The Playboy's Dangerous Bet

I

is going to propose

as a blank page: no flings, no messy exes, nothing. He's my first

ure, acting secretive with his phone, and whispering behind

'm wa

f the blue, my heart does a little flip, wonder

od to cover my sister's bakery and coffee shop, Sweet Cru

ice, and I definitely do

of the shop after she showed up an hour ago stric

ul of blueberry scone, "two years is a long

top. Her ink-black hair, cut with icy-silver streaks, is clipped back in a messy claw clip, and

l stool, ignoring the older couple

hem s

the sink. "We've been together two years, Gia, not two decades. Besides, I caught browser tabs f

fingernail against her iced coffee. "Right. Because

s to be

ng to say it. You're twenty-nine and still a virgin, Liv. Let's be real, if a guy dated me

s, my cheeks

toward us, her lips pursed in horror. I offer an apo

It's called having boundaries, Gia. Y

n in real life, but somehow you write the most unhinge

gar packet at her head. She

re me your horniness and go to a c

unter. She tilts her head, looking past my shoulder toward the back corner of t

pretending to check the pastry displ

rner booth and my stom

wo-top near the window. He doesn't be

look like he belongs

is dressed in a dark leather jacket over a black shi

sit alone. They scroll on t

ing none

ing on the tabletop. His knuckles ar

. And he is staring directly

ispers, leaning closer to me. "The ma

, Gia," I say dryly, organizing a stack of napkins. "

. She takes three dramatic steps to the right,

stepping down the counter to restock the

ok a

nch, but his gaze tracked

ckle runs down th

is hand up to his face. Slowly, deliberatel

ng blue eyes loc

ree

d gesture. Way too int

half-naked, and I am wearing a

. He looks like one of the monsters I only allow to exist between the pages of my m

I mutter, spinning aro

cket. I pull it out, practical

tra peanut sauce for my girl. On my way to t

ank God. Normalcy. My sweet,

my car today! Come to the back

to my apron and look up

"I wanted to give you a heads-up before t

crunchin

e sets the plastic cup down, aligning it p

She always aligns things when she's trying

y, tracing the rim of

so you aren't caught off gu

ilver bracelets clank against the stone. "Anyway. Nature calls. If

d-walks toward the

t a slow

chair being pushed back ec

t need to turn around. The entire atmosp

t walk out

doe

. The scent of dark sandalwood

luctantly,

ead back just to meet his eyes. There's a small, pale scar near his jawline, drawing my gaze t

I ask, my voice comin

reaches into his leather coat, pulls out a black metal

. Long fingers. Scarred

coffee,

gh gravel that scrapes

h the terminal, and hand it back to

ard. He ignore

café napkin across the marble until it brushes my finge

ive full seconds, my heart

the hallway. "Did he lea

n she sees my face

ick up the folded paper

e written in sharp,

ome to Velvet Tears at 1

eath, Gia snatches the napk

nce. Then she

th dark vindication. "I knew that golden-boy, Mr. Roger

the front door sign to CLOSED and throw the deadbolt. "Think about it logically, Gia. Ben is a sweet guy who

minute, latching onto the only theory th

ions has been breathing down my neck since I turned him down at the Christmas party, and they know I'm planning to

ath, tapping my pocket wh

"It's not some random bar, babe. It's an underground casino and strip club exclusively for the top one percent. There are no signs, no win

a black metal card flashing through my mind. "Whi

ve nothing to lose by going at ten

Knock

he steel back delivery do

exhale of relief and hurry ba

pad thai and peanut sauce with him. In his navy coat, with his light brown hair neatly swep

kiss onto my forehead. "H

ing a triumphant look over his shou

e bralette and lets out a good-natured laugh. "Jesus Christ, Gi

as you've only got eyes on your girl, Benny,

s warm fingers through mine to lead me out int

y shoulders drop. Gia is paranoid. The guy in the c

b and pulls the passe

rmurs, stopping right

side his navy

s he doing it right now? Is he proposin

lluminates the fabric of his co

ng right next to him, my hand rest

Ben glances down at the screen,

vers over the glass, and he

fect smile sliding right back into place as he slips t

round the hood towar

ide the open passenger door, my

I saw th

't a sp

ite letters across th

O