Page 10 of The Bet

She glances at the clock. “If I get to sleep soon, I’ll be up around noon. Melony and Rochelle can run the shop tomorrow, but I’ll still have to bake the cupcakes for Sunday brunch. Let’s plan to meet around seven o’clock.”

“Sounds good.” My heartbeat escalates as our date is solidified.God, I’m a dumbass. I’m getting excited over a fake date.

Chloe chews on her bottom lip. “How are we going to do this? Do you want to go out tomorrow night and then have sex?”

I cough and then can’t stop. Finally, I suck down a gulp of air and regain my composure. “Listen, Chloe. Let’s not rush this. We’ve got a week.”

“Good point. We’ll make Kameron and Jim sweat it out.”

Not exactly what I meant, but it’ll do.I want to tell her to relax and see how things progress between us, but I’m the one with feelings for her and not the other way around. “I’ll pick you up.”

“What should I wear? The Grove is fancy.” She frowns.

“Wear a dress, if you want. Or jeans. They don’t have a dress code or anything. Whatever makes you comfortable.”

“You aren’t wearing a suit, are you?”

I grimace. I hate dressing up, which is one of the reasons I decided to be a firefighter. The thought of heading to work every morning while wearing stiff and uncomfortable clothes makes my skin crawl. “I won’t be wearing a suit.”

“Okay. I’ll find something.” She inches forward and put her arms around my waist – this time, I freak out a little lesswhen she touches me and wrap my arms around her. She feels perfect – even if it’s an illusion. She sighs, “Thank you.”

I rest my chin against her hair and rub her back. She smells like frosting.Damn it. This is a stupid idea.

“Rich?” Her voice is muffled against my shirt.

“Yes?”

“We should kiss. I don’t want our first kiss to be in front of Kameron.” She shivers and then, she tilts her head upward.

My breath catches in my throat. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. The blue in her eyes reminds me of a tranquil ocean – one I want to sink into and escape reality. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

Her eyelids flutter shut.Don’t screw this up. Can I convince her to give us a real shot?I lean down and cover her mouth with mine. I’m tentative as I tested her response.

A small moan escapes from her mouth, allowing me the opportunity to slip my tongue into her depths. She tastes like sugar and vanilla. I groan and tug heragainst my hard body.Holy hell. How can I walk away from her when this week is over?

Her hands clasp the fabric of my shirt as she rises onto her tiptoes. Then, she thrusts her tongue into my mouth. Every nerve in my body explodes at once, and I forget to breathe. It feels real. Perfect. Like the forever I’ve always dreamed about, but unless I can convince her we’re more compatible than she thinks – it’s fake.

The desire to grind my shaft into her soft belly is about to drag me to my knees, but I can’t. I don’t want to push her away. If this is my only chance to be with her, I’m not going to blow it before our first ‘fake’ date.

She pulls back and licks her lips. “Wow.”

I run my thumb along the length of her jawline while staring into her wide eyes. “If we’re going to do this, we might as well enjoy it. Right?”

She nods in an unsteady motion while stepping back to put some distance between us. “Definitely.”

“I’ll pick you up at seven o’clock. Chloe, you need to get upstairs and get to bed. You’ve got to be exhausted.” I walk to the backdoor and open it. The fresh night air permeates the warm room, and I turn to take one last look at her.

“You’re right. I am.” She sags against the island with her hip resting alongside the wooden drawer.

I fight the urge to pull her back into my arms and kiss her again. No. I have one chance to make her mine. It’s time to pull out all the stops. She’s too good for me, but maybe, she won’t realize it.

“Goodnight, Sweetheart.”

“Goodnight.” Her hand clutches her chest.

I open the door, twist the lock crossways, and step into the night. After I shut the door with a snap, I jiggle it to make sure it’s secure.Shit.I was so caught up in her that I forgot I parked at the front of the building.Dumbass.

Chapter Eight

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