Redemption: Montana Wolves, Book Three (Montana Wolves series 3) by Chloe Cole Read Free Book Online Page B

relationship--or whatever this was—with a near stranger was probably a bad idea.
    “Billy, we can’t--”
    “Sleep together.” He inclined his head in a curt nod. “So you said. And I agree with that part of it. Bad idea. But a kiss? Hell, we’ve already done that. What’s one more going to hurt?”
    She could almost hear the gears in her brain shifting, making way for the rationalization portion of the show. They had already kissed once. And who was she kidding? The second he’d mentioned it, she’d known she wouldn’t refuse him. If she did, she’d have spent the rest of their time together thinking about it, and the rest of the week regretting that she hadn’t done it. Plus, who was to say he’d even win the bet?
    She took another long pull from her beer for liquid courage and then nodded. “All right, then. A kiss.”
    “And if I miss?”
    Her already slightly tipsy mind went blank. If he didn’t make the shot, then what did she want from him? A few silly things flitted through her head. To have him refer to her as “Champ” all night long. Maybe have him pen a limerick about her stunning victory. But as she stood there looking at him, words came tumbling from her lips, unbidden.
    “I want you to tell me a secret.”
    He had one. She didn’t know how she knew, but she did. Even now, although the heat in his eyes didn't cool even one degree, his gaze grew guarded, and she wished she could take it back. What was she thinking, taking his harmless flirtation and turning it into some deep conversation? They’d made a deal for the night and she’d broken it. Total fail on her part, and she hurried to backtrack.
    "It doesn't have to be where the bodies are buried or anything like that."
    God, kill her now. Why had she brought up bodies when she was pretty sure the crazy kidnapper and would-be murderer, Tobias Wheeler, was buried somewhere on the grounds of the compound where Billy and his friends lived? Yet another little tidbit that should probably alarm her far more than it did, but whatever they’d had to do in an effort to get Chandra back, she was on board with. He’d deserved it after what he’d done. But again, not a discussion for tonight.
    “Forget the ‘never told anyone else’ part,” she hastened to add. “Just any old thing is fine. Like the one movie you always cry at. Or even the name of your first pet.”
    Right when she was about to back out on the bet altogether and tell him it was okay if he just wanted to bring her home, he held up a hand to stop her babbling.
    "I'm good with it. And you know why?" He strolled toward her, his swagger as confident as his expression. "Because I'm not going to miss." He stroked her cheek with his index finger in the softest of touches. "So you better get those lips puckered and ready, because it's about to go down."
    Probably, she should've been worried. He sure said it like it was a threat. But damned if it didn't just send a rush of damp heat to her center.
    She forced a chuckle and willed her heart to stop pounding hard enough for him to hear. "Talk is cheap. Let's see it happen."
    This time, when Billy went to take his shot, the casual stance he'd taken the rest of the game was nowhere to be found. He was focused, every muscle drawn tight, eyes narrowed in concentration. It was a thing to behold.
    As was the way those faded jeans clung to his fine ass when he bent lower.
    "Like I said, four-ball, side pocket."
    Blood rushed to her ears and her mouth went bone-dry as the ball landed in the pocket with a thunk . "Nice one," she managed to squeeze out.
    "It was. Want to go again?” He hitched his hip to lean against the table and eyed her intently. “Another kiss if I make the eight-ball? And a secret for you if I miss."
    It was a sucker's bet. The ball was a hair's breadth from the pocket. But if she was going to dig herself in deeper by kissing him once, doing it twice could hardly make things worse.
    And, damn, did she want that