The Bet (Winslow Brothers 1)

“Thanks for coming, babe. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“Of course I enjoyed it. Your family is great, Jude,” Sophie says, her voice soft and kind and stirring my heart in ways I shouldn’t be comfortable with. “And Lexi is one special little girl.”

And you’re special too.

When my smile touches my eyes, I try like hell to not be so affected by her. Sex and fun and playing around is one thing, but feeling something for her? It’s not what a guy like me is supposed to do.

I unbuckle my seat belt and hop out of my car, rounding the hood to open her door.

She uses the hand I offer to ease herself out, but when she notices that the car is still on and I’m illegally parked in front of her building, her eyes turn hesitant.

“You’re not coming up?”

“Not tonight, babe.” I shake my head. “I have to run by Craze to check on a few things.”

I don’t have shit to do at the club. But I definitely need to quiet my fucking head and get myself right again. Back to the Jude who doesn’t let himself feel anything more than fun.

Her brow furrows. “Oh. Okay.”

She looks disappointed, and I hate it. Loathe it, actually. The urge to lean down and kiss her is strong, but instead, I settle for a soft, gentle, very chaste kiss to her mouth.

Don’t leave her hanging like this, dude. It’s cruel. You know you still want to see her.

“But you can expect a text from me soon,” I tell her and force a smirk to my lips. “With some instructions.”

Sophie searches my face for the longest moment, but eventually, a curious smile slides across her mouth. “Instructions?”

“Uh-huh.” I nod. “Get ready, babe. Because we’re about to experience something wild together.”

“More wild than an orgasm on a roller coaster?”

I chuckle at the reminder of our Vegas sexcapades. “Ten times wilder.”

“Holy smokes.” Her eyebrows damn near rise to her forehead, and I just wink at her.

“Oh yeah, sweet Sophie, it’s going to be a good time.”

“Can’t wait.” She stands up on her tippy-toes and presses her full mouth to mine. And the temptation to deepen that kiss, to prolong, to savor it, begins to build to an almost uncontrollable level.

Thankfully, Sophie is the one who pulls away, and with a little wave and a soft “Good night,” she walks toward the entrance door of her building.

I watch her the whole way, making sure she gets in safely, and once the main door clicks shut, I hop in my car and grab my cell phone.

The first text I send to Sophie is an address that very few people even know exists in this city. It’s an underground kind of place that I’m certain will provide the kind of wild, erotic experience that will get Sophie and me back on the right track.

Away from feelings. Away from more.

And solely focused on just fun.

And my next and final message is a simple one.

Me: Wednesday. 7pm. Wear the hottest dress you own.

Wednesday, April 4th

Sophie

The cool evening air causes goose bumps to form on my arms and my legs, and even harden my nipples beneath the dress I chose to wear tonight. It’s a silky black number that ends just below my knee but has a slit on one side that nearly reaches my right hip. The material is so thin, provides absolutely zero warmth, and is completely open at the back.

Basically, the absolute last dress you want to be wearing when it’s anything but over seventy degrees outside. And it might be early spring in New York, but it’s far from seventy degrees.

I check the address on my phone once more, the one Jude sent to me, and even though the cab driver managed to drop me off on the street where I thought said place was located, I don’t see anything but an alleyway that’s lit up by one pathetic streetlamp.

This can’t be right.

I glance over my shoulder, prepared to seek out my cab driver for some help, but all I witness is retreating red lights, making it apparent that he’s hauling ass to his next destination.

On a sigh, I glance down at my phone again, and 6:55 p.m. stares back at me.

I’m five minutes early, which is a rarity for me, but since I skipped my therapy appointment last minute so I could meet Jude on time, I was dressed and ready about an hour earlier than I normally would.

Besides our daily text conversations, this will be the first time I’ve seen him since I had dinner with his family. Six days probably shouldn’t seem like a long time, but after being inside each other’s pockets twenty-four seven in Vegas and the first few days after that, it kind of feels like an eternity.

I’ve grown so used to seeing him all the time, it feels like there’s now a hole inside my chest that only he can fill.