Blaine, Destiny - Lying Eyes (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Lying Eyes

  It sounded like she clenched more than just her back teeth when she set her jaw and twisted away from him. He only had his hand on her ankle but she quickly kicked her feet under her slender body before she threw a feather pillow toward the headboard and fell back against it.

  “Audra, I’m not like any of those younger guys downstairs just itching to sum you up, because for reasons you don’t understand, I’ve had plenty of time to do precisely that and just enough time to think about what I want and how far I’ll go to get it. The young gun who profiled you downstairs may have believed you were an inexperienced poker player but that was down there. Up here, things change considerably and none of your charades matter. I’m not a cute little puppy still wet behind the ears, ready to believe everything you show me just because you spill a few chips on the table.”

  “It wasn’t intentional, by the way,” she lied.

  “The hell it wasn’t.” He chuckled. “I saw the twinkle in your eyes right before you did it and you’re forgetting something else, you also tossed a wink and a shrug right before the ‘Uh-oh, I wonder why that happened’ bull-shit bit.”

  “You liked it.” She rose up on her knees then and moved behind him with her hands firmly on his shoulders. She squeezed them once or twice in a sensual massage just waiting to begin. Her mouth covered his ear, her boobs pressed firmly against his back. “And you liked it too much.” Yeah, now he could call her a tease. She congratulated herself for the first big move in the right direction.

  * * * *

  Max Reynolds wasn’t interested in sex games. He stood up, though it looked like somewhat of a struggle, and walked over to the wet bar to pour himself a scotch. “Glad you like the hard stuff.” He stared down at his untouched member. He needed a strong one by the looks of the tent rising in his pants but a drink wouldn’t change things. She hated to break the news to him.

  The hard stuff? Did he mean the drink or the problem in his pants? She swallowed with forced anticipation. He likely planned to tell her.

  “Audra, you can’t talk like you mean to play grown-up games one minute and then cry wolf the very next second.” He stopped himself and with a creased brow, it looked like he had an unsettling ah-ha moment. “I’ve tried to be a gentleman. I swear on my life, I really have and it’s been an effort. I want to take things slow if that’s what you need but sweetheart, I am only a man. I’m not a fucking machine with an on and off switch.”

  “Max, I’m sorry.” Sincerity oozed and it was going to get worse since he thickly implied she wasn’t mature enough for ‘grown-up’ playtime.

  He whispered mere assumptions. “You’re a virgin, aren’t you?”

  No doubt about it. The man knew how to spoil a good moment.

  She choked on disbelief, literally coughed back a cry of astonishment. Her breathing picked up and her voice cracked with the first attempt to tell him the truth. “Get out.” She didn’t really want him to go but he couldn’t stay now. No, not now, not after he read the truth in her face and heard it in her cracking voice. Hell, no. He had to go, because if he didn’t, she didn’t know what she would say to him, what she might reveal.

  “No.” He must’ve known it from the very beginning. Damn him for being a poker player.

  “I said get out!” She shouted out her request and yet still hoped like hell he’d refuse.

  He slammed the glass against the bar and stormed over to the door. From there, he looked back at her and must’ve decided that he wasn’t leaving without a fight.

  He slowly approached her then, but still used a little added caution. “It was a simple question and really none of my business. I’m sorry I asked. It’s just…there’s something going on here and I think—no, I know—you feel it too.”

  She tugged the blankets tighter and glared back at him. “Maybe I’m just not ready for you.” What an understatement of the year. The man probably had a line of women waiting for him at the elevator. The kind of gals who carried a Vera Bradley bag stuffed full of designer sex toys.

  He winked and tried to bring back a small element of amusement. “Darlin, I could’ve told you that when I watched you play downstairs, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like to see you try.” He sat down on the edge of the bed. “Wanna talk about it?”

  “No.” She most certainly did not.

  “Want to tell me the truth now?”

  “I don’t.”

  “Are you sure?” he probed.

  “Okay fine. I do like you. Satisfied?”

  Actually, now he looked profoundly confused because he most likely thought they were going to discuss her virginity status. “I’m glad to hear it.” He shot her a sly grin. “So, now that we have the ‘check-yes-or-no’ stuff out of the way, wanna tell me what it is that’s stopping you from arching your hot little ass right up against my…” he bit his lip and a good damn thing. She had plenty to say.

  “There’s the problem. It’s the way you talk to women, like you…” She couldn’t find the words and decided it was for the best. She changed the course of the conversation. “Maybe I like you well enough to sleep with you, but I don’t know yet and I’m not sure I want to find out this week, if you want complete honesty.”

  She held her head up high and with a lot of determination, told him of the truer obstacle standing in her way. “I’m not willing to have a roll or two in the hay with you and then allow you to use it to your advantage the minute you meet me at another table. You know and I know it’s what you do best. You use everything you can to shake the opposition, even sex.”

  “Can you blame me?” He laughed. “It’s what I’m supposed to do. Look for the advantage I have and then use it when I need to weigh a player’s worth.”

  “I’m not letting you use me,” she told him flatly.

  His hand went to her cheek and with the back of his hand, he stroked it. “Audra honey, you’re a beautiful woman and I can promise you I’d like nothing more than to do just that, but I have a confession too.”

  * * * *

  He was going to show all of his cards right now and he couldn’t do anything to stop it. A walking hard-on, his heart pounded faster every single time the woman shot him one of her multi-million dollar smiles. The worst of it was, he realized it wasn’t going to get any better until, well, he couldn’t even think about it as long as she was within touching distance.

  Releasing a deep breath he took the step. No, it was a leap.

  “I’ve thought a lot about…us.” He watched her eyes flicker with knowledge. Damn it all, the woman knows I’m already crazy about her. He didn’t stop the runaway emotions, the kind guiding his lips to move into a delusional confession. “Audra, I’m not interested in using you.”

  Hell no, of course not. He decided months ago a fast fuck and a quick trip to a drive-through chapel might be his only option. Now, he was confident the wham bam factor was out of the question and the shotgun wedding might be replaced with the most elaborate wedding in history. Oh yeah, he’d already practiced saying it again and again. He was going to make an honest woman out of her.

  “Wow, and here I thought you wanted nothing more than my body.” Her wicked smile didn’t help their situation.

  “Watch it now or I might show you how much.” His voice held a hint of humor but then turned to its original inflection. “I have something to tell you.”

  Her eyes wider, she crossed her feet over her knees and paid closer attention, something he didn’t realize was possible because she was always so attentive. “Tell me.”

  “Since I met you in Tunica, I’ve followed your career.”

  “You have?”

  He nodded and continued without giving too much away. “Audra, I’m not the kind of man who pledges anything to any woman, but you’re different. I can promise you I won’t use whatever it is we find between us, if anything really exists there—and I think it does—at a poker table downstairs. I think too much of you and it may go beyond sex.”

  “The sex we aren’t going to hav
e tonight.” She grinned.

  A dry chuckle guided him to acceptance as he enunciated his way through each syllable. “Right, the sex we both want to have, but aren’t going to have…at least, not tonight. Yeah, that sex.” He winked and moved a fingertip over her collarbone. “I’m alright with it if you are.”

  His manhood all but strained against his zipper serving as a reminder of what he stood to miss. “Now, about those stories.”

  She curled into his arms and laid her head on his shoulder. “Yes, I’m ready for one now because I just enjoyed the prologue immensely.”

  She didn’t believe him or find truth in his confessions because he made his living reading people and the woman in his arms still didn’t have a lot of faith in him. Why would she? It didn’t matter because he planned to prove her wrong. A lot of what they both needed to demonstrate, trust included, wouldn’t start in the privacy of their hotel suites. No, everything they had to establish, or even firmly validate in one way or another, would begin downstairs—on the felt—where champions met, and sometimes fell in love with more than just the game.

  Chapter Five

  Audra stared across the table, sure to hell and back her luck was better than this. To her left, Max sat with stars in his eyes and a smug expression plastered across his face. To her right, the last woman left in the tournament other than herself. Life laughed at her—she didn’t find the hilarity in it but somebody, somewhere did.

  “Good morning beautiful.” Max shot her a wink when she took her seat.

  Case in point.

  “Max, good to see you.”

  He smirked. Knowing eyes drifted over her.

  He’d all but covered her with a similar approving eye earlier. She heard him sneak out of her room around five o’clock and as soon as the door snapped shut, she rolled over to stare at the flipping digits until the alarm rang out thirty minutes later.

  She felt her voice quiver, but she politely made small talk with the other players at the table. Just like she feared, Max rattled her and he did it with every intention. She just hoped she didn’t have a hand worth playing until her runaway nerves were bridled again. Maybe after an hour or so of dead hands, drawing a breath without it hitching in her chest would allow simplicity again.

  Max leaned over and whispered in her ear. “You look gorgeous today, Audra. Sexy enough to eat.” His teeth snapped on a laugh and patted her thigh.

  Damn. Damn. Damn. She felt the heat from her leg all the way up her spine and back down again. Never mind where else she felt it swerve. The man had a perverse touch and she knew how to handle him. Beating him at his own game was all but necessary.

  Her fingers lightly touched his wrist. An open gesture really, but she didn’t care. Her mouth went to his ear and she offered a somewhat nervous reply. “If you play nice today, I may just let you back in my bed for more than bedtime stories.” She giggled, took a deep gulp of air and settled back in her chair.

  Now, I’m ready to play.

  In fact, after an easy reminder to keep Max in check, she never felt better. Sometimes a woman was forced to face her fears and inhibitions head on and if Max thought for one minute he could whisper sweet nothings in her ear in front of her peers, he had another think coming. He allowed his dick to lead him on a wild chase. He had followed her around the casino and right into her bed, and it was one lacking the action a man like Max probably found night after night. If anyone had the advantage here now, she did, and she planned to use it.

  * * * *

  Max felt a sudden need to kiss her. He’d never had an urgent call so strong at a poker table. The woman pulled all the right chains to lure him in and he needed to do something to switch the odds in his favor again. If things stayed as they were, he felt fairly confident she’d use them against him.

  The announcer called out some reminders. A late player or two took their seats throughout the large room and then the ultimate call of all calls came down. “Shuffle up and deal.”

  Audra pulled out a little white iPod and pushed the ear pieces into place.

  “Trying to drown me out?” he asked.

  She leaned over and made certain her breasts touched his arm. “If you need me for something important, I’m sure you’ll think of a creative way to get my attention.” She held the iPod at an arm’s length and hit the play button.

  He chuckled. “That was one sweet invitation.”

  A couple of the guys knowingly exchanged a few glances with him. Damn, if she didn’t feed his ego even when she didn’t try. He liked the woman more already and it wasn’t even noon yet.

  Max folded his first hand and eyed Caroline Morrison. He knew she had something. He’d watched her play for years and read her easily. He was betting pocket rockets. The beautiful top pair, and Audra? She had the kings. He’d bet on that too, and only because he always noticed a small breathing adjustment when she had a top pair, something she tried to restrain even more when she had the aces.

  Caroline raised the bet.

  “Call.” Audra came in right behind her without a moment to spare.

  The flop came down and he never saw her budge—one King and two tens.

  Everyone else folded to Caroline. She crossed her arms and studied the board. She glanced at Audra and Audra smiled. Caroline likely took it as a challenge.

  “Raise a hundred thousand.”

  Audra called.

  Another ten came down.

  Caroline swallowed and her eyes moved, just once but enough to confirm Max’s first inclination. Pocket aces. Full house.

  She quickly looked over at Audra and was ready to move. Audra warned her. “Careful Caroline, I’m not ready to be the only woman standing.”

  Max felt his cheek twitch. Why the hell did she do that? Audra had a full house too, and maybe the ten needed for the four of a kind, though he doubted it. He had her on the kings—or at least, thought he did.

  Caroline didn’t have the good sense to heed the warning. “I’m all in.”

  “Call.” Audra didn’t take a second to think about it.

  She had the hand won without a doubt. He knew his girl.

  “Turn them up, ladies.”

  The girls flipped their cards and Caroline looked sick. Deathly ill.

  The dealer turned up the river card but there wasn’t any saving grace for Caroline. Audra had King-ten in the hole and putting the last woman out of the competition turned bitter sweet as she raked in over a million in chips.

  After shaking hands with Caroline and wishing her well, Audra turned to Max. “You had me on the kings.”

  “I had you on kings.” He winked. “Well played.”

  “I knew when I saw her here, I’d be the one to take her out. She’s earned her reputation for bluffing other women players. I don’t understand it.”

  “She holds a grudge too, you know.” He wiggled his ass against the chair, hoping to draw attention to his lower half.

  “I know.” She stacked up more purple chips and then leaned over to her left. “I do, too.” She peered down at his prized goodies just because she liked to taunt in all the wrong ways, something he was going to talk to her about later.

  He didn’t respond right then because he feared she only told him the truth.

  “Did you hear me?” She looked at him directly then.

  “I heard you, but I know better.” Hell, he hoped not because he had a strong feeling if anyone later put Audra out, he was the man for the job. He just hoped he didn’t have to do it before she was in the money.

  * * * *

  “Have dinner with me.” He stepped inside the elevator and moved closer.

  “I had dinner with you last night.” Her eyelashes batted playfully at him and she quickly gravitated toward him, too. As if it was the most natural thing in the world, she slipped her hand in his and leaned up to kiss his cheek. “Besides, you wore me out last night. I have to get some rest tonight.”

  “I wore you out? Darling, I promise you, I don’t remember such an ac
tivity.” His cheek heated where her lips met his skin. He released her hand when the door opened on the second floor.

  “Going down?” An older man started to step in but caught his balance and decided to ask the question instead.

  “Up,” Max informed.

  The doors closed and Max took her hand again. This time he pressed her to the back of the elevator and with one dry hump sweep, no it was actually two, little bumps to let her know dinner would be better in bed if she so much as said the word. His lips came down close and he wanted to kiss her, his lips were slanted and parted, but her hands flew to his chest right before he stole the first one.

  “Max! We’re on an elevator for crying out loud.”

  “Sweetheart, I do not care.” He took time for a quick one anyway and then gave her something to think about. “I’d bend you over on the casino floor if you’d just hold still and let me tap that pretty little ass.” He growled as he moved away from her. Releasing her hand, he stepped off the elevator then. “Dinner?”

  She twisted her mouth. Sure enough, she gave his playful threat some thoughtful consideration.

  They walked down the hallway. He set the pace. They strolled like two lovers debating their future. Slow and easy, patrons below them likely rushed about from one slot machine to another but on the ninth floor, rushing this, whatever this was, seemed pointless. It was the most enjoyable walk Max ever remembered experiencing.

  “Dinner and a movie.” She stopped in front of her door and he lingered in front of his. Both of their keys were inserted into their respective slots with the arrows down right around the same time.

  Max looked over at her then and felt the grin tug his personality forward. He couldn’t resist. She was just so damn cute and he wanted to flirt. “Do you make out in movies?”

  “You’d better believe it. Knock at seven. I won’t be ready one minute before.” She stepped inside and closed the door.

  * * * *

  Ridiculous? No, one solitary word didn’t quite cover it. He glanced around the room. He was a complete and utter jack-ass. Here he was just a couple years shy of his fortieth birthday and Audra was what—maybe twenty-three now, or if he was lucky, twenty-four? He’d lost his mind and hit mid-life crisis or something. Damn it to hell! He nearly screamed out.