Daisy was waiting for him in the hallway. She straightened when she noticed him, her smile fading. “Is everything okay?”

  It wasn’t, but he didn’t think he could get into it right now. It wasn’t just that he’d missed some calls. He’d been pursuing pleasure when his daughter needed him. Guilt crashed around him.

  “Emma got sick. I need to go pick her up, see what’s going on.”

  Daisy grimaced. “Of course. I hope she’s okay.”

  “Me too. Thanks for the swim, Daisy.”

  She squeezed his wrist. “No problem. Now go! Daddy to the rescue.”

  He could have kissed her for that, but instead, he just winked and hurried out of the rec center. As soon as he re-entered the humid late evening air, guilt began percolating inside him again. The situation felt like a warning sign, one he needed to heed.

  His focus needed to stay firmly on his daughter. Something bad hadn’t happened this time, but what about the next time he decided to prioritize chasing something he knew he shouldn’t? If he let this type of thing go unchecked, it would turn into an ugly pattern…and down the road, an even bigger problem.

  James needed to keep his focus on the only two priorities that mattered: Emma and his job.

  And Daisy, no matter how sweet and sexy she was, could never be anything but a distraction.

  6

  Game day that Sunday meant a home game for the Sharks, which Daisy was thankful for. Her parents had decided to drop by for the weekend and insisted on attending the Sharks game and meeting the players afterward.

  Her parents weren’t big football fans, so Daisy had to spend the majority of the game explaining to her mother why everyone was booing or cheering in response to certain events. Not like Daisy minded—this move was definitely a show of support on their part. She’d gotten permission from Coach Scooter to host them in the team’s box with the understanding that if she were needed on the field, she’d come running. One of her trainers was tracking stats for her, and she’d be up early the next morning crunching the numbers and revising conditioning plans based on today’s performances.

  Even as she kept a running tally of yardage and hits in the back of her mind, she encouraged her parents to partake of the buffet and at least try to enjoy the game. Daisy suspected the family time was more of a ruse to allow her parents to ascertain that she actually had the job she claimed, or maybe to inspect her new condo, just to make sure it was up to snuff. They were particular and demanding people, but it was done out of love, she’d come to realize. Even if it made her want to pull her hair out sometimes.

  “Margarita,” her father rumbled in his accented baritone, frowning down at the football game from their box at the top of the stadium, “Alex says he’s coming for dinner tonight.”

  “That’s great,” Daisy said, her eyes glued to James as he ran the ball and then passed it off to Mark. She made a fist with her hand, her entire body tense as she watched Mark dodge the oncoming team. “Yes, yes, yes.” She whooped, clapping as he threw the ball down field and it was received for a touchdown. She pumped her fist as her mother crossed her arms over her chest.

  “So that was a point for our team,” she said slowly.

  “Yes, Mom. Six of them, actually. And James helped us win them when he passed the ball to Mark.” She grinned at her parents. James had been playing better recently…maybe since she’d come along. But she was hesitant to think her regimen was the reason. “Now, what were we saying? Alex is coming tonight?”

  “We should invite James too,” her mother said, nodding. “James and his daughter. We can do that, Dmitri, yes? We should have enough food.”

  “We’ll have enough food,” her father confirmed. “Always have enough food for James. Look at how he’s playing. He’s winning the whole thing. He deserves a home-cooked meal.”

  “He probably doesn’t get those much anymore,” her mother added. “What with Mary leaving and all.”

  “I’m sure they’d love that,” Daisy said, forcing herself to sound bright. But on the inside, her stomach clenched because of just how badly she wanted to see James…and just how difficult it was becoming to contain her growing feelings.

  Their pool escapade on Friday had nearly convinced her to throw herself at him, consequences be damned. His powerful shoulders combined with the ridges of his six pack and his relentless, gentle teasing…was it so wrong that she wanted him to pin her to the wall and have at her? He could toss her around like she weighed nothing, based on the bulge of those biceps and the impressive loads he lifted in the weight room. And she wanted him to try. Badly.

  “We’ll ask him when we go meet the team,” her mother promised, patting Daisy’s knee. Her bracelets jangled over her dainty wrist. Every element of her mother was perfect and jaw-dropping. Konstantina Katrakis had performed as a professional ballerina for years until retiring to open her own studio. She was the epitome of feminine grace—which meant her sporty, sports-inclined daughter had proved quite a shock to her expectations. In her teenage years, Daisy could count on her mother questioning whether she had two sons at least once a day. Sometimes more.

  The Sharks played hard and pulled off a thrilling victory, one that had the entire team dancing on the sidelines after the game ended. Daisy’s cheeks hurt from how hard she was smiling as she led her parents through the maze of the stadium and down the secret passageways that led to the players’ locker room, flashing her staff identification various times along the way.

  Once they were inside the bowels of the stadium, they waited while the players showered, changed, and then received the press. Once it was their turn to head into the locker room, her parents were buzzing with excitement about seeing James again. As soon as they stepped into the warm locker room, sculpted muscles and powerful men everywhere she looked, her gaze landed on James.

  His back was to her, his simple white T-shirt straining across the wide expanse of his shoulders. Daisy’s heart rate increased as she gobbled up the view of him from behind—the bulging veins in his arms, his thick, muscly torso. What she wouldn’t give to curl up with this man for just one night…

  “James! What a game!” Daisy’s mom broke through Daisy’s lewd thoughts, hurrying toward James with outstretched arms. James turned, surprise moving across his face as he took them in.

  “The Katrakis family. What a surprise!” He and Daisy’s mom shared a long hug, while she patted his back and probably murmured very encouraging things, judging by the amused and touched expression on his face. Her father was next, pulling him into a side hug while he talked about James’s dedication to his profession, and how much he admired that in a man.

  Daisy couldn’t get a word in edgewise as her parents talked James’s ear off.

  “So we’re about to have dinner,” her mother was saying, “at Daisy’s place. Pretty much right after this. And we’re inviting you. You’re invited. You’ll come, won’t you?”

  James’s gaze drifted to Daisy as he considered the offer. “Well…as long as Daisy thinks I should.”

  “Why wouldn’t she think you should?” Dmitri demanded, twisting toward Daisy. “You think he should, right?”

  “Of course!” Daisy said, shocked she’d been allowed to speak.

  “Bring that beautiful daughter of yours,” her mom went on, “and an empty belly. Dmitri’s making a special dinner. Just for you. I know you must be hungry after running for eighteen miles.”

  “It’s only about a mile,” James corrected, “on average.”

  “Exactly. You’ll be starving. Let’s go start dinner.” Daisy’s mom swatted at her husband’s shoulder. “The man is starving.”

  Her father allowed himself to be herded toward the door, but he tuned toward James. “And you better come, because Alex is coming too!”

  “I promise, I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” James said. “Emma and I will be there as soon as we can.”

  Daisy caught his heartbreaker grin as she waved at him, following her parents out of the locker room.

  A few hours later, after a delicious lamb stew, plentiful wine, and homemade bread that could make gods weep, Daisy and James were cleaning up in her kitchen. Out in the dining room, Daisy’s mom was busy chatting with Emma, who’d taken an interest in her ballet career, while her dad and Alex had an intense discussion about the finer points of the menu they were preparing to premiere at their new restaurant.

  Daisy peered through the doorway into the dining room, trying to catch a glimpse of her parents. “I think they’re about to suggest Monopoly. I can feel it in the air. Just a fair warning if you and Emma need a chance to escape before it starts.”

  “Monopoly,” James said, drying off the plates that Daisy had washed. “Now that sounds like a great way to cap off my Sunday.”

  “Your sarcasm is so thick I’m choking,” she mused.

  “Oh, you shouldn’t be choking. You should be relishing the fact that I’m a Monopoly king. Unluckily for you, I won’t be prevented from snagging victory due to my shoulder.”

  She snorted, handing him another plate. “You never miss a chance to snag victory, do you?”

  Something heated flashed across his face, and his gaze scorched down her body and then snapped up to her face again. “Not if I can help it.”

  “Fine. We’ll go toe to toe in Monopoly, where I will begin slowly crushing you via my property acquisitions. However”—she glanced at her phone briefly—“we might have to make it an early night.”

  “Sounds like you’re just giving yourself an out for when you start to lose,” James teased.

  “You would think that.” She knocked him with her hip. “But I need to go to bed early tonight. I have a photo shoot in the morning.”

  James turned toward her. “What kind of photo shoot?”

  She beamed up at him, feeling the familiar swell of pride inside her. “I’m being interviewed about my job for a magazine article.”

  A huge smile broke out on his face. “Daisy. That’s incredible.”

  “I’m pretty excited too. I’ll be late for work, but it won’t matter, because you guys will be having a Victory Monday anyway.”

  James scooped her into his arms, pressing her into a deep hug. Surprise trickled through her, but she had enough sense to wrap her arms around his waist and hang on for dear life.

  “That’s a big deal,” James said, his voice extra rumbly with her head pressed to his chest. “You’re gonna fucking rock it.”

  “Unless I show up with bags under my eyes because I couldn’t sleep,” she said, sad when he loosened his grip on her.

  But James grabbed her chin between his thumb and forefinger, lowering his head so they were eye-to-eye.

  “You’ll look fresh as a daisy,” he said softly, that shit-eating grin on his face. She laughed, but it faded quickly. Because as always, there was something so much deeper and more intense going on between them. The depth in his gaze from this close stole her breath. Every inch of her body went on high alert, and she got the sense that they’d been standing there far too long, and far too close, for this to be platonic.

  James moved his hand to her neck, his strong fingers pressing into the knobs of her spine as he surged forward and pressed his lips against hers. A chorus of relief echoed through her—finally—as she grappled with the surprise and the desire that accompanied it.

  The kiss was tentative, but the one that followed it was not. She pushed onto her tiptoes, welcoming his tongue into her mouth. He grabbed her waist with his free hand, bringing her body crashing against his. Indecision paralyzed her—should she start freely groping him like she craved, or did that need to wait until they weren’t secretly necking in her kitchen?—so she simply grabbed for the countertop at their side, steadying herself against the dizzying sensation.

  But it wasn’t just dizzying. It was gratifying and sweet and so much better than she’d imagined. He kissed softly, tenderly, but there was hunger behind it all too. His grip around her waist tightened, and she inhaled sharply against a surge of desire that left her panties moist.

  “Yeah, that’s a good idea,” her brother Alex was saying from the dining room. “I’ll go tell Daisy.”

  She gasped, yanking away from James, turning back toward the sink so that she could feign busyness. James cleared his throat, picking up the dish towel again as Alex came into the kitchen.

  “Mom and Dad want to set up Monopoly in the living room,” Alex announced, and judging from his tone, he was unaware of what he’d narrowly missed witnessing. “So give me a clue where to find the game, and I’ll start the hunt.”

  “It’s in the, uh, guest room,” Daisy blurted, unable to look back at her brother right now. Otherwise, he’d catch on immediately. She was positive she was blushing, or at the very least, her kiss-bitten lips would give them away. “The closet. Where Mom and Dad are staying.”

  “Awesome, I’ll go grab it,” Alex said, and then it was just the two of them again.

  Daisy had no idea what to say. Where to go from here. How she was supposed to move on from those kisses.

  “Daisy—” James began.

  “You are a really good kisser,” she said softly, the words tumbling from her lips without even thinking. “Like, dangerously good.”

  “That’s what I like to hear,” he said simply, receiving the washed spoons she passed his way. “Time will tell if my other skills are dangerously good, too.”

  Her cheeks burned again, but with anticipation this time. Helpless laughter rolled out of her, and all she could think to do was swat him.

  She had a feeling she was going to like whatever he threw her way.

  7

  The following Thursday, the Sharks weren’t practicing like they’d pulled off victory only the Sunday before.

  No, they were playing like they hadn’t won a single game the entire season. And for the first time in his career, James had no idea what was going on with his team.

  As quarterback and team captain, he prided himself on having his thumb on the pulse of the team. It was part of his job to keep tabs on the subtle shifts and twists of his colleagues. If teammates were struggling physically, he knew. If they had home issues, he knew.

  But now? He looked around the sweating, heaving bodies after their brutal practice on Thursday and felt as out of touch as if he’d just joined the Sharks last week.

  Somewhere along the line, that doubt and indecision he’d been feeling at the start of his season had rooted and taken over like ivy on a brick building. The demands felt too great this year. Between keeping Emma on her game and keeping his team afloat, he felt drained…but in a way, that felt permanent, not just a phase.

  After a vicious dressing down from Coach Scooter, James and the others headed into the locker room to prepare for that afternoon’s meetings. James couldn’t think about anything other than the ways in which he’d been too distracted lately. And if he dived deep…he knew why.

  Daisy.

  She wasn’t the sole reason, but she was certainly the reason lately. And for how badly he’d wanted to kiss her until their lips fell off on Sunday night, he was glad her family had acted as a buffer. Because he needed to get his head on straight. And today’s practice was why.

  It was hard not to shoulder all the blame for the Sharks’ performance in bad times, though he rarely credited himself in the good times. He needed to be as focused as ever, especially as the season wound down and they came closer to losing their chance at making the playoffs.

  He could want to make out with Daisy for hours, as long as he didn’t actually do it. That needed to remain the baseline. Which meant more distance.

  Even if it hurt.

  Once he’d peeled off his grass-stained football gear and had changed into workout clothes, he ran into Daisy in the hallway. Immediately, his stomach went into a free fall. Even though he knew he needed distance between them, it was impossible to enact it when she was standing in front of him, gorgeous with her ponytail swinging.

  “Hey! I was looking for you.”

  “Please don’t give me any more shit about practice,” James said, holding up his hands. “Scooter gave me enough of that.”

  She shook her head. “Not about that, actually. My mom rustled up those videos she and Emma had been talking about. The ones of her performing in the ballet in Greece. She sent them to me with the instructions to hand deliver them to Emma on her behalf.”

  James laughed, relief trickling through him. “That’s about the opposite of what I was expecting you to tell me.”

  “I come in ballerina peace.”

  “Yeah. That’s great. You can stop by later if you want.” He paused, calculating the time she’d most likely be dropping by. Dinnertime. And it would be rude if she came over while they were eating and he didn’t invite her in. Besides, maybe you and she could do dishes together again. “And come have dinner with us, if you want. Emma would love that.”

  He hoped it sounded off-handed and casual and didn’t betray the secret wish he knew he shouldn’t be giving into, which was to craft alone time with Daisy at any cost. Even though ten minutes ago he’d decided they needed distance, this offer seemed like the only way forward.

  “Sure. Why not?” She looked equally as casual and off-handed, which both relieved and emboldened him. They hadn’t spoken about that kiss since it had happened, even though it had been playing on repeat in his mind ever since.

  And that’s the problem. That’s one of the things you can control, but look at you.

  James struggled to focus on his meetings for the rest of the day. By the time he was heading out the door at five, he’d come to an unsavory conclusion: keeping his mind off Daisy was impossible. Maintaining distance? A joke.

  But maybe there was a workaround.

  If he could compartmentalize—keep his work life focused on work, and his home life focused on home, and horn in some private life around the edges—then he’d be able to satisfy all the urgent necessities.