“Of course.”
He nodded, studying the table. “Looks like you’re solids.” His gaze met mine. “Do you want to call them?”
I shook my head. “Nah, let’s just play a relaxed game.” Since it was still my turn after the break, I lined up my shot and sank a solid in the far right corner, then another in the left.
His lips curved slightly. “I may not get to play at all,” he said with a chuckle.
He almost didn’t. But I missed my next shot, so he stepped in.
He cleared three stripes in quick succession, moving around the table with easy confidence. As he lined up his next shot and glanced at me over his shoulder, I understood his hesitation immediately.
“Don’t you dare throw the game,” I warned him. “Play to win, because if I get another shot, it’s game over.”
His lips twitched, his eyes warming as he took the shot. Before I knew what had happened, he’d sunk the 8 ball.
“Did I just get hustled?” I asked with a laugh.
“Wanna go again? Except this time with stakes?”
I wasn’t buying his innocent act, but I nodded anyway. “Rack ’em. What are the stakes?”
He stepped closer, close enough that I could feel the heat rolling off him. Shifters always ran hot, but the heat Riggs gave off was next level. He could probably stand nearly subzero temperatures, much like a dragon shifter or a frost elemental.
I held my ground.
The powerful aura surrounding him expanded, though I didn’t think he was aware of it. As his mate, I was immune, so it rolled through me without effect.
“If I win again, you watch a movie on the couch with me.”
I folded my arms. “On opposite sides of the couch?”
With a small smile, he slowly shook his head. His eyes blazed, and I swallowed.
“Cuddling?” I hissed the word like it was a curse, and he chuckled.
Then he stepped back, as though he could tell he was crowding me. I tried to hide my reaction to his nearness, but he noticed everything. And he was still picking up pieces of what I felt, so the attempt was mostly useless.
“But only if you agree,” he said quietly. “I have no wish to force you to do something you don’t want to do.”
I paused to think it over. He was good. Really good. He’d just smoked me, and it had taken very little effort on his part. There was a very real chance I’d have to pay up if I lost.
“And what do I get if I win?” I challenged.
“Whatever you want.” He said it with intensity, as if I really could ask anything of him and he would try to give it.
I fought to keep any reaction from showing, both physically and biologically. There were few secrets among shifters, and even fewer among mates.
I tried to think of something big, but the more I considered it, the more I realized I just wanted to soak in hot water and try to destress. I eyed my mate. “I heard you have a soaking tub…”
He laughed. “You want to use my tub? Done.”
I gestured to the table. “You break first. You won the last round.”
“Are you sure? I can go second.”
I frowned. “Just break.”
He chuckled as he set the balls in the triangle, slid it into place, then lifted it and set it aside. “As my mate wishes.”
