Page 83 of False Play
I stared at my outfit and scrunched my nose. I was severely underdressed in my long-sleeved white V-neck chiffon dress. I mostly owned power suits and sweats, so this was the only thing I had that paired well with my light-pink cowboy boots with hearts scattered all over them. I had used them once for a bachelorette party, and because they were pink, I kept them. Val let me borrow a classic black Western hat with a silver band to complete the look.
“Oh, there they are!” Val exclaimed as she dragged me toward one of the high-top tables.
My shoulders tensed as every woman around the bar was practically shooting daggers at us as we approached the group of athletes.
“Looking good, girls.” Hayes grinned.
Owens shot him a glare. “Hey, give them some respect. They’re taken.”
Hayes shrugged, and before he took a sip of his beer, he replied, “I’m still allowed to respectfully say how hot they look.”
“You guys do look good,” Parker added.
Owens shot a glare at Parker this time without a word. It almost made me laugh, because Owens was the kind of guy who only knew how to communicate in grunts and glares except when it came to his best friend.
Val hugged him, resting her head against his chest. “My brothers will be so happy to know you still act like an overprotective brother, even though we’re literally grown adults. Not even Charles is this protective.”
Owens tensed at the mention of Charles but simply grunted and took Val’s cowboy hat off, then placed his chin on top of her head and wrapped her arms around her. “Someone has to look after you. You’re a danger to society.”
The smile etched on my face at the sight of them hurt. I didn’t know what was going on with Valentina and Charles; she was still cryptic and didn’t want to talk about anything since the engagement. But it was nice knowing she had a man like Owens in her corner. Her childhood best friend protected her fiercely, and I loved that.
“Where’s Henry?” I asked.
“Here I am,” he rasped behind me.
When I turned around, I didn’t expect the sight of him to make me downrightferal.
My eyes raked over his body eagerly, not knowing where to look first. He wore a white backward hat, and for some reason, I found that a thousand times hotter than any cowboy hat. His jeans were light colored and hugged the muscles of his legs perfectly with a brown leather belt threaded through the loops,paired with a simple white T-shirt that had no business looking so ridiculously hot. And, of course, to tie it all up, plain brown leather cowboy boots.
He stood closer and grabbed my hand to twirl me around. “Damn.” Henry whistled with a shake of his head. “You wearing this dress should be illegal, Kenny baby.”
My face heated at his words, but I tamed my feelings quickly at the reminder that he was flirting because we were in public. This is what we were supposed to be doing.
I smirked and rested my arms on his shoulders. “You don’t look half-bad yourself. Those jeans are really working out for you,” I commented casually.
I could sit here and lie and tell you I was flirting because it was my job to play along. But to be completely frank? There weretoo manywomen looking at him, and it made my bloodboil. For once in my life, I wanted to be selfish. This was part of the agreement, right? To flirt and act like a lovey-dovey couple in front of the world.And I planned to take full advantage.
He cocked an eyebrow and leaned forward. “Are youflirtingwith me?” he asked low enough to keep the conversation between us.
“We’re in public, aren’t we?” I asked innocently.
I kept trying to make myself believe I was only acting. The truth was, I wanted to spend more time with Henry. He was fun. Around him, all my problems and insecurities were pushed away like they were useless.
I fought what I was feeling with everything I had, but for one night, I was ready to let go of the reins.
A few roundsof beers later, and I was having a good time.
Hanging out with the guys had become my new norm over the last few months, and I was honestly mad at myself for not doing it sooner. The group was fun, and the guys were respectful. It was like having a bunch of overprotective, funny brothers.
I loved how Hayes and Parker were always like two men on a mission to hook up with whatever girls they had their eyes set on, though we all knew better. They were very handsome men, and no woman in their right mind would refuse them. Donovan even made a quick appearance with his wife, Aurora. We’d never been close, but I’d talk to her from time to time when she attended some of the home games. Morgan usually tagged along, but he couldn’t come because he decided to take advantage of the rare time off the team got to visit his parents in the suburbs. Val had been line dancing all night and dragging Owens along every chance she got, while Owens had a glare etched on his face and guarded her from any guy who dared get near her.
Henry and I, well…we fell into some sort of flirting game. His eyes followed my every movement, and though I pretended not to notice, his heated gaze had been lingering on my legs and the perfect cleavage the V-neck of my dress gave me all night.
I basked in the knowledge that little old me managed to get those kinds of glances from him.
His type was no secret. They were usually tall, blonde, and stunning—the type of women who looked like they stepped out of a runway show. I knew I didn’t fit the pattern, and the tabloids had no problem pointing it out either.
But Ididn’tcare. Fake or not, I reveled in his hungry glances.
