Page 16 of The Billion Dollar Bet

Saying goodnight after a date was the hardest most awkward thing Devin had ever had to do. They both stood outside her door in silence for about a minute. He shuffled on his feet as she fidgeted with her purse.

“This is different,” she joked. “You’ve been staring at me all night as though you wanted ravage me in that restaurant and now this.”

He cleared his throat. “I still want to ravage you, Cassie.”

She raised her eyes to his, her voice hoarse. “Is that so?”

Then he was closing the space between them, pulling her up close and bringing his lips to hers. A fire ball shot up his groin as he pried her lips apart and captured her tongue. A low growl rumbled from his chest as their bodies crushed together. He felt a tremor pass through her as she whimpered against his lips. Devin groaned, holding her closer as she tugged his heart. He broke the kiss to search her eyes, drinking in her very essence.

“Would you like to come in for a while?” Cassie enquired.

The desire in her eyes caused his stomach to quiver and his cock to swell even more. The temptation was strong, but he knew it wasn’t the time. There were a few things he needed to set right first.

“If I come in, I won’t be able to control what happens Cassie,” he told her.

“What if I don’t want you to control what happens?”

Devin wrapped his arm around her and held her close. “Oh Cassie, you don’t know how much I want to hear that. But I also want to take my time with you. I want that when we do get together, I can be the man you’re proud to be with.”

“Devin.”

“Hmm.”

“That’s the nicest thing any man has ever said to me.”

It was difficult letting her out of his arms and saying goodnight. One more kiss, that’s what he told himself, but the kiss lasted long, leaving them both gasping for air.

“Go on in,” he said.

“No, you go first.”

“I want to see you safely inside.”

“I want to see you drive away.”

“You’re making it hard for me to leave.”

She giggled and opened her door, slipping inside while blowing him a kiss. Even after she closed the door, he stood there watching it. All he could think about was how he’d recklessly betted on a girl he was falling for.

* * *

“What happened?” Barry’s face scrunched in confusion as the others stared at Devin dumbfounded. “You’ve never reneged on a bet before. Are you saying you no longer like her?”

“I knew she was not his type,” Carter rang out. “Girls like that don’t belong with guys like us.”

White hot heat slammed Devin in the chest. His reaction was swift as his fist folded tightly, pulled back and landed squarely on Carter’s jaw. Carter’s head snapped back from the impact as he staggered a few paces while grabbing his jaw.

“You don’t get to have an opinion on what kind of girl Cassie is,” Devin snarled. “She has more class in her pinkie finger than all of us put together.”

Barry grabbed his arm and pulled him away as he made for Carter again. Meanwhile, Carter’s eye buggered as they stared at him, trying to comprehend his actions. The two men glowered at each other. They’d been friends since they were all in diapers, but sometimes Carter’s actions and remarks made Devin wonder if perhaps their friendship should come to an end. There was a saying: Know who you are by the friends you keep.

Devin was seriously reconsidering his friendship with Carter at that point. He wanted that his friends should accept any woman he liked, and he more than liked Cassandra Melody. He was falling in love with her. At that moment, Devin was willing to cut ties with anyone who was against his relationship.

“What happened?” Barry insisted. “You really like her, don’t you?”

Devin fingered his chin, trying to allow his anger at his friend to cool. “I am going to marry her.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Barry shouted. “A few dates and you’re ready to forget what we all promised each other? We said forty. Did you forget our oath?”

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