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Anticipation rolls through my brain, hums through my blood. “I’m open. What are you talking about?”
“Give us sixty days. If you’re still single within that time period, we’ll pay you fair and square,” Archer says.
“But—” Gage starts, but Archer silences him with a look.
“Sixty days? How about thirty?” I laugh. “I won’t be with any woman in thirty days, especially in a relationship with one.”
“Thirty? That’s too short. None of us expect you to be in a relationship in thirty freaking days,” Archer says. “Make it forty-five.”
“Forty-five?” Gage asks. He sounds horrified. “I still think that’s too short. How about ninety? That’s more reasonable.”
“We never said this bet was reasonable,” I reply calmly. Freaking cheapskate Gage. “Forty-five days or you pay up now. It’s your choice.” I know I won’t be in any sort of relationship in that amount of time. Give me a break.
“I want to add a stipulation.” Archer grins. “No sex either. So no relationship, no sex, no one-night stands, nothing for you, Matt, for the next forty-five days. You withstand it, you’ll get your million bucks... plus another two-hundred fifty thousand to make it interesting.”
“No freaking way,” Gage says.
“Yes way, jackass. We’re doing it,” Archer says, not even letting him argue.
“Fine. Deal,” I say firmly. I’ve gone this long without sex, what’s another forty-five days? I can handle it.
“God, you disappoint me. You’re so confident. I’d think you’d at least want to get some on occasion, you know?” Gage shakes his head, but I ignore him.
“I’m agreeing to this,” I say. “I’m sure you two losers need the time anyway to gather up the funds to pay me, so I get it. I can be a patient guy. No problem. But in forty-five days, I want my money. No excuses, no bullshit. Six hundred and twenty-five thousand each.”
“Then we have a deal,” Archer says, a sly grin on his face. The asshole is up to something, I can tell.
And I don’t like it.
“Whatever. Deal,” Gage says much more reluctantly. The guy hates nothing more than wasting money, and I’m sure he views this payout as the ultimate waste.
“So I hear Ivy’s taken your assistant out for lunch and shopping today,” Archer says, his voice casual. Too casual. “What gives?”
“Really?” Curiosity fills me. I knew Ivy had taken a liking to Bryn and Bryn felt the same. But I didn’t realize they’d become that close.
“Yep.” Archer nods. “I heard something mentioned about a makeover.”
“Marina went with them too,” Gage confirms.
Shit. Now I’m really starting to sweat. Bad enough I’m attracted to Bryn despite her boring clothes and uninspired appearance. It was her damn scent. God, she smelled fucking fabulous. Sweet and fruity yet floral and with this hint of spice that I can’t quite put my finger on.
“Yeah, Ivy sent me a picture as a matter of fact. Couldn’t quite figure out why she’d do that since, you know, I’m not interested in any other woman but her.” Archer shrugs then grabs for his phone. “Then she texted that I needed to show you.”
He hands over his phone, and I look at the screen, my mouth going dry. It was a picture of Bryn in a chair at a salon, wearing a close-lipped smile, her almost-black hair cascading around her face, down past her shoulders in luxurious waves.
“Whatcha think?” Archer asks before he bursts into smug laughter.
Damn. I’m in huge trouble.
Chapter 3
Matt
I came into work early Monday morning so I could walk the fields and inspect the vineyards alone before anyone else got there, my new absolute favorite thing to do. I’m not a sit-in-the-office kind of guy. A nine-to-five job holds absolutely no appeal. When I bought the winery, I didn’t know shit about wine besides the fact that I liked some, but I definitely wasn’t a connoisseur. More like an I’ll-drink-some-wine-if-you-have-nothing-else type of guy.
I preferred beer.
But I’ve since learned there’s a science to wine making. It’s a formula, with a bit of luck thrown in for good measure. The grapes have to be just so. The weather has to be a certain way to insure that.
