“Babe?” she called out again. Nothing.
That was odd. It wasn’t like Noah to head out without giving her a heads-up, and they’d planned to order dinner in and watch Netflix. Something caught Paige’s eye, a card sitting on the coffee table. It had her name written in very familiar but barely legible writing. Noah.
“What on earth is this?” She reached for the card and flipped it open.
Want to make a bet?
The words filled her with warmth. They’d started their working relationship on a bet, and it had been a similar bet that marked the moment she knew he would be dangerous to her sanity. Thankfully now, he was dangerous in a good way—always pushing her to aim higher, to demand more. To be more.
On the back of the card were the instructions:
Go to the fridge.
Intrigued, Paige wandered to the kitchen area and pulled the refrigerator door open. Inside was a blindfold and a cocktail. The second the berry and mint scent hit her nose, she knew they were the two items from the mixology class. Another card sat on the shelf.
Bet you can’t make it to the bedroom blindfolded.
She grinned. “What’s in it for me?” she called out, but he didn’t answer. She flipped the card over and laughed.
Just do it.
“Okay, fine.” She opened the vodka and took a mouthful, then slipped the blindfold over her eyes. With her hand to the wall she inched along, praying that she wouldn’t stub her toe.
A second later, a warm hand grasped her. “You didn’t think I’d let you hurt yourself, did you?”
His husky voice sent a tremor through her. “Well, when it comes to bets you’re pretty hard-core.”
“What can I say, I like to win.”
He led her to the bedroom, her steps small and careful. Good thing she’d ditched the heels. “Okay, so if this wasn’t the real bet, then what is it?”
His hands left her, and she had to suck in a breath. The blindfold was cool against her summer-heated skin, and she bit down on her lip. The taste of the vodka on her tongue shot her straight back to that night—to the rasp of his voice in her ear, to the gentle way he’d tipped the glass to her lips. To the kiss that had followed in his office.
It felt like a lifetime ago.
“The bet to end all bets.” His hand was at her waist again, his body close to hers. She could feel the heat radiating from him. “How long can you leave the blindfold on?”
She snorted. “What? You think I can’t resist a little curiosity? You’re making it easy for me, Noah.”
She knew he’d been planning something special. Only last week she had found one of her lacy bras in the wrong spot in her drawer. He must have been checking her size. Then, a day later, one of her sexier pairs of shoes had moved.
“You bought me lingerie, didn’t you?” she teased. “And a pair of heels. Oh, are we going away for the weekend? I’m supposed to be doing the morning shift tomorrow.”
“You didn’t accept the bet,” he said, brushing his lips along her cheek. “I bet you’ll tear that thing off in the next five minutes.”
“I will not.” She squared her shoulders. “If you’re planning to undress me, I don’t need my eyes for that. So what do I get if I win?”
“I’ll watch Scream Queens with you,” he said. She could practically see him wrinkling his nose.
“Done! I don’t know why you hate that show. It’s a black comedy. Very funny. In fact…” The words died on her lips when she felt something slip over her finger. “What are you doing?”
“Five minutes on the clock.” Laughter danced in his voice. “Let’s see if the mighty Paige Thomas can make it five minutes without knowing what’s going on.”
She wanted to retort, because verbal foreplay was the kind she liked best. But her left hand felt heavy.
“Did you…?” She rubbed her thumb along the back of her ring finger, feeling an unfamiliar band. “Oh, screw it.”
She ripped the blindfold off and gasped at the diamond on her finger. Well, make that diamonds. Plural. The set of three stones sparkled in the afternoon light, the middle one ever so slightly bigger than the outside two.
“The lady at the store told me the three diamonds are supposed to represent past, present, and future,” he said. Instead of his usual jeans and T-shirt, Noah was dressed in a suit. His blond hair was tamed, and he’d shaved. “I like that the present stone is the biggest one. Seems fitting, right? You’re trying to worry less about the future, and I’m trying to worry less about the past.”
“Oh, Noah.” She blinked, the flood of emotion making it hard to speak. To breathe. “I don’t even know what to say.”
“Say you’ll be happy to keep losing bets to me for the rest of your life.” He shot her that sexier-than-sin grin of his. “I so enjoy winning.”
“Not a chance, buddy.” She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. “But I will agree to put up with your cheekiness for the rest of eternity. I’ll consider it my gift to the world.”
His hands were at her waist, smoothing over her back and holding her tighter than ever. “I love you, and I don’t just think it now. I know it.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered.
“So you think we’ve got what it takes?” He dropped his forehead down to hers, his eyes smoky with desire. “Will we last?”
Her heart thumped, so full of love that she could barely stop herself from floating off the ground. “Absolutely. I bet we’ll last forever.”
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Acknowledgments
Wow, it’s been a while between drinks for the gang at First! But I’m so happy that I could finally give Noah his HEA. Writing the Behind the Bar series has been an absolute blast. Huge thanks must go to my wonderful editor Alycia Tornetta, the incredible team at Entangled, and my fabulous agent, Jill Marsal, for supporting this series.
Thanks to my mum and dad, who instilled in me many things, including my love of coffee. “Going for coffee” is practically a family pastime, and the cool cafés through South Melbourne, the CBD, and Carlton are what inspired this series.
As always, I must thank my husband for his endless love and support…and for never judging me when I talk about my characters like they’re real people.
Thanks to my dear friend Lauren, for reading the first iteration of this book and for cheering this series on from the beginning.
Last but certainly not least, thank you to my readers. When I started this series, I was only a few books into my writing career. So much has changed since then. The biggest thing is the incredible people who have found my books along the way. Thank you for the reviews, the emails, the comments, the tweets, and every other way that you show your support. I couldn’t do this without you.
About the Author
Stefanie London is the USA TODAY bestselling author of more than ten contemporary romances with humour, heat, and heart.
Growing up, Stefanie came from a family of women who loved to read. Thus, it was no surprise she was the sort of student who would read her English books before the semester started. After sneaking several literature subjects into her “very practical” business degree, she got a job in communications. When writing emails and newsletters didn’t fulfill her creative urges, she turned to fiction and was finally able to write the stories that kept her mind busy at night.
Originally from Australia, she now lives in Toronto with her very own hero and is currently in the process of doing her best to travel the world. She frequently indulges in her passions for good coffee, lipstick, romance novels, and zombie movies.
Discover the Behind the Bar series…
The Rules According to Gracie
Pretend It’s Love
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Loving the Odds
Millionaire Under the Mistletoe
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Betting the Bad Boy (Behind the Bar) Page 20