Read Online The Best Man by Ella Ardent - Free Book Online Page B

grinned.
    “Maybe
I should bet on you.”
    “Take
lessons,” Steve suggested, his tone teasing. “I mean, man, you’ve got tons to
learn.” Kade watched quietly. Of all Ryan’s friends, he seemed most like a man.
He certainly didn’t say much, and he didn’t act as wild as the others.
    “Good
morning,” Christine said, her smile a little warmer when she sat down beside
Jake.
    “Good
morning. Sleep well?”
    “Perfectly.”
She slanted him a mischievous glance. “Your mom will be pleased that you
shaved.”
    Jake
grinned, then had an idea of how to confuse her. “I couldn’t stand it anymore.”
    “You
don’t want to grow a beard on vacation?”
    “No,
I’d have to shave it for Thursday anyway.”
    “I
thought it looked good,” she said softly. “It made you look dangerous and
unpredictable. Not your usual look.”
    Jake
tried to look as if he had regrets. “Maybe I shouldn’t have shaved it off after
dinner, then.”
    Christine
looked at him, hard. “When did you shave it off?”
    Jake
pretended to be interested in his breakfast. “Right after dinner. I couldn’t
wait to get back to the room and ditch it.” He sighed. “It felt so good. It
itches the first day or two.”
    “Right
after dinner?” Christine echoed.
    “Yes.”
Jake rubbed his chin. “And again this morning to get the strays. Nice and
smooth this way.” He cast her a smile, enjoying how discomfited she was. She’d
felt the stubble on his chin at midnight, Jake knew it. She looked down at her
bag and he saw the card he’d written, shoved into the bottom of the bag. He
leaned closer to her, bumping shoulders with her companionably, and dropped his
voice. “Hey, you want to avoid the wolves and go scuba diving today?”
    She
looked at him and he strove to look innocent. “Uh, no, thanks. I want to work
on my tan.”
    “Right.”
Jake chuckled, turning his attention to his eggs. “That’s right, that was your
plan.”
    “What’s
that supposed to mean?”
    “Sounds
like you don’t want the deal my mom nixed anymore.” Jake cast her a glance. “Or
maybe you’ve already found that secret lover.”
    “I
don’t think so,” Christine protested, but she blushed in a way that made him want
to kiss her all over again.
    Take
me.
    Oh,
he would—as soon as he could be sure she’d never think he was just trying
to win a stupid bet.
     
    * * *
     
    Christine
grabbed the last cabana easily. The resort wasn’t full and there were more than
enough beach cabanas for the people who wanted them. Most people chose one
close to the resort and its bars. There were at least eight empty ones between
her and the next one that was occupied. She felt very alone, which presumably
had been Jake’s point.
    She
tanned a bit, then took refuge inside the cabana, too restless to lounge. She couldn’t
lose herself in the story of the book she’d brought. She knew it wasn’t the
fault of the book—it was because of Jake. Had he really shaved right
after dinner? Or was he messing with her? Because the guy who had seduced her
in the moonlight had definitely been sporting a day’s growth of beard.
    Was
it possible that it hadn’t been Jake?
    Christine
couldn’t believe it. There were too many coincidences, including the fact that
her mystery lover had appeared right after she had told Jake her fantasy.
    It
had to be Jake.
    He
must be trying to confuse her.
    She
wanted to know for sure.
    The
cabanas were made of heavy nylon, striped in the same turquoise and white of
all of the resort’s outdoor furniture, and open to the ocean. They were planted
securely in the beach and could be folded back like the roof of a convertible
car. The space inside was big enough for several people to take refuge from the
sun. There were two chaise lounges from the resort already in this one, and a
third could have been fit in, as well.
    Christine
had managed to evade the rest of the wedding party pretty easily. It seemed
that many of the guests had overindulged the