The Bet (The Bet #1)(34)

“Very funny.” Kacey shivered. She knew Grandma was just pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes, but it was still irritating that his parents didn’t know. “And we are not getting married. It was an arrangement, though…” she trailed off.

“What?” His heart dropped to his stomach. “Though what?”

Was she having second thoughts? Did she really want to marry him?

“Though, it seems weird that all of a sudden Grandma’s doing great, don’t you think?” She hoped the hint would be enough.

“I guess.” Travis scratched his head. “I haven’t really been by the house much. It was weird, because one day she seemed totally fine, and the next it was as if she was taking her last breath or something. She was putting in all sorts of weird orders. Arranging her funeral, figuring out where the shares in the company went, wanting to marry all of us off.”

He stopped and looked up. “You don’t think Grandma’s faking her illness, do you?”

“Now, why would she have any reason to do that? Maybe she’s just trying to act healthy since I’m around?” Kacey broke eye contact and began playing with her purse.

“Right.” Travis waited for her to say something else, but she quickly changed the subject.

“So, wedding plans. I hope this means I get to look at more scrapbooks.” She nudged him.

“Yes, remind me to burn those later. I want no paper trail leading to my role as a dog.”

“You were a cute dog.”

“I had no tail.”

Kacey closed her eyes and laughed. “But you did have a really cute patch right here.” She touched his stomach, her hand lingered, then pressed against his abs. His breath hitched, and he looked at her lips. The pull was incredible.

Kacey’s tongue peeked out to wet her lips as she stretched on her toes and whispered in his ear, her lips nipping at the edges. “For the record, I like the dog better than the ass.”

“Was that a compliment, Kacey Jacobs?”

“Why, yes, yes, it was, Travis Titus.”

They laughed and fell into easy conversation the entire way to the truck. If only that moment could last forever.





Chapter Nineteen




Kacey was sweating.

Stupid Travis and his stupid ideas about cheering her up, and his damn smile with his ridiculous dimples. She sighed. His tight ass and ridiculous jokes about Jake didn’t help matters.

So many words screamed through her head, most of them curse words. They brought out the worst in her, those boys.

Whatever was going on between her and Travis, she had to fight it. First of all, his parents still blissfully thought that she and Jake were engaged.

Grandma had other plans, though Kacey was still waiting to hear why Grandma was trying to pull one over on the family.

And Travis, well, Travis thought it was all a hoax and was still worried that his Grandma would keel over at any minute.

As if she didn’t have enough stress in her life, when they arrived home Jake pulled up and hopped out of his car, looking far too pleased to be coming away from such a boring brunch.

“Hey, baby.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her across the mouth.

Immediately she slapped him. “You kiss your whores with that mouth!”

Seriously, she hadn’t meant to say it out loud.

Travis gave a low whistle behind her.

“What the hell, Kacey? Is that the kind of greeting you want to give your fiancé?” He gave her an innocent smile.

“You bastard!” She raised her hand again, but Travis pulled her away before she could do any damage to his face.

“What the hell kind of lines has he been feeding you?” Jake lunged towards Travis, but Kacey stood between them.

“Nothing, he said nothing. You, however, have said everything that needs to be said without opening your sorry mouth.”

“I’m confused.” Jake held up his hands in defeat.

“You reek of skank. Geez, you promised, Jake. You said this was for Grandma, that you could do anything for a weekend. Really? What are your parents going to say when you march into that house smelling like cheap Dolce and Gabana knockoff? Hmm?”

“It was D&G. I would know,” he corrected, pulling off his jacket and swinging it over his shoulder. Kacey lunged again.

Travis grabbed her. She turned around and gave him a glare that said Just let me kill him!

Jake stopped in his tracks. “I don’t see what the big deal is anyway. I have my fun, you two have your fun. Everyone wins. My parents think we’re getting married, Grandma finally has you home, though it’s ridiculous that you’d be that important. I mean it’s been years and now she wants to see you? Look, all that matters is that by all appearances, I’m grown up, you’re reunited, and we’ll be engaged in marital bliss soon.” He shrugged and walked off.

“Selfish bastard,” Travis mumbled under his breath.

“I want to scratch his eyes out.” Kacey felt herself flush with anger.

“Yeah, you and every girl he’s ever slept with.”

Kacey felt herself tense and then blush, the heat spreading across her face and down her neck until finally she couldn’t take it anymore. Her lip trembled just slightly, and she began walking purposefully toward the house, but Travis pulled her arm back and pushed her through the doorway nearest the garage.