Only Me

by Vivian Ward

  Piper’s a business woman through-and-through. If there’s a smarter, better way or a shortcut to something, she’s the one who can figure it out. I think that’s part of what makes her so good at her job in marketing. She knows when to take risks and when not to gamble; she has a good sense of judgment which is one of the many things that I love about her.

  I know that she’s probably dying to play but the wives aren’t allowed to participate in the men’s card games, and since I’m not exactly “in” yet, I’m not suggesting she play, but I can tell she’s got the itch. Mitch and Diane left about 15 minutes ago, so all she’s focusing on is this card game.

  She can’t turn down a good game. Her brothers instilled it in her, and when she finds something that she loves, she becomes the best at it.

  When we were in college, I remember telling her that she needed to quit gambling because one day it would come back to bite her in the ass but she told me not to worry because she has a system. She’d never tell me exactly what that system was—it could be total bullshit—but whatever she claims to use, it works for her.

  There was never a day where she didn’t have money, and her bills were always paid so I’d have to agree with her that her brothers did a great job teaching her about cards and that she mastered that skill.

  Leaning back in my chair, I stare at her until I have her attention and give her a subtle wink. I’m about to push out the last guy by making him go all in with a pair of pocket eights in my hand.

  I know he’s chasing and that he doesn’t have a pair, but he chases it all the way down to the river before he loses all of his chips to me. I laugh to myself and call him a dumbass under my breath. Only fools chase what they don’t have.

  As soon as he’s out, he grabs his suit jacket off the back of his chair and tells his wife that it’s time to go. Ford and I smile at each other knowing that it’s down to just the two of us.

  I’m about to declare Ford the winner and call it a night myself when he returns from seeing out the last guest and tells me to take my seat.

  “I’m sorry, Oliver,” I say to him. “I thought we were done?”

  “Why would you think that? Every game has a winner, and there hasn’t been one yet.”

  “With all due respect, this is your house. You win. Besides, I’m sure you’d probably like for us to get out of your hair.”

  He walks behind Piper and gently strokes her long brunette hair.

  “Why would you think that? Actually, I was going to suggest that the little lady gets in on the action.”

  He looks down at Piper and grins.

  “What do you say? Do you know how to play?” he asks her.

  She beams up at him, and then to me. I know exactly what’s going on in her head, and I’m trying to telepathically tell her no, but it doesn’t work.

  “I’m game,” she can’t erase the smile from her face. “And yes, I know how to play. I’m quite good, to be honest.”

  Ford laughs at her as though she’s told the funniest joke of the century. I know his type. He thinks that women are inferior and that they’re just pretty things to look at, but my baby has beauty and brains. She’s smart.

  “Okay, doll face,” he says after he manages to stop laughing. “Pull up a chair and let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Piper gladly pulls up a chair, eager to play. If there’s one thing that my wife loves to do is play cards, and she does it well.

  “Are you familiar with Hold’em?” he asks her.

  She grins and looks at me. We both nod because we know that Ford is about to lose his ass off—to a woman. I was going to let him walk away as the winner, but my wife is not so gracious. She will take him for a ride and let him lose; she’ll also take great pleasure in it because she loves to put men in their place.

  “Yeah, I know a thing or two about it,” she giggles. “You better hope Lady Luck is on your side tonight.”

  Leaning close to the card table, I watch her eyes dance as he deals out the cards.

  “Just so you know,” he says. “I’m not going to go easy on you just because you’re a lady. When you’re at the card table, you’re fair game, doll.”

  I roll my eyes because, in a bit, he’s going to be eating his words, but all she does is smile sweetly at him and give her innocent doe eyes. I love it.

  “Whatever you say, Olly.”

  Woah! Olly? Where the hell did that come from?

  The two of them strike up a conversation as we begin to play cards like they’re old friends and suddenly, I’m not sure what the hell is going on anymore.

  Maybe it’s the booze, or maybe it’s the damn sexy stockings that I’ve been eyeing all night. I hadn’t noticed it before we left the house, but they’re not just ordinary stockings.

  The sexy black lace goes all the way up her legs, and just before her dress cuts off, there are tiny bows on the tops of them. They draw quite a bit of attention to her thighs, and all I’ve been able to think about is how badly I want to bend her over and fuck her.

  With the stress and pressure that I’ve been under, I can’t wait to sink my cock deep inside her and forget the rest of the world.

  But the way that these two are acting has me a bit curious. I’ve never seen her so friendly with another guy, but maybe it’s because of who he is and that we’re trying to impress him, so I shrug it off even though my gut tells me not to.

  Piper’s a good girl; she’s just doing a little harmless flirting. That’s all it is, right?

  Chapter Sixteen

  Piper

  Oliver has been all over me tonight. A little touchy-feely.

  At first, I chalked it up to him being the flirty type and added the fact that he’s been drinking quite a bit. We all have, to be honest.

  But this is how he acted toward me when we met at The Indigo Room. Then again, we were drinking that night, too.

  I’ve got to say that I’m impressed he hasn’t said a word about our meeting to Logan, which I’m grateful for. I only met with him to explain why I couldn’t be here and now that I am, I hoped he doesn’t think I was lying about my bridal shower party because I’m not that type of person.

  While Logan was busy talking to some of the other partners and hanging out with the guys, I stepped out on his back porch for a breath of fresh air—and to get away from some of the wives.

  Don’t get me wrong, I like Diane—Mitch’s wife—but the other women are a bit callous for me. They’re not very friendly at all, but I endured them all evening because that’s what a good woman does for her man, right?

  I’ve only pretended to be happy all evening to appease Logan because I want him to be happy. If he knew that I wasn’t having a good time, he would want to leave, and that’s not what I want. That’s not why I came here. I refuse to let one boring night ruin his chance of partnership after I’ve gone through so much trouble to get my ass here.

  Oliver must have seen me slip out on the balcony because I was only out there for a few moments when he joined me. I was admiring the constellation in the beautiful night sky and didn’t hear him sneak up on me until he started talking.

  “You like the stars, huh?” he asked.

  Startled, I jumped just a bit and then laughed when I realized that it was only him.

  “Yes, I do,” I laughed at the situation. “Ever since I was a young girl, I’ve always been interested in space, the stars, and the galaxy. It’s really fascinating.”

  He nodded in agreement and looked up at the twinkling constellations.

  “Do you know much about them?” he asked.

  “I know a little,” I said. “There was a period when I was a teenager, and all I did was sit in my room and read books. A lot of them were about the stars, why they exist, what the constellations are and how they change.”

  An eery silence passed for a few moments.

  “Do you know much about them?” I asked him.

  “Stars? Well, I know there are lots of them in Hollywood,” he joked. “No, ac
tually, I do know a little. My grandpa was interested in them and taught me everything he knew. Actually, he was interested in nature in general.”

  I can tell by his tone that he must’ve been very fond of his grandpa.

  “Were you two close?” I asked.

  “Close doesn’t even begin to describe the bond that the two of us had together. He was a good man, which is why the Lord took him. He always takes the good ones.”

  I couldn’t agree with him more because I know exactly what he means. When I was growing up, my cousin was killed in a freak accident, and we were very close. The two of us acted more like sisters, which was nice since I lived in a house with three brothers.

  “Yes, he does,” I nodded.

  Oliver stepped closer to me as I leaned over the wrought iron railing of the porch, closing the distance between us.

  “Has anyone ever told you that you’re even more beautiful under the stars?”

  My breath hitched in my throat as my heart began to beat faster. It’s no secret that this man is hot and I think he knows I’ve got a thing for older guys.

  There’s something about him that I can’t put my finger on but it draws me to him like a moth to a light. I crave his attention and seek his approval. I was actually kind of glad that he followed me outside. For some reason, I’ve wanted to be alone with him again ever since we had our secret meeting.

  And just like that first meeting that we had, I could feel my core tingling, and the familiar warm blush spread across my cheeks. It doesn’t seem to take much for him to have this type of effect on me.

  “What are you saying?”

  I couldn’t believe how blunt I was being with him, but it came out before I could stop it.

  “That you’re gorgeous. If you were mine, you wouldn’t be alone at another man’s party.”

  He picked my hand up and kissed the back of it before turning it over and kissing my palm.

  “Logan is a lucky man,” he said. “Or maybe I’m the lucky guy in charge of everything, so I have the pleasure of sneaking out here to be alone with you. It would be a lie if I said I haven’t thought about you since we had our first private meeting.”

  Unable to respond, I remained quiet and let him do all of the talking. I’m not one who is usually rendered speechless, but he made me that way.

  “You have no idea how bad I’d like more time alone with you, Piper.”

  The hired help came out on the back porch at just the right time.

  “I’m sorry for interrupting, Mr. Ford,” she said. “But we’re out of champagne, and I’m not sure where you keep it. Where can I find more, sir?”

  With a sigh, he replied, “I’ll be in to show you. One minute, please.”

  He waited for her to retreat inside the house before taking both of my hands in his.

  “If that soon-to-be husband of yours ever makes you unhappy, promise me that you’ll let me know. I’d love the opportunity to make a woman like you happy.”

  Without waiting for a response, he kissed the knuckles on both of my hands before returning inside to help the waitress.

  It took me at least ten minutes before I was able to move back inside to rejoin the party. How do you respond to someone like him? How do you behave around a man like that?

  * * *

  “You are really good at these card games, aren’t you?” Oliver asks me as Logan begins dealing the next hand.

  “I am. I told you that I was,” I say, taking a drink of my champagne. “But you never wanted to believe me, so I’ll just keep taking all of your money.”

  He laughs, and when he does, I can see that he’s completely relaxed. For a moment, he almost looks carefree. The hardened expression on his face softens, making him appear a few years younger.

  “Don’t get too cocky,” he says. “You and Logan might play a good game, but I’m going to bet that your luck is about to run out.”

  I look at Logan who gives me a sly grin. He knows that Oliver’s words will only make me play that much harder. I’ve been taking it pretty easy on him up until now, letting him win some and lose some, but that’s all about to change. It’s time to start playing for real.

  “Whatever you say, Olly,” I giggle.

  The champagne is starting to hit me, but I’m not giving up so easily. I know I can take him and beat him, it’s just a matter of time.

  “Do you want to make things more interesting?” he asks.

  His foot comes across the table, and he begins rubbing up and down the length of my calf, and it makes all of the blood rush straight out of my brain. I do my best not to let a reaction slip, but I can’t help it. My mouth has already popped open.

  “How’s that?” Logan asks as he looks at me, trying to figure out why I’m suddenly so quiet.

  He knows there’s something going on; he just doesn’t know what it is.

  “What if we upped the ante?” Oliver asks.

  “To what?” I ask, trying to steady my breathing.

  “How about if we play strip poker?”

  Logan and I look at each other in shock.

  Is he out of his mind?

  “I don’t intend on losing,” I answer. “You’ll feel foolish when you’re the one without clothes on.”

  “But what if I don’t lose? Will you play?”

  I lean back in my chair and observe Logan and Oliver. Neither of them is saying a word. They’re both waiting for my response.

  I must admit that I find Logan’s silence surprising.

  Why is he not saying a word?

  Usually, he’s so defensive and protective of me. He doesn’t even like it when we go to the lake and guys look at me in my bikini. Maybe it’s that Oliver holds the key to his future and that’s why he’s being quiet.

  I think about my answer long and hard before I give it because this could go one of two ways.

  I could lose my ass off to appease Oliver, which might be what he’s banking on.

  Or I can up my game and make him feel foolish, but quit before things get too far.

  Before I answer his question, I turn to Logan who sits quietly, showing no emotion.

  “Can I have a word with my fiancé?” I ask.

  “I’ll give you two a minute while I go make us some drinks,” Oliver smiles and pushes his chair out. “But I won’t be gone long.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Logan

  Is this a dream?

  Did my managing partner really just ask the woman I’m about to marry if she wants to play strip poker? I’m crazy, right? Or is this some sort of prank?

  I can’t even respond to the conversation that the two of them are having right in front of me. It almost feels like an out-of-body experience. How am I supposed to respond?

  My soon-to-be wife and my managing partner are negotiating a game of strip poker while I sit here and they act as though everything is completely normal? Ever since we got here, I’ve thought things were funny, but this is just nuts.

  As soon as Oliver leaves the room and it’s just Piper and me, she gets up and closes the door before coming back over to me.

  “Logan, are you okay?” she asks.

  “What? What do you mean am I okay? What the hell is going on here? First, you two seem awfully friendly, and then you’re practically flirting right in front of me, and now you two want to play strip poker?”

  Her eyes scan my face, searching for something but I don’t know what it is. I’m still trying to put all of the puzzle pieces together because none of this is making any sense.

  “Babe, listen. I’ve got to tell you something.”

  Oh shit, here we go. It’s never good when your woman starts off with a line like that.

  “I met with Oliver at The Indigo Room to talk to him about making you partner because I wanted to explain to him why I couldn’t be here tonight so he wouldn’t take your invitation away.”

  “When?” I ask her.

  “Remember the night you brought home the chocolate cheesecake?”
<
br />   I think back to the night that I went to the bakery and remember how she’d asked me countless times about my schedule that day. Something told me that it wasn’t right because she’s never that obsessed with my schedule, but I blew it off and didn’t listen to what my gut was telling me.

  “Yeah? Is that why you kept asking what time I’d be home that night?”

  She nods.

  “Yes, I met him for drinks. Originally, I was going to beg him to let you come to the party alone, but once I got there, he became very persuasive. I couldn’t tell him no, so I agreed to come.”

  “But why? I mean, why didn’t you just tell me about it? Why did you hide it?”

  “I hid it because I knew you’d never agree to me doing your bidding. There’s no way you’d allow me to talk to him myself because you’re too proud so I did it in secret. I’m sorry.”

  “I can’t believe you did that. Knowing how Ford is, I can see why you came.”

  I can imagine how he might have talked her into coming. I’ve heard stories around the office, but I thought most of them were just talk; gossip. Now I know better.

  “Let’s do this, Logan. We should play. I want to play.”

  “So what are you saying, Pipes?”

  “All I’m saying is that we’ve come too far to let this all go down the drain. Let’s just play. You know how good I am, I won’t lose.”

  “But you’ve lost quite a few hands to him. I can’t let you play. You’ve had too much to drink, and it’s clearly impaired your judgment.”

  The sad truth is that I wouldn’t mind watching her play strip poker, but with my managing partner? What if things went too far? I don’t know about this but what I do know is that he would love to see her in next to nothing.

  Hell, so would I. All I’ve thought about all night is lifting that little black dress of hers and having my way with her.

  Maybe that’s what Ford’s been thinking about, too.

  The idea of all of this is beginning to turn me on, and I feel sick to my stomach. Why am I getting so damn turned on about thinking about her and Ford? What the hell is wrong with me?