She had to act quick. She couldn't believe her luck, running into him here. Tonight. She scooted over to Tim's side of the booth before Matt saw her.

"What are you…"

She glanced out the window again to be sure he hadn't seen her move, biting her lower lip. Tim looked out the window, too. Her eyes rested on his face and she saw that he knew what she was doing.

"You're going to get me in trouble with the team after I just got back on it."

She smiled, the smile that usually worked on her dad. She hoped Tim wouldn't be able to see through it any better than her dad did. He probably would, though. She wasn't his little girl.

"You wouldn't turn your back on a girl in need, would you?"

"Depends on what the girl in need had in mind."

She saw Matt come up for air and knew she had to act fast or it would look more suspicious then it already did. It was act right here and now or feel the pain cut through her like a knife again. She didn't bother to dwell on the fact her own actions had led to her being in this position. She hadn't expected him to move on so fast. And with two different girls!

She slid her arms around Tim's neck, hesitating for only a moment before kissing him. She surprised him as this was no friendly peck and it took him a minute to react. Either he realized that Matt was going to see him kissing Julie anyway or he really wanted to kiss her. It didn't matter much to her either way.

All she knew as he slid his arms around her waist was that he was a good kisser. Scratch that. A really good kisser. There was something sweet about Matt's innocence and she'd liked that because they were on the same page. There was something totally opposite of sweet about Tim's experience. If she believed half the rumors about him, his experience went even beyond her wildest dreams.

She didn't anticipate taking the kiss beyond simply letting Matt see that she was moving on, too. That it was Tim Riggins she might be moving on with would send an odd message she imagined. Now that she was doing it, though. Well, there was no reason to cut it short. She'd taken it this far, might as well get some enjoyment out of it. Right?

She parted her lips. They quivered a little when she realized he'd done the same thing. That meant he liked kissing her, too. At least she thought it must. A hand at her back slid lower, cupping her ass while he reached for her face with the other.

He broke the kiss after a while. Her mother would probably say it had lasted too long. She wasn't sure at this moment if it lasted long enough. Her lips felt … Well kissed. And she couldn't deny that the kiss affected her places other than just her lips, too.

"I think we've put on a convincing of enough show," he whispered against her ear, taking the time to graze her cheek with his lips.

She swallowed, clearing her mind a little at the feel of his mouth against her ear. She noticed he hadn't moved his hand from her ass, though. Her friend would pass out if she knew that not only had Julie kissed Tim Riggins, but he copped a feel, too. And it was a nice feel. His hand was warm against her ass and cupped the curves of her just so.

"Uh huh," was all she could manage. And she felt instantly dumb. She opened her eyes then, surprised to see he was smiling but not laughing at her. He grazed her cheek with his thumb. She reached, pushing some hair away from his eyes.

"We have a party to get to."

"I know," she whispered.

He leaned in and kissed her again, only briefly this time.

"It was worth any trouble I might get in."

"It was?" she asked.

He smiled again. "Yeah, it was, even if your father would kill me."

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"I know."

"Now, let's go get our party on…"

"Sounds like a plan."

She slid out of the booth once he'd moved his hand, surprised when he slid his arm around her after he'd paid their bill at the counter.

"No sense doing all that kissing if we're not going to make it believable."

"He's going to…"

"Tell your dad?" He opened the door for her and they stepped outside. Neither had even glanced in Matt's direction. She had no idea if Matt had even seen them or paid them any attention. She hoped he had and had gotten hopping jealous, too.

"Not if you tell him first what happened. And why."

"Oh God," she whispered. "How do I get myself into these messes?"

"Just tell your dad the truth."

"He'll still be mad."

"Why? It's not like we had sex right there in the booth."

"You had your hand on my ass!"

He had the decency to blush a little and look away. "You don't have to tell him that part."

She laughed then; glad he hadn't said it was part of the act.

"I'll tell him in the morning."

"Thank you," he whispered.

"It's the least I can do."

He chuckled then. "Yeah it is."

"You don't have to agree with me."

"I've learned never to argue with a woman."

"You have, huh?"

"Yes."

"Smart man."

"About some things."

She glanced at him over the roof of his car. She couldn't help but think he was smarter than he let on. She watched him around the house and paid more attention to him at school now that she'd gotten to know him some. She wondered why he let people think that way about him. She slid inside then, scooting next to him on the seat.

"Just until we pull away from the restaurant," she said in response to his glance. "I just hope they're not going to the party."

"I doubt it."

She hoped he was right. Explaining one kiss to her dad was doable. An entire night of being Tim's placebo date was another story entirely. Not that the idea didn't have merit. And might just give her something to dream about tonight. Especially if it meant more kisses like that one.

~The End~

Story ©Susan Matthews/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com