The Beginning of Us Read Online Free Page B

your bullshit inspections anymore.”
    He seems to think it over. “What do I get if I win?”
    “You won’t.”
    “Well, it really isn’t a fair bet if there isn’t a deal for both sides.”
    I cross my arms over my chest, showing my obvious protest. “Fine. What do you want?”
    “Well, that’s a loaded question.”
    I arch my eyebrow at him to let him know I am not amused at all.
    “I thought it was obvious what I wanted, Miss Evans.” He pauses as if he is waiting for me to guess but I refuse to give him the satisfaction. “You.”
    “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
    “If I win I get you.”
    Is he a fucking caveman? Me take you. You mine. “In what context? For how long?”
    “In any and every way I want. For two months.”
    Two months? This is fucking crazy. “You’re out of your damn mind.”
    “You’re scared.”
    My head snaps toward him. “I’m not scared of anything.”
    “Prove it.” I was really starting to fucking hate it when he said that.
    “Fine. Two hours.” As he pulled into traffic my stomach dropped. In two hours I would either be free, or in fucking hell.
    I don’t speak a word to him the entire car ride. We pull up in front of this diner that is about twenty minutes out of town. I have never been here, much less heard of it. I watch as Damon gets out of the car, half expecting him to open my door. Does he? Nope. Where are all the damn gentlemen? Not out with the hookers! I really fucking hate my subconscious sometimes she can be such a bitch, even if it’s true.
    When I look up, Damon is standing on the steps of the diner staring at me. Well, here goes nothing. We walk in and it is set up like an old 50’s diner and even though I would never admit this to him, I absolutely love it. The waitress even has a poodle skirt on and I watch it sway back and forth as she walks us to our table, it’s almost mesmerizing.
    She brings us to a booth and walks away after handing us our menus. I catch Damon staring at her ass as she is walking away and choose to kick him under the table.
    “Ow, shit. What was that for?”
    “You know you could have a little fucking respect and not drool over her.”
    He laughs at me. “Sweetheart, when you go to your favorite restaurant even though you know what you want to eat you still look at the menu.”
    What a pig-headed response. I look over the menu deciding to enjoy myself on Damon’s dime. The waitress comes back to take our order. “I’ll have the chocolate chip pancakes and a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream.”
    Damon scrunches his eyebrows at me, then turns to the waitress and orders an omelet.
    Once she walks away I look at him. “What was that look for?”
    He shakes his head. “The tough girl just ordered something a five year old would ask for. You keep me guessing, Jessie.”
    “Why were you so determined to get me here?”
    His hands run through his hair, and he seems to be thinking over his response. “Since day one, we have had chemistry, but you wouldn’t drop your bitch act for more than a minute to give it a chance.”
    “Oh, so it’s all me?” I needed to put Michael the Archangel in his damn place. “You have had this cocky-ass, king-of-the-fucking-castle attitude since I met you. Don’t act like you’re so innocent because you know you’re not.”
    This is why I wasn’t worried about losing the bet. Damon and I were like ketchup and ice cream, so different that even the thought of us together was fucking weird.
    “I never said I was, Jessie. Tonight is a blank slate though.” He waves his hand in front of his face and then extends it across the table toward me. “Hi, I’m Damon Shaw. What’s your name?”
    I shake my head and laugh, but I choose to play along with him. “Jessie Evans. Nice to meet you.”
    “So Jessie, tell me what you do for a living.” I narrow my eyes at him ready to curse him out. “Uh, uh, uh, clean slate, remember?”
    Fine, he wants to play around. “I’m in