Page 28 of Going All In

“No, you guys hang out here and try flirting with each other. I’ll go mingle. Maybe I’ll mention to a few people how cute you look together,” Ally said, hopping off her barstool and heading into the crowd before Darcy could say a word.

Sometimes Ally was as bad as Lydia.

“This is going to be a disaster, isn’t it?” Darcy said when they were alone. Well, as alone as they could be in a crowded bar. More than a dozen of Jake’s teammates were there. This was the perfect place to start their ruse, but her nerves were getting to her. She drummed her fingers on the worn bar top.

Her breath caught when he placed his hand over hers, stilling her fidgeting.

“Just go with it,” he said, leaning in close, his lips almost touching her skin.

She shivered under the intensity and gasped when he brushed his mouth against the skin below her ear. Who knew she was so freaking sensitive there?

“Pretend I’m saying something funny,” he said, his hand at the small of her back, like a warm weight that sent unnecessary lust coursing through her body.

Shit.

Fake. Fake. Fake.

It’d been so long since she’d been touched like this. Maybe Ally was right. Maybe she needed to get laid.

But not by Jake. That would be a disaster.

Not that she could hook up with anyone else now.

“Darcy?” he asked, pulling away to look at her.

“Yeah. Funny. Right,” she said before she laughed. But what came out sounded fake and over the top.

He raised a brow. “Yeah, don’t laugh like that.”

“Tell me one of your stupid lines. Those always make me laugh. I mean, who falls for that nonsense?”

“I don’t need to use lines,” he said, and she laughed.

“Now, that’s funny,” she said.

“Whatever it takes. We’re going to act like we can’t wait to rip each other’s clothes off, have a few drinks, and maybe walk out of here together. That should seal the deal,” he said.

“It’s almost like you’ve done this before.”

“Please. I’ve never had to fake anything. I just avoid relationships. It’s easier that way. But this is a piece of cake. You just need to stop overthinking. Maybe I should kiss you again?”

“No,” she exclaimed. Shit, that was loud. She peeked over his shoulder to see if anyone was looking at them. A few of his teammates had turned in their direction, but she ignored them, and the heat in her cheeks.

“What’s going on over here?” Ethan cut in. His threatening tone was hard to miss.

“Hi, Ethan. Great game,” she said, trying to act like everything was normal, even when Jake put his hand on the small of her back.

She didn’t even flinch.

Success.

“Yeah. Great. What is going on between you two? Why’s his hand on your back?” Ethan asked.

“Because we’re dating,” Jake said, snaking his arm around her waist, his fingers brushing over her hip, branding her as if there weren’t multiple layers of clothes between her skin and his hand.

Good lord, she could get used to him touching her.

“I’m sorry. I think I just hallucinated. Did you say you were dating?”

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