Temptation
Page 24
He put his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. Take it easy. You don’t want her to work for us, she won’t work for us. Case closed.”
Cash walked away as I stood still stinging from Shay’s barbed jabs. I didn’t know if I wanted to bother trying to get with her. With all the women in the world, why take the time to overcome whatever defensive bullshit she had going on?
Kane came around me and stood with his arms folded across his chest. “She’s a wild one, isn’t she?”
“Wild? I missed the interview, so I wouldn’t know.”
“I heard how she took you down a few pegs before she left. Looks like there’s at least one woman you won’t be having.”
I didn’t enjoy Kane’s smugness. Whether it was because he’d been pissed off about something recently or because he never had any women, he seemed to truly enjoy Shay’s attitude with me.
“It doesn’t matter how fucking wild she is. She’s not going to be working here, so what do I care?”
“Seems to have struck a nerve there, Stef. I guess she’s just out of your league.”
He wasn’t even trying to hide his joy over this. “Has nothing to do with leagues, Kane. If it did, we might be talking about how someone like that wouldn’t even bother talking to the likes of you if you weren’t part owner of this club.”
“I’m not the one who thinks he can have any woman on Earth. I’m a little choosier and I prefer to keep my relationships a little more private. You prefer to have them displayed on the bar each night and then in lawyers’ offices during depositions. But you’re not going to get the chance with this one.”
“That sounds like a challenge, Kane. I don’t think you’re up to it, though.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “She’s not my type, Stefan. I don’t want her, and I won’t fight for her.”
“Not fight for her. It just sounds like you don’t think I could get her.”
His chuckle morphed into a full-blown laugh. “I know you can’t. That woman is too smart for you. She saw your game coming a mile away. Accept it. Shay isn’t a woman you can have. Move on and be happy with those cheap little playthings you prefer to spend your time with.”
“You honestly don’t think I can get her to go out with me, do you?”
“I honestly can’t believe you’d want her. She’s too much work for you, Stefan. You’d have to be more than the man whore you’ve always been. I just don’t think you’re up to it.”
Was Kane serious? “You’re saying you think there’s a woman I can’t seduce? Am I hearing you right?”
“I’m saying seducing her isn’t something you know how to do. It’s going to take a whole lot more than a few drinks, your charming smile, and whatever smooth lines you use to get with your usual type.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Kane, who I didn’t think I’d ever seen with a woman, was doubting my ability to charm someone. Kane, who most females backed away from in fear, was saying I wasn’t smart enough to get Shay Callahan, science nerd, into bed. He had to be kidding!
“Kane, you’re coming dangerously close to insulting me. For a man who has so little success with women, you seem to not know how successful I’ve been.”
“I’ve seen your conquests. Not impressed. It doesn’t take much to get cheap sluts to fuck you. They’re going to do it anyway, so if you’re the nearest guy around, you luck out.”
“Fuck you, Kane!” I spat out, sick of this conversation. It wasn’t bad enough I was hung over, but now I’d had to deal with two people giving me shit.
“You know what they say. It’s all about location, location, location. I’d bet that if you didn’t have a constant stream of young ones wanting to work as bartenders here that you’d get far less ass.”
The guy was taunting me. I knew it, but something in me snapped and made me want to force him to put up or shut up. Kane was much bigger than I was, though, and I wasn’t stupid. I may have wanted to knock him flat on his ass, but the reality was that I’d likely get one or two shots in before he kicked me around my bar.
No, I couldn’t beat him physically. But there were other ways to bring him down to size.
“Kane, I could stand here all day trading jabs with you, but I’ve got a better idea. Let’s make a bet. That’s if you’re up to it, of course.”
He stepped back and stared me down. “You want to bet what with me? That you can get with that girl?”
“Yeah. Take the bet or show you’re all talk.”
“I’m not interested in chasing after that girl. She’s not my type. I don’t even pretend she is. I’m not interested in her or your bet.”
He turned to walk away, but I caught him by the shoulder and stopped him. “Hear me out. I’m not talking about a bet to see if you can get her before I do. I’m saying I’ll bet you I can get her to fall for me.”
“What’s in it for me, other than seeing you make an ass out of yourself?” he asked with the sinister grin he wore so often around me.
“Name it. You set the terms.”
He took a few moments to think about my offer and finally said, “Let me see if I got this straight. You’re bothered that I don’t think you have in it you to get this girl, so you want to make a bet that you can?”
I forced a nonchalant shrug. “If you don’t think you’re up to it…”
“Is this part of that Stefan charm that gets all the women to fuck you? I don’t see it, but if you insist, I’ll take your bet.”
“Good. Name your terms.”
“You have to get this girl to fall for you, and I don’t mean just sleep with you. She has to be in love with you or you don’t win.”
The reality that making a woman fall in love was much harder than making one fall into bed with you was a real problem. Women like Shay didn’t do either easily, I guessed, but sex was a whole lot easier than love.
“Fine.”
“And you have only one semester to do this in. She made it clear in the interview that next semester she’s not going to be able to work since she’ll be studying abroad. That gives you maybe four months.”
“Four months? What the fuck, Kane? How long does it take for you to get into a woman’s pants? Jesus, I bet I can do it in a tenth of that time.”
“You do realize she’s not like the other women who work for you, right? She’s smart, successful, and from what I already heard from her when she stood right there and dressed you down, she doesn’t even like you.”
“No matter. I’ll take the four months, but I don’t plan to need it. What else?” I bragged, secretly admitting to myself that it very well could take half that time just to get her to warm up to me. After that, though, it would be smooth sailing.
“You have to show proof.”
I’d always suspected Kane was a kinky one. What did he want? Video? “Proof like what? You planning to watch me sleep with her?” I joked.
“Cash and Olivia are planning their engagement party for just around the time you’d have to get Shay to fall for you. You’re going to have to show up to the party with her, and you’re going to have to get her to say she loves you.”
“As long as I don’t have to be in love with her, we have a deal.”
“The man whore in love? I’m not ready for Hell to freeze over just yet. No, all you need is her in love with you.”
I chucked him on the shoulder. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this cruel, Kane. It seems heartless to have the girl fall in love with me when I won’t be in love with her.”
Shaking his head, he smiled. “Not cruel at all. If I thought for a second that this one would even give you the time of day, I wouldn’t agree to this bet at all. I don’t think you have a chance, little brother. You’ve met your match this time.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. So what do I get if I win?”
Kane grinned. “A gorgeous woman you’d never deserve in love with you.”
“Not good enough. I want something from you when I win. Put up or shut up.”
“You can’t want money. What else do I have that you want?” he asked, genuinely confused about what I could be angling for.
“Your Mustang.”
A look of terror crossed his face and he shook his head quickly. “No.”
“What’s wrong, big brother? Chicken shit?”
“I’m not risking my car. There’s no way in hell I’m letting you touch that baby.”
I’d wanted to get my hands on Kane’s 69 Mustang Boss 429 since the first time I laid eyes on it. Black, sexier than any vehicle I’d ever seen, it was the one car I hadn’t been able to find for my own. I’d get that car and Shay too.
“Seems like you think I might win, Kane. All that talk and when push comes to shove, you’re nowhere to be found.”
Leaning down, he pushed his face close to mine. “I’m not betting my car, Stefan. I don’t care if you fuck this girl or not. No deal.”
“Then let me have it for a weekend. I win and you give me your car for a whole weekend.”
He seemed to think about my concession and nodded. “And what do I get if you lose? I’m not risking the one thing I care about more than life itself if I don’t get something pretty fucking incredible in return.”
“My humiliation won’t be enough?”
“I don’t think you’ll be humiliated. You won’t really care for her, so your feelings won’t be involved. This has to be something worthwhile if my car is on the line, even if it is only for a weekend.”
“How about my apartment? You seemed to like it when you came over that one time.”
Kane raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “You’re going to give me your apartment on the bay?”
“Sure.” I was pretty sure he’d never get to step foot into my place.
“So let me get this straight. If you don’t get this woman to fall in love with you within four months, you’ll give me your apartment. For how long?”
“For an entire year.”
“And if you do get her to fall in love with you, you get my car for a weekend?”
“Sounds good. Is it a deal?” I asked, holding my hand out to shake on it.
Kane took my hand and shook it hard. “I’m going to enjoy that place of yours, and seeing you get shot down by a real woman will just be icing on the cake.”
“Just get that Mustang ready for me. I plan to enjoy my weekend with it picking up women. If you had any skills, you’d use it to get chicks too.”
Shaking his head, he mumbled something as he walked away, no doubt sure he would win our bet. I had no intention of losing this one. That car and my reputation meant too much to me.
LOOK FOR SURRENDER (CLUB X #2) COMING SOON AND ADD IT TO YOUR GOODREADS TBR SHELF TODAY!
About The Author
K.M. Scott writes sexy contemporary romance with characters her readers love. A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, she’s been in love with romance since reading her first romance novel in junior high (she was a very curious girl!). She lives in Pennsylvania with her teenage son and a herd of animals and when she’s not writing can be found reading or feeding her TV addiction.
Be sure to visit K.M.’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/kmscottauthor for all the latest on her books, along with giveaways and other goodies! And to hear about Advanced Review Copy opportunities and all the news on K.M. Scott books first, sign up for her newsletter today!
Other books by K.M. Scott:
Crash Into Me (Heart of Stone #1)
Fall Into Me (Heart of Stone #2)
Give In To Me (Heart of Stone #3)
The Heart of Stone Trilogy Box Set
Ever After (A Heart of Stone Novella)
Surrender (Club X #2) Coming Fall 2014
Possession (Club X #3) Coming Early 2015
**Add them to your Goodreads shelf today!**
Love sexy paranormal romance? K.M. writes under the name Gabrielle Bisset too! Visit Gabrielle’s Facebook page and her website at http://www.gabriellebisset.com/ to find out about her books.
Books by Gabrielle Bisset:
Vampire Dreams Revamped (A Sons of Navarus Prequel)
Blood Avenged (Sons of Navarus #1)
Blood Betrayed (Sons of Navarus #2)
Longing (A Sons of Navarus Short Story)
Blood Spirit (Sons of Navarus #3)
The Deepest Cut (A Sons of Navarus Short Story)
Blood Prophecy (Sons of Navarus #4)
Blood & Dreams Sons of Navarus Box Set
Love’s Master
Masquerade
The Victorian Erotic Romance Trilogy
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
Temptation Extras
SURRENDER —Sneak Peek
About the Author