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Callisto just shakes his head and takes a good look at his cards.
“Rules. You think you can follow them?”
“Depends. Whose rules?”
“Mine. Always mine,” he says, and I have no doubt the rules are always his.
“And if I break one?”
“Oh, there will be consequences.”
That’s what I’m hoping for. I take a deep breath and wet my lips. I almost forget we’re talking about a card game.
His mouth twitches in response, and he shifts in his seat. “We’re playing Texas Hold ‘Em. Your hand needs to beat my hand for you to win. You only get the cards I dealt. You don’t get to choose new ones or add to your hand. In a minute I’m going to start putting some extra cards right here,” he points to the middle of the table, “and you may use those as part of your hand. But nothing else. You with me?”
“I’m with you.”
“So now we need to place our blinds.”
“Blinds?”
He chuckles. “Yes. Our bets. What are you willing to lose, baby?”
The smirk he wore just a moment ago morphs into a full-blown grin and for once, I’m fairly certain I know exactly what’s on his mind.
“Why do I have to bet first?” I ask.
“My rules. Remember?”
Shit.
“Hmmm… Okay. I’ll bet my last bag of peanut M&M’s.” I try to keep my tone nonchalant, like I’m not toying with him.
His grin disappears, replaced with a combination of determination and amusement. “I’ll see your chocolate demons and raise you a pair of underwear.”
Okay, Mr. Suppato, getting right to the good stuff.
He must be pretty confident.
I have a feeling I’ll be losing my underwear. But I can’t say I’m disappointed.
“I guess that will do,” I say with a straight face. Then I lift a brow and bring the cards close to my face, as if breathing on them would somehow change my fate. I peer over the top of the makeshift fan and try to read his expression. Nothing. You’d think he was watching golf or something.
“You need at least a pair, two pair, or three of a kind,” he says.
“And what do you need? To beat me?”
“Let’s say you do have one of those things I mentioned. If I had a straight, then I would win.”
He places three more cards, face up, on the little round table.
I’m pretty sure I have four of a kind but I still take my time reading my cards, glancing back and forth between the cards on the table and the hand I was dealt.
“Now we bet again,” he says.
“Well, you’ve already taken my panties...”
A smirk tugs at the corner of his lips, indicating he’s probably got the upper hand.
