Page 76 of Play Along

That’s where I’ve been all night. Sitting back on a velvet couch with a perfect sightline to watch my wife in the crowd, swaying those pretty hips, a smile plastered on that perfect mouth. She’s dancing with Miller and thanks to my friends and teammates surrounding the two of them, no one has tried to invade her space.

Her safe little bubble to have fun in.

This past week has been torture since Kennedy asked me to touch her. What alternate reality am I living in that my fake wife, who I very much have feelings for, asks me to touch her?

I’ve been tempted to every second of every day for the past week, but she’s been so on guard, so on edge, that nothing about it would feel natural if I did. If she knew I was going to kiss her, she would have done her typical Kennedy thing of overpreparing and overthinking.

She wants to learn so she can be better prepared to date other people.

Fuck that.

She may think I’m okay with that plan. She may believe I’m happy to help her, but she doesn’t need to learn to be comfortable with another man touching her.

The way I see it, no other man ever will.

And to top it all off, when I got out of the shower, she explained the colors of the clothes I picked to wear tonight and pulled out other options for me in case I wanted to choose something else. She’s not even trying to keep me from falling for her.

“Hey, man.” Kai takes the seat next to me, handing me a beer. This is my second and last of the night, seeing as we play tomorrow. “You look happy.”

“I’m always happy.”

“No, you’re not. You may always look happy, but you’re not always happy. Tonight though, you are.”

I find my favorite redhead in the crowd with plenty of space around her. She seems like she’s out of her head for once tonight, and that alone brings a smile to my face.

“I think you’re right about that.”

Cody slides onto the couch on my other side. “I just made out with the bartender.”

“Okay, birthday boy!”

“He used way too much tongue, but now I’m getting free drinks for the rest of the night.” He pops his shoulders in a shrug as if it’s the most common thing in the world for him.

People love Cody, and Cody equally loves them, but the guy will never settle down with one single person. Says he’s got too much love in him not to share it.

We’ve been the two on the team who have never had a problem with getting attention, but the difference between him and me is that I always knew I’d want to have something serious and lasting one day. I want what my brother has, but the only person I ever had any interest in was engaged to someone else.

Until she wasn’t.

“Hey,” a woman says from the other side of the rope, facing me. “I’m Lacey.”

The music is soft, so I don’t have to scream to be heard the way I typically do when Cody drags us to a nightclub. “Nice to meet you, Lacey.”

I can feel both Kai and Cody watching me out of my periphery, stupid knowing smiles on their faces because we’re all aware this is the first time I’ve gotten hit on since I’ve been married.

“You’ve been on this couch all night. I’ve been waiting for you to come out on the dance floor.”

“What can I say? This couch is exceptionally comfortable.”

She giggles. “Would you please come dance with me?”

My brows shoot up. I don’t know why, but I didn’t expect her to be so direct. I’ve perfected the art of indirect letdowns over the past nine months, and now she’s not giving me the chance to do this subtly.

That’s all right though. I’ve got a black metal band on my finger that’s anything but subtle.

I hold my left hand up to show her. “I’ve already got a dance partner. Sorry, Lacey.”

I’m not sorry about it one bit.

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