I can only grin. “Aside from me being extremely glad to see you, what are you really doing here? Is everything okay?”
“The girls and I went shopping today. We finished with hair appointments—”
“They got their hair done?”
There’s a pause, in which she gives me a long, bland look. And I know I’ve stepped in it. Badly. I glance at her hair. It’s shorter, isn’t it?
“You got your hair done,” I amend, regrouping.
“Yes. Doesn’t matter.”
Yes, it fucking does.
“I didn’t notice before because—”I only saw you“—the wind.” I make a swirling motion with my free hand. I’m still cupping her head, and she hasn’t pulled away. So I’m staying put.
Now that I have a chance, I truly look at her. Her hair is definitely shorter, better framing her heart-shaped face, which makes her eyes look bigger. She’s wearing a pale yellow sundress that hugs her breasts like a lover and emphasizes the smallness ofher waist. The skirt puddles between her parted thighs to reveal the pale caps of her knees. The dark brown cowboy boots she has on are well-worn and clearly well loved.
She catches me looking at them. “They were Pegs’s. I found them in the mudroom.”
“They look good.” Sexy as hell, in all honesty. “You look fantastic.”
“Anyway,” she says with a small hitch of breath. “When you texted that you’d be leaving soon, the girls dropped me off. I thought here I am getting fixed up to play the part, I might as well greet you after practice like a smitten fiancée.”
And here I thought nothing would deflate my mood. I fight a grimace. She doesn’t need to see that. But my act doesn’t appear to fool her.
Pen wraps her hand around my wrist. Dark eyes search mine. “I’m glad to see you too, August.” The mix of utter sincerity and mild surprise in her voice has me tipping my forehead to hers. I want to kiss her. I want it so badly my hands tremble.
She breathes quick and light, as though she’s as affected as I am. “I’ve been wanting to tell you about my day.”
“And I want to hear it.” My lips brush the shell of her ear.Just one little kiss. I’ll be good.“After we take care of this. Are they looking now?”
In the distance are the faint sounds of rapid-fire questions and friendly laughter. Most of my teammates will have come streaming out of the front exit by now. That doesn’t mean the press hasn’t noticed me.
A small movement of Pen’s head, and then she answers conspiratorially. “The pack appears to be stirring in this direction.”
Softly, I chuckle. A pack indeed. Then I catch her gaze with mine.
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
Nerves flutter over her in little beats. I feel it against my fingertips where our skin meets. Ducking my head to hold her darting gaze, I make my voice as gentle as possible. “Okay?”
She licks her plush lips. “Okay.”
I force myself to keep it slow. Respectful. Just a little taste.
Her lips soften beneath mine like butter in the sun. She trembles, a small hitch in her breath gusting over my skin. My gut tightens with hot, insistent lust. I want to open her mouth and delve deep, drown in her flavor. I’ve kissed her twice now and still don’t know her taste. It’s a travesty. But to kiss her that way would be too real. And she expects an act.
Keeping my head in the game, I kiss her softly. Once. Twice. Gentle as I can be.
God, but it hurts not doing more. With sheer force of will, I pull back. Because while I’m willing to play this game for the media, that’s all they’re going to get of us. If I’m ever given the chance to truly kiss her with all the lustful greed in my heart, it isn’t going to be in public.
A spark of satisfaction ignites in my chest when I find Pen a bit dazed, her lips parted and lush. Without thought, my mouth gravitates toward hers, and I kiss her a few more times. Softly.Softly.She’s just so... Nope. I pull back, my movements a touch jerky when I help her off the hood and then bend down for my bag.
“All right, Sweets. Let’s go.”
“Do you think they got a good shot of us?” The hopeful question has my smile wavering.
While I’m fantasizing about making Pen blush and sigh with pleasure, she’s focused on our agreement. Like everything in her life, she tackles the assignment wholeheartedly. I admire her dedication. Truly. If only it wasn’t homed on keeping to a pretend relationship I never wanted in the first place. Irony, oh, how you suck.
