Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Fuck.
She set this up to call out my fake girlfriend, knowing that North would be shocked to see her. She set up an embarrassing moment for me. Tansy shoots me a wink as she walks away.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I walk toward North to intercept him.
“What’s up, man?” he says, holding out a fist, which I dutifully bump.
My message is urgent and terse, my low, secretive tone furrowing his eyebrows. “I don’t have time to explain, but I’ve got a fake girlfriend coming to this shoot to get Tansy off my back.” North, as well as my other teammates, is well aware of the problems I’ve had with this woman. “Her name is Tempe Martin, we started dating at the beginning of training camp, took a recent break during which I had sex with Tansy and Tempe supposedly had sex with others, and now we’re back together.” The door opens, spilling sunlight in, and Tempe walks through. I turn her way, as does North, and I give one last plea. “Please play along.”
“Got it,” he says, and relief sweeps through me.
Tempe spots me and heads our way. She’s dressed casually yet strikingly in a fitted black leather jacket, dark jeans that accentuate her curves, and a simple white blouse that adds an elegant touch. Her hair is pulled back in a sleek ponytail, sunglasses perched atop her head. She looks every bit the part of a woman who belongs at the side of a professional athlete, at least in my opinion.
I glance back to see that Tansy has spotted Tempe, but she’s stuck in conversation with the photographer. I move to meet Tempe, North on my heels. I don’t have time for a long explanation so I pull her into an all-encompassing hug and put my mouth near her ear. I feel her shiver under my hands as I whisper, “She invited one of my teammates, North Paquette. Big dude behind us. I gave him a brief summary of our ruse, but we’re all going to have to wing it.”
“Understood,” she whispers back, and it’s with such confidence, I have a burst of pride in my fake girlfriend.
Tempe pulls back and moves to North, opening her arms up. He bends down, they hug and Tempe says loud enough that I know Tansy hears as she starts to walk our way, “It’s good to see you again, North.”
He squeezes her, pulls back and puts his hands on her shoulders. His face is filled with genuine delight. “I’m so glad you and Rafferty got back together.”
“Me too.” She looks at me with so much adoration, it actually causes a lump in my throat, and says, “We’re meant to be together.”
I can’t respond because Tansy’s there and I can tell by the look on her face, for the first time, her suspicion has taken a hit. She glances back and forth between me, Tempe and North, but I can see she’s not quite ready to admit defeat.
Tansy moves to my side and puts a proprietary hand on my arm. Looking directly at Tempe, she addresses me. “I’ll need a private word with you, Rafferty, before we begin. So we can go over the generalized script.”
“I assume you want to talk to North too,” Tempe says coolly, and I’m shocked by her calling Tansy on the carpet. “And please, get your hands off my boyfriend,” Tempe says, her tone firm yet light.
Tansy’s mouth drops open and North snickers low, but not low enough he’s not heard. Tansy glares at him.
Without missing a beat, Tempe closes the distance between us and pulls me down for a kiss. It’s meant to be a show, a statement, but the moment her lips touch mine, something shifts. The world tilts slightly on its axis, and I’m no longer in this just for appearances. I’ve got a beautiful, smart, spunky woman with her mouth on mine, so I kiss her back, my hands finding her waist, pulling her closer. The room and its occupants fade away—it’s just Tempe and the surprisingly perfect fit of her body against mine.
When we finally break apart, Tempe keeps her hands on my cheeks, smiling up at me. “I missed you, baby,” she murmurs, loud enough for Tansy and anyone else paying attention.
“Missed you more,” I reply instinctively, a low rumble that matches the sincerity flooding through me.
Tansy huffs and stomps away, calling over her shoulder, “We’re shooting in twenty minutes. I need you guys in hair and makeup.”
Once she’s gone, North bursts into laughter. “That might be the most fun thing I’ve seen in a long time.”
I can’t speak for North, but that kiss was the absolute best thing I’ve done in forever. My heart is still racing and I see that Tempe looks completely happy with herself.
Punching North lightly on the arm, I say, “Thanks, man. Had you not played along, Tansy would have known this was fake. I’m thinking that just officially got this woman off my back.”