Page 6 of Rafferty

I nod, relieved that it’s just work related. “Got it. Thanks for the reminder.”

I start to turn toward the elevators, but she steps into my path, her hand finding its way to my hip. “After the shoot, maybe we could grab a drink? My place?”

My stomach knots and my chest constricts with annoyance.

Not this again.

I step back, putting space between us. “Tansy, I told you, I have a girlfriend.”

I decide to stick with the lie I started last night with Tempe because prior efforts of relating my disinterest aren’t working. Tansy is so full of herself that she can’t accept I might not be interested in her.

Her smile falters, then returns, almost amused. “Oh right… your little grocery store clerk. You know, I don’t really believe that.”

“It’s true,” I insist, feeling cornered.

“Oh yeah?” she purrs, crossing her arms over her chest. “How did you meet?”

My brain almost short-circuits, the pressure of needing an immediate answer almost too much to bear. But I think of how I met Tempe last night, and I roll with that scenario.

“Met her in that grocery store when I joined the team. She was helping me find something—”

“What was she helping you find?” she demands.

“Does it matter?” I shoot back. “You asked how we met and I told you.”

She switches tactics, moving away from the origin of my “relationship” and hitting on the skepticism that I’d be interested in someone like Tempe. “Really, Raff. A grocery store shelf stocker.”

“She’s more than a shelf stocker,” I snap, wholly needing to defend my girlfriend.

I mean, my fake girlfriend.

“You can do better than that. Why does she work in a grocery store?”

“How about you mind your own fucking business,” I growl.

Tansy’s eyebrows rise slightly, but her lips quirk in further amusement. “Mmm… not very professional to an executive of the Titans’ organization. Would you talk to Brienne that way?”

I bristle at the subtle threat, because she has now voiced what has been my primary fear—that our hookup and the subsequent fallout will somehow get me in trouble with the big boss.

I don’t know what I’ll do if she uses the threat of getting me in trouble with the brass to force me to go out with her. So I take the initiative. “You know what, Tansy? Tempe’s going to be with me at the shoot as we have plans later that day. How about you just ask her yourself why she works in a grocery store?”

Tansy blinks in surprise, momentarily processing my words before her eyes narrow. They glitter with cockiness and calculation. “I still don’t believe you have a relationship with her, but let’s make a little bet. If she doesn’t come, you’ll go out for a drink with me after the shoot.”

Jesus Christ. How am I going to pull that off? I thought the mere assertion that I was bringing her would be enough to get Tansy to back off and then I’d be able to come up with some excuse later why Tempe wasn’t there. “And if she does show up, you’ll back off and leave me alone?”

Tansy tips her head back and laughs. When her gaze meets mine, it’s filled with hilarity. “Maybe. But maybe not. Guess it depends on how convincing your ‘girlfriend’ is.”

She turns on her very high heel, ass swaying as she walks away from me.

“Goddamn it,” I mutter. I head out to the players’ garage, my mood darker than before.

♦

The next morning,I wake up determined to resolve this mess. It took me forever to fall asleep last night, but I eventually dozed off after I came up with what I think is a decent game plan to nip this in the bud.

Some might call it preposterous, but there’s only one thing I can do. I need to find Tempe and get her to be my fake girlfriend, at least for this photo shoot next week.

I’m actually a bit excited by my plan, thinking it will get Tansy off my ass, keep me in good graces with the big boss and bonus… I get to see Tempe again and maybe, just maybe, I’ll ask her on a real date.

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