Page 117 of Play Along

“Depends.”

“Depends on what?”

“On the details.”

I lean into her space, and she doesn’t retract.

“You’ve got to give me an answer before I give you the details. Be spontaneous, Kenny. Yes or no. Do you want to go?”

“Isaiah, I’m a planner.”

“Oh, trust me, I’m aware, but right now, the only thing you need to plan on is that I’ll be there.”

Her face softens, the hesitation falling away.

“So, tell me. Are you in?”

She leans into me, our heads resting against the wall and our lips only inches from each other. “I’m in.”

“That’s my girl.”

Without backing away, Kennedy bends her legs, letting her left one fall into my lap. It’s only there for a split second before she overthinks it all, breaking eye contact and lifting it back to her chest.

I don’t allow the moment to get uncomfortable or awkward for her, so I slip my hand between her knees, pulling her leg back down to rest over my lap.

“I know you said you haven’t been on a date that wasn’t a black-tie affair,” I continue, as if nothing happened.

“A date, huh?”

“Call it whatever you need to, Ken, but Kai’s award ceremony is on Saturday night, and it might be weird for me to show up without my wife. The Remingtons will be there.”

“Is that why you want me to go?”

I run a palm over her denim-covered thigh. “You know that’s not the reason I want you to go, but if you need to tell yourself that’s the reason you’re willing to, then you can.”

She doesn’t hesitate for a moment when she says, “I don’t need to tell myself anything.”

Her tongue darts out, wetting her bottom lip, and it takes everything in me to keep from closing the two inches of space between us and pressing my mouth to hers. But the room is crowded with people she works for and though she’s getting accustomed to physical affection, I’m not sure she’s ready for the public display variety.

Kennedy’s phone dings in her lap, breaking the moment, and my eyes can’t help but land on the name that pops onto her phone.

Connor Danforth.

“Why is he texting you?”

She shrugs. “He hasn’t stopped since that dinner in Atlanta.”

I sit up straighter against the wall. “What?”

She opens her messages to show me the screen with dates of texts ranging from weeks ago until today. She hasn’t responded once.

Connor Danforth: Whatever the hell you’re doing with that guy is a fucking joke. Break it off, Kennedy. It’s not a good look for your family.

Connor Danforth: If you’re not responding because of what Mallory said, you really need to get over it. What did you expect? You wouldn’t even touch me. Of course I had to look elsewhere.

Connor Danforth: I wanted it to be you. Sometimes I still want it to be you.

Connor Danforth: Did you really cheat on me with that guy?

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