False Start: A Fake Dating Sports Romance (Red Zone Rivals)

The muscles in Kyle’s back were as tight as a bow string, and I watched him subtly crack his neck like he was preparing for a fight.

I prayed it wouldn’t come to that, but with my ex, there was no telling.

I hoped Marshall would be smart enough not to start something in a public place. I hoped the fact that our son was here would stop him. But I couldn’t be sure.

He’d put his hands on me with Sebastian in the next room before.

“What the fuck is going on?” Marshall asked when he made it to our blanket. He was in his scrubs and white coat, which told me he was likely on break. His veterinary practice was relatively close, and it wasn’t unusual for him to take an hour to go home for lunch.

How this man could be trusted to help or save anything was beyond me.

But at least him being on break from work meant he wasn’t drunk. He always had an issue with his temper, but when he drank, that’s when it became dangerous.

He tried to storm past Kyle, but Kyle side-stepped and angled his body in-between us like a human barrier.

“Hey, man,” Kyle greeted, extending a hand for Marshall’s. “We were just having a picnic. Nice of you to join us. I’m Kyle.”

Marshall eyed his hand like it was poison before ignoring it completely, his narrowed eyes snapping to me. “Madelyn, who the fuck is this?”

“I’m Kyle,” Kyle repeated. “I just told you that. Is your hearing bad, or are you just stupid?”

My eyes shot open wide at the same time Marshall blinked up at Kyle with a scoff. “What did you just say to me?”

“Wow, your hearing really is shit, isn’t it?”

I tried to intervene, stepping around Kyle so Marshall could see me. “Kyle is an old friend of mine,” I explained. “He just moved to Seattle.”

“Old friend,” Marshall deadpanned, his eyes slicing to me and then to Kyle and back again. “I’m sure he’s a very good friend of yours.”

Before Kyle or I could react, Sebastian was running up to us. I schooled my features enough to pin both men with a warning glare to keep their shit together before I turned just in time to catch Sebastian as he barreled into me.

“I’m a plane!” he exclaimed as I scooped him up into my arms with a spin.

“Oof, when did this plane get so heavy?” I teased, pretending like it was difficult to hold him. It was getting harder, that was for sure, but he was still my little man.

Sebastian was breathing heavy from playing, the new bag of rocks Kyle had given him safely secured in his little fist. When he saw Marshall, his face went absolutely blank. He didn’t light up with excitement at the presence of his father, nor did he cower or show any negative emotion.

I didn’t know whether the lack of emotion should have made me happy or absolutely devastated.

On the one hand, I wished he had a relationship with Marshall that he loved, one that made him excited to see his father. On the other hand, I was simply glad to see he wasn’t afraid of the man, that Marshall’s wrath had been tamed enough for our son to not understand the full extent of it.

Although something told me he knew, even if he’d never bore witness to it.

Kids just know.

Sebastian offered his dad a small smile, and then he gave me a questioning look before leaning a head into the crook of my neck and shoulder.

“Hi, Daddy,” he said quietly. I could feel his entire body tense with the words.

“Hello, my boy,” Marshall greeted. He glared a bit at Kyle as he stepped around enough to hold out his fist to Sebastian, who bumped it with his own fist before clinging to me again.

“It isn’t Daddy’s day,” he whispered to me. “Is it?”

I shook my head on a smile. “No, sweetheart. Your dad is just stopping by to say hi.” I carefully dropped him back to the ground. “Why don’t you go play on the monkey bars. We’re going to go soon, okay?”

Sebastian nodded, looking up at his own father warily, like he wasn’t sure he should leave me with him.

That made my stomach lurch.

Then, I watched my son’s eyes find Kyle, who winked at him and offered an, “I got this” smile. Sebastian beamed up at him in return, and then he handed me his bag of rocks.

“Okay, Mommy,” he said, and then he took off in a sprint toward the bars.

My eyes found Kyle’s.

No fighting, I hoped that gaze said.

But I was pretty sure there was a silent thank you in there, too.

Marshall took a big step toward me, calling my attention. “Who do you think you are, introducing our son to some random man without asking me first?”

“I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have to get permission from you for a damn thing,” Kyle said.

“She does when it comes to our son,” Marshall shot back at him.

“He’s a friend,” I said. “And that’s how he was introduced to Sebastian, too. You’ve introduced him to plenty of your friends,” I reminded him pointedly. “So, I’m sure you can understand that this isn’t an issue.”

Marshall fumed, his hands rolling into fists.

Because that little comment confirmed just what friends meant.

I could see it from how red his face was that Marshall never thought he’d see the day I had big enough balls to date again. And it didn’t matter that this was all fake.

The satisfaction of seeing him spiral out of control was very, very real.

“You have no right,” he started, pointing his finger at me as he took another step. But that step must have brought him too close to me for Kyle’s comfort, because he clapped a hand hard on Marshall’s shoulder to stop him.

“Come on, buddy,” he said like he was talking to a kid. “Let’s take a walk.”

He didn’t give Marshall a choice. His grip was so firm, Marshall turned against his will and walked a few steps away before he shrugged Kyle’s hand off him.

My heart was in my throat as I watched them, trying to read lips all while also keeping an eye on Sebastian to make sure he was okay. Fortunately, he was playing with another kid on the playground, seemingly oblivious to what was occurring over here.

I let my gaze slide back to the men, and my stomach coiled into a tight knot.

Kyle towered over Marshall, his stance tall and confident as he listened to Marshall spew whatever vitriol he was so happy to let loose. Where Marshall was animated, Kyle stood completely still and unaffected, like a grown man listening to a child throw a tantrum.

But I didn’t miss the subtle ways he was reacting.

I saw how his muscles were tense — from his shoulders to his fingertips. I saw how his nose subtly flared, how his jaw flexed, his breaths leaving him in slow, controlled waves.

If I hadn’t asked him to play nice, I had a feeling my ex-husband would already be laid out on the ground.

I couldn’t explain why that made me want to melt into a puddle, and also climb Kyle like a tree all at once.

I shook off the thought, internally cursing myself just as I watched Kyle take one meaningful step into Marshall’s space.

I couldn’t make out what he was saying at first, but when Marshall tried to interrupt, Kyle raised his voice just enough for me to hear him.

“The only reason I’m letting you live is because I care enough about that woman to do what she asks me to,” he said, and when his finger pointed right at me, I felt it like a bolt of lightning to the heart. “But slip up even one time,” he continued, shaking his head as a damn near evil smile spread on his stupidly handsome face. “And I will risk it all. Understand? I will risk it all.”

It was a subtle threat, but a poignant one.

Those words said he would protect me, even if it meant risking me being upset with him.

It said he would risk his career, risk jail time…

Risk it all.

I swallowed down the lump in my throat, pressing a hand over where my heart was racing rapidly in my chest.

Kyle lowered his voice to say one other thing, and then he clapped Marshall on the shoulder and started walking back to me.

This time, all pretense of just friends was gone.

Because Kyle walked right up to me, framed my face in his massive hands, and pressed a long, slow kiss…

To my forehead.

Heat spread like lava over every inch of me the longer he held his lips there, branding me as I closed my eyes and fought against the shiver that chased that heat. I tingled from that point of contact all the way to my toes.

It was more powerful than if he would have shoved his tongue down my throat and hiked my leg up, than if he would have pinned me against the nearest tree and had his way with me.

Because that kiss claimed me. It sent a message to my ex-husband.

But it was also innocent enough not to cause questions for my son.

The fact that Kyle understood how important that part of the equation was made me weak in the knees.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered against my skin when he broke the kiss, and then he pulled me under his arm, smiling at Marshall just as he rejoined us.

Marshall was still pissed — that was easy to see. But something Kyle had said had sobered or scared him enough that he didn’t push any further than he already had.

“I’m picking him up at 6 PM sharp on Sunday,” he said, his gaze hard on mine.

“Wonderful. We’ll see you then,” Kyle interjected, his smile growing as he tucked me more into his side.

Emphasis on the we made Marshall vibrate with rage, but he smoothed his hands over his scrubs and tugged on the lapel of his white coat like he wasn’t bothered, and then he left.

As soon as his car pulled away, Kyle turned, framing my arms in his hands as his eyes searched me like Marshall might have bruised me when he wasn’t looking.

“You okay?”

I nodded, clearing my throat and stepping away from his grasp. I needed that distance. My head was spinning in a way that was dangerous the longer he held onto me.

“I’m good,” I said with more confidence than I felt. “What did you say to him?”

Kyle shrugged. “I just made it clear that I’m not going anywhere, and that if he wants to live, he’ll learn to keep his hands to himself when it comes to you.”

My heart skipped a beat.

God, why did hearing him say that turn my insides to goop?

I hoped I was convincing when I rolled my eyes and smirked up at him, hoped he couldn’t see right through me. “So much for subtlety.”

“Did you hear how many times he asked who I was even after I told him?” Kyle asked, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. “That guy is too stupid for subtle.”

I tried to fight it but couldn’t win against the laugh that broke free from my chest. Kyle smiled in victory when I gave in to it, and then Sebastian was running over to us again.

“Can Kyle come over and play?” he asked me as soon as he was in front of our blanket. “I want to show him Titan!”

I was surprised by how much I wanted to say yes to that request, but I squelched the desire. I obviously needed some space to think clearly again.

Apparently, watching Kyle Robbins serve as a knight in shining armor obliterated all my feminism and turned me to mush.

“Not today, little man. But soon, okay?”

Sebastian looked ready to pout when Kyle bent to one knee in front of him.

“Who’s Titan?”

Sebastian’s cheeks went pink, and he looked at the ground before softly replying. “My gecko.”

My heart broke at how disappointed my son looked that I’d said no, but Kyle didn’t miss a beat.

“A gecko?! That’s so cool! I can’t wait to meet him. I’ll have to look up presents for geckos. Do you have any ideas? I gotta make a good first impression if he means so much to you.”

Sebastian grinned a little. “Geckos don’t get presents,” he said on a giggle.

“Why not? Everyone likes gifts. Come on, what should I get him? Does he like… toy cars?”

Sebastian laughed. “No!”

“Does he like soccer balls?”

Another laugh. “No! He’s a lizard!”

“Well, help me out then!”

“He likes crickets,” Sebastian offered, and as soon as he did, Kyle snapped his fingers.

“Crickets it is.”

Sebastian was placated, though he still looked a bit sad.

“Trust me,” Kyle said, looking my son right in the eye. “I’m not going anywhere. We’ll have all the time in the world for Titan and anything else you want to show me.”

Sebastian’s little brows pulled together, like that concept was foreign to him. Then, he smiled so big it showed off two front teeth he was going to lose soon, and I had to look up at the sky to fight off whatever emotion was trying to strangle me.

I told Sebastian to start packing up our picnic. He loved to help clean up — always had. And as he worked on folding the picnic blanket, I ran a hand through my hair, shaking my head a bit before my eyes found Kyle.

“I guess we’re really doing this.”

Kyle smirked, his glass-like eyes looking a bit more blue than green with the sky stretching out behind him. “I guess we are.”

My stomach fluttered at the wing tips of a hundred butterflies with the way he looked at me, but I quickly put a lid on that.

I was thankful for his help. It was sweet. It was kind. It was a way to give me a bit of peace while I worked on finding him a house, and then I’d have my commission and Sebastian and I could leave, and Kyle could go back to his superstar life.

This is temporary, I reminded myself.

And I’d keep reminding myself until those stupid butterflies died.