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  Bottom line. If Lannie wanted him to get Faye here for dinner, if just so Faye could tell her no, he would do it, even if it meant carrying her back over his shoulder.

  He grinned and struggled to wipe it away when Lannie narrowed her eyes at him.

  “Yes ma’am. We’ll be back for dinner.”

  “Never had any doubt,” she muttered, facing the stove once more.

  He hurried through the rest of his place to his bedroom where he stripped naked. Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he winced as he saw all the bruises on him. Soreness was going to suck in the morning.

  His shower didn’t take all that long, one because he no idea where she lived and he had to figure that out before he could go collect her for their date. Mitchell wasn’t going to tell him, but, he did know who would.

  Stepping from the shower, he reached for a towel and wiped himself down. Once he no longer dripped, he walked back into his bedroom, the towel around his waist as he headed for his phone. Picking it up, he scrolled through his contact list until he found the name he needed.

  He put in earbud to have the conversation when it was answered and began to look through his clothes for something to wear.

  “Hello?”

  Just the sound of that soft southern voice brought a smile to his face. “Ms. Beverly? It’s Kaeden.”

  “How is my sweet boy? I haven’t heard from you in ages. All I get is snippets from your mother when she’s talking about your,” she cleared her throat, “behavior. And I miss you and that son of mine. Neither of you come home enough. Now, we both know you didn’t call to talk to me about nothing, what can I do for you? Is everything okay with my boy?”

  He loved this woman. A second mother to him. She stood barely over five feet but her presence made even the largest of men move out of her way if she wanted them to go.

  “Mitchell’s fine, or he was when I left him at practice today. Are you and Mr. Reynolds well? I do get updates from Mama, but, she says the same thing. I should come home.”

  “We’re all fine here. What can I do for you baby? Hang on Eric, it’s Kaeden. Sorry about that. We’re going to a movie tonight.”

  “I won’t keep you, just needed to get Faye’s address from you. I saw her earlier but didn’t get her number or address. I tried Mitchell but, he didn’t answer.”

  Surely God would forgive that lie.

  “Of course. Let me get it for you. I’m glad you saw her.”

  Bless Faye’s mother, not only got him the address but also her home and cell numbers.

  “Thank you.”

  “Kaeden?” Ms. Beverly’s tone had gotten serious.

  “Yes ma’am?”

  “I know you didn’t want to head out to the Vancouver Storm, but I think being around family will be good for you. We’re all so proud of you, you know this right? And we love you.”

  “Yes ma’am. I know. I love y’all as well. Thank you for the information.”

  “Of course. Tell my son to call me. Have to go, baby.” Her voice was upbeat once more. “Bye.”

  “Bye, Ms. Beverly.”

  He was shocked by the emotion that tugged at him just from that one phone call. He did need to head home for a visit. Maybe he could convince Faye to go with him. He was pretty certain they would be for the two of them together.

  Right up until I called it off because I got what I needed. My name not being dragged through mud.

  Dressing, he swiped his keys on his way out, tugging his skull cap over his still damp hair and hurried to his car. There was somewhere he had to be.

  αβ

  Faye looked down at her toes that now sparkled with their new fuchsia color. She smiled as she recapped her polish and wriggled them in their foam spacers. When she had finally returned home, she had decided to pamper herself instead of heading off to do more schoolwork.

  Mitchell had tried to call her, but she’d ignored all of those calls. He didn’t want her in his life, fine. She could do that. But that meant out all the way around. Not when he wanted it only.

  It hurt but if he wanted to adapt that piss pour attitude of his best friend, who was she to stop him.

  Shuffling back to her room, she put the polish back. She’d gotten halfway up the hall when her phone rang. As she muttered, she hurried to pick it up. When she saw the name registered there, she swiped ignore and exhaled slowly before heading back to the couch to sit while her toenails dried.

  As she settled back down, she debated over reading one of her schoolbooks or something fun. Opting for fun, she picked up the military fiction novel she had beside her couch, wriggled her ass in a bit deeper, sighed, and began to read.

  Two chapters later, she grumbled with discontent as her doorbell pealed through her small apartment. Slipping in a receipt, because dog earring pages was quite simply, an act done by heathens, she set the book on the arm of her couch and got up to go to the door. She opened the door and narrowed her eyes.

  “What do you want?”

  Even while her words were low and sharp, her insides were doing a sexy dance, trying to remind her that it had been so long since they’d been petted. Not that she needed the reminder.

  Kaeden Archer stood there, a disarming, perpetually sexy grin on his face. She loved it when he wore those knit hats. This one was dark grey and only seemed to heighten the intensity in his blue eyes.

  “You,” a poignant pause, “to invite me in.”

  She frowned.

  He pressed. “You walked uninvited into my house earlier, Faye. I’m at least using the doorbell.” One eyebrow rose in silent reprimand.

  Fuck, he had her there.

  She shuffled back and his grin grew wicked. Ignoring the tightening of her nipples and the way her clit was practically begging for his touch, she pushed the door closed after he walked by her. Turning back when it clicked, he dropped his gaze to her feet and allowed it to rove slowly back up.

  He wants something.

  “There, you’re inside. Now what do you want?”

  Instead of backing away like she would have assumed he’d do, he approached and bracketed her in his arms. She couldn’t go anywhere.

  Not that she wanted to.

  His stare was beyond powerful and her knees weakened. Okay, so that was probably a combination of his cologne, him, and just the fact he was so close. So close to touching her. And she him.

  “You.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “Sure you do.”

  “I need you to play my girlfriend like I would have said before but you wouldn’t give me two seconds of your time. My agent is waiting for us at my place for dinner so we can talk about strategy.”

  And with those two sentences, she had no desire left—well, perhaps a bit—but it was mostly anger. Raw, raging anger.

  “I told you no about giving you, as you put it, two seconds of my time. Why the fuck do you think I would agree to do something so asinine?”

  “You mouth says no, but your eyes, they are sending a different message and they do say yes.”

  “If you really knew what my eyes were saying yes to, Kaeden Archer, you wouldn’t be standing like that because I’m fairly positive you don’t wear a cup outside of practice.”

  He paled a bit. But, he still didn’t move back and she had to give him credit for that. Didn’t she?

  “If it helps, I already told some of the team we were dating.”

  “Help? Fuck no it doesn’t help.” Her heart hurt it pounded so hard. “What would possess you to do this?” A sharp breath. “Other than backing me in a corner because you, the great Kaeden Archer needed something and it doesn’t matter who told him no.” She ducked under his arm. “God, they were right, all of them. You are so fucking self-centered and arrogant.”

  “I earned that right,” he growled behind her.

  She whipped back toward him and found him glowering. One she matched.

  “On the field, maybe. But this is life, Kaeden. You can’t just—” She shook her head. “Your par
ents must be so proud.”

  Something flickered in his expression, pain and shame, if she were to put a name to it. As quick as it had appeared, it vanished to be replaced by that cold arrogance she despised.

  “You’re right. Forget it. Why would I think someone who I grew up with and I thought liked me would give a fuck to help?”

  “So explain it to me then.” That slipped out even before she could contemplate on how to keep it inside.

  Dammit. She should have let him walk out the door. Go away and wash her hands of the entire situation. She couldn’t because below all the anger and disdain she had for that Kaeden she knew the one she grew up with was still there. And that one, she loved. Would always love.

  “They’re looking for an excuse to cut me. Already. Because I’m a bad influence.”

  She watched him, took note of the exasperation in his tone and the anger that lingered.

  But he continued without her having to ask. “My trade out here is my last chance. I have to show the ownership that I’m changing my ways, cleaning up my act.”

  “Then what?”

  He threw up his hands. “Christ, Faye, I don’t know. Am I supposed to know it all?”

  “Yes.”

  He stalked back over to her, looking every inch of the fucking imposing tight end he was. Eyes sparking with danger, nose flaring, and muscles, well, they were just fucking spectacular. She didn’t budge because she wasn’t scared he would hurt her. At least not physically, he’d already stomped on her heart so she was used to that.

  “I suppose you have it all figured out?”

  “No, but this isn’t about me. This is about you. What happens after the owner sees you’re on the right path? You just going to go back to your old ways and do this all over again when shit hits the fan once more?”

  “I think in right now, Faye. Not ten years down the road.”

  “Tell me why it needs to be me. Surely you have a bevy of women in a book somewhere you can call up to play the doting girlfriend. Can’t they be bought? Or is it the sex that keeps them there.”

  His anger segued into heat. “You want to know what the sex is like, I’m happy to show you.”

  She wasn’t going to respond to that, no matter how much her body clamored for her to.

  “Besides,” she continued, determined to ignore that statement about the sex she’d wanted from this male the moment she realized about it. “I’m sure the ones you shag and drop are more your type than me. Would be far more believable than you showing up with me on your arm.”

  Kaeden’s gaze narrowed as a small frown tipped the corners of his lips, those damn fucking lips she wanted to kiss so much, down.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean? There’s not a goddamn thing wrong with you Faye. You’re hot as fuck and hands down one of the nicest people I know, inside and out.”

  Did they really have to go through this?

  She wasn’t a masochist in any way.

  But again, this was Kaeden. Common sense always got outruled by her damn need to just, be acknowledged by him.

  “I’m not what you would see on a star football players arm. Let’s not pretend otherwise.”

  Those strong arms of his settled on either side of her once more.

  “Not anyone’s arm. Mine.”

  She shook her head, already knowing this was going to come back and bite her in the ass. Hard. Painfully.

  But none of that mattered because she would do it. She couldn’t say no to him.

  “Fine.”

  He lowered his head and she ducked below his arm and put some much needed distance between them. Her heart pounded far harder than it should have been. Giving herself a few moments before she turned back to him to compose herself, her heart tripped at the look on his face.

  Hope.

  Fuck. She was a goner.

  “Let’s go. Leave the address and I will meet you there.”

  Kaeden laughed.

  Chapter Four

  He watched Faye as they drove back to his place. Kaeden swallowed a few times as his fingers drifted along the wheel of his SUV. He wanted her with him and she caved, finally. But this woman beside him wasn’t the Faye he grew up with.

  Changes of her body notwithstanding, she was still different. This woman beside him was tense and not the slightest bit relaxed. While he wasn’t able to see her right hand, he didn’t doubt it was fisted at her side. She continually rubbed her left against the seat.

  “Lannie already likes you. She’s been a fan of yours and in your corner since you stormed in my place and gave me a piece of your mind.”

  Her expression tightened. The opposite of what he’d been expecting. Kaeden thought perhaps a smirk or some comment about how women needed to stick together. Nothing.

  “Faye?”

  She jolted like she’d been shocked. Or hit. “What?”

  He didn’t like this and held his tongue until they pulled in the driveway. Parking in the garage, he grasped her wrist. She stilled but didn’t look at him. Kaeden wasn’t a fan.

  “Look at me.”

  Felt like a fucking hour before she turned her head so he could see those stunning hazel-green eyes. The uncertainty in her gaze was gone and she lifted an eyebrow at him. “Don’t we have a date with your agent?”

  He released her and watched how she popped out of the vehicle before he could even get around the hood to hold her door for her. Something they would have to talk about.

  He guided her to the door leading inside and swung it open, taking advantage of her being so close, he could sniff her hair and neck. He still couldn’t identify the scent around her but there was mint, that much he knew. A soft mint that just had him wanting to take a bite out of her.

  “Lannie?”

  “Putting the food on the table. You’re back just in time.”

  His agent popped back into the kitchen and ran an assessing gaze over the both of them. “That’s not going to work.”

  “What’s not?” Agent or not, he wasn’t going to put up with Lannie saying anything bad about Faye.

  She gestured between them. “This.”

  “Goodbye.” Faye started for the front door.

  Kaeden snagged the back of her shirt, stopping her progress. “You’re not leaving. Lannie, what the fuck are you talking about? She said she would help, you’re the one who told me you’ve already booked things for us to attend together. Now you’re fucking saying it’s not going to work?”

  “The tension between you two. That needs to go. Boyfriend and girlfriend. Fiancée. I don’t care what you’re going with, but you can’t look like you don’t want to spend any time with him.”

  “I don’t.”

  Two honest words from Faye that cut him far deeper than he had known could happen.

  Lannie’s lips twitched and she picked up an open beer. “I’m going to like you, Faye Reynolds. Let’s eat.”

  The women walked off leaving him alone in the kitchen. Without a beer.

  He cracked his neck and started for the dinner table when his phone rang. Mitchell.

  “What’s up?”

  “Wanna go to the club?”

  “No can do.” He looked though the doorway to where the women were talking. Too low for him to make out what they were saying. “Lannie’s here.”

  “Oh, I was about to say you shouldn’t be worried about my sister. I had another talk with her today.”

  Not sure this was the best course of action, he took a breath and forged on. “Actually, she’s here too.”

  “Why?”

  “She agreed to pose as my girlfriend. She and Lannie are talking. We’re about to have dinner.”

  “I’m going to fucking kill you.”

  “Why? She’s helping my image. We both know it’s not real.”

  Mitchell grunted and he didn’t know what to make of that, so he let it go.

  “Let me talk to her.”

  “Nope. Call her later.” He hung up on his friend and deliberate
ly left his phone on the counter there. Fully aware that Mitchell would be calling back.

  “What’s the plan, ladies?” He claimed a seat beside Faye, ignoring the glare she shot him as he dragged over the plate that was at least two seats away from her. Draping his arm over her chair, he gave into the urge to play with the curls that hung down from her messy knot they were up in.

  Lannie lifted her lips in a rare smile. “This, is what I meant. You have to sell it.”

  Faye was stiff beside him. “I’m aware on how to play for the crowd. I see him and my brother do it all the time.”

  Kaeden tugged on her hair. “Be nice.”

  She didn’t even look in his direction, just picked up her utensils and cut up her food. With reluctance, he let go of her hair and followed suit. He stared at the salad on his plate and put the tomatoes on her plate.

  “I’m going to get a few more places for you both to go to. Faye, we’ll need to talk about wardrobe.”

  And here he’d thought she was stiff before. “Everything is billed to me. She doesn’t pay for a thing. Faye is doing this as a favor to me.” He held Lannie’s gaze, making sure she understood how serious he was about that.

  She stared at the mushrooms that were in the gravy and took a deep breath. Poop trees. That’s what she thought of them and never had a desire to put them in her mouth. He remembered the first time she’d called them that and tossed all of them at her brother. Leaving him with gravy dripping down his face. While he didn’t think she would toss them at Lannie, he was a viable target.

  Before she had to figure out a way to brush them aside, Kaeden, who still chatted with Lannie, brushed her hands away and removed them from her plate, placing them on his. He turned her plate to make sure none were left, then he nudged it back to her.