Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
I dug through my suitcase for my trimmer, peeking up at Dax and wondering whether I should clue him in or not. “Yeah, she and I met at the venue the night before the wedding.”
“Oh, that explains it. She must have thought I was you. But she was all weird about something you two did.” Dax’s curious gaze turned knowing. “What did you do?”
“I did what I always do when I meet a fine young woman. I took her to a quiet place where we could be alone and enjoy some drinks.”
“Translation, you fucked her.” He sounded surprised. “What were you thinking?”
“Hold on. You’re not exactly on the money, brother. I felt every inch of her, but just with my hands.” The look in Dax’s eyes was priceless.
“You might have tricked her into letting you touch her, Damien, but that doesn’t mean she would like you more.”
I laughed. “More? What are we, fifth graders?”
Dax came over and shoved me in the chest. At first, he looked pretty damn serious, but then he started to laugh too. “Alright, sure. It might sound petty. Parvati is a classy woman though, and I think after she has time to get to know me, she wouldn’t think twice about you and your Playboy ways.”
“Is that so?”
“Absolutely.”
I went into the bathroom to grab a small towel and dry my hair a little more. I couldn’t style it if it dripped, and I was not going to dinner without looking my best. Back in the main room, I proposed a wager. Had to keep things fun for the vacation anyway, who could blame me? “Let’s make it a bet. By the end of this vacation, Parvati will be all mine. I’ll put money on it.”
“Come on, brother, don’t we already have enough money to throw around? Make it interesting.”
“What else could we wager?”
I thought about it for a minute, and the first thing that came to my mind was that new hockey player Dax acquired from the draft. He was sure to be an All Star, and I wanted him on my team.
I tapped my chin and tilted my head. “You know, I want Luke Danbury.”
“Luke?” Dax drew a grin, but then it quickly went away. I stood with my back against the counters, my eyes focused sharply on Dax’s next few words. “You’re serious?
I crossed my arms over my bare chest. “Oh yes.”
“I don’t think so,” he denied. “I’m not going to wager my newest franchise player against some girl on a vacation.”
“Oh, so now she’s just some girl? Besides,” I walked up to him and pointed at his chest, “you know I’ll win anyway, don’t you? It’s gonna be just like senior year at college all over again.”
Dax smacked my finger away, and I could swear he was on the brink of growling. “There’s no way I’m gonna let you beat me again. You had an unfair advantage that year.”
“Oh, sure.” I got closer, ridiculing his words. “Breaking my leg is an unfair advantage.”
“Yeah, when all the girls huddle around you to take care of you, it’s an advantage, Damien!”
“Fine, you go break your leg and get the girl. I’m sure she’ll be so impressed.”
“My god!” he grunted. He walked a circle around the love seat, those angry fingers tapping on his hips each step of the way.
“Okay, okay.” I leaned over and got his attention with a wave of my hand. “If you win, I’ll give you Jackson McCourty. I stopped Dax from interrupting me because I knew he wasn’t enough to compete with Luke Danbury. “And my second-round pick.”
Dax’s eyes narrowed, then they shot to the room behind me. He ran a hand over his chin as he thought about it.
“Jackson’s a solid player.”
“Not solid enough.”
“Oh, come on. The Blackhawk’s nearly took him for a third-round pick and a benchwarmer.”
Dax stared back at me unaffected.
“Okay, what then?”
He took a slow step in my direction, still rubbing that hand over his scruff. “Luke is yours if you can get Parvati before me.” He stuck out a finger and waved it in my face. “Not just in bed, but you have to get her heart.”
I snorted. “Her heart? You really are acting like a thirteen-year-old.”
“I’m not playing. She’s already been in your hands; I can’t trust you won’t take it further before me.”
“Yeah?” My hands twitched with the need to push him back again. “So why even have a bet?”
“Because I’m better than you at love.”
I tossed back my head. “Love? Dear god!”
“Luke is yours if you can get her to admit she’s fallen for you.”
I crossed my arms. Love? How crazy did Dax think I was? I could bed any woman I wanted, but love wasn’t something on my radar. Losing a competition to Dax, though? No way. “Deal.” I reached out my hand to shake on it, but he took a step back.