Bet on Me Read Free Page A

advances.
    “What’s it got to do with him?” Her nose bunched up as she took in the guy’s appearance. “And you could be a murderer for all I know, so who’s to say you’re an improvement? Maybe you’re using your good looks and ‘compliments’,” she air quoted, “to lull me into a false sense of security, Hazel .”
    I laughed, despite her comment hitting a little too close to home. She didn’t know how close to the truth she was.
     
     

CHAPTER FOUR
     
    Alaya
     
    “Okay, what’s with the name?” It surprised me how well he took the joke. Not many people seemed to understand my sense of humour.
    “Your eyes, they’re hazel,” I stated, as if it was obvious, and my lips quirked at my thoughts. “Why? Would you rather over-confident-creepy-guy-who-can’t-stop-his-eyes-from-wandering?”
    Like I predicted, his attention dropped to my chest once more. I didn’t have the most impressive breasts at a C cup, but they fit my body size. At five foot one I’d have looked ridiculous with double Ds.
    “I think that one suits you better,” I said to draw his gaze back to my face.
    “How about Cole?”
    “Why would I call you that?” I frowned and my mouth twisted in confusion.
    “Maybe because it’s my name? Cole Ashford.”
    “Again, why would that make me call you it?”
    He shook his head in despair. “I’m beginning to think I made a mistake trying to save you. You’re not going to make my life easy, are you?”
    I clutched my hands to my chest, giving him my best dreamy-eyed swoon. “Aww, you were trying to save me. You’re so sweet! And for the record, no, I’m not going to make your life easy. But hey,” I shrugged, “it was your choice. You could always save me by boxing him against the window and leaving me in peace.”
    “Oh really? Maybe I’ll just go to the toilet instead and leave you to fend for yourself.” He kicked one leg out into the aisle, moving to stand. When his body shifted, it gave me another glimpse of the greasy-haired man who watched us from the corner of his eye and reached for his bag, as if ready to pounce as soon as Hazel … uh, Cole moved.
    Throwing away all self-respect, I reached out and grabbed his wrist. “No!”
    He sniggered and collapsed back against the seat with a smirk. “So you do need saving.”
    I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re cruel.”
    “Sweetheart, you don’t know me, remember? Don’t sound so surprised.”
    My jaw dropped at his words and my gaze shifted nervously around the carriage. Maybe I was better off taking my chances with the other guy. I swallowed hard.
    “I’m not your sweetheart.”
    “Would you prefer it if I called you Ice Queen or Gingernut instead? Because I didn’t think those would go over as well.”
    Glowering at him for flipping my line back around on me, I folded my arms across my chest. I refused to rise to his teasing and ask why those names. Gingernut obviously came from the way my hair changed colour in the sun. However, Ice Queen could have been because of a number of things.
    “This is the part where you’re supposed to give me your name,” he prompted when I didn’t respond.
    “You could always not talk to me. Problem solved.”
    “Sweetheart it is.”
     
    * * *
     
    “I take it your folks aren’t too happy about whatever it is you’re doing?”
    I dragged my gaze from my eReader to find Cole studying me curiously. After the teasing over names I plugged in my headphones and tuned him out. I’d downloaded a few hundred free books before my trip, and I planned on finishing at least one on the train.
    Lowering my head, I returned to my book and muttered, “Why do you want to know?”
    I jumped at his touch when his hand grazed my chin. Taking it between his thumb and forefinger, Cole pulled my face up to look at him. When our eyes met, his were still light and full of humour. “Sweetheart, we have at least another twelve hours on this train together. It’ll go by a lot quicker, and with