“Well, here I am now.”He sat on a stool and raked his fingers through his dark hair until it looked absolutely fluffed out.
“You want me to paint another one?”
“Just a sketch will do.”His stare intensified.He raised an eyebrow, narrowed his eyes, and posed with his lips curled into a roguish half grin.
She bit back a laugh and grabbed a piece of charcoal, all while ignoring the heat swirling behind her cheeks.It was hard to tear her gaze away from his face and draw, and even when she did, she felt his eyes on her.It made her feel self-conscious and squirmy.
“What’s the matter?”he asked.
“What you said during the game.Your comment about desires.It really helped, you know,” she said, changing the subject.
“I’m glad.”His posing relaxed, but he still looked at her.
Shewantedhim to keep looking at her.
Sheneededhim to look away.
“Do you have … any other morsels of truth for me?”she asked as she looked over her shoulder.Something about this place felt less private than last night.Maybe because they didn’t have the cover of dark to hide behind, or the whispers of shadows to drown out their words.
“You mean like how sweets go down easier.”He flashed a grin; even his teeth were charming—the way they dug into his lower lip slightly.“I can’t say much more than what I’ve already told you.”He gestured at the blank canvas next to hers.“May I?”
“Sure.”She handed him the charcoal and watched in curiosity as he sketched something in bold, assured strokes.It was messy.His hand moved so fast.Mayté always worked slowly, contemplating every line, but Alejandro was quick and confident.When anything looked like a mistake, somehow it worked inside his composition.Every few seconds, he paused to look at her.Wait.Was he drawingher?Every time his eyes locked onto hers, her heart thrummed against her chest.All she could do was stand there awkwardly, unsure what to do.
Soon the messy scratches formed into a girl with a braid.It was stylized, with eyes much too big for her head and lips that looked more like a heart.It was incredibly charming—even more so since he did it in only a few minutes.
“Since you painted me …” He flashed a lopsided grin.“What do you think?”
“It’s … it’s lovely!And you did it so fast.Much faster than I ever could.Are you an artist?”
Alejandro set down the charcoal with a frown.“I …” His eyes lit up as if the most mesmerizing spell washed over him.“I think I am.”
“What do you mean, ‘you think’?If you make art, you’re an artist.Simple as that.”That was something she was firm about.
He chuckled.“Then I suppose I am …”
“How did you come to be a croupier here?”she asked.
“I was once a player in the game, just like you.”He hesitated as if carefully choosing his words.“I bet everything but my life itself and lost.I was given a choice—return home without my dreams, or stay here and work.”
“How long have you been here?”
He shook his head.“Weeks?Years?I can’t remember.”
Mayté’s mouth hung open.At least some of the rumors about this place had been true.
“Everyone here has competed in the game at one time or another.I’ve been a dish scrubber, a butler, and now here I am.”
“Could you work your way up to become like the Banker or Misterioso?”
“The Banker, maybe.Rumors say he lost but showed much promise.Whatever that may mean.”His eyebrows creased.“But Misterioso … I’m not sure.No oneis certain how he came to be.”
Mayté’s tried to wrap her head around this new information.“So, losing isn’t always a death sentence.And if you don’t have to give up your dreams, maybe it’s not so bad.”
Alejandro jumped as if she had slapped him.
“What’s wrong?”
He looked over his shoulder once, and then a second time.He rubbed his mouth.Then, without warning, he pulled her into his arms.Her cheek pressed against his chest.Her heartpounded wildly.She would have pushed him away if she hadn’t been so shocked.
