The Dare (The Bet 3)

Again, let's revisit.

I don't do things like this.

I don't sleep with guys.

Correction. I've never slept with a guy. Ever. Never. Ever. Ever. Was that too many evers? Holy Batman and Robin, was I starting to sweat? How unattractive could I make myself to sex-god? And why the ever-loving hell was he entering into my personal space.

I closed my eyes to summon the memories of the previous night.

Bridesmaids' dress, good-looking groomsmen, Grandma giving me a drink. Cake, dancing, Grandma giving me another drink, and then Jace and me dancing, and laughing, and getting into a car and… aw hell. Cookies.

Damn it, politician Jace!

He'd grown up since I'd last seen him. Correction, he'd grown into the type of man-candy that makes people weep. I'd never told anyone about that night — the night he'd basically saved my soul from getting crushed by the quarterback of our football team. Was this how I thanked him? I'd met him once in my life. Once! Of all the dirty politicians to fall into bed with, why did it have to be Jace?

The same Jace that Grandma Nadine had convinced needed soothing after my sister broke his heart all over the place.

Well, I'd soothed him all right. Pretty sure Grandma didn't intend for me to seduce the groomsman then leave him ASAP.

Sleeping with a politician basically made me a whore.

Great, so I'd lost my virginity to a man who'd one day be president. Monica Lewinsky and I should be Facebook friends. Then again, I doubt she was a virgin if she and Bill got all—

"Did you hear me?"

"Yup." I nodded. "Loud and clear." I was so going to hell for lying to his face.

"Great, so let's just pack everything up."

Pack everything up? What? Like we had a sting operation going on in this hotel room? What happened to the Jace from high school? The one who'd rescued fair damsels and had ridden a white horse?

"I think it's what's best." Jace swore and grabbed his cell phone. "Just don't go outside. For the love of God, don't go outside. I'll have to call security. But I need to take a shower first. Eat a cookie. I know you like those."

"What?" I turned to face him. All of him. Another point in my life when I should have closed my eyes rather than ogled.

The only thing covering up his nakedness was a pair of black boxers. Everything else on his body? Fair game. I looked hard. Hey, don't judge me. Besides when would I ever get a chance to see perfection so up-close? I'd never seen a guy with so many muscles packed tightly around his midsection, or someone whose arms actually looked bigger than my head. Seemed Mr. Senator had a slight obsession with physical fitness, not that I minded.

I doubted anyone would mind the rippled six pack currently facing me in all its model-like glory.

"Beth?" Jace smirked. "You awake or are you sleepwalking?"

My head snapped up to his amused eyes. "Awake. Sorry, what was the question?"

"Cookies?" Jace smirked. "You cried into a box of them last night."

I officially want a do-over. I lose my virginity to a dirty politician, and I cried into a box of cookies? Where's the justice, God! The fairness! The—

"I think there's some left over in the corner." He pointed to the minibar.

Suddenly ravenous, I stalked over, still half-naked, mind you, and grabbed the small box. Great, so I officially consumed half my body weight of something that I know will most likely give me cancer in five to seven years. Stellar. I threw the box onto the ground. "I'm not so hungry."

"You should be after all that exercise."

"Excuse me?" I whipped around so fast that I had to steady myself with the mini-fridge.

Jace grabbed a shirt and threw it over his toned and tanned body. "Easy, Beth, not what I meant." His eyes twinkled with amusement.

Ha, this was me, amused. I kept my frown firmly in place and even put my hands on my hips to show my disapproval.