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Chapter Fifteen

LILY

“A girls’ weekend?” I stare at Sophie as if she just sprouted horns. Although, we’re talking about sweet and sunshiny Sophie here. She’s more likely to sprout sunflowers.

“Surprise!?” Mia draws her exclamation out to a question as her voice trails off. I’m beginning to appreciate Mia’s unabated sarcasm.

I’m guessing that has to do with the fact that Payton pulled one over on me…again. I expected to follow the bus at a discreet distance, alone. Now I’ll have two chatterboxes in tow to distract me. Del is going to love this.

Although the upside is I won’t have to stay out of sight. Seems WAGs aren’t allowed to travel on the team bus, but there’s nothing that says they can’t go to away games on their own. How quaint.

“Isn’t it great?” Sophie stares at me with saucer eyes. Something she’s really good at.

I’ve decided that’s her superpower. “Sure.”

Next to her, Mia snorts. “Such excitement. Don’t overdo yourself.”

Like I said, unabated sarcasm. Guess I didn’t sound excited enough. “Sorry. I’m not always great with surprises. ”

Which is true. As a bodyguard, my job is to prevent surprises as much as possible. But I also have to be adaptable.

“It’s okay. I get it.” Sophie gives me a quick hug. “We’re going to have a blast on the ride up.” She pats her big brown bag, “I brought my research for the fundraiser so we can get a jump on planning.”

Mia grins. “Great idea! I’ve got plenty of snacks so we can stay fueled up, too.”

“Perfect.” I force a smile, all the while searching out Payton’s location by the bus, and notice the guys are starting to board. I hand Sophie my keys. “Load up your stuff. I’ll be right there.”

As I walk toward Payton, Mia’s giggle catches my ear. “She probably wants to kiss him goodbye.”

I let this slide because Payton’s the true object of my ire at the moment. He gives me a questioning look, to which I reply with a gesture indicating I need him to step aside from the group and meet me where I’m heading a few feet away and out of hearing.

He reaches me as I stop near the arena entrance. “Do you like my surprise?”

As I lift my arms to cross them, I think better of it and drop them to my sides. Too many eyes watching, especially Sophie. She’d read something into it for sure if I did that.

“What were you thinking?”

Payton shrugs. “I figured you needed a reason to be at the games, so I created one. Sophie and Mia jumped on the idea when I told them you’d never seen Savannah.”

“And how am I going to do my job if I have to gallivant around with these women to keep up your ruse?”

A flash of guilt passes over his face. “You said Del would be on location. Surely, she can monitor things and give you a little time off.”

“It doesn’t work that way, Payton. Del and I are a team of two. There is no back up to give us a break.”

“Why not? Am I not important enough?” He says this jokingly, but his curiosity is genuine.

I sigh, knowing where this is headed. “The risk factor isn’t that high?—”

“I knew it!” His words pounce on me as if I’m a puck.

And now I’m thinking in hockey metaphors? Good grief…

“Since there is no visible threat?—”

“No known threat,” I interject.

He gives a curt nod. “My point is, there’s no reason you can’t take a few hours to explore a fabulous city with two friends.”

Friends? I have friends now? “Says you.”

“Yes, I say so. Savannah is known for its beautiful architecture and historic landmarks. You’ll love it.”

A surge of emotion I’m not familiar pulses through me. Payton did this for no other reason than to make sure I didn’t miss out on seeing something beautiful. Makes me want to grab his face and kiss him to express how much his thoughtfulness touches me.

I shove that desire down and relent. “All right. I still have to clear it with Del, though.”

“Of course.” He looks toward the bus. “Seems we have an audience.”

I glance over my shoulder to find several concerned faces watching us, including Sophie. “They probably think we’re arguing. Especially Sophie.”

His gaze slides to me. “Why?”

“She saw my stuff in the second bedroom the night everyone crashed our—your dinner, so I told her I was trying not to disturb you while you slept.”

He chuckles at my corrections. “Did she buy it?”

“I thought so, but now I’m not so sure.”

Payton brushes my hair back from my face and tucks it behind my ear, sending a shock through my body.

His hand is so warm and right there near my cheek.

The urge to press my cheek against his palm almost overwhelms me as the memory of that kiss crashes in.

Anytime I think about it, it’s like I’m there all over again.

“What are you doing?” My voice comes out husker than I’d like.

“Keeping things believable.” His smile may be saying that, but the heat in his eyes tells me something entirely different. “I enjoy seeing you with your hair down.”

“I don’t like driving long distances with a ponytail. It gets annoying.”

“You should wear it down more often. It suits you.” He cups my face.

My eyes flutter shut before I realize what’s happening. I force them open. “I think that’s sufficient to convince them.”

He tilts his head and leans in. From behind, it must look like we’re kissing, but Payton keeps just enough distance between our faces so that our lips don’t touch, and his eyes are hooded as to appear closed. “Just making sure.”

His breath fans my lips with his warmth, causing me to long for him to actually kiss me.

But then the scent of his spicy soap floods my nose and slaps my senses awake.

I could easily lift up on my feet, bringing my mouth to his.

For believability, of course, not to mention that my body is begging me to do it.

But this is just for show, so that would be unnecessary. Unless this is his competitive nature peeking out, and it’s always about the game for him. Any game.

Observation #6: Payton is a bit of a thrill seeker.

After encountering plenty of them during my time in the military, I know the type. Although, Payton is nowhere as extreme.

I slide my hand up his chest and over his shoulder, pressing against him in a hug, which puts my mouth conveniently near his ear. “This should help, too.”

He hums his agreement, and as I’m about to pull away, the scoundrel wraps his arms around me and crushes me against him.

His hold is so tight I can’t even wiggle enough to put a little air between us.

He’s a wall of muscle that’s driving my heartbeat so hard and fast I’m convinced you could see it pulsing under my skin.

“Now, who’s playing dirty?” I whisper, making sure my lips brush against his ear.

His breath hitches, making his grip loosen enough that I can break free. But his blazing stare stops me from fully leaving his embrace.

“Call it even?” His voice sounds rough, almost strained.

And that, my friends, is how it’s done. I tilt my smile to the side. “Not on your life.”

A soft, deep laugh rumbles through his chest. “Game on.”

Mia leans between the front seats. “That was some kiss, Lily. You’re going to make the rest of the WAGs envious if you two keep that up. I didn’t think Payton had it in him.”

I dart my eyes up to my rearview mirror and take in her borderline awed expression. “Just because Payton tends to be shy doesn’t mean he’s not passionate.”

Why do I feel the need to defend Payton?

I could use the excuse that I’m maintaining believability, but the truth is, I know in my gut that it’s true.

Payton is the kind of guy who gives himself completely to what he loves.

I see that in him when he talks—and reads—about hockey, in his friendships with his teammates, and in the way he talked to his sister when I happened to overhear the tail end of his conversations with her this morning.

Plus, he’s sexy as hell. I’ve been in some very precarious situations with my job, but I’m beginning to think this one is by far the most dangerous because my heart’s getting too involved.

There. I acknowledged it. Now I have to figure out what to do about it. I still haven’t had a chance to text Del about this girls’ weekend development, but I can hear her cackle already.

I’m almost positive she won’t like it either because that will require her to be more hands-on while I’m indisposed, pretending to run around with THE GIRLS.

Mia giggles. “I guess I just never thought of Payton that way.”

Sophie bends over and tugs her pink planner out of her bag. “Oh, I had a rush of ideas last night about our fundraiser.”

Bless that woman for changing the subject because whatever this is rising in me needs to settle back down.

“Let’s hear it.” I check my mirror again to see Mia’s completely focused on Sophie now.

Another bullet dodged, I suppose. Sure hope there aren’t more like them.

Sophie folds back the cover of her notebook.

“I know we talked about doing a carnival, but we’d have to charge too much to recoup the cost and meet our donation goal.

But then I realized we could do something similar in the arena.

Kids love to ice skate. We could have the guys do drills with them and even set up a mini hockey rink at one end of the ice. ”

Mia bounces up and down. “And we could give the kids rides on the Zamboni!”

Sophie grins at her. ‘Exactly! I wrote that down, too.” She points to an item on her list. “And we can use the lounge as a concessions area since it has a kitchen and popcorn machine. I already called Rebecca Piedmont, the team owner, and she said she’d cover the cost.”

“Girl, you are on fire!” Mia gestures to Sophie’s notebook. “What else do you have on that list?”

“That’s it so far. We need more activities. Do you have any ideas, Lil?”