Page 13 of The Shake Off

It wasn’t.

He grinned at me; a grin that spread wider the longer he held my stare. A grin that was making me seriously want to punch him, until he shook his head. “I haven’t told Penn yet, if that’s what you mean.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. Penn Shepherd was one of Murray’s best friends. While I normally wouldn’t care about him knowing anything to do with my personal life, when it came to his players, I wasn’t entirely sure how he’d react to me sleeping with one of them, especially his Boy Wonder.

I’d likely be hauled over hot coals for causing a distraction, or something equally dumb.

“Thank you. Let’s keep it that way, please.”

“What’s it worth?”

“I’m your child’s godmother. It’s worth that,” I shot back.

Kit kicked him lightly with the end of her shoe. “Murray, stop teasing her.”

“Thank you.” I smiled at Kit gratefully, even though she was the cause of this in the first place.

But Murray wasn’t done. “When are you going to see him again?”

“I’m not. It was a one-time thing.”

He clasped his hands to his chest dramatically. “Ah, classic Payton, leaving broken hearts all over the city.”

“I doubt that, and we’re talking aboutAce Watson.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, no one can forget you so easily. I’m sure he’s been counting the hours until he gets to see you again today.”

I rolled my eyes, wishing this lunch hadn’t completely slipped my mind until this morning. Or rather who’d likely be on the invite list. “He might not even be there.”

Murray stared at me like I’d grown an extra head. “Payton, it’s a lunch for The Lions. He’ll be there.”

“Well, there’s no way he’ll know I’m coming, and knowing Penn, he’s invited half of New York anyway, so it’ll be easy to avoid him.” I turned to Kit as she started laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“You’re probably the only girl in the United States who wouldn’t want another night with Ace Watson.”

I shrugged mindlessly and turned to stare out of the window, gazing at the Hudson as we headed up Riverside Drive to The Lions ground where Penn’s lunch was being held. It was true; I didn’t. Maybe if the first time around hadn’t been so… anti-climactic as it were… then I’d be tempted if the opportunity arose.

But it had been, so I wasn’t.

Truth be told, one-night-stands weren’t exactly my style, but they did add a level of convenience, not to mention they scratched an itch that anything in my toy chest couldn’t.

Most of the time anyway.

Usually I liked to date; flicking throughHingeorBumbleorTinderlike other people playedCandy Crush, but for what might have been a first for me, I wasn’t currently dating anyone. It was something I needed to rectify immediately. I loved dating. I loved that first little buzz in the pit of your belly when you met someone hot; the butterflies; the sparks of excitement zipping up and down your spine right before you kissed, and boy did I love kissing.

As adults, I don’t think we fully appreciate how awesome kissing is if done well, because we’re all too busy rushing to get naked. But you can take so much from a good kiss done properly; the neediness, the yearning, the ‘I’ve got to have you now’feeling. It’s a beginning filled with potential, promise and hope, where you can live in the fantasy of what if…

The best bit? It’s easy to move on before anyone catches feelings, and New York City was built for dating. There’s someone new around every corner.

I pulled the compact from my purse and checked my lipstick. Yeah, I’m sure I could find a new date over the next few hours, so maybe Penn’s lunch wouldn’t be a total bust.

“Oh good, we’re here,” Murray said with a dramatic clap of his hands.

I glanced up to find that we had indeed arrived at Lions Stadium, though more accurately, we’d stopped in the line of cars waiting to get past security. Fifty yards away, giant black and gold balloons – the official colors of The New York Lions – adorned the grand arch of stone lions at the entrance to the grounds. Huge flags with The Lions official logo flapped at the top of the posts lining the fences, and two Lionel the Lion mascots were working the crowds, taking selfies and handing out Lions merch.

The car inched forward.

“Penn really goes all out, doesn’t he?”

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