Page 7 of Not By the Playbook

“A thing, huh?” I know exactly what she is asking, but the devil in me still wants to see where she’s going with this. It’s not as if I’d say anything anyway. Jenna and I don’t do heart-to-hearts.

“A committed thing? A relationship…?” she says. I wince at the R word, even if it’s just pretend, and her voice trails off.

But it’s an interesting proposition. I consider her long and hard, and a glimmer of interest rushes through me. Under that sex-mussed sheen is a woman my sister is considering for a job at her beloved company.

Maybe there’s no need to find alternate shelter. I could play along for a few days, get Jenna to stop thinking I’m a waste of space. Plus, Rebecca in my bed again? I take in her flushed face and the delicate curves of her petite form. Her tongue sweeps along her lower lip before she worries it between her teeth. Something tells me sex isn’t part of this bargain.

My lips quirk as I feign disbelief and bring a hand to my chest, “You mean, you want me to lie to my sister?”

“You already did!” Becs protests, but her lips twitch in amusement.

I scratch the side of my head. “Not like this. Nothing premeditated.”

Her face falls, and pink-tipped fingers, the same color as her toes, play with the buckle on her bag. I’d like to give her something else to play with.

“Unless…,” I drag out.

Rebecca’s shoulders perk up, and she swivels back to face me. “Yes?”

The hope in her voice is unmistakable.

I tap my chin and leer. “What do I get out of it?” Teasing her in the daylight is almost as fun as fucking her at night. Maybe I should try to talk her into a rerun.

Her mouth forms a soft O before her lips compress. “Not. That.”

I laugh. “Somehow I didn’t think so.”

Am I really considering this? I eye Becs again. She really wants this job. And if she can get Jenna out of my hair…what the hell. It’s not like I go by the playbook off the field anyway. A shaft of anticipation buzzes through me. I hit the pause button on my brain and straighten to my full height.

“Fake boyfriend at your service.” I complete the statement with a small bow.

“Really?” Her eyes double in size. She tips her head to the side and examines me as if she thinks I’m putting her on.

I shrug. “Sure. Why not?”

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’ll never forget this.” She throws her arms around my neck and clings.

Static splits the air between us. Images from last night splice together in my brain and rush right down to my cock. I swell, balls tight, and she stiffens and jerks back, her cheeks going red. I have to huff in a breath to calm myself, but one side of my mouth curls up when she refuses to meet my eyes.

Instead, she hitches her bag over her shoulder and rolls her spine back, giving her rumpled ensemble a little more panache. I take another swig of my juice to hide a grin when she finally presents me with a wide, fake smile of her own.

“I’ll be out of your hair in a minute, let me just call an Uber.” She pulls out her phone, but the corners of her lips curl down at the dead screen.

I grab my mobile from the counter. “Give me your address.”

Her eyes swivel to mine with suspicion. “Why?”

“I was going to call you a car. You’re getting the full fake boyfriend experience.” I raise a brow at her. “Also, I need to know where you live, so I can pick you up tonight.”

“Tonight?” she echoes.

“Yes. Tonight. Family dinner.”You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?

Her mouth opens and shuts. “I thought the deal was to not say anything?”

“Go big or go home, I always say. You want to turn this around, don't you? Impress Jenna?” I challenge.

She bites her lip, and her gaze flits back to where Jenna’s cup is drying.

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