Page 18 of Penalty Kick

And I am not about to keep her waiting…

“Maria, I hate to do this, but I have to go. I have to head to—”

“Your date?” she cut him off. Her voice was excited again, and all he could do was shake his head.

“The fundraiser.”

“What’s her name?”

“The Atlanta Rising Unified Team,” he quipped. See, two could play the smart-ass game.

“Right, but there is a her. I know it. I just want to know her name.”

“Bye, Maria. I will call you tomorrow.”

Hanging up, he grabbed his T-shirt, shrugging it on. He might have to be shirtless while he doled out drinks, but that didn’t mean he had to arrive that way. Besides, he wanted to see the look on Talia’s face as he stripped. See what kind of reaction he could get out of her.

Like a repeat of the bachelor auction…

* * *

“So…” Saxony said, elbow propped up on the bar, her side leaning against it. “Wanna tell me all about these ‘delicious kisses’? Hmmm?”

“Come again?”

Talia could feel the heat rising inside her, her cheeks flushing at the mention of her words from last night. Shifting awkwardly on her crutches, she continued to carefully cut the lime in front of her, pretending like it required all the concentration in the world.

Play dumb…just play dumb…

“You heard me.”

“I did. I just don’t know what you’re referring to.”

“No, no,” Sax replied, waggling a finger. “Felicity and I created the ‘I don’t know what you mean, I’m totally innocent’ game. So you don’t get to play that. Out with it.”

Hardening her features the best she could, Talia stared back at her coworker, trying not to break. This was not something she wanted to talk to Sax about. Or anyone. And certainly not here, in the middle of Bunz. This was her little secret.

“I saw the text.”

Shit, fuck, gaaaaahhhhhh…

That shouldn’t be a surprise—she knew that Saxony checked Tanner’s phone most—if not every—night just to make sure he wasn’t getting up to no good. Sax had been up-front about that when she and Tanner had started texting. Talia saw no issue with that, since nothing she was going to be texting Tanner about was a secret. Until her little snafu last night.

“Okay, fine. Yes, awhile back, someone kissed me.” Sax blinked, lips pursed, waiting for her to continue. “And every now and again he texts me.”

There. That was a simple enough answer. No need to go into any more detail.

“And is this…someone…the same person who is covering your shift tonight?”

Shiiiiiit…

“There is nothing going on between Dash and me.”

“I don’t believe you. Not for one second. Because that, my friend, was all the confirmation I needed.”

“Confirmation of what?” Felicity asked, slipping onto the barstool directly in front of Talia. Her long blonde hair was loose around her shoulders, baby-blue sundress seeming to match the color of her eyes. Talia was more than a little envious of how put together Felicity always seemed to be, unsure that she could ever be the same way. Felicity assured her that she wasn’t always this way, and that she would gladly let Talia in on the knowledge of how to pull it off. It was a comfort to know that she was on her side. Although, if Sax was about to give her up, that might change.

“Nothing,” Talia answered.