Read The Bet (Addison #2) for Free Online

the place is very modern and beautiful.
    “Have you ever eaten sushi?” I ask, trying to make conversation. Lucas scrunches his nose at me.
    “That’s what this place is? You’re making me eat sushi for our first date?” Our first date…did he really just call this a date? Oh my goodness, I’m going to die.
    “I wasn’t under the impression this was a date. This is business. We can’t mix business with pleasure.” I retort.
    “Excuse me, Miss Addison. How are we going to get thirty dates in if we don’t count every day of this week as a date? We’ll do something different each day, whatever you want to do.” He grabs my hand and holds it. I pull my hand away and open up the menu, skimming it and not making eye contact with him.
    “Okay fine. This will be our first date, but what happens if we don’t go on thirty dates before something happens?” I ask awkwardly, still looking at the menu.
    “Are you telling me something could happen between us before we go on thirty dates?” I can hear the enthusiasm in his voice. I look up at him and playfully glare.
    “Don’t get ahead of yourself…what if something happens on like date twenty-nine?”
    “I’m just thrilled you’re implying there’s even a possibility of something happening between us. Jesus, I thought it was all just a joke. I didn’t think you were actually attracted to me.” His cheeks are a little red under the scruff on his face, but his eyes beam pure happiness.
    “Why wouldn’t I be attracted to you? Don’t play dumb. Don’t try to just squeeze a compliment out of me. You’re clearly a very attractive man. I’m sure all the cowgirls go nuts over you at all those rodeos.” The waitress comes to our table and drops off some waters, then gets our order.
    “Those girls at the rodeo don’t compare to you, Addison.”
    “Oh, likely story. Damn, you’re just a smooth talker, aren’t you?”
    “I’m being honest.”
    “Right. And what makes me so different from the girls at rodeos? We all have vaginas. That’s all men care about, right?” I sigh and look around for the waitress, hoping the food would be here soon so I didn’t have to talk anymore. Anger is building up inside me and I don’t know why. Lucas seems like a nice guy, but are there such things…honestly? Highly unlikely.
    “Addison, trust me. Something draws me to you. I don’t know what it is. I can’t really explain it. I just feel inside that you’re a different kind of girl.” Lucas leans in closer to my side of the table. The waitress drops off our sushi rolls and cocktails.
    “Please, just be quiet and eat. This is our first date. I’m not trying to talk about a future with you.” I shove a sushi roll in my mouth. God, this is delicious. The conversation is not, but this damn sushi roll is amazing.
    “I wasn’t trying to talk about a future with you, Addison. Is it that hard for you take a compliment and trust someone?” He takes a swallow of his beer.
    “As a matter of fact, it is. I don’t take compliments very well and to be completely frank, I don’t even trust myself, so what makes you think I’m going to trust a goddamn stranger? I’m done with this conversation. I just want to eat, drink, and play a few slot machines, then sleep.” Lucas lets out an agitated sigh and takes his first bite of sushi.
    “Whatever you say, princess.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER EIGHT
     
     
    “Blackjack, all right!” The dealer, Kate, applauds Lucas. I glanced over at the other people playing at the table. One guy reminds me of Chris Farley, but he has red facial hair. The other guy is a little frail old man, and the third person is a beautiful woman. She looks like she might be a retired model. Lucas takes a big swig of his beer and looks down at the card table. Kate is showing a jack of clubs. Lucas is betting $1,000 on this hand. The guy who looks like Chris Farley is betting $5,000. The other two are betting the minimum bet, $100 a