I lean in and kiss him. “For that compliment, I’ll make sure mine is sexual and you’ll like it.”
Tristan leans back. “Be forewarned, mine will not be.”
“Well then, I guess I’ll just have to win.”
One of my family’s favorite activities is card games. I’m very good at them. My brothers are known for cheating whenever they can, so I’ve had to learn how to not only catch them but beat them.
This is going to be super fun—for me.
I shuffle again and then hand the cards to him. “Here, you deal so I can’t be accused of cheating.”
Tristan chuckles but takes the deck. He deals us each five cards, and I have nothing matching, so I go for a random card to start. “Do you have any sixes?”
“Go fish.”
I draw a card, and it’s not a six. “Your turn.”
Tristan studies me. “Do you have any queens?”
Damn it. I do have one. I sigh, pulling the queen out of my hand. “Here you are.”
He smiles. “Thank you. My turn again, right?”
“Yes,” I say a little testily, but I don’t like losing.
“Do you have any threes?”
What the fuck? How? “Are you cheating?” I ask.
“How the hell would I be cheating? I dealt the cardsyoushuffled, and you watched me deal. You have a three?” Tristan looks absolutely gleeful as he takes my outstretched card. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
“Thank you, sweetheart,” I murmur, making fun of him as I do it. “Jerk.”
“How the hell am I a jerk for playing the gameyouwanted to play?”
“Just shut up and take your next turn.”
His deep laugh rolls through me. At least one of us is enjoying this so far. “Do you have any fours?”
“Ha! Go fish!” I’m just a little too excited, and Tristan tilts his head to study me. “What? I’m just happy you’re fishing.”
Not that he wasn’t going to be anyway, since we have only five cards.
The game goes on, and Tristan is kicking my ass. I mean, stomping me. Each time I get close to a set, he somehow manages to ask for that card, and I have to give three up.
“We can stop now,” he offers.
“Absolutely not!” I say in protest. There’s not a chance I can come back and win, but it’s the principle. I will not accept defeat lying down.
I’m a Gatlin, for heaven’s sake. I have to fight, especially a Stone.
“All right, I’m just being a gentleman here.”
“If that was the case, you’d let me win.”
He raises one brow. “Let you win? Like you’d let me win?”
“No, but I didn’t claim to be a gentlewoman. I want to win. I like winning.”
