Page 96 of Just Watch Me
He ignored that. “I don’t do that. Hookups, is more like it.”
“Oh,” she said, “that makes me feelmuchbetter.”
He grinned, and so did she, so that was better. “But I’m not doing it now,” he said. “I’ve done it because I needed sex, and not to involve my kids, and because it’s easy. Being a sportsman and all.”
“Geez,” she said, “maybe try being a little less honest?”
“Why? You must’ve known that. I’m not going to lie aboutit. I haven’t lied to anybody else, either. Some woman I meet in a bar in Melbourne after the match isn’t looking for her true love. She’s looking to take a rugby player home for the night. I give her a good time, she gives me one, and it’s back to the team hotel so I don’t miss the bus.”
“So you don’t miss …”
“Timekeeping. Discipline. No excuse for missing the bus or the curfew.”
“Well,” she said, “now I know. I guess.”
She didn’t sound very convinced, did she? He cast about for what to say next and came up with, “I didn’t cheat on Sam, if that’s the question, and I won’t cheat on you. Sam was my high-school sweetheart. We had Scarlett at twenty-one and got married at twenty-two. I don’t have a … a middle ground for this, between hookups and whatever you call this. A relationship, I guess. Anyway, I’m rubbish at lying or keeping my story straight. And what would be the point?”
“Generally,” Skylar said a little dryly, “to massage your ego, give you the sexual novelty you clearly deserve, and make you feel like you’re leading an exciting and adventurous life. From what I know.”
“I’m an All Black,” he said. “I was just in an earthquake. I have an exciting and adventurous life, and my ego doesn’t need any massaging. I wouldn’t mind some sexual novelty, though, if you can see your way clear.”
She laughed, at least, so that was better. “Oh, am I the wrong person for that,” she said. “Haven’t you noticed? I have no idea how to … dunno. What do women do? Bend like pretzels? Wear costumes? Become domanatrixes? Dominatrices? What’s the plural? I don’t even knowthat.”
He was laughing too now. “So if we want sexual variety, I’ll need to provide it, that what you’re saying?”
“Well,” she said, “I could research, I suppose. But I’d probably feel really stupid if it didn’t work out.”
He gave her a kiss. How could he not? “I’ll get us started, then, until you build up your confidence.”
She sighed and rubbed her cheek over his chest. That right there was enough to give a man a pretty good thrill. “OK,” she said. “That could be a plan.”
“Good. Then let’s talk to Georgia and eat our tea. Lamb shanks with carrots and potatoes. Not too exciting, but it’s hot, and it fills the empty spots. And then …”
“And then,” she said, “I’ll go home and put my kids to bed, since they’re still a bit rocky after the quake and all, and Granddad will rush over here and make up for lost time. Our grandparents are gettingsobusy.” Laughing again. Looking warm, and happy, and alive.
“Bugger,” he said. “Especially as I have to be at the team hotel by eight.”
She squeaked. “Zane! It’s past six-thirty!”
“We’d better rattle our dags, then. Lucky I don’t have to go back to Welly, because of that quake damage, or I wouldn’t be here now. We’ll talk to Georgiawhilewe eat our tea, how’s that? And Skylar?”
“Yes?” She was a little breathless, wasn’t she?
He smiled. “Come to the match on Saturday. Bring the kids. I asked you once, but maybe you didn’t think I meant it. We all missed the last one, but we can do this. It’s against Italy, and it’s here. Auckland.”
“I know that. Of course I do. I told you, I’m probablytooexcited by your job. Shallow of me, obviously, but there you are.”
Geez, she made him smile. “Good to know. But I suspect you won’t want me to buy the tickets, especially four of them. I’d like you to be there, though, so see what you can do about those scruples, will you? I have some days off after that before we start getting ready for the South Africa tour. That’ll be a long one, so we’d better make good use of the time.” Hedropped another kiss on her mouth. “We’ll work on our sexual novelty. And your confidence in your dominatrix skills.”
She was still laughing when they climbed the stairs. Also, he was holding her hand.
Worked for him.
36
ANOTHER BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE
This was not going brilliantly.
