Page 41 of Out of Left Field

He nodded, ignoring me. “Oh I don’t doubt you like. I like it and I don’t generally like getting this dressed up. But it also confuses you. Every time you see me in a different outfit there’s a moment of confusion and appreciation. Enough that I notice it.”

This was a deep, moral flaw of mine and I did not like that Isaac saw it so clearly. But he also seemed to understand why. “I have been trying to figure this out for weeks. If you have the answer, please tell me.”

His eyes sparked with curiosity once again. “What happened a few weeks ago? The night we met.”

The spotlight got even brighter. “I had a bad date. Someone who wore expensive suits and made a lot of money. I thought he was exactly the kind of guy I wanted to date. But it turned out he was trash. And then I walked into Reds and this guy with a beard and flip flops turned me on, and ever since then I’ve been trying to figure out why I spent all these years chasing after toxic men and making snap judgements about others.”

Isaac’s face turned to stone. “A bad date?” The growl in his voice was both angry and very sexy.

“Forget about that.”

“Maybe I don’t want to. What did he do?”

The possessive anger came off him in waves. On instinct I leaned forward and took his hand in mine. It was so warm and masculine that it turned me on even more. “All that happened is I accidentally overheard him talking to a friend before our date. It was…revealing. I called it off and came to Reds instead.”

The stony expression remained as his gaze fell to our hands before finally softening. “This is nice.” He flipped my hand over and took in both of his. “Your dad wasn’t around much. It was the girls at home. And I’m not saying your life was hard or anything, but there’s a hole when someone isn’t around or you have to worry about the future. The one time your dad was around all the time was when he came home and put on the suit. He stabilized your family finances. And then he left again. You look for men in suits because in the back of your mind that’s the safe place to be.”

How did I not see that? It was so obvious now that Isaac pointed it out. Years of my life came crashing down around me as one thing after another presented itself for examination. I threw myself into my work because I wanted the money. The stability. But I also avoided relationships because I didn’t want to be disappointed when he inevitably hit the road. So instead I hit the road. Chasing job after job.

Isaac traced the veins in my wrist, his voice low as he spoke. “My job puts me on the road half the year, Kate. I don’t want to cause you stress.”

Was it the same? Going on tour around the country for weeks or months at a time wasn’t the same as playing games on the road. This wasn’t my first sports team. I was familiar with the back and forth of life in sports. “It’s not the same thing,” I croaked out.

“No. It’s not. But it is similar and I wouldn’t blame you if it was a deal breaker.”

For a deal we hadn’t even struck yet.

“And there’s Rosie,” he continued. “She’ll always be my priority. Always. I can’t promise you time when I’m home.”

But that was the other difference, wasn’t it? Isaac prioritizing time with his daughter was exactly what I wished I had more of from my own father. It might even be part of what made him so freaking attractive.

“I’ll give you the suits. You’re one hundred percent right about that. But I think you’re wrong about the rest.”

He gave my hand a squeeze. Electricity moved between us, through us, like a lasso pulling us together. When the waiter finally returned, Isaac shoved his credit card in his hand.

“Don’t I get a say?”

“Not this time. I want out of here immediately and this is the fastest way.”

This attraction—need, desire, want, I wasn’t sure—pulsed between us, white hot and intense. We didn’t say another word, just felt in the silence until the waiter returned. Isaac finally let go of my hand, scrawled across the bill and tucked his credit card away. “Let’s get out of here.”

He hovered just beside and behind me, his hand on the small of my back, as we wove our way back through the mostly empty restaurant. Once outside he took my hand and quickly guided me down the street to a park. The cool spring breeze was only a temporary relief because being this close to Isaac kept my blood pumping at a much higher rate than normal. His height and strength felt foreign but also really good. Especially when he wrapped his arm around my waist.

“I’m trying very hard to keep my promise, but I really don’t want to.”

Promise? Oh. Right. No kissing.

Promises were stupid. “You fascinate me, Isaac Anson.”

His eyes darted between mine. “How so?”

“You’re wary when I expect you to be confident and confident when I expect you to be wary. You are comfortable with yourself in ways most men envy, but you’re also deeply worried about your decisions. And you see things about me no one else has.” It all came out in a rush. Like a confession.

Or just plain hope. Hope that Isaac’s interest in me was more than superficial.

His hand came up and hovered near my face, debating whether it was wise to touch me. And then he did. He sighed as his thumb brushed my cheek. “Everything about you is different in all the best ways. Something happens when I’m around you.” Confusion and desire flashed through his eyes before he leaned down and finally—finally!—pressed his lips against mine.

I groaned into the kiss because I had to. It overwhelmed me in every way. I couldn’t tell up from down anymore and my knees wobbled. Thankfully Isaac had his other hand around my waist. As he held me against his body, I reached up and wrapped my hand around his neck, holding on for dear life. His lips parted and the kiss deepened, heat and need flashed through me harder and faster than anything I’d ever felt in my life.