Page 127 of Reluctantly Yours

This is a fresh start and I need to be honest with Chloe.

I pull back, my thumb tracing over her lips where mine used to be.

“There’s something I need to confess.”

She sniffs. “What is it?”

“I cheated.”

CHAPTER32

Chloe

“What?!” My heart drops out of my chest. I can’t believe what Barrett is telling me.

His eyes widen. “Oh, shit. No. Not likethat. I cheated at WordIt.”

It takes me a moment to let his words sink in, but when my body has recovered from the emotional rollercoaster ride it just took, I find my gaze narrowing at Barrett.

“I knew it.” I point a finger at him. I want to be annoyed at his confession, but I’m curious more than anything. “How did you do it?”

“I bought WordIt.”

That’s not what I was expecting him to say.

“What? When?” I ask, confused.

“After that day in the car.”

“The first day we rode to work together? When I told you about it?”

“Yeah.”

Color has returned to his once ashen face, and then some.

“I don’t understand.”

“SCM purchased the app from the original creator. When we played the game, I knew what the words were.” He smiles wickedly. “I even picked one of them out.”

“Why would you do that?” I ask.

Barrett smirks. “Why do you think?”

“I am so mad at you right now.” My hands push at his chest, but he continues to hold me close. “You made me think I was losing. I was so frustrated I couldn’t win. That you were better at WordIt than me. And I couldn’t touch you.”

I can’t believe he bought the app.

“How much?” I ask. Deciding now when Barrett is groveling is the time to get all the facts.

“How much what?”

“Did the app cost?”

He sighs, looking sheepish again. Not something I’m used to on Barrett. “Two million dollars.”

“You paid two million dollars so you could win WordIt and go down on me?”

“I didn’t buy it with that intention, but it did come in handy.”