Page 85 of Match Me If You Can (Chicago Stars 6)

“Yeah?” Tony was one of a network of guys who fed Bodie information.

“So guess who else just showed up to catch some rays? None other than our good buddy Robillard. And it seems he’s not alone. Tony says he’s sharing a blanket with a red-haired chick. Cute, but not his usual type.”

Heath backed against the wall and clenched his teeth.

Bodie chuckled. “Your little matchmaker sure knows how to keep herself busy.”

Annabelle lifted her head from the sandy blanket and gazed over at Dean. He lay on his back, muscles bronzed and oiled, blond hair gleaming, eyes shaded by space-age sunglasses with bright blue lenses. A pair of bikini-clad women made their fourth pass, and this time it looked as though they’d worked up the nerve to approach. Annabelle caught their eyes, pressed her index finger to her lips indicating that he was sleeping, and shook her head. Disappointed, the women walked on.

“Thanks,” Dean said, without moving his mouth.

“Does this job pay?”

“I bought you a hot dog, didn’t I?”

She propped her chin on her fists and dug her toes deeper into the sand. Dean had called her yesterday, a few hours after she’d left Heath’s house. He’d asked if she could squeeze in a trip to the beach before T-camp started. She had a million things to do to get ready for the dating marathon she had planned, but she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to feed the story of her infatuation in case Heath still had doubts.

“So explain it to me again,” Dean said, eyes still shut. “About how you’ve been blatantly using me for your own nefarious purposes.”

“Football players aren’t supposed to know words like nefarious.”

“I heard it on a beer commercial.”

She smiled and adjusted her sunglasses. “All I’m saying is this. I got myself into a little jam—and, no, I’m not tell

ing you who with. The easiest way to wiggle out was to pretend I’m smitten with you. Which, of course, I am.”

“Bull. You treat me like a kid.”

“Only to protect myself from your glory.”

He snorted.

“Besides, being seen with you raises the profile of my business.” She laid her cheek on her forearm. “It’ll get people talking about Perfect for You, and free advertising is all I can afford right now. I’ll pay you back. I promise.” She reached over and patted one very hard, sun-warmed bicep. “Ten years from now, when we know for sure you’ve made it through puberty, I’m going to find you a great woman.”

“Ten years?”

“You’re right. We’ll make it fifteen just to be safe.”

Annabelle had a crappy night’s sleep. She dreaded the start of Heath’s dating marathon, but it was time to bite the bullet and hit him with everything she had. She arrived at Sienna’s first. When he walked in, her heart gave a dopey little kick before it plunged to her toes. He’d been her lover, and now she had to introduce him to another woman.

He looked as grouchy as she felt. “I heard you played hooky yesterday,” he said as he sat down.

She had hoped word of her outing with Dean would make its way back to him, and her spirits lifted. “Nope. I’m not saying a word.” She made a zipping motion across her lips, turned the lock, and threw away the key.

His irritation deepened. “Do you know how juvenile that is?”

“You’re the one who asked.”

“All I said was that I heard you’d taken the day off. I was making conversation.”

“I’m allowed to take a day off now and then. And Wind Lake doesn’t count because I had to entertain a client. Specifically, you.”

He got that sexy half-lidded look, the one that signaled he was about to say something raunchy. But then he seemed to think better of it. “So how is the course of true love progressing?”

“I think he’s attracted to me. Maybe it’s because I’m not clingy. I could be clingy, but I’m forcing myself to give him plenty of room. Don’t you agree that’s the smart thing to do?”

“You are not sucking me into this discussion.”

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