Page 52 of Keeping Guard

Noah looked up to see Nichole staring down at them. “As soon as your boyfriend cries uncle, I’ll give him back to you.”

She bent over, putting her face near Jack’s. “Need some help, babe?”

He grinned at her. “Watch and learn.” With that, he flipped over, scissored his legs around Noah’s, and pinned Noah.

Noah glanced at Nichole. “I let him do that so he would appear manly in front of you.”

She slapped a hand over her chest. “So manly I’m going to swoon on the spot. When you boys are done playing, I brought lunch.”

“You’re the best,” Jack said.

Her eyes softened as she smiled at him. “For you, always.”

“I’m going to get sugar overload from the two of you.” Noah rolled away from Jack and then stood. “Peyton’s here. Is there enough for her, too?”

Nichole nodded. “Yep. Jack told me she was here when he called earlier.”

“Great. I’ll go get her.”

“We’ll be over there.” She pointed at a picnic table under the shade of a tree.

“Be right back.” Lucky followed him. “You could have stayed with Jack.” When he reached the building, he stopped. “You can’t come in here.” Lucky stuck his nose to the crack in the door and wagged his tail. “You smell the puppies, huh? Sit.” Damn if the dog didn’t sit. “Good boy. Stay.”

He slipped into the building, closing the door before Lucky could follow him in. Peyton must have worn the puppies out. They were all conked out, some next to her and three on her lap. She glanced up at him and smiled. There was that weird feeling in his chest again.

“Hey. Nichole’s here, and she brought lunch.”

“How nice.” Peyton eased the puppies in her lap onto the floor, then pushed up. All she’d been able to think about after Noah had kissed her earlier was that he’d agreed to talk about...well, having a fling she supposed. She’d never had a fling before, and the idea excited her. Mostly because it would be with him, but a part of it was also because it was outside the norm of her behavior, and she was ready for a little fun.

Lunch with Noah’s friends was entertaining, and she was able to push aside worry for her father for a while. Noah and Jack seemed to enjoy going at each other, their digs and insults making her and Nichole laugh.

“Are they always like this?” she asked.

Nichole chuckled. “You should see them when the whole team’s together. It’s like being in the locker room of fifteen-year-old boys.”

“Hey,” Jack said. “I resemble that remark.”

Noah threw a pickle at him. “She nailed it. Fifteen is about your maturity level. Since you left the team, I haven’t had to check my bed for snakes.”

“You didn’t,” Nichole said, her wide eyes on her boyfriend.

“It was just a little green snake.” Jack smirked. “He screamed like a girl.”

“I willingly admit to that. The damn thing crawled up my leg,” Noah said. “I got him back, though.”

“What did you do?” Peyton was fascinated by this new side of Noah. His voice wasn’t laced with sorrow and there was laughter in his eyes.

“I put itching powder in his underwear.”

“My balls will never forgive you,” Jack said.

Peyton lost it, laughing so hard she got hiccups.

“You okay?” Noah patted her back. “Don’t pass out on me, princess.” He put his mouth close to her ear. “We got plans later.”

“Before we go home, I need to take Joseph dinner,” Peyton said after Noah parked his car in the garage.Home.She really liked saying that to him.

But she couldn’t let herself think of him being a part of her life. She’d told him she had no expectations beyond a physical relationship, and she’d keep her word. He’d said they needed to talk, but maybe he’d made a decision and by plans, he meant he was agreeable.