‘To play strip poker with me?’ He stepped towards thebarrel. She widened the gap between her knees, and he positioned himself between them. ‘Here?’
Cherry recced the warehouse. ‘As long as we have the place to ourselves, then yeah. Here seems like a good place.’
‘I like your thinking.’
‘I could even be persuaded to lose.’ The emphasis she placed on those last two words was pure seduction.
Something soared through Sean’s chest, before zig-zagging lower. He could touch her, take possession of those perfect thighs with his palms. Pull her close so she could feel the chaos she caused.
But that wouldn’t be half as much fun as strip poker. Holding on a bit longer, really earning that right.
‘How about we change the rules slightly?’ Cherry ran her tongue along the inside of her lower lip.
‘Explain.’
‘It’s like this. We each draw a card from the pack. Whoever’s is the lowest takes off an item of clothing of the other person’s choosing. Makes it a little fairer.’
‘I see. It’s almost like you want to take your clothes off.’
‘My husband is learning.’ Cherry lifted the deck and riffled the cards before sliding off the barrel, brushing down Sean’s front as she went.
‘You still on form, Butler?’ It was clear she was referring to what she’d just made contact with rather than his poker game.
‘Aye. Never been better.’Total lies. He was a tortured mess but would hold it together.
Cherry moved to the opposite side of the barrel, placing the deck face down between them. Across from her, Sean was aware of the weight of his breath. In all the years working at the cooperage, he’d never stood in this warehouse and been remotely aroused. Until now. Until facinghis molten-hot wife in the dim light of the cask warehouse, the draw of the cards the only thing between their being clothed or unclothed.
‘Do you want to go first?’ Cherry blinked soft and low.
‘No, you go?’
She laid down the first card from the top of the deck.
King of Clubs.
He was fucked.
Sean picked a card.
Seven of diamonds.
Cherry hummed. ‘Mm-hmm, Butler. Sorry about that.’
‘Aye, right. What you after then?’
‘I am after…this.’ She looped her finger around Sean’s chest. ‘Get it off.’
Without missing a beat, he pulled off his polo shirt and threw it onto the warehouse floor, glad to be rid of it amidst a Cherry-induced heatwave. And the way she looked at him, like she craved what she saw, fired him up hotter than the cooperage kiln on full heat.
‘Loser goes next.’ Sean flipped over the next card without being invited. The six of diamonds. ‘Is this deck rigged or what?’
Cherry revealed a five of clubs. ‘I guess not.’ A lascivious smile curved her mouth upwards. ‘Name your price, baby.’
Holy fuck! She didn’t need to take anything off. Calling him baby like that drove Sean to distraction.
‘The t-shirt.’ His command came out hoarse but assured.
And when she cast off the tee and threw it onto the floor next to his, a low growl tore through Sean’s throat. Fuck. The way her breasts, soft and generous, rose like pillows inside the black-lace cups of her bra. And the mellow tan ofher beautiful skin – how did she get colour like that playing poker?
