Saved By Your Hot Book Boyfriend

21. Making Bets with the Hot Guys

21

Making Bets with the Hot Guys

You

Woah, woah, woah!

What is going on!?

You’re not exactly sure how it came to this, but Ziros is facing-off across a table from the handsome blond guy who seems to own this place, and now they’re both gonna try to drink each other under for a chance at…what? The blond guy wants to ask you out?!

That’s flattering, but also—he could technically have done that without a contest. It’s not like he actually needs Ziros’ permission or something.

And besides. You might just say no.

It makes no sense.

Although, maybe he’s right in assuming Ziros would have stopped him.

After all, your hot book boyfriend has been doing a pretty convincing job of playing bodyguard. You never thought he’d take something like this so seriously, but here he is.

As if reading your mind, the hot blond guy shoots you a wink and says, “How about we sweeten the stakes?”

And even though Ziros is still sitting steady in his seat, maybe all the drinks he’s just downed are starting to affect him, because he leans forward and says, “Alright, Blondie. Tell me what you got in mind.”

You’ve never been surrounded by so much hot male attention at once before, and it’s making you a bit flustered.

Or maybe that’s the drink you’re nursing, also having an effect.

You grabbed it from a tray a few minutes ago, but you thought it was just fruit juice. You sure couldn’t taste any alcohol in it, but now that you’ve reached the bottom, it’s starting to hit you: That was definitely an alcoholic cocktail you just drank.

You’d been intending to stay sober just in case Mr. Cocky Bodyguard, AKA Ziros, needs a shoulder to lean on.

Oops? So much for that idea.

At least you look hot while you’re at it, wearing just that skimpy little metallic gold bikini with the cheeky bottoms. Every time someone checks you out, it feels like you’ve just won another point in some secret game.

Winner! Success! Hot chick here!

You sure seem to be enjoying this. Maybe that means you’re getting drunk.

And the drink is good.

You take another sip, draining the glass.

It’s hard to believe this was all just a dressing room fantasy not so many hours ago. You’ve even got the oversized sunglasses, though they’re pushed up atop your head. Turns out sunglasses at night make things a little bit hard to see.

And now here you are, the actual center of attention in your cheeky little gold bikini that’s so tiny, it’s practically a thong.

Well.

Okay, maybe Ziros and the blond guy are the center of attention, but you seem to be their center of attention, so that’s got to count for something.

Everyone else seems to be watching their drinking battle intently, cheering them on with each new glass they down.

Is this okay? Are you going to have to call an ambulance for one of them? But you’ve already lost count of how many drinks they’ve each had, and they’re showing no signs of over-intoxication.

Or even any intoxication. Well. Not much, anyway.

Ziros makes sense.

He’s not human, after all.

But the blond guy?

How he is holding his liquor is beyond you.

“I’m thinking our stakes are a little one-sided,” he says, swirling his glass before downing it, setting the empty cup back on the table with a clink . “How about this: If I lose, you get a night on my superyacht, all to yourselves. All the luxury pampering you can dream of—plus a crew to take you wherever you want to go, of course.”

As they talk, a uniformed server swaps out your drink, and you start in on the next fruity margarita without pausing to think.

Ziros narrows his eyes. “But if you win?”

Hot Blond Dude grins openly, and instead of looking at Ziros, he stares straight at you. And you swear for a second that he has fangs.

Then you blink, and he’s just got a normal smile again. Of course he does. It must be the sparkling light reflecting off the pool and playing tricks on your eyes.

Or maybe you’re feeling the alcohol more than you realized.

You’re midway through another sip as he lowers his voice, still staring straight at you as he says, “If I win, then I get a night alone with her.”

You choke, spitting your drink ever-so-glamorously all over the pristine wooden pool deck as everyone stares.

Oops .

“Sorry,” you say, wiping your mouth on a plush napkin that a uniformed server presses into your hands without delay. “But don’t you think I should have some say in this?”

“My bad,” Hot Blond Dude says, throwing an arm around your shoulders as Ziros lets out an actual growl. “You’re right. How about you join in our little contest.” Giving your martini glass a nod, he says, “If you can down two more of those and still walk a straight line, you get to name your prize.” He grins, spreading his arms wide—lifting his arm from around your shoulders just in time, because Ziros starts to get up. “Anything I can give you for a night, you name it. It’ll be yours.”

Now it’s your turn to give him a hard look.

“And if I lose?”

He grins, and there’s those pointed teeth again, glinting in the low lights.

Only this time, you’re certain you’re not imagining it.

Fangs .

Hot blond dude has actual fangs.

And his voice echoes in your head as he says, If you lose, then I get to drink your blood .

Oh.

My.

Lord.

This guy really is a vampire.

Which, come to think of it, probably explains how he’s managed to down so much booze without falling over.

And same with Ziros, who also still hasn’t actually explained what he is, but never did deny being a vampire himself, now that you consider it.

Ziros pushes back from the tall, round table where they’ve been drinking.

“No way,” he says with a growl, rounding on the blond guy. “I know you just said something to her. If you can’t say it out loud, then the answer is no .”

The blond guy just laughs.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says to Ziros. “I didn’t say anything.”

That’s what he says, but he winks at you.

Ziros glares at him. “Yeah, right.”

“Come on, it’s a great deal,” the hot blond vampire says. “If you win, you two get my superyacht to yourselves for the night.” Turning to look at you with glinting red eyes, he lowers his voice, and your stomach tightens in the strangest way as he repeats the stakes. “But if I win, I get her.”

Ziros advances on him, and he looks about ready to knock the blond guy’s lights out. You step quickly between them, not wanting this party to turn into a bloodbath.

And maybe it’s the alcohol talking, or maybe it’s the blond guy’s charming good looks making you forget about what might happen if you lose, but there’s something admittedly rather enticing about the idea of spending the night on a luxurious superyacht.

Especially alone with Ziros.