Page 6 of Not By the Playbook

“You too, Ms. Barnes,” Becs squeaks out.

“Jenna, please,” my sister says smoothly. “I’m sure we'll be seeing more of each other.”

Chapter Four

LOGAN

The moment the door shuts,I drop my hands and step back, but all my focus stays centered on Rebecca, her droopy shoulders still angled towards the exit. Her brown curls are wild, and her hands are clenched against her side making her petite frame even smaller.

I’d been disappointed to wake up alone. I would have welcomed a replay of last night. Strange, because I don’t do repeats.Should have just tied her to the bed. Then we wouldn’t be in this mess.

“So…,” I drawl.

She spins, almost as if she’d forgotten I was there, and jams a lock of hair behind her ear. “Small world, huh?”

“Very,” I agree.

Her eyes lock on my bare chest, and I watch her take a deep inhale that makes her breasts rise. Her cheeks burn at my gaze, and she smooths her skirt down her legs. I trace them all the way to barefoot, pink-tipped toes. What would they feel like dragging against my skin? The little piggies curl and my attention is drawn to familiar blue lace on the ground beside them. Rebecca is panty-less.

Becs looks down to see what I’m staring at and reddens. She grabs the underwear and shoves it into her purse and scrambles into her shoes.

“Hey. So yeah.” She gives me a fake smile even as she eyes the door, “Thanks for playing along. I didn't want your sister to think…,” Rebecca bites her lower lip for a second before releasing it, “whatever she’s thinking, you know?”

I can't help but be sympathetic. You could be a trained zebra and even that wouldn’t impress Jenna. “It’s fine,” I say.

“I mean, I know it won’t help me now.” Rebecca’s shoulders droop.

Yep, her chances are pretty much nil. Jenna is both suspicious and as stubborn as a rock. It runs in the family. Plus, Becs saying she’s with me? Not sure that will help her chances.

She leans back against the counter with a thud reminiscent of the racket we made last night. I’m tempted to tell her things could be worse—Jenna could have come out and surprised us at 3 a.m., but why be an asshole?

“Well, at least she won’t have to see my skanky face again.” Rebecca’s exhale is long and weary.

Jenna used similar words on me just last week.I don’t want to run into any of your skanks while I’m staying over.

She’s always thought I was a brat, and I can’t exactly blame her. I was a little shit when I was a kid. Demanding and spoiled, my parents didn’t know what to do with me. I came from a long line of professionals. My parents were both accountants before they retired. They were surprised when I preferred football over school but were very supportive. They even learned the sport and came to all my away games, but I did hog all their attention. Jenna was born with a broomstick up her ass and flying on her own by the time she was three.

She was forever told to set a good example, but I made her life hell, strutting around school like a douche, coming home drunk and high. Fucking around even then, often with older women, including a couple of her friends.

Unreliable. Irresponsible. That was me. By the time I figured out what an ass I was, it was too late. I was the family fuckup. Even though I make millions now, my family worries about my 401(k) and whether or not I’ll be arrested.

Hard to believe, but at two months shy of thirty, I’m not as much of a prick as I used to be. But sometimes I’ll play it up just to annoy Jenna. Eventually, at some far, far off date in the future, I may settle down with a wife and kids, but why ruin the fun and tell her that? In the meantime, the goal is to enjoy my remaining football days. I’m retiring after next season. Just as soon as I figure out what comes next. To date, my only life plan has been to make it out of the NFL with my brains intact.

Rebecca stands in front of me, stress lines at the corner of her eyes. I hate to see her experience that same crushing disappointment.

“Well, you never know. It’s not like Jenna went allApprenticeon your ass and said, ‘You’re fired!’” I grab a bottle of juice from the fridge and shake it before bringing it to my lips.

Rebecca shifts her weight from one foot to the other. “True.”

A sidelong glance later, she says, “Maybe, you know, don’t say that I was a random hookup? I’m supposed to hear about the job next week. Monday, probably.”

Yeah, no.It was fine to play along for a few minutes, but I don't need more complications in my life right now. That she's even in my penthouse is an anomaly. Contrary to what Jenna thinks, I don’t bring random women home. More so, because I forgot she was staying over. Fuck. I should just check into the Four Seasons or crash at Jake’s or Connor’s. Or maybe not. Connor has a new roommate to worry about and Jake…is Jake.

“And why would I do that?” I find myself asking Becs.

“Out of the goodness of your heart? Maybe if we’re a…thing, she won’t think I’m such a whore?”

No one’s going to mistake Rebecca for a whore. She’s the furthest thing from my usual hookups.

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