Safe Bet (The Rules #4)

by Monica Murphy

  I clear my throat, hoping that’ll also clear my head. “What do you think we should practice?”

  “I’ve been thinking about you—uh, this all last night. And how we can make this appear even more real between us.”

  Oh wow. He’s been thinking about me? Maybe I kept him up all night too, like he did to me. Maybe he’s feeling the same exact way about me that I feel about him, which is…

  Crap. I don’t know how I feel about him. I just know that I like him, and that I’m attracted to him.

  And he said he was a big believer in attraction…

  “Tell me how we can make this pretend thing between us seem more real,” I say my voice low and hopefully sexy.

  “We can push it to the next level.” He tucks a wet strand of hair behind my ear, making me shiver. “We can do little things, like me touching your hair. Those kinds of gestures make us seem like a bona fide couple.”

  I give in to my earlier urge and rest my hand on top of his thigh, though I don’t dive beneath his shorts like I wanted to. That would be too much. Right? “Do you mean like this?”

  “Uh.” His gaze drops to my hand on his thigh. “Yeah. Like that,” he says to my hand.

  I give him a firm squeeze. He’s solid as a rock, I swear. I run my hand down until I’m touching his bare knee, his soft leg hair tickling my palm, and I’m suddenly tempted to do more exploring. More searching. My hands are literally itching to stroke all over his body. We have the time. I don’t have to be downstairs until ten, or maybe even later. We can give in to all of this attraction bubbling between us and just…let it take over.

  Forget the emotional component of all of this. Emotions have nothing to do with what I’m feeling toward him.

  “Sydney…” he starts, but this time I’m the one with the advantage. I go up on my knees so I’m more level with his mouth and kiss him. I grab hold of his shoulders and hang on for dear life as I press my mouth on his once. Twice. Soft, lingering kisses that last longer and longer, until our lips are parted and his tongue sneaks out to trace my upper lip.

  It’s like we’ve given ourselves permission to just go for it, so we do. The kiss is instantly hot. Deep. Wet. Tangling tongues and hot breaths. I somehow end up on his lap, straddling him, clinging to his shoulders, rubbing against him like I’ve lost all inhibitions. I’m wearing tiny denim shorts and a tank top and his hands are on my butt, gripping me, pulling me in close so I can feel him.

  And yeah. He’s big. Erect. I can’t believe it.

  I want more of it. More of him.

  He breaks the kiss first and starts in on my neck, his lips hot and damp as they slide over my sensitive skin. “Christ, you smell good,” he whispers.

  There’s a knock on the door and I look up to watch as it swings open and there’s Fable, standing in the doorway with wide eyes and her mouth hanging open. I tear my lips away from Wade’s, my hands in his hair, his hands on my butt, both of us wrapped around each other so tight you couldn’t fit a piece of paper in between us.

  Oops.

  “Ohmigosh! Sorry, sorry, sorry!” Fable scrambles out of my room and slams the door shut so hard, everything rattles.

  Great.

  “I bet we looked pretty convincing just now,” I mutter as I lift Sydney off my lap and set her on the edge of the bed.

  She runs her hands over her damp hair, her head averted so…what? She doesn’t have to look at me? Hell. “I’m probably going to lose my job.”

  “Why? Because we’re pretending to be a couple and we got a little too into it for a few minutes? No way. I won’t let it happen.” I rise to my feet, ready to go talk to Fable and explain what happened. I do a quick dick check, and yep, my erection disappeared the moment we heard Fable’s panicked voice.

  Talk about a mood changer. More like talk about a mood accelerator. The moment I sat next to Sydney on her bed, I had visions of laying her out on the mattress and getting her naked. I touched her hair, she touched my thigh, and then it was on.

  But the way she’s acting now, not looking at me, all fluttery nervousness, I’m wondering if I read her wrong after all.

  “Hey.” I touch her shoulder and she jumps, turning to finally look at me. The worry and guilt written all over her expressive face tugs at my heart. “Are you all right?”

  She nods and rises to her feet so she’s standing in front of me, but she only reaches me about mid-chest. She’s so tiny. When I cupped her perfect ass in my hands just moments ago I realized just how small she is.

  “I’m fine,” she says, her voice a little shaky. “I just—I don’t want Fable mad at me. Us.”

  “She won’t be,” I say firmly. “They’re the ones who asked us to do this. How could we not get close after pretending to be a couple?”

  “Yeah, but we’ve accelerated from zero to one hundred in about two-point-five seconds. What just happened felt crazy fast.”

  “Too fast?” When she frowns I continue. “You don’t feel like I pushed you too hard, do you?”

  “No, never.” Sydney shakes her head. “I’m the one who threw myself at you.”

  “Not quite.” I run a hand through my hair and take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I’m agitated, my blood fiery hot as it pumps through my veins. What just happened—that kiss—blew my freaking mind.

  This girl has come out of nowhere and rocked my world with a few choice words, a handful of touches and a kiss that’s making me reevaluate every other kiss I’ve ever experienced.

  Which is fucking crazy, right? I just met this girl. I know nothing about her. Plus, she’s too young, and I’m too young, and I don’t want anything serious. This isn’t serious. Hell, it’s fake.

  Fake.

  Fake.

  Fake.

  Doesn’t feel like it, though. The energy radiating between us at this very moment is palpable. I need to get out of here. Need to go to Fable and make this right.

  “I’m gonna talk to Fable and straighten everything out, all right?” I grab hold of Sydney’s arm, and it’s like my fingers catch on fire just from touching her. The girl affects me like no other. “You sure you okay?”

  She nods, a hunk of damp hair falling in front of her face, and I’m tempted to tuck it behind her ear again. But I resist. Barely. “I’m fine.”

  Giving in to my urges, I kiss her one more time. Just a brief peck on the lips, but damn if I didn’t feel that quick touch stir something deep inside my soul.

  Ridiculous.

  I flee her room before I do something stupid like kiss her again, and she doesn’t stop me. Good. I need some time alone just to reevaluate what happened. Even if it is only a few minutes walking down the stairs in search of Fable, at least I’m alone with my thoughts—my overloaded brain that’s filled with all sorts of crazy images. Images like me and Sydney together—for real.

  As if I have time to try out this dating thing. My life is about to change completely, as long as everything unfolds as planned. I’ll be traveling constantly for away games. I’ll never be home because I’ll be working so hard. Practicing all the time. It’s not fair to ask a woman to stand by my side and deal with my hectic life. I need to remain single.

  I think of Owen, who is definitely not single. I think of Drew, who’s been with Fable since he was twenty-one and has zero regrets. Hell, Owen’s been with Chelsea since he was nineteen. Were they always believers in love? Or did the women they met change their perspectives?

  Fable’s in the kitchen cutting apple slices and she barely looks in my direction when I enter the room. “Want a snack?” she asks.

  “No,” I say firmly. “Want to talk?”

  She lifts her head, her gaze meeting mine. “Do you?”

  “I do.” I take a seat on one of the barstools at the kitchen counter. “Should I apologize for what just happened?”

  “Of course you don’t have to apologize,” she says. “I was just—taken aback at first. I had no idea you two were, uh, feeling that way. I thought what was h
appening with you guys was all phony, just as we planned.”

  “It is fake,” I say, ignoring the skeptical look on Fable’s face. “I’m serious. We just got—carried away.”

  “Uh huh. What were you doing in her room anyway, Wade?” A brow goes up and she sets the knife on the cutting board so she can cross her arms. I wouldn’t doubt for an instant she’s tapping her foot, too.

  Ah damn, she sounds and looks like the Fable of old, who would constantly bust our balls and make Owen and I feel guilty for all the crazy shit we used to do. We deserved to feel that way because we were always up to no good, but we hated it so much when she ripped us a new one.

  That’s because she was so damn good at it. Just like that, I’m back to being fourteen years old and I just got caught making out a little too heavily with Jessica Fairchild in Owen’s bedroom. On Owen’s bed, with my hand on Jessica’s right tit and Jessica trying to shove me off her when she spotted Fable fuming in the doorway. Fable busted me hard, ratted me out to my mom and everything. I was so pissed at her for weeks. Every one of those days I was grounded, I cursed her existence over and over again.

  Now I’m so glad she was there, watching out for me. I was wild, but I could’ve been worse. Much worse. Fable helped keep me and Owen grounded.

  “I came over to show Sydney what the media was saying about the two of us,” I say in my defense.

  Fable’s eyes light up and her arms drop to her sides. “Oh, what are they saying? Is it positive?”

  Relief floods me at the change of subject. I’m thankful I could cheer her up. An angry Fable is an unpleasant Fable let me tell you.

  Whipping out my phone, I show Fable the TMZ article. “They talked about us.”

  She reads the article, nibbling on her lower lip. “They won’t let go of the Naughty Nanny thing, though.”

  Yeah, she sounds just like Sydney with that comment. “We’ll get them to forget about it.”

  “You really think you two can do that in just than a week’s time?” She sounds skeptical, and that doesn’t help my confidence.

  “You’re the one who said it would only take a week,” I point out.

  “I know. And a lot of things can happen in a week, trust me. I mean, look at you two.”

  “What about us two?” I frown.

  “I already caught you kissing her in her bedroom, just like when you were a teenager.” She grins.

  I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. I’m a grown ass man. I shouldn’t let that sort of thing bother me. “We sort of lost our minds.”

  “Does she make you lose your mind?”

  This conversation needs to come to a halt, so I decide to change the direction. “How are you feeling?”

  “Nice subject changer.” Fable shakes her head. “I’m feeling all right. The baby is sapping all the energy right out of me.”

  “I can’t believe you’re pregnant again.”

  “I can’t believe it either, but this is a good thing. Drew and I want a big family. So this baby is an unexpected blessing. I just need to take it easy.” She runs a quick hand over her still-flat belly. “The timing isn’t the best, but everything will work out in the end.”

  I say nothing. I wonder if that’s the attitude I should take about this thing with Sydney. That everything will work out in the end, no matter what happens. It’s better than worrying about shit all the time. We should just let nature take its course.

  Yeah. That sounds good. Nature taking its course. Either it works or it doesn’t.

  I’m secretly hoping it works.

  According to Fable, the preseason games usually aren’t very crowded, but this particular one brought out a lot of Niner fans tonight, and I’m fairly certain it’s because Drew’s playing. He normally doesn’t play much during the preseason schedule because they let the second and third string players have the opportunity to show everyone what they can do. But tonight is an exception. It’s the last game of the preseason, and Drew needs to show off his skills to get the fans hyped for the regular season. And he’s played amazingly well—no surprise.

  Wade has done well too. He’s spent the majority of the game actually playing it. They only pulled him off the field once, right before halftime. But the moment the third quarter started, he was back out on that field, playing like his life depended on it. He even caught one of Drew’s passes and ran it into the end zone, scoring a touchdown, making me hop up and down and scream my head off.

  The photographers clicked away, documenting my overhyped reaction, but I ignored them as best as I could.

  I’ve tried my best to be the perfect girlfriend tonight. If the various reporters are watching me, and I’m sure some of them are, I look like the good little woman out in support of her man. Oh, I’m sure a few of them will twist the story around and say I’m really cheering for Drew, but whatever. I’m starting to realize we can’t win with them.

  That article Wade shared with me cemented my feelings. How am I ever going to shed the Naughty Nanny nickname when they won’t let it go? It’s everywhere still, and I bet no matter how much time passes, they’ll still call me that. I might never be able to shake it.

  And that would be awful.

  When the game’s finished, I go down onto the field thanks to the all-access pass Fable obtained for me before we left the house for the game. She texted me when there was two minutes left in the fourth quarter—the Niners eventually won the game—to let me know she’d meet me on the field. She and Drew had privately arranged a quick photo session with the entire family involved, just to please the media and hopefully get them to shut up about the nanny gossip. I hope it works, considering I potentially benefit from this photo opp too.

  The moment I walk onto the field, I spot the Callahans posing for the cameras and I go in the opposite direction, not wanting to interfere, and not wanting to look like I’m lurking around them either. I go and search for Wade instead, and I find him standing on the sidelines, chatting with his teammates and what looks like a couple of reporters. The reporters try to ask them questions, but they’re all laughing and giving each other a hard time.

  Giving me the chance to wait patiently and admire him.

  Which isn’t a hardship. He looks amazing in his uniform, those tight gold (fine, I know gold isn’t a great color, but Wade makes it work) pants clinging to his thick thighs, his brown hair a sweaty mess, the black lines beneath his eyes smudged, his helmet dangling from his fingers. He’s broad and tall and imposing and I remember what it was like this morning, sitting in his lap on my bed, my mouth fused with his and wrapped all around him. He’s so incredibly masculine and delicious, and I can’t believe I have to pretend he’s all mine.

  I sort of want him to be all mine. No questions asked.

  Like that’s ever really going to happen.

  When he spots me, it’s like the air shifts and all the hairs on my body stand on end. I can feel his gaze lingering on my body, and I turn my head to find him watching me, a pleased smile on his handsome face when his dark gaze meets mine. He says goodbye to the guys and then makes his way toward me, his easy, confident stride making me die a little inside.

  I could watch him approach me like that all damn day.

  Wade stops directly in front of me that smile still stretching his lips wide. “Hey.”

  “Hi.” That’s all I can come up with. My brain is just—blank.

  “So. What did you think?” When I frown, he continues. “Of the game.”

  “Oh!” Duh. He must think I’m an idiot. “You played wonderfully. And when you caught the ball and ran in that touchdown in the third quarter…”

  He grins, pleased with himself. “I know, right? It was pretty fucking awesome.”

  “Wade!” He always seems to watch himself around me. He’s very careful. Respectful. So I’m not used to him dropping f-bombs. Not that I care. My brother and his friends curse all the time, so it never really bothers me. Still. “You shouldn’t curse in public.”

  “Ha
. Get used to it,” he mutters before he hauls me in close and gives me a blistering kiss.

  I lose myself in that kiss. There’s plenty of tongue and heat, and one strong arm is wrapped tight around my waist, his large hand palming my butt. He’s got on all the pads and equipment still so I can’t really feel him, but that’s okay.

  He still feels pretty damn amazing.

  “Think they got enough photos of us kissing just now?” he whispers against my lips a few minutes later. I crack open my eyes to find him watching me and I stare up at him blankly. “Well? Do you?”

  Reality crashes down upon me, reminding me that yes that amazing kiss was completely bogus and I need to get my head out of the clouds.

  Withdrawing from his embrace, I nod, needing the distance. I’m all shaky. My body feels like it’s been electrified just by his lips—and his hand on my butt—and I don’t know if I can walk straight. Let alone think straight.

  “Oh yeah. I’m sure they did.”

  He smiles. “Good. Just keeping with the plan.”

  “Right.” I nod. Take a shaky breath, then letting it out in an equally shaky exhale. He’s turned me into a total mess and he has no clue his effect on me.

  In fact, he’s downright oblivious. He’s already thinking ahead, talking about our plans tonight, which aren’t real. They’re just some put on thing to give the media-slash-stalkers something to talk about. “Give me some time to shower and change and then I’ll be out. Is that okay?”

  As if I have any right to demand something else. I’m not really his girlfriend, after all. “That’s fine.”

  “Fable’s still around to hang out with, right?” When I nod, Wade does too. “Cool. I don’t like thinking of you out here all alone. See you in a bit.” He drops a kiss on the tip of my nose and then walks away, but I don’t watch him go.

  Why torture myself? I’m twisted up enough.

  I’m about to make my escape and go in search of Fable when a man wearing a red T-shirt with a 49ers emblem emblazed on the front and a pair of pressed khaki shorts stops directly in front of me, a friendly smile on his face.