The Bet (5 page)

Or would she be flying around with him, watching, while he paid more attention to his laptop than he did to the fact that she was having a major panic attack?

“Fifteen minutes,” she mumbled to herself, forgetting that she had actually just accused Jake of lying.

“First you accuse me of lying, and now you’re giving me a count down? You okay, Kace?”

“Fine.” She clenched and grinded her teeth as she watched him shrug and look back at his computer.

The temptation to smash his computer with her bare hands was strong, but it would accomplish nothing other than ruining her nails, which she had worked hard to perfect hours before. Not that Jake would notice.

“It’s only fifteen more minutes,” she chanted more to herself than to the idiot next to her. “Plus? It’s not as if things are going to get any worse, right? I mean, it’s not as if Travis is going to be there.” Kacey suddenly felt so much better.

Jake’s brother Travis had been the bane of her existence. While Jake chased and played with her, Travis wouldn’t give her any attention at all. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. When she was really little he was relentless. And then he suddenly stopped. It was simply like she didn’t exist. And she wasn’t sure why it bothered her so much, but he always seemed to be irritated with her when she was young. Kacey was his little brother’s best friend. She could count on one hand the number of times he had actually spoken to her, and each time she ended up crying and running away, while Travis continued to taunt her.

Outwardly shuddering, Kacey managed to stay silent the rest of the flight.

****

He knew he was being rude, but he had business to finish up, and well, Kacey needed to understand that some things were just more important. It wasn’t as if he didn’t care that she was hyperventilating next to him, but he couldn’t just drop everything in order to cater to her every fear.

Geez, he’d be catering to her all night, and he had a few things he needed to finish up. Because she looked so good in what she was wearing, it was taking him three times as long to even finish his emails, let alone put together sentences that made sense to his colleagues.

Jake had never been so happy for a plane to land. He pulled out his cell to text his mom that they had arrived.

His phone beeped immediately, he looked down and felt the blood drain from his face.

“Shit.”

“What? What is it? Is it Grandma? Oh my gosh, Jake, I have to see her. Is she okay?” Kacey was gripping that same arm she had pinched earlier. He was going to have to have plastic surgery to remove the imprints of her fingers on his arm.

“No, not Grandma.” Wanting nothing more than to slam his phone against the seat or crush it in his hand, he managed a tight smile. “Mom can’t pick us up. Her nail appointments ran late and she had to run home to put dinner in, so someone else has to get us.”

“Oh.” Kacey shrugged and reached for her purse.

Oh,
God
. He looked up and sent a prayer heavenward. “So yeah, um, and Dad is helping grocery shop and Grandma’s most likely sleeping, so um, Travis is gonna come get us.”

Kacey froze. “Your brother, Travis?” People began shuffling into the aisle. Maybe he could make a run for it. Or jump off the plane and break something so she’d feel sorry for him. He looked at her face, not even a hint of a smile.

“Come on, Kace, it’s not that bad. Travis is a grown man. Get over it.”
Oh wow, that was sensitive.

Apparently Kacey thought so too. Her nostrils flared. She nudged past him, nearly knocking an old man to his knees. Great, maybe Kacey would get him sued for assault.

“Excuse her,” Jake mumbled as Kacey continued to move toward the exit. Luckily it wasn’t a very full flight, so she was able to make it without causing any more physical harm to the other passengers.

He cursed and grabbed his carry-on, then followed her out.

Chapter
Seven

She couldn’t believe it! What the hell? Travis had to pick them up? Wasn’t Jake rich enough to get them a car or something? Curse his family and their closeness. Mr. Titus wouldn’t allow it, that much she knew. For as much money as they had, they sure reminded her of “Father Knows Best.” Grinding her teeth, she walked to the baggage claim and cringed when she heard the voice that still haunted her every waking nightmare.

“Well, well, well. Look what we have here.” Travis’s smooth voice seemed to rumble in her chest.

Stupid man.

Dear God,
please have mercy and let him be bald and fat.

Slowly, she turned and faced her nemesis.

Hell.

Would it have been too much to ask for him to at least have not grown into his perfect nose?

“Kacey.” He nodded.

“Satan.”

“Your hair’s different.”

Kacey flinched. “You’ve grown into your nose.”

Jake walked up and stood between them. “Can you guys at least pretend to play nice?”

“No,” they said in unison.

“Look…” Jake glanced at his phone. “This is work. I’ve gotta take this. Travis, can you drop me off at the Portland office and then take Kacey to the house?”

“Pretty sure Mom’s going to be upset if you don’t make it home for dinner. Not that I’m scared to be alone with this one.” He pointed to Kacey. “But last time we were alone in the car, she nearly killed me.”

“Don’t be a drama queen,” Kacey huffed.

“Drama queen?” Travis raised an eyebrow. “There was a cliff, snow, and I’m pretty sure Benadryl was involved.”

“Always is.” Jake shook his head.

“Anyway, she’s really looking forward to seeing you, and Grandma refuses to take a nap until she sets eyes on you.”

Jake shrugged. “I won’t be long. Now let’s grab our stuff so we can get a move on.”

Suddenly exhausted, the fight left Kacey. She mumbled
bastard
under her breath, not really caring who took offense, considering both Titus brothers deserved the title, and hauled her bag over her shoulder.

They hadn’t checked any bags, so she followed the men to the waiting car. A limo! That was more like it! Visions of seltzer water and leather seats danced in her head. That is, until Travis by passed the limo and went to the driver’s seat of a Ford truck with a lift kit.

She’d have to beam herself up in order to even reach the door.

“Hey, Travis, can you help Kacey? I’ve got another email I need to answer really quick.” Without even glancing in her direction, Jake hauled himself into the truck and slammed the door, leaving Kacey very much ticked off.

“We’re so in love.” Kacey sighed to herself as Travis walked around the truck to help her in.

God alive, he was ridiculously gorgeous. Since when had his looks surpassed his brother’s? No doubt, he was the most eligible bachelor in Portland. With his curly golden brown hair and hazel eyes, he looked dangerous and brooding. Not to mention the way his hair fell over his forehead or the biceps that bulged out of his t-shirt. Must. Stop. Looking.

“Kace?” Travis leaned in, his breath hot on her neck. What the heck was he doing? “Don’t move, Kace.”

Don’t move? How about stop breathing? She couldn’t think, couldn’t respond as Travis reached around and grabbed something off of her back and threw it to the ground. “No biggie. Just a spider.”

“It was huge!” Kacey gasped and grabbed at whatever was in front of her, which just so happened to be Travis’s biceps.

“Hmm.” His eyelashes fanned across his cheekbones, his very chiseled, cursed cheekbones. “If I knew you would react this way, I’d have put spiders in your bed.”

“You and your spiders are not welcome in my bed. Ever.”

“I wasn’t offering myself, just the spiders.” He winked. “Besides what makes you think I’d find you appealing? I have seen you naked, twice.”

“I was ten and you were an evil little boy with a stutter!” Kacey pushed past him then realized she still had to be lifted into his giant truck. “Would it be too much to ask for you to at least drive a normal car in the city?”

“I don’t live in the city.” He smoldered.
Wait,
did guys smolder?
She looked again. Apparently they did.

“Where do you live?”

“On my ranch.”
Merciful
Lord above.
That explained the biceps and tight jeans and truck and… where was the Benadryl when she needed it?

“So you’re a ranch hand?”

Travis chuckled. “Sure, I’m a ranch hand. Now get in.” His touch was quick, too quick, as he eased her into the truck. “Don’t forget to buckle up, Princess. I drive like I ride.”

Disgusting.

Kacey forced her cheeks to stay pale instead of burnt crimson. She pulled out her cell phone as the truck door slammed. Soon Travis was in the driver’s seat and they were taking off.

Jake turned around. “So, I know we’ve gone over specifics on the plane, and I think the kissing really did help set the mood, don’t you?” He winked.

The truck swerved.

Jake swore. “Been driving long?”

“Sorry,” Travis muttered.

“So what I think we need to do is stay in the same room. You know, really sell the whole thing. Thoughts?”

Memories of their one night together came flooding back. Was he really trying to do what was best or was he seducing her? She had no idea. Besides, why was it so important for him to show his parents that he could be in a committed relationship? It’s not as if they lived under a rock. They read the newspapers. His mom would probably laugh in their faces the minute she saw the ring.

Travis cleared his throat. “Actually, Mom would never go for that. She’s real protective of Kacey. You know that, Jake. She’ll have to stay in my old room. I’ll stay in the new part of the house.”

“Oh.” Jake shrugged. “Okay. Now remember, Kacey, we’re in love, we’re getting married, and you have to make it believable. Think you can do that?”

Why was he talking to her like she was a five-year-old? “Yeah, I think I can handle acting like a normal human being in front of your family. They won’t suspect a thing.”

Jake turned around and gave her a brilliant smile as he reached for her hand. She felt his lingering kiss and suddenly was repulsed by his haughty attitude. She really did feel like a stripper, and a poorly-paid whore.

Chapter
Eight

Travis couldn’t remember a time when he had been so frustrated. Nothing sounded better than pulling over the truck and giving his little brother a piece of his mind, or his fist.

What the hell had he been thinking? To kiss Kacey? After everything that rat bastard had put her through? What was more sickening was that Kacey seemed fine with the whole ordeal. It was as if she was selling her soul to the devil.

But in her defense she had always looked at Jake through rose-colored glasses; whereas Travis with his stutter was the evil big brother set out to ruin the world, one pony-tail tug at a time.

How was it that one look from the girl could put him back into high school when she chose his brother over him? Not that she knew of his ridiculous crush. And his stutter hadn’t helped matters. If anything, it made it worse. She took his silence as hatred, when instead he was afraid to open his mouth because his stutter worsened when he put pressure on himself to talk smoothly.

It had been much easier to chase the girl and taunt her than give her the pretty words Jake so often did.

But that didn’t mean his heart wasn’t involved.

Stifling a curse, he pulled into downtown. Luckily the office was only a few minutes from his parents’ house.

The tall high-rise sparkled through the dreary rain, the booming name of “Titus Enterprises” blaring above the cityscape. Fighting the urge to scowl at the obvious money the building represented, he shook his head slightly. He hadn’t wanted a part in the family business. Nope, that job had gone to his little brother, and he could keep it.

Travis had used the trust fund in his name to open his own ranch and breed horses. It also doubled as a bed and breakfast. A beautiful twenty acres overlooked the Columbia River. It was living, whereas being in the city was stifling. He pulled at his shirt.

Travis pulled the truck to a stop and Jake hopped out. “I’ll call for a car when I’m done. I shouldn’t be more than an hour. See ya, and Kacey, try not to kill Travis while I’m gone, okay?”

“Can’t make any promises!” Kacey waved him off and turned hate-filled eyes toward Travis. “So, you have any immediate plans to kill me and bury the body?”

“Under a tree, I think.” Travis put the truck into gear and moved into traffic. “Or maybe under the swing set. They’d never look for you there.”

“Ha ha, you’re hilarious.”

“I’d like to think so. Now what’s this I hear about Jake kissing you? I mean, I know it’s none of my business, but shouldn’t you be keeping this strictly professional? After all, he is paying you—”

“—Like one of his prostitutes, I know,” Kacey finished. “But technically he’s not paying me. I mean he is, he’s paying off my school loans. Besides I’m doing this for Grandma. And somehow I’ve found that inside my chest beats a very large heart. I do kind of owe Jake. Or at least he made me feel like I did.”

“I wasn’t going to say that you were a prostitute.” Travis coughed. “So he really does have prostitutes as girlfriends?” Travis shook his head with disapproval. “Maybe we should leave that little tidbit out this weekend. My grandma’s health and all.”

“Agreed.” Kacey snorted. “She’d have a stroke if she knew how egotistical our young little Jake has gotten. But I love him regardless.” Kacey sighed.

“Apparently, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. But then again… things aren’t always what they seem, are they, Kace?” Travis cleared his throat.

“Just drive the truck, Travis. I’m hungry and my stomach is in knots from that stupid plane ride.”

Travis put the truck into gear. “Still afraid of flying?”

“I thought I was over it, but then I accused a clergyman of being a terrorist.”

Travis laughed. “Out loud? Damn woman, maybe you should take the train back.”

Kacey’s eyes lit up. “Brilliant plan, but it takes three hours.”