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“So.”
I arrange onion and tomato slices on our sandwiches, taking my time before saying anything else. Gia is a student of patience because of poker, but I can tell from the way she’s tapping her fingers on the kitchen counter that she’s eager to hear what I’m going to say next.
“The wise thing for me to do is stay completely focused on hockey right now,” I say, meeting her gaze. “We’re finally winning, but the media is still all over this feud between me and Dane. My coach told me no women and no partying.” I grab a knife from the butcher block on the counter, slicing one of the sandwiches in two. “Not partying is no problem, but the other one…I’ve got a dilemma, and since we’re friends, maybe I can discuss it with you.”
The corners of her lips turn up in a knowing smile. “Of course, buddy.”
I slice the other sandwich in half and set the knife down, leaning my hips back against the kitchen island and crossing my arms. “Okay, pal. Here’s the thing. There’s this poker player who kind of lives with me at the moment. She’s sexy as hell. Smart, strong and, apologies for the pun, but—” I arch my brows. “She’s one of a kind.”
“Hmm.” Gia nods, playing along. “So what’s the dilemma?”
“Every time I see her, I want to kiss her. I want to kiss her long and deep, until she’s breathless. I want to take her clothes off, slowly, one piece at a time. I want to tease her nipples and taste her pussy. When she’s standing with me in the kitchen, all wet after taking a shower, I want to tear her clothes off and fuck her right on my kitchen island.”
Gia’s lips are parted and her breathing is shallow. I step back and run my palm over my erection, giving her a full view as it strains against the fabric of my shorts.
She gently tugs down on the bottom of her shirt, giving me a peek at her breasts, which are cupped in a dark purple bra. “But like you said, it’s a bad idea.”
“It is,” I concede. “But sometimes bad ideas can feel really fucking good, don’t you think?”
For a few silent seconds, our eyes stay locked. It’s all I can do not to go over to her and give in to what we’ve both wanted for a while now.
“This is quite a dilemma. So tell me, does this woman want you, too?”
I give her a devilish grin. “Oh, she wants me bad. I’m all she thinks about.”
“Is that so?” The hunger in her gaze sends a shot of arousal coursing through my veins. “I guess I can see what she finds so…appealing.”
I’m wound so tight with desire for her I can hardly see straight. Bad idea or not, I’m not sure how much longer I can stand to see Gia every day and not act on this deep attraction we feel for each other.
“You said the reason you can’t get involved with me has something to do with your dad,” I say. “And you’ve been working toward it for a long time. Can you tell me anything more?”
She sighs softly. “I’m not sure you want to know more.”
“I do. Whatever it is, tell me, Gia.”
She looks away. “It’s complicated.”
There’s a knot of worry in my gut as I ask, “Are you married?”
“Married?” Her eyes widen with surprise. “God, no, why would you think that?”
I shrug. “I thought maybe you married some guy your dad wanted you to be with and he was abusive and unwilling to give you a divorce.”
“No, I’m not married. Never even close.”
I relax, relieved. “So give me something, then. It’s making me crazy just wondering.”
“I have a score to settle.”
“With…?”
She walks over to the kitchen table and sits down. I follow, picking up the plates with our sandwiches, setting them on the table and taking the chair across from her.
“My dad had a friend,” she says, looking down at the plate in front of her. “His best friend, Jake. Jake was always a really good guy, but he had a couple of big downfalls—drugs and gambling.”
My mind spins with possible ideas of what she might reveal, and I hope like hell this guy Jake didn’t hurt Gia.
“Jake came to my dad one day and asked to borrow money. It wasn’t anything new. He’d borrowed money from my dad lots of times and always paid him back. But this time…he needed $75,000. My dad didn’t have that kind of money. Jake told my dad he was in debt to some bad people. My dad told him they’d figure it out together. Around $15,000 of it was small-time drug dealers, and my dad paid them off. But the other $60,000 Jake owed to Will Roan. He’s not a good guy, and everyone knows it.”
