The Wager (The Bet 2)

“Right.”

“No offense.” He cringed, momentarily forgetting she was a reporter. Though he hadn’t seen her on the news in a while. Not that he’d been some creepy stalker who’d Tivo’d her channel or saved them or anything. He cleared his throat. “So how’s work?”

“Swell.”

“You have any big projects coming up? Curing world hunger or something like that?”

“Something like that.” Char let out a breath and looked out the window. “I’m sorry, by the way.”

“For?”

“The condoms.” She turned to look at him; the moonlight reflecting through the windows of his car highlighted the curve of her delicate neck.

He adjusted himself in his seat and managed to clear his throat, sounding relatively normal and not at all as turned on as he felt. Damn. When was the last time just the mere appearance of a girl had him acting like he was fourteen again? “Yeah, well, I’m sorry I called you an alcoholic.”

She smiled, the type of smile guys dream about at night, the smile that holds promises of forever and stolen kisses, lots of laughter, and… He shook his head. Not on the agenda, not in his life, not his future.

He pulled up to her work where her car was parked. Soft music from the radio played in the background. It wasn’t a date. It wasn’t meant to be, except it felt like one. It was awkward in the same way first dates are. You know, the kind of date where you’re terrified of where to put your hands, if you have food in your teeth, or whether you’re giving off a creepy vibe.

Char reached for the door handle and pushed it open. “See you later, Jake.”

“Yeah.”

He let her walk away.

Again.

It seemed as if he was always doing that. She was always walking toward something and for some reason it made him want to chase her. As if she was a zebra and he was a lion in need of pouncing on her.

Did he only want her because she was angry as hell and hard to get? Or was it more? He put his car back into drive and turned up the music.

Reality. He needed a large dose of it. Either that or a cold shower. Travis had warned him away and for once in his life he didn’t really feel like letting Travis or Kacey down.

“Siri,” he said aloud to his phone. “Find me the closest bar.”

Chapter Twenty-seven

How was it fair that even though Char and Jake weren’t dating, all she wanted to do when she got home was open up a giant bottle of wine and watch bad reality TV? He’d done nothing wrong.

Other than being mind-numbingly attractive, treating her like a princess, then accusing her of being an alcoholic.

She smirked, and opened the bottle of wine, pouring herself a glass. Beth was already asleep but Char still couldn’t get the afternoon’s events out of her head. As typical of any girl, she wanted to dissect every last piece of conversation she and Jake had had until she could figure out what it all meant. Was he just being nice? Turning over a new leaf and all that? Or was it all a ploy to get her into bed again? Was he just being that guy until he had what he wanted? And did he even want her to begin with or was he suddenly just bored with his playboy lifestyle?

To add to her list of already growing problems—he’d said no media. Maybe if she presented her case differently, was completely honest with him and said she’d be jobless just like him if she didn’t cover it. Would he take pity on her? Then again, she was damn good at her job; that one little incident didn’t define her, all she needed were some details of the wedding, a few pictures, and she’d be golden. Nobody ever had to know it was her that gave the information up to the press. Besides, wouldn’t they rather have a friend cover such a special day than some random person with a camera? Was it right for Char to even ask such a favor? Especially given the stress of the wedding? She didn’t want to add more, and honestly it wasn’t Kacey’s problem that Char’s boss was a greedy ass who had no moral compass. The quiet ticking of the clock in the bedroom didn’t matter. It was like being on Jeopardy.

She put herself in Kacey’s shoes: What would she do? Kacey always did the right thing, even if it killed her. Char, on the other hand, wasn’t marrying into a Titus fortune. She needed money to eat! After getting her demotion, she knew this was the final straw. If she didn’t get the pictures, her dream of being on the news would be officially over. So what if she just asked Kacey? Or Travis? Or even Grandma? A headache began to pound at her temples.

Her phone went off and she looked at the screen. It was an e-mail, which she quickly opened. One word. That’s all it was. One word and a question mark.

Well?

It was from Mark. The only answer she could come up with rhymed with it, Hell, and that was it. As if she needed another sign, Kacey’s face popped up on her cell.

She needed advice, wise counsel, something, anything. Or maybe just another chat with her boss. Maybe if she explained the predicament he’d back off?

Groaning,

she closed her eyes for a second, allowing all the stress of the day to wash away from her. She needed a job. Period. Jake Titus? Well, that was more of a want, and she still hadn’t figured out if he’d lost his mind or somehow just found a heart in that muscular body of his.