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Jack nodded.
“Shit,” Cade cursed softly. “If you push her on that, she’ll push back. Natalie doesn’t open up and let people in. And we’re talking about the same woman who made a deal with me to keep you from tossing stupid pick-up lines at her night after night.”
“Yeah, she made it pretty clear she hates my lines.” Because unlike the other women he’d met in her bar, Natalie actually listened to him. And now she was headed straight for him—or Cade, the man she counted as a friend.
“Stop using them,” Cade said.
“That’s your advice?” Jack didn’t turn to his teammate. He kept his gaze fixed on Natalie as she walked around the pool and came in their direction. The sway of her slim hips, her determined stride—she might not have the smallest bikini, but damn if she wasn’t the sexiest woman at the Greek god’s poolside oasis.
“I’m not giving you advice on how to talk my best friend into your bed,” Cade said, then turned his attention to Natalie as she got within speaking distance. He held out an arm and drew her into his side. “Glad you made it.”
She rose on her tiptoes and kissed Cade’s cheek. “Mufasa’s here and he’d love to see you later.”
“I’ll smuggle him out for a walk around five,” Cade said. He nodded in Jack’s direction. “I heard our friend here wrapped our pup in towels and carried him. He pretended our dog was a child.”
She turned to Jack, providing an up-close view of the swimsuit that threatened to shred his nerves. “Easier than dropping out of a helicopter?”
“I don’t know about that,” Jack drawled. “Mufasa isn’t exactly light.”
“Cade, it’s a good thing you’re taking him out next. But if you don’t want to carry him, I’d suggest borrowing one of the large linen bins by the catering area at the end of my hall,” she said as she held out her room key to her friend. “May I borrow the best man?”
“He’s all yours.” Cade accepted the key and released his hold on Natalie. “But try to bring him back in one piece.”
“A SEAL should be able to keep his head above water at the swim-up blackjack tables.” She turned and started walking toward the pool that featured tables smack in the center.
“You want to gamble with me?” Jack called after her.
Natalie stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, yes.”
Those lips, that smile…
He’d risk a helluva lot to keep her looking at him just like that while she was on her knees, her mouth ready and willing to take him—
“There’s a ten dollar minimum,” she said. “First one to double their money wins.”
She’d set the limit at twenty bucks. Oh, she was willing to play. But she sure as hell wasn’t putting it all on the line. Not yet.
“What’s the prize?” he asked.
“If I win, you’ll spend the rest of the afternoon running errands with me. I need to pick up the body paint favors for the party and a few other things. You can carry the shopping bags.”
Beside him, Cade shook his head and headed for the cabana. If his teammate mumbled a good-bye, Jack didn’t hear it. His world had narrowed down to three little words. Chocolate. Body. Paint.
Yeah, he paid attention when she talked, remembering every damn word of their earlier conversation. And body paint? That sounded like his kind of shopping. He was willing to carry the bags straight up to her hotel room.
“I’m game,” he said. “But if I win, you’ll join me for a swim at the topless pool. And you leave your top behind.”
“Deal,” she said. “But I won’t lose.”
“Me neither, darlin’.” He walked past her and stepped into the blackjack pool. Win or lose, he had a shot at claiming Natalie before dinner tonight—topless or covered in chocolate.
The sweet taste of victory was within reach. Natalie counted her chips. She’d won the first two hands, but she was still shy of the twenty-dollar mark.
r /> One more hand—maybe two—and then I’ll swim away from here the winner.
Of course, Jack might get lucky. If dealt the right cards, he could steal away her win. And that wouldn’t accomplish her goal—Jack holding her shopping bags, bored to tears.
But if she added a little distraction… She pursed her lips. Jack understood the basics of blackjack. Still, watching him play the last two hands, she had a feeling he was out of practice. It wouldn’t take much to make him forget all about the magical number twenty-one.
