hung my family name up like a dangling carrot before today. But I’d do anything to shut this woman up, I realized. And come to the defense of the one beside me. I didn’t know why I felt so strongly about Eliana when I didn’t even know her last name. But I did. I’d felt it from the moment I gazed into her blue eyes in that alleyway.

  I didn’t believe in love at first sight or any of that shit. But I did believe in my instinct, and my instincts told me that I wanted to get to know this woman better. A lot better. And not just physically either.

  “Kane Steele,” Barbie muttered to herself. “The Steeles of Steele Global?”

  I smiled as the waiter came back with her water.

  “I’d like to order a club sandwich and fries,” I told him and turned to Eliana. “How about you? You need more than that rabbit food to keep your fabulous shape. You know how I hate skeletal women. Portobello burger and sweet potato fries sound good?”

  Tears gleamed in her eyes, but only for a moment because she blinked them away and melted closer to me, melding us together.

  I kissed her hair, breathing in the scent of citrus and vanilla. Yes. I wanted to know her better.

  I wanted to know why she fed homeless dogs.

  I wanted to know what was up with her mother.

  I wanted to know what her skin felt like.

  But more than anything, I wanted to take her to a damn gala and show her what it was like to be treated like she deserved.

  “So, about that spa day. Want to stick to your mother’s plans?”

  She beamed at me. “Sure. And no hair color change, I promise.”

  I stared down at her, into those clear blue eyes over that cutely freckled nose. I wanted to kiss her. Needed to kiss her. So I did.

  I’d kissed her when I first sat down, but that was mostly to mask her surprise. This kiss was different, soft and wet, but it created some electrical charge inside of me that zinged through my system, landing in my balls. I grew hard. From one damn kiss, I was hard as a rock in athletic shorts. Thank God, I was also wearing compression shorts beneath them, or I’d have a tent as big as the Empire State Building for all to see.

  Barbie cleared her throat, and I ignored her, turning more fully toward Eliana, changing the angle of how our lips met. She tasted like tomato and vinaigrette, and something uniquely her. Eliana’s hand crept up my arm, her fingers digging into my shoulder. She whimpered, and the vibration of the sound went to my toes.

  Stop.

  I needed to stop this shit now, or I’d fuck her in this booth, no matter how many rounds I’d had with the porn queen last night.

  Shit.

  That thought tossed cold water on my arousal, and I pulled away, ashamed of myself.

  I’d fucked three different women this week, and here I was, molesting the mouth of this innocent girl. Well, she might not be virgin innocent, the hand on my upper thigh was evidence that she wasn’t pure in that sense of the word.

  But she was pure in other ways.

  Even if she was the daughter of Cruella, who was staring daggers at us both.

  I glanced back down to the lush curve of her mouth, remembering her sexy ass and how it filled out those skinny jeans so perfectly. The clear eyes, sweet smile. Generous and giving spirit.

  Baseball.

  I needed to be focused on baseball, and all I could think about was taking Eliana around the bases at lightning speed, scoring a home run as quickly as possible.

  She deserved better than that. Better than me.

  But I’d intruded in her life and was now taking her to the children’s hospital gala. I’d be the perfect gentleman as her escort, protect her from her mother’s machinations and this Winston asshole who might get a punch in the face if I ran into him.

  We could “break up” afterward. She would then go her way, and I’d go mine.

  Yes, that was the plan.

  But even as I thought it, a restless, edgy energy burned through me. The sort of tension I was familiar with. With Eliana, I needed to cage it. She wasn’t that type of girl, of that I was certain.

  I inhaled her scent again and caught the vanilla undertones. Yes, innocence and vanilla. That wasn’t how I enjoyed being with a woman.

  Sweet wasn’t on my menu.

  Sweet girls had expectations.

  I couldn’t — wouldn’t — offer anything more than a night of hard, fast sex. I went to bed with women who knew the score. Women I could make beg, bring a blush of pink to their flesh. Women who would surrender to my every desire because they already knew what those desires were.

  Besides, I needed to fucking focus. I had a damn losing streak to break. An entire city counting on my brains working at first base and my brawn causing a little white ball to fly over a fence.

  Plus, I wasn’t around a lot. I played 162 games a season, didn’t have more than a couple days off from spring through fall and those days were used mainly for travel.

  And I couldn’t fuck this up. I wanted a World Series win under my belt before I tucked tail and went back to California to step into the family business. Which was another problem. I didn’t need to be in any relationship that I couldn’t walk away from.

  Dammit. Why was I protesting so much?

  Eliana’s hand squeezed my thigh. “Are you okay?”

  Was I?

  I felt lost suddenly, like my internal compass was spinning and kept only wanting to point at one destination. Her.

  I was grateful when the waiter came with my club and smiled when Eliana dug into her Portobello, eating the sweet potato fries with great relish under the watchful eyes of her mother. I was even more grateful when it clearly became time to end this mockery of a meal.

  Barbie looked at her phone, which must have been the cue to leave because Eliana reached for her bag.

  “Well, Kane, it was very nice to meet you.” I wanted to snarl as she extended her hand in a limp-wristed shake. She looked at her daughter. “Perhaps we can take care of the other purpose of our tête-à-tête later. The mail, perhaps?”

  Their tête-à-what?

  Eliana stiffened and thrust her hand into her bag, pulling out a matching Prada wallet and turning to the checkbook section, yanking a pen from its holder. People still wrote checks? “No, let’s take care of that now.”

  As I watched, she scribbled out “One thousand dollars.” She noted “September rent” on the bottom and signed her name with a flourish before ripping it off and sliding the small slip of paper across the table, drawing her hand back quickly as Alize reached for it, looking embarrassed.

  Eliana has to pay rent to her mother?

  “Thank you, darling.” She cleared her throat. “So, I shall see you at the gala? Remember your appointments and be sure to pick out your gown with plenty of time for alterations.”

  I was still stunned by what I’d witnessed. “Will Eliana be paying for those things or is all of this a gift from you?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking.

  Barbie blushed and took a sip of her water. “No, no. This is a gift for my darling Eliana. I’ll have Carlos send you an email with instructions on how to prep for the waxing and other treatments.”

  Eliana opened her mouth then snapped it shut, crossing her arms over her chest in a look of pure mutiny.

  I wiggled my eyebrows at her. “Brazilian? Excellent choice.”

  She blushed a bright adorable red, but a smile played at the corners of her mouth, easing the tension.

  I realized I enjoyed making her blush. I enjoyed making her laugh.