Her Sexiest Mistake

wasn't wearing shorts, but a denim skirt, which made Mia laugh. Even she'd change out of her designer wear for a game.

Kevin was in a damp T-shirt stuck to his chest that read repeat after me: i will not sleep through my education and big, baggy basketball shorts hanging to his knees, with athletic shoes that should have been retired in the previous millennium.

He looked good enough to lap up with her tongue.

Mike snagged the ball from him, giving his brother a nice elbow to the gut as he did. Kevin bent over, and Mike tossed the ball to Tess.

Tess looked at the ball in her hands.

Mike waved his hands at her, gesturing that she should run and make a basket.

'Right!' Tess whirled and ran with the ball.

Without dribbling.

Mia rolled her eyes. 'Tess, dribble!' she yelled from the sidelines.

Tess stopped and looked at her. 'Huh?'

'Bounce the ball!'

Kevin straightened and started laughing out loud. 'Travel!'

Mike elbowed him again, and Tess got to the basket before Hope caught up with her.

'Now what?' Tess called to Mia.

'You shoot!'

'Hope! You're supposed to stop her!' Kevin called out, planting a hand in Mike's face, holding him off from delivering another elbow blow. 'Grab the ball from her!'

But Hope didn't. She and Tess were talking.

'I'm not very good at this,' Tess was saying.

'It's okay. Here.' Hope showed her how to shoot with just one hand beneath the ball, the other merely a guide. 'Keep your elbow in,' she said. 'I heard Kevin say that earlier.'

Tess shot. The ball went too far to the left.

Hope grabbed it and handed it back to Tess. 'Try again.'

Kevin flopped to the floor dramatically and groaned. 'This is not basketball.' He turned his head and leveled that dark gaze right on Mia, still standing at the fence. 'Do you see how she is? Completely disloyal.'

Hope laughed.

Laughed.

Mia turned her head and stared at the girl, realizing she'd never heard the sound before. Hope jogged back to Kevin and sat at his side, Indian style. 'Don't worry,' she said and patted his shoulder. 'We still totally won. I made sure of that before I stopped to help.'

'Good girl.' Weakly, he held up a high five.

She slapped it, then grinned, looking sweet, adorable, and very sixteen. 'Did you see that last layup I pulled off?'

'Amazing.' Groaning, he rolled over and got up, then offered her a hand up as well, which she took. 'You should play high school basketball.'

Hope blinked her black-lined eyes. 'Really?'

'I'd recruit you. I coach the varsity team during the season.'

Hope shot a quick glance at Mia, and her smile faded. 'That's cool.'

They all knew she'd be long gone by then. The thought brought a pang to Mia, but she smiled and lifted the pizza.

Everyone perked up at that and headed off the court.

'Oh, and here's another adventure,' Mia said as they gathered their things. 'Hope and I are out of my place by six thirty for the exterminator. We'll have to hotel it for a week. Probably in downtown, though-nothing's available here. I'm thinking the Biltmore… I know, tough life, right?'

Kevin shook his head. 'Don't do that. Stay with us.'

Mia laughed.

'I'm serious.'

Hope jumped up and down. 'Yes!'

Mia shook her head. 'No.' No way. No way in hell. She couldn't even look at his house without wanting to strip down and jump his bones. She couldn't stay there. In such close quarters, it'd be… intensified. Maybe they'd have great sex, like always, and then what? She'd have nowhere to go afterward, nowhere-

'What's the matter?' Kevin asked. 'Worried I'll hear you sing in the shower?'

'I'll have you know I have an excellent singing voice.'

'Maybe you snore?'

She eyed his amused mug narrowly. 'No.'

'Ah. You have stinky feet.'

'Not that it matters,' she said through her teeth. 'Since I'm not shacking up with you.'

'I have a spare bedroom. You two can share it. That way Hope won't have to miss school. Plus, you'll be close to home so you can bully your terminators. We all know how you like to be in control of every thing.'

Mia eyed him. Is that how he saw her? Controlling? True, but not exactly flattering.

'Please, Aunt Mia?' Hope clasped her hands and batted her eyelashes.

'Maybe you missed the part where I said it's for a week,' Mia said to Kevin.

'I heard.'

Oh, God. 'What if I get tired of you?'

He ran a finger over her jaw, an odd light in his eyes. 'Is that what you're afraid of? Really? Because I think you're afraid you won't get tired of me.'

She stared into his patient but amused eyes. Damn it. Damn him for always reading her mind. Prove him wrong. 'I don't cook,' she warned.

'I think we can manage.'

He sounded amused, the ass. 'When you regret this,' she said, 'you'll have no one but yourself to blame.'

His smile, damn him, was slow and sure and took her breath.

***

Everyone came into Mia's house while she and Hope gathered what they needed for the week. When Mike, Tess, and Hope headed to Kevin's, Mia stood in her living room, taking one last look at her place.

Kevin held the pizzas and came toward her, all long, loose-legged stride. 'Do we have the works in here?' he asked very seriously.

She nodded and he smiled, one of those really amazing smiles that said The world is an awesome place, that said I'm always going to think so no matter what happens, that said If you let go just a little you could feel the same way.

She didn't understand what it was about him, but even now she felt a funny tightness in her chest. There was also a flutter deep in her belly, and she'd begun to fear it wouldn't go away no matter how many times she got him naked.

'I'd give my entire bank account to know what you're thinking right now,' he said softly.

'Sorry, but you can't afford my thoughts.'