Page 10 of The Game Plan (Game On #3)

Jaden is good-looking, I don’t feel anything other than mild satisfaction that we’re taking attention away from Ivy and Gray’s

relationship.

Jaden pulls back and smiles wide. Ivy is laughing and shaking her head. But her smile fractures, turning into dismay as she

glances over my shoulder.

And I feel cold to the pit of my stomach. Because I know . I turn and Dex’s gaze clashes with mine. The cold within me turns to hot, painful lead. His expression is unreadable. Gray’s

isn’t; he’s pissed.

Together, they make their way to us.

“Ivy Mac,” Gray says softly as he bends to kiss his wife. He snags a chair from an empty table behind him and sits close to

her. Dex takes the empty seat at my side.

Shit. Fuck. Shit.

My throat clenches tight, but some sullen, childish part of me wants to rebel.

We’ve only exchanged one kiss and, okay, some seriously hot boob action, but we aren’t in a relationship.

We don’t even live in the same city. Then I think of how I’d react if I saw Dex kissing someone else. I’d want to punch him in the junk.

Guilt and embarrassment grow painful as I feel Dex beside me, his arm resting on the table near enough to touch.

“Gray, my man.” Jaden and Gray exchange a dude shake, and then Jaden looks at Dex. “Dexter. Last time I saw you, I took your

QB down at the thirty.”

Dex’s mouth twitches in a shadow of a smile. “Yeah, that two-point conversion we made on the next play for the win must have

chafed.”

Gray starts laughing. “That loss fucking sucked. Way to bring it up, J.” He gives Jaden’s back a hearty slap.

The guys laugh.

“Forgot about that part,” Jaden admits with a head shake.

“Happens to defensive linemen all the time,” Dex says as if in sympathy. “They’re easily confused.”

Annoyance rises within me. Here I am feeling guilty as hell for exchanging a fake kiss with a stranger, and Dex is acting

as if nothing happened. Well, it didn’t. But he doesn’t know that. He’s ignoring me.

As if he hears my thoughts, his hazel eyes meet mine. Still nothing. No emotion other than casual friendliness.

“And now here you are lunching with my girl,” Gray says to Jaden.

“Naw,” Jaden answers easily before slinging an arm over my shoulders to give me a friendly squeeze. “I’m lunching with my

girl, Fiona.”

Great. Lovely. Perfect.

If looks could kill, I’d be dead. Speared through the heart by Gray’s glare.

I force a laugh and give Jaden a light shove. “Then you can pick up the check.”

He sets his attention back on Gray and Dex, both of whom I’m ignoring in favor of patatas bravas .

“I got a poker game going tonight,” Jaden tells Gray. “Dean, Jamal and Monroe will be there. Even pretty boy James is in.

You coming?”

Gray doesn’t even blink. “No way. I’m staying at home and sleeping if I can.”

“That’s right. I forgot you’re on baby duty. How’s the little man?”

I drift away from the conversation and glance at Dex. He’s focused on Jaden and Gray, his profile to me. The slant of his

nose and the jut of his chin are like the stamp of a Roman coin. I could totally see him as a centurion, slashing his way

through armies.

I really have to stop crushing on him. I know myself. I’m not good at flings. One-night hookups I can walk away from without

a problem. But if I start to like the guy, I need more. I’m not going to get more with Dex.

His deep voice breaks me out of my fog. “Yeah, sure, I’ll go,” he says to Jaden.

I’m guessing he’s in for poker.

“Cool.” Jaden makes as if to rise. “It starts up in an hour. Why don’t you come with me now?”

“Sure.”

Dex is leaving. Never once having said a word to me. He stands, his chair legs scraping over the floorboards. And a sense

of loss plummets to my stomach.

I want to apologize. I want to yell at him for ignoring me.

I say nothing. Dex and Jaden exchange goodbyes with Ivy and Gray. I get a kiss on the cheek from Jaden.

“Good to meet you, Fiona.” His dark eyes twinkle. “If you want to hang, give me a call. Gray’s got my number.”

I give him a tight smile. But my attention is on Dex. “That’s sweet, but I’m spending my time with Ivy and Gray and Dex.”

At the mention of his name, Dex finally looks my way. “Night, Fi.” That’s all.

I manage a nod, determined not to let this bother me anymore. We weren’t meant to be anyway. But then, as he walks past my

chair, the tips of his fingers run along the back of my neck.

A shiver goes through me, a smile tugging at my lips. And then he’s gone.

The moment Dex is out of the restaurant, Gray turns on me. “What the hell was that, Fi?”

“Oh, would you relax,” I snap. “It was just a joke.”

“I guess I missed the punch line.” Gray scowls at me before stealing my water and taking a drink—while glaring over the rim

of the glass.

“A pap took a picture of Jaden kissing my cheek,” Ivy explains. “Fi and Jaden were just giving him something else to gossip

about.”

“I guess.” Gray shrugs, but then gives me another hard look. “Still, Fi, that was not cool. Dex likes you and—” He flinches,

rearing back as an olive bounces off his forehead. “Did you just ping me with that?”

“Did you miss the part where I threw it at your big head?” I ask sweetly before frowning. “Do not lecture me like I’m an idiot,

Gray. I had no idea you guys were coming here.” I give Ivy a pointed look because she could have warned me. “And I feel shitty

enough as it is.”

“Well...” Gray starts.

I cut him off. “That said, Dex and I aren’t...” I wave a hand. “I don’t know what the hell we are. We went on one date.

I’m leaving in a week.”

He pouts, crossing his arms over his massive chest. “Then maybe you should stay away from him.”

Hurt caves in on my chest. “Wow. Thanks. It means so much to me that you feel the need to rush me off Dex’s front porch.”

Gray’s tight mouth eases a little. “I didn’t mean it like that. Okay, maybe a little. Shit.”

“No, no.” I hold up a hand. “I get it. And maybe you’re right. But that’s my call, not yours.”

Tense silence falls over the table.

Ivy sets a hand on Gray’s arm. “We have one hour before the sitter needs us to return. Let’s not waste it arguing, Cupcake.”

He looks at her for a long moment, then nods. His blue eyes are wide and serious as they seek me out. “Sorry, Fi. I shouldn’t

have gone off on you.”

“Sorry about the olive. That shit can stain,” I say grudgingly. “Next time I’ll throw a nut.”

I get a napkin to the face in return. And we both laugh. But my insides are heavy, restless. As annoyed as I am with Gray,

I know he’s right. And doesn’t that just suck the big one?