Page 21 of Playing Mr. Perfect

“Hey, Pep. What were you up to this morning?” Brindle asks coyly.

Pepper points at me. “Whatever he said isn’t true.” She puts her coat on the back of a chair.

Brindle eyes the two of us. “Does that mean he didn’t leave you at your door last night?”

Everyone looks at Pepper. “Oh. Yes. He did. I just thought…You know how he’s always making jokes and how guys make stuff up.”

Fuck. She’s making it worse. “Damn, Pep, that stings. I’d never lie about you.” I can’t stop the grin tugging at my lips. “That is, unless you ask me to.”

She scowls. “I need coffee.”

“It’s at the buffet,” Morgyn says helpfully.

“I’ll go with you.” I fall into step beside Pepper. “You look beautiful this morning.”

“What are you doing with my family?” she whispers harshly.

“It’s nice to see you, too,” I say as we reach the buffet.

She deadpans as Axsel steps up beside us holding a plate piled high with food.

“Man, we just got here. How’d you piss her off already?” Axsel asks.

“Don’t let that scowl fool you. She loves me.” I grab two plates and hand one to Pepper.

Pepper rolls her eyes and turns her attention to the buffet.

“Good luck with that,” Axsel says, and heads back to the table.

I follow Pepper along the buffet, leaning closer as she puts strawberries on her plate. “That’s a good start, but be sure to get some cheese and a pastry. You’ll need your energy for later.” I toss in a wink for good measure.

She doesn’t look amused. “I asked you a question.”

“Always so focused on answers.” I put a pastry on my plate. “This is why we should have stayed in bed this morning. We could’ve sidetracked that brilliant brain of yours with more pleasure.”

She sighs exasperatedly, but her lips twitch into an almost smile as we move along the buffet, filling up our plates. When we get to the coffee station, I wait as she orders a French vanilla latte.

“We could go back to my room now,” I suggest. “And take the edge off before we spend the day with your family.”

That brings her serious eyes to mine. “You’re spending the day with us?”

“Yeah. Isn’t it great? I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.” I whisper, “It’ll give me a chance to prove to you that I’m more than just an orgasm donor.”

Her eyes widen, and her lips press firmly together, those pretty hazel eyes moving nervously around us.

“Don’t worry, Reckless. Your secret is safe with me.” I grab black coffee and head back to the table.

A little while later, with food in her belly and caffeine in her system, Pepper seems a little more at ease. I listen as her sisters ask her about last night and the unanswered texts they sent this morning. Pepper claims to have turned off her phone and gone to bed early. She says she forgot to turn it on until she was on her way to meet them for breakfast. I wonder if her sisters can hear the slightly higher pitch in her voice with the lie, like I can.

“Hey, Clay. It sucks about the playoffs,” Trace says, draping an arm across the back of Brindle’s chair. “That last sack looked rough.”

“Made even worse because it was that douchebag Gorecky,” Dash says. “That guy has had it out for Clay for years.”

“I should’ve seen it coming.” Fucking Gorecky. He used to play for the Giants, and he’s been after my ass ever since I caught him cheating on his wife and gave him hell for it.

“You played a great game, and there’s always next year,” Trace says.

“They can’t expect you to be Mr. Perfect all the time,” Axsel says.