RIHANNA REVENGE ON CHEATING CHRIS

RIHANNA and CHRIS BROWN, DANE COOK

RIHANNA has found a way to get back at her two-timing bad-boy beau CHRIS BROWN — by hooking up with comedian DANE COOK!

The gorgeous "We Found Love" singer and the quirky comic have been pals for years, but their friendship has heated up in recent months because Rihanna wants to show Chris that she's still a hot commodity, say sources.

Rihanna met Dane after attending one of his shows at L.A.'s Laugh Factory, and they hit it off so well that RiRi now tries to catch his act whenever she's in town, the sources add.

"They hang out in Dane's dressing room and sometimes he goes back to her Pacific Palisades home to party," revealed an insider. "They flirt like crazy, and Dane regularly sends Rihanna flowers and gushy e-mails.

"Rihanna's friends all think they're carrying on a romance, but she's very secretive about it. She wants to keep everyone guessing, especially Chris."

Rihanna, 25, and Chris, 23, began dating in early 2008 but split a year later after he savagely beat her during an argument in his car. Chris was charged with felony assault. Rihanna then stunned fans in August when she admitted during an interview that Chris is "the love of her life." By the end of 2012, the pair had reunited, but at the time Chris was still involved with aspiring fashion designer Karrueche Tran.

"Rihanna was hurt by Chris constantly cheating on her after they reconnected," the insider continued. "he kept running back to Karrueche and also picking up groupies in nightclubs."

Meanwhile, Dane "makes her laugh and always leaves her feeling upbeat and good about herself."

Chris suspects there may be something going on between Rihanna and Dane, 41, and the two have gotten into "horrible screaming matches" about it. But Rihanna's loving every minute of it, says the source.

"The only thing she likes more than male attention is drama. She loves having Dane and Chris chasing after her at the same time."