The Wager

Chapter Twenty-two

Kacey kicked Travis awake. He was still snoring on the couch. Poor guy. He was going to be exhausted for their little flight home.

“What?” He jerked up and cursed. “Seriously? You kicked me? Why not wake me up with a kiss or sex or—”

“We have a problem.”

“There is no ‘we’.” Travis rubbed his eyes. “Only me. I have a problem. I slept on the damn couch. I have two kinks in my neck and if I’m not able to share the same bed with you soon I’m going to lose my damn mind.”

“Find your morals.” Kacey punched him in the leg, forcing him to move to a sitting position so she could grab a spot on the couch.

“Lost them. Don’t want to find them.” Travis yawned. “Why’d you wake me up again?”

“The problem.”

“Oh, right.” He sighed. “Do I get coffee first?”

“No,” she snapped. “It’s serious!”

“Holy shit. Are you—?”

“Why does everyone keep asking if I’m pregnant? How’s that even supposed to happen with you sleeping in a separate bed?”

Travis seemed to actually think about this.

Rolling her eyes, Kacey grabbed his hand. “Focus. I think something’s wrong with Jake.”

Travis snorted. “If I had a dollar for every time someone said that to me—”

“Shut up. I’m serious! He actually looked sad! He was all depressed and—”

“Morning, Jake!” Travis called as Jake came bounding down the stairs.

“Yup.” Jake waved. “Char already in the car?”

Kacey nodded.

Jake licked his lips and headed for the door. The minute it clicked shut, Travis spoke. “Damn, I think something’s wrong with Jake.”

Reining in her withering patience, Kacey managed not to groan in frustration. “Like I said, we have a problem. What if he actually likes her?”

“Impossible,” Travis said. “The guy hasn’t been in a serious relationship, ever. I mean the closest he ever got was with you and we both know how that ended.”

Ignoring him, Kacey continued. “It just seems like he’s really upset over her. Did you say anything to him last night?”

Travis didn’t answer.

“Baby?”

Travis looked at his hands.

“Did you say something about Char?”

“I may have given him a little… warning.”

“Warning?” Kacey said. “What type of warning?”

“You know… one where I tell him to put on his big boy pants, stop eating where he shits, and leaving Char the hell alone.”

“And he listened to you?”

“Weird, right?” Travis smirked. “At any rate. We both know Jake better than anyone. He doesn’t like her; he just thinks he does because she’s probably the only girl that won’t toss up her skirts for him. Jace is better for her, I promise.”

“But—”

“Kace.” Travis grabbed her hand and kissed it. “Remember, if we lose, Grandma sings at our wedding. I guarantee that if you push Char into Jake’s hands, he’ll bang her and leave her just like every other notch on his bedpost.”

“Okay.” She slumped back against the couch.

“Baby.” Travis chuckled. “I know you have a big heart and want both of them to be happy, but there is no way that Jake’s turned over a new leaf that fast. No chance in hell. And you don’t want to see your best friend hurt like that, especially right before the wedding. Trust me, okay?”

“Okay, but if you’re wrong…” Kacey pulled her legs onto Travis’s lap. “No sex for a week.”

“You do realize we’re not even having sex now?”

“Once we’re married.”

“You’d withhold sex from your husband?”

“To win a wager?” Kacey winked. “Absolutely.”

“Heartless.”

“No.” Kacey kissed his cheek. “That would be Grandma. She’s the one who’s banned you to the couch.”

“I’m only listening to her because she bought a shock collar the other day.”

Kacey gave him a confused look.

“She doesn’t have a dog, Kace. She bought a collar. If I don’t listen, she may use it on me. I put nothing past that woman.”

“Kacey! Travis!” Grandma called from the back room. “Time for breakfast! I’m hungry!”

Groaning, Travis put his face in his hands. “Do you think she has a quiet button? Forget dying from lust. I’m going to go deaf.”

It was quiet for a second then, “Heard that!” From Grandma.

Travis wordlessly lifted his hands into the air in frustration, then got up off the couch. He held his hand out for Kacey and pulled her in for a hug. “Seriously, Kace, don’t worry about it. I promise. Jake’s just being Jake, okay?”

She nodded, but she wasn’t convinced. Because for the first time in years Jake actually looked… sad about the way that his night had gone. He looked anything but happy and, that was the thing: he’d never let a girl affect him like that before. Not even when she and he had been together. Which really made Kacey wonder if he was falling for her best friend.