Page 42 of Every Rake Has A Silver Lining

“No.” She grinned.

“You have a horrible tell. If you expect to play cards well, you must control your emotions.”

She stiffened at his words.

What had he said? He studied his cards, restraining his sigh of disappointment at the ten of clubs and six of diamonds. Too soon to cheat, he resigned himself to answering one question. How bad could it be? He laid down his hand. “Sixteen.”

With a whoop of triumph, she laid down her ace of diamonds and queen of hearts. “Vingt-et-un!”

“You don’t have to gloat. It’s hardly a satisfying win against such a poor hand.”

“You’re a poor loser. Now, for my question.” She rubbed her hands together. “Hmm. What shall I ask?”

Although he suspected the type of question she would ask, he hoped he could circumvent it with a vague answer. Much would depend on her phrasing.

Tapping her forefinger against her lips—why did it have to be her lips?—she spent a great deal of time considering her question. Or perhaps giving the appearance of considering it in order to vex him.

Yes, it had to be the latter.

“Well?” If he had to sit still waiting for her to ask her infernal question one moment longer, he would start drifting downward into that abyss of inactivity.

“Don’t rush me. I must phrase it perfectly to avoid any chance of you skirting it.”

Drat. His wife was a formidable opponent.

At long last, she said, “Tell me the name of the woman you deflowered.”

Ah-ha!“That’s a statement, not a question.”

“Semantics, but very well. What is the name of the woman you deflowered?”

Is. Not was. Oh, he had an out in her phrasing, but if he usedit, it would only lead to more questioning. He weighed his choices.

She held up a hand. “And before you answer, remember, you must be honest.”

Decision made, he hoped her admittedly sharp mind would gloss over his meaning. “Her name was Joy.”

She snorted her disbelief. “Joy? Likely story.”

He shrugged. “It is your choice to believe or not believe. But it is the truth.” Thank goodness she chose to focus on Joy’s name instead of her state of being. However, a warning rang in his mind that more questions in the same vein would follow.

If necessary, he would have to cheat. He dealt the next hand. Eighteen.Damn.Good, but would it be good enough? He considered her upturned ten of hearts. At least his visible card was the eight of clubs.

Eyes trained on her face, he watched for her tell.

There. A slight flinch. Surely she didn’t have a hidden ten or ace.

“Another card, my lady?” he asked, keeping his voice innocent.

She waved him off, and he held his breath, taking a gamble he had her beat and refraining from risking going over hoping for a two or three.

As she turned over a seven of diamonds, he withheld the excitement brewing in his veins.

Instead, he pouted, lifting the corner of his king of spades.

“Well, are you going to stare at that card all day or play it?” she snapped.

He met her gaze, drilling into the depths of her dark brown eyes. His only decision was where to kiss her.

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