AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Far, far away from the ghost and nightmares that had come back to haunt me the day his plane had plummeted into the Pacific.
SEVERAL HOURS LATER, as the sun began to set and night settled in, I looked over the top of my hand of cards to where Panther sat on the bed staring at the five he’d been dealt. For the last half-hour, the cagey bastard had managed to win every hand, leaving me twenty dollars poorer and with a new appreciation for what a damn good bluffer he was.
“Um, after that five there, I’m out of money,” I pointed out.
Panther raised a brow. “And that’s my problem how?” I watched his face like a hawk, trying to spot any kind of tell. I got nothing; the guy was made of fucking marble. “I meet your five and raise you ten. As for what you bet now, those earrings would be a good memento of how I kicked your ass if you ask me.”
“You think so, do you?”
Panther looked at his cards. “I really do. Maybe I’ll even get a piercing.”
My lips twitched, because there was no way in hell Panther would ever get a piercing. It just wasn’t him. But if he wanted to play, I’d play.
Looking back to my cards, I tried to school my features, but it was hard to do when I only had a pair of eights. It wasn’t much, but it was something.
“Okay, so let me see…” I rubbed my chin. “I meet your ten with my way more expensive earrings, and raise you tonight. Sleeping on your bed instead of the floor.”
If I’d hoped for some sort of response, maybe eyes widening in alarm, cheeks flushing from shock, or his cock hardening in excitement over my demand—because, yeah, I looked—I got nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Instead, Panther looked back to his cards and then eyed me with an inscrutable expression. “Deal. Now show your hand.”
With much more confidence than I actually had in my cards, I spread them out on the bed covers and hoped like hell this was the one time Panther’s little bluffing game was for nothing. He eyed my pair of eights, then looked back to me, and when he tossed his cards on the bed and said, “I sure hope the floor is comfy,” I groaned.
“What the fuck?”
“It’s called a full house. That means it kicks your measly cards’ ass.”
“I know what a fucking full house is,” I grumbled, as Panther rounded up the cards.
“Another game? Or is the sting of defeat too much to bear?”
“You’re already putting a claim on my earrings. I’m not sure what else I have left to give. Well, that you could take right now, anyway.” When I winked, Panther threw the entire deck against my chest, the cards splattering everywhere.
“Whoops, some landed on the floor. Maybe you can make your pallet while you’re down there.”
“You’re enjoying this too much. If you weren’t black and blue, I’d—”
“You really don’t need to finish that sentence.” Panther yawned and then stretched his arms out to the sides, wincing only slightly.
“Time to put you to bed.”
“I’m already in bed.”
“Fine. Time to put me in your bed.”
Panther chuckled and threw one of his pillows my way. “Nice try.”
I’d already gone to my room to grab the sheet and blanket off my bed, knowing I wouldn’t be sleeping on my or anyone’s bed tonight.
“You really don’t have to sleep on the floor,” Panther said, causing my ears to prick up. “You could sleep in your room.”
I sighed, rolling my eyes as I laid the sheet out on the floor. “Stop trying to get rid of me. It’s hurting my feelings.”
“Sure it is.” As Panther yawned again, already under his blanket and looking like he’d pass out any second, I peeled off my shirt and kicked off my jeans.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting ready for bed.”
“Stop taking your clothes off.”
“Uh, I can’t sleep in jeans. Or a shirt. You should be glad I’m keeping these on.” I gestured toward my boxer briefs, and Panther covered his face with a pillow.
“Just turn out the fucking light.”
“Bossy, bossy.” I grinned and clicked off the lamp, then I dropped down beside the bed to my makeshift pallet. “By the way, how did you know when I was bluffing? There’s no way you’re just that good.”
“Easy. Your left eyebrow twitches when you lie.”
“What?” I reached up to touch it. “No, it doesn’t.”
“It does. Makes you easy to read.”
Shit. Hadn’t Gucci told me something like that before? I seriously needed to tape that fucker down before it gave away all my secrets.
“Solo?”
“Yeah?”
“Stop thinking about it and go to bed.”
“Damn. I told you—bossy, bossy.”
“Solo—”
“You sure you don’t need me to warm up your bed?”
“I’d rather you just go to sleep.”
“In your bed?”
Panther let out a long, irritated sigh that made me smile. “Shut your face and I won’t kick you out of here, how about that?”
