Wicked Games (Denver Rebels) (40 page)

“No wonder. It looks very comfortable with all those pillows.” He got up and sauntered toward her. “I’ll have to install a window seat in my house.”

Her heart skipped three beats. “For me?”

“Of course. I want you to have a favorite reading spot at my house too.” When he winked at her, she felt the now familiar zip of electricity race through her body to curl her toes.

Reid sat down next to her on the window seat, put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. She snuggled into the side of his body and sighed contentedly, warmed by his masculine heat and the lingering aftereffects of good food and good wine.

“I really like your family,” he murmured into her hair. “They’re good people.”

“I’ve always thought so.” Nadia smiled. “And I think it’s safe to say they feel the same way about you. You were a hit with everyone, including my father.” She paused. “That is, once he finished threatening your life.”

Reid chuckled. “I don’t blame him for being protective of his daughter. I’m going to be the same way.”

Nadia grinned. “I can totally see you being an overprotective papa bear.”

“Damn right.” He moved some pillows out of the way and then leaned back against the wall adjacent to the window. The window seat nearly ran the length of the wall, so the bench was long enough for him to stretch out his legs. When he was comfortably settled, he pulled Nadia into his arms. She spooned up beside him with her head on his chest, her hand laying on his stomach and her legs tangled with his.

He rested his cheek on top of her head and sighed. “This is cozy.”

“Umm-hmm,” she purred. “Very cozy. I could fall asleep at any moment.”

“Me too.”

“It’s that tryptophan mojo.”

“Uh-huh,” Reid murmured, his hand running slowly up and down her back. “Dinner was incredible, by the way. I’m definitely helping myself to another plate before we leave.”

Nadia grinned. “As if Mom and Aunt Sherise needed any more reasons to love you.”

He chuckled softly, nuzzling his face into her hair. “Your mom is really beautiful. You look like her, you know.”

“That’s what everyone says.”

“It’s true. Your complexion is a couple shades lighter than hers, but you have the same gorgeous eyes and high cheekbones.” He hummed with appreciation. “I must say. You’ve got some good-looking women in your family. Damn.”

Nadia giggled. “I’m glad you’re enjoying the eye candy.”

“Definitely.” There was a smile in his voice. “I love that picture of you and your cousins on your Instagram page. You know the one I’m talking about? The one where you’re all dressed up and looking glamorous.”

Nadia smiled languidly. “I know the picture you’re talking about. It was taken at a sorority charity ball in Washington, D.C. The theme was ‘Celebrating Old Black Hollywood.’ All the women dressed up as vintage cinema stars like Dorothy Dandridge, Eartha Kitt, Diahann Carroll and Lena Horne.” She smiled. “That’s one of the most popular pictures on my Instagram page.”

“I can see why,” Reid drawled. “All of you looked stunning.”

Nadia grinned. “Thank you kindly.”

“Just speaking the truth.” He kissed the crown of her head. “There were about twenty women in that picture. Are they all your cousins?”

“Most of them. A handful are Scarlett’s cousins from her mother’s side of the family.” Nadia smiled, tracing lazy circles on Reid’s stomach. “Mom and Aunt Sherise grew up together in Hampton, Virginia. They’ve always been as close as sisters. When Aunt Sherise met Uncle Lavell and found out he had a twin brother, she insisted on introducing him to her best friend. Dad was already seeing someone at the time, but it wasn’t serious. The moment he and Mom met, it was love at first sight. That was the only reason Mom’s family forgave her for choosing Howard University over Hampton. If she hadn’t gotten a good husband out of the deal, she’d probably still be on her parents’ shit list.”

Reid laughed. “Damn. It’s that serious?”

“Are you kidding? Attending Hampton University is a sacred tradition in my mother’s family. Same goes for Aunt Sherise’s. Their ‘defection’ caused quite an uproar, but they braved the fallout together.”

“And came away with good husbands,” Reid added importantly. “Twins.”

“Exactly.” Nadia grinned and cuddled closer to him, soaking up his warmth as he stroked his palm gently down her back. Soothed by his caress, she soon felt her eyelids growing heavy.

“Do you like dogs?”

It took a moment for the question to register. “Dogs?”

“Yeah.” Reid’s voice was lazy. “Do you like ’em?”

“I do.” She smiled. “I assume you do as well.”

He was amused. “Why do you assume that?”

“Because I’ve never met a white person who
doesn’t
like dogs.”

His laugh was a deep rumble against her ear.

She grinned. “Did you have a dog when you were growing up?”

“We did. A black lab named Pepper.” Affection warmed his voice. “He was great, really playful and rambunctious. He loved being on the ice. While I practiced, he’d be out there running and sliding and romping around. Every time I hit the puck, he’d chase it down and bring it back to me.”

Nadia smiled, enjoying the poignant images his words evoked. “He sounds like a very special dog.”

“He was,” Reid said fondly. “He was the best. And he lived a good, long life.”

“That’s good,” Nadia said warmly. “Do you want another dog?”

“I do. But I’m on the road all the time, so it’s not very practical. When I have a family, I’d definitely love to get a dog for my kids to enjoy.” He paused. “That’s why I asked if you like them.”

Nadia’s heartbeat quickened, as it always did whenever he alluded to their future. “I’m sure your kids will love having a dog as much as you did. And…how many was that again?”

“Kids?”

“Yes.”

“At least three. Preferably four.”

Nadia smiled against his chest. “Like your family.”

“Uh-huh.” There was an answering smile in his voice. “What do you think?”

Her stomach was fluttering. “I think big families are great.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” He sounded glad. Really glad.

She closed her eyes, listening to his heartbeat. It was a little unsteady, a little fast. Just like hers.

She inhaled a breath and let it out slowly before speaking again. “Do you think children thrive better when their mothers don’t work outside the home?”

He was silent.

She frowned. “It’s not a trick question, Reid.”

“I know.” He kissed the top of her head. “I definitely benefited from having my mother around all the time. But I know there were times she missed not having a career. I know how much you enjoy your job. I wouldn’t want you to do anything that would make you unhappy.”

Nadia toyed with one of the buttons on his shirt. “I think I’d want to work at least part time.”

“Okay.” His arms tightened around her, holding her even closer. “Everything’s negotiable.”

Something like relief tingled through her. She sighed deeply and smiled. “This is such a grownup conversation we’re having.”

Reid chuckled softly, rubbing his cheek against her hair. “Speaking of grownup matters,” he drawled, “I just thought of something.”

She angled her head back to look up at him. “What?”

There was a wicked gleam in his eyes. “We’ve never done it on a window seat before.”

She laughed even as a shaft of need shot through her. “And we’re not gonna do it now.”

“Why not?”

“Seriously? You’re still on probation with my father. So unless you’re trying to get yourself killed, you’d better keep that beast in your pants.”

Reid laughed. “Spoilsport.”

She grinned. “Lifesaver, you mean. As in, I’m saving you from certain death at the hands of an angry black father.”

Grinning, Reid tipped her chin up and leaned down to brush a soft kiss across her mouth, staring into her eyes. “We’ll finish this later at my house.”

“Yes.” Her voice was breathy, her stomach aflutter. “But not
too
much later…”

25

O
ne week later
, the Rebels arrived in Detroit and checked into their hotel.

After going up to his room to drop off his bag and change out of his suit, Reid left the hotel and took a cab to his younger brother’s place. He kept a car stored in Ryder’s garage so he’d have his own transportation whenever he came to town.

He’d asked his father to meet him over there so they could talk in private. He had a sensitive matter to discuss with the old man, a personal request he didn’t want Roark’s live-in girlfriend to overhear.

The cab hurtled along the streets, passing the General Motors headquarters and renovated high-rises, the towers of downtown Detroit glimmering in the morning sunlight. Reid stared out the window, barely registering the familiar scenery. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Nadia. She was arriving that evening, and he couldn’t wait to see her.

Unfortunately, it would be a good while longer because he had practice followed by a mandatory team dinner tonight. His sisters had eagerly volunteered to pick up Nadia from the airport and drive her to the hotel, which was the same hotel where the team was staying.

Reid hadn’t seen his baby in three days, so he fully intended to spend the night with her, making up for lost time. Viggo had promised to cover for him in case Coach did a surprise bed check. Good looking out.

On the way to Ryder’s townhouse, the cabbie could barely contain his excitement at having Reid in his vehicle. He asked him a bunch of questions and talked his ear off about Saturday night’s game against the Red Wings.

Soon they arrived at his brother’s brownstone, which was situated in a converted warehouse on Detroit’s riverfront. Reid gave the cabbie a generous tip and autographed some items for his grandkids, then shook the man’s hand and got out of the car. He strode up the walk, jogged up the brick steps to the front door and let himself inside with his key.

Ryder’s townhouse wasn’t your typical spartan bachelor pad. Avery had decorated the place with her brother’s personality and lifestyle in mind. The result was a sleek, minimalist décor with angular furnishings in a masculine palette of blacks, whites and grays. The art work consisted of black-and-white photographs that revealed glimpses into Ryder’s life by capturing him at various moments: sitting astride a tricked-out Harley, one hand on the throttle; napping on the hood of a gleaming 1969 Ford Mustang; standing with a group of oil rig workers, their faces covered in sweat and grime. There was even an old picture of him and Reid grinning boyishly with their arms slung around each other’s necks at a baseball game when they were children. The vintage photos added warm touches to the décor and made great conversation pieces, although Ryder grumbled that displaying too many pictures of himself could make him look like a self-absorbed prick.

As Reid walked through the high-ceilinged foyer, he saw that the plantation shutters were still drawn in the living room, which meant his brother wasn’t up yet.

Ryder worked as a technical manager for a major oil and gas company. Prior to that, he’d been a roughneck on offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. He’d spent four years laboring on drilling platforms, tenaciously working his way off the rig and into management. Now, at twenty-seven, his high six-figure salary afforded him a cushy lifestyle. But the supervisory position was demanding, requiring long hours and frequent travel to the company’s various plants and refineries. After pulling a double shift, Ryder usually came home and crashed.

But even without having a grueling job, he’d always been a heavy sleeper who could snore his way through a tsunami. When they were growing up, Reid used to wake his brother up for school by blasting “Smells Like Teen Spirit” in his ear. To this day, Ryder couldn’t hear any Nirvana song without scowling at the memory of those jarring wakeup calls.

As Reid walked through the silent townhouse, the heels of his boots rang hollow on the hardwood floors.

“Hello?” he called out in an amused voice. “Anybody home?”

There was no answer.

Chuckling under his breath, he made his way around the corner and down the hall to his brother’s bedroom.

Reaching the open doorway, he saw Ryder lying on his stomach in the rumpled king-size bed. The sheet was twisted around his waist, one long leg stuck out from beneath the covers. His face was buried in a pillow, his thick dark hair standing up in unruly disarray.

The faint scent of sex and cheap perfume clung to the air, cluing Reid in on what his brother had been doing last night.

“Yo, Ry, you up?” he called across the large room.

His brother didn’t so much as stir.

Grinning, Reid walked over and kicked the leg of the bed with the toe of his boot.

Ryder jerked awake, then lifted his head off the pillow and looked over his shoulder, one bleary blue eye peering up at Reid. “Hey, man,” he mumbled, his deep voice a groggy rasp. “You’re home.”

“That’s right. So rise and shine, motherfucker.” Reid grinned diabolically. “Don’t make me play your favorite song.”

Ryder groaned and weakly held up his middle finger, flipping Reid off.

He laughed.

Suddenly he heard the sound of a toilet flushing, followed by running water from the faucet. It was only then that he noticed a spiky red high heel peeking out from under the bed.

He cocked a surprised eyebrow at his brother. “She stayed?”

Ryder Holden didn’t do sleepovers. Neither had Reid—until he met Nadia.

“Couldn’t get rid of her,” Ryder muttered, rolling onto his back and scrubbing both hands over his stubble-darkened face. “Whatever you do, man, don’t leave me alone with her, or she’ll—”

At that moment the bathroom door opened to reveal a curvy bleached blonde in a tight red bandage dress.

“Hey, Ry, I was thinking about—” The blonde pulled up short with a startled squeak, staring at Reid in wide-eyed alarm. “Who the hell are…wait. Oh my God. I know who you are. You’re Ryder’s brother, the famous hockey player!”

Before Reid could respond, she let out an earsplitting squeal of excitement and rushed forward, her boobs practically bouncing out of her dress.

“I’ve heard so much about you!” she gushed, eagerly shaking Reid’s hand. “And I’ve seen you play, of course. Who in Detroit hasn’t?”

The corners of his mouth twitched. “Nice to meet you…?”

“Kelsey! Like, oh my God, I can’t believe you’re standing here in Ryder’s bedroom! You’re in town to play the Red Wings, right?”

“Right,” Reid murmured.

“That’s so awesome. Oh my goodness,” she marveled, staring up at him. “You and Ryder look
just
alike! Seriously! You could be twins!”

Reid flicked an amused glance at his grimacing brother, who had plugged his ears with his fingers as if to block out the nasal whine of Kelsey’s voice. He didn’t blame him.

“How far apart are you?” Kelsey asked curiously.

“A year,” Reid answered.

“No wonder!” She giggled again, twirling a long strand of hair around her finger. “So, Reid, I was just about to fix some break—”

“No, you weren’t.” Ryder rolled off the bed and onto his feet in one swift motion. He was bare-assed naked, tattooed biceps flexing as he bent down to grab his T-shirt off the floor. Kelsey stared at him, practically drooling as he pulled the shirt over his head and tugged it down over his muscular chest.

“You don’t need to fix breakfast,” he told Kelsey.

She pouted. “But I want to.”

“Not necessary. Really.” Ryder pulled on his jeans and zipped the fly. “Reid and I are gonna head out and grab something to eat.”

We are?
Reid questioned with an amused look. He’d had a big breakfast on the plane, so he wasn’t hungry yet.

Ryder’s face silently begged him to play along.

So he rubbed his stomach and grunted, “Yes. Breakfast. Starving.”

“I bet you are, Mr. Hockey.” Flipping her blond hair, Kelsey licked her lips and divided an appreciative glance between Reid and Ryder. The hungry gleam in her eyes left no doubt that she’d be more than receptive to a threesome.

“Maybe I can join you guys for—”

“No.” Ryder was emphatic.

She frowned. “But—”

“My brother’s only in town for the weekend, and we’ve got a bunch of family stuff planned.”

Kelsey looked askance at Reid, who gave her his best poker face.

“Ry’s right,” he confirmed. “Bunch of family stuff.”

“Well…okay.” Kelsey bit her lip, looking around the room. “Where’s my other—”

“Right here.” Ryder came around the bed, thrusting the high heel into her hands.

He barely gave her a chance to put on her shoes and grab her purse before he hustled her out of the room and down the hallway.

Reid followed slowly, torn between amusement and sympathy for the flustered blonde. Ryder had never been one for subtlety.

At the front door, Kelsey sent him a hopeful look over her shoulder. “Will you call me?”

Ryder grimaced, running a hand through his mussed dark hair. “Probably not.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “What? But—”

Ryder patted her backside. “Run along now. Gotta bond with my big brother. Bros before hoes and all that.”

Kelsey gasped indignantly. “Are you calling me a—”

Ryder closed the door on her sputtered protests, then turned and grinned at Reid, who gave him a look of grave disappointment.

“Really, Ry? Bros before hoes?”

“What? You used to say that all the time.”

“Never to a chick’s face. C’mon, son, that’s a dick move. I taught you better than that.”

Ryder grinned and stuck out his palm. “Welcome home, bro.”

Reid grabbed his hand, then hauled him into one of their manly backslapping hugs, which always ended with him putting Ryder in an affectionate headlock and ruffling his hair until his brother pulled away laughing.

“Jesus.” Reid fanned a hand in front of his nose. “You smell like a fucking brothel.”

Ryder grinned. “You would know.”

Reid grunted, ignoring the unwelcome reminder. “Next time you hook up with that broad, tell her to lay off the cheap perfume.”

Ryder chuckled. “Didn’t you hear me? There won’t be a next time.”

Reid gave him a knowing look. “Another one and done, huh?”

“Can you blame me? Did you hear that voice?”

Reid cringed. “The whole state of Michigan probably heard that voice.”

Ryder laughed. “Seriously. Kelsey’s hot and all, but that voice is a deal breaker. And she’s way too theatrical for my taste.”

Reid cocked an eyebrow. “That’s a new one. Theatrical?”

“Yeah. In bed, you know, she’s really noisy and dramatic. Like she’s auditioning for a porno or something.” Ryder snorted, shaking his head. “I can deal with a screamer. Hell, I enjoy screamers. But that broad right there…shit, I’m gonna be hearing ‘Ride me, Rough Ryder’ in my fucking nightmares.”

Reid burst out laughing. “
Rough Ryder?
”

“Corny as hell, right?” His brother gave him a surly grin. “My poor dick almost shriveled up the first time she said that shit.”

Reid doubled over laughing, tears streaming down his face. That made Ryder start cracking up as well.

“We need to stop,” Reid choked out between howls of laughter. “That young lady…is someone’s daughter…sister…”

Ryder flagged him off. “Forget her. She’s nothing but an undercover puck bunny. Last night when I mentioned you were coming home, she got all swoony and excited. That’s probably why she insisted on spending the night—she was hoping to meet you. See how surprised she acted when she came out of the bathroom and saw you?” He snorted. “She deserves a fucking Oscar for that performance.”

“Damn.” Reid straightened, shaking his head. “That’s messed up.”

“No shit.” Ryder grinned before turning and sauntering off toward the kitchen. “Want a beer?”

“Sure.” Wiping tears of hilarity from his eyes, Reid followed his brother into an ultramodern kitchen that featured black marble counters, black slate floors, glass cabinets and stainless steel appliances. Large picture windows overlooked Ryder’s docked boat in a private marina.

He grabbed two bottles of Heineken from the fridge, unscrewed the caps and handed one to Reid. They grinned and clinked their bottles together.

“Cheers,” they chorused, then chugged down half their beer before letting out satisfied burps that made them both laugh. Something about being around his brother always brought out the frat boy in Reid.

Leaning back against the counter, Ryder asked casually, “Have you talked to Mom yet?”

“Nah.” Reid plopped down on a stool at the large center island. “She had a meeting this morning, so I’ll head over there when she gets home.”

“In that case, I should probably offer you something stronger to drink. ’Cause you’re gonna need it before you see her.”

Reid grunted and took another swig of beer.

“Seriously, man.” Ryder looked grim. “She’s not too thrilled about meeting Nadia tomorrow.”