Page 91 of Match Point

“I just have one question.”

She turned to me and cocked her head.

“Is he a better lover than us?”

“Oh!” Tristan said. “That’s a good one. I need to know that, too.”

Miranda’s cheeks were red. As iftalkingabout sex were somehow more naughty than the filthy act we had just done. “Gabriel is quite good in bed. But after what the two of you just did with me, I can honestly say Gabriel is not better.”

Tristan held up his palm, and we high-fived above Miranda’s head. “Fuckin’ nice.”

Miranda laughed. “You two really are teammates now, aren’t you?”

“We’ve had plenty of time to mesh together,” I said. “Tristan got in a week ago, and we’ve been practicing.”

Miranda’s eyes widened and she whirled around to face him. “You got in aweek agoand didn’t text me about it until last night?”

“I was busy!” he said. “We’ve been practicing twice a day. Plus I wanted to work everything out with Dominic, first.”

“Well, I’m glad you worked it all out,” she said. “And you were right about your proposition. I was very keen on it.”

“Oh, the threesome wasn’t the proposition,” Tristan said.

“It wasn’t?”

“You’d better tell her,” I said. “I think she’ll like it.”

“You think I’ll like itmorethan getting double-teamed by two gorgeous tennis players?” she asked.

“Maybe not more than that. But yeah, you’ll like it.” Tristan twisted sideways on the couch to face her. “There’s three weeks until the US Open. I’ve begun switching to a two-handed backhand swing.”

“I thought your oblique had healed.”

“It did, mostly, but it’s not at a hundred percent. And I want to avoid injuring it again before the Australian Open. Which is why I want to hire you to coach me.”

“You want me to be your coach,” she replied, deadpan.

“Just for the three weeks leading into the tournament. And in between matches, if you notice things that can help me. You’ve got a good eye for that sort of thing.”

“I’m on the broadcast team at NBC,” she said. “I’ll be doing a lot of prep-work the week before the tournament.”

“That’s fine. We can coordinate schedules so you can do both. Only if youwantto, I mean, since—”

She threw herself into his arms. “Of course I’ll coach you. As long as you’re not a stubborn ass about it this time.”

Tristan held up a palm as if he were taking an oath. “I solemnly swear to be a regular arse, and not a stubborn one.”

Miranda let out a happy little noise. “I’m excited! I want to help you be the best player you can be.”

“Ehh,” I said, “don’t make himtoogood. I might have to face him this tournament.”

“We might have to face yourotherboyfriend during the tournament, too,” Tristan said.

“Woah, hey, boyfriend is a strong word,” Miranda said. “I prefer the termlover.”

“Okay then, lover,” I said. “What do you want to do tonight? Order some food, watch a movie?”

“We could watch Rocky,” Miranda suggested. “Since Tristan has never seen it.”

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