Page 42 of A Lot Like Love
Chapter 10
Chloe dug her fingernails into her palms and kept walking. She knew better than anyone what these kind of places were like, that a shimmer of fear was noticed faster than a drop of blood among swarming sharks, so she kept her shoulders squared. Ryder was at her side and she took his hand. They were supposed to be a couple and after the night they’d had it seemed only natural to touch him. Besides, he might be a devil, but she didn’t mind so long as he washerdevil.
“You ready to play?” he asked.
She smiled at Ryder as they walked. There was no need to tell him to put his game face on—the man was a walking advertisement for a self-assured gambler. No one here would ever guess he’d just lost big-time, and she doubted he’d ever actually had much experience being the loser.
“You bet I am,” she muttered. “I’ve stayed away for so long but now I’m here I’m itching to feel cards against my fingers.” She hated herself for feeling so buzzed, but she couldn’t help it.
Ryder laughed and touched a hand to her back, his palm firm. “After you.”
They entered the room and she paused to scan the tables. It was just before midday and the place wasn’t full, but it was busy enough for her to know she was able to play a few different tables if she wanted to. The whole point of coming here was to get some practice in, make sure she wasn’t rusty after a couple of years away.
“Take your pick, darlin’.”
She nodded and let go of his hand. “You go get the chips, I’ll do a scout, figure out what I want to play.”
Ryder grabbed her hand back and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Thank you.”
She turned and looked into his aqua-blue eyes, wishing they were still back in bed, snuggled under the covers instead of standing in a poker room. There was a part of her thrumming with excitement just thinking about betting again, but another part was equally terrified. This kind of lifestyle was addictive, she knew that better than anyone, and she didn’t want to get sucked back into playing for a living. When the money was easy it was fun, but it was when it all turned sour that she was afraid of, especially with the types of guys and places she’d used to play. It was an underworld she’d been pleased to be rid of, and she needed to keep reminding herself of exactly that.
“You don’t have anything to thank me for yet,” she said.
“When you first told me you could do this, I wasn’t convinced. Now?” He chuckled as he backed up. “That look in your eyes right now tells me you’re gonna kick some serious butt today.”
She blew out a breath, listening to Ryder but with her attention focused on the room in front of her. “Here’s hoping.” It still amazed her that hehadtrusted her, but then again he didn’t have much to lose in giving her a shot.
“Here’s knowing,”he said. “I’ll be back soon.”
Chloe didn’t turn to watch him go. Instead she walked slowly across the room, deciding to get a drink so she could choose which table to join first. She’d thought about doing a few lower-limit rounds, then changed her mind. They were only here a short time and the faster she won the ranch back the better. If she couldn’t keep up with the big players now she never would—she’d either lost her touch or she hadn’t.
“A club soda with lime,” she ordered at the bar, smiling her thanks. She turned and took a sip for something to do, the tiny straw resting between her teeth. Ryder was walking back in no time and she waved so he could see her.
“You decided yet?”
She nodded. “Let’s hit that table first. You keep an eye out on the others. I want to play the biggest and meanest guys around, okay? If they’re winning big I want to play them.”
Ryder nodded. “You have any idea how damn hot you are talking all poker dirty at me?”
She laughed at him. “Wait till I’ve won a ton of money. Then you can be impressed.”
“Good luck, baby,” he said, running a hand down her arm and passing her the chips.
“Let’s hope I don’t need it.”
She joined a table playing no-limit Hold ’Em and put her five grand in chips on the table. There were no other women playing and all the men glanced at her, a couple nodding in her direction. The dealer smiled and said hello as she settled herself back into the leather chair. Ryder was still leaning against the bar and looking around, and she was happy to be on her own for now.
As the cards were dealt the familiar old rush of adrenaline was like a shot to her veins, excitement pumping as she flicked the edge of her cards to see her hand. Chloe remember what her dad had taught her, counted her timings, kept her breathing calm and even as she surveyed the table. Every man here would have a tell, no matter how subtle, and she needed to pick them apart player by player. Here she was playing Texas Hold ’Em, and when she played Parker she’d probably be playing straight, but it didn’t matter what the game was. Her strength was bluffing, and that rusty feeling she’d worried about was long gone now that she was seated, players to her left and right, cards brushing her fingertips.
Chloe had an average two cards but she wasn’t going to show it and she sure as hell wasn’t going to glance at her cards again, her hand committed to memory. She called when it was her turn, putting up more money, watching as one of the guys folded. The others were all hanging in there.
Eventually the dealer put two cards faceup on the table and Chloe kept her face straight, still counting her breaths, refusing to give anything away. Her focus was always on the other players, and she could tell one of the men was screwed, one of his eyes flickering constantly to his cards. Technically she wasn’t in the best position yet either, but there was no way in hell anyone else was going to know that.
Chloe sank deeper into her seat, practicing a self-assured smile, just a hint of a grin to make her look confident. When it was her turn she chuckled and raised the bet, one hand resting over her two cards but still never looking at them, never even toying with the edge of them.
By the time they were in the final round of betting with five community cards faceup on the table, Chloe had them all sussed out. There were only three of them left in the game and she’d half expected to be the last one standing. Her hand was good enough, she had a solid chance of winning, but she was starting to realize that she needed to lay it on more if she wanted to get the men playing here to bail out of the game completely before the final round. She was finding her groove, and it had only taken her one game to do it.
Her blood pumped hard as the player to her left revealed his cards first. Chloe clenched her toes, her only regular tell, which no one could ever see. If that was the best hand at the table right now, then she had it. But it wasn’t all skill this time, luck had played a solid part, too.
