“Still in the office, holding a boob.”
Sally pinched the bridge of her nose. “Never going to live that one down.”
Chapter Four
“When all else fails, play strip poker. That should really be a more common adage.” ~Jen
Jen smiledat her mate who sat at the small table next to the kitchenette. “You want to play strip poker?”
He shook his head. “No, baby. I said, let’s play some cards. You heard, ‘I want to get you naked by playing a game of poker.’ And then you jumped on the strip poker train.”
“It’s a fun train.” She grinned “You should buy a ticket some time.” Her breasts were killing her, but Thia had finally gotten something in her stomach and was sleeping. Jen knew it was only going to be a brief reprieve, but she’d take it. After putting Thia to bed, Decebel had suggested a game of cards. Shoot her if she happened to like poker—the stripping variety—best of all.
She walked over to the small table and sat opposite of him. “What are we playing? Texas Hold’em? Five-card draw? High/Low? Seven-card stud?”
Decebel paused his shuffling and shifted his eyes up to her face. A small smirk graced his sensual lips. “Do you really know how to play all of those, or did you just search the internet and memorize different types of poker?”
Jen gasped in mock horror. Her hand pressed to her chest as one shoulder dipped down and back, and her body slumped in on itself just a bit. “How dare you question my knowledge of such sacred card games? In Texas, them right there’s fightin’ words.”
He laughed and held up a hand, cards still clasped in them. “Please stop. Don’t ever talk like that again, and I won’t question your poker knowledge. Deal?”
Jen shrugged. “I suppose I can agree to your terms as long as you stick to your end of the deal.” She pointed two fingers at her eyes and then turned those same two fingers to point at Decebel. “I’m watching, B. I’m. Watching. You.”
“Baby, not that I’m questioning your actions, but my end of the deal requires you to be able to hear me. So maybe you should be pointing at our ears instead?” She could tell he was trying hard not to crack a smile, but his amber eyes danced with mischief as he stared back at her.
“Just deal the cards, B. We’re playing Hold’em,” she added. “And don’t go easy on me just because my boobs hurt.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. The distressed girls are hardly a reason to treat you with kid gloves,” he said as he winked at her. Well, really, he was winking at the girls because his eyes didn’t make it up to her face.
“Hey, fur ball.” She snapped her fingers at him. “My eyes are up here.”
“That’s good to know, baby. Makes it easier to find my way back to them when I get lost exploring other places on you.”
Decebel’s voice was a sensual purr that made a shiver run down Jen’s spine. “I will not be distracted by your attempt at seduction. You can take your prowling wolf and put him in a kennel.”
“Harsh.”
“You’ll live.”
An hour later, Jen was trying very hard not to use one of the cards to give her mate a paper cut. Small, maybe, but effective. Paper cuts brought grown men to their knees.
“Baby, don’t look like that,” Decebel practically cooed at her.
He needs paper cuts and a sock stuffed in his mouth, she decided. He was gorgeous. She didn’t need him to add to the effect by speaking.
“You look like you’re plotting something unpleasant, and I’m the intended target.”
Jen smiled and batted her eyelashes several times. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You’re a sore loser, Jennifer. It’s written all over your beautiful, yet irritated, face,” Decebel said, his voice cool and calm.
“You want me to be happy I lost?” she asked. “You want me to be all, ‘Oh Dec, look at you, you awesome whittle wolf. You won the card games. Let’s dance in the street.’” She paused and grinned wickedly. “Plot twist. Whittle wolf gets hit by a school bus while dancing in the street.”
“Damn woman, you’re bloodthirsty.” He growled as he gathered the cards and put them back in the box.
Jen leaned back in the chair and rested her hands in her lap. “You might call it bloodthirsty, but I call it an innate determination to annihilate my opponent, in whatever form they may come.”
Before Dec could respond, there was a knock on their door.
