The Bet by Rachel van Dyken Page B

against your jeans.”
    Travis laughed. He couldn’t help it. It was one of those moments that he wished he would have caught on camera, so that others could enjoy the ridiculousness. And then… searing pain.
    He cursed, loud, dropping in a few inappropriate words that would cause his mom to smack him. What the hell kind of stick had she grabbed?
    “I did it! I did it!” Kacey squealed.
    Travis turned and glared.
    “I killed the spider!”
    “You almost killed the man too! What did you use? A baseball bat?”
    Kacey blushed. “It was all I could find.” She lifted a wooden bat in her hands as if sacrificing it on the altar before him.
    After a few more curses, Travis wordlessly reached for the tequila, opened the bottle, and took two gulps. “I’m going to have a giant mark on my ass for months.”
    “But I killed my first spider in a year, so that should at least make it worth it, right?” Kacey’s grin was beautiful. White teeth peeked out from her pink lips.
    “Fine. Good job, Kacey. We’ll do a toast to your victory. You’re such a hunter.”
    “Thank you, good sir.” Kacey did a little curtsy and followed him up into the tree house.
    It was absolute torture watching her lips close around the tequila bottle. Thankfully, they brought actual glasses to make the drinks on ice. If she was going to drink out of the bottle each time, he would lose his sanity, not that he wasn’t already dangerously close, what with being beaten senseless all within an hour of bringing her into the house.
    “So…” He needed to change the subject or he was going to make a complete ass of himself “Jake? Married here? Think he’s going to flip?”
    Kacey groaned and placed the bottle on the wooden floor of the tree house. “What are we going to do? Your parents don’t know. They think it’s our childhood fantasies come true!”
    Travis shook his head. “Um, no, they think it’s your childhood fantasies coming true. Mine, however, had nothing to do with playing dog while watching you guys kiss and have se—”
    “What the heck kind of house playing are you referring to, Trav? We did not pretend to have any sort of…” She waved into the air. “…relations, and frankly, I’m a little concerned for your childhood if those were the thoughts going through your head while playing dog.”
    “In my defense, I really didn’t have anything else to do but watch.” Oh God, that made it sound so much worse, as if he was daydreaming or something.
    Kacey leaned in. “Are you already drunk?”
    “Nope, just beaten. Thanks, by the way, for that lovely bruise. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be on the opposite end of your scorn.”
    “That’s not true.” Kacey lifted the bottle to her lips again and took a staggering drink before pouring tequila into the iced cups.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Travis poured the mixer and waited.
    “I tortured you just as much as you tortured me in high school. Admit it.” She smirked.
    Did she know? Impossible. There was no idea she knew he had a crush on her. He attempted to play it calmly. “I don’t think I know what you’re talking about. I blocked out at least half of high school. According to you, I was a eunuch. You can understand my reasoning.”
    “Please.” She rolled her eyes. “Every time the cheerleaders did a pep rally and needed volunteers, I paid them to pick you.”
    “You lie!” He closed his eyes to keep himself from doing something he’d regret, like attempting to strangle her and kiss her senseless instead.
    “Nope.” She grinned and winked. “Thought it was luck of the draw, huh?”
    It was Travis’s turn to laugh. “No, I just thought Jake hated me that much. He always did have those cheerleaders deep in his pockets.” Among other things. Cheerleaders, strippers? Truly he’s moved up in the world. Bastard.
    “What are you gonna tell Mom? She’s going to want know what’s up with you two when Jake gets here.”
    “What