Bet Me Something (Something Series Book 3)

by Aubrey Bondurant

  He chuckled. “Good, but who gets to decide on that? Because guys are typically better at determining that factor when it comes to other men.”

  “Oh, I think I have an accurate DB radar. I picture it in terms of would they be the type of guy who’d survive hanging out with Brian, Mark, Josh, and you. If I’d be embarrassed to bring them around, then the answer is they’re probably a douche.”

  “That’s a pretty fair assumption.”

  “And number three is: he has to be a good kisser.”

  He rolled his eyes, clearly disagreeing. “Does the pretty boy from down under meet those criteria?”

  “And just like that, you’ve crossed into douche bag territory.”

  He whacked me on the head with a couch pillow, causing us both to laugh.

  After a few minutes of silence, he started the movie again, then asked, “The kiss was that bad?”

  I sighed, ready to put it to rest. “Will only kissed me on the cheek. It was sweet and friendly.”

  “I meant ours.”

  Holy crap. “I plead the fifth.”

  “What exactly was so terrible about it?”

  My heart started to beat faster, but I refused to make it easy on him after his excuse last night. “Why do you care? You said multiple times it’s overrated. Plus, if you truly felt like you were kissing your little sister, I’m guessing that could be a large part of the problem.”

  He grabbed the remote, pausing the movie again. “That was a shit thing for me to say and not exactly true. In all seriousness, is there one thing or were there a few?”

  Not entirely true? To hell with it, the least I could do was be honest. “Okay, but if I tell you, you can’t take it personally. I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”

  He gave me an incredulous look. “Hi, have we met? You’re not going to hurt my feelings.”

  Right, because Colby had perfected the art of pretending he didn’t have any. “First thing is you tasted like an ashtray from the cigars I’m guessing you smoked with your brother. The cigar was—”

  “Awful,” he supplied.

  I nodded. “And then there was the fact you shoved your tongue into my mouth. It made it sloppy.”

  He clenched his jaw, studying my face as if he was waiting for me to say I was kidding. “What else?”

  “You didn’t use your hands.”

  He grinned. “If I had, I doubt very much you would have been focused on the kiss, sweetheart.”

  Blushing, I thought about how skilled his hands probably were. “I didn’t mean to grope me. I meant to touch my face, brush my hair aside, or cup my chin.”

  He shook his head. “I think it goes back to the whole emphasis you’re putting on it. Not that I’m offering it up, but there are a lot better things beyond the kiss. Plenty a woman can testify there are no complaints in that department.”

  “Unless you’ve asked someone you previously dated, I don’t think you can put such a statement out there.” Clearly, he didn’t get it. “How about we agree to disagree?”

  He wasn’t giving up, though. “Name one good thing that comes of only a kiss.”

  I’d always felt comfortable sharing most things with Colby, however over the last couple of days we’d crossed into new territory, blatantly sexual in our conversations. Considering he’d left the door wide open with the topic of conversation, I decided to be blunt.

  “Okay, how’s this: a great kiss should make my vision blur, my body tingle and, most importantly, make me so unbelievably wet that I could almost climax with it alone.” I witnessed his eyes dilate with desire and a breath leave him. Well, that was promising.

  He cleared his voice. “Right. I, um, I don’t think that’s even possible.” He pressed play on the movie and then a little while later got up, begging off to make a phone call.

  I was contemplating turning in for the night when he came back out to the living room. “Everything okay?” I asked, immediately noting his frown.

  “I called a woman I used to date.”

  I instantly wondered if it had ever been serious and hoped my voice sounded cool and breezy when I asked, “Oh, who’s that?”

  “She’s a news anchor in LA and probably the closest thing to a girlfriend, although we only dated for a few weeks.”

  “Why didn’t it work out?” This. This was the type of thing I never would’ve asked while in the crush zone but now felt comfortable doing. I craved information, both good and bad, about him.

  He shrugged before admitting, “She needed someone a little more refined. And I was constantly on edge I’d say something inappropriate. I recognize I’m not the best boyfriend material, but no one wants to be made to feel as though they’re someone’s project.”

  I crinkled my nose. “That sounds like spending time with my mother.”

  He threw his head back, laughing. “Kind of, but with the sex.”

  “Eww, thanks for that image. Anyhow, why’d you call her?”

  “I asked her about the kissing.”

  I was shocked. Had I made Mr. Confident that self-doubting? “Uh. What did she say?”

  He exhaled heavily. “She said I preferred to get straight to the point, but when I did kiss her, she remembers hoping I’d get straight to the point.”

  Oh, boy. I’d never seen Colby look insecure about anything. “On the bright side, she must’ve enjoyed the straight-to-the-point stuff enough to want to skip to that. And you said yourself that the kiss isn’t important.”

  “Yeah, except finding out you suck at it isn’t fun, either.”

  I suddenly felt bad. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to give you a complex.”

  “No, you didn’t. If anything, I should thank you for being honest with me.”

  I smiled until his next words about knocked the air out of me.

  “I want a do-over.”

  “Wh—what?” Great, now he had me stuttering.

  “You heard me. I want another chance. You could, um, show me what you mean by a great kiss.”

  “Now?” My voice hitched.

  He shrugged. “We can wait until after the movie ends and dessert.”

  Oh, boy. I would need at least that amount of time to calm my nerves at the prospect of another kiss and the fact he was asking me to show him how it was done.

  ***

  Colby was his normal self during the remainder of the movie, an attitude which was both annoying and confusing. I might not have the same crush I did before, but that didn’t mean I was any less nervous over what was to come.

  After the movie ended, he grabbed gelato out of the freezer and two spoons. We sat on the couch, sharing the treat in silence. It was salted caramel, which didn’t call for many words considering how good it was.

  “You want any more?” he inquired, getting up to put the container back in the freezer.

  I shook my head, swallowing hard. I wasn’t sure how to go about this do-over, but right now I was getting an undeniable hum that had my palms sweating.

  “Are you ready to show me the proper way to kiss? I have to warn you that my expectations are quite high since your version is supposed to rock my world.” He walked over to where I was sitting on the couch.

  I sighed, trying not to erupt in nervous laughter. “Oh, sure, no pressure. Um, what about the cameras you said your brother might have?”

  “I asked him. He said they’re only on the front door and foyer. Why? Are you stalling?”

  Suddenly I thought, what the hell. What did I have to lose? Obviously, I was the one with more experience in this area, and he was the one asking for it. I stood up, took his hand, and motioned towards the sofa. “Sit.”

  He grinned, which did nothing for my nerves.

  “Okay, Colby Singer, brace yourself.” I climbed onto his lap, watching his stunned expression when I straddled him, a knee on either side of his thighs.

  We were face to face with our gazes locked on one another. I put my hands on either side of his face, noticing his breath hitch and lips part wit
h the contact. Leaning forward, I touched my lips to his tentatively, realizing his eyes remained open. I searched them and then touched his mouth once more, watching his flutter shut. I tasted the caramel from the ice cream and was surprised by how soft his lips were. I hadn’t noticed previously since his tongue had been shoved down my throat. Our mouths, still cool from the frozen treat, offered up quite a contrast to the growing heat of the kiss. While increasing pressure with my lips, one of my hands threaded through his hair and the other one rested on his cheek. My tongue timidly entered his mouth, and I felt him shudder with the sensation. But when his came out to invade my mouth, I pulled back.

  “You keep your tongue where it is, mister,” I admonished, witnessing his unconcealed amusement.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I returned to what I was doing with my tongue flicking against his lips. When I gently bit down on his bottom one, the sound of his groan gave me all the confidence I needed to proceed in deepening it. Sucking on his tongue and swallowing his breath, I loved it when he practically growled into my mouth. When I pulled back to tell him he could start to use his tongue a little more, he didn’t give me a chance to speak, instead threading his hands into my hair, taking control with strokes of his tongue against mine, mirroring my earlier pattern. He moved tentatively at first, but then he completely took charge, gripping my ass and pulling me further into his lap. Shivering with the change, I gasped when I realized he was hard.

  For me.

  Because of our kiss.

  Desire pooled between my legs, and I shifted my hips slightly, grinding against his thigh, searching for relief. He moved his hands up, rubbing my breasts over my shirt.

  This wasn’t what I’d been expecting at all, but it was obvious this kiss had already surpassed any do-over expectations. My hands ran over his chest, eager for skin contact, and slipped under the material. Seeing him without a shirt the other morning had been one thing. Touching was clearly a different sensation, something I experienced when my exploring yielded hard muscles under my fingertips.

  He shifted, nestling his erection between my thighs while my hips shamelessly ground into him. Then suddenly, in the distance, I heard a cell phone ringing.

  Colby cursed, pulling back. His expression was a mixture of both lust and confusion. “I think my lesson is up,” he murmured huskily.

  I tried to extricate myself from his lap with what little grace I still possessed. It wasn’t clear which of us had been rocked more by our kiss, and I wondered if, absent the cell phone interruption, it would’ve progressed to more.

  He answered the call tersely, indicating with his tone that it was business related. Hanging it up, he looked at me then down to his upper thigh, where I’d left a giant wet spot.

  “Oh, my God,” I said out loud, wanting to absolutely die. Take myself under the dining room table, put my hands over my head, and rock myself like a crazy person until the moment passed by.

  His eyes met mine but in them sheer arousal was reflected. The front of his shorts showed he was straining against them with his erection. “I take it that kiss was better?”

  I nodded, conscious that my face was completely crimson. “Did you, uh, need a Tide stain stick or something? I think I have one in my purse.” No, no, no, those words did not actually come out of my mouth.

  His brow arched. “I’m good. Are we okay?”

  I stood up unsteadily. “Yeah, we’re fine. I should go to bed.”

  Normally, he would’ve kissed me on the cheek or at least given me a hug; however he didn’t make a move to do either this time around. Suddenly, I was in a hurry to get behind closed doors.

  “Kenz, wait. You’re not going to be all weird about this now, are you?”

  Irritation instantly bloomed. “Why do you assume it’s me who’ll act weird? You’re the one who’s been acting strange ever since the first time.”

  “You’re the one who bet me into it.”

  I put my hands on my hips. “Funny, I don’t remember our bet having a do-over clause. That was all you.”

  “Maybe my ego didn’t enjoy hearing the kiss was awful, but that doesn’t mean I want you all emotional about it. Nor does it mean I’m interested in more.”

  “You’re such a jackass.” I stomped down the hall, slumping against the guest bedroom’s door to the floor once I was inside. I was both confused and angry.

  The soft knock came quickly. “Open up, please.”

  “Go away.”

  “I’m sorry. I was a complete asshole. You’re one of the most important people in my life, Kenz, and if I lost your friendship, I don’t know what I’d do.” He paused. “That kiss kind of took me off guard, and I reacted badly.”

  He made it hard to stay mad. “It would be easier if you stayed a jackass.”

  “Yes, it would, but you already called me adorable earlier. No takebacks.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “We’re fine, and I promise: no girly emotions. It was just a kiss.”

  “So would you classify it as your best one ever?”

  “Jesus. Your ego knows no bounds. Maybe I didn’t like it at all.” I decided to be a brat.

  “I’m reasonably sure the wet spot on my leg would beg to differ.”

  “Maybe if you hadn’t rubbed your non-interested erection against me like that, we wouldn’t have had that problem,” I retorted.

  The sound of laughter led away from the door. “Touché, sweetheart. Touché.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Some of my friends in college, the ones I’d confided in about being a virgin, used to ask how I could’ve gone without sex for twenty-two years. I now knew the answer was simple: I hadn’t known what I was missing.

  As I lay restless in bed after my do-over kiss with Colby, my body was remembering the way he’d touched me and how it had felt to be rocked against him so intimately. At least it didn’t seem he’d disappoint in that category. I punched my pillow, knowing for certain I’d be hurting in the morning for sleep. I wondered if he was similarly afflicted but realized he most likely had taken care of things himself. Huh, there was a thought.

  I needed a big glass of wine and a vibrator. I had neither of those two things in my possession, but I was sure as hell going to remedy the situation once I returned to LA.

  As predicted, I was exhausted the next morning after a fitful night’s sleep. Maybe it was the kiss or stressing about the great unknown when it came to the next phase of my life, but either way, I was feeling restless by the time we boarded Colby’s private plane. He must’ve sensed my anxiety during the flight as he watched my knee bob up and down of its own accord while we traveled closer to home, where I’d no longer be able to ignore reality.

  “I meant what I said before. I’d pay for your school, Kenz.”

  My eyes met his, and I fought the temptation to go for the easy choice by taking either his offer or my brother’s. “I know, but I’m tired of being dependent on other people and need to figure out what I can do on my own.”

  “You’re twenty-two and graduated last week. Give yourself a break. So what if your parents paid your living expenses for your college, and Brian, what, helps you out from time to time? That’s what families do when they have the means to.”

  I bit my lip, not knowing quite how to phrase my next question without offending him. “Don’t you sometimes want more?”

  “What do you mean?”

  I expelled a long breath. “I’m not even sure.”

  He turned towards me, giving me his full attention. “Try me.”

  “You know how you said you’ve never seen your brother the way he is with his wife and baby. Then I witnessed the way Brian and Sasha are together…”

  “You want a relationship now?”

  His voice had held a note of pure terror. “Jeez, stow your panic button. No, that’s not it. It’s more about the people they were before they got together. Haylee, who’s only a year older than I am, knew exactly what she wanted with law school.”

>   He looked thoughtful. “Some of that is due to her losing both parents so young, I’m sure.”

  “Right, except it shouldn’t take that for me to learn to be independent.”

  “You moved across the country to attend a school where you didn’t know anyone. I’d argue that’s pretty independent.”

  It was sweet of him to defend me. “I accomplished that with Brian and you helping me move. And then my parents paid for my apartment, my car, and all my furnishings.”

  He frowned. “So, I moved out to Los Angeles and started a business with my family’s money.”

  “Yeah, but you started a business. A company you envisioned, researched and which, with your hard work, has become successful. It’s something you should be really proud of. I guess I want the same.”

  “What can I do?”

  I shrugged. “I’m not sure, but whatever I figure out, hopefully you can be supportive?”

  He tugged on my hair playfully. “Of course I will.”

  ***

  After we landed at LAX, Colby dropped me off at my apartment before he headed home. I wasn’t especially attached to my garden-style one-bedroom, but after moving out of the dorms two years ago, I’d become accustomed to my own space with my very own stuff.

  First thing I did was make a trip to the nearby 7-11 for junk food because when I got anxious or started feeling blue, I could literally eat my weight in Hostess products. Adulting could totally include Ho Hos. Unfortunately it also needed to involve a nice long run if I was to alleviate the caloric guilt over my junk food inhalation.

  After donning my running attire and headphones, I took off, making my way through the UCLA campus and back. It was hot, although unlike Vegas, the heat here didn’t burn my eyes. Arriving back at my place, I was ready for a long shower and a well-deserved dinner of peanut butter Captain Crunch. Before undressing, I checked my phone and frowned at the three missed calls from Colby. After I dialed him back, he picked up on the first ring.

  “Where were you?”

  “Running. Why?”

  He let out an audible breath. “I was worried because you didn’t answer your phone.”