"Mia, we've only had one night together. How could you possibly want me in your life?"
My thumb absentmindedly traced circles on the back of her hand as I tried to formulate the words not to hurt her. "I'm not that much of a bastard to suggest what happened between us was a one night stand only, because we both know it went beyond that, but tennis is my life."
I drew in a deep breath and let it out. "It's all I have left."
Fuck, had I said that out loud? It's how I felt but I didn't need Mia seeing me at my most vulnerable. No one saw beneath my carefully cultivated tough guy image. Ever. So what was it about this woman that made me want to blurt my deepest, darkest secrets after knowing her twenty-four hours?
"What about your dad?" She sounded so sad—for me—I felt obliged to reassure her.
"We're not that close." I released her hand, knowing if I kept holding on, I'd never want to let go. "He's a mega TV star in Oz. Household name. Didn't know I existed 'til Mum died and her lawyer contacted him because it was stipulated in her will." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "She'd left the strip club to me but wanted Dad to be executor and manage it 'til I turned eighteen."
Her eyes widened. "You run a strip club?"
"Hell no." I scowled, not wanting to be reminded of the place that had ultimately cost Mum her life.
Not from the drugs or prostitution that was synonymous with Kings Cross, but from her dedication to proving she could be a bona fide businesswoman above the sleaze surrounding her. Ultimately, the manic hours she worked and her obsession with making money to provide a secure future for me had cost her. She'd dropped dead of a heart attack at forty-one. "Dad sold the club and invested the money for me. Sent me to boarding school 'til I turned eighteen, then I bought a small flat in Bondi with the cash."
"Sounds like your dad cares about you." Her severe stare held recrimination. "Which means you're far from alone."
"You wouldn't understand," I said, wishing I'd never started down the road to deep and meaningful. "Your dad has probably adored you since the day you were born. Mine only does what he does out of obligation."
To her credit, she didn't try to dispute it. Instead, she gnawed on her bottom lip, a habit I happened to like, considering I got to stare at that lush, full lip and remember how it had tasted.
"You've had it tough but you're wrong, you're not alone," she said, daring me to disagree. "For as long as you're here in LA, you've got me."
My mouth curled into a reluctant smile, as I couldn't help but admire her tenacity. She'd be an amazing girlfriend. Loyal and protective and loving. Pity I'd never find out.
"So you're my new BFF, huh?"
"And don't you forget it." Her shoulder bumped mine and damned if I didn't want to blurt that I'd never had a best friend and I'd be honored to have her as mine.
A loud rumble of thunder made her jump a second before the heavens opened up and dumped a deluge of rain that was almost monsoonal.
"Oh my God, run for the car," she said, leaping to her feet and taking off at a sprint.
I didn't need any encouragement to follow but by the time we'd travelled the forty meters, we were soaked to the skin.
"There are blankets in the back seat. Get in," she said, all but shoving me into the back seat as she tumbled in behind me and slammed the door.
"I'm soaked." She looked down at her pale blue T-shirt and white Capris and shivered. "And cold."
I was too, but there was no way in hell I was going to make the obvious suggestion: that we get out of our clothes.
As if I'd telepathed my thoughts, her gaze locked onto mine as she slowly handed me a blanket. "We'll catch a chill if we drive back to Santa Monica like this."
She blushed. "We should take the wet things off and wrap up in the blankets."
I tsk-tsked. "You're always trying to get me naked."
I pointed at the sky, where sheets of rain continued to slice down. "I'm starting to think you'd go to extreme lengths, including plea to the big guy upstairs, to get my gear off."
She rolled her eyes. "You're onto me. I did a rain dance all afternoon just so I could see you strip again."
"You liked it well enough the first time." I shouldn't tease her but she looked so adorable, tendrils of hair clinging to her cheeks, her eyelashes spiked with water and rain drops trickling down her neck.
I dared not look lower because the sight of her wet T-shirt could just push me over the edge.
She tilted her nose in the air. "As I recall, the feeling was mutual."
To prove it, she peeled her T-shirt overhead before I could come up with one, sane reason why we shouldn't do this.