Power Play (Play Makers Book 4) (26 page)

“Kerrie made me promise not to talk to her
about us. So you’re it,” he added wryly. “Sorry, Darce. She’s so
jealous of Erica these days . . .”

“It’s fine,” she murmured. “I’m just not
sure what to say. If you and Kerrie are in love, then there’s no
obstacle you can’t overcome. I know that sounds trite, but it’s
true. On the other hand . . .”

“Say it,” he urged, as though she had just
withheld the ending to a torturous mystery story.

She knew what she
wanted
to say—that
Sean and Kerrie seemed to have a lot of emotional baggage that had
nothing to do with their feelings for each other and a
lot
to do with their feelings for Coz Cosner and Erica Spurling. But
this was unchartered territory for a new friendship. Plus, Sean
wasn’t just a friend, he was a client. And ridiculously
loveable.

How could she trust herself to figure this
out over onion rings?

“Say it,” he repeated hoarsely. “Come on,
Darcie. Kerrie’s turning up the pressure and I need to know
if—well, if I should push back, to be blunt.”

Darcie touched his jaw. “Turning up the
pressure how?”

“She says she’ll file for divorce, but she
needs me to promise we’ll get officially engaged the day it’s
final. She says I owe her a real commitment since she’s making such
a drastic one.”

Darcie shook her head in slow but certain
protest. “Remember what you told me last time? You can’t be sure of
your feelings until you’ve spent some real time together. As a
couple, not just sneaking off to motels.”

“I told her that. And she said she’s not
asking me to marry her right away. Although that’s what she really
wants. She just wants some sort of commitment. When she says it, it
sounds reasonable.”

“Commitment can take a lot of forms. Tell
her you’ll make the relationship exclusive.
That’s
the first
step, right? Then maybe you’ll move in together. Which is another
great test of compatibility. But getting engaged? Imagine the
stress if
that
didn’t work out.”

“Living together,” he mused. “She might like
that.”

Darcie knew she should just shut up now. She
had made a contribution. But she couldn’t help adding weakly,
“Nothing will work if she can’t accept your friendship with Erica
and Johnny, though. You know that, right?”

To her surprise, he nodded. “I’ve told her
that, and she’s trying. She even admits Erica was there for us when
everyone else—meaning John and Bannerman—were against us. It’s just
some sort of jealousy trip.”

“Because you kiss her on the mouth, Sean.
Any
girlfriend would be jealous.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, you’re probably right.
But like I’ve explained to Kerrie, Erica saved my career. Saved my
friendship with Bannerman. Turned a nightmare into the best night
of my life. Plus, she smells amazing and she’s smarter than hell.
So yeah, I like her. Sue me.”

“Do you like her better than Kerrie?” she
demanded sternly.

“Huh? It’s a completely different thing,
Darce.”

“You’re
hopeless,
Sean. I hope you
know that.”

She thought he would laugh again, but
instead he scowled and she was about to apologize when she realized
his frustration was focused on something across the room.

Or rather, something coming
at
them
from across the room like a Mack truck. Her favorite pillaging
vandal.

“What the hell?” Sean muttered.

“Hey, sports fans!” Bam slid into the booth
across from Darcie, then grinned at Sean. “You’re banging her? I
approve. Make a bunch of green-eyed kids who call me Uncle Bam.
That would be awesome.”

“Go away,” Sean growled. “We’re having a
private conversation.”

Bam ignored him and gave Darcie a teasing
smile. “Hey, rookie. Looking good.”

“You too. How did you know we were
here?”

“I had Deck chipped,” he explained as he
scooped up a slider and devoured it in half a second.

“Fuck off,” Sean told him angrily. “And go
away.”

Ignoring him, Bam turned to the hovering
waiter and ordered a Lager Storm. As soon as they were alone again
he told Darcie, “I have a request.”

“Anything.”

“Take your top off. Please? That Lancers
logo just reminds me of work.”

To her surprise, Sean burst out laughing at
the stupid joke, so she glared at Bam then turned her full
annoyance on her date. “Why do you encourage him?”

It was maddening, even though she had had
guys tease her this way many times, to the point where she had
actually fantasized about calling their bluff by stripping down to
her bra. For ninety-nine percent of them, it would shut them up for
sure. But it was the other one percent that kept her fully
clothed.

With these two guys? Sean would be
mortified, she was sure, but a wild man like Bam? He might take
his
shirt off too, then they’d really be in unchartered
territory.

Meanwhile, Sean had stopped laughing and
explained apologetically, “Sorry, Darce. It just reminded me of
something. Remember how I told you about the night we met Erica?
How she saved our friendship? Bam actually asked
her
to take
her top off that night.
John’s
girl. It was hilarious.”

Bam eyed him suspiciously. “You told Darcie
about that night? It’s fine with me, but . . .”

“Not the details. I mean, it’s fine with me
too. But I would’ve checked with you.”

“Wait a minute,” Darcie said, laughing. “She
was already your quarterback’s girl, but you asked her to take her
shirt off? And
you,”
she accused Sean, “had the best night
of your life? Where was Johnny during all this?”

“Take off your shirt and we’ll tell you,”
Bam negotiated cheerfully, finishing off the last two sliders.

“Hey, get your own food,” Sean
complained.

“Do they still have clam chowder here?”

“Yeah, and it’s still the best.”

“What do you say, rookie? Want some?”

It actually sounded pretty good, so she
nodded, then sipped her wine as the two guys traded barbs. Rachel
had nailed this, hadn’t she? These guys—the Triple Threat—had such
amazing camaraderie. They obviously missed hanging out together,
and she couldn’t blame Bam or Johnny for seeing Kerrie as a threat
to that lifestyle.

The halfback leaned toward the kicker and
advised him warmly, “Here’s the plan. The three of us fly to San
Diego and grab the teach. Then we all head out to Vegas and get
hitched. You can have your choice of brides.”

Sean chuckled. “Yeah, that sounds like fun.
But I’m with Kerrie, remember?”

“Really? Because I don’t see her here. Or
anywhere, actually.” When Darcie nudged him with her toe under the
table, he complained cheerfully, “Hey, that hurt.”

She knew he was joking, and Sean was being a
good sport, but she didn’t want him to go too far with the Kerrie
putdowns so she suggested dryly, “Let’s change the subject.”

“Sure. If you’ll do something for us.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Eyeing him grimly,
she pulled her Lancers jersey over her head, then said,
“Satisfied?”

“Holy shit,” the startled halfback
murmured.

Sean’s eyes sparkled as his gaze swept over
her qualifications. “Geezus, Darcie. They’re
awesome.
Seriously awesome
.
”

“Take a good look,” she told him, biting
back a laugh. “Because this is it. I never want to hear that stupid
joke again.”

“Whatever you say,” he promised
reverently.

She had expected
him
to be the
reserved one, and Bam to make raucous jokes, but it was the
halfback who seemed flustered. “You should put it back on now,
Darce. Other guys might see you.”

“No, leave it off,” Sean insisted. “It’s
just like a bikini top, right? Only ten times better.”

Darcie gave him a fond smile. It was true in
a sense. The bra covered as much as a bikini top, but the lacy
fabric had a racy vibe to it. And even at the beach in a fairly
conservative swimsuit, Darcie’s chest could cause a stir.

“Can I take a photo?” Sean asked.

“Geezus, Deck,” Bam groaned.

Darcie couldn’t help laughing. “Go ahead.
Then the show’s over.”

“You’re the best,” Sean told her sincerely,
sliding over until his arm was stretched out behind her on the
booth. Then he pulled out his phone with his free hand and snapped
the shot.

“Let’s see,” Bam demanded. When Sean handed
him the phone, he nodded approvingly. “Shoot me a copy, will
you?”

Sean’s eyes twinkled. “Rachel’s gonna kill
you, dude.”

“I’m already dead. But man, it’s worth
it.”

At that moment the waiter reappeared, his
expression apologetic. “I’m sorry, miss, but my boss says you have
to put your shirt back on.”

“I hope I didn’t get you into trouble.”

“If it were up to me . . .”
He grinned sheepishly. “This is the best tip I ever got.”

“Back off,” Bam told him sternly. “She’s
ours.”

Darcie pulled the jersey back over her head
and tugged it into place.

“You still look too damned hot,” Bam told
her.

“Did you want to order anything else?” the
waiter asked.

“Yeah, clam chowder all around.”

The waiter nodded, then gave Sean a rueful
smile. “You’re a lucky guy.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“You see, Deck?” Bam demanded when the
server had left. “Even
that
dude could see you belong with
her. Ouch!” He glared at Darcie. “That one hurt.”

“
Please
be good? It’s not funny
anymore.”

He surprised her by nodding. Then he told
Sean, “Sorry, dude. I know you’re in love with the crazy chick. I
just don’t know why. But I’ll back off, I promise.”

Darcie started to protest the non-apology
but Sean touched her arm to stop her, explaining, “For Bam, that’s
pretty good.”

“It’s true,” Bam agreed cheerfully. “Can I
see that nudie shot again?”

“Sure.” Sean pulled up the photo on his
phone, took a fresh look for himself, and then handed it across the
table.

“Awesome,” Bam said. “Don’t forget my
copy.”

“Let me see,” Darcie said, reaching for it,
then smiling in relief. It was definitely sexy, thanks to the lace
as well as the abundant endowment. Overall, though, Sean had kept
it tasteful when he had probably had a
much
better shot
available. “I don’t want to see that on the Internet tomorrow.”

“Are you kidding?” Bam said. “The Big Dog
would kill us.”

“Don’t worry, Darcie,” Sean added quickly.
“It goes in my private collection, I promise.”

“And mine,” Bam agreed. “And John’s,
obviously.”

“You’re showing it to Johnny?”

“That’s why they call us the Triple Threat,”
he explained sincerely.

“Fine, but don’t share it with Murf, okay?
It’s not very professional.”

“It’s definitely professional,” Bam told her
with a grin. “Just the wrong profession.”

When Sean howled, she had to laugh too,
mostly at the devilish expression on Bam’s face. She was going to
have a lot of fun in the future with these guys, and even more with
the whole gang at the table.

Would Kerrie be there someday too?

You’d better get your act together,
she told the absent wife sympathetically.
You have female allies
here. But the force is strong with these three
dudes . . .

And as much as Darcie hated to admit it, if
the price of Sean being with Kerrie meant he would no longer hang
out with his best friends, she might just change her vote and go
Triple Threat all the way.

• • •

After the high of hanging out with Sean and
Bam, Darcie’s mood took a turn for the worse when she was alone in
Murf’s suite. All she could think about was the failed relationship
with Wyatt. Maybe it really had been a mistake from the start,
because no break-up had ever hurt her this way before.

Throwing herself face-down on the bed, she
let her anguish run wild. Had she actually fallen in love with him?
After only one—or maybe three—dates? And after all the warning
signs? Because he had never pretended to be a romantic or easygoing
guy. He had been himself from the very first moment. A judgmental
control freak with a biting sense of humor. A surgeon! What had she
been thinking?

It was that jawline and those
shoulders,
she reminded herself, reliving the moments when he
had preceded her to the gate at the airport. In an instant, the
lust returned. That proud bearing. The athletic stride. Master of
all he surveyed.

Then because she was apparently a masochist,
she fast-forwarded to the moment where she approached seat 4B and
asked for access to 4A, and he had turned that gorgeous steely look
in her direction. Then he had stood up and all hell had broken
loose.

But only for you. He just wanted to get back
to his iPad.

Miserable, she tried to let it go. If they
were wrong for each other, wasn’t it best they discovered it early
in the relationship?

Except he
wasn’t
wrong for her. He
was so right. So commanding and powerful and challenging. Qualities
she had never sought out or appreciated in a man before, but
now?

More memories, this time blatantly erotic,
flooded her imagination. The feel of his mouth on her breasts
through black lace, the power in his penetration, the throbbing as
her orgasm overcame her. Overcame them both, really, as her
pleasure built, then started to grind within her until her body
rocked with sensations.

Spent, she pulled the covers over herself
and wearily resigned herself to being alone. Maybe she’d even move
to Dallas and become cheerful, celibate Aunt Darcie on a full-time
basis. Or she could move to Portland and immerse herself in the
lives of PMA’s most valuable clients. Hanging out with the Triple
Threat and their soul mates. She’d be a fifth wheel for sure, and
they’d feel sorry for her, and try to set her up with adorable
fullbacks and running backs and other assorted backs.