Free Bidding War by Cher Carson

a shot now.”
    Shane stared at his brother, trying to recognize him behind the dark, shuttered eyes. “Did it ever occur to you this wasn’t a game to me? I care about her.”
    Jason smirked. “I guess that’s life, huh? You win some. You lose some.”
    He didn’t have time to argue with his brother. He had more pressing issues to deal with. “Listen, just get out here. I need to do a little damage control with Lacy.”
    Jason glared at him. “You don’t get it, do you? She doesn’t want you. It’s over. You need to accept that.”
    “Just get out of my house, now.”
    “Gladly.”
    Shane fell back on the pillows, listening to the ominous sounds of running water and slamming doors, reminding him of the irreparable damage his actions had caused.
    Lacy threw the bathroom door open and stormed past him.
    “Baby, wait, please,” he said, jumping out of bed. He had to sprint to keep up with her as she ran down the stairs and through the long hallway to the foyer. “Lace, you don’t have your car. At least let me give you a ride home.” He prayed the short drive would buy him a few minutes to explain.
    She whirled around, fisting her hands on her hips. “I’d rather walk than be trapped in a car with you. Don’t you get it? I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.” She cleared her throat when her voice broke, but she couldn’t hide the unshed tears pooling in her eyes. “You bet on me like I was a goddamn football game. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?”
    He took a step toward her, but she held her hand up, warding him off. “Don’t even think about putting your hands on me again.”
    He was an immature idiot for letting his brother goad him into a childish bet when he stood to lose so much more than money. “Listen to me. I’m in love with you. I don’t give a shit about some stupid bet, or the money, or sticking it to my dumbass brother. That’s not what this was about for me, sweetheart. It’s about you and me…”
    Glaring at him, she said, “There is no you and me, so get that thought out of your head right now.”
    “If you’d just give me a chance…”
    “I did give you a chance. I let you into my heart last night. I shared everything with you, the truth about my past, my secrets, but most importantly, I gave you my body.” She choked back a sob. “And what did you do? You threw it all back in my face.” She swiped at the tears sliding down her cheeks. “Was it worth $1,000 to you?”
    He cursed himself for what he was doing to her. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I made a mistake, okay? If I could go back, I’d tell Jason to shove his money up his ass, but…”
    She tipped her chin, looking him in the eye. “But we can’t go back, can we?”
    He’d give everything he owned to obliterate the disappointment he saw in her eyes when she looked at him, but he knew he was the one responsible for this mess and he had to find a way to make things right. “Don’t write me off because of one stupid mistake. Please, just let me prove to you…”
    “You’ve already proved to me what kind of man you are.”
    He knew he deserved that shot, but it still hurt like hell. He could be the man she needed, or he was willing to die trying. “Let me come with you today. We can talk about this. We can work it out, if you’re just willing to…”
    She shook her head. “I gave you a chance, and now I have to live with that regret for the rest of my life. My first time, instead of being a wonderful memory, will just be a bitter reminder of how I trusted the wrong man.” She wrapped her arms around her body, hugging herself. “I’ve waited so long to feel what I felt in your arms last night, but now I realize it was all a lie, some perverse way for you to one-up your brother.”
    Her words, whether she realized it or not, gutted him. He’d come so close to having everything he wanted and he threw it all away because the impulse to shut his brother up outweighed his common