Hard Hit (IceCats 3)

“Exactly,” I say, and she nods. “So, my regret.”

“Yes, the regret, which I’m pretty sure is my regret.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes, very much so.”

I love the little grin on her face. I love the playfulness in her eyes. This girl sets me on fire. I know I’m grinning ear to ear, and I can’t help it. I also can’t beat around the bush. “I regret not getting you into my bed.”

Her grin grows as she gasps softly. “Yup, same regret.”

I nod slowly, both of us grinning at each other. “Then I think we should fix that.”

“I would agree wholeheartedly.”

I gulp, and then it hits me. “Wait, I don’t want you to think I only wanted you for sex. It’s not—”

She presses her hand into my hand that’s lying on Celeste’s back. “Kirby, I know.”

Our eyes are locked in one hell of a heated and naughty embrace. If I weren’t holding my daughter, I would wrap Jaylin in my arms and take that sexy mouth with mine. “So, would it be too bold of me to assume you want to come home with me?”

“I happen to enjoy the bold side of you because that side assumes correctly.”

Thank God.

I unbuckle Celeste as Jaylin gets out of her car. While I slowly try to get my daughter out so she doesn’t wake up, Jaylin comes up beside me and quietly asks, “Can I help?”

“Can you grab her bag?”

“Of course,” she says and does just that as she shuts the door behind me.

“In the side pocket are the keys. Can you grab them?” Without a word, she does it, running ahead of me to open the door. I follow her in as she locks it behind us. I kick off my shoes as she does the same, setting down Celeste’s things and then my keys on the side table. “I’m gonna go get her settled.”

I head into Celeste’s room, and I don’t even realize Jaylin’s behind me until I’m laying Celeste in her bed. I take off her little shoes and then her outfit, when Jaylin hands me a diaper and a sleeper. I grin at her, and she shrugs.

“Just trying to help.”

“It’s appreciated,” I say, and it’s the truth. I’m so used to doing this all by myself. It’s a breath of fresh air to have help. When Jean is here, she does it all to get familiar with Celeste. Lilly and I never raised Celeste together, and it isn’t like my mom is here to help me. My pride doesn’t allow me to let my neighbors help much, but it feels right to let Jaylin.

Wow. Kirby, hold your horses, dude. Don’t get ahead of yourself.

Then again, everything has always felt right with Jaylin. I smile as I change Celeste, thankful she’s staying asleep, when Jaylin runs her hand down my back. “It’s really sweet the way you look at her.”

I grin over at her. “While I do often smile at my baby like this, I was actually thinking of that first night we met.”

Her grin widens. “Is that right?”

“Yup, I can still remember everything you wore. How undeniably gorgeous you were. How much you laughed and how much fun we had. It was easy.”

She nods. “Very easy.”

We share a small smile as her hand glides up and down my back. I desperately want to ask what she is looking for. Is she just wanting a random fuck, or is this going to be something? I want so badly for it to be something that I fear if I tell her what I want it to be, she’ll run out the door. What if I’m giving off the wrong vibe? Maybe I shouldn’t have said what I did. That I regretted she hadn’t been in my bed. Maybe it gave off the wrong intentions. Shit.

“What?” she asks.

“I’m overthinking.”

Her eyes soften. “Well, let’s finish putting Celeste to bed, and I’ll make sure you don’t think any more tonight.”

Fucking hell. I swallow thickly as I get lost in her eyes. I want to ask, to make sure we are on the same page, but it’s already so different than it was before. I resisted her because of Lilly and the bullshit she was causing me, not knowing at the time she was pregnant. Plus, Jaylin got super drunk that night, and I’m not sleeping with a drunk chick. That’s shitty since you’re never sure they know what’s happening. After that, we never really had a chance to get physical. There was loads of texting and talking on the phone. I helped with getting Aviva a car once, but that was it. I knew off the bat Jaylin only wanted to hook up at the time, but this feels really different. Then again, we never got to this point. Two consenting adults with nothing holding us back.

Sure, there are questions I could ask, but why ask them when we both want the same thing? We can figure out the rest later. Right now, I don’t want to overthink; I don’t want to do anything but feel her body beneath mine, on mine, and on my mouth.