* * *

Chapter 1

Even though rain was falling in sheets, the press still stood outside the Boston funeral home where the heiress to Captain Jack’s Seafood Company, thirty-year-old Julia Loveless, was resting peacefully for the first time in her short life.

One tryst too many had found the beautiful young woman the victim of a hit and run. No one was sure who had done the evil deed, but many speculated that the wife of Judge Sanborn, a man Julia had been seen about town with, might have had a hand in it.

The private car Griffin Houser had been picked up from the airport in coasted into the area where a canvas tent had been erected to see the mourners stay dry as they made their way into the large funeral home.

Griffin was a thirty-year-old billionaire from old money. His family’s cattle company in Montana had gone in a new direction that had sent them from merely millionaires and into the billionaires’ category.

Montana Matrix was a prize-winning bull sperm operation. Griffin was supposed to be a salesman for his family’s fertile business. He seldom sold a thing, preferring to wine and dine women who didn’t have a thing to do with the cattle industry.

Griffin didn’t have anything to worry about. His wealth was secure even if he never sold a single vial of the liquid that had catapulted his family into a new tax bracket.

Julia had been one of his clients. Tall, legs for days, with hair that changed color with each passing month, Julia was an heiress he had liked to have fun with on occasion when visiting the East Coast. Her passing was sad news, but he had known the day would come when her promiscuity would catch up to her. Her early demise was inevitable in his eyes.

Griffin made his way into the packed parlor where Julia’s body rested center stage, spotlight included. A platinum coffin, a spray of red roses covering the bottom portion, held her in cushioned comfort. Her hair was a shade of blonde that matched well with her surroundings. He could see she was wearing a red dress.

Even in death, still the naughty vixen.

When a grin flowed over his face, he shook his head to stop thinking such inappropriate thoughts on such a grim occasion. He took a seat next to a tall man with long black hair that was pulled back into a queue. A Native American, Griffin was sure.

Though the music was quietly playing a sad song meant to pull the tears out of those who had congregated, Griffin tried to ignore the song and extended his right hand to the man he sat next to.

“Hello. Griffin Houser, Montana Matrix.”

The man shook his hand. “Phoenix Nelson, Texas oil. How’re you doing today?”

“Sad, I suppose, is the right thing to say to that,” Griffin said, then chuckled a bit. His action had people shushing him and giving him terrible looks. “Sorry. Inappropriate.”

When he was met with a grin from the man sitting on the other side of Phoenix, he was not only surprised but glad to see another human in the room who wasn’t so distraught. When he held his hand out, Griffin took it. “Ethan Southern,” came the man’s words, which were heavily laced with a Scottish accent.

“Griffin …”

“Yeah, I heard ya,” Ethan interrupted as his attention turned to Phoenix. “How’d you know Julia?”

Phoenix cleared his throat as he looked down and a grin had found him too. “In the Biblical sense,” came his answer.

“Aye, me too,” Ethan said, then looked at Griffin.

Griffin nodded and looked down as a man in the front, wearing black, asked them to pray. A long prayer that had nothing to do with Julia was said by the preacher, then the rest of the funeral proceeded.

The three men fidgeted a bit as the service went on and on. Many people got up and told stories about the woman they had known as quite the she-wolf. The only thing was, none of the stories they told were anything any of those men knew about the woman who lay in the coffin.

Tales of how generous she was had the three men smiling with their secret thoughts. Griffin could attest to that. Julia had been generous, all right. He didn’t know if she’d been generous with her money, but with her body … oh yes, she had been incredibly generous with that!

When the last speaker spoke about how Julia had given to charities all the time, the service ended, and it was time to file past the coffin and the lifeless body. Griffin stood in line, followed by Phoenix, then Ethan. One by one, the people looked down at Julia as they waited for their turn to lay eyes on her one last time.

The three stopped and took their turns at the same time. “Lifelike, huh?” Griffin asked the other two men.

“Her hair was red when I was with her,” Ethan muttered.

“It was pink when I saw her,” Phoenix recalled. “And she’d worn purple contacts. She was something else.”

Griffin ran his hand over her cheek, lightly. “Bye, Julia. Thanks for the education. You will be missed.”

“That she will,” Ethan agreed.

Phoenix nodded, then the sound of a man clearing his throat had them shuffling along. A man in a cheap blue suit was near the door where everyone was exiting; he held out a box of tissues to the three. Each took one.

“I don’t need this for anything more than to remind me of her,” Griffin said.

“I have a napkin from a bar we’d meet at,” Phoenix said as they walked outside.

They all looked up at the brilliant blue, cloudless sky. “It stopped rainin’. Can you imagine that?” Ethan said in wonder.

“She doesn’t want anyone to feel blue. She never did,” Griffin said. “And on that note, how about the three of us go get some lunch? We can talk about her and what she meant to each one of us.”

“Count me in,” Phoenix agreed quickly. “I don’t know another soul here anyway. The company would be much appreciated.”

“Me too,” Ethan chimed in. “I could use a stiff drink.”

Griffin led them to his waiting private car, and they all piled inside. “How about seafood?” When Griffin got two nods, he called out to the driver, “Neptune Oyster, please, driver.”

The men all were feeling exceptionally comfortable with one another. A certain comradery was felt between them all as they chatted lightly about this thing and another.

Ethan Southern was also a billionaire, the heir to Redhead Scotch. The thirty-two-year-old did little more than party his life away. Phoenix Nelson had stumbled into his fortune. He was the illegitimate son of a candy billionaire who had left him a few hundred acres in a tiny place called Karnes County in Texas. He had struck it rich when oil was found on the property not once, but 27 times. It seemed the men were all billionaires, and Julia had been the one to come on to them all.

As they got into the restaurant and were seated, the three laughed as they ordered the same drink, a Rob Roy. It had been the first step in how Julia had introduced herself to each of the men. She’d send one over, and a bit later she’d have them come to her table where she always sat alone.

Griffin mimicked the way Julie had wiggled her finger to get him to come to her. The others laughed as they too had been wrangled in by a mere drink, a corny pick-up line, and the wiggle of a single finger in their direction.

“How do you think the woman was able to pick out three men with massive amounts of money?” Phoenix asked as he sipped on his cocktail.

“She was a witch,” Ethan said with a hearty laugh. “I believe that with all my heart. She could turn a man inside out and make him beg for more. But somehow, she left him without a tear shed being shed between either party. She had to be a witch. There’s no other plausible explanation.”

The three clinked their glasses together. “A toast to the enigmatic female who knew how to reel a man in and set him free, all without ever harming his fragile ego or feelings,” Griffin said.

“Hear, hear,” the other two added.

A kinship had been found amongst the three men who shared the knowledge a young woman had given them. It was possible to have unimaginable sex after knowing each other for only a few hours, without having to hand your entire soul over to another human being. It could be done with no one being hurt.

With the realization that all three came to at the same time, an idea was born between them.

A terribly fantastic idea!

Chapter 2

“Are you two gentlemen busy tomorrow?” Ethan asked them, then popped a fried mushroom into his mouth after dipping it in ranch sauce. His auburn waves hung to his shoulders and danced around them as he nodded and moaned with how good the food tasted.

“I’m never busy,” Phoenix replied. Then he picked up a shoot of fried asparagus and plunged it into the creamy white depths of the dip.

“Me neither,” Griffin added. “Why do you ask, Ethan?”

“Because I too am never busy and I have an idea. But it would require an overnighter.” Ethan drank the last of his Rob Roy and motioned to the waiter for a refill.

“What kind of idea?” Phoenix asked with curiosity.

“You know how Julia lured us all in, having her way with us so easily,” Ethan said with a grin as he recalled some of those times he and she had had.

Griffin nodded as his lips pulled into a sly grin. “I do.”

“And you do recall hearing about how she gave to various charities?” Ethan asked as he took the drink the waiter had brought to him.

“I do,” Phoenix said. “Can I have a beer? The cocktail isn’t hitting the spot for me.” The waiter gave him a nod and pointed to Griffin’s nearly full glass.

“Anything else for you, sir?” he asked Griffin.

“Bring me a beer too. I never did like this drink,” Griffin confessed. “I ordered it just to remember someone.”

“Beer me too,” Ethan added. “I don’t really know why I ordered another one of these. They’re much too sweet for me.”

As the waiter walked away, Phoenix asked, “So, what about the charities? Do you think we should donate to some of them?”

“I do,” Ethan said. “But I think we should make it interesting. I believe we three should make a bet. One that will remind us of Julia.”

“Like what?” Griffin asked as he watched a tall blonde woman walk behind Ethan and give him a double take.

“Like find a small bar and see who can get laid first,” Ethan said with a huge smile. “You know, using the tactics Julia used on us. The whole thing—the cheesy drink, the wiggle of one finger, the terrible lines. We all fell for them.”

“I suppose the two that don’t win have to make the charitable donations,” Griffin said. “In what amount? That needs to be decided.”

“Can you two do a million each if you lose?” Phoenix asked.

When the others nodded, the three reached out to the middle of the table, placing their hands on top of the others.

“So, it’s on,” Ethan said. “The first one to score wins, and the other two make million dollar donations to the charities the winner chooses.”

“Agreed,” Griffin and Phoenix said in unison.

A pact was formed between the three men. An agreement that would mean some poor women might well become unsuspecting pawns in their little game. Griffin added a bit more detail to their bet.

“To make sure things are fair, I think one of us should choose for the other. Like I can pick who Ethan can go for; Phoenix can find me a woman; and Ethan can find one for Phoenix. We can make sure the women look like the type that’ll give us a good fight. It’s no fun if we all pick tramps.”

Nods had the other men agreeing to the terms, and Phoenix felt like he should add something to the arrangement as he said, “And if no one scores tonight, we keep playing the same women until one of us does score. You know, no trading out. I think that makes it more interesting, don’t you?”

Ethan raised one thick brow as he contemplated what Phoenix had come up with. “That might mean we have to spend some time in the same place. Let’s choose a place wisely.” He pulled out his cell and searched the names of places near Boston. When a particular word caught his attention, he said, “Middlesex County sounds fun.”

“It sure does,” Phoenix agreed.

“There’s a town called Ashby in that county,” Ethan added.

Griffin pulled his cell out of his jacket pocket and searched for places to stay while Phoenix took his phone out to find bars in the town. Ethan had chosen the town, so all three were active participants.

“There’s a quaint bed and breakfast that only has three bedrooms,” Griffin said. “It looks nice and homey. A great place to spend a night or two.” He turned the phone around to show the other two the pictures of the two-story home with white siding and yellow trim. Colorful flower gardens filled each side of a wide staircase that led up to a porch that looked as if it wrapped around one end of the large home.

“I like the looks of those rockers on the porch,” Phoenix said. “I think it looks cozy.”

“I’ll book it for a couple of nights,” Griffin said, then tapped away to set it up. “For the next couple of nights, O’Toole’s Bed and Breakfast will be our home away from home.”

“Why not make an Irish time of it?” Phoenix asked as he showed the others a picture of a pub he’d found. “Flannigan’s Pub and Grill sounds like an excellent place to catch women. There’ll be some food to keep us from getting wasted while we’re trolling for babes.”

Ethan clapped him on the back. “Irish! I love it! Let’s make a pact to try our best to pick an Irish lass for each one of us. I can tell you boys, they’re not so easy to get into the sack.”

“Sounds like you’ve had a few,” Griffin said with a chuckle.

“A couple,” Ethan admitted. “Our tempers never combined well, to be honest. But we’re not talking about finding wives now, are we?”

The three laughed and found the waiter bringing them mugs of cold beer. With a tap to each glass, they sealed their bet. The details were done; all that was left to do was get to Ashby and begin their adventure in sexual deviance.

“Wait a minute,” Phoenix said as another thing came to his mind. “We should set spending limits. As we all know, money can be a significant catalyst in drawing a woman to your bed. There should be a daily spending limit.”

“Daily?” Griffin asked. “Just how long do you expect this to go on? I’m quite adept at closing bedroom deals within the space of one night, Phoenix.”

“But we’re going to be choosing hard-to-get women,” Phoenix reminded him. “It could very well take a while. Even a few days. I don’t want one of us to go buy our woman a fancy car and get her that way. I think time and energy should be used, rather than tons of money.”

“Right ya are,” Ethan agreed. “I say none of us can spend more than 50,000 dollars a day.”

Griffin nodded, as if that wasn’t an extravagant amount of money. But Phoenix shook his head. “You two have always been rich. I haven’t. That’s an amount that’s much too high. A more realistic price is 500. It shows we have money, but we’re using our wits to make our woman feel special enough to let her guard down and give us what we want.”

“500 it is, then,” Ethan said, and Griffin nodded in agreement.

Griffin pulled a pen out of his pocket and grabbed a napkin off the table. “Now to get to know what each man likes in a woman. It wouldn’t be fair to saddle any one of us with a lady who’s not to our taste.”

“Right ya are,” Ethan said with a flourish of his hand. “I like the dainty type. Blonde, top of her head near my chest area. I like to be the beast to her beauty. It gives me the upper hand right from the start. Oh! And big boobs and an ass that won’t quit! Those are important too.”

“I like big boobs and asses too,” Phoenix agreed.

“Big assets all across the board. I like blondes too. But I like them tall, lithe, gazelle-like,” Griffin added as he wrote it all down.

“I like curvy women. Hair color isn’t an issue at all. I like them all. But curves are a must,” Phoenix said. “And I like them to be cute rather than gorgeous. Don’t ask me why. Perhaps it’s because I wasn’t born rich, but I don’t like women who demand upkeep.”

“I need to remind you,” Griffin said. “We’re not searching out wives. Just a quick piece of ass, then we’re out of there.”

The others nodded and took a drink to let that bit sink into their heads. This was not to be a love connection; this was a quick tryst and then on to other things.

Just how Julia had taught them to do.

Chapter 3

Salty air filled the car as Griffin rolled down his window. “I love this smell. In Montana, the air is crisp and clean. Here, it’s damp and full of aromas.”

The driver pulled up to O’Toole’s Bed and Breakfast. “A quick check in, then we can get going to the pub,” Ethan said as they all got out and took the bags they’d picked up from their Boston hotel rooms before they’d left the city.

A sweet looking, short, older woman with white hair pulled into a loose bun on top of her head greeted them at the front door as they walked up the steps. “You must be our guests for the next couple of nights. I’m Stella O’Toole. Welcome to our home.”

“I’m Ethan Southern, Mrs. O’Toole. A pleasure it is to make your acquaintance.” He took her hand and kissed the top of it, making her giggle like a young girl.

“Oh, my! A Scott, I dare say. A pleasure to meet you, Ethan,” she said as she blushed. “What a bunch of handsome devils you three are. Tell me what has you in our little township.”

Griffin put his bag on the floor by the desk and filled out the paperwork that was on top of it. “Just visiting. The place looked like something out of a romance novel on your website. We’re in Massachusetts for reasons that aren’t exactly happy. We wanted to make something positive out of it.”

The woman looked over the names on the registry. “Griffin Houser, you must be.” She turned to Phoenix and looked him up and down. “And you must be Phoenix Nelson. Now you have got to tell me what bloodlines you’re from; you look like a movie star.”

“I’m nearly full-blooded Karankawa. I resemble my mother. Only I’m a couple of feet taller,” he said, then took her hand and left a kiss on top of it. “And thanks for not calling me an Indian, Mrs. O’Toole.”

With a curt nod, she turned to lead the men up the stairs to their bedrooms. “On the right is where your rooms are. The one restroom you will share is at the end of the hallway. There’re fresh towels in the linen closet. When you’re done, please deposit them in the laundry bins that’re in your rooms. I’ll pick them up when I clean your rooms each morning after breakfast.”

“When’s breakfast?” Griffin asked as they stopped at the first bedroom.

She pushed the door open as she asked them, “Are you all early risers or not so early?”

Being as none of the men really knew each other, they all looked at one another with quizzical expressions. “I get up around nine every morning,” Ethan said.

“I can do nine,” Phoenix replied.

Griffin walked into the first bedroom, claiming the room decorated in deep greens, his favorite color. “I can do nine as well.”

“Then I’ll have breakfast served at ten. Will that be okay with you all?” she asked them.

All nodded, and she led the others to the next room, done in tans and browns. “I’ll take this one,” Phoenix said as he walked into the room.

Mrs. O’Toole gestured to the last door and Ethan opened it, finding a room done in lilac colors. “How charming,” he said with a smile.

“Glad you’re firm in your masculinity, Ethan. I thought you’d be,” she said with a laugh. “The front door remains unlocked until ten each night. If you come in after that, you’ll need the code to the keypad to get in. I’ve left a card with that information on the nightstand in each room. Don’t forget to take it with you if you know you won’t be back before we go to bed. Mr. O’Toole can be a real bear if he’s woken up.”

“I’ll be sure to take the code,” Ethan said as he made his way into the room that smelled like the flowers that bloomed beneath the open window. “We’ll be out late. But we’ll be sure to come in quietly, so we don’t wake you two.”

“Thank you. That would be greatly appreciated,” Mrs. O’Toole said, then left him alone.

A short time later, the three congregated in the hallway after putting their things away. “It’s half past nine,” Griff said. “Time to be on our way to Flannigan’s.”

Having let the driving service go, they called a cab and waited on the front porch as they rocked in three of the massive white rockers that were strategically placed on the large porch.

“It’s nice out here,” Phoenix remarked as he looked up at the sky. “You can’t see as many stars as you can where I live on the third coast in Texas, but it’s nice just the same.”

“It appears you two are a couple of country gents,” Ethan said. “I’ve lived all my life in cities. Edinburgh, Scotland, is where I grew up. A country night, I’ve never had.”

“Then you’ll have to make a visit to our Montana ranch sometime if you want to see all the stars,” Griffin offered. “You too, Phoenix. Montana is closer to heaven than Texas is.”

“Don’t go knocking Texas, friend,” Phoenix said as he chuckled. “But thanks for the invite. I’d like to come see your ranch.”

The cab pulled up, and the three went to it. “This is where we start our bet, men,” Ethan told the other two.

“Flannigan’s Pub, please,” Griffin called out to the driver.

“Flannigan’s it is,” the driver said, then pulled away from the curb.

Though seasoned in the ways of love, each man felt a bit nervous as he rode to the pub where he’d try his hand at beating the other two men to the bedroom with the woman chosen for him.

Though only a Thursday night, they found the pub’s parking lot packed. “Glad we took a taxi,” Phoenix said as they got out of the cab.

Ethan walked ahead of the other two and opened the heavy wooden door. “Authentic,” he muttered as he let the other two walk in before him.

Dim light lit the pub. The smell of fried foods and alcohol filled the air, combining with the many perfumes and colognes the people in the crowded place were wearing.

A young woman wearing a T-shirt with the pub’s name on the right pocket, blue jeans, tennis shoes, and a black apron came to them. Her smile was bright, and her doe-like brown eyes were sparkly as she greeted them.

“Hi, welcome to Flannigan’s. Are we drinking, or eating and drinking this fine evening, gentlemen?”

“Both,” Ethan answered for them.

“Fancy a table or a booth?” she asked as she turned around to grab some menus.

“Table,” Griffin called out, so he could be heard over the noisy crowd.

With a nod, she led them away, seating them at a table for four.

With the menus placed in front of them, she asked, “What can I get you fellas to drink?”

“Pints,” Ethan said. “For all of us. Run a tab. It’s on me tonight.”

“Generous,” she said, then left the men to go get their drinks.

They scanned the room, searching for the women they’d like for themselves while also keeping in mind who they were to pick for.

There were short, tall, skinny, and chubby women of all kinds and hair colors. A buffet of beauties to choose from. It wouldn’t be easy to narrow it down to one each.

“Wow, we have some fine choices here tonight. You picked the right place, Phoenix,” Griffin said, then high-fived him.

“I sure did. I can’t pick any one of them out as the best,” Phoenix agreed.

“But you must,” Ethan reminded him. “Don’t forget our personal preferences either.”

Phoenix nodded as the tall mugs full of dark beer arrived. “Guinness, huh?” Griffin asked the waitress, who was a different young woman than the one who had seated them.

“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” she asked.

“It is, darlin’, and can we have some hot wings to go with them?” Ethan asked her.

“Sure. Really hot or kind of hot?” the waitress asked them as she placed the frothy mugs in front of each one of them.

“Kind of,” Griffin said. “We don’t want dragon breath now, do we?”

She nodded. “I’ll make sure there’s some celery to cleanse your palates, gentlemen. And blue cheese with them?”

Phoenix nodded, then added, “And how about some shots of Fireball too?”

“Will do,” she told him, then went away to turn in their order.

The atmosphere was electric. Energy filled the space around them.

“It’s like Julia’s here,” Griffin said.

The others nodded in agreement. Their sexual mentor seemed to be leading them, and with her help, one would win the bet. Of that they were all positive.

Chapter 4

Tendrils of steam came off the piping hot platter of hot wings the waitress brought to the table for the three men who were actively ogling the pub’s female patrons.

“Can I get you gentlemen anything else?” the waitress asked.

“Do you happen to know if that young lady over there is unattached?” Ethan asked about a young curvy redhead who was laughing as she talked to a couple of other women. With her hand on her hip and her lips pursed to one side, she gave off an air of no-nonsense while still being incredibly sexy.

The waitress followed his gaze, finding a woman she did know. She knew her very well and wondered if she should divulge any information about her or not. When she looked at Ethan, she saw him cutting his eyes to look back at her. Taking a chance that the man wasn’t a complete jerk, she said, “She’s available. Her name’s Caitlyn. She goes by Cait, though.”

“Cool. Can you send her a Rob Roy from this gent here?” Ethan asked as he gestured to Phoenix. “He’s the interested party.”

The waitress changed her attention to the tall, handsome man with dark hair that was long and hanging free in a silky sheet that went to the middle of his back. A smile crept over her face, as she was sure Cait would like the man. “I’ll get that to her. And can I tell her your name, sir?”

“Tell her Phoenix Nelson sent her the drink,” Phoenix said.

A nod had her leaving to fulfill the drink order as Griffin leaned in to whisper, “And I’ve found your woman, Ethan.”

“Which one is she?” Ethan asked with excitement.

“Not yet. You have to wait until the waitress comes back for me to give her the drink order.” Griffin chuckled and sat back.

Phoenix was still looking for just the right woman for Griffin, and when his eyes roamed past the bar, he found the one he thought would be perfect. She was a young-looking woman, lithe, dark blonde, long hair, tall, the way Griffin had described his type of female.

“And I’ve chosen yours, Griffin.”

“Great!” Griffin remarked as he looked around to try to find who Phoenix might’ve chosen.

The men watched as their waitress took the drink to the redhead for Phoenix. His eyes were trained on the woman. She was gorgeous. Wearing a tight white V-necked shirt that the tops of her ample breasts spilled out of and a pair of tight black jeans that showed off her rounded ass, she was a vision of sexiness and Phoenix had a good feeling about her.

When the woman looked his way and waved at him as she smiled and mouthed, “Thank you,” he smiled back and lifted his mug of beer in a toast from across the room. She raised her glass too, and they each took a sip. Then her eyes moved on from his as she went back to talking to her girlfriends.

“I like her, Ethan,” Phoenix said as he kept his eyes on the woman. “You picked a great one for me.”

The waitress came back to the table holding a short, fat glass. “Cait said to give you this, Phoenix.” She placed the glass in front of him.

“What is it?” he asked before taking a sip.

“It’s called a Superman. It’s a fruity drink.” She waited for him to take a sip and watched a smile form on his lips.

“Yum,” Phoenix said. “Tell her I said thank you and that if she were any sweeter, I’d have to make jam out of her.” It was one of the dreadful lines Julia used to use, a thing the men had made a rule about using to reel in their catch.

With a short burst of laughter, the waitress said, “K, anything else?”

Phoenix gave her a nod. “That woman by the bar. Is she free?”

“Jess?” she asked as she trained her eyes to see where his were set. “Yeah, she’s free.”

“Send her a Rob Roy and tell her it’s from Griffin Houser,” Phoenix told the waitress as he pointed to Griffin.

Griffin smiled at the waitress, who looked him over. “Tell her that if she was any prettier, they’d have to lock her up.”

“Sure,” the waitress said as she rolled her eyes.

Griffin added, “And that woman over there. The one who’s talking to the older woman. Is she unattached?”

“That’s Kellie. They call her Kel,” the waitress informed him. “She’s been broken up with a man she almost married for about a year. She’s free as a bird, but also not looking for anything or anyone at the moment. You sure you wanna go there?”

Being that the woman was for Ethan, he leaned forward and said, “Oh, yes. I want to go there. Send her a Rob Roy and tell her that her knight in shining armor, Ethan Southern, has come to rescue his damsel in distress.”

“Oh my God. You guys have got to be kidding, right?” the waitress asked as she shook her head. “These lines are terrible. Let me tell her something that might actually work in your favor.”

Ethan placed a hundred-dollar bill in her hand. “Tell the girls exactly what we asked you too and your tips won’t stop coming.”

“Sure thing,” she said, then sashayed away to get the drinks and toss out the stupid pickup lines the men had come up with. “Fools,” she mumbled to herself. The men had no idea who they’d all chosen to hit on. In her opinion, none of them would be seeing any action that night, if that’s what they were thinking.

Making her way to Jess, she placed the drink in front of her, making Jess look at her with confusion. “You know I only drink beer, Bonnie.”

“I know that,” the waitress said, then pointed out the tall, handsome man who’d sent the drink. “Do you see that guy there?”

Jess looked in the direction Bonnie’s finger was pointing and smiled. “Damn! He’s hot as hell, Bonnie. You sure he meant that to come to me?”

“He did, and it comes with a message. He said to let you know that if you were any prettier, they’d have to lock you up. Oh, yeah! And his name’s Griff.”

Jess laughed and waved at the man who was staring her down. “What a moron. Tell him that if he was any hotter, I’d have to call the fire department. And take him this nasty drink and let him know I’m a beer drinker.”

Bonnie took the Rob Roy with her as she made her way to the man who’d sent it. He wasn’t smiling when she got to him. “She doesn’t want it?” Griffin asked.

“She said to tell you that if you were any hotter, she’d have to call the fire department. Plus, she told me to let you know she’s a beer drinker and nothing else.”

“Then get her a beer. Whatever kind’s her favorite,” Griffin said. “And tell her Griff said he likes her sense of humor.”

“K, I’ll let her know that,” Bonnie said, then hurried off to take care of the orders. She was beginning to feel like a go-between for the men in their efforts to gain female companionship for the night.

She took the Rob Roy to Kel, who was chatting it up with Miss Foster, the high school librarian. Kel’s eyes narrowed as Bonnie placed the cocktail glass of pinkish purple liquid in front of her.

“What the hell is this about, Bonnie?”

“Do you see that Scottish stud giving you the eye, Kel?” Bonnie asked her.

“Yes, I see the dim-witted man. And why would you let him believe I wanted anything from him?” Kel asked as she turned her dark blue eyes back to her cousin.

“I told him the drink wouldn’t gain him anything with you, Kel. But he insisted. And he said to tell you that he’s your knight in shining armor or some shit like that. Anyway, his name’s Ethan Southern, and he gave me a hundred to get this to you. He and his friends seem to have a thing for the Flannigan sisters this evening.”

“You don’t say,” Kel said with a grin that was somewhat evil in nature. “Who’s botherin’ my sisters?”

“Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome is asking after Cait, and the one with blond curls is after Jess.” Bonnie sighed as she looked at the three hunky men who were trying to act as if they weren’t looking at the women they’d set their sights on for the evening.

“And I got the man with amber waves that hang to his shoulders that are as broad as any I’ve ever seen. A beast, I’m sure.” Kel sipped the drink and held up her hand in a motionless wave to let the man know she’d accept his drink, as it was her family’s bar and they needed every dollar they could get.

“I’m sure he’s a sweetheart,” Bonnie said, then giggled. “They’re all winners, cousin. You should give the man a chance.”

“And you should get your ass back to work before I send you home for this mischief you’ve managed to get us into,” Kellie said as she gave her cousin one arched eyebrow.

“I’ll get back at it. But I didn’t have a thing to do with who the men picked to pester this evening. They did that all on their own. Just so you know.”

Kel’s eyes settled on the man who’d so boldly called himself her knight in shining armor. As if she needed one. The nerve of him!

Chapter 5

Jess got up to go to the bathroom and found the cute guy with a bevy of blond curls that went to his shoulders was wiggling his finger at her. She couldn’t help but smile at the man who was giving her a sexy grin.

Step by step, she made her way to him. “Thanks for the drink, Griff. It is Griff, right?” Her words were laced with an Irish accent.

“It is. My full name is Griffin Houser. I’m from Montana, here on some unofficial business. And your name is Jess,” he said as he gazed into her icy emerald eyes. His favorite color. “And I bet you’re fresh from Ireland.”

“You’d lose that bet if you made it. I was born here. My siblings were born in Dublin, though. We summer there each year. Our accents come from our parents. Theirs are truly awful.” Her hand moved to rest on her hip as she said, “Jessica is my full name. But everyone calls me Jess. So, thanks again for the beer. It was nice meeting you. Bye.” With that, she turned and walked away, slightly shaking her rounded bottom, making Griffin drool a little.

He was met with a napkin that Ethan held to his chin. “Watch out, lover boy.”

“She’s hot!” was all Griffin could say.

“Go after her, stud,” Phoenix said as he caught Cait’s eyes. “I’m reeling mine in next.” With a wiggle of his finger, he found the adorable redhead getting up and coming his way as Griff vacated his chair, going after Jess.

Phoenix patted the empty seat near him. “Have a seat, gorgeous.”

Cait gave him a smile and took the seat. “So. Did you like the Superman I sent you?” Her Irish accent was obvious.

He nodded. “What did you think of the Rob Roy I sent you, Cait?”

“It was sweet in more than one way,” she said as she found herself falling into the dark depths of his milk-chocolate-colored eyes. “You have a distinctive look, Phoenix.”

He scooted his chair closer and leaned in close to whisper, “I have a lot of distinctive features. I’d love to show you them all.”

A giggle erupted from her, and she found herself blushing, a thing it was hard for anyone to get her to do. Cait was a woman who wasn’t easily impressed. But the man in front of her was the most impressive man she’d ever seen in her life.

“You’re probably a man I should run away from. Sure to be a heartbreaker.”

“Nah, I could never break your heart, Caity-cat.” He ran one finger along her collarbone, making chills flow through her.

“Where’re you from?” she asked him as she found herself allowing him to touch her—and she never allowed such a thing.

“Texas. A little city called Corpus Christi. But I have some land in a little place called Karnes County too.” He leaned in even closer, taking in a sniff of her perfume. “Is that cloves I’m smelling?”

“It might be. It’s a new perfume my mom gave me for my birthday last week.” Cait moved back a little as he was so close and the heat between them was growing intense.

“Birthday?” he asked as he closed the distance between them again, feeling the connection that was forming quickly. “And how old is my Caity-cat?”

“I’m twenty-three,” she answered. “And you are?”

He moved his fingers up the side of her neck as he said, “Thirty-five. I love the dark shade of auburn your hair is. It’s amazing.”

“Thanks. I get that a lot.” She settled back in her chair, making his hand leave her neck as it was making her want to kiss the man she’d barely met.

“I bet you do.” Phoenix wasted no time touching her again as he ran his finger across the bridge of her nose. His eyes went from her pale green eyes to the freckles on her nose and upper cheeks. “The dusting of light freckles is adorable. You’re utterly adorable. How’ve you not been snatched up yet?”

“Maybe because I’m not looking to get snatched up. I’m busy with work and college. I go to MIT. I’m majoring in food engineering. You’ll probably think a lot differently of me when I tell you this part. I’m into making meals out of insects.”

“Nope, I still find you fascinating,” he said, then let his finger move over her plump red lips. “So, a few bugs have passed through those lips, huh?”

“A few,” she said as she fought not to suck his finger into her mouth, which was watering for the inexplicable man.

The sound of her sister’s voice broke the spell she was under as Phoenix held her eyes with his. “Cait! What the hell are you doing?”

Cait looked away from Phoenix, finding her older sister standing with her hand on her hip, glaring at her. “What? This is Phoenix, by the way, Miss Rude. Phoenix, this is Kellie. A nosy person.”

“Nice to meet you, Kellie,” Phoenix said as he sat back a bit with the arrival of the protective woman.

Relieved to hear another Irish accent for him too, Ethan watered at the mouth. “Leave them be, gorgeous,” Ethan said as he got up, taking Kellie’s hand and leading her to the bar. “I gestured for you to come over here for a very different reason than for you to come and chastise my friend’s new acquaintance.”

Kellie looked over her shoulder, giving her younger sister the eye that told her not to go too far with the man no one knew a thing about. Then she turned her attention to the handsome Scot who towered over her. “I can tell you now, Ethan Southern; there will be nothing that you think might happen that will happen. Not with me.”

“Aww, come on,” he said as he let her hand go and ran his arm around her narrow waist. “I don’t want a thing more than to hear your sweet voice as you tell me all about yourself and what makes a darling woman like yourself tick.”

“Please,” came her sarcastic reply. “I’m no fool, Mr. Southern. Your accent won’t sweep me off my feet. I’m Irish. I’ve heard plenty of accents like yours. So, what has you in our small town?”

He took a seat at the bar and lifted her up to sit on the stool next to his, facing him. She was tiny—just the right size for him. Her hair was shoulder length, straightened, showing off the caramel highlights in her light blonde hair. The blue of her eyes was so dark, he could swear he’d never seen that exact shade before.

“First, call me Ethan. Mr. Southern is my father. And I don’t expect my voice, no matter how smooth and charming it might be, to sweep you off your dainty feet, my dear, Kel.” He placed his hands on her upper thighs, making her eyes grow large.

“Now you need to understand this about me,” she said as she moved his hands. “While I’m interested in talking to you, Ethan, that’s all I’m interested in. So keep your hands to yourself, or I’ll be forced to leave your company.”

“Noted,” he said with a sly grin. “So the basics, then. How old are you; what do you do with your time; and how long do you think you need to know someone before you tell them you love them?”

She laughed with his obvious joke, then answered, “I’m 25. An old 25 I’ve been told. An ancient soul, if you will. I’m in my last semester of business technology at MIT in Cambridge. And I work when I’m not in classes. And you?”

“Well, first let me say that I think there should be no particular length of time before two people exchange I love yous. That said, I’m 32 and a salesman for Red Head Scotch. And I’d also like to say that I think you’re gorgeous and you and I would make lovely children together. I mean that.”

Kel couldn’t help but laugh at the way the man talked. He was charismatic; she had to give him that. “Tell me. Do these lines usually get you what you’re looking for from women?”

“Every single time, my love,” he said, then picked up her hand and kissed the top of it. “Now, tell me. What it is you do for fun?”

“I don’t have time for fun, if you must know. This evening is a rarity for me. A night off work and no homework for the weekend have allowed me to come out, but that usually doesn’t happen.”

“So you’re a hermit,” he said with a deep chuckle that made his wide chest jiggle, taking Kel’s attention. He was a monster of a man.

“I wouldn’t say a hermit. I am inside of one building or another most times, though. And home the rest of the time. But it’s not self-imposed as much as it’s necessary to get me to where I want to be.”

Griffin walking behind Jess to what looked like the exit, had Ethan looking over Kel’s head. He stopped breathing until he saw the two take a seat at a small table for two instead of heading out.

Jess was wondering what the hell the totally cool dude was coming on to her for. She was about as cultured as an alley cat. “So you’re from Montana and a salesman for a cattle company?”

“Yes. And what do you do?” he asked her as he couldn’t take his eyes off the emerald pools hers were.

“I go to college in Amherst at the University of Massachusetts. I’m studying animal biology.” She glanced to the side of him as one of her old boyfriends from high school came through the door, smiling at her. She shook her head to let him know she was busy and he took the hint when he looked at the man she was sitting with.

“How old are you, Jess?” Griff asked, then waved at the waitress, gesturing for two more beers.

“I turned 21 last month. And you?” she asked and took the beer that was placed in front of her. “Thanks, Bonnie.”

“I’m 30,” Griff said, then took a drink.

When she looked kind of freaked out by his age, he frowned as she said, “Damn!”

“It’s no big deal,” he argued.

“For you, maybe. For me … well, damn!” She took another drink of the beer then set the mug down on the small round table that had more than a few names chiseled into its dark surface. Then she reminded herself that the man who sat across from her wasn’t going to be in town for long, so she shouldn’t be worried about their age difference. It wasn’t like he was asking her to marry him or anything. “Yeah, it’s not a big deal, Griff. Sorry for overreacting about that.”

He nodded and felt the tiniest bit of relief. “So how about that? We both are in fields where animals are involved. That’s kind of cool, huh?”

“I guess so. What is it you do with the cattle?” she asked him as she noticed his eyes were a mixture of greens and blues with touches of browns in them too. “You have really cool eyes, Griff. They’re kind of freaking awesome, you know?”

“Thanks,” he said, then reached out to stroke her cheek. “Your eyes happen to be my favorite color. You’re a real knockout, baby.”

“So are you, if we’re telling the truth here,” she said, then found herself sighing as his touch was kind of melting her heart a bit.

Everyone was getting along so well; the men were pretty pumped about their chances to score. A little more time and they’d have the women right where they wanted them.

On the way to a no-tell motel!

Chapter 6

Finding all their women retreating to the bathroom at the same time, the men took advantage of being left alone and congregated at the bar to learn how each was doing. They all took seats, and the bartender asked if they wanted anything to drink, to which all told him, no.

“We’re getting close to the wire here boys,” Ethan said. The bartender turned to leave them alone. “I think I nearly have Kel right where I want her.” The bartender stopped and found a spot on the bar that urgently needed to be cleaned. Plus, he could listen in on the conversation that involved his cousins.

“Jess is putty in my hands. I’m sure to win this bet, my friends,” Griffin boasted.

“Cait’s been taking me with her eyes for the last hour,” Phoenix said. “I got this one in the bag. Hang it up, guys. I’ll have her screwed in the cab.”

The bartender’s ears were on fire. Were they talking about some kind of bet they’d made about screwing his cousins?

“That Kel is a feisty one, but I can see it in her eyes. One more drink and she’ll be coming with me wherever I tell her to,” Ethan added. “Get ready to pay up, men. I think I know when a woman is into me, and Kel is into me bigtime!”

“First one to get the deed done has to post the time on the others’ phones with a text,” Phoenix said. “It’s obvious we’re all going to get some tail tonight. But it’s who gets it first that matters. So the plan is set, and all we have to do is see who gets their girl to give it up first.”

The bartender hurried away to let his cousins know what the men had planned for them. He was pretty sure not one of them really was going to be going home with any of those men anyway. They were good girls, after all. But he felt compelled to let them know about the bet.

Slipping into the ladies’ room where he’d seen them go, he covered his eyes and called out, “Kel, Cait, and Jess Flannigan, are you all still in here?”

“What the hell are you doing in here, Marty?” Kel shouted at him.

“I have news you three need to know,” he told her.

“Let’s go to the back office,” Kel said as she grabbed their cousin by the arm, tugging him with her as they all left the ladies’ restroom. “You can uncover your eyes now, Marty.”

He pulled his hand away from his eyes and looked Kel in hers as they went into the small back office where no one was. “Those men you three girls are talking to have a bet. A terrible bet.”

“About what?” Jess asked as she leaned on the old desk that was dusty from no use. She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting to hear what her cousin had to say.

“About sex and you three and who can get who to give it to him first,” he said quickly.

All three women’s jaws dropped. Kel went red in the face. Cait went pink, and Jess went pale as she whispered, “No. Griff seems so sweet!”

“Mine too,” Cait said with an air of disbelief. “Phoenix seemed so genuine. So real. And he didn’t say a thing about wanting that from me.”

“They all think they have you all in the bag. It’s not a matter of who will get laid; it’s a matter of who will get laid first. They’re all that confident that you three will be giving them what they all want. And it’s all to win a stupid bet.” Marty gave them all nods of his head as he shook his finger at them. “You three must’ve been putting out some signs that you’d be picking up what they were putting down. If you get my drift?”

“I was more flirty than usual,” Cait said. “But only because Phoenix looks like a demigod from a time long ago when people rode around shirtless on the backs of wild stallions in the middle of tall grass the color of sand.”

“Dear Lord,” Kel said as she rolled her eyes. “You’ve been sniffing the glue again, haven’t ya, Cait?”

With a slap to her sister’s arm, Cait retorted, “I was five. Will you ever let me forget that?”

“For the love of all that’s holy. Ethan looks like a Viking king. And I was falling for his bullshit because of it,” Kel said. “Well, I should’ve known better. No man with those fantastic looks and that build who tells a woman he could really take charge of her if he so desired is looking for a girl like me. What a fool I feel like!”

Jess mumbled, “Griff’s the cowboy I never knew I wanted. He’s the Marlboro man mixed with Brad Pitt from that movie where he cut off a bear’s finger and wore it around his neck. So perfectly, wonderful, kind, sweet.”

“And full of shit!” Kel shouted. “We have to get even with the bastards. I say we all act as if we’re set on going to some filthy motels with them all, then pull a fast one on them. Are you with me, girls?”

Jess held her hand out, then Cait put hers on top, and Kel placed hers on top of theirs. “These men like to play games, sisters. They have no idea who they’ve chosen to play them with, have they?”

“They have not!” Cait chimed in.

“We’re going to make them cry like little bitches!” Jess added, earning herself frowns from her older sisters.

“Cry?” Kel asked. “Why do you always have to take it to that level? We’re not going to hurt them. I doubt the heartless asses could even be hurt. We’re merely going to screw with their libidos and leave them with balls as blue as Neptune’s hair. That’s what we’re going to do. It’ll be fun.”

“You’re a scoundrel when you want to be, Kel,” Cait told her. “I’m with you. We have to make out hardcore to get them to believe we’re all in. Then, BAM! We’ll disappear. I love it!”

“Me too,” Jess agreed. “At least I’ll get to see what it’s like to kiss Griff before I have to annihilate him.”

“But remember,” Kel cautioned them all. “Don’t get too into it. We can’t let any one of them win this awful bet they have going. No matter what. It’s our pride at stake.”

“The dreaded Flannigan pride,” Cait said. “Oh, to lose that would be a shame, wouldn’t it now?”

Cait was the wildcard. Both Jess and Kel knew that. “I’ll make sure to keep an eye on her,” Kel told Jess. “And you try to do that too. If we have to wrestle her out the back door, then we will. None of us will go down.”

“I’m with you, sis,” Jess said, then eyed Cait. “Keep your wits about you, Cait. This will spread through town like wildfire if any of us gives into these rats. And you’re not over the scandal of getting caught with Richard Dupree, kissing in the back of the school bus when you were in middle school.”

“Shut up!” Cait shouted. “Is there a thing I do that doesn’t get written into the Ashby history books? Come on. I’m not going to give into Phoenix. Even though I want to. I want to so badly. But I too have Flannigan pride coursing through my blood that’s as red as any of yours is!”

“Good!” Kel said. “Then let’s get to pretending the same way these lotharios are.”

The three followed Marty out of the office and waited to let him get back to the bar, where they saw their men talking and laughing as if they were so smart and funny and about to pull one over on them all.

Their blood began to boil as they watched the men clink their refilled beer mugs that Marty had filled for them. A toast was made, but they couldn’t hear the words they’d said. It was obvious it was about bedding them and how easy it was going to be to get into their pants.

Even Cait began to get pissed instead of horny for the hot guy who wanted to use her then dump her off like a bag of trash. She’d teach Phoenix Nelson what it meant to want someone so bad and then get blown out of the water when it didn’t happen.

Jess watched the golden curls bounce around Griffin’s wide shoulders. Shoulders she knew she’d love to run her hands over, then hang onto his huge biceps as he pummeled her into a mattress. But he’d get none of that sweet action now that he was found out to be a gambling monster who liked to use women for his sinister habit.

It was Kel who was feeling the worst pain. It was she who had been left fragile when her fiancé of two years suddenly changed his mind and moved away to New York where he married a tall runway model only a couple of months after breaking up with her and taking her one karat diamond engagement ring away from her.

Kelli Flannigan stood there watching Ethan Southern, the one man she’d given the smidgeon of a chance to in the last year, as he laughed it up with his cohorts. His olive-green eyes had danced when he spoke to her, making her think he was being truthful.

He’d gone so far as to ask her about love and kids for the love of Heaven. How could he have done such a cruel thing? How could he have said they’d have beautiful children?

Kel was about to kiss a man for the first time since her devastating breakup with Robert Finnegan. More than a year had passed since her lips had felt another’s. Could she handle it? Could she stop herself from giving in to the man she thought her body would fit like a glove?

With a deep sigh, she admitted to her sisters, “Joking aside, girls. If you see me looking at that man with stars in my eyes, grab me up and take me away from him. He could be my one weakness. He’s so completely what I’ve always wanted in a man. He’s a real man. Or so I thought he was, anyway. Just don’t let me fall for him and his pile of shit. Please. I don’t think I could take losing him if I ever fell all the way in.”

“Not to worry, sis,” Jess said, then put her arm around her oldest sister, knowing all too well the mentally fragile state she was in. After her fiancé dumped her unexpectedly, Jess had held Kellie that first week each night as Kel cried herself to sleep.

The three had each other’s backs, and the men had no idea what was in store for them.

“Let the games begin,” Kel said, then the three put on smiles and made their way to their men.

Chapter 7

The lights were dimmed as the women who now knew the men who’d been hitting on them had more going on than any of them had previously thought. Kel led the way as the three went to their men. She slid her arm around Ethan’s shoulders as she came up behind him as he sat at the bar with his two friends.

He turned to find her face close to his. “Welcome back, Kel. I’ve missed ya.”

“Have you now?” she asked in a husky whisper. “We can’t have that. How about you and I retreat to a table in the back?” She nudged his shoulder with her chin. “I’d like to get to know more about you, Ethan Southern.”

He felt a surge of heat move through him, ending with a solid thump in his jeans. “We can do that, my love.”

Kel fought the urge to slap the crap out of him as he used such a sweet term of endearment. With what he wanted, it was a crime to use such niceties with her. She took his hand and led him away from the bar and his no-good friends. Her sisters would take care of those rogues.

Cait wrapped her arms around Phoenix as she approached him from behind. He groaned a bit with her soft touch. Her lips pressed against his neck just below his left ear. “Wanna go hide in a corner booth and talk?”

He didn’t want to talk anymore. But he said, “Sure.” As he stood up, he placed his hand on the small of her back, steering her to one of the darker corners of the pub.

Jess was young and inexperienced at such blatant sexual approaches. She had to rely on being cute when she got to Griffin. She moved up next to him and placed her clasped hands on the bar in front of her. “I guess that just leaves the two of us to figure out how to spend our time while our friends make out.”

Griff cleared his throat as he looked the tall, dark blonde young lady up and down. “I think I can entertain you, Jess.” He got off the barstool and took her hand in his, leading her off to another remote area of the pub where no one would see them.

Jess was nervous. She’d never done such a thing as lead a man to think they’d get more than what they’d be getting. But she was furious that she had been chosen to be a part of the men’s sordid bet. Trying to hold her temper was a thing she found hard to do. But she’d figure out how to do it. She wanted Griff to hurt when she disappeared on him. The same way he had planned on screwing her then disappearing.

The ladies all had their men right where they wanted them. And the men thought they had their women where they wanted them. Completely unaware that they were the ones being played, the guys made jackasses of themselves as they dug themselves further into the murky depths of their deceptions.

Ethan was pleasantly surprised to find Kel had gotten over her aversion to their touching each other. Her hands were all over him. Moving over his shoulders and down his strong arms, she turned to face him in the booth. “You work out, don’t you?”

“I do,” he said, then leaned in to kiss her cheek. “And you seem like you do some exercising yourself.”

“No, I work a lot. I’m on my feet, moving around more than most,” she said, then turned her face to catch his lips, which lingered near hers. She had to keep telling herself that it was all fake.

So what if his lips felt like liquid heat as they pressed against hers? Who cared if he knew how to ease his tongue past her lips and into her mouth with a confidence she’d never experienced before?

Her head was going light with his kiss. It was soft, yet demanding. His tongue ran around hers with a slow twist that had her inner recesses pulsing with pleasure. The man knew his way around a woman’s mouth, she thought. Kel was sure he’d kissed more than his fair share of women in his time. She had to remind herself that the man she was kissing was a cad. A man who’d bet his friends he could get her into bed, or wherever he planned on trying to get into her pants before either of his friends could get her sisters into their beds.

The thought had her getting mad, and she found her nails biting into his massive biceps. He took it to mean she was getting more passionate and leaned her back onto the red, fake leather-covered booth chair. His body felt so damn right as he pressed his to hers.

Ethan had to admit that Kel was a fantastic kisser. He couldn’t recall a woman ever feeling so right in his arms. She tasted like spearmint, smelled like wildflowers, and felt like heaven. He pulled his mouth from hers and whispered, “Kel, I dare say, you kiss like an angel.”

She narrowed her eyes at him with a harsh glare that had him worried for a moment. Then the glare turned into a sweet smile. “And you kiss like Satan, Ethan. Perhaps I could lend you some of my good, and you could show me some of your evil?”

He growled with lust for the beautiful woman, then he had to kiss her again. She was spectacular. Their breaths mingled as they kissed and ran their hands all over the other, touching only the appropriate areas so far. But Ethan’s temptation was getting the best of him. His palms ached to cup her plump breasts. But he didn’t dare move too fast. After all, what he wanted was a thing he didn’t think she’d easily give up. He wouldn’t make his move until he had her panting and begging him to give her what he could tell she needed.

Kel laughed inside her head. Ethan wouldn’t be getting what he needed from her!

Phoenix was feeling more need for Cait than he’d anticipated. She was like a force of sexual prowess as they kissed and pressed their bodies together as close as they could while still having clothes on. Her hands persistently cupped his manhood then moved away, making him hard as a rock.

When she moved her mouth to kiss his neck, he groaned, “My God, woman. What you do to me.”

Cait was more than proud to hear him say those words. She’d tried hard to make him ache for her. And he’d hurt a lot worse when she left his ass alone for the night.

No, Phoenix Nelson would not be getting into her panties!

But she cooed into his ear, “What I want you to do to me is almost illegal, Phoenix. Tell me. Do you have a problem tying me up if I ask you to?” She bit his neck, making him moan.

He took a handful of her deep auburn hair and yanked it back, making her moan too. As he looked into the ocean green of her eyes, he said, “You like it rough, Caity-cat?”

“Let’s just say I can’t wait for you to go savage on me,” she said with a sly grin.

His cock pulsed against her where she was grinding on him. It made her ache to feel him inside her. But she’d deny herself that pleasure. She wasn’t keen on being a part of a bet, after all.

Jess was finding herself falling into Griffin’s arms far too quickly. The way he softly moved his hands over her arms and shoulders told her he could be that guy. The one she’d been dreaming about. The man who knew how to handle her the way she craved. Gentle touches were a thing she’d never experienced. Her boyfriends had all been young and gropy.

When his mouth left hers, leaving her lips pulsing from the kiss he’d given her, she found herself nearly lost in his hazel eyes. The color had gone stormy, and she could see how much he wanted her. “Griff, will you be keeping in touch with me after this night?” she found herself asking.

When he took in a deep breath, it reminded her that she was just part of a bet he’d made and nothing more than that. What he was doing was all an act to get her into bed. When his lips moved, she watched them as the words came out of his mouth, “I don’t think I want a day to go by without hearing your voice, Jess. That’s the God’s honest truth.”

He moved back in for another kiss, and Jess felt like he might be telling the truth. Frustration and fear filled her as she went voracious on him, kissing him with a vengeance she hadn’t known she had in her.

Why did he have to be using her?

Chapter 8

Kellie Flannigan hadn’t been kissed in over a year. Her entire body was quaking to be had by the man who was set on using her to win a bet. Her thoughts went to the dark side for a while as he made her moan and groan with his touch and his talented mouth.

What else could he do with that tongue? she wondered.

What would it really hurt to let him do to her what he wanted to? She needed sex, didn’t she? It had been a long time. Who would blame her for giving into the man?

He was an Adonis with a knack for love-making; Kel could tell. So what if he was going to love her and leave her?

His mouth left hers, trailing kisses up her neck. Then he whispered in her ear, “You feel like home to me, kitten.”

The Irish anger ran through her, making her head take over where her libido was letting her down.

He was a liar!

Kel decided to see just how far the man would go to get what he wanted from her. “Home, Ethan?” she murmured as she ran her legs around him and arched her body up to his. “Tell me about home.”

His teeth grazed her neck then he said, “Home, my love. You’re making a home for you inside my heart.”

Fury filled her, but she kept that under wraps as she said, “Your heart, Ethan? So soon?”

When he pulled his hot mouth off her neck to look into her eyes, she hated the fact that he could seem so damn sincere as he said, “My heart is pounding like it never has before. You’re bringing out more in me than anyone ever has. Can’t you feel the sparks that are shooting between us?”

She could feel that too. Only she was pretty sure hers were coming from a lack of sex in the last year. “I do feel them, Ethan. My sweet knight in shining armor.” Kel took his handsome face between her hands and pulled him in for another kiss.

It wasn’t in her nature to be such a liar. She was already feeling somewhat remorseful for what she was doing to the guy. As she let her body move the way it wanted to, she kept her head straight. Well, she tried to, anyway. Now and then as his kiss and touch took over, she’d lose her thoughts about how Ethan was a man who was using her to win a stupid bet. But she’d regain her sense soon after.

Kellie Flannigan would never be hurt the same way again!

It occurred to her to give Ethan a shot at being a decent human being. She pulled her mouth away from his as she looked intensely into his eyes. “Ethan, you should know that I’ve been alone for a little over a year. My fiancé of two years left me suddenly. He told me he wasn’t ready to get married.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Ethan said, and he meant it.

“Then he married another woman in just a matter of months. So, you see, he was ready to get married, just not to me. And the pain I felt and still feel is a thing I’d rather not have. Do you understand me?”

Ethan looked at Kel for a long moment before figuring out what he thought she wanted to hear. “I know your pain, Kel. I do. But you can’t stop living and loving because of what he did to you. If you want to know what I think, I believe he was a damn fool. But honestly, I’m glad he left ya. If he hadn’t, I’d never have been able to taste you like this. And that would’ve been a damn shame.”

Kel couldn’t believe how easily he let those words slip off his forked tongue. The man was a snake.

An evil snake!

Her heart was pounding with anger, but Ethan thought it was desire and passion that had her heart beating so loudly he could hear it. He kissed her again, sure that soon he’d be able to make his move that would win him the bet.

Kel was having a difficult time controlling her temper. She was aggressively raking her nails over his back. Even with his shirt on, she was pretty damn sure she was leaving marks all over him. Then she went one step further, wrenching her mouth away from his, then biting, sucking, and kissing his neck until a beautiful purple mark was left.

Secretly, Kel hoped Ethan had a girlfriend who’d be pissed at him for what he’d done. There would be no hiding the fact he’d been with another woman. And she was happy he’d be in for a fight— if Ethan had a real woman in his life.

Her curiosity was peaked, so she asked, “Can you be honest with me, Ethan?” She ran her hand over his five o’clock shadowed face.

“Sure, my love,” he said as he took her hand and kissed her palm.

“Do you have anyone in your life? You know, a woman?” She searched his eyes for any evidence that he was telling her the truth.

“There’s no woman in my life, Kel. I’m a free man. I can do what I want with whomever I want.” He licked her palm, making her body shiver.

His swollen male appendage pressed against her sweet spot, making it pulse with more want for him than she’d ever had for anyone before. She knew she could have him, if only for one time, but it seemed like it’d be worth it.

“Do you want me?” she asked him.

His eyes sparkled as he answered her. “I do. Do you want me, Kel?”

She smiled a devious smile. “I do. But is this only for one night, Ethan?”

A brief blankness made up his expression, then it swiftly went into a sweet smile. “Not if you want more than that.”

Could she believe him? Could he be telling her the truth? Would he stick around or give her his number?

“Really?” she found herself asking, even though she knew she shouldn’t believe him. But she so wanted to.

Ethan was everything Kel had ever wanted in a man. He was all man and knew how to push her sexual buttons. She loved his body, his smile, his eyes. He spoke in a way she found interesting and enjoyable. He was what seemed to be the complete package.

She wondered whether if things had been different, if there’d been no bet, would Ethan still have sought her out?

He kissed each one of her fingertips as he answered her. “Really, Kel. Tonight doesn’t have to be a one-time thing for you and I.” He meant it too. The bet wasn’t about having sex then leaving the woman. It was just about who got laid first. He could keep things going with Kel if he wanted to.

The fact was, Kel was stirring him in ways no other ever had. Why would he stop seeing her?

The way she gazed into his eyes told him she was a bit worried about what he’d said. He knew she’d been deeply hurt by what her jackass of a fiancé had done to her. He had no wish to hurt her. As a matter of fact, he wanted to get to know the woman he held in his arms. She was the beauty to his beast; that was certain.

“Ethan, how can I trust you?” Kel asked him. “How can I be sure you’re telling me the truth and not just telling me what you think I want to hear?”

He reached into his pocket and took out his cell. “Give me your phone.”

Kel didn’t have her phone with her. It was in her purse, behind the bar. “I don’t have it on me.”

“Tell me what your number is then,” Ethan said and opened up his contact list. He typed in her name and waited for her answer.

“555-677-5599,” she told him, giving him her real phone number.

“Your address?” he asked.

She wasn’t sure about giving him that. He might make his way to her house that night after she ran out on him if he had her address. “Not yet,” she said, stalling him. “Maybe after you call me. Then we’ll see about that.”

“Oh, I’m going to call ya. On that, you can count,” he said, then put his phone back into his pocket. “Can we get back to where we were?”

She nodded and put her arms around his neck and let him kiss her again. Things were proving harder to do than she’d thought they’d be. Ethan was either a fantastic liar, or he was being real with her. Kel wasn’t sure which, but she knew making out with him was a thing she’d remember forever!

Chapter 9

Phoenix couldn’t believe how amazing it felt to kiss Cait. She was sexy, with a touch of sweet, And spicy, with a touch of soothing, making him wonder if he’d be happy with just one night of passion with her.

He was already deciding to take her someplace nice for the night. Phoenix wanted to win the bet by getting her to give into him before the others got their women to. But he also wanted more than a quick tryst with the beautiful lady.

Cait was much prettier than any woman he’d ever been with before. He could see her beauty went all the way down to her soul. She had a spirit about her that he’d never noticed in any other woman before.

It was a bit unnerving to him that he had met her under the odd circumstances. It was also a little crazy that Ethan had picked her out for him. She’d gone overlooked by him when Phoenix was scouting out a woman for Griffin, and he wondered why that was.

Maybe because Cait wasn’t meant for Griffin.

Maybe because Cait was meant for him!

“Have you ever been to Texas, Cait?” he asked her as he ran his hand through her hair.

“No, I have not. Are you inviting me?” she asked him as she moved to straddle him in the chair he was sitting on.

Was he? He had to ask himself. What was he doing? He’d never asked anyone to come to his real home before.

“I am inviting you. Do you like the beach? I live in a beachfront home.” He watched her eyes dance as she trailed her fingertip over his lips.

“A beachfront home, huh? Are you rich, Phoenix?” she asked him.

He wasn’t sure if he should divulge that information. There was the rule about not using money to get your girl into bed. “I have some money. So, what do you say to a visit?”

“I say, I’ll have to see about that. I’d have to save up the money to get there and get back home. That could take me a few weeks. When did you want me to come?”

“Soon,” he said, then pressed his lips to the hollow of her throat. “Very soon.”

“We’ll see how things go,” she moaned as his lips felt so right on her body.

It was a real shame the man was such a pig!

Cait could see a future with the handsome guy. She liked the way she felt being around him. He gave off a great vibe. It seemed out of character for him to have made such a bet.

Maybe it was the bad influence of the other two men, she thought. Perhaps, if she could get him away from them, then he’d be the real Phoenix that she thought he most likely was.

A man who could be trusted. A man she could see herself falling in love with. Not the liar he was being.

Then it occurred to her that he was merely lying to her about his invitation to visit him in Texas to get her to trust him and get her into bed. That wasn’t beyond imagination.

Cait had to admit they seemed to have chemistry, though. Their bodies moved like satin sheets blowing in the breeze on a clothesline, moving with the other, making beautiful waves like one entity.

Why did he have to be making a damn bet with his stupid friends, instead of really being interested in her?

Phoenix kissed his way up her neck, then whispered, “Do you have a favorite hotel in town we could go to for tonight?”

She froze with his question, instantly pissed off. “And what makes you think I’ll be going to a hotel with you, Phoenix?”

Quickly thinking about how to turn his question around, he said, “I didn’t mean for you to come with me. I was just asking about hotels in town for me and my friends to stay in. I hope you didn’t think I intended to hurry you along to be with me, Cait. I would never want you to think I wanted to use you like that.”

Her eyes went wide as he blatantly lied right to her face. “Oh, really?”

It was hard as hell for her to sit on the man’s lap, her crotch against his bulge. “Really,” he said as he pushed her hair behind her ear. “I respect you, Cait.”

She had to close her eyes and take in a breath and hold it so she didn’t come unglued on his ass. Counting to ten in her head had her calming down. He was a man who was using all the tricks in the book to win the bet after all. Just a damn man who was willing to go to the mat for what he wanted. And he wanted her; that was certain.

“You know, Phoenix, I respect you too,” Cait cooed as she leaned forward and put her lips to his ear. “And I’m not as pent up about sex as most women are. I see no reason to keep ourselves from enjoying one another. Do you?” She pulled back to watch his reaction to what she’d said.

His chuckle wasn’t what she had expected. “You’re kind of a back and forth kind of person, aren’t you, Cait? One minute you’re getting angry when you thought I meant to take you to a hotel to have my way with you, then the next minute you’re telling me you have no problem with getting to the physical stuff right away. A complex person is what you are.”

Cait was taken aback by what he’d told her. Had she been that way? She hadn’t even noticed.

“I’m a Gemini, Phoenix. I’ve been told I have two personalities before. Maybe that’s my problem.” She knew her real issue was that she wanted the gorgeous, built man but knew she couldn’t have him. It was leaving her feeling like a pretzel.

Cait knew she wasn’t fragile like her older sister Kel was. She wasn’t young and naïve like her little sister Jess was either. Cait was in the middle of the two. No stranger to love or one-night stands, she took sex with a grain of salt. It wasn’t a huge deal to her.

She didn’t think of herself as a tramp even though some of the more prudish girls in their town might have called her one behind her back on more than one occasion. Cait saw herself as a realist. She liked to feel good. Who didn’t? Sex with the right partner could feel good. So why not enjoy that without having a damn engagement ring on your finger to do it?

The way Phoenix was gazing at her made her wonder about him. He didn’t look the part of the guy who wanted a quick piece of ass to win a bet then get on with his life. He had a look that told her he might just want to hang out a bit too.

“Two Caits,” Phoenix said. “And each one seems fascinating. Tell me what kinds of things you like to do. Do you like French food or Italian? Do you like cats or dogs? I want to know more about you.”

Another solid ploy to get a girl to let her guard down so the guy could swoop in under the radar and make her think he was a good guy who she could trust with her body. Cait was impressed with his expertise, and if her sisters hadn’t been involved in the bet, she’d have given him what he needed to win.

Why not help him win? It wouldn’t hurt her feelings one bit!

But there was fragile Kel and young Jess to consider. Both were in positions where a thing like this would cause damage to their egos and self-respect. No, Cait had to play it up the way they’d all agreed to. Maybe, if Phoenix could ever forgive her for cock-teasing him, he’d ask her out if they ever crossed paths again.

Cait ran her hands through his dark silky hair as she answered his question. “I like dogs. I hate Italian and French. I love Mexican food. How about you?”

The smile that moved over his lips made her heart ache, it was so gorgeous. “I like dogs too and Mexican is also my favorite. When you come to visit me, I’ll take you out to get some authentic Mexican food. This part of the country has no such restaurant. If you think you like what’s available here, you’ll believe that you’re in heaven when you taste real Mexican cuisine.”

“You think?” Cait asked as she yearned to believe the man she was thinking would be the one for her if he hadn’t been into making bad bets about women.

“I know you will. And I have a dog who will love you too. My neighbor’s watching him for me. He’s a black lab named Toby who loves the water. He’ll fetch things for you. We have a blast playing in the surf back home. I can’t wait to introduce you to him.”

Cait was growing angrier and angrier at Phoenix, who was being the guy she wanted and yet he was lying to her.

Why’d she ever have to meet the man she knew would haunt her for the rest of her life?

Chapter 10

Jess was beside herself with the emotions that were running through her. Griffin was too good at what he was doing to her. His kiss was electrifying; his hands left paths of lava on her skin; and he said the sweetest things.

And she couldn’t let herself believe one word he said. He was doing it all to win the damn bet.

Not because he was really attracted to her!

In a vain attempt to see if Griffin could be made to feel even the slightest bit of guilt for trying to get her straight into bed only to win a stupid bet, Jess asked him, “How many brothers and sisters do you have, Griff?”

“I have two younger sisters and one brother,” he answered, then kissed her cheek. “And you?”

“A couple of sisters and one younger brother. So, about your sisters, are they older than I am?” she asked him, hoping to get him to feel some guilt about what he wanted to do to her.

“They’re both older than you, and they’re both married with a couple of kids each.” Griff kissed his way to her lips. Not merely to shut her up, but because he genuinely liked the way she kissed.

Griffin knew Jess was his type of woman. She was funny, beautiful, and smart as hell. When you added in her passion for animals, not necessarily a thing he had but a thing he respected, then she was nearly perfect for him.

Although he wanted to keep seeing Jess after that night, he wasn’t an idiot. He knew if he continued to see her past that night then she’d inevitably find out about the bet. Probably from him, as he was notorious for eventually telling the truth about anything bad he’d ever done.

He’d kicked one of his family’s dogs once when he was a kid. The dog was chasing him as he rode his bike down the long road that led to their ranch house. The dog kept nipping at his ankles, and he kicked it to get it away from him.

The poor dog yelped like he’d really hurt it and limped away, looking sadly back at him. It was then that Griffin realized the dog had thought they were playing together.

No one had seen what he’d done. He didn’t have to admit anything to anyone. But the guilt was piling up on him. Griffin went back to the house and found a steak in the freezer, nuked it in the microwave, and went out to apologize to the dog and offer him a treat.

Like most dogs, he accepted the steak and seemed to forgive Griffin for his transgression. But that wasn’t enough for Griff. No, he went to his father and told him what he’d done. His father chastised him, and that should’ve been enough reprimanding.

Griffin still felt guilt, so he told his mother what he’d done to the dog, and she further guilted him by giving him a good talking to about hurting animals and people.

Griffin knew he’d eventually tell Jess about the bet if they kept on seeing each other. So he knew he couldn’t see her past that night. But Griff wanted the night to be special for her anyway. At least she might look back and see that he did care about her.

“Were you that overprotective big brother?” Jess asked when he eased his kiss.

“Overprotective?” he asked not only her but himself as well. “Nah, I’m not that guy. You’d have to be a hard ass to be like that. A man who doesn’t mind fighting another man over things. I’ve never been in a fistfight. I don’t much care for getting into other people’s business.”

“So if some dude hurt one of your sisters when they were younger, you didn’t give a flying fuck about that?” Jess asked, suddenly pissed off.

Griff could tell he’d sparked something in her he hadn’t intended to and hurried to correct his errant tongue. “I mean, if someone had ever done something wrong to them, then I’d have gotten involved, sure. That never did happen, though. So there was never a need to get all big brother on anyone in their defense.”

“Oh,” she said, looking a little ashamed of jumping to conclusions. “So are you what you’d consider an honorable man, Griff?”

Not really, was what came to his mind but he said something different. “I do consider myself honorable. I do what I say I’ll do. I think that’s more than most men do. Don’t you agree?”

“My father does what he says he’ll do too. I admire that in a person. But what I really am asking you is, do you think you do right by people most of the time?” She watched him for some sign he might have an issue with taking her to his bed just to win a bet.

“Most of the time, yes,” he answered her with a genuine smile on his handsome face.

The dancing blond curls that framed his chiseled features, the straight nearly Roman nose, the perfect teeth, the caramel lips with the lower one slightly plumper than the top one, all came together to give the man a charming look that no female would suspect could be anything but wholesome.

But Jess was lucky because she knew more than he thought she knew. She knew what he was really doing with her. It made her stomach hurt to know he’d keep on going. So she pressed it a bit further as she asked him, “Do you think using another person for sex is a nice thing to do?”

“Um, uh, why’d you ask me that?” he stammered as her question had him wondering if she’d read his mind or something.

Had he inadvertently let her in on the real reason he was wooing her?

“I just want to know what you think about such a thing,” she said with a little pout on her red, kiss-swollen lips.

His light beard had rouged her cheeks, making them glow pink. She was young, so full of that youthful glow he so admired in women. What you got with younger women was a thing you didn’t get with older ones who’d been around the block a time or two. You got trust.

Griffin knew he didn’t deserve trust from Jess. She was right to be asking him the things she did. She was right to trust her intuition about him and what he was after. If he’d been a man who was not in the middle of a bet that he couldn’t get out of, then he’d have stopped it all right then and there.

It was true; he hadn’t picked Jess out on his own. But she was perfect for him. Why in the world did she have to be so great and so intuitive? That would make things so much harder!

Her question had hung in the air longer than it should’ve as he thought about what he should say. It made Jessica worried she’d set him off and she’d lost the chance to get to him and make him sorry he’d ever thought about using her.

She changed her demeanor as she ran her arms around his neck and kissed him instead of waiting for his answer. It didn’t really matter anyway. She was sure he was still set on the course of getting her into bed before the others got her sisters into their beds. She didn’t need to try to get to him. If he’d had an ounce of respect for her, for real, he’d have told her about the dumb bet and told his friends he was out of it.

The fact he hadn’t done that spoke louder than any word that had come out of his mouth. No matter how nice he seemed, Griffin was set on winning the bet at the cost of her pride.

It was odd how her heart felt so heavy over a man she didn’t even know. Jess wondered why in the hell that was. She’d never been seriously in love with anyone before. She had no idea what a broken heart felt like.

So why was what she knew Griffin Houser was up to with her making her feel like her heart was breaking? Why would anything a stranger do make her feel so full of emotion?

Jess had no clue as to why she felt that way. All she knew for sure was that she hoped like hell his heart ached like hers was when he found she’d gone without a word to him.

And she hoped her face would stick in his head for a very long time. She knew she’d be seeing his face in her dreams. He was the best-looking man she’d ever had interested in her. Then she reminded herself that he wasn’t really interested in her at all.

Jess was just a piece of ass to the man, nothing more or less than that. She could’ve been any woman that night. It didn’t matter who; it just mattered how quickly he could get what he was after.

Any female subject would do!

Chapter 11

Kel gave their cousin Marty the thumbs up as she had Ethan in a frenzy of desire and right where she wanted him to be when she ran out on him. The lights went lower, nearly all the way out.

“Time to close the pub, I think, Ethan. Is this where we end the night? Or do you want to get to know each other even better?” she asked him.

“I want you to come with me, Kel. Stay the night with me. I’ll take you somewhere nice,” he said as he kissed her neck. His dick was as hard as a diamond, and Kel was having a hard time not giving into the man. But she had to.

“Call a cab, and I’ll meet you outside,” she said. “I need to make a quick bathroom stop before we go. Girl stuff, you know.”

He grabbed her face and left a hard kiss on her lips, making them pulse even more. “I cannot wait to get you in that backseat. I hope I have the patience to get you to a hotel room before I devour you, my love.”

“Me too,” she said with a giggle. Then she left Ethan and headed to the ladies’ room.

The lights triggered Cait and Jess to make their getaways too. Cait had Phoenix go outside to hail a cab, and Jess sent Griff to get one too. The sisters made their way to the ladies’ room too and peeked around the corner, seeing the men exchange high fives, further pissing them off.

“Assholes,” Cait whispered. “They deserve those blue balls they’ll have to find ice packs for.”

Jess nodded in agreement. She couldn’t talk, as a lump had formed in her throat. She’d held out hope until that very moment that Griffin would do the right thing and let his friends know he was out of the bet they’d made.

Instead of the bathroom, the women went out a back door and got into Kel’s car that was parked in the employee parking lot behind the pub. They went out a back way and down the road to their family’s home. Not one of them felt like talking. The silence hung heavy in the air.

When they got home, Kel realized she’d left her purse at the pub. Her cell was inside of it. “Did either of you give your phone numbers to your guys?” she asked her sisters as they made their way into the large two-story brick home they’d grown up in.

“No,” Cait said. “Why, did you?”

Kel nodded, and Jess shook her head as she said, “That was foolish, Kel. They were only using us all. I think you’re still gullible.”

“Most likely,” Kel said. “I’m glad I left my purse at the pub. I’d probably answer Ethan’s call and sneak out to meet him. I’m such a dumbass.”

Cait wrapped her arm around her older sister. “You’re not a dumbass. You’re just sexually frustrated. You need to get some action, and soon.”

They went into the bedroom they’d shared forever and went to their closets to get out of their clothes and change into their pajamas. Each of them had a small twin-sized bed they crawled under the blankets of and all let out sighs as they lay back in their beds.

“Why do men have to be so shallow?” Jess asked her sisters as if they could possibly answer her question. They both seemed just as heartbroken as she was.

“God made some of them that way, Jess,” Kel answered. “They’re not all that way. Only the ones we know.”

“I think meeting a man at a bar and thinking he can be a good guy is the wrong thing to do,” Cait said. “It’s like going to a snake farm to pick the best pet for you. It’s foolish. They’re all snakes. There’s not a good one in the whole bunch.”

“You’re right,” Jess said. “You know, we’re fools to have even given those dudes a chance in hell. We should make a pact never to date or even consider messing with any man we ever meet in a bar anywhere in the world.”

Cait wiggled down in her bed to get comfortable, a thing she hadn’t been since she left Phoenix’s strong arms. “I think you’re right, Jess. We’ll have to help each other when we see one of us falling for a jackass’ lines.”

“I’ve got your backs,” Jess said.

“Me too,” Kel added.

“And I have yours too,” Cait said. “Let’s try to get some sleep now and put this terrible night behind us all.”

“Do you think there’s a chance they’ll go back to the pub tomorrow night?” Kel asked. “We all have to work tomorrow night and the next. What should we do if they come in looking for us?”

“Let them know that we know about their bet and fucked them over before they could fuck us over,” Cait said with a laugh.

“I don’t think we should be that damn honest with them,” Jess said. “I’d like Griff to hurt a bit. Just like I am. It’s amazing how quickly he got under my skin and made my heart ache. No one has ever made my heart hurt like this.”

“So we keep the fact we know their game to ourselves, then? If they come in, I mean, which I doubt they will,” Cait asked her sisters.

Kel agreed, “I think Jess is right. Let them think we ditched them for no other reason than we were playing them. Let that sink into their frozen hearts. Maybe it’ll thaw them out for the next females who come along in their lives.”

“Maybe you two are right,” Cait said. “But if I may be truthful, I’d like to say that if you two weren’t involved, I’d have helped Phoenix win his bet.”

“Thanks for the support, Cait,” Kel said. “And I knew that already.”

“Yeah, me too,” Jess agreed. “But thanks for staying with us. It’s not cool to play that way with all women. Some are fragile.”

“And some are young and inexperienced,” Kel said. “Men should know more about the women they play games with before going forward with them. I let Ethan know how I’d been hurt and he went ahead with his plan to try to win the bet.”

“I let Griffin know about me too,” Jess said. “And he too went on with the bet. I gave him up until the very end to change his mind. He didn’t do it. So I hope he has terrible dreams and finds himself missing me like crazy.”

The others laughed and agreed in unison, “Me too!”

As hard as it was, the young women closed their eyes and tried not to think of the handsome men who must be waiting outside the pub, wondering what was taking their women so damn long to join them in their sexual endeavors.

Chapter 12

In three different cabs sat the men who were sure they were all going to get lucky; it was just a matter of who got to who first. Each one had a strong opinion that it would be he who struck gold before the others.

They texted one another with taunts and jibes meant to demoralize their opponents. And it was Ethan who first asked the others if they thought thirty minutes was a bit too long for the women to be freshening up.

Getting out of the cabs, the men met at the entrance to the pub to find it was locked. They walked around the building to find the back parking lot was empty and the rear entrance was also locked.

“They ditched us!” Phoenix said as his face fell. “Why would they all three run off?”

“I have no idea,” Ethan said as he pulled out his cell. “I have Kel’s number, and I’m damn well going to ask her where the hell she is and go find her ass. She told me point blank that she’d go with me to a hotel.”

“Jess told me that too,” Griffin said with kind of a weepy tone to his deep voice. “I can’t understand this at all.”

“Cait was all over me. There was never any doubt that she was as into it as I was,” Phoenix moaned as they went back to where the cabs were waiting on them.

Ethan swiped the screen of his cell as he frowned. “It went to voicemail. Kel’s not going to answer me tonight. I just can’t understand it at all. I told her we’d still see each other. I knew she’d been hurt before and that she was still healing. I didn’t mean to stop seeing her after our bet was done. Why the hell would she just leave me like this?”

The men let the other two cabs go and got into one that took them back to the bed and breakfast. No one wanted to talk as they rode back. All were completely perplexed by what the women they thought they were getting to know pretty well had done to them.

As they walked up the stairs, Ethan took out the card with the keypad code on it. “This just means we have to work that much harder to get them into our beds, guys. We knew this might not happen on the first night. Tomorrow is a new day, and this place is small enough that someone will know each of them. We’ll find our girls and let them know we’re not about to give up.”

Griffin gave him a nod, then took the card out of his hand and punched in the number. “Let’s be quiet. I don’t want to wake the old couple up.”

When they got inside, they saw gray light coming from what must have been a television in the living room. A man came out of it, wearing an old brown terry cloth robe. “Hello, gents. My wife told me you all were going to be coming in late. I’m Mr. O’Toole.”

Ethan shook the man’s hand. “Ethan Southern, sir. Happy to meet you.”

Griffin was next to shake the owner of the bed and breakfast’s hand. “Griffin Houser. A pleasure, sir.”

“And I’m Phoenix Nelson,” Phoenix said as he took the older man’s hand in a firm shake. “Thank you for being such a good host.”

“Not a problem,” Mr. O’Toole said. “I can’t imagine why you three look so grim. Didn’t you have a nice time while you were out?”

“A very nice time,” Ethan said. “But our girls left us hanging.”

“You had dates?” he asked them.

“Kind of,” Phoenix said. “We met three of the most amazing women any of us have ever met. And we all thought they liked us, but they must’ve been playing us all.”

“Where’d you go, might I ask?”

“Flannigan’s,” Griffin answered.

“My nephews own that place. A couple of brothers; my sister’s kids. I know most who go in there. What were the names of the women? I’ll probably be able to tell you if you dodged a bullet with them and got lucky they left you out in the cold.”

“Mine was named Kel,” Ethen said as he frowned. “She was a gorgeous little thing. I thought she was the beauty to my beast.”

“That’s not like her,” the man said. “Not one bit. And the girl you fancied, Griffin?”

“Her name’s Jess. She’s tall and blonde.”

“Yep, and she’s my great niece too. So’s Kel,” Mr. O’Toole said. “How about your girl, Phoenix?”

“Cait,” he said and was a bit surprised when he found the man nodding.

“That’s the other two’s sister. She’s the middle girl. They have a younger brother named Scott. He’s still in high school. Those girls are all pretty good girls. All hard workers, all go to college. I can’t see them ditching you three. They must’ve had their reasons.”

“Sisters, huh?” Ethan said. “They never mentioned that fact to us. That’s odd, don’t you think?”

“A bit,” Mr. O’Toole agreed. “They work the weekends at the pub. You could go back tomorrow night to see if you could find out what happened. Maybe there’s a logical explanation, after all.”

“Maybe,” Griffin said. “Goodnight, sir. We’ll see you at breakfast at ten.”

“Night boys. See you then.”

The men headed up the stairs, each wondering why the girls hadn’t bothered to let them in on the fact that they were sisters and that they all worked at the pub. The numbers weren’t adding up in any of their heads. And that was a thing they all decided had to be dealt with.

It was one thing to leave them without a word. It was a whole new ball game to cover up the facts they had. That night the men all had trouble sleeping as they couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened to them.

Had they all been played by the sisters?

Chapter 13

The next evening had the three men going back to the pub, where they were all set on finding out not only why the women had kept the fact they were related from them, but also why none of them saw fit to tell them that they worked at the pub their father was a part owner in.

The smell of fried foods hit them as they entered the very busy Flannigan’s Pub and Grill. Ethan was first to set his eyes on Kel, who was taking an order at a table full of young men. She was laughing and joking with them, being nice, chipper, and what he considered to be a bit too flirty.

He made no attempt to slow his roll as he came up behind her. “Fancy seeing you here.”

She spun around and looked at him with a gaping mouth. “You as well. I thought you’d be long gone by now. And I’m working, so leave me be, Ethan Southern!”

“Is he bothering you?” one of the foolish men asked as he stood up from his place at the round table of six young men.

“Mind your business, boy!” Ethan growled at him. “This young woman and I have a history. Don’t we, love?”

She looked over her shoulder at the young man who’d come to her defense. “It’s okay, Charlie. I’ll turn in your order and bring your drinks right out.”

“You let me know if you need me to get rid of any riffraff, Kel,” Charlie said as he took his seat.

“Will do,” she said as she walked away with Ethan on her heels.

“You owe me …” That was all he got out before she spun around.

Her face was red with anger. “Do not tell me what I owe you. Take a seat or take a hike, Ethan!”

Her eyes flashed red, and Ethan thought he’d better give her a moment to calm herself. “I’m going nowhere, my love. I’ll be right here until you find time to talk to me. And we will talk, you and I.”

With a huff, she walked away, leaving him staring after her.

Phoenix spotted his curvy redhead as she was behind the bar, cleaning glasses. “Cait!” he called out to her.

She ducked her head when she saw him and hightailed it to the back where he couldn’t go. Or so she thought. When he went right back into the kitchen, she was shocked. “You can’t be back here!”

He grabbed her by the wrist as he spoke between clenched teeth. “You and I are going to talk. You can pick where that’ll be.”

“I don’t have to talk to you, Phoenix. Just let me go.” Her eyes darted back and forth, and she looked a little afraid.

He thought it might be because she and her sisters had some kind of a deal going. “I want to know why you lied to me.”

“I never lied to you,” she said as she struggled to make him let her go. His hand was making waves of heat move through her as she’d dreamt about the man making hot love to her all night long. Him holding her the way he was had been a part of that riotous dream.

“You three are sisters, Cait!”

“How’d you find that out?” she asked him with a shocked expression.

“We have our ways. So let’s talk about why you three skipped out on us all.”

She jerked her arm, and he let her go. “Just leave us all alone, Phoenix. None of us want to see any of you three ever again. Not ever!” Then she ran away from him, disappearing into the blackness of a hallway at the very back of the kitchen.

Jess saw Griffin before he found her. She left her station at the cash register, darting past one of her cousin co-workers. “Take over the register, Patsy.”

Patsy did as she was told as Jess ducked into the hallway that led to the restrooms, not noticing that Griffin had spotted her and was heading her way. When he walked into the ladies’ room right behind her, closing the door and grabbing her, she tried to scream, but his mouth on hers muffled it.

When she felt his lips on hers and his tongue moved into her mouth as he wrapped his arms around her and turned her around so her back was up against the door, she melted into him and wrapped her legs around him.

His kiss was hard and demanding. Jess hated that she loved it so much. He pressed his hard cock against her soft core, grinding into her body, making her heat up and grow moist.

She was powerless to stop him. But when he went too far and moved one hand to unbutton her jeans, she pulled her mouth from his, remembering the damn bet. “No! No, Griff!”

“Why’d you all do it?” he asked her as he rested his forehead on hers. “Why didn’t you tell any of us that you three are sisters and that you all work here?”

“It’s not important. What is important is that we’re not going to be seeing any of you. Now let me go,” Jess said as she didn’t even bother to struggle to get away from him.

“What’s your game, Jess?” he asked her, making her furious.

The sisters had all agreed not to let the men know, if they did come back for them, that they knew about their bet. So Jess was left on her own to make something up. “I don’t think you’ll stick around, and I don’t want to be another notch on your belt.”

“You should give me a chance, don’t you think?” he asked her, then kissed her neck, making her moan.

Griffin could tell it was her sisters who were stopping her from doing what she wanted with him. Her hands plunged into his thick curls as she continued to moan with his attention to her neck. “Yes,” came her soft response.

“Is that a yes, you’ll give me a chance?” he whispered in her ear then gave her earlobe a nip.

“No,” she moaned. “It was a yes, that feels so good. But I can’t be doing this. Not with you, anyway.”

“Not with me?” he asked then looked her in the eyes. “But you can do this with someone else? Not while I’m around, you can’t. You see, I think you and I could be a bit more than just friends.”

“I know that,” she said as her eyes narrowed and she thought about what his plans for her really were. “But I don’t want anything from you, Griff. Except for you to leave me alone. I’m not a toy.”

“Who said you were?” he asked. “Your sisters? Did they tell you that I’d treat you like an object? Did they say you should stay away from me because I’d just use you then dump you? Because that’s not what my plan for you is at all, baby. Not at all.”

But Jess knew what his plan was. It didn’t matter if he kept seeing her; she’d always know he was in it to win the damn bet. He wasn’t worried about hurting her to win it, either. “Let me go, Griff.”

“If I let you go, will you try to calm down and think rationally? Don’t let your sisters ruin this for us.”

She shook her head, trying so hard not to blurt out what she knew they were after. Somehow, she managed to hold her tongue. “Let me go.”

A knock at the door had them ending their little reunion as Griffin had no desire to get thrown out of the pub. “I’ll let you go for now, but I’m not going anywhere. None of us are. You three will have to talk to us. Tonight!”

With that, he opened the door, finding a shocked older woman who he stomped passed. Jess watched him leave, then fell back against the wall.

How was she going to deal with him?

The night passed with the men sitting at a table none of the sisters would wait on. Instead, they left their Aunt Cathy to take care of the men, who watched their every move.

Cathy had been told only a little about who the men were and why the sisters didn’t want to wait on them. They’d said the men had gone too far in their advances last night. Cathy was perplexed at why that would make her nieces so mad.

As she gave the guys another round of beers, she asked, “So, what actually happened last night between you all? My nieces are as mad as old wet hens over you three.”

“I have no idea,” Ethan answered. “We all got along great. Then the girls ran out on us after asking us all to call cabs. This is most likely more than they want you to know, but I’m going to tell you anyway. They all had agreed to get hotel rooms with each of us.”

Cathy’s hand flew to cover her mouth. “No!”

Griffin jabbed Ethan in the ribs. “Too much info, Ethan!”

“Well, they did,” he went on.

Phoenix was in agreeance with Ethan. “The ladies must’ve gotten cold feet. And that’s okay. We just want to talk to them to get them all to understand we didn’t mean to make them feel forced. Shit! The truth is they were the ones who asked us, not the other way around.”

“Oh, my God!” Cathy mumbled in disbelief. “So it was them who asked you three to get rooms and, and, oh Lordy, and fornicate with them?”

Griffin gave Phoenix and Ethan deep frowns as he said, “No! No, that’s not how it was at all. Look, we each want to get the chance to talk to the lady we came to like very much last night. We want an opportunity to let them know we meant them no harm. That’s all, really. Could you be a peach and let them know that, Cathy?”

“I can,” she said as she fanned herself. “You’re all so handsome and sweet. I think they must’ve misunderstood you guys or something. Let me go see if I can get to the bottom of what their problem is.”

And with her retreat, the men finally felt like they had a chance of smoothing things over with the girls. Phoenix leaned in to whisper, “Should we end the bet and confess?”

“God, no!” both Ethan and Griffin said.

And with that, the men were going to continue with their bet. “We knew this might be hard,” Griffin reminded his friends.

“We’ll continue just like we planned. Unless you want out, Phoenix,” Ethan said.

Phoenix looked at the others and shook his head. “No, I’m still in. I just didn’t expect this kind of thing to happen. I thought they might play hard to get. But I never saw them getting mad at us. It’s just throwing me off my game, is all. I’ll get back on the right track.”

They all clinked their mugs of frothy beer and stayed firm on their bet without a clue as to what the women were aware of.

Chapter 14

Pots and pans clanked as the kitchen staff shouted orders to one another. Jess, Cait, and Kel stood to one side in a huddle, discussing the audacity of the men who had dared to show their faces at their pub again.

“In the ladies’ room?” Kel asked Jess after she’d told them where Griff had cornered her. “Well, that’s too much! I’ll tell the man he’s overstepped his bounds!”

“No!” Jess argued. “I’m not a little kid anymore, Kel. I can take care of myself. I did manage to get out of there with my panties still on, you know.”

Cait laughed as she cut her eyes to look at their Aunt Cathy, who was coming into the kitchen, looking for something. When she saw her three nieces, she came straight to them. “We need to talk, girls.”

Their rotund aunt’s cheeks were red, which meant she’d been embarrassed. The girls’ ire was up already. If any of the men had anything to do with what was wrong with their aunt, then the men had it coming to them in spades.

“Did anyone speak to you in an improper manner, Aunt Cathy?” Cait asked her.

When she nodded, Kel grew furious. “Tell me who and I’ll deal with him!”

“Well, my darling nieces, my demeanor is off as I’ve heard some … Well, some news that quite frankly I don’t understand,” Cathy said as she fanned herself. At 51, Cathy wasn’t exactly inexperienced in the ways of love, but she’d been married to the girls’ uncle for 25 years. She wasn’t used to hearing sexual things about any of her family.

Jess’ hand went to her hip as she asked, “What did you hear and who did you hear it from?”

“Your men,” Cathy said.

Kel’s hand went up as she said, “They are not our men! But what did the asses say?”

“They said that you three asked them to get cabs and take you to hotel rooms for the night to fornicate like animals!” Cathy blurted out, making the entire kitchen go silent.

Kel looked around as everyone was staring at them with gaping mouths. “No! No, that wasn’t how things went! And you all get back to work! We have hungry customers out there. Mind your business!”

Jess’s cheeks were scarlet as she asked her aunt, “Did they actually say those exact words, Aunt Cathy?”

“No, no they didn’t mention the part about fornicating like animals. That’s my personal spin on it. But they did say you all were coming on to them,” Cathy explained.

“We did,” Cait confessed. “We had our reasons, though.”

“Well, reasons or not,” Cathy told them as she shook her finger at them all. “You should never toy with people. You all were raised better than that. Now, I want you all to give those men at least ten minutes of your time. I want you all to explain why you did what you did to them.”

“No,” Kel said stubbornly.

“You will, or I’ll tell your grandmother what you’ve done, and we all know how long that sermon will be,” Cathy threatened.

“Damn,” Cait muttered under her breath. “That woman will give us all brand new Bibles with the sections she’ll make us read out loud to her paper clipped so we can find them quickly.”

“And then we’ll have to attend Mass with her for a solid week, every dang morning,” Jess added as she kicked the floor with her black non-slip shoe.

Kel stuffed her hands in her apron pockets as she griped, “And go to confession every evening. It’ll cost less of our time to let the guys talk to us for ten minutes.”

“That it will,” Cathy said as she huffed, knowing she’d won the battle. “You all are officially on a 15 minute break, my darlings. Make it count.” She herded her nieces up and pushed them all out of the kitchen. “Get to cleaning up your messes, girls.”

Kel saw the smiles on the men’s faces as they left the sanctuary of the kitchen. “There they are. And look at those shit-eating grins they’re all wearing.”

“I’m just going to let Griff talk, but I’m not going to say a word about why we ran out on them,” Jess said.

“Come on, girls,” Cait said. “Let’s toy with them some more. They want to come this far for us and their stupid bet. Let’s act as if we’ve all had a change of heart. We can blame it on Aunt Cathy.”

Kel turned around to look at her sisters with an evil grin on her lips. “Tell your man you’ll accept a daytime date tomorrow, if he cares to make amends. At least we can all get a free meal and maybe some flowers and candies out of the bastards.”

“I’m going to tell Griff the date needs to be something pretty spectacular,” Jess said as she made her way to the table where the men were waiting for them.

Griff got up and met her halfway, taking her hand and kissing it. Ethan kept his seat, making Kel come all the way to him. Phoenix tried to wait, but found he couldn’t and got up just as Cait got to him. He picked her up in his strong arms and kissed her. Then he carried her off to a secluded booth.

Running his hand through her auburn ponytail, Phoenix whispered, “I’m sorry, Cait. Whatever it was that I did to make you feel uncomfortable, I’m sorry. I’ll be a gentleman tonight.”

Cait’s heart melted as he looked at her with puppy dog eyes. “Well, it’s not all your fault. Maybe my sisters and I were kind of wrong to get our panties in a bunch about you three. Aunt Cathy talked some sense into us.”

“Can I make it up to you?” Phoenix asked her as he ran his hand over her cheek.

With a smile, Cait said, “You can take me on a real date tomorrow. But only in the daytime. I can’t trust you at night. Not yet.”

“Nor can I trust myself to keep my hands off you at night,” he said, then kissed her with a sweet kiss. “I’ll make it a very special day for you, Cait. A date you’ll never forget.”

She sighed and leaned in for another kiss. “Good. Now, how about one more kiss before I have to get back to work?”

“I’d love to oblige you with one,” he said, then planted another kiss on her delicious lips.

Jess found herself pinned against the back wall as Griff leaned his body on hers. “Baby, you look like you have something you’d like to say to me,” Griff said as he played with her long ponytail.

Her body was quivering with him all over her, but she swallowed and shook her head to clear her brain. “We’ve talked, my sisters and I. We’ve decided that we can accept dates from you guys. But daytime dates. And I expect something out of the ordinary. If you still want to see me, then you’ll agree to it.”

She shuddered as his lips brushed the area just behind her ear. “K.”

Placing her hands on his chest, she pushed him back a bit. “What time should I expect you, tomorrow?”

Griffin held out his hand. “Give me your cell.” She did as he’d asked and he called his number. “Now we have each other’s numbers, and I’ll call you in the morning to let you know what time I’ll come for you.”

“My father will be waiting to meet you, Griff,” Jess told him, trying to intimidate him a bit.

“Great. I’d love to meet the man who raised such a spunky woman.” He kissed her then, and she wrapped her arms around his neck involuntarily.

Meanwhile, Kel took a seat across the table from Ethan as she eyed him warily. “So, you think that you can tell our aunt some lies and get us where you want us, do you?” she said with a smirk.

“Lies? We told no lies, love. So, why the teasing last night?” he asked her as he leaned forward and took her hand which laid on the table top. His thumb stroked her palm, making her stomach go tight, and heat flood her entire body. Warmth pooled in her nether regions and Kel knew things would be harder for her than she was used to handling.

“Why the rush to go to a hotel?” Kel volleyed back.

“I do recall that you were in every bit as much of a rush as I was. Your body told me as much. Your soft skin was begging for my touch,” he said with a husky voice that made her ears ache to hear more.

“Did it ever occur to you that I might’ve been testing your character, Ethan? I told you about my heartbreak and gave you the opportunity to do the right thing, and you didn’t do it,” Kel said. “So, I’m willing to give you one more shot.”

“You are?” he asked as he moved his hand up her arm in a slow and deliberate motion. “And what kind of a shot are we talkin’ ’bout here?”

“You can take me on a legitimate date. One in the light of day. One where you can show me you’re a gentleman and not some fly-by-night rogue who wishes to give me a toss in the hay then fly away like a thief in the night, taking my heart to a new low.”

His eyes lit up as his lips curled into a smile. “I’m in your heart?”

Kel wasn’t happy with how her words had betrayed her. “You could be. If you play your cards right.”

“Then I’ll play them right, my love. Your heart is right where I long to be. You’ve kind of broken into mine as well.”

Pulling her hand to make her stand up, he pulled her to him and then down on his lap. His mouth took hers and found it wanting as she kissed him back and wrapped her arms around him.

She’d be putty in his hands after he showed her a bit of gentlemanly behavior. Kel would be easy to get into bed; of that Ethan was sure.

Chapter 15

Thanks to the women’s aunt and uncle at the bed and breakfast, the men were privy to information that had them planning dates that would definitely encourage intimacy. Griff had a rental car delivered to him and set out to pick Jess up. He was set to impress the young woman.

Pulling up to the curb in front of their modest two-story home, Griff found it was quaint and homey. The porch was simple, with cement stairs that led to a green door.

Griff carried the box of dark chocolates and a bouquet of a dozen yellow roses with him as he went to ring the bell. It was her father who opened the door. White hair, a wrinkled face, and a frown greeted him. “And you are?”

“I’m Griffin Houser, Mr. Flannigan. I’m here to pick up Jessica for our date.”

The door was pushed open as Jess’ father took a step back. “You may as well come inside. She’s not ready yet.” Mr. Flannigan was an abrupt man, none too happy looking. “They told me about you men. I can’t say I agree that any of them should be going on a date with you. We know nothing about any of you except you’re not from around here.” He took a seat in an old, beat-up plaid chair and set his light blue eyes on Griffin. “So, why bother with my daughters?”

Griffin wasn’t used to being talked to in such a way. Being from a prominent family, he was always treated with a certain amount of respect. Most fathers would’ve been over the moon if he had wanted to date their daughters. But he had to remember that no one in the small town knew a thing about who he really was. He took an unoffered seat on the old sofa, sinking into the deep recesses of the cushion that had seen better days.

“Mr. Flannigan, my friends and I were in Boston for a funeral. We wanted to put a spin on the sadness and make a trip through New England to check out the beautiful scenes there’re so many of in this part of the country,” Griffin said as he smiled. “When I saw your daughter in the pub, well, I knew she was an exceptional person and that I’d like to get to know her.”

“Who died?” Mr. Flannigan asked, making Griff freeze.

He wasn’t sure if he should reveal that information, as it might not sit well with the man. But he had no choice. He couldn’t lie to him. It was likely he’d be asking his friends the same question.

“Julia Loveless was a client of mine. She was killed in a hit and run accident. Very tragic. I was sent by my company to pay our respects to her family.” He nodded sadly as he looked at the floor that was covered in old, rust-colored carpeting.

The house was lovely outside but dated inside. It needed a renovation pretty badly. He wondered if he paid to have that done whether it’d win him some brownie points. Then he remembered the spending limit and knew that was out.

“She was your client?” Mr. Flannigan asked. “Anything more than that? Your lover, perhaps?”

Griff choked as the man hit the nail on the head. “Um, uh …”

“Hey, Griff, you ready?” Jess asked as she came down the stairs that creaked under her light weight.

He jumped up, extending the box of candy and the flowers. “I am! Wow, you look beautiful!” He hurried to meet her as she stepped off the last step. “I got you these.”

Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and a pair of tennis shoes, she hadn’t tried to impress Griff. Her long, dark blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wore a bit of mascara and nothing else.

Jess took the box of chocolates as she leaned in to smell the roses. “My fav color, Griff. How’d you know?” She looked Griff over and found him wearing something similar, a pair of faded blue jeans, a nice pullover and a pair of Nike’s.

“Oh, are they?” he asked as he smiled shyly at her. “This is my favorite color of roses too. How interesting. Don’t you think?”

She nodded as she looked at the box of candy. “And dark chocolate is my fav too.”

“Another thing we have in common,” he said as he extended his arm for her to take.

She tucked her hand into the crook of his arm as she went to place the candy on a small table. “Put the vase of flowers in the center of this table. I think they’ll look pretty here, Griff.” She set the box of candy next to them and kissed his cheek as her father made a huffing sound. “Thank you. I love them.”

“You’re very welcome, Jess. Are you ready to go?” Griff asked.

“Take him to meet your mother,” her father directed. “She’s in the kitchen.”

“Come on, Griff,” Jess said as she led him out of the living room, down a dark hallway.

Griffin had to admit to himself that he was feeling a swarm of butterflies. “Is she as nice as your father is?” he asked with a little chuckle.

“You knockin’ my dad, Griff?” Jess stopped and asked him as she looked him in the eye.

“Hell, no!” he said with a high voice. “I love him!”

“Good,” Jess said, then continued down the hall. She pushed open a galley-style door to a room where there was an older woman with grayish hair kneading a large ball of dough. “Mom, this is Griff.”

Wiping her hands on her white apron, the woman smiled as she approached them, extending her hand. “You can call me, Mrs. Flannigan, Griff.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said as he shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You think?” she asked with a wink. “Let me see if ya still think that after I tell you what I have to say.” She pinched his cheek. “This girl is my baby girl. If she gets hurt, then I get pissed. And I don’t handle anger very well. I tend to take it out on the flesh of who’s pissed me off. Do you understand what I’m sayin’ boy?”

Griffin nodded and thought to himself that she was much scarier than Jess’ dad. “I do, Mrs. Flannigan. I’m just going to be taking Jessica out for the afternoon. No hurting involved.”

“I want to know where it is you’re takin’ my daughter, boy,” she said, then went back to beating the hell out of the dough ball.

“Lunch and a movie,” he said as he looked at Jess with wide eyes. “Is that okay with you, Jess?”

“It’ll do. Do I get to pick where we eat and what we see?” Jess asked.

“And the movie better not be one of those nasty, dirty, smutty ones, boy!” her mother warned him as she gave him a wink. Her mother’s body language was just the opposite of the words that came out of her mouth. It was amazing and frightening at the same time.

“Well, the movie is a love story, but I don’t believe there’s anything smutty about it. It’s rated PG, I think,” Griffin said, then turned his attention to Jess. “As for you choosing where we eat and what we see, I’ve already made those decisions.”

“Controlling? Dominating?” Mrs. Flannigan asked with a smile.

“No, ma’am, not at all,” Griff said as he shook his head. “It’s just that she asked me to make a date that wasn’t ordinary. That’s why I picked the places. That’s all. Nothing more than that. I swear it!”

“No whips and chains for you, huh, boy?” her mother asked, sending him into a heat of embarrassment that Jess didn’t seem to have.

“No! I’m not into that.” He wiped his suddenly sweating brow.

“We can go now,” Jess said. “If you still want to.”

“Yes, yes, I want to. Happy to meet you, Mrs. Flannigan. I’ll have her back here before six this evening.”

“Fine,” the woman told him, then added, “Dinner’s at eight, if you’d care to join us. I’m making haggis.”

Griffin leaned in to whisper to Jess, “Isn’t that guts boiled in the stomach of a sheep or something like that?”

“It is,” she said with a smile. “I’d love you to join us. Griff.”

The urge to wretch was nearly overwhelming. He swallowed back the bile that had risen in his throat. “Sure, I’d love to join you all for dinner. Thank you so much for inviting me, Mrs. Flannigan.”

“See you then, Griffin,” she said with a grin that told him she was trying to get him to go away. But he wasn’t going anywhere. He’d manage to get some of the terrible food down, he hoped.

Jess led him out a back door, and they walked around the side of the house. When she saw the Lambo parked next to the curb, she stopped. “I wonder whose that is.”

Griffin pulled the key fob out of the pocket of his jeans and pressed the button to unlock it. “That would be my rental. Would you care to drive, Jess?”

“You’re shittin’ me!” Jess bolted away from him, as she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was her favorite color, canary yellow. She ran her hand over the smooth lines of the car. “I can’t drive this. I’m too afraid, Griff.”

“There’s nothing to be afraid of. Come on; jump behind the wheel, baby. You can take some of the lesser traveled roads so you can get used to how it handles before we set off to eat at the Bangkok Hill Thai Restaurant.”

Jess’ mouth dropped open. “How in the hell did you find out I love Thai food? I can’t ever get anyone to go with me!”

“You love it too?” he asked with wide eyes. “Me too!”

She pushed his chest as she shouted, “Shut up!”

“I can’t,” he said with a chuckle. “I do love it. Now climb in and let’s get out of here.”

“You’re really going to let me drive this badass car, Griff?” she asked as she put her hand on the door handle.

“I am. I’m trusting you with my life, Jess,” he said as he got into the passenger side.

She just stood there, wondering if he was really this way all the time or only stepping up his game to win the bet. Then she got into the car and told herself she didn’t care why he was being the way he was; she was going to enjoy the date and drive the car she’d only ever dreamt she would.

Chapter 16

Rolling up to the house Cait had given him the address to, Phoenix got out of the Rolls Royce he’d hired for the day and went up to get his date for the afternoon. Buttoning up his black Armani jacket, he smoothed out his matching slacks and rubbed the tops of his shiny leather shoes on the backs of them to make sure they were clean.

He pressed the doorbell but didn’t hear it ringing inside the house, so he knocked on the green door. “Coming!” a woman shouted.

A gray-haired lady, wearing a light blue dress with a white apron covering it, opened the door. “Well, you’re not the Scot, so you must be Phoenix, here for Caitlyn.” She let him in as she looked him up and down. “I’m her mother.”

Phoenix saw the yellow roses and box of candy on a small table in the living room. He mentally kicked himself for not thinking to bring those things to Cait. He reached out to shake her mom’s hand and found she’d already retreated to take a seat. She wore a friendly smile on her wrinkled face, and was a bit older than he thought she’d be.

“Um, should I go up and get her myself?” he asked as he stood at the foot of the stairs, feeling the need to grab Cait up and get the hell out of there.

The woman wore a sweet smile as she said with the most pleasing tone to her voice, “You go up those stairs, boy, and you’ll be met with a baseball bat to the head.”

“Oh,” he said as he stood where he was. “Um, then how will Cait know I’m here, Mrs. Flannigan?”

“These walls are paper thin,” she said. “I can assure you that she’s aware of your arrival, fancy pants.”

His brows arched with her words. He ran his hand over his expensive suit jacket. “I don’t usually dress so formally. I have kind of a special day planned for us, and I wanted to look my best for your daughter, Mrs. Flannigan.”

“Did ya, now?” she asked as the squeaking sound of a door came from behind him down a darkened hallway.

Phoenix watched a man wearing a white T-shirt and black, loose-fitting slacks walk toward him as he wiped his hands on his pant legs. “And you are?” the man asked gruffly.

“I’m Phoenix Nelson, sir,” Phoenix held out his hand. “You must be Caitlyn’s father. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Her father shook his hand, then shouted up the staircase, “Cait, get your arse down here. Your fella’s here.”

“Coming,” she shouted back.

Her father made his way to take a seat in an old recliner. “Are you gonna tell Cait’s mother and me why you really want to take our daughter out? Unlike the man who picked up our Jessica.”

Phoenix shuffled back and forth, wishing like hell Cait would hurry up so they could leave. “I like your daughter. She’s great. That’s why I asked her out.”

“But you didn’t ask her out,” her mother said with a smile. “The girls told you fellas to take them out.”

“Oh, yeah.” Phoenix wasn’t aware of how much the women had told their parents. Apparently, everything! “Well, I mean, I was going to ask her out anyway. Even before she told me to. And I do like her. I like her a lot.”

“And how much did you like Julia Loveless?” Mr. Flannigan asked him, making him nearly drop to the floor with surprise.

“Huh?” Phoenix asked, as he was in shock.

“The Loveless girl?” Mr. Flannigan asked. “What was she to you?”

“Um, how do you know about her?” he asked as he shook his head to clear it.

“The other boy,” Mrs. Flannigan answered. “So, how did you know the woman you went to the funeral for?”

“She and I were friends,” he finally said as he looked up the stairs, praying Cait would be at the top of them. She wasn’t, and he looked back to find her parents looking him over.

“Friends with benefits?” her father asked.

“Um, uh,” he had no idea what to say. “Not really.”

“What exactly kind of an answer is that?” Cait’s mom asked him as she picked up a couple of sharp knitting needles and some yarn from a basket next to where she was sitting.

Thankfully, Cait appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing a deep green dress and black heels. A row of pearls hit her right at her collarbone.

“Oh, God, Cait!” Phoenix could think of nothing else as he looked at her. Her auburn hair was pulled back with a headband made out of glittery beads; the rest of her hair spilled in loose waves over her shoulders as she walked down to him. He took her hand, placing a kiss on top of it. “You’re gorgeous.”

“I love your suit, Phoenix,” she said, then pulled the lapel a bit and whistled. “Armani. Nice.”

The sweet moment was interrupted by her father. “And where will our daughter be?”

“Oh,” Phoenix said as he looked at the man who was frowning at him. “It’s a park. I’ve got a picnic planned.”

Her mother laughed as she shook her head. “Dressed like a couple of movie stars to eat on the ground. Have fun with that.”

“Mom,” Cait warned her mother. “Can you please be a bit nicer to this man?”

“I can,” her mother said. “As a matter of fact, I’d like to invite your young man to dinner tonight. It’ll be served at eight.”

Cait looked at Phoenix as she asked, “Would you like to come?”

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Nothing would make me happier. I’d love to join your family for dinner this evening.”

“Great. I’ll set another place for you, boy,” Mrs. Flannigan said as she smiled like the cat who ate the canary.

“See you this evening then,” Phoenix said as he led Cait out the front door.

Her eyes fell upon the elegant car with the driver who was waiting at the back door for them. “You hired a car?” she asked.

“I did,” Phoenix said as they walked down the cement path. “Do you like it?”

“Afternoon, madam,” the driver greeted her. He was dressed in a chauffer’s uniform and tipped his hat at her as he opened the door.

“Good afternoon,” she said with a grin. “This is like a dream.” She slid into the back seat of the car. The rich color of the leather had her running her hand over it. “So soft. It smells so nice in here.”

Phoenix moved in next to her as the driver closed the door behind him. He leaned in and kissed her neck, taking in a deep breath. “You smell better, Caity-cat.”

With a giggle, Cait looked down at her hands as she had them folded in her lap. She hoped she could keep her wits about her with the man who was pushing all the right buttons.

Chapter 17

The clip-clop of horses’ hooves beat the pavement, then stopped in front of Kellie Flannigan’s family’s home. Ethan noted the nice trees in the yard and the way the grass was kept neat and the hedges were trimmed.

Climbing out of the carriage he’d rented for the day, Ethan called out to the driver of the two horses that pulled the pristine white carriage, “I’ll get her and be right back. No need to get down.”

“Yes, sir,” the driver said.

Ethan was dressed in a tan linen suit. He’d instructed Kel to wear something romantically comfortable. Curious to see what she’d come up with, he rapped on the door, then waited for someone to answer it.

A man opened the door. “And you’re the Scot.”

“Ethan Southern, sir. You must be Master Flannigan.” Ethan saw a woman behind the man, peering over his shoulder. “And you must be the mistress of the manor.” Neither greeted him with a smile of any kind.

The door was opened and behind them stood Kel. She was glowing in a flowing pale pink dress made of cotton and lace. Made in two tiered levels, the cotton portion covered her to just above the knees, and the lace went to the ground. Tan sandals let her pretty pink toenails show. She’d straightened her blonde hair and looked radiant.

“I like your romantic, comfortable style choice,” Ethan said as Kel walked to the door.

“And I like yours,” she said as she stepped out the door and saw the carriage. “I saw that from my bedroom window. I must admit, I’m impressed, Ethan.”

She took his arm, and he led her down the walkway. Her mother called out to them, “Dinner’s at eight, Ethan. I hope you decide to join us.”

He stopped and asked Kel, “Would you like that, my love?” She nodded, and he looked back at her mother. “I’d like that, Mrs. Flannigan. Thank you.”

Kel was in a dream-like state with the romantic gesture Ethan was making. She knew it was all an act to get into her pants, but she was still impressed.

Ethan opened the carriage door, allowing Kel to get inside of it. White leather covered the comfortable seats that ran along each side. He took the side opposite from hers. “You’re not going to sit next to me?” she asked.

“I want to take in the lovely scenery that is you, love.” He reached out to take her hands in his as the horses moved the carriage forward. “Today is only about you.”

With a nod, Kel looked out the window and tried hard to remind herself the whole thing was fake. All of it was planned to get her into bed. Her heart ached as she tried not to cry.

“The weather’s lovely today; don’t you agree?” Ethan asked as he trailed his fingers along the top of her hand.

“I have to agree with you. Would you like to tell me what we’ll be doing today?” She watched his fingers as they moved over her skin. As hard as she tried to ignore the heat it caused her, she couldn’t.

“Tell, me, love,” he said as they pulled to a stop at the edge of a park. “Do you like plays?”

“Um, I’m not sure. I mean, I was in one in my high school days, and it was fun. But I’ve never been to a real play,” Kel answered.

Ethan got out of the carriage and turned to help her out. “Who’s your favorite actor?”

“Leo DiCaprio. I just loved him in that Titanic movie. He and Kate Winslet are my favorite on-screen couple,” Kel said as she let Ethan take her hand and lead her down a path nearly obscured by large bushes.

“Oh, and your favorite comedic actor?” Ethan asked as he lifted her hand and kissed it then tucked it back into his.

“Rebel Wilson can make me laugh even when I don’t want to,” Kel told him as they walked along the pathway. They came to a small clearing where a red and white checkered blanket was neatly placed on the green carpet grass. A giant oak tree sprawled over it. “Is this us?”

Ethen gave her a nod and helped her take a seat on the blanket. A basket was sitting at one corner. He sat down and pulled it over to him, taking out a bottle of champagne along with a couple of flutes. “Bubbly?”

Kel had to smile at him. “Please.”

The bottle had been opened already, letting Kel know someone was helping the man who was trying his best to impress her. He filled the glasses, then pulled out a covered silver tray. When he pulled the top off, she found the silver platter covered in little delights.

“Fancy a nibble?” he asked her as he picked up a bite-sized strawberry that’d been dipped in white chocolate. There were crackers with caviar on them, some truffles, and red grapes.

Kel let Ethan place the fruit in her mouth and had to admit to herself that he was quite adept at the romance thing. When someone cleared his throat, she looked up to find a man standing at the edge of their blanket.

A man she recognized, but he couldn’t be who she was thinking. A couple of women came out from behind a large bush and Kel nearly choked on the strawberry. “No!”

“Hi, Kel; allow me to introduce myself,” the man said.

“Leo DiCaprio!” she said in a whisper. Kel’s eyes moved to the woman who stood on the right of him. “And you’re Kate Winslet!” The woman on the other side of him bowed. “And you’re Rebel …”

“Wilson, at your service, madam,” the woman finished Kel’s sentence.

“I hired these three to perform a play for you, my love,” Ethan said as he took her in his arms, then leaned back against the large tree’s trunk.

“Ethan!” Kel gasped.

“We’ll be performing an F. Scott Fitzgerald play for you today, Kel,” Leo said. “Porcelain and Pink.”

All Kel could do was nod. Her throat was swollen shut. Her brain had gone numb. She gripped Ethan’s arms as he pulled her back to lean against him. “Thank you all for this, guys,” Ethan said. “I think she’s ready to watch you all work your magic.”

All three bowed, then stepped away to ready the area for the play. Kel turned her head as Ethan leaned up and kissed her cheek. “How?” was all she could get out.

“Never mind that, love. Just enjoy the play.” He held her tight as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

Although she knew Ethan was doing it all just for a roll in the hay, Kel had to admit that the man was beyond anything she’d ever imagined. “Thank you, Ethan.”

“This is just a taste of what you and I can have,” he whispered. “Just a bit of icing on a monstrous cake.”

Kel was inclined to believe him.

He was blowing her away.

Chapter 18

Jess thought Griffin was most likely lying about liking Thai food, so when he ate more than she did of the spicy stuff, she was pleasantly surprised that he had turned out to be telling her the truth.

She let him drive when they left the restaurant to go to the movies. “Are you sure, Jess? I don’t mind letting you drive.”

“I’m stuffed. You drive,” she said as she went to the passenger side of the Lamborghini.

Griff was quick to step up and open the door for her. He took her by the waist and gave her a quick kiss. “I’m glad to have someone to eat Thai with.”

Jess ran her hands over his broad shoulders and wished like hell he wanted more than a quick screw. “You talk like you’ll be sticking around, Griff. That’s not really fair of you.”

“You talk like I have to leave, which I don’t.” He closed the door and went around the car to get in.

Jess watched him and wondered why he’d say such a thing. When he got into the car, she asked him, “Have you ever been in a serious relationship?”

He started the car, then smiled at her. “Not really.”

“You’re kind of old not to have had one. That tells me you’re a player,” she said as she turned to look out the window. “So I’d like to remind you that I haven’t had much experience, and you should really be careful what you say to me. I might take some of it to heart. If you know what I mean.”

“I hope you do take the things I tell you to heart, baby.” He pulled out of the parking lot and headed up the road as Jess sat there wondering why a man who was interested in her merely to win a bet would tell her so much bullshit.

Anger began to rise up inside of her as they drove down the road. She became eerily quiet, a thing Griffin was acutely aware of. He had no idea if things would progress past the point of one of them winning the bet, but he knew he genuinely liked Jess.

When he pulled into the parking lot of the local movie theater that was empty except for two other cars, Jess looked at him with a puzzled expression. “Are they even open yet?”

“Let’s go find out,” he said as he tried to keep a smile off his face.

Griffin had a friend back in Montana at the theater near his home that had an in with the movie industry. Calling in a favor, Griffin had been able to get a private screening of a film Jess’ aunt had told him she was chomping at the bit to see.

Parking the car right up front had Jess looking at the empty and closed looking theater with a frown on her pretty face. “Why don’t you run up and see if the doors are locked? I think this place is closed, Griff.”

Shaking his head, he got out of the car and came around to open her door. “Come on, baby.” He held out his hand, and she took it as she looked doubtfully at him.

Jess remained silent as she and Griffin went up to the doors. When one was pushed open, and a man in a red uniform stood at it, she was pleasantly surprised as he said, “Hello, Mr. Houser and Miss Flannigan. Welcome to your private movie.”

“Private?” Jess asked as she looked at Griff, who was all smiles.

The usher hurried to grab them a tray of popcorn, nachos, and sodas, then led them to one of the theaters. “I bet you like to sit way up at the top,” Griff said as the usher looked at them.

“I do. In the middle,” Jess said.

Up they went, the usher leading the way. “Here you two go. And the movie will start just as soon as I get up there to start it.” He handed the tray to Griffin and headed out.

“How’d you do this, Griff?” Jess took a handful of popcorn and popped it into her mouth.

“I have my ways.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I hope you’ll hold my hand while we watch the movie.”

“You never know. You might get that lucky, stud-muffin.” She smiled and took a sip of the soda.

The lights lowered and the screen lit up. When Jess sat back as Griffin put his arm around her, she gasped as the name of the movie came up on the big screen.

“Have you seen this one already?” Griffin asked her as he held back a laugh.

“Griff! How?” She was stupefied, as she knew that the movie hadn’t been released yet.

“I have my ways, baby. Stick with me and you’ll have lots of remarkable times.” He kissed her cheek and was more than surprised when she took his face in her hands and planted a big kiss smackdab on his mouth.

It took him by surprise, as Jess had been a bit on the cool side with him for the first part of the date. When she ended their kiss, she looked into his eyes. “Thank you, Griff. I mean that. This is the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

He took her hands in his as he watched her eyes dance. “You’re welcome, Jess. I mean that too. I have to admit; you’re even more beautiful when you’re happy.” Then he pushed up the armrest divider that separated them and wrapped her in his arms. With a kiss to the top of her head, he knew he was going into uncharted territory with the young woman. He just couldn’t seem to stop himself, though.

Chapter 19

The quacking of little black ducks had Cait looking behind her to watch the birds as they swam across the pond. Phoenix had taken her to a lovely little park where they seemed to be the only patrons that afternoon, except for a strolling Italian acoustic band that made it seem as if they were in a remote Italian village rather than the middle of Massachusetts.

A small, round, white linen clothed table with two chairs was filled with wine, oysters on the half-shell, and a cheese and fruit tray.

Phoenix looked like some kind of a model as he sat in the sun’s glowing light. And Cait resembled a princess in Phoenix’s eyes. He couldn’t remember a time he’d thought anyone looked so beautiful.

“Would you care to take a walk with me, Caity-cat?” Phoenix asked as he got up and offered her his hand.

“Sure,” she said as she took it and got up.

He slipped his arm around her waist, holding her close to his side. Cait wished things didn’t feel so natural and right with the man. Either that or maybe he’d tell her about the bet and add that he’d stepped out of it.

But he never said a word about that. Instead, he said, “Since I’m coming over for dinner tonight, maybe we should make some plans for tonight too.”

Cait tensed with the offer. “Why?”

He stopped their procession down a small pathway through a grove of lovely trees. “Why?” he asked her as he took her by the shoulders. Then he kissed her with an easy kiss.

Cait knew the kiss was meant to throw her off guard. Phoenix was trying to coddle her into thinking he had no ulterior motives. Thankfully, she knew better. When he pulled his lips from hers, leaving hers pulsing and wanting more, she said, “Phoenix, tell me what you want in life.”

He had no idea what to tell her. He had all he could ever ask for and then some. He was rich. Didn’t have to work another day in his life. What more was there?

But he knew she was looking to get to know him better, so he made some shit up. “I want it all, Cait. I want the big dream. You know?”

“No, tell me,” she said as she took his hand and started walking again. “For instance, my big dream is to have a great career, develop some great tasting and nutritional foods—out of insects, mind you—and get people to not only buy them but like them too. And I want to have a family of my own one day, to share my life with.”

“Like a hubby and some kids?” Phoenix asked as he hoped she’d be adding that she wanted that in the distant future.

“Yes, like that. Maybe in the next year or so,” she said, freaking him out.

Phoenix coughed and looked away. “You’re young, Cait. No need to go rushing into anything.”

“Oh, I’d never rush into something that important,” she said. “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

“No,” he said abruptly. Her words were making him think she was getting a bit too serious with him and he wanted to slow things down. “I think love grows on a person.”

“I don’t know,” Cait said. “I think I’ll know I’ve found the man for me when I see him.”

“Have you seen him yet?” Phoenix asked as he crossed his fingers and hoped she wasn’t about to tell him she was in love with him or some shit like that.

“No, I haven’t,” she said, and she looked at him with a smile.

He should’ve felt relief. Instead, he felt let down. “You sure about that, Caity-cat?”

She nodded and pulled at him to go over to a swing set. “Would you push me on a swing, Phoenix?”

“I will,” he said, but forced the issue about her not finding love at first sight with him. “You know, I saw a spark in your eyes when you first looked at me, Cait.”

“I saw one in yours too,” she said as she sat on the swing and he went around behind her, pulling it back a bit then letting it go.

As she swung, she had to smile and think to herself that Phoenix seemed to be trying to get her to admit she’d found love at first sight with him— a thought that was hilarious in her mind.

Phoenix had no idea why it was getting to him so badly as he blurted out, “Well, I think you liked me when you first saw me.”

“I didn’t know you at that time. So I didn’t like you just by looking at you. Did I think you were hot? The answer to that is hell, yes. But I didn’t like you until we talked and you kissed me. Then I liked you very much. But I have no idea about anything other than that. You’re a bit closed off. A bit secretive about who you really are. That’s off-putting.”

He stopped the swing and went around to get in front of her then pushed her away from him as he said, “I could tell you more about myself tonight, after dinner. If you’d go with me somewhere afterward.”

“Hmm, a hotel, maybe?” she asked with a grin as the swing came up to him and he pushed it back.

He smiled, and the next time the swing came up, he grabbed it and kissed her, then let it go, and she swung away from him. It made her giggle, and he found the sound intoxicating. “Maybe a hotel. If you want to do that.”

“I don’t.”

“I think you would like to, but I won’t push you on that. So, how about drinks after dinner? Since you told me that your mother’s making haggis, I think I might need a drink or two.”

“Knocking my mother’s cooking before you’ve even tried it, Phoenix?”

“It’s guts cooked in a stomach, Cait! Yeah, I’m knocking it.” He laughed, but his tummy clenched as he thought about actually having to eat the dreadful stuff.

“You said you like authentic Mexican food, Phoenix. Haven’t you ever eaten menudo?” she asked him as she put her feet down to stop the swing.

“I have,” he said. “It’s delicious.”

“And that’s guts too,” she said, then got off the swing, taking his hand again and walking to the edge of the pond.

“But that’s different,” he argued.

“I don’t see how,” she said as she swung their clasped hands between them. “If you don’t want to come eat, you don’t have to. I won’t hold it against you.”

But he knew she would, so he changed his attitude about the dinner. Stopping, he pulled her up into his arms and leaned his forehead against hers. “You know what? I’d eat anything as long as I could be around you, Caity-cat.”

With another kiss, he melted her heart, and she wished like hell it wasn’t all an act. She could see herself falling for the guy if he he’d been legit and not just trying to win a bet.

Chapter 20

The array of vehicles that were parked in front of the Flannigan’s home was dizzying. It had the neighbors gossiping about why on earth there would be a Lamborghini, a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce, and a horse-drawn carriage all at the same time parked by the curb of the modest home.

Kel and Ethan had taken their dates to the backyard as they waited for dinner to be served. Sipping on some Chardonnay, the two were talking about how pretty Ireland was in the summer and how Kel should take the time to visit Scotland that coming summer.

When the back door opened with a loud squeak, the two saw four more people coming to join them. “Hey, you two,” Jess called out. “Mind if we join you?”

Kel shook her head as Ethan frowned at his friends, who he considered to be interfering with his progress with Kel. The others took lawn chairs, pulling them close to their dates. “Wine me, Kel,” Cait said as she held out two wine glasses she’d picked up as she went through the kitchen. “Mom told me you brought a bottle out here.”

“I did,” Kel said and passed the bottle of wine to her sister. “You can wine your own self, Cait.”

With a shrug, Cait filled their glasses. Jess and Griffin brought a couple of beers with them and sat back in their chairs, looking at the night sky. Griff put his arm around Jess and whispered, “You cold, baby?”

She wiggled into his chest. “A little.”

Kel and Cait exchanged glances at their younger sister’s interactions with the man who was all about the bet and not all about their baby sister. When Kel noticed Griff was moving in to kiss Jess, she said, “So, how’d your date go, Jess?”

Jess’s eyes had been glued on Griffin’s, and she had to drag them away to look at her oldest sister. “Fine. Well, not just fine. Great. Awesome. Beyond anything I ever could’ve imagined.”

Kel looked at Ethan with a smile. “Not better than ours went, I guarantee.”

Ethan took her hand and held it against his cheek as he said, “Ours was pretty spectacular, wasn’t it, love?”

Kel nodded then looked at Cait. “And yours? How was it, Cait?”

“Kind of dreamy. Kind of out of this world,” she said, then leaned over and kissed Phoenix on the cheek. “We’re going out for drinks after dinner tonight.”

Ethan’s frown was noticed by Cait and Jess as he looked at Phoenix. “Is that so? Kel, would you like to go out for drinks too, my love?”

“No, thank you,” Kel answered, making Ethan’s frown grow.

“What? Why not?” he asked her.

“An early morning is why.” She cupped his face in her hands. “Why? Are you going to miss me, Ethan?”

“Yes,” he said then leaned in close. “Maybe you and I could go to bed early. In our own hotel room.”

She patted his leg as she shook her head. “I don’t think so, Ethan.” Then she took the big sisterly approach with her errant middle sister. “Cait, you too have classes early in the morning. Perhaps you should think about canceling the drinks tonight. Dinner will be over around nine or so, and that’s plenty late enough. You’ve spent the entire day together as it is.”

Cait wanted to spend more time with Phoenix, but she saw how Jess was with Griffin, and it made her feel that big sister responsibility that coursed through her too. “I think you’re right. Sorry, Phoenix, maybe another time.”

Phoenix was crushed, in more ways than one. Sure, he’d thought he was about to win the bet, but he’d also really wanted to spend more time with Cait. “Aww, Caity-cat, come on. Just one drink, please.”

With a sigh, Cait said, “No, sorry.”

Jess got up and led Griffin into the house without saying a word to anyone. Kel and Cait were more than a bit worried about her and followed quickly. “Dinner’s most likely ready; come on,” Kel said as she got up and pulled Ethan to go with her.

Ethan and Phoenix exchanged worried glances as they went inside the house. It was their third night there, and it looked as if none of them would be scoring that night, either.

They found Jess and Griffin in the kitchen getting themselves two more beers and going to the dining room. Kel and Cait grew more worried about Jess and grabbed another bottle of wine, taking it to the dining room. There they found their parents and younger brother, Alex, sitting at the table.

“Finally,” their father said. “We’ve been waitin’ on you all.”

“You could’ve called us,” Kel said. “We were all in the backyard.”

“You were told when dinner would be served,” their father said. “Are ya thinkin’ me and your mother are your servants? Just because these men spoiled your arses today doesn’t mean we’ll be continuing to do that tonight. And I do hope all of you girls remember that you have school early in the morning and we expect you to get to your classes. We don’t spend almost all the money we make on your education for you to skip classes.”

“You pay for them to go to college, Mr. Flannigan?” Griffin asked as he eyed the nasty blob of gray that was sitting on top of a mountain of mashed potatoes.

“I do,” their father said. “I’m in debt up to my eyeballs with all three of the girls in college. Alex is going next year, and that debt will only mount.”

Griffin looked at Jess as she watched her plate and her cheeks were a shade of pink that told him she was embarrassed. He nudged her with his knee under the table as he smiled and said, “What a noble father you have there, Jess. You must be proud to call him your dad.”

Jess was feeling anything but proud at that moment.

Why did her father have to air their financial burdens to everyone?

“Of course I’m proud of him. If it weren’t for his hard work then we’d have nothing,” Jess said.

Kel, Cait, and Alex all mumbled agreements, but all felt embarrassed by what he’d said in front of the men too. Mrs. Flannigan gestured to the haggis that sat on the platter in the middle of the large table. “Don’t be shy. Get to making your plates.”

Phoenix stared at the unappetizing ball of yuck that sat on an orange platter which did absolutely nothing to make it appear any tastier. The mashed potatoes were about all he’d eat, so he took the spoon that was standing up in them and put some on his plate.

Cait gave him a nod. “Can you put some on mine too?”

Ethan took the knife that was stuck in the haggis and cut it open. The smell that was released had Phoenix holding back a gag. Griffin was trying to psych himself up to eat the food. He’d had mountain oysters on many occasions.

Ethan cut a wedge out and nudged Kel as he said, “Can you grab your father’s plate so I can serve this to him, love?”

Kel smiled as she reached over to get her father’s plate. Her dad was sitting back without a smile on his face. Once Ethan had filled the plate with the haggis and mashed potatoes, Kel placed it in front of her father, who said, “Thank you.” He then took his wife’s plate and handed it to Kel. “Now for your mom’s.”

Kel wasn’t surprised that Ethan had such good manners. If he hadn’t been a damn liar, she’d have been proud to call him hers. But he was a liar. A gambling liar, who only wanted her for one thing.

Griff took the hint that Ethan was giving and filled Jess’s plate, then his. Phoenix was next to place some of the haggis on Cait’s plate and then a sliver of it on his own. “Is there any ketchup?” he asked as he searched the table.

“Why?” Mrs. Flannigan asked.

Phoenix couldn’t say what he wanted it for, as it was to drown the horrible smelling and looking haggis in it. But Cait took pity on him and got up to go get some from the kitchen. “I’ll get some, Phoenix.”

He grabbed her hand and gave her a grateful expression. “I think I love you.”

She laughed and went to go get the ketchup and shook her head as she went. Phoenix was incredible. If he hadn’t just been using her, things would have been so different. A great different.

Griff and Jess ate in silence as he kept one hand on her knee, giving it a squeeze now and then. Jess had wanted to see the movie he’d taken her to pretty damn badly. But she had no idea how it turned out as she and Griff had made out the entire time, instead of watching it.

Jess was falling for him. His hand on her knee had her insides going wild. All she could think about was getting physically closer to the man. Even the smell of haggis on his breath when he leaned in close and whispered, “I’ll take you to see the movie when it comes out, since I ruined it this time” didn’t bother her one bit.

She sighed as she looked at him. Sinking into his hazel eyes, she was feeling like a drowning victim as she whispered, “You didn’t ruin a thing, Griff.”

It was beginning not to matter to her at all that he had a bet with his friends about who would get laid first. She knew he couldn’t be faking everything with her.

There was just no way he could!

He looked at her with more feeling than anyone ever had. Jess knew she was young and inexperienced. But she wasn’t without any experience at all. She could tell when someone was being genuine. And Griffin Houser was being genuine and sincere.

When Cait came back with the ketchup, her mother gave her the stink eye. “That’ll take away the unique flavor,” she said as she looked at Phoenix. “But go ahead and ruin it. If you must.”

Phoenix looked pitiful, and it had Cait’s ire bubbling. “Mother, people use ketchup all the time. Don’t give Phoenix a hard time about it.”

When Phoenix smiled at Cait, it took her breath away. And he found himself feeling more for Cait then he had before. She’d stand up for him! It wasn’t a thing anyone had done for him before.

Phoenix hadn’t had it easy growing up. Tall from the start, he was made fun of plenty in his school days. Being poor was also a thing that had made him stand out as a loser. When his mother was sent to prison for selling drugs, he was labeled a bad person by the only people he’d known his entire life.

Cait took the chair next to him again, handing the ketchup to him. “Thank you,” he said as he took the bottle from her.

“Not a problem,” she said with a smile. “As a matter of fact, put some on mine too, please.”