Dirty Score, A Rough Riders Hockey Novel(46)
That made Mia laugh. And blush like she had a fever of one hundred and two. But she lied with “I wouldn’t know.”
“Mia, it’s just me. I’m not going to say anything. And when you and Rafe are within sight of each other, the sexual tension is palpable.”
That wasn’t good. Mia would have to make a concerted effort to shut that down. “I think you’re mistaking supreme frustration for sexual tension. Both Tate and Rafe have been testing my patience since I arrived. And I haven’t been a stellar example of someone taking the high road.”
“Sweetie, I’m on the streets, dealing with all kinds of people all day. I know the difference. If you want to deny it, that’s fine, but you aren’t swaying me.”
Mia looked down at her wine and sighed. “Doesn’t really matter either way. Neither California nor my new job will facilitate anything lasting. And I’ve had enough breakups for a lifetime.”
Tate finally started toward her, and Mia groaned. “Here comes one of the problematic men in my life.”
Eden glanced over her shoulder as Tate stopped beside her and grinned. “How’s motherhood treating you?”
“Amazingly. Who wouldn’t love being a mother to Lily?”
Mia knew for a fact Lily’s own mother didn’t want to have anything to do with the angelic little girl, something she’d never been able to understand.
Tate laughed and wrapped an arm around Eden’s shoulders. “No one in their right mind, that’s for sure.” He lifted his gaze to Mia. “Can we talk a minute?”
Eden reached out and gave Mia’s arm a squeeze and smiled sympathetically. “I’ll catch you later.”
When Eden was out of earshot, Mia said, “I’m not in the mood to argue, Tate.”
“Good. I’m not either.”
But his tone told Mia it would be inevitable.
“I’m really sorry I upset you at dinner,” he said. “And I hate this rift between us. I don’t want you leaving until we clear the air.”
“That would require you to accept my choices and turn off that judgmental attitude. Can you do that?”
He rolled his eyes and huffed a breath.
“That’s what I thought,” she said. “Look, Tate, I’m twenty-eight years old. It’s my life, and I’m done taking direction from my brother. You’re going to have to accept it. With that stubborn streak of yours, I realize that may take some time—that’s up to you. But I won’t live with your thumb on top of me anymore. When you can deal with that, let me know.”
She turned toward a terrace she’d been eying all night as an escape.
“Mia…” he said, his voice filled with exasperation.
Ignoring him, she passed onto the terrace and into the cool spring night. Mia needed the chill on her skin to ease her frustration.
The home of the Rough Riders’ owner was in the hills of Washington, DC, and in the distance, the mall and all the national monuments lit up the night. This view always took her breath away and softened her rough edges.
She took a few more sips of wine. When she finished this glass, she was going to head back to Tina’s for the night. The team’s family skate was tomorrow, and she had a few jerseys to finish sewing for the players’ wives and girlfriends.
“Hey.”
Rafe’s low voice sent a shiver down her spine. Excitement and affection collected at the center of her body, but also pain. The pain of knowing she would leave him soon.
Mia fortified herself with another deep drink of her wine, then glanced over her shoulder. “Hey.”
He darted a glance back into the house before stepping out onto the terrace with her. It sucked that they had to always be looking over their shoulders for Tate or Joe or someone else who might start a rumor. Or, in this case, deepen the rumor that already existed.
At the railing, he faced her.
“You played an awesome game tonight, Mr. Savage,” she told him. “How’s your eye?”
His lips tipped up in a grin. “Which one?”
She laughed and looked back out over Washington’s monuments.
“Everything okay with Tate?” he asked.
She lifted a shoulder. “Growing pains. He’s having a rough transition with my independence.”
“I think a lot of that is because you’re going to be so far away. I’m having a hard time adjusting too.”
She turned her head, surprised he’d admitted it so openly. So directly. And the thought of leaving him now after they’d just broken through a huge barrier upset her stomach again. “The transition will be difficult, no doubt.”
Rafe dropped his gaze, nodded, then looked out at the view with a heavy exhale. Long, turbulent moments passed while both remained quiet. His next question verified they were thinking about the same thing.