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He drew a satisfied breath and she flushed. Ugh, she should learn to school her reactions as well. Add that to the list.
Jay waved a hand. “Anyway, both of us could draw three and hope the other didn’t get a second pair, or I could misdirect you, take one, make it look like I had a stronger hand. Bluffing would involve bidding up while I knew I had an inferior hand. Here, if you received nothing when you drew I would’ve won regardless. I made you assume something untrue. Misdirection.”
Ursula replayed the events in her mind. He’d given himself less of a shot for a better hand, on purpose, but won anyway.
“Wouldn’t it have been more prudent to take all of the cards and give yourself the chance to have the better hand and if no
t acted or manipulated or whatever you do, to get yourself out of the situation and win?” she asked.
“A back-up plan is nice if you can swing it. I had enough information about my opponent to know that the misdirection would work, at least once. Better plan, better odds.”
Jay stretched his hands over his head. He was so smug. Even when he was kind and helpful, he was smug, like he knew things, things she didn’t. Ursula clenched her fists.
“Deal me another hand.” She pressed against the table edge. She would learn this game and learn his tricks and win if it was the last thing she did.
“You don’t gamble, huh?” He chuckled and shuffled the cards.
Ursula grabbed her five and drew them towards her. Absolutely nothing: ace, ten, eight, three and two. What three to get rid of? She exchanged the lowest, yielding a queen, a five and a four, all of different suits. She eyed Jay.
He exchanged three cards as well. He held his cards this time, craning his neck, though not studying her face. She sighed. She should blush or sock him. Her stomach clenched.
Why should she care?
Her breasts were large and men enjoyed that sort of thing. Even Hugo. Right? And kisses could be improved upon, couldn’t they? She traced the roof of her mouth with her tongue. How important were kisses anyway? Compatibility was what was important. She and Hugo were of similar mind and habits and...
Game, just focus on the game, Ursula.
She could focus. All right—if she had five different cards, but with the ace high, to win he would need a worse hand. He had a pair at most before they drew. Any pair won. The question was how likely was it that Jay had a pair? Only one way to find out.
“Raise.” She placed a coin in the pot.
Jay rubbed a finger over his lips. He rolled a coin between his fingers in his other hand.
“I shall see your wager.” He tossed the coin in, eyes still on her bosom, this time more obvious.
Ursula sniffed. If he was trying to make her uncomfortable he had another thing coming to him. Meaningless. To Jay Truitt, any bosom would do. The lack of discretion in appreciation was insulting, but if he didn’t care, she shouldn’t either. A wry smile played on her lips. Perhaps she could rile him a little. Perhaps two could play at that game.
She leaned back and wrinkled her nose. What was the equivalent move for a woman? Ducking under the table wouldn’t quite achieve the desired result. She studied the filigree on the ceiling, begging for inspiration. She twirled a curl, tugging at it, winding it—perfect.
Ursula released the lock of hair and instead fingered the bottom of her pendant, right above the area Jay watched. Distraction sparked in his eye. She licked her lips. She wound the necklace around her fingers.
“Raise.” Wind, unwind, wind, unwind, right where his eyes had been locked.
“You’re damned distracting, Ursula and a very quick study.” He tossed in another coin. “Call.”
She flipped over her cards.
He waited, winked and showed his hand—a pair of nines with a king, a jack, and a three. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t start with the pair.”
Blast. Her calculations were right. That wasn’t her mistake.
Jay coughed. “Actually, this hand could have gone either way. You did better than expected at the people part. It’s different with women, especially for you, but the same concept.”
Ursula began to smile, but swallowed it. Better than expected? What did he mean by that?
“How kind of you to say.” She glared at him. “Your talent for patronizing knows no bounds.”
“I’d take that as a compliment if I were you. This isn’t easy. You’re not a manipulative person. You’re the opposite—to the extreme. The fact that you can become one if necessary—I’m not sure where I’m going with this, but you did well. As I was saying, there is another lesson in it, focusing on the desires of the person in front of you and playing to those...”
