The idea shouldn’t have pleased him as much as it did.
He took a seat beside Lord Fammod, nodding in greeting as the gentleman gave him a quick acknowledgment. Jaxsen’s hand rested on his shoulder, a slight weight that drew his attention from the men betting at the table. The scent of lavender circled her, and he leaned forward as if trying to escape the enticing fragrance.
“Bets.” The banker nodded at the two as he first lifted the top card then set it aside within full view of the men at the table. Emerson collected the amount of chips he wished to play and studied the other men’s bets. The full thirteen cards of the spades suit were laid out in order before them. Each player would place a chip or two on which card they guessed would be the winner. Emerson set his blue chip on the queen.
The banker glanced up, making sure each gentleman was finished with their placement and then drew two cards. The first card was the losing card; any bets placed on that card would be forfeited to the bank. But the second card was the winning card. Queen won the round, and Emerson was given a second chip in addition to winning back his original bet, to the slight grumblings of the men who had lost theirs.
The used cards were placed to the side in view of the players once more, allowing those with keen minds to play the odds on which card might be drawn next.
Emerson played several hands, but his focus wasn’t on the cards before him but on the hand on his shoulder. It was with the softest pressure change he could determine what Jaxsen was doing. When the door opened, she would press her palm down slightly as she turned, alerting him of her movement. When gentlemen walked by her to gain access to the Faro table or the one behind it, her fingers would flex into his jacket, as if willing herself to not respond to some lecherous expression he imagined the men used when appreciating her.
But when her hand stilled, nearly lifting off his shoulder, he then glanced up to the door, noticing the entrance of Wessix with none other than Daverson. Wessix clapped the younger gentleman on the back, and then, as if noticing his gaze, both men paused and headed his direction. Emerson’s hand pushed into him, as if warning him to keep his wits sharp, as if he needed the reminder. He nodded curtly to both gentlemen then made room as they took the last two empty seats at the table.
“I didn’t think you visited these places often, Burberry,” Wessix said by greeting. “The game any good?”
“I’ve won a few bets.” He hitched a shoulder. It wasn’t as if he was playing to win, simply to keep the charade afoot.
“Good, good.” Wessix nodded then selected his own chips and studied the discarded cards to the side.
“Faro, one of my vices, I must admit.” Daverson nodded to Emerson and then studied the cards as well. He selected white chips and laid down a guess.
Wessix placed a red chip on the king.
The banker drew the losing card, earning a huff from Daverson who had guessed incorrectly. Wessix gave a satisfied chuckle when his card won. “Good game indeed.”
The banker removed the cards, and the game continued.
“Daverson said you paid an early social call this morning,” Wessix said conversationally as he placed his bet.
“Indeed. It has been some time since I’ve seen him, and I’m trying to reintroduce myself into polite Society.”
“By calling early? My boy, that’s not the way to get into anyone’s good graces.”
Wessix gave a dry laugh.
“I was quite surprised. You nearly caught me at breakfast table,” Daverson commented. “And I must say, with the company you keep, I’m surprised you’re awake before noon.” He cast an appreciative glance to Jaxsen, who was strangely silent, her hand movements her only indication of her presence.
Emerson glanced to Daverson. “Who said I had slept at all?” he replied, then gave his own appreciative glance to Jaxsen.
Her eyes caught his, and she glanced down to his chest, arched a brow, smiled broadly, and traced her hand on the same path as her gaze. Her touch was hot, searing even as it trailed to his front breast pocket, and she patted the pocket there, then bit down on her lip and pulled it through her teeth.
Emerson swallowed against the way his traitorous body reacted to her touch, every part of his anatomy standing at attention, ready and needy for more of her touch, only lower. But he forced his faculties into submission and slowly, his mind caught up with his boiling blood and noted the way her gaze flickered from his breast pocket to Daverson’s and back.
He smiled in understanding, nodding once. “Of course, a nap solves that problem,” he finished as he turned back to Daverson, quirk a brow as the man gave a greedy chuckle, and then placed his bet.
Emerson played the hand then grasped Jaxsen’s fingers on his shoulder. “Birdy, can you be a love and bring us each a pint?” He didn’t give her a backward glance, simply placed his next bet.
Jaxsen squeezed his shoulder rather than answer, and her absent warmth on his shoulder was the only indication she’d left.
“She’s a lovely ladybird,” Wessix said as the game continued. He hissed when he lost the bet.
“Don’t let her quiet demeanor fool you. She’s quite… vocal,” he replied, smirking as he collected the win on the next hand.
“She looks like she’s a lush one all right.” Daverson all but shuddered with lust as he glanced behind him, assumedly to watch her behind. Emerson bit back an amused laugh. If only they knew just how vocal and lethal that woman could be, they wouldn’t have their manhood a country mile near her for fear they would be removed of it.
Jaxsen’s hand returned to his shoulder, and she set a tankard to the left of his right hand then turned to Wessix, doing the same. Daverson was slightly farther, and she lifted her hand from Emerson’s shoulder and placed it on Daverson’s. Emerson glanced away, and, hoping to distract Wessix, he placed a larger bet on the 10 card. He proffered a glance to Wessix, who was frowning at the cards, paying no mind to Jaxsen, who had likely already dipped into Daverson’s front breast pocket and removed whatever she’d found interesting.
For the next two hands, Jaxsen was still, then she tapped her finger three times against his shoulder. Emerson hesitated in his bet, then glanced to the discarded cards to the left of the banker.
