Playing the Game

by L. M. Reid

  I don’t understand what it is that he wants from me. Or why he thinks I would be willing to give him what he wants. Those emotions I got under control last night, are they that apparent in the light of day? Or, am I just that transparent? Maybe that’s why this isn’t working, why everyone seems so suspicious. They can see right through me.

  But those blue eyes bore into my green ones and everything inside me melts. “Okay.” I agree to his request. “But, if this all falls apart because you got to know the real me, then…”

  The moment we reach Mrs. Adams, I smile broadly at her. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning, you two,” she says bringing me in for a hug first and then her son. “I am so glad you could join us.”

  A tight smile forms on my lips as I try to keep my nerves in check. If being his fake girlfriend has me this on edge, I can’t even imagine what being his real girlfriend would be like.

  Not that I’m imagining that, or anything close to it.

  “We have been looking forward to it as well,” Hunter chimes in.

  “Dad’s at the table already. Follow me.”

  “Relax, Quinn, this is going to be a piece of cake,” he assures me.

  Piece of cake my ass.

  More like the damn Spanish Inquisition. Mrs. Adams, aka Jane, is in the middle of asking me the millionth question since we sat down, while Hunter just continues to plow away at his food. His third plate to be exact. All that food has kept him so busy that I’m not even sure he’s heard any of the endless questions his mother has been asking me.

  Question one million and one. “So, Quinn, what is it that you’re going to school for?” Jane asks.

  “I’m an art major. Photography and graphic design. I figured since both lend themselves to being freelance careers or owning my own business that I would easily be able to manage both.”

  Hunter’s eyes lift from his plate for the first time in what feels like hours. He smiles at me and I’m not quite sure why, but his smile infuriates me. I glare at him for a moment before Jane begins to ask her next question.

  “Do you have anything we would be able to see?” Jane asks.

  “Oh, well, I forgot to bring my camera. Major photographer faux pas but, uh, I do have some samples on my phone.” I hand over my cellphone and hope that they don’t scroll too far or realize that there aren’t any photos of Hunter and I on there. That would be a sure sign that we weren’t together. Especially considering the pictures of Shane and I that I have. The ones I should delete but can’t find the heart to.

  “These are amazing,” Hunter’s father says as he peeks over his wife’s shoulder. Mr. Adams, Peter, reaches into his coat and hands me a business card. “My friend is always looking for talented artists to come intern for him. His office is close to Remington so that shouldn’t be an issue with schooling. You’d love him. Really talented guy. Just tell him I sent you.”

  I take the card from him and glance down at it. “Mike Flannigan? You know Mike Flannigan?” I am totally fangirling right now, the pitch of my voice getting higher and higher. “He’s amazing. One of my favorite photographers ever. I… I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say you’ll call him and remind him that he owes me,” Peter says with a laugh.

  “I will, thank you so much for this.”

  Peter glances down at his phone. “Uh-oh, looks like were late for the parents shopping trip.”

  Hunter and I stand to stay goodbye. Jane pulls me in for a hug. She squeezes tighter than most, but it’s her words that truly suck the air right out of me. “I am so glad you and Hunter found each other. I think… you two are such a sweet couple and complement each other so well. I am just so happy for you two.”

  I return the hug, then thank Peter again for the amazing opportunity. The minute they're gone, the smile falls from my face and I slink back into my chair.

  “See, piece of cake.”

  I turn and glare at Hunter. “Piece of cake? Did you not hear the million questions she asked me?”

  “Yeah, and?”

  “And? You basically left me on my own in there with your parents while you mowed down your food. You didn’t help me. You didn’t…”

  “Your favorite color is purple, which I found surprising considering the blue in your hair. You love dogs, hate cats. They scare you, but you’re not sure why. You are an exceptionally talented artist and I am jealous as hell that my parents got to see your work and I didn’t.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “You think I left you on your own. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I hung on every word you said, Quinn. And if they weren’t so damn blown away by you, if I thought you needed me to, I would have stepped in. But they loved you.”

  “Me and this lie of ours,” I say the guilt settling in.

  “It’s not all a lie.”

  I eye him curiously. “What does that mean?” He doesn’t answer, he just gets up from the table and walks away. “What does that mean, Hunter?”

  I chase after him, but when I catch up, he still doesn’t answer my question. He just smiles at me. I smile back because I don’t know what the hell that he meant by that, but I don’t care either. The smile I have is uncontrollable as his arm comes around me and his lips press to the top of my head.

  Chapter 18

  Hunter

  Quinn and I arrive to the ATV excursion site just in time. My arm is around her and she’s tucked against my body. I honestly thought she would pull away, but instead she put her arm around my waist and moved closer.

  The last ones to show, all eyes are on us. I wouldn’t notice, or care for that matter, if it weren’t for the shit-eating grin on Hudson’s face, the one that tells me the drinks he and Mason went for included a little conversation about me and Quinn. Just to the left of them is Layla. It’s when I look at her that I realize, something – I don’t care. Not about her. Not about us. Not about anything except the woman currently in my arms.

  “You sure you can handle this?” Quinn whispers as the instructor gives us directions.

  “Excuse me?”

  “ATV rides are fun. And you spent so long with what did your grandfather call her? A stick in the mud? That I’m not entirely sure you know what fun is.”

  There’s a smile on her face and her eyes are focused straight ahead rather than looking at me. Smartass.

  Two can play at that game.

  I lean in closer. “You know damn well that I know all about having fun. I’m more than happy to show you again.”

  The insinuation causes Quinn to shift her body and attempt to move out of my arms. I’m not letting her go that easy. I wrap my arms around her from behind and pull her back to me.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Having fun,” I say. My lips press against her neck.

  “Torturing a woman, isn’t fun.”

  “Is that what I’m doing, Quinn? Hmm? Is being pressed up against me torture because you can’t have me?”

  You would think my words were a challenge. She turns in my arms, are eyes sparkling. “Can’t have you? Ha. If I wanted to, I could have you, right now.”

  Hell, yes, she could.

  There’s some grumbling like the sound of someone clearing their throat from behind us. When I glance back the guide is standing there waiting to give us our keys.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” the guide says as he hands me the keys.

  I am too. We were just starting to have fun.

  “Just a few more things to go over,” he says as he gives us instruction.

  When he hands the keys to me, Quinn pouts.

  “You think I’m going to let you drive?” I laugh. “I have a long NFL career ahead of me beautiful, I am not letting you kill me.” She bats her eyelashes subtly. “Not even when you give me those fuck me eyes.”

  “Oh, is that what I’m giving you?” She damn well knows that she is. Her fingers run up and down my arms. “Please, Hunter.”

  My resistance is wearing thi
n. I’m going to give into her, there’s no doubt about it. But if I’m going to give in, I’m going to get something out of it first.

  “You’re going to have to do better than that,” I say in spite of the rock hard appendage I desperately need to adjust.

  Holy hell does this woman ever affect me like no other.

  “Quinn?” I ask. The look on her face making me nervous and turning me on at the same time. With this woman, who knows what she’ll do with the challenge I just threw her way.

  Her hands reach up and grab my face pulling me down to her. My head moves, my arms wrapping around her without hesitation holding her close to me.

  The moment her lips meet mine, the whole world drowns out. There is no one here except the two of us. Two people. An unlikely bond. One that I want to explore more each and every time I’m near her. If only she’ll let me. Our display earns us some hoots and hollers.

  “I knew you liked kissing me,” I say when she pulls back. She presses another soft kiss to my lips. When she steps back, her cheeks flushed, her lips slightly swollen, I extend the keys to her.

  “What are these for?”

  “You win.”

  “Honestly? I forgot all about that.”

  I had too until she was out of my hold. “I’m not opposed to trying it again to see if it’ll jog your memory,” I tell her.

  “Let’s do this,” she says. God how I wish there were a double meaning behind those words. A meaning that makes her mine and me hers.

  She begins to head in the direction of the ATV’s. I hurry up behind her, my arms grabbing around her waist and picking her up off the ground. She kicks her feet as I have her dangling in the air.

  “Put me down,” she says with a giggle.

  “No.”

  She squirms in my arms trying to break free of my hold like she has a chance in hell of that. “Hunter Lucas Adams.”

  “Ohhh… using my middle name. I must be in trouble now.”

  “You have no idea. Put. Me. Down.”

  “Make me,” I tell her.

  She laughs. “You would have to put me down first.”

  I set her down on the ground but keep my arms around her. Just as she’s about to kiss me again, a voice that I once loved the sound of, literally makes me want to revolt.

  “Are you two done?” Layla asks loudly. Her hands are on her hips as she glares at us.

  “If I have anything to say about it, we’re just getting started,” I say with my eyes locked on Quinn’s.

  There’s a flash of uncertainty in her eyes before she agrees with me. “Damn right we are.”

  Quinn finishes what she started. The kiss that Layla interrupted is not something either one of us is willing to live without. This time though, it feels so natural so right. And when she pulls back and walks away? I know for certain that wherever she goes I’m willing to follow. “Ready to go?”

  “Yep,” I say. I’m ready for something. I’m just not sure it’s an ATV ride.

  We settle onto the ATV and I snake my arms around her tiny waist, my head resting on her shoulder.

  “Nervous?” she asks as she revs it up.

  I move the hair away from her shoulder and press a kiss there. “Not with you.”

  The guide blows his whistle and we’re off.

  The girl of my dreams, dreams I never even knew I had, is at the helm and I’ll follow her anywhere she goes.

  ***

  “That was amazing,” Quinn says as we head back to the hotel.

  It really was. Not nearly as amazing as seeing Quinn relax and enjoy herself though. The woman I spent the day with today was so unlike the woman I thought she was. She didn’t argue, she didn’t fight. In fact, most of the day she smiled and laughed. Christ her laugh is amazing. It’s not a soft giggle or the quiet held in laugh most women will do. No. Her laugh is full blown loud and happy and filled with excitement. The sound of it makes me willing to do anything just to hear it again.

  “What’s next on the agenda?” she asks with a roll of her eyes.

  I pull the sheet from my back pocket and glance down at it. “Looks like we actually have a little time to ourselves for dinner and then there’s a bonfire at seven.”

  “Mmm… dinner.” She moans out the word and I realize I’m famished too. Just not for food anymore.

  “We could grab a pizza and head back to the room,” I suggest.

  “That sounds perfect,” she replies. “This relaxing vacation is exhausting.”

  By the looks of the itinerary in my hand, it’s only going to get worse.

  Twenty minutes later we’re sitting across from each other on the bed, the box of pizza between us.

  “I meant what I said earlier,” I tell her as I dive into my second piece of pizza.

  “Which part?” she asks.

  “I am super jealous my parents got to see your work and I didn’t. Will you show me some?”

  “Really? Why?” She looks both confused and flustered by my interest in her.

  “Yes, really. You’re my girlfriend. I want to know everything about you.”

  She throws her napkin at me. She picks up her phone from the bed and with some hesitation, she hands it to me. “Just… be nice.”

  I roll my eyes at her before looking down at the screen on her phone.

  Scrolling through the camera, each photo is more stunning than the last. Even the ones of the guy who I can only assume is Shane. The very man I want to punch in his smug face for whatever it is that he did to her.

  “These are amazing,” I tell her. “No wonder my dad wanted to offer you up for that internship. You’re really talented, Quinn.”

  “You really think so?”

  “I do.” Curiosity gets the best of me when I scroll to the next picture and find her with the man in the previous ones. “Who are you with?”

  I might be feeling jealous on the inside, but I do my best to sound as casual as possible about the question. I immediately second guess my intrusion knowing that she’s reluctant enough to open up to me, or anyone for that matter. Asking her this question might very well undo any of the progress we have made over the past few days.

  “No one,” she says yanking the phone from my hand.

  Since I’ve already jumped into the rabbit hole, I might as well continue down it. “That no one sure got you riled up.”

  “It’s none of your business,” she says rising from the bed and heading onto the patio.

  “You’re right, it isn’t,” I say when I join her. “I’m just trying to get to know you.”

  “He’s an ex, okay? I should have deleted the pictures but…” Her voice trails off.

  “He the reason you transferred to Remington?”

  “Something like that.”

  “You know you can tell me, right? You can trust me, Quinn. I know that’s hard for you…”

  “You don’t know a damn thing about me, Hunter.”

  “I’m trying. I’m trying like hell to. You just have to let me.”

  “I don’t have to do anything.” She lets out a laugh. “I can’t believe I was so stupid.”

  I’m completely confused now. “What are you talking about?”

  “I thought I was wrong about you. I thought that maybe, just maybe, you weren’t just some rich jerk who thinks he can sweet talk his way into getting whatever he wants.”

  “What? How in the hell do you get that from me wanting to get to know you?”

  She emits this growl of frustration. “None of it matters, okay? You and I, we’re not a thing. Never will be. People already look at us like this must be a joke. That there is no way in hell you would date a girl like me.”

  “They would be wrong then,” I say. She tries to push past me, but I step in front of her blocking the door. If she thinks walking away is going to stop this conversation, she’s dead wrong.

  “Oh please, Hunter. I am about as far from your type as you can get. Look at me.” She’s waving her hand around.

  “I’m loo
king. And I don’t see one thing that I dislike.”

  She looks stunned at my admission. “Whatever.” Her tone is dismissive and once again she tries to walk away from me. I gently grab her wrist.

  “I mean it. There is not one single reason that I wouldn’t date you. You’re a beautiful, smart, and talented woman. What more could I ask for?”

  “Don’t. Don’t do that.”

  “Do what?”

  I touch her cheek, but she jerks away.

  “Don’t act like you’re interested in me. Don’t act like I’m your type. I’ve seen your type and I am not it.”

  “Layla? She isn’t a type, she’s a girl that I dated. One that I thought I loved. But she is most certainly not a type.”

  “Yeah well, whatever your type is…. I’m not it.”

  “You aren’t, or you don’t want to be? Because this sounds more like you not being interested in me than the other way around. Am I not “bad” enough? Do I show you too much respect?”

  “Screw you, Hunter. My life is none of your business,” she asserts as she pushes past me.

  “For the next week it is,” I argue as I follow her back into the room.

  “No, for the next week I have to smile and pretend I like you. That’s it. Fake girlfriend. Free trip. End of story.”

  “Whether you want to admit it or not, none of this if fake anymore. But feel free to enjoy your free trip and stay the hell away from me.”

  I storm out of the room, the door closing with a bang behind me.

  And as if things couldn’t get any worse, there standing no more than five feet from me is Layla.

  “I tried to warn you,” she says.

  Chapter 19

  Quinn

  “Woah, slow down, what happened?” Claire’s voice says through the phone.

  “Hunter, he keeps…” I stutter the words into the phone.

  “He keeps what?” Claire asks. Her voice is the calming sound I need to hear to settle the nerves inside of me.

  “I think he likes me, Claire. Like actually likes me.”

  “Okay? And what’s the problem?” she asks.