She slid her tray off the table to rest against the leg of it then walked toward him. “Sure, muffin, I’ll give you some luck for now.”
Leaning down she touched her lips to his and he grabbed her head to pull her closer. The other men at the table ogled her backside and he assumed her shorts were riding up again. She wasn’t kidding when she said they were lechers.
He slid his hands around to her bottom, caressing the incredible curves. The silky skin on his rough fingers sent shockwaves through him but at least the others couldn’t see her ass anymore. Not much of it anyway. He pulled her closer until she was straddling his lap thinking now they couldn’t see the bare skin at all. It was hidden by the table.
“I think I need a lot more luck than that, babe.” He devoured her mouth, one hand on her back the other wrapping around her ponytail. Noticing Moreno seemed interested in their interaction, he backed off only slightly. He had to be believable if he wanted the man to think he was giving her lessons.
Pulling her ponytail so her head arched back, he sucked on her neck. He knew precisely the spot that always made her groan. Sure enough the breathy sound escaped from her throat as he nibbled farther along. He moved her close again to reclaim her mouth then gave her a little push.
“Okay, that’s enough for now. We can finish this later, when we’re alone.” He rubbed his hands over her butt, like half the customers in the stinking place, then turned to pick up his cards. “We ready to play?”
She let out a shaky breath and he wondered if it was real or part of the show. He couldn’t always tell with her.
She picked up her tray then moved back to Chris. “Win big, muffin, you promised me a new dress with matching shoes.” With that she leaned down and nipped on his earlobe then sauntered off.
Her hips swayed sassily as he watched her walk out of the room, trying to control the reaction she’d caused. He shifted in his seat catching Moreno grinning at him.
“She has satisfied you, huh, our Katie?”
Chris looked down at his cards and smirked back. He didn’t like the man thinking of Meg in any sexual capacity though it seemed that was the only way he thought of any woman. The sooner they caught this bastard with something strong enough to stick, the better.
He threw a few bills into the pot and rearranged his cards, pulling out two. Moreno got the message and studied his own hand for a few minutes before putting down three cards. Barone, and the other guests tonight, a banker from Chicago and a pawn shop owner who was known for receiving stolen goods, threw their cards down to exchange. Barone dealt more, then silence filled the room as each player studied the others, hoping to see a weakness displayed.
Chris rearranged his new cards seeing black when he was hoping to fill in the rest of his three hearts. Damn. Useless hand of cards. He kept staring then rearranged them again realizing his Jack of hearts, nine of hearts, and seven of hearts fell right in between the ten of spades and eight of clubs to give him a straight. Holy cow. This was the best hand he’d gotten all night. Hell, since he’d been playing cards with these bastards. If he won this hand he’d be set for the next few card games and wouldn’t have to listen to Doolittle bitch about the Bureau’s tight budget.
He took a deep breath checking out the other players. The banker was shaking his head and biting the inside of his cheek. Pawn shop guy was looking around the room anxiously. They had nothing. Their tells were easy to read. Barone had a gleam in his eye but Chris knew he sometimes used that to bluff. Moreno was expressionless as always. He rearranged his cards a few times then looked up at the others.
“Okay, gentlemen, who’s in?”
As Chris suspected the banker threw his cards on the table folding. The pawn shop owner did too. Barone slowly picked up a fifty placing it in the middle of the table. Moreno did the same, then looked at him. He glanced at his small pile of bills and gritted his teeth. Not much to work with but maybe he could get enough for another hand. The banker usually got talkative when he wasn’t in the action. A few of the things he’d said made it appear he wanted to do business with Moreno. Chris needed to stick around as long as he could tonight. Moreno had even hinted that he might have some business for him soon.
“I’m in.” He threw his own fifty in, hoping he could call soon. No such luck. Barone upped the ante by a hundred, which Chris had but barely, then Moreno upped it another two hundred. His jaw tightened as he dug in his wallet hoping he’d find he had enough in smaller bills. Again no luck. There was fifty but nothing more.
He shoved his wallet back into his pocket, picked up his cards then shook his head.
“Perhaps we could put something else in the pot that was worth two hundred dollars,” Barone suggested. “I’d be more than willing to pay two hundred for an hour with your woman.” The excited gleam was back in Barone’s eyes. Nausea rose in Chris’s throat. This man was obsessed with Meg. He wanted to slit his throat right here.
“I told you I don’t share. I don’t want anyone else’s slimy hands on her while she’s with me. When I go back up north, you can do whatever you want with her. Not until then.”
Hopefully that would hold them off a little. Damn, though, he knew he could have won this hand.
“I would settle for a second showing of the kiss she gave you with perhaps slightly more on both your parts.” Moreno’s suggestion caused his stomach to roil again. “Sometimes I simply enjoy watching. Would that be acceptable? No one would be touching her but you.”
He could never allow that to happen but the banker was getting into some details that sounded interesting and he had a damnstraight, for Pete’s sake. No one had gotten anything higher than three of a kind this whole night. Moreno’s flush was a fluke. He could risk it, couldn’t he?
He swallowed hard, his eyes boring into Moreno. “Sure. If I don’t have the winning hand then you get some free entertainment. I call.”
Barone flashed three Aces then laid down a ten. He grinned making it seem like he had another ten. He couldn’t. A full house? No, impossible odds with the game they were playing. He placed down a two then said, “Three Aces. Can either of you do better?”
Chris had to admit it was a damned good hand but not as good as his. Now Moreno smiled and he shivered at the evil glare that accompanied it.
“I think you will enjoy being on show for us, Mr. Martin. You can impress us with your prowess. Maybe show us a trick or two. My hand is quite good.”
He placed down an eight of spades, a nine of clubs then a ten of diamonds and he was still grinning. Chris swallowed hard as his heart settled in his stomach. Damn. The man had a straight and if he kept going up it would be Queen high. That beat his Jack high. Shit. This wasn’t supposed to happen. How the hell would he get Meg out of this? He might have to grab her and run. It would flush everything else they’d worked for down the toilet but there was no way in hell he was putting on more than the kiss directly in front of these lechers or exposing Meg to it either.
He cringed as Moreno slowly placed the next card down. He shifted in his chair, wondering how fast he could get Meg before the goons grabbed them. The card went down and he blinked. Wait. It was a seven of diamonds followed by a six of spades.
His breath whooshed out of him. He couldn’t even attempt to hide the relief he felt. God, that was stupid. Why had he put her in danger like that? He wouldn’t do it again, that’s for sure.You aren’t invincible. Stop thinking that you are.
