Page 10 of Faking It with the Enforcer

Her gorgeous green eyes and how they light up when she talks about ballet.

I feel like a kid on Christmas morning, counting down the minutes until I see her again. I step out of the shower, towel off and dress quickly, ready to be out of here.

“Hartley, you got a second?” Coach Ferguson beckons me over towards his office, which sits off to the side of the dressing room. My stomach drops towards my feet, but I nod and follow him inside.

“What’s up, Coach?” I ask, keeping my expression neutral, even though I have a feeling I’m about to get reamed for how distracted I was today.

“We’re looking for players to participate in a charity bachelor auction,” he says, catching me completely off guard. “You’re single, right?”

I grimace. Nothing against charity, but I fucking hate that bachelor auction. I did it last year and I swore I’d never do it again. Being paraded around on stage like a piece of meat while rich women scream at me isn’t my idea of a good time.

And the “date” I had to go on after? Awful. We had dinner at a nice restaurant, and the winning bidder seemed to think she was entitled to a lot more than just steak and lobster and a couple hours of my time. Things got awkward real fast when I shut her down hard.

My brain sputters and spins for a minute, and then I blurt out a lie. “Uh, no. I’m not single.”

Coach’s eyebrows inch up his forehead, surprise written all over his face. “You’re not?”

I shake my head, the lie making my gut churn. “Uh, no. I have a girlfriend.”

“Oh,” he says, frowning. “I had no idea.”

“It’s…new,” I say carefully.

“What’s her name?” he asks casually.

“Emily.” I blurt her name without even thinking.

“You should bring her to the game tomorrow. She can sit with Lilah and Sadie,” he says, mentioning his daughter Lilah (the one engaged to Kincaid) and his fiancée, Sadie.

“Oh, uh…” I say, but he’s already typing on his computer.

“I’ll get the three of them a box. What’s her last name? I just need it for the security list.”

“David. Emily David.”

He nods and types. “Done. She’ll get the VIP treatment tomorrow night.”

“Great. Thank you.” I shuffle towards the door. “That all?”

He nods. “Yeah,” he says, shoving a hand through his hair. “Guess I’ll have to find someone else to volunteer for the auction.”

“Yeah, guess so,” I say as relief mingles with guilt in my stomach. “Ask Tanner,” I add. “He’s single.” I grab my coat, keys, and wallet and head down to the parking garage, feeling completely off-kilter.

Five

Wolf

What the fuck just happened?

I feel like I’ve been asking myself that question on a constant loop for the past twenty-four hours.

I lied to my coach and told him I had a girlfriend just to get out of that damn bachelor auction. Worse, I lied and said that Emily fucking David is my girlfriend.

I unlock my car and slide into the driver’s seat, the leather creaking softly under my weight. The SUV’s engine roars to life and I sit there, letting it warm up as my addled mind wanders.

What would it be like if Emily actuallywasmy girlfriend? What would it be like coming home to her after a long day?

I grip the steering wheel as the fantasy unfurls in my mind. I can see her waiting for me by the door, that pretty smile on her face, her green eyes lighting up for me.

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