Page 57 of Bride Games

“Scouts honor.” Trent made an “X” across his chest.

Paige returned the towels to the bathroom, charged her phone, and crawled into bed, wondering what the hell was wrong with her. But she knew she didn’t have any choice. The flights were all canceled. The hotel was booked. Sure, she could sleep on the floor and have an aching back the next day or she could go to the lobby and sleep in a chair, but exhaustion overcame her. She slid between the covers and scooted toward the edge of her side.

Trent patted the bed. “I won’t bite. You used to sleep in the middle. We cuddled, remember?”

“We aren’t a ‘we’ anymore. You need to get that through your head.” Paige tugged at the comforter and pulled it up to her chin, wishing her former fiancé weren’t naked and also wishing she didn’t have doubts about Zach and Marie.

Unable to sleep, she laid awake until she heard soft snoring coming from Trent.Thank goodness.She checked the time on her phone and doublechecked that she had set the alarm. In the middle of the night, she felt something heavy on her and realized it was an arm. Half asleep, she backed into the comfortable position she had been accustomed to for a few years. She drifted back to sleep only to be awakened by fingertips caressing her face and neck. Dreaming that she and Zach were in one of their hiding places at the station and making out like two teenagers, she turned, moaned, and woke up as a tongue flicked inside her mouth.

He was a good kisser. She wanted—needed—to be kissed. Paige leaned into his warm body and kissed him back while in her dreamy state. As his hands began roaming where they shouldn’t and especially when she felt his erection, she awoke fully. “Oh, my God. Trent, what the hell are you doing?”

“Kissing you. And by the way you kissed me back, I think you rather enjoyed it.” He laid her back on the bed and kissed her softly and then more urgently. “I’ve missed you, Paige. I want you, Paige.” Trent’s voice was husky. “Give me another ch?—”

“No. I can’t.” Paige bolted for the restroom. “It’s too late for us. We had a good ride until you screwed another woman. Or was it women?” She held up her hand. “Don’t answer that. I don’t want to know. I’m getting dressed and going to the airport.”

Trent rubbed his eyes and glanced at a clock on the nightstand. “We can get two more hours’ sleep.” He sighed. “I’ll leave you alone. Promise.”

“Yeah, right. You promised earlier. See where that got you—me—us.” Paige reached for the clothes she had worn the previous day. There was no way in hell she was going to wear a sexy red dress and zebra-striped heels.

Trent’s eyebrows shot up. “Paige, you have an image. You can’t be seen in the same wrinkled clothes from yesterday.”

“There’s more to life than images and fans, Trent. I know you haven’t yet realized that, but I have. No one gives a shit if I’m in wrinkled clothes. I’m leaving. Nice chat.”

“You’re being ridiculous. It’s not like you’re a virgin and not like we weren’t getting married. Are you and Zach a”—he made air quotes—“thing now? Because from the game last night it sure doesn’t look like it.”

“It’s none of your business,” Paige snapped, as she grabbed her purse and belongings. She let the door slam, but in the hallway, she realized she had left her cellphone and charger on the nightstand. “Dammit.”

She used her hotel key to open the door and a smiling, still naked Trent, stood a foot from the door holding her items. “Miss me already? Because I miss you.”

She reached for her phone. “If I forgot something else, I’ll have someone from the station retrieve it. Bye, Trent.” With that, Paige rushed toward the elevator and called an Uber from the lobby. She didn’t have time to wait for the hotel shuttle. She had to get home.

50

Luckily, Paige was able to catch the first flight out and avoided being on the same plane as Trent. She tried to finish her book, but it was no use. She somehow fell asleep and awakened when the plane landed with a thud.

Still reeling from the strange turn of events, a confused Paige drove home, changed out of her wrinkled two-day clothes, and got to the station by mid-afternoon. Paige winced when she noticed she had fifty voicemail messages.I hate this job. I don’t know how Mr. Hales has withstood such agonizing, boring meetings for years. I’ve got to get back on the air and on the road to games. Figure out a way to win the fans—and Zach—back.

Paige sighed as she took a few notes while listening to messages from the accountant regarding payroll checks to be signed and from an irate, loyal customer who paid for a commercial during a series premiere that was bumped due to a tornado warning. Paige rolled her eyes and addressed the most pressing issues. An hour later, she decided to call it a day.

She drove home mindlessly while images of a flirty Zach and Marie on the football field and the unexpected hotel encounter with Trent clouded her mind.I’ve got to figure out a way tocover the games again. But what? What can I possibly do to win the viewers back?

She pulled into her garage and couldn’t wait to make a pot of strong coffee.Verystrong. Her weird night with Trent seemed like a lifetime ago, yet it was just last night. Paige’s mind raced.I should tell Zach. Should I tell Zach? Nothing happened, really.

Paige kicked off her shoes and plunked her carry-on near the kitchen. She didn’t bother unpacking, knowing she had to get her head on straight first. She drummed her fingers on the counter as the coffee brewed.A kiss happened. Okay, a bit of a hungry kiss, but I thought Trent was Zach. I was dreaming. I bolted. That counts, right? Zach will understand, right?

After pouring a cup of java, Paige retreated to the couch, wondering if Zach had given her the same explanation about kissing Marie if that would cut it.Nope. Probably not. Okay, it absolutely wouldn’t. There’s my answer. I’ve got to tell him.Paige stared at her cellphone and before she lost her nerve, decided to text Zach.Even though our relationship really isn’t a relationship—not at the moment, anyway—we’ve both told each other several times how important honesty is.

She texted, jaw clenched, hoping he was near his phone.

Hey, are you back from the game? If so, want to come over for pizza tonight? I’d love to see you. ~P

In the two hours it took Zach to respond, Paige had talked herself out of telling him a peep about Trent—at least not every detail which couldeasilybe misinterpreted. She’d rehearsed how much to divulge a hundred times. She decided on mentioning the simple fact that she ran into her former fiancé at the airport, both their flights were canceled, and they haddinner, at his request. Which was true. Just not theentiretruth. Paige stiffened when the screen on her phone lit up.

Hey, yourself. I’ve missed you too. Pizza sounds great. What time?

Oh, my God.Paige’s heart hammered as she suggested six o’clock, jumped in the shower, and changed into…what are good white-lie-type clothes?She decided on a tight black tee with a plunging neckline, white jeans, and red and gold Chiefs sneakers.Cute, comfy, but I can’t look like I’m working too hard.

Paige’s heart raced minutes before Zach arrived. When she heard a car engine in her driveway, she rubbed her sweaty palms on her pants and opened the door before he was out of the car. Her heart swelled and dropped to her feet simultaneously. “I’ve missed you.”

---