like fishing.
She needed some good bait. A box of poker chips on the bottom of a bookcase
snagged her curiosity. "Any good at five-card stud?"
The book sagged in his hands as he met her gaze. "I've
been known to lay down a winning hand or two." Just like a fish nibbling
on her line. He sat straighter in his chair, and she knew she'd hooked him. "Another
challenge?"
She arched a brow. "Only if your ego can
handle losing."
"Oh, darlin', you don't know when to quit, do
you?" He set his book aside and stood.
Excitement bubbled inside her. This was far
better than landing a trout. "What are you talking about? I caught more
fish than you did today."
He walked toward her, stopping just inches from
her. If he was trying to throw her off by his close proximity, she couldn't
deny it was a good tactic. Already, her heart rate had nearly doubled, but she
wasn't about to let him get the upper hand. Besides, the throb rushing through
her veins right now beat sitting in her room alone. She tilted her face
upward. "Well?"
"If we play, I'm not going to show you any
mercy."
She laughed. "Oh, wow. Pretty certain of
yourself, huh?"
"You're the one who invited me to play. If
you don't think you can handle it, better back out now."
She pulled the poker chip case from the shelf and
pushed it to his chest. "Not a chance."
His eyes sparkled with excitement, and she loved
that she'd brought about that reaction.
Milo set up the game at the kitchen table, and Ariana
brought a bowl of leftover berries with her as she took the seat across from him.
She leaned forward on the table, watching his deft
fingers flip the cards. "What should we play for?"
He shifted his gaze to her. "What are you
prepared to lose?"
Her insides heated another notch. She loved this
flirtatious side of him. "Funny."
"How about whoever loses cooks dinner for the
week?"
She rolled her eyes. "Bor-ring." She
gave him a wicked smile. "How about clothing?"
Both of his brows lifted in surprise. "Strip
poker? You're not serious."
"Dead serious. Watching you cook my dinner
might be fun, but I think I'd rather see you stripped down to your boxers...or
briefs. Whichever it may be." Unless he wore neither.
"God, woman." A laugh burst from his
chest. "What makes you think you won't be the one flashing all the skin?"
She smiled, knowing he was only seconds from
agreeing. "I guess the cards will decide. The overall loser can cook
dinner, too."
He opened his mouth and then narrowed his eyes at
her. "You and me half-naked could be dangerous. One of us needs to
protect the integrity of our relationship. Keep it professional."
"What makes you think our relationship will
lose its integrity just because you have your clothes off?" She must be
crazy egging him on like this, but she couldn't help it. "Are you
insinuating that clothing is the only thing keeping us from having carnal
knowledge of each other?"
"Are you insinuating it's not?"
She laughed, thoroughly enjoying herself. "You
are pretty certain of yourself, Deputy Sykes. All you need to do is take off
your clothes and women throw themselves at you, right?" If he said yes,
she'd probably believe him. He'd be a hard man to turn down.
"You're the one who said it, not me."
"Wow, you're cocky." And far too
attractive for her good. "Then let's add another bet on top of this one.
I'll bet you can sit in front of me totally naked, and I can walk away. You
can bet the same and protect your precious integrity. Care to wager?"
Mischief lit his sexy eyes as he held out his hand
for her to shake. She placed her hand in his. Instead of shaking it, he
tugged her toward him. She lifted out of her chair and met him halfway across
the table. "You're going down," he whispered.
She laughed and pulled away. "Deal the
cards, sucker." She plopped a strawberry in her mouth and let it melt
against her tongue.
Milo shuffled the
She needed some good bait. A box of poker chips on the bottom of a bookcase
snagged her curiosity. "Any good at five-card stud?"
The book sagged in his hands as he met her gaze. "I've
been known to lay down a winning hand or two." Just like a fish nibbling
on her line. He sat straighter in his chair, and she knew she'd hooked him. "Another
challenge?"
She arched a brow. "Only if your ego can
handle losing."
"Oh, darlin', you don't know when to quit, do
you?" He set his book aside and stood.
Excitement bubbled inside her. This was far
better than landing a trout. "What are you talking about? I caught more
fish than you did today."
He walked toward her, stopping just inches from
her. If he was trying to throw her off by his close proximity, she couldn't
deny it was a good tactic. Already, her heart rate had nearly doubled, but she
wasn't about to let him get the upper hand. Besides, the throb rushing through
her veins right now beat sitting in her room alone. She tilted her face
upward. "Well?"
"If we play, I'm not going to show you any
mercy."
She laughed. "Oh, wow. Pretty certain of
yourself, huh?"
"You're the one who invited me to play. If
you don't think you can handle it, better back out now."
She pulled the poker chip case from the shelf and
pushed it to his chest. "Not a chance."
His eyes sparkled with excitement, and she loved
that she'd brought about that reaction.
Milo set up the game at the kitchen table, and Ariana
brought a bowl of leftover berries with her as she took the seat across from him.
She leaned forward on the table, watching his deft
fingers flip the cards. "What should we play for?"
He shifted his gaze to her. "What are you
prepared to lose?"
Her insides heated another notch. She loved this
flirtatious side of him. "Funny."
"How about whoever loses cooks dinner for the
week?"
She rolled her eyes. "Bor-ring." She
gave him a wicked smile. "How about clothing?"
Both of his brows lifted in surprise. "Strip
poker? You're not serious."
"Dead serious. Watching you cook my dinner
might be fun, but I think I'd rather see you stripped down to your boxers...or
briefs. Whichever it may be." Unless he wore neither.
"God, woman." A laugh burst from his
chest. "What makes you think you won't be the one flashing all the skin?"
She smiled, knowing he was only seconds from
agreeing. "I guess the cards will decide. The overall loser can cook
dinner, too."
He opened his mouth and then narrowed his eyes at
her. "You and me half-naked could be dangerous. One of us needs to
protect the integrity of our relationship. Keep it professional."
"What makes you think our relationship will
lose its integrity just because you have your clothes off?" She must be
crazy egging him on like this, but she couldn't help it. "Are you
insinuating that clothing is the only thing keeping us from having carnal
knowledge of each other?"
"Are you insinuating it's not?"
She laughed, thoroughly enjoying herself. "You
are pretty certain of yourself, Deputy Sykes. All you need to do is take off
your clothes and women throw themselves at you, right?" If he said yes,
she'd probably believe him. He'd be a hard man to turn down.
"You're the one who said it, not me."
"Wow, you're cocky." And far too
attractive for her good. "Then let's add another bet on top of this one.
I'll bet you can sit in front of me totally naked, and I can walk away. You
can bet the same and protect your precious integrity. Care to wager?"
Mischief lit his sexy eyes as he held out his hand
for her to shake. She placed her hand in his. Instead of shaking it, he
tugged her toward him. She lifted out of her chair and met him halfway across
the table. "You're going down," he whispered.
She laughed and pulled away. "Deal the
cards, sucker." She plopped a strawberry in her mouth and let it melt
against her tongue.
Milo shuffled the
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