Page 28 of Play Fake
She rolls her eyes at me and then sighs and leans back to look at the stars.
“Better view down here. Comfier too.” I pat the spot on the blanket next to me.
She eyes me warily out of the corner of her eye, searching for something I wish I could give her.
“I’d better get back to the house. Olivia and Wren are probably home and wondering where the hell I went.”
I nod, the hope I hadn’t realized I’d still been holding on to plummeting as I realize this is probably the last time I’ll ever see her this vulnerable.
* * *
Later that week,after several rounds of texting, I made plans to meet Amber for a drink. She’d picked a tapas bar downtown, and while it was pretty far out of my usual haunts, I figured I was taking one for the team. Just from the rounds of texts I’d gotten from her so far, I was pretty sure this was going to play out exactly like I thought. This chick had zero loyalty to Ezra and was just looking for the next best thing. When she found out I played football, and presumably looked me up online, she suddenly had a lot more to say.
I hadn’t mentioned it to Mac though because I wasn’t a hundred percent sure this would work, and I also wasn’t a hundred percent sure she’d love the fact I was meddling in this. Frankly, I wasn’t sure why I was doing this either because if I was right, this was likely only going to push Ezra and Mac back together.
When I get to the bar, she’s already sitting on one of the stools, a guy trying to buy her a drink. She waves me over, and he takes one look at me and fucks off. One benefit of being my size.
“Hey handsome.”
“Hey sweetheart,” I say, giving her a smile and what I hope comes across as interest. She has all the right elements, gorgeous breasts, thick hips, hair that cascades down her back. I can see why she’s the kind of woman who would trip up a guy if he was looking to cheat. But even though I’m single, she does nothing for me. I don’t know why, especially since a part of me wishes I could let go tonight. But a little voice tells me the fact she hurt Mac has something to do with it. Still, it won’t be hard to fake for a few hours to test the water.
A couple of hours roll by, and we chat as we drink. I learn she’s a booker for several of the clubs in the area and her dream job is being a traveling photographer for a magazine like the Rolling Stone. She loves working with the talent. Not a shocker.
She asks me about football, but admits she knows very little about it other than she finds the players hot. She asks a few more mundane questions, but it feels more or less like she’s just trying to pass a little time.
We finish another round of drinks, and then she does exactly what I’d been hoping for.
“This has been fun. I have some more of this tequila at home, though. We could head back there, have another drink and talk somewhere quieter?”
I smirk at her, “Definitely.”
There’s no tequila when we get to her place, though. The second we’re in the door, her hands are on me, pulling my shirt up, running her hands over my abs, palming me through my jeans, and telling me how much she loves my muscles. I let her touch me for a while, while she’s purring in my ear and asking me what I like in bed. She’s even more aggressive than the jersey chasers, and I honestly have trouble trying to slow her down.
I don’t want her, even a little. But she is soft, pliant, saying all the right things, and in the wake of Mac’s near-kiss it feels good to feel wanted. To hear someone say all the right things. But I can’t. I have all the evidence I need. I finally still her movement with my hands.
“What’s the matter?” She asks, annoyance threading through her tone.
“Just not feeling it. Tired I guess.”
“What if I unbutton these and do all the work?” Her hands hit the belt of my pants, and I know it’s time to leave if I don’t want to get myself in any deeper trouble with her than I already am.
“Nah. I wish, sweetheart, but I’d feel fucking awful for taking advantage. I think I actually better get home.”
“What?” Shock and disappointment flutter over her features, before annoyance overwhelms them both.
“Sorry. Practice went longer than I expected, and I have to get up to hit the gym first thing in the morning.”
“You’re kidding right?”
“Nah.”
“Wow. Okay.” She blinks at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“Have a good night.”
She still looks shocked as I walk out the door.
When I hit the elevator of her building, I pull out my phone and see I have a missed text from Mac.
