Page 67 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

He leaned down and kissed me right in the middle of the bustle of people. Normally I'd be self-conscious about something like that. But we'd never see any of these people again. And if I felt like kissing the man I was falling for, I was going to kiss him. It was like I was in a dream. If it was a movie, the camera would be spinning around us, taking in the perfect scene. Taste. Touch. Sound. This moment was everything. He made me forget about my worries and fears. He made me feel whole again. And I wasn't ready to let go. I just had to make him see that we could make it work. That we could be more than just this moment.

I straightened his bowtie after he pulled back. Tonight I'd make him realize just how great we could be. "So...it's a hotel too?"

He smiled. "I think you promised me that I'd have to work for it tonight."

You can have me whenever you want. "I guess you better beat me in a game of poker then."

"Are you good at poker?" He raised his eyebrow.

"Tyler Stevens, I'm an ace at poker." I poked him in the middle of the chest and smiled seductively.

"I guess it's time to put your money where your mouth is."

I stood up on my tiptoes and put my lips to his ear. "I'd rather put my mouth on you." I smiled as I watched his Adam's apple rise and fall. I immediately took a step back. "But you'll have to earn it first," I said over my shoulder as I walked up the steps of the casino.

Again I was overwhelmed with sensations. It was all gold and bright lights and noise everywhere. Tyler was right, everyone seemed happy. People came here to party and let loose. And that was exactly what I was going to do.

"This way," I said and grabbed Tyler's hand. I pulled him over to a table with some empty seats. It was time to show him just what kind of girl he'd be walking away from.

Chapter 36

Tyler

Wednesday

Hailey wasn't kidding when she said she was good at poker. She was completely annihilating everyone at the table, including me. And it was probably the sexiest thing I had ever witnessed. I was almost convinced that she was counting cards.

I studied her face as she looked at her hand. She bit her lip as she mulled over what to do and then immediately smiled as she switched out a card. I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I knew how to play poker, but she was so distracting. Especially in that dress. Her skin was begging to be touched. Her lips were begging to be on mine. And I wanted it all. I just needed her to finish this game and then I was pulling her away.

"Read 'em and weep," she said as she slammed her cards down on the table. A royal flush.

Fuck, how is she doing this? I put my cards down on the table and sighed. "I'm calling it quits before I lose all my money."

She laughed and her eyes twinkled. "Okay, I'm done too."

The rest of the people looked relieved as we made our way to the bar.

"Seriously, Hails, how are you so good at poker?"

"I'm not actually good at poker. I'm just really good at reading people's tells."

I l

aughed. "And what's my tell?"

"When you bluff, you scratch the back of your neck."

"I don't do that."

"Actually you do." She reached up and touched the base of my neck. "Right here." She slowly ran her fingertips up my neck and into my hair. "Tyler, I'm not thirsty."

I glanced at the bar behind us and then back at her. "Then what do you want to do?" I had already bought a hotel room for the night after one of the many times she beat me in poker. I had said I was going to the bathroom, but I was growing antsy. This was the last night we had together. This was it. And it was exhilarating and heart breaking at the same time. I pulled one of the key cards to our room out of my pocket and slid it into her hand.

She looked deep into my eyes as a smile spread across her face. "I have a better idea. Let's go for a swim."

"What?"

But she had already grabbed my hand and was pulling me out of the casino. All I could do was laugh and run outside beside her. She really did make me feel like a kid again. I felt alive for the first time in years. She made me happy. She made me live in the moment, and I really needed that.

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