Betting on Love

"You want me to do what?" Zach's voice wasn't nearly as outraged as it probably should've been, but, even being known as a party boy and always knee deep in mischief, he had his limits.





Rick Cooper, his lifelong friend and fellow ne'er-do-well, smiled widely at him, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "You heard me," Rick drawled, his gaze meeting Zach's who held it confidently. "I'll pick someone for you to seduce and if you succeed..." his voice trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.



"If I succeed?" Zach prompted him, wondering what could possibly make him go for this nutty bet.



"This here, my friend--" Rick reached into his pocket, pulling out a sheet of paper and dangling it in front of Zach. Zach fought the urge to give in and snatch it away. "This is Rita's phone number."



Zach's mouth hung open. "How long have you had this?" he asked, wondering what his friend really was up to. His fingers itched, slowly making their way toward the phone and the promised number but Rick only shook his head.



"No, my friend. Not yet."



Zach grumbled something extremely unfriendly under his breath.



"So I need to seduce someone you pick and if I succeed I'll get her phone number?" he asked, a resigned tone in his voice.



Zach McKinney was equal opportunity, which meant he liked both men and women. He wasn't the kind of guy to think stalking was a good idea but there was simply something about Rita Monroe that drew him like a moth to the flame. So far they had only shared chance encounters but her bright blue eyes and blond hair were tugging at something buried deeply within his soul and kind of like an addiction for chocolate, he couldn't help himself. He snorted. Maybe he shouldn't be comparing the woman of his dreams to chocolate.



"Yes." Rick's eyes held an almost unholy glee, which caused Zach to shift uncomfortably on his chair. "Let the games begin!"



Out of nowhere, his mother's voice drifted through to Zach, causing a tendril of guilt to flutter through him that he quashed ruthlessly. You can't continue to trample people's feelings and expect to keep getting away with it...