Read Online Leashed (Going to the Dogs) by Zoe Dawson - Free Book Online
Authors: Zoe Dawson
Ads: Link
Especially the skull one with the creepy saying, Midnight Dreaming.”
“That’s my favorite one, too. Does that say I have a little pirate in me?”
“I’d say there’s plenty of pirate in you, Owen.”
“Well, then get to chopping, wench, the crew be hungry.”
She tried not to be swayed by his devilish charms and excellent pirate inflection, really she did. “Aye, aye, captain,” she said with a mocking salute.
“Show some respect, woman, or it’ll be the plank for ye.”
She laughed and stepped away from him a bit—no need testing her swayability by putting herself in actual contact range—and sliced up the cheese and laid out the crackers. She kept her back to him, all the better to avoid being caught up in those deep blue eyes of his. “I should warn you that I’m a pretty fast learner.”
Owen came to stand beside her, picking up the platter of cheese. She put the knife down. She knew her limits. Bracing herself, she looked at him. Up close like this, almost as close as they’d been in the shed when he’d kissed her, it was impossible not to get caught up in his intensity. He didn’t even have to try. How he worked that lazy smile with those laser beam eyes of his, she had no idea. But anybody fooled by his easygoing demeanor was just that, a fool. “Is that a challenge?”
“It is.” She took a deep breath as he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. Who was she kidding? At least learning a new game might keep her from fantasizing about what she really wanted to be doing.
“Okay, then you’re on. Have a seat. Would you like wine?”
She settled down at his beautiful, smooth, blocky teak table. Mixing Owen and alcohol would be a very dumb move. She watched him open the fridge door and bend down to look inside. Her gaze followed the line of his body, but got stuck right at the seat of his jeans, drawn over his…ah…yeah. Water was a much better idea—poured over her head. Make that very cold water.
He grabbed two wine glasses and set them and the bottle on the table. At that point she decided it wasn’t wise to put up too much of a fuss about the wine. After searching briefly in a drawer under the TV, he came back with a square piece of wood with three columns of colored peg holes and a deck of cards.
He set the cards down on the table and opened a metal slide at the bottom of the board. Three pegs dropped into his palm. He kept out the red and blue pegs and placed the green back inside the board, sliding the metal closed.
Next, he set the pegs in the peg holes at the beginning of the board and shuffled the deck. He placed it face down and said, “Pick a card.”
Callie pulled the ten of diamonds and Owen got the seven of clubs.
“That means I’m the dealer, and you go first. This game is based on numbers. We’ll alternate laying down the cards. The face cards are worth ten points and the other cards count for their numerical value. Seven for any seven card, and so on. The goal is to get the most number of points. If your cards add up to fifteen points when you lay down your card, you’ll earn two points on the peg board.
He dealt out six cards. “Okay, now you have to decide which of your cards you’ll put into what’s called the crib. The object is to give me a lousy crib, but don’t mess up your hand to do it. Don’t give me pairs or five-cards, stuff that could easily add up to fifteen.”
She looked at her hand and chose the cards she would give him.
They started to play, and she felt she was getting the hang of it. He won the first hand.
“So, how did you get FLASH started?”
“I started small, and I paid celebrities to host the opening of the club. Small potatoes at first, then I expanded and was able to start hiring A-list people. My great aunt helped me with some of the startup capital. It did so well that I was able to pay her back. Now celebrities come to my club without being paid.”
“That’s the sign of success.”
“How about you? How did
“That’s my favorite one, too. Does that say I have a little pirate in me?”
“I’d say there’s plenty of pirate in you, Owen.”
“Well, then get to chopping, wench, the crew be hungry.”
She tried not to be swayed by his devilish charms and excellent pirate inflection, really she did. “Aye, aye, captain,” she said with a mocking salute.
“Show some respect, woman, or it’ll be the plank for ye.”
She laughed and stepped away from him a bit—no need testing her swayability by putting herself in actual contact range—and sliced up the cheese and laid out the crackers. She kept her back to him, all the better to avoid being caught up in those deep blue eyes of his. “I should warn you that I’m a pretty fast learner.”
Owen came to stand beside her, picking up the platter of cheese. She put the knife down. She knew her limits. Bracing herself, she looked at him. Up close like this, almost as close as they’d been in the shed when he’d kissed her, it was impossible not to get caught up in his intensity. He didn’t even have to try. How he worked that lazy smile with those laser beam eyes of his, she had no idea. But anybody fooled by his easygoing demeanor was just that, a fool. “Is that a challenge?”
“It is.” She took a deep breath as he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. Who was she kidding? At least learning a new game might keep her from fantasizing about what she really wanted to be doing.
“Okay, then you’re on. Have a seat. Would you like wine?”
She settled down at his beautiful, smooth, blocky teak table. Mixing Owen and alcohol would be a very dumb move. She watched him open the fridge door and bend down to look inside. Her gaze followed the line of his body, but got stuck right at the seat of his jeans, drawn over his…ah…yeah. Water was a much better idea—poured over her head. Make that very cold water.
He grabbed two wine glasses and set them and the bottle on the table. At that point she decided it wasn’t wise to put up too much of a fuss about the wine. After searching briefly in a drawer under the TV, he came back with a square piece of wood with three columns of colored peg holes and a deck of cards.
He set the cards down on the table and opened a metal slide at the bottom of the board. Three pegs dropped into his palm. He kept out the red and blue pegs and placed the green back inside the board, sliding the metal closed.
Next, he set the pegs in the peg holes at the beginning of the board and shuffled the deck. He placed it face down and said, “Pick a card.”
Callie pulled the ten of diamonds and Owen got the seven of clubs.
“That means I’m the dealer, and you go first. This game is based on numbers. We’ll alternate laying down the cards. The face cards are worth ten points and the other cards count for their numerical value. Seven for any seven card, and so on. The goal is to get the most number of points. If your cards add up to fifteen points when you lay down your card, you’ll earn two points on the peg board.
He dealt out six cards. “Okay, now you have to decide which of your cards you’ll put into what’s called the crib. The object is to give me a lousy crib, but don’t mess up your hand to do it. Don’t give me pairs or five-cards, stuff that could easily add up to fifteen.”
She looked at her hand and chose the cards she would give him.
They started to play, and she felt she was getting the hang of it. He won the first hand.
“So, how did you get FLASH started?”
“I started small, and I paid celebrities to host the opening of the club. Small potatoes at first, then I expanded and was able to start hiring A-list people. My great aunt helped me with some of the startup capital. It did so well that I was able to pay her back. Now celebrities come to my club without being paid.”
“That’s the sign of success.”
“How about you? How did
Similar Books
