by Livy North
“Don’t look at me like that. Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked with brows furrowed as we jumped to the beat.
“You know why,” she shouted back, but I barely heard her over the music. “I won’t ask questions, because frankly, I saw this coming from a mile away.” She grinned, her blonde diva curls bouncing around her shoulders.
“This what?”
“Oh, Emory.” She giggled, squeezing my arm. “You’re not good at playing innocent.”
With that as her last words, she turned around and danced away from me, getting the attention of the Adley brothers.
After a while of dancing, Seb spotted me from the corner of the room and waved me over. I snaked my way to him.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“I’m sorry for not inviting you but… I had my reasons.”
“Oh yeah?” I pretended to be upset. “Because you hurt my feelings.” I pushed my finger into his chest, leveling him with a stern glare before I couldn’t pretend anymore, and I shook my head with a laugh.
“I thought he might ask you himself.”
I instantly knew who he was talking about.
“That’s why I let it slip that I was planning a surprise party, and now that you’re here, my suspicions are confirmed.” He winked at me.
“What suspicions?”
A laugh bubbled out of him. “All of them. My brother has it bad.”
“What?” My cheeks burned. I never thought I would have a conversation like this with Sebastian Sinclair… ever.
His grin grew. “Oh boy. I’ve got it all wrong. He’s not the only one who has it bad.” Slowly he moved away from me, raising his glass in a cheer. “Have a good mischief night, Emory.” He winked and turned away, disappearing into the masses.
What in the world was going on? It was as if everyone knew what was happening in my life except for me.
Turning to alcohol, I had a few drinks throughout the evening. Enough to put me in a good mood, but not enough to get me drunk or even buzzed. Yet still with my lack of alcohol, my head was still pounding in pain. I blamed it on the music.
I’d found myself a quieter corner, although calling it quiet would be a lie, and I rested my elbows on the edge of the roof, massaging my temples.
It was past midnight and I wanted to go home, but I didn’t feel like leaving before I’d checked in on Evie. I didn’t know where she was, and I didn’t have the energy required to look for her yet.
In the middle of massaging my temples, a dark voice sounded behind me. My stomach coiled in a tingly way.
“Headache?” River came up beside me, resting his elbows on the edge. He looked out on the city but slowly turned his head to me.
God, he was gorgeous.
Perfect silhouette with a sleek nose, long lashes that I personally would kill for, perfectly puffed lips, and perfectly messy hair with the strands hanging in front of his forehead. The crisp white shirt and tapered pants tied it all together.
“I have painkillers in my apartment if you need one.”
My eyes widened and I could almost feel my pupils dilate. Was he being straight-up, no motives, nice?
“That would be great, actually.”
A smile tugged on the corner of his lips. “Follow me, then.”
Shoving off the edge, he turned around and walked. We took the stairs instead of the elevator.
“I don’t get the impression you’re particularly enjoying this party,” I said as we walked to his apartment door.
“To be honest, I’m not the biggest party guy, but Seb put so much effort into it that I can’t disappoint him,” River replied, unlocking the door and holding it open for me.
Walking in, the familiar scent of River mixed with hints of wood and paint drifted into my nose. I’d be able to pick his apartment out of a line-up purely based on smell, even though I’d only been here a few times.
“Who knew you actually cared about others’ feelings?”
River snorted softly. “I’ve always cared about my brothers, even if we’ve fought sometimes.”
“I know. I was teasing.”
He brushed past me, turning the lights on and walking into the kitchen. I followed. Picking out a bottle of water from the fridge and an aspirin from the top cabinet, he gave it to me.
“Thanks.” I smiled lopsided. River nodded back at me.
“It’s my birthday today, you know,” River said, leaning back against the kitchen island and crossing his arms.
I swallowed the tablet. “You’ve said,” I said, lowering the bottle. “And on mischief night too, how fitting.”
His eyes narrowed at me and I bit down a grin. It was too easy. The air felt thicker when I was with him, or maybe he stole the oxygen out of it. I noticed it whenever he was around, but even more when we were alone.
“Play poker with me again,” he said, walking over to a cabinet in the corner behind the couch, pulling out a deck of cards.
I blinked. “You want to play cards?”
“You won the last time we played, Nightmare,” he said, ignoring my question. “It’s my birthday today, and my birthday wish is for you to play with me.” He shuffled the cards, looking up at me at an angle and his gaze sent shivers down my spine. “Play me again.”
“Why?” I frowned. It looked like he’d been shot with adrenaline, and a certain dominance surrounded him that I hadn’t seen in him for a long time.
“Are you scared of losing now that we’re playing on my terms?” His playfulness twinkled in his eyes.
“Your terms?”
“Come on, Nightmare,” he baited
Shrugging, I said, “It’s late and I have a headache.”
“You’d be doing me a favor. I need to clear my head, and poker is certainly the way to go about it.” A devilish smirk tugged on his lips. This was the River I’d grown up with. He leaned closer. “I dare you to play me again.”
Gritting my teeth, I was enchanted by those blue eyes and daring look. He knew how to tug on my strings. So much for no motives.
“Fine. One game, then I’m going upstairs again.”
“But,” he chirped, “this time, I’m going to make it a little harder for you to bluff—to scam.”
“How so?” I watched as he circled me like a hunter stalking his prey. He’d taken the cards out and skillfully flipped them between his hands.
“We’re not betting money this time.” He paused. “For each time I win, I get to take a piece of clothing off you. My choosing.”
I cocked a brow. “You want to play strip poker?”
If this was what drunk River was like, he wasn’t as impressive as sober River.
His lips twitched. “You didn’t hear me properly. I said, I get to take a piece of clothing off you. And how I choose to do that… with my hands, my teeth… if I want to slide it off carefully or rip that dainty little thing to shreds.” His eyes darted to my blouse in a pointed stare before his eyes locked with mine again.
My stubbornness took over. “And vice versa? If I win, I get to take a piece of clothing off you, yes?”
Without permission, my eyes betrayed me by glancing down the V of River’s shirt, where smooth skin was drawn taut over rippling muscles.
“Yes,” he confirmed, “vice versa.”
He was drunk. How hard could it be to beat him in poker? “Bring it on, River. Hope you shaved today… because you’re going to be naked.”
His lips curled up into a smug smile. “If I’m naked, I’m betting you’ll take your clothes off too, poker or not.”
God, he was so sure of himself. I wanted to punch his smug face. Where was that awkward guy I’d helped off my porch?
“Rules,” I said, sitting down in one of his chairs, stifling the rising tension and heat in my body. “Jewelry and accessories don’t count.”
He was wearing a watch, two rings, a belt, and cufflinks. I had nothing.
“Fine.” He rolled his eyes. “And rule number two… covering up is n
ot allowed.”
“What kind of rule is th—”
“Afraid of losing?” His eyes challenged me more than his words ever could. “Walk away right now then, Emmy. I dare you.”
Clenching my teeth shut, I breathed out slowly so he couldn’t hear how labored my breaths were from the sexual tension clogging up the air like fog.
“Sure. No covering up. But no wasting time, either. Ten seconds per betting round, max.”
Why was I doing this?
This was stupid.
Childish.
But still, I was rooted to my chair.
“Fine,” River agreed. “First naked loses.”
“And ultimately, when I win the game, what do I get? And seeing you naked is not enough of a prize,” I deadpanned. “And I’m guessing you’re not doing this to get me naked, either.”
“Of course.”
I thought about it for a second. “If I win, I want you to support me at every city board meeting throughout the year.” I smiled, knowing he couldn’t possibly agree to something like that, especially since he was supposed to support his father.
River’s mouth opened, but then his jaw snapped together with the clash of his teeth. “Fine. And since we’re playing fair, I get something of my choosing, am I right?”
I blinked at him, not expecting him to agree so easily. Soon, I caught myself and straightened my back. “Yes.”
With lips tugging into a grin, his eyes glinted with mischief, making shivers run through my body like electricity. Why did he look so content? As if I was right where he wanted me?
“I want to paint you.” When he didn’t explain, I frowned, but I couldn’t ask before he continued, “I want to do a painting of you.”
“Uh, so you can stare at it while you jerk off? No thanks.”
“No. You can have the painting. Burn it for all I care. But I want to paint you.”
Why? I wanted to ask, but his eyes already said he wouldn’t tell me.
It was odd, I’d admit, but what did I have to lose? I had a lot to gain—his support at the board, meaning whoever respected him would also gain respect for me. If I lost, he’d paint me and afterward, I could burn it.
If it came to that point, he would’ve already seen me naked.
What was the harm?
“Deal.”
I stuck my hand out to shake on it. River watched it suspiciously before grabbing it.
“Game on, little vixen.” He smiled. “All bets are on, and so are the clothes… for now.”
The comment was so cheesy but coming from his usually serious mood, I found the cheesy line enjoyable.
“We don’t have a dealer,” I commented.
“I’ll deal.” He shuffled the deck, looking up at me from his slouched position. “I’ll let you cut the deck if you think I’m stacking it.”
“Of course.” I nearly snatched it from his hands when he held it out for me.
He grinned when I gave it back, and I didn’t like it. Cracking my neck side to side, I tried to stay calm as he dealt the cards. My hands were clammy, my breaths slow and mouth dry.
And so, the game begun.
Poker was easy when you lived in St. Crow. Poker face was your everyday face after all. And mine turned out to be better than River’s.
“Ooh…” I tsked, biting down a chuckle as we revealed our cards for the first round.
River’s eyes hardened and his jaw clenched. “You won the first round.” He gestured at me and leaned back into the leather of the reclining chair. “Take your pick.”
“Your shirt,” I said, nodding at his white shirt that made his skin seem more sun-kissed.
“If you want it off, then you have to come and take it off.”
I smothered a growl latched in my throat. With a huff in aggravation, I stood and walked over to him. Bending down, our eyes were on the same level and his scent filled my nose. He smelled like his favorite cologne—smoky blackcurrant and deep fruits.
Smelling good was one of the biggest turn-ons, and apparently, I hadn’t realized that until now.
Willing myself to look away and stop thinking about how good he smelled, I unbuttoned his shirt, holding my breath until the end.
“You’re not done, my shirt is still on,” he marveled, shrugging so his shirt fell off his one shoulder.
His abs and sculpted pecs stared back at me, and I gulped.
I forced myself to remain unaffected as I got closer to him and peeled the shirt off his back.
Taking a step away, I finally managed to breathe again. “There, off. Another round?”
A shirtless River was embarrassingly distracting, and he loved that it was. He smirked at me. “Another round.”
He dealt our next round and we placed our bets. My cards were good, but his were better.
I didn’t realize how in over my head I was until River was hovering over me, something dark flaring in his eyes. Even though he wasn’t touching me yet, he weighed down on me and the air squeezed out of my lungs.
His rough hands skimmed over my hip as he reached for the hem of my skirt. I swallowed and my mouth felt incredibly dry. My breath hitched silently in my throat when he gave it a hard tug. The corner of his lips twitched, but his eyes were what captivated me the most.
So cold, yet so full of emotion.
When my skirt fell to the floor, I felt exposed for a brief second before I caught myself. I had always felt safe in my own skin, but something about the way River looked at me made my skin crawl in a good way.
River dealt another round, and then another. After a few rounds, I had the majority of the chips. I still had my shirt on, but my shoes had come off. I was winning, unlike River. He was only in his briefs but looked equally as confident as earlier.
All it took was one more win and he would be naked.
Completely naked, I now realized. As in, I’d see all of him. I knew I’d touched him before, but I hadn’t actually seen much.
Oh shit, I was way in over my head.
But I was going to see this through to the end.
“Ready to take it all off?” I teased as River threw two cards my way.
“It’s not over yet, Nightmare.” The glint in his eyes worked as a wink made me roll my eyes. How was he still so confident?
We placed bets and he dealt the community cards, then the flop, and the turn. I was smiling through it all… until the last card was placed on the table.
“There’s something wrong with your face,” River remarked with a grin. My eyebrows pulled together in a frown. “Your poker face fails you.”
He revealed his cards before the round was over because he knew he’d won.
“Off with your blouse then.”
He made a show to rip my shirt off so the buttons popped between the walls and I snorted loudly. Once he pulled out of my personal space, I chugged the rest of whatever was in my glass.
When did it get so hot in here?
“You won this round, but I still have my panties and bra on. You only have one item left. I’ll take you next round.”
But I lost the next round, too. River hooked my bra off, and my breasts sprang free. My heart was beating like crazy. I couldn’t lose this.
Yet, the next round didn’t go much better.
River was about to deal the last card but peeked at it before placing it down.
“You know what they call the last card dealt to the board?” River asked in his inferior voice, head held high and shoulders rolled back.
My eyes narrowed. “Uh, yeah.” Of course, I did, but why was he asking that?
His eyebrows raised in a prompt for me to answer.
I sighed in frustration. “River.”
“River, what?”
“They call the last card, the river.”
He chuckled viciously. “Indeed, they do.”
And then he flipped the card so I could see. On the table was an almost straight flush, the second-best hand you could have.
“So, you want to be
t or nah?” His grin made it too obvious that he had great cards. I had good ones, but not that good. We both knew where this was going. River had lost his poker face now.
Although the words burned as they made their way out of my mouth, I managed to squeeze out, “Fine. I fold.” I tossed my cards down, revealing a full house.
His smile was now as wide as the Joker’s. “Which means…” he prompted, bringing out various emotions from the depths of my soul. He was infuriating.
“It means I lost,” I forced out through a tight jaw.
River smiled. “Wow, this is good.”
For some reason, he hadn’t looked at my breasts once since he took my bra off. He managed to maintain eye contact for the entire last round, but now his eyes dipped toward the apex of my thighs.
“Well, aren’t you taking it off?” I asked, trying to sound unfazed by the situation. Truth was, it was mortifying—and not because he’d see me naked, but because I fucking lost. It was my pride that took the hit. Nudity was natural but losing against him was not.
“I think it’ll add to the moment if I let you do the honors.”
“If you want me naked, then you’ll have to undress me yourself.”
“Can’t wait to feel my hands on you, huh?”
Cue eye roll. “Never mind.” I stood and grabbed the lacy hem. I didn’t want to give him the pleasure to see me squirm, and what was some nudity between frenemies anyway?
“Relax, little Nightmare. I was only baiting you, and you fell for it. I have no intention of getting you in your birthday suit. The win was enough for me. And the fact that I get to paint you, of course.”
Ass. Hole.
Instinctively, I wanted to put my bra on in an instant, but my pride kept me rooted. He’d already seen them. River might have incredible self-control, but he was still only a man.
I put it on slowly, making a show out of it. All the while River’s eyes were burning holes in my head. And it pained me to say, I was already soaking from the way he looked at me.
“Why do you even want to paint me?”
“Because I’ve painted you before, but I couldn’t get it right any of those times,” he said flatly, as if that was self-explanatory.
“What makes you think you’ll get it right now?”