he was following her rules, while he was on this field.
She glanced at him then, that easy cast on her lips moving up on one side, like she thought of smiling but knew she better not. Then Kai took the debate from her by nodding toward Reese, crossing his arms to keep from moving closer and touching her. “Noble looks great. She’s strong.”
Gia nodded and that curve arched higher for half a second more before she returned her attention to the field, finally agreeing. “She’s fearless. She’s ready.” The GM watched her kicker for a few moments more before saying, “I’m proud of all my players.” Then the infuriating woman looked back down at her screen.
Gia had a beautiful profile—there was the smallest bump in the center of her otherwise perfect nose and full, plump lips. Kai had tasted how delicious they were, how much they’d give when she wanted to share. Her cheekbones were elevated, set high on her face and her forehead was small, slightly sloped. She reminded him of a doll, that oval face elegant, beautiful. Of course he couldn’t keep from staring at her.
If she stared any longer, he might come off as a freak and Kai knew he had to look away before anyone caught him, but just then, Mills’ whistle sounded and he jerked, spinning to throw a look across the field, catching the grinning smirk that Reese sent him.
Eyes rolling, he met her in the center of the field, glad for the distraction. It wasn’t the first time the kicker had caught him watching Gia. Kai was sure it wouldn’t be the last time either. Besides, he knew the women were friends. God only knew what Gia had let slip about the two of them.
“What?” he asked when Reese kept laughing at him. She shot a glance behind him, and he understood there was a tease about Gia hanging on the tip of her tongue. “I can’t look?”
“Did I say that?” Reese asked, jabbing Kai in the ribs. “She is beautiful.”
Kai nodded his agreement, throwing another glance at Gia, but knew better than to say much more. Reese cleared her throat, and he felt like an idiot for how long he’d watched Gia. “Beautiful, yeah,” he said, thinking of something to distract the kicker, his smile stretching wide when he remembered the text his ex Keeana had sent him that morning. “But, hey, let me show you someone even more beautiful.”
Kai knew he’d likely come off as some bragging idiot that should be sporting a dad bod, but he didn’t care. He scrolled through his picture gallery, coming to the images he’d downloaded from Keeana’s message that morning, grinning as she held out his phone for Reese to see.
The kicker leaned next to him, holding her hand over the screen to block out the glare from the sun and Kai glanced at her, suddenly proud and beaming when the woman’s features softened as she looked down at those pictures of Kai’s beautiful daughter.
“Keola?” she asked.
“Yep,” Kai said, remembering how often he and his new friend had discussed their families, how many times they’d talked about the kids her brother and his wife had together and how much she missed them and how much Kai hated being away from his eight-year-old daughter. “Look. She did her first hula.”
His beautiful pēpē was decked out in a green grass skirt and wore a pink and white flowered head piece with matching leis around her ankles and wrists. She’d gotten taller just in the few weeks he’d been gone from the island, and Kai swore her long, black hair was several inches longer. She looked so much like her mother—beautiful heart-shaped features with a full mouth, and eyes dark and wide.
“She’s coming here for Christmas. I can’t wait,” Kai said, putting his phone back in his pocket. “Wilson said you’re gonna have your own team with the kids’ league?”
“Yeah. Hopefully.”
“Well, maybe you can let Keola practice when she’s here.” Kai had promised his daughter he’d asked. She’d kill him if he’d forgotten. “She won’t shut up about you when I FaceTime her.”
“Oh?” Kai rolled his eyes at Reese’s sad attempt to withhold her proud smile. He couldn’t blame her. It felt good to be admired. He imagined it was new for her, something that meant a hell of a lot when it came from little girls who wanted to do what she did.
“Yep. You’re her hero.” He scrubbed his face, exaggerating an irritated head shake. “Not, you