“Then it’s set,” Mollie said. “We’ll play doubles tomorrow. I’m so excited.”

“Brady and I will kick your ass. Guaranteed,” Chris boasted.

Mollie put her head in her hand and sighed. “You don’t even want to be my pair?”

“Guys versus girls, Mols. We’ll show you how it’s done.”

“Oh, I’m sure. When was the last time you even picked up a racket?” she teased.

“It’s like riding a bike.”

“This should be interesting,” Liz mused.

“Don’t worry,” Brady said, nudging her. “We’ll go easy on you.”

She narrowed her eyes. He knew that she played, but he had never seen her in action. He was in for a rude awakening. “Bring it, Maxwell.”

All of those extra practice sessions with Easton were going to pay off. If she had done this before working out with him two or three times a week, she would have been winded after half a match. Now she could play for over an hour straight. These guys were going to need more than good luck on their side.

Chris quickly found out that playing tennis was not like riding a bike.

After having a few drinks last night, they had called it a night relatively early and gone back to Chris’s house. Liz and Brady spent the night wrapped up together on the guest bedroom’s queen-size bed. The next morning they had risen relatively early and taken the town car to the gym where Mollie worked out. They had indoor tennis courts, which really worked to Liz’s favor, since she was used to playing outside in the North Carolina heat.

“How long have you been playing?” Mollie asked as she watched Liz warming up.

“Since I was seven,” Liz told her.

“This is going to be great.” A slow, ruthless smile spread across her face. “Let’s crush them.”

The guys let the girls have the first serve. Liz happily obliged them with an impressive serve that took Chris completely off guard. Her next serve Brady took and volleyed back to Mollie. Liz could tell that Brady had more experience than Chris, so he was her real opponent. Plus, he looked really hot in gym shorts, a Dri-Fit T-shirt, and tennis shoes.

Mollie’s return serve showed Liz that she did have training, but nothing compared to Liz. Chris did start to get the hang of it again about halfway through the game, but by then the girls were already up by two sets. They volleyed back and forth for the next set, which went to the guys after Brady delivered a powerful stroke that neither of them could return.

He seemed triumphant about that, but strangely silent throughout the rest. She knew that Brady was incredibly competitive. He wouldn’t be into politics if he weren’t. But this was her sport. He could kick her ass at basketball and probably everything else, but not tennis. And she was going to prove it.

They played by official rules, where the winner needed to win six sets and beat the other team by at least two sets. Liz was playing on adrenaline and barely even noticed the time pass, but by the time they were down to the wire it was clear everyone was tiring. If they won the next point then that would be the game.

She could see the determination on Brady’s face as they squared off. For a second it felt as if it were just the two of them. Their competitive natures wouldn’t let them back off.

Liz raised her racket and served the ball across the net. Brady returned it where it was almost out of reach for her, but she got it last minute. It sailed over the net and hit the court once. Brady dove to get the brilliantly placed ball, but he was too slow by a fraction of an inch and it bounced out of court.

“Game!” Mollie cried. Her breath was coming heavily, but she was still jumping around victoriously.

Liz bent forward at the waist and took in a few deep breaths. Her heart was beating a million miles a minute. From across the court, she locked eyes with Brady and winked. She had beaten him. It didn’t matter that it was at a game she had been playing nearly her entire life and it had been kind of close. She had still won and it felt amazing.

“Okay, you two,” Mollie said, pointing across the court. “Since you lost, you have to take us to Schiller’s for Pimm’s.”

Chris groaned. “Killing me, woman.”

Mollie giggled. “It’s only fair.”

Liz walked across the court to shake hands with them, as was customary. Chris slapped her hand for a high five and then hobbled off the court mumbling to himself, “I knew there was a reason I didn’t play this game.”

“Hey, you,” she said, walking up to Brady. “Good game.”

“You were phenomenal,” he told her.

“Didn’t think a girl could beat you, huh?”

“You proved me wrong. It makes me want to take lessons. Is that guy Savannah is seeing available?” he asked.

“You can’t steal Easton from me! Find your own instructor,” she joked, batting at him.

Brady pulled Liz toward him.

“Ew. I’m all sweaty.”

“You’d think I’d be used to it,” he said with a smirk. “I have an idea. How about I ask my girlfriend to give me lessons?”

“Is she good at tennis?” Liz asked innocently.

“The very best. She’s so good, in fact, that her boyfriend is going to have to remind her who’s in charge the best way he knows how.”

Liz’s eyebrows shot up. “And how do you propose that?”

He dropped his mouth to her ear and nibbled on the earlobe. “Tonight when I have you all alone, I’m going to remind you exactly what happened the night you brought a Senator to his knees.”

Chapter 18

PAY UP

As promised, that night the guys planned an evening for the girls that included Mollie’s drink of choice. Liz went on a shopping excursion to acquire a cocktail dress. Brady tagged along and played Pretty Woman with the associate at Bergdorf Goodman. By the end of the encounter, Brady had insisted on a pair of Jimmy Choos and a dark magenta strapless dress that cinched at the waist to accentuate Liz’s figure.

When they returned to Chris’s apartment, Liz took over the bathroom. After a shower, she blew out her long blond hair until it fell loose past her shoulders. She spent extra time on smoky makeup to finish off the elegant ensemble. Chris greeted her with a whistle when she exited the bathroom. Brady just shook his head at his best friend and brought his girlfriend in closer.