The Best Man by Ella Ardent Page B

said...”
    Christine
was on her feet, more furious than she’d ever been in her life. “That’s what
this was all about? Some stupid bet?”
    Jake’s
eyes flashed. “No, Christine, I can explain...”
    But
Christine wasn’t listening. She was humiliated. They would all be talking about
how easy she was, how Jake had seduced her. She was embarrassed and fearful
that people had used her weakness—her adoration of Jake—against
her.
    She
was heartbroken that he might have done as much.
    “Get
out!” she cried, feeling her tears start to rise. “I knew that if I told you
anything, you’d use it against me.”
    Jake
held up his hands. “Christine, just listen for two minutes...” To her surprise,
he looked furious.
    She
didn’t dare listen to him. He could convince her that the sky was pink with purple
polka dots.
    “No!
Out!”
    When
he didn’t move—and didn’t look like he would—Christine ran into the
bathroom and locked the door, throwing her weight against it as her tears began
to fall.
    Jake
jiggled the knob. “Christine,” he said quietly. “This isn’t over.”
    “Yes,
it is.”
    “No,
you’re angry and I don’t blame you, but you will hear my side of the story?
Please?”
    “Why
should I? You tricked me...”
    “I
tried to make your fantasy come true,” he corrected, his tone firm. “And I did
it because I love you. I have always wanted to be your fantasy, because you’ve
always been mine.”
    Christine
blinked. She turned and stared at the door, her heart leaping with hope.
    Did
she dare to believe him?
    She
decided she had to. She knew the kind of man Jake was. He wouldn’t have taken
advantage of anyone just to win a bet. It was true that she’d been surprised
and hurt, but she knew Jake.
    But
when Christine unlocked the door, the room was empty. The candles still
flickered and the sliding glass door was open.
    And
Jake was gone.
     
    * * *
     
    Jake
had never been in a worse mood in his life. That scheming bitch Fiona would
ruin everything, just because she could, and for all he knew, Mark would play
along with her for the entertainment value. Everything was on the line, but
Christine wouldn’t listen to him.
    He
wasn’t sure she ever would.
    He
should have talked to Kade. He should have confirmed that the bet was won
before he acted upon it. He should have known that Fiona could have talked Mark
into playing some stupid-ass trick on him, just to embarrass Christine.
    Jake
was feeling murderous. That he could lose Christine over some dumb prank just
made him want to deck somebody.
    He
got his stowed shorts out of the bushes and tugged them on, then headed for the
bar. He found Mark easily enough, that man hooting at the sight of him.
    “There,
he is!” Mark cried. “The lucky winner!”
    Jake
seized Mark by the collar and lifted him off the stool, backing him into the
wall. “You told me Kade had won.”
    The
other man shrugged. “Yeah, well, it was a small exaggeration.”
    “It
was a major exaggeration,” Fiona snapped with surprising hostility. Kade, Jake
noticed, stood back and watched, his expression grim.
    “Was
it?” Jake asked of Kade.
    The
other man averted his gaze.
    “It
was a lie!” Fiona declared. “A filthy opportunistic lie.” Kade gave her a hot
look, then turned away, marching into the darkness.
    What
was going on?
    Fiona
wagged a finger at Jake. “But you and Christine. That was no lie. I saw it
all.”
    “You
saw nothing that was any of your business,” Jake retorted, but Fiona just waved
off his protest.
    “I
can’t believe you thawed the ice queen.” Then she gestured to the others. “Pony
it up, boys. You’ve all got to pay Jake as the big winner.”
    The
other guys grumbled, but reached into their pockets. Jake was astonished by how
much cash they were carrying. His emotions were jumbled and he felt turned
inside out. It shouldn’t be legal for a man to have the best sex of his life,
with the woman he loved to the exclusion of all