Page 56 of The Game We Played

My core quivers. It’s down with his plan.

I’m not. We need to get back on track. Because no matter what, Tanner is gone at the end of the summer. I won’t be the summer fling he forgets all about once the season is in full swing. He’ll be off scoring touchdowns while I’m on Smuggler’s Hideaway crying into my moonshine with a broken heart.

No, I won’t. I refuse. I will not develop feelings for Tanner Long. If I do, the next thing I know, he’ll be taking over my life and making all my decisions for me. He’s already proven how good he is at convincing me to do things. I am naked in his bed after all.

He kisses my neck. “Be right back.”

The second his heat is gone, I roll out of bed and aim for the bathroom. I’ll take a quick shower and be ready to go in no time.

Wrong again. I have to wash my hair three times before the texture begins to resemble hair. How much hairspray did those stylists use yesterday?

When I finally exit the bathroom dressed in my normal clothes, Tanner is waiting for me on the bed.

His brow wrinkles. “Why are you dressed?”

I check the time. “Our plane leaves in three hours.” My stomach growls. “And I’m hungry. I never finished my McDonald’s last night.”

His green eyes darken to the color of emerald. “I remember why.”

Time for the ‘talk’. “Speaking of which.”

His eyes narrow. “No.”

“No, what? You don’t know what I was going to say.”

“You were going to say some bullshit about regretting last night. I don’t regret last night.”

“Neither do I.”

It was a mistake, but I don’t regret it. I could never regret spending a night getting naked and sweaty with Tanner. He’s an amazing man who doesn’t let many people get close enough to realize how amazing he is.

But it can’t be more than one night. More than one night and I’ll develop feelings for this man.

Which would be a big mistake. The worst possible kind. He doesn’t do relationships. He only agreed to ‘date’ me to save his reputation. And his PR agent forced him.

“But this can’t happen again.”

“Why not? Don’t say you didn’t enjoy yourself. You’d be lying. I felt it. I know you—”

I hold up a hand before he can get graphic. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against graphic or dirty talk. But not when I’m trying to reinforce our ground rules.

“We have an agreement. This arrangement is fake.”

“It didn’t feel fake last night.”

No, it didn’t. Which is why it can’t happen again. But I’m not telling Tanner how I’m afraid he’ll break my heart. I’m not giving him any ammunition to hurt me. Or worse, manipulate me.

“Tanner, come on. Stop being stubborn. This relationship is over at the end of the summer. There’s no reason to complicate it now.”

“Complicate it?”

I roll my eyes. “Sex complicates everything.”

“It doesn’t have to.”

Thank you for proving I’m making the right decision. He can have sex with me all summer long and then walk away. Probably while whistling. I’m not the kind of person who can have meaningless sex. I have sex and I catch feelings – whether I want to or not.

“I do—”