Playing the Player, page 16
“He’s a nice guy.” I wasn’t sure what else to say. I’d never been in a position of having anyone envy me. Okay, maybe that wasn’t entirely true. I’d gotten boobs first in sixth grade and that had set off some tween envy. It was weird to think the reason this woman was now envious was because she wanted to live the very dating lifestyle with someone (anyone, really) that made me uncomfortable with James.
“Who cares if he’s nice? He’s hot and rich,” she said.
I guess I shouldn’t have worried about Mama being inappropriate. “I mean, I care,” I said. “I work in a coffee shop and a hotel. Lots of people are dicks to me on a regular basis. I’d prefer not to have a boyfriend who is also an asshole.”
I didn’t really care what the driver thought or whether or not she was really serious about willing to date a prick if he had money. But hearing my own words made me realize something. Being in the service industry I did spend a lot of time gritting my teeth and trying not to eyeroll humans behaving badly.
James was a great guy. He could have been an arrogant asshole, treating people like crap. Yet I’d never seen anything even close to that. He treated service staff well and tipped generously. He had a good relationship with his family and had long-term friendships. He’d been amazing to me. Hell, even when he’d thought I’d stolen from him, he hadn’t called the cops on me. Why was I resisting so hard? Because I was still resisting. I had told him I would go to Miami, but I’d felt ridiculous saying it, and I’d felt awkward kissing him in public.
He’d even said I hadn’t sounded like myself.
Having him pay Mama’s medical bill made my palms sweat because I didn’t want to owe him anything. But James honestly didn’t want anything in return other than to spend time with me. Why the hell would that ever be a bad thing? Christina was right. It was romantic.
“Easy for you to say,” our driver grumbled. “You already have the hot, rich, and apparently nice boyfriend.”
“You’re right. I do.” I couldn’t prevent a grin from splitting my face. “I’m really, really fortunate.”
We pulled into the apartment complex, and even as I was mentally expressing gratitude for living on the first floor, which would make getting Mama inside so much easier, I saw James in front of my building. A jolt of pleasure rushed through me. I hadn’t expected to see him. He put his phone to his ear. My phone rang in my purse.
I retrieved it and saw it was him. “Hi. I can see you in the parking lot. We’re pulling in. I thought you were busy today.”
“Hey. They have to reschedule a portion of the filming to next week. I called Oak Harbor but they said you’d left already, so I figured I would just meet you here and see if you need any help.”
“You’re very sweet,” I said into my phone, watching him pacing back and forth, wearing a navy suit that showed off every single one of his muscles. Damn, he wore a suit well. His shoes were very shiny and he had on sunglasses. He looked like James Bond, if James Bond were six foot five and ripped.
I had the strangest out-of-body experience watching him pace while simultaneously talking to him on the phone. My heart felt full, and I wanted to both cry and smile at the exact same moment.
“How’s your mom?”
“She’s good,” I murmured, my nostrils flaring and my eyes suddenly and unexpectedly filling with tears. I widened my eyes, taken completely off guard.
Holy shit. I was in love with him.
That’s what this strange sensation was. It felt like I was being inflated like a balloon and sent floating up into the atmosphere. It was love. I was totally and completely in love with James.
It was at that moment he turned and spotted us. “Hey,” he said softly on the phone, but making direct eye contact with me in the back seat. He removed his sunglasses and tucked them into his inside suit pocket.
I knew it was impossible, given the fifteen feet between us, but I swore I saw desire and passion and something softer than both in his green eyes. It made my catch my breath. Then James crossed the distance between us. I hadn’t imagined his expression. That’s exactly how he was looking at me.
“Thanks for coming,” I said into the phone still, needing the illusion of space it created, my throat tight. I’d never felt this and it was scary and wonderful all at once.
“I’m glad I could be here.” He lowered his phone and opened my door. He bent down and cupped my cheek, kissing me softly. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” I said, truthfully, and completely not caring that we weren’t alone. I loved him. I was in love with him. I looked at his face and I couldn't stop smiling.
James returned the smile so that we were both just staring at each other like idiots until Mama spoke up.
“Can you two eye-screw each other inside? I want to go in.” She sounded cranky about being kept waiting.
That definitely burst my little love bubble.
It made me scramble to get out of the car, easing past James, and sticking my phone in my back pocket. God, what the heck was I doing? “Sorry, Mama.”
James leaned past me and gave my mother a charming smile. “Let me come around and help you, Miss Margaret.”
I knew Mama would melt at that. She did. “Call me Mama, hon.”
When he stood back up and squeezed my hand, he winked. “I told you we’d get along. Mothers love me,” he said.
I rolled my eyes at him. I gave him a dry comment, because he liked me to call him out, and because it was a great cover for the fact that I had almost just started crying over my feelings for him. “Almost as much as you love yourself.”
He just grinned at me as he started around the back of the car. “You can’t be happy with anyone else until you’re happy with yourself, Mia. Don’t you read inspirational quotes?”
I ignored that and leaned back into the car to retrieve Mississippi and Mama’s bag. She was watching me carefully. Then she gave me a thumbs-up. “Hot.”
Rolling my eyes, I hauled our stuff out of the car, struggling to adjust the weight on either shoulder. But I was pleased.
James was hot.
And he was my boyfriend.
It was absurd. It was amazing.
Chapter Fourteen
JJ
Mia’s mother was exactly as Mia had described her to me. She was a wicked flirt, totally inappropriate, hilarious, and clearly relied entirely on her daughter to be the responsible one. I liked her in that she was entertaining and she obviously loved Mia, but I felt bad for Mia’s upbringing. It was a role reversal.
We had gotten Margaret into the apartment and settled on the couch. I had chatted with her for a few minutes, pretending not to notice she occasionally slurred her words while Mia took her stuff into the bedroom. I also pretended not to notice Margaret had looked at my junk at least once, maybe twice. I thought that was a first—having the mother of a woman I was dating check me out. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, so I was going to ignore it. Besides, I had to assume it was just harmless ogling. Mia didn’t seem upset or surprised by the flirting.
Mia asked her mother, “Can I get you anything?”
“A burger and a six-pack.” Margaret looked around. “Where’s the remote? I want to watch my judge show.”
“Mama. No. Absolutely not.”
I was assuming she meant all three because who could stand to watch a judge show?
Margaret didn’t miss a beat. “How about a pack of Camels at least?”
“Not a chance, Hot Mama.”
“Is this how it’s going to be? Prison would be better.”
That made Mia snort.
Margaret turned to me. “See how mean she is to me? JJ, be a sweetheart and go grab me some cigarettes.”
Like I was wading into this disagreement. “I don’t think I can do that.”
She grinned at me. “Pussy-whipped already?”
“Mama!” Mia sounded horrified.
My eyebrows shot up and my jaw dropped. I started laughing. “Nice try, Mama. I’m not falling for that trap.”
“Smart man.”
Damn straight. Like I was going to tell her mother the power of Mia’s pussy had me upending my entire life and making new plans that entirely revolved around her. That Mia was the whole package, inside and out, and had brought me to my fucking knees. Stolen my heart and made me a sappy-ass motherfucker who wanted to hand her the entire world with a bow wrapped around it.
“How about when Chrissy gets home, I run to the store and get you some ice cream?” Mia asked.
“How come I can have ice cream and not a burger or some beer? What’s the difference?”
She kind of had a point. At least between the burger and the ice cream.
Mia put her hand on her hip. “Do you just want soup and a salad, then?”
Margaret wrinkled her nose. She muttered something under her breath.
I thought she said that it was bullshit and maybe San Quentin, but I wasn’t sure. What I was sure about was that Mia didn’t have the time, the training, or the authority over her mother to take care of her the way she needed to be cared for. Margaret needed a home health aide. I could see that already Mia’s brow was furrowed and she looked stressed.
That was an expression I hated to see on her face. But this was an easy fix. I could have Ji-Ho make a couple of phone calls and we could quickly hire someone to stay with Margaret when Mia was at work. Also, for the occasional sleepover at my place. I was completely understanding of Mia’s complicated life, but there was no way I wasn’t going to share a bed with her at least once every couple of weeks.
Right now though, I thought maybe my best course of action was to leave Mia and her mother alone to get settled. I felt superfluous in the small space.
“I’m going to let you ladies fight this out,” I said. “I have a meeting with my manager this afternoon that I need to get to.” That was true, though I did have a few hours still. It just seemed better to roll out of there and give them privacy to adjust to the new reality of living together.
Mia had told me they hadn’t lived together in years, so I was anticipating a mother-daughter power struggle.
“No fight,” Margaret said. “I win.”
Mia snorted. “Nice try.” She turned and gave me a distracted smile. “Thank you for being here. I’ll text you later.”
I leaned down and kissed her briefly. “We still on for Wednesday?” I was going to be disappointed if she couldn’t spend the night, but I would understand if she felt like she couldn’t. Okay, more than disappointed. But it was what it was.
She nodded. “I’m going to need the break, I can guarantee it.”
“I’ll give you a massage,” I said, feeling bad for her. She worked so damn hard. I wanted to rub her shoulders and give her an orgasm.
“With a happy ending?” she asked, sounding hopeful.
That made me laugh. “Of course.”
“Lucky me.”
I gave her a smile. “I’ve been told I have a wicked tongue.”
“Oh, I’m well aware.” She stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest, like she was afraid if she didn’t, she might ask to leave with me. “Bye, James.”
“Bye, Mia.” I said goodbye to her mother and headed out. I called my own mother as I crossed the parking lot. “Ma, I’m going to have to wreck your seating chart for the engagement party, I’m sorry.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I’m bringing my girlfriend, Mia.” I loved saying that. It got my dick hard and tightened my chest.
“I thought she was your dog walker and housekeeper.”
“She was. Now she’s my girlfriend.”
“Why do I feel like there’s a punchline?”
“Why would you say that?” I got in my Bentley. I liked to drive it when I had PR gigs and business meetings. Today I had both, so I enjoyed the vibe it gave off. Power and money. I switched my mother to the hands-free car connection. I could practically smell her suspicion. “You should know your baby boy a little better than that, Ma. I’m offended.”
“Sure, you are. Give me a break, JJ. I’m serious, what is going on? You have avoided relationships like you do porta-potties.”
That made me laugh. “That is not true. I’ve had relationships. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will make me go into a porta-potty.”
“I know. The state fair was a nightmare with you. A totally aggravating waste of time.”
I pulled out of the parking lot and opened up the engine a little. I loved this car. “What can I say? I like nice things. That’s why I like Mia. She’s a good woman. The best I’ve ever met. I’m in love with her, Ma.”
I meant that.
“Well.” My mother sounded a little stunned. Which was how I felt most of the time when I thought about Mia. “That’s wonderful. I look forward to meeting her properly, then.”
“Me, too,” I said. I meant that. We said goodbye and then I called Cash. “Hey,” I said, when he answered. “You don’t care if I bring a girl to your place for the Fourth, do you?”
Cash was both chill and hospitable. I knew he’d never say no, but I had to give him the courtesy of asking.
“No, of course not. Is this a woman you like or just someone you’re having sex with?”
“I like all the women I have sex with,” I said mildly, shifting gears to get on the expressway. That statement probably wasn’t true, but I was sticking to it. Besides, that was all the past. My future was Mia. “But this is a girlfriend. I’m in love with her, bro.”
Cash whistled. “Damn. I didn’t expect to hear you say that anytime soon.”
He didn’t ask who it was and I didn’t tell him. None of the guys were going to think falling in love with Mia was one of my better ideas. “Can’t let Dak and Train have all the fun, can I?”
“You’re getting married?” Cash sounded downright shocked.
That hadn’t been what I’d meant, but the idea held a hell of a lot of appeal. “You never know. You just never know.”
“Vegas odds?” he asked.
That made me laugh. “Then I’d bet money on it.”
* * *
Mia and I were walking past the Bellagio fountains. I was always going to look at them now and think of the night we met. They were as vibrant as Mia. As my feelings for her. Hell, as we watched the water explode up in the air to music, I thought there were a lot of comparisons, some dirty, some not.
“What’s with that look on your face?” she asked. “I feel like you’re thinking about sex.”
“I one hundred percent am thinking about sex. Who could look at this and not?”
Mia shook her head, but she was smiling. “I’m positive a lot of people don’t. Does that mean they night we met you were thinking about sex?”
“Uh, yeah. From the minute I found a vibrator in your bag I was thinking about sex non-stop.”
She laughed. “Me too.”
“Damn. And yet you played so hard to get.”
“I don’t think going home with you was playing hard to get. By the way, now that I know that is your actual apartment, why didn’t you have a Christmas tree?” she asked.
I glanced away from the fountain display to her. I shrugged. “It’s a busy time of the year for me with the season wrapping up. It’s a lot of work to do for just me and I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t even know how to start decorating a tree. My mother always did that. I wasn’t allowed to touch her trees.”
“You could probably buy one fully decorated.”
“What would be the fun in that?” I asked. “Nah. I figured I’ll wait until I have someone to decorate a tree with me.” I brushed her hair back off her cheek. “And now I do.”
“Then why did you buy an ornament that night?” she asked, staring up at me with luminous eyes.
I wanted to kiss every single one of her delicate freckles and lift her off the ground into my arms. But I resisted the urge.
There was no reason not to be honest. “It felt like a beginning. The start to a you and me.”
Her voice was soft. “You are a very romantic man, did anyone ever tell you that?”
“Nope.” That was the truth. “I haven’t had a lot of relationships.”
“I don’t think I want to hear about your playboy days out on the town with your boys.”
“Oh, trust me, I wasn’t going to tell you.” I wasn’t a total idiot. “When was your last relationship?”
“Five years ago. We were together for two years and then he moved back to Pennsylvania when his Vegas dreams didn’t come true. It wasn’t a dramatic ending. Just a fizzle when we couldn’t make long-distance work.”
“That’s a shame.”
She laughed. “You don’t sound the least bit sincere right now.”
“What can I say? If he had been amazing, you wouldn’t be here with me right now. So fuck him. His loss, my gain. Same for the fool who stood you up the night we met. What was his name?”
“I don’t even remember.”
She looked like she was telling the truth. She had too much going on in her life to retain the name of someone who had been an unreliable prick.
“How’s your mom doing, by the way?” I asked.
“She’s fine. She’s not as grumpy as she was the first day or two. I’m grateful Christina can keep an eye on her tonight.”
“That’s good. It’s a big change for all of you. I’m grateful for Christina too, by the way. I feel like I need to send her a fruit basket or something.”
Mia laughed. “That’s not necessary. We’re best friends. We help each other when we can without expecting anything. I’ve watched Kadin a bunch of times for her. It’s a good arrangement for both of us.”
“That’s awesome. Having solid friends is everything.”
“It is. I can’t believe I met your friends the way I did. They must think it’s weird that we’re dating.”
I shrugged. “Nah. They’ve all had their fair share of interesting stories with women.” I also hadn’t told any of them yet, but she didn’t need to know that. “Cash is cool with you coming with me to his ranch for the Fourth.”
