High Stakes: A Texas Heat Romance

by Camilla Stevens

  If Chance had been embarrassed about either career, that look would have bothered him. But he was secure enough in his situation in life that he certainly didn’t need the approval of Thomas Dumas, even if only for Juliet’s sake.

  “Tom, you aren’t pestering Juliet about her sabbatical are you?”

  The voice was feminine with a rich, musical lilt to it, coming deep from the diaphragm. It was like every word out of the woman’s mouth was a gospel song.

  Chance looked in the direction of a woman who was definitely Juliet’s mother, as she approach them.

  So that’s where that smile comes from.

  Juliet’s mother was much more comfortable in her features than her daughter, with the same slightly tilted eyes and that full, wide mouth her daughters all sported, Juliet most prominently.

  Chance wasn’t above taking a subtle, inconspicuous glance up and down her body. What he saw boded well for Juliet. She was older but trim, wearing a long gypsy skirt and a silk, sleeveless top that showed off the same perfect shoulders that had drawn him to her daughter. She wore heavy earrings and bangles on her wrists. Her hair was cut short in tiny little tight curls which suited her face beautifully.

  Unlike with Juliet’s dad, Chance felt an instant connection with her. The woman had a sophisticated warmth about her that drew everyone in.

  “Young man,” she said, looking up at Chance with a conspiratorial smile. “Has my husband been torturing you?”

  The woman pursed her lips at her husband before turning back to Chance with a smile that could melt lead. “I’m Monet, Monet Dumas,” she said holding a hand out to him. “I see you’re here with my daughter?”

  He took the hand and noted the assured grip, which lacked any hint of an agenda. The smile on her face was easy, without any tightness around the lips. The eyes were curious and wide, searching rather than scrutinizing. The shoulders were relaxed. Everything about the woman was genuine and she obviously had a better first impression of Chance than her husband did.

  “Chance, Chance McCoy.”

  “He works on an oil rig,” Thomas pointed out, his body language practically beating Chance over the head with: CLOSED FOR BUSINESS.

  “Is that so?” Monet asked, the eyes opening even wider in surprise, none of it negative, which was a surprise to Chance. He’d been expecting the worst.

  “For now,” Chance corrected. “Actually I play poker for a living.”

  “Well, this one sounds fascinating,” she said eyeing him up and down in a way that was almost impressed. She turned to her daughter, “Much more so than your usual type.”

  “Monet!” Thomas criticized, pressing his lips firmly together as he shot a very pointed look toward his wife.

  “Oh Thomas,” she breathed with a lyrical laugh. She patted him playfully on the chest, which had the magical effect of softening that hard look. Chance didn’t need to be a genius to figure out why. He personally would have loved one of those playful slaps.

  “It’s our anniversary. Love is in the air,” Monet said, waving her hands in the air with flickering fingers, “and based on the way our daughter is looking at this young man, it certainly seems to be catching.”

  “Mom!” Juliet exclaimed.

  Monet just laughed in a mesmerizing way, which put even her daughter at ease. Then she easily slinked her arm around her husband’s.

  “Now I’m going to steal my handsome husband from you two and leave you to enjoy the rest of your ribs. It’s good seeing you sweetheart,” she said to Juliet. Then she slid her eyes, which had an amused but knowing looking in them, to Chance, “And very nice to meet you Chance.”

  “Very nice to meet you Mrs. Dumas. And happy anniversary to you both.”

  “Thank you, sweetheart,” she said, as easily as if she’d known him for ten years instead of ten minutes.

  “Happy anniversary, Mom,” Juliet added.

  “Thank you, honey.”

  The two of them watched the couple walk off, and Chance sat down.

  “Again, welcome to the Dumases.”

  “I like her.”

  “Everyone likes her,” Juliet said with a laugh.

  “He’s alright too. I get wanting to look out for your daughter’s welfare.”

  “Don’t sugarcoat it, he cares about reputation and reputation only.”

  “No, he honestly wants the best for you,” Chance said, giving her a considering look. “I can respect that. At least your mother seems to have a good impression of me.”

  Juliet just shrugged, then darted her eyes away as though remembering her mother’s words.

  Chance decided to tease her. “Love is in the air…everywhere I look around,” he crooned.

  Juliet’s eyes darted up to his almost fearfully. Then she broke out in that smile, before laughing out loud.

  “Love is in the air, in the whisper of the trees…”

  “Stop it,” she laughed, grabbing a balled up napkin and throwing it at him.

  Chance just laughed, enjoying the relaxed look on her face and in her shoulders. If it wasn’t love, it was certainly something utterly enjoyable that was in the air around them.

  16

  Juliet felt like it was coming at her from all sides. She’d been worried about how Chance would be met by her family, which left her only one person to be concerned about. That, she could control, guiding him to the right individual at exactly the right time, steering clear of others as long as possible, making sure most of his time was spent around certain people and others, not so much. She shouldn’t have been surprised by the fact that he was handling everyone and everything with complete equanimity.

  As it turned out, it was now her family she was worried about. Nicole had been staring at him all night, practically paralyzed with some sort of pre-teen crush (and really, who could blame her?). Beatrice was most definitely downing those wine coolers a little too rapidly. And now, Viola was headed their way…with her girlfriend and bandmate, Sarah, in tow.

  Oh for heaven’s sake!

  Whereas Viola pushed the envelope by wearing tomboy clothes and dying and styling her hair in what might be considered a unique fashion, her partner Sarah’s entire look could be called: Rebelling Against Society. Juliet had no idea what color her natural hair was since it was a different color every time she saw her. Today it was bright green, the left side completely shaved. She had tattoos up the wazoo, mostly of the grrrl power variety. Despite the occasion she was wearing a t-shirt with ripped sleeves that read: Don’t Text Him Back and a kilt of all things, with black combat boots…naturally. The cherry on top was the ring in her nose. All of that would have been fine with Juliet if the woman wasn’t so damn contrary.

  “This is the guy,” Viola said.

  “This is the guy, what?” Juliet asked defensively.

  Viola just gave Juliet a suspiciously wide-eyed innocent look, which spoke volumes.

  “Just how many women do you have working on that oil rig of yours?”

  Chance raised his eyebrows in a way that was more amused than surprised, as if he saw that question coming a mile away.

  “Not too many, actually,” he said easily.

  Sarah just pressed her lips together, glared at him and turned to Viola with a knowing nod.

  “Don’t you think it’s a bit sexist that—?”

  “How are your enjoying the party, Sarah?” Juliet interjected, once again trying to play interference.

  “You mean the tribute to patriarchal institution that historically treated women as chattel? Not to mention the dead animal stench from—”

  “Starbuck,” Chance said, making everyone turn to him in surprise. He pointed to one of the tattoos on Sarah’s calves.

  “From Battlestar Galactica?”

  Sarah just gave him a wary look as if searching for the taunt.

  “I can see why you chose her. Strong, smart, independent. But don’t you think there’s something to be said for understated feminism, the kind that works behind the scenes or,
better yet, pulling the strings without anyone knowing it?

  “Take Number Six from the show—”

  “She was a prostitute!” Sarah said, as though he had just suggested she drink bleach.

  “Ah, well now, talk bout patriarchy. Not to mention she was a de facto slave, being a Cylon and all.”

  Sarah’s mouth snapped shut and her eyes rolled up to the side as if wondering how to counter that.

  “Yet she still managed to be a powerful player, despite the inherent prejudice against her from all sides, even her own kind.”

  Sarah simply pressed her lips together even tighter. Viola stared at him as though he had just performed some amazing magic trick and she was trying figure out how.

  “You see, the key to getting what you want is not to be obvious about it.” Everyone else around the table cast a quick glance at Sarah’s attire. “It’s making your opponent think they’re winning all while you bluff them. Number Six would have made a great poker player.”

  Sarah stared at him with a look that was approaching petulance. “I’m not getting a tattoo of a prostitute.”

  “Oh heaven’s no,” Chance said as though he agreed the idea was absurd. “In fact, the way you’re going about it is probably best. Be in-your-face with the expected just to throw them off, then play behind the scenes in a more subtle fashion to work your agenda. It’s smart, I’ll give you that.”

  Sarah continued to stare at him suspiciously as though wondering if he was teasing her. Viola just stared at her girlfriend to see what her ultimate reaction would be. Juliet bit back a smile knowing exactly what he was doing.

  “I for one wouldn’t want to go against you in poker,” he said, picking up his rib to finish it. “I wouldn’t even see what’s coming.”

  “Right,” Sarah said, somewhat placated. “exactly my point.”

  Juliet had no idea what point Sarah was referring to. As for Chance, if she had had any doubts about the man, this little episode would have quickly diminished them. He was better at handling her own family than she was!

  “Let’s go get another beer,” Viola said, having satisfied her daily quota of meddling. Juliet shot her a sharp, knowing look and received a pert smirk in response.

  She turned back to find Chance grinning at her over his rib as though he knew exactly what she was going to say.

  “Well, that was impressive. I think everyone else in the family is just too terrified of Sarah to bother talking back to her. You managed the impossible, actually getting her to just say nothing for once, without her even realizing it.”

  “Like I said,” responded with a shrug. “I’m good at reading people.”

  Juliet just gave him a subtle smile, writing a few choice paragraphs with her body language for him to read.

  “So the big, bad oil rig-working poker player is a sci-fi nerd,” she said cocking her head to the side.

  “Oh now, that’s not fair to the show at all. It’s much more than science fiction. It’s got everything, suspense, mystery, drama, even romance.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.”

  Chance put his rib down. “You mean to tell me you haven’t seen it?”

  Juliet laughed. “Is that a deal breaker?”

  “Just something that needs to be seriously rectified.”

  “What if I end up hating it?”

  Chance chuckled. “Don’t jinx it, sweetheart.”

  The crowd was in the backyard facing Thomas and Monet who were both standing on the raised patio in the corner.

  Juliet was standing next to Chance, who had his arm easily around her waist. It felt so right and wonderful. The feel of his hard body next to hers in her frilly dress. When she was with him she felty positively beautiful.

  “I just want to thank everyone here for once again joining Monet and I as we celebrate yet another year of her making me feel like I’m the luckiest man in the world, and hoping she feels the same. Unlike my lovely wife here, I’m not big on words. I usually stick to facts, so I’ll just say this.” Thomas turned to his wife. “The fact is, I love this woman with all my heart, and every day she lets me know that she feels the same.”

  Monet looked at her husband with so much love that even those who didn’t know them wouldn’t need to wonder. There was a round of appreciative awwing and clapping.

  She turned to the crowd and spoke. “Yes, as most of you know, I am big on words. But sometimes there doesn’t need to be an epilogue.” That got a round of appreciative chuckles. She turned to her husband, taking his hand. “But just so you never have to wonder, Thomas. Yes, you do make me feel like I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”

  She kissed him and that got an enthusiastic cheer and round of applause.

  Juliet looked up to see Chance looking at her parents with a sort of nostalgic expression on his face.

  “They work well together, don’t they?” she said.

  “They just remind me of my parents,” he replied.

  Juliet thought about her parents and what it would be like if her father had died when she was fourteen. Her parents loved each other so much it was at times sickeningly sweet. But she was glad she had been there to witness it firsthand, all the way up until today on their 36th anniversary. She could sympathize with Chance not having those same memories to hold on to.

  She squeezed Chance’s firm waist with her arm. “Hey,” she said looking up at him. “The party’s almost over. What do you say we get out of here?”

  Chance pulled his eyes away from her parents and she saw the passion burning in his eyes. “What exactly did you have in mind?”

  “I have an idea. This time the hotel is on me.”

  17

  There had been a minor battle at the front desk when Chance had insisted on paying for the hotel room once again. The threat of Juliet canceling this whole little tryst altogether was enough to put his ego in check and let his other urges take control.

  Once again, one look at those shoulders in that sexy dress of hers was enough to make him fall on his knees and beg like a dog if that’s what she wanted. In the elevator, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body hard against him, letting him know that begging wouldn’t be necessary.

  These days, Chance had to take life’s little pleasures as they came, and tonight promised to be a bit more than little when it came to pleasures.

  They didn’t waste time once they were in the room.

  It was as though crossing the threshold led them into another dimension, a dimension where the rules of the mating game were thrown right out the window. The coy looks, nervous small talk, teasing grins, lip biting, awkward stares at the glaringly obvious bed, none of it happened.

  Juliet simply melted into him.

  And Chance was more than happy to turn up the heat.

  Juliet wasn’t a short woman, but she still had a good nine or so inches to go before catching up to him. He helped her along by placing his palms around her behind and lifting her up to him.

  With her arms and legs planted firmly around him, she pressed her body into his even harder as she kissed him. Just as with that first kiss back at the butterfly center, Chance was amazed at how simple yet amazing the most intimate interactions with Juliet were. It was an easy mixture of pure lust, combined with that unknown element that just made everything fall into place perfectly.

  But something even stronger than that was quickly taking over. As if feeling it too, Juliet slid down his body. She reached around to unzip the back of her dress, giving him a look that didn’t need interpretation.

  Chance didn’t bother challenging it. He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off, letting it drop to the floor.

  Juliet followed his movement and she let her dress slip down her arms and into a puddle at her feet. She was wearing a matching black strapless bra and underwear. Her breasts rose out of the lacy edges of her cups in smooth brown half circles that would fit perfectly in his hands.

  Some internal pull had Chance on his knees befor
e her. He slid his hands up the back of her smooth thighs and her hands fell into his hair.

  The scent of her was intoxicating as he pressed his face into her soft stomach, wanting to bury himself into the comfort of that smooth, feminine flesh and forget all his troubles. One slender, soothing hand came around the back of his head, her fingers scratching delicate lines across his scalp and neck.

  His hands crawled up, fingers hooking into the waistband of those panties to rip them down her hips and remove the final barrier between him and pure heaven. He led her in an awkward dance toward the bed, Juliet stepping out of the lacy underwear as and sandals she went.

  As soon as she fell back, Chance buried himself face-first into her. She opened wide to accommodate him, sighing his name.

  “Chance…”

  He greedily sought out the magic button with his tongue wanting more than anything in the world to feel her orgasm against his face. Those soft, supple thighs grazed his cheeks, writhing with anticipation, which only heightened his.

  Chance had definitely been with women during his two-week reprieves from the oil rig. He’d dabbled in a bit of everything: older; younger; white; black; Asian; Latina; easy catches in local honkytonks and hard-to-thaw types in cocktail lounges (sometimes vice versa). He couldn’t put his finger on why Juliet was different, but she was.

  Everything about the woman lying before him brought him back from the edge, the one he usually jumped right off of before things got too serious. Her scent. Her taste. Her brain. Her beauty. The sound of her laughter. The feel of her underneath his hands.

  All because he turned right instead of left two weeks ago.

  Juliet’s back arched again as his lips puckered around her clit.

  “Chance!” This time his name was screamed out loud toward the ceiling rather than sighed.

  Her fingers ran through his hair, which was long enough for her to bury them in. She grabbed hard, adding a splash of pain to the pleasure Chance got from pleasuring her. It created a fiery flow of lava that shot straight to his dick, making it hard as granite.