Page 47 of False Play
A complete 180 from the usual cocky jock, but hey, maybe he was in a good mood?
Or maybe he’s nice, and you should open your eyes for once and stop being so dense.
“How does pizza sound?” He opened one of the kitchen drawers and grabbed a takeout menu.
My stomach grumbled at the thought of some carbs and cheesy goodness. “That sounds delicious. Can you order me a Caesar salad, too?”
“Way ahead of you,” he called out since I was halfway to my room already.
After taking a shower and doing my nighttime skin care routine, I slipped into an oversize pink hoodie and a pair of white pajama pants with a sigh of relief. I loved wearing my power suits, but there was something so comfortable about wearing basic clothes.
I headed to the kitchen and started prepping dinner for my new furry best friend.
“You’re surprisingly patient for a cat,” I said to Captain Sushi as he sat on the kitchen island, his big cat eyes following my every movement like a hawk. He meowed and flicked his tail slowly. After I finished serving his food, I placed it in his eating area, and he jumped off the counter. His cute, little paws clicked against the sleek tiles until he arrived and started devouring his food at an alarmingly fast pace.
“You eat just like your father,” I mumbled with a shake of my head.
“You didn’t have to give him food. I don’t expect you to take care of him when I’m here.”
I jumped and turned around, finding Henry standing behind me. “Jesus.You’re like a cat yourself. You don’t make a single sound when you move. How do you manage to do that? You’re practicallyHulk.”
His laugh echoed through the apartment. “Wow, thanks for the compliment.”
“I don’t know why you’re thanking me.” I scrunched my nose in disgust. “It wasn’t a compliment.”
“Sure felt like one.” He flexed his biceps with a smug grin. “Iampretty strong.”
My eyes couldn’t help but admire the way his muscles pulled the fabric of his shirt taut.My God, was he strong. Henry was all tall and manly. It was hard not to gawk at him.
My brain betrayed me by imagining how easily he could lift me and pin me against a wall without breaking a sweat. I had never been grabbed and treated like that. Joe was shorter than I was, something he loved making me feel bad about every time I tried wearing heels around him. But standing next to Henry, I felt almost petite. Don’t get me wrong, Ilovedmy height. It was one of my favorite things about myself. But still. It was nice.Different.
“I truly do wonder how your head hasn’t exploded with all that inflated ego.”
Before he could reply with what I was sure was going to be another cocky comment, Henry’s phone rang. He picked it up and gave the concierge permission to send the delivery up then quickly hung up. “Food’s on its way. I ordered a few options since I wasn’t sure what you were in the mood for.”
I shrugged. “I’m not picky. But thanks.”
A few moments later, there was a knock on the door, and Henry went to grab the food while I looked for some plates and utensils.
“Hope you’re hungry.”
I looked over my shoulder and my eyes bulged in shock. “That’s enough food for like five people! Are you crazy?”
He threw an exaggerated gasp. “Hey, I eat a lot. Are you body-shaming me, Jonesy? That’s unbecoming.”
I made a point to look at him from the top of his head down to his feet. “Body-shaming the guy with two hundred plus pounds of muscle? Yeah, right.” I snorted a laugh. “Stop fishing for compliments, it’s a pathetic look on you.”
“It’s working, though. So why would I stop?” he asked innocently, placing the pizza boxes and a plastic takeout bag on the counter.
“Where exactly did you hear a compliment?” I retorted as I opened the plastic bag and took out an order of wings and my salad, placing both items in front of our plates.
He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “You said I had two hundred plus pounds of muscle,” he replied with aduhtone. “Sounds like a compliment to me.”
“Facts aren’t compliments.”
“They are in my world.”
“I have a genuine question.” I mirrored his pose and craned my neck to be able to look him in the eyes. “Do you lay down on your bed every night and write all the cocky replies you can think of in a journal while giggling and kicking your feet?”
