Page 36 of Set Play

He looks at me, but I just dip my chin. “Obviously there are the games that you aren’t working, home and away, an adoption event at the local shelter, a charity gala dinner, and then just normal date nights.”

“He really couldn’t think of anything else to get through this?”

“None that don’t risk more of my sponsors dropping me and more negative headlines about the two of us while we ‘ride it out’.”

“I—” Stunned, my voice breaks. Clearing my throat, I try again. “I didn’t realize you were losing sponsors. Why didn’t you ask the other girl to help you? Out of curiosity, of course.”

Okay, that was a lie. I’m more than curious, sue me, but I played that off…right?

His chocolatey laugh echoes in the room, “As adorable as your jealousy is, Chispita, she’s my sister’s wife. So, I’ll pass, thanks.” He’s stayed on his knees this entire time, but at the mention of his sister-in-law, he starts to rise.

The thought of him walking away from me right now has my hand shooting out to grab his shoulder before I even register the thought. His silent acceptance of my answer, even one he didn’t like, has chiseled a tiny crack into the wall I’ve erected around my heart and mind. The wall meant to keep him firmly in enemy territory.

No, ma’am. Fill in that tiny crack right now. Reyes is NOT an option. Being decent once doesn’t undo everything else.

The voice in the back of my mind screams that this is a terrible idea, but as my eyes find his again, the fire flowing through my veins obliterates that voice into nothing.

“Fair enough. Well, if we’re going to do this, I have three conditions. One, we set a time limit for this ‘relationship’. Two, we tell Ryan and Henri the truth. If nothing else, hopefully it’ll avoid more altercations like the one at the game.” My heart beats erratically as I take a deep breath, unable to believe I’m about to do this. “And three.” I trail off, stepping back toward the bench and undoing the button on my slacks.

Mateo’s body tenses at the sight, but he doesn’t move. “Élise.” His voice comes out rough and low, “if you aren’t sure—”

“I’m sure.”

His tongue darts out to lick his lips as he eagerly resumes stroking himself. Knowing that I’m driving him wild boosts my confidence, inspiring me to turn away from him before teasingly pushing my pants down. After working them down my thighs with an unnecessary wiggle of my hips, I step out of my slacks with a smirk when I hear his breath hitch.

I’ve always been a firm believer that wearing sexy lingerie helps empower women, and the lacey blush-colored thong set I’m wearing right now just proves it. Mateo whimpers quietly when I don’t turn back to him right away, instead slowly folding my slacks.

I debate teasing him more with my blouse but decide to be nice when he chokes out, “What’s condition number three?”

“Three,” I say, easing my shirt slowly up over my head, “is that you follow directions.” At his low groan, I can’t help but shoot a modified version of his earlier question back at him. “Is everything okay, Big Shot? You seem a little…needy.”

“Fuck, Élise. You’re so gorgeous. Let me show you how much I like the idea of being on my knees for you.” When I don’t respond, he adds a low, “Please, Chispita.”

“Good boy,” I praise, reveling in how it pulls another soft whine from his throat. Sitting back down on the bench, I cross my legs, hoping I look as sultry as I feel, and beckon him forward with one curled finger.

Once again, Mateo surprises the hell out of me, lowering his hands to the floor and crawling to me.

“Merde, Big Shot. That was hot as fuck,” I say with total honesty.

“Never crawled for anyone before,” he murmurs, finally reaching me, “but I’m starting to think I’d do a lot of things for you that I’ve never done for others.”

A lump of emotion forms in my throat, but I ignore it, swallowing hard. That sounded way too real, which is impossible. We barely know each other.

“Enough,” I say, a bit more sharply than intended, “I thought you had something to show me.”

Mateo

Élise’s brusque dismissal has my hackles rising and jaw ticking, but I let go of the frustration. For now, anyway. She can keep holding onto that ridiculous notion that this is fake…

I’ll just have to show her otherwise.

Rather than responding, I reach a hand up to rest between her breasts and lightly push her down. “Lean back for me, Chispita.”

Like a good girl, she does as I ask, leaning back as far as she can given the bench’s limited space. She even uncrosses her gorgeously toned thighs without me telling her to. Her obedience is an unexpected delight that has my cock throbbing even more enthusiastically. I’m so hard it almost hurts, but I’m determined to make this experience one for her, not me. My hands glide up her calves, stopping to tighten on her knees. “Last chance to back out, Chispita.” My smirk reappears when she rolls her eyes at the warning.

Cute.

I shove her legs apart, forcing my shoulders between them, and look up at her. Her chest heaves as the green of her eyes is nearly consumed by the black of her pupils. Fuck, she’s perfect. That sassy mouth pops open, but I cover it, not giving her a chance to speak as I nip her hip bone.