AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He holds up a pack of playing cards. “I’ll deal three hands, just like you’re both in the room with me.”
“Hmm.” I raise an eyebrow at him. “That’s very convenient for you.”
He places a hand over his heart and winces. “Of all the things you have ever said to me, Jessie, accusing me of cheating at cards has to be the most hurtful,” he says with a wicked grin that makes my insides melt and causes Mikey to chuckle.
“Jessie’s wearing socks, Shane,” Mikey adds.
“Socks?” Shane arches an eyebrow. “Really? And I’m the cheat?”
“I’m cold,” I shrug.
“Hmm. Judging by Mikey’s attire, it looks freezing there.”
“Well, I think Mikey is overconfident, and I am simply prepared,” I add as I settle back in my chair.
“Well, we’ll see how your strategy plays out, won’t we, Hacker? Just so I understand where we’re at, how many things you wearing, Mikey?” Shane asks.
“One.”
Shane laughs. “You are confident. I’m wearing three.”
I do the math in my head. Shirt. Pants. Boxers.
“How about you, Jessie?” Shane growls.
More math. “Seven.”
“Cheat!” Mikey grins.
“Mikey!” Shane gently chides him. “If Jessie chooses to wear more clothes tonight, than she usually wears in a week, then that’s her choice. I have every confidence she’s going to be naked very soon anyway.”
“We’ll see,” I say with a sense of confidence I don’t feel because Shane Ryan plays poker like he does everything else in life — to win.
To my complete surprise, I win the first hand. I consider which of them needs to remove some clothes, and there is only one logical choice. I really don’t want to be distracted by Mikey’s nakedness for the whole evening, and besides that, Shane looks much finer out of his shirt than in it. He removes his shirt with a grumble, but it’s only when he sits back down and he and Mikey share a look that I realize I’ve just been completely played. He wanted to be shirtless. Now he’s more comfortable, and I’m even more distracted.
A little over two hours later, I am predictably completely naked while Shane and Mikey are still in their pants. I didn’t win a single hand after the first one.
“For someone with your skills, Hacker, I’m surprised you’re not much better at poker?” Mikey grins at me.
“I am good at poker,” I protest. “But your brother is a shark! I’m sure he’s counting cards there.”
“Again with the cheating insults,” Shane shakes his head as though he is deeply wounded.
“You had three aces in one of those hands, Shane!” I try to glare at him but I’m too happy to. The truth is, the three of us have had a great time and I haven’t seen either Shane or Mikey this relaxed for a long time. Shane has been gone for four days and I haven’t spoken to him since the day he left. I was worried things were going to be frosty between us again, but he seems to have forgiven me for turning him down the night we got Liam back from the Russians.
“Luck of the Irish,” Shane says with a shrug.
Mikey laughs as he collects up our cards and chips from the table and I pick up my panties from the floor.
“Mikey!” Shane says in that low, gravelly tone that makes me melt, and the atmosphere in the room changes in an instant.
“Yeah?” Mikey looks between Shane and me.
“Can you give us half an hour?” he growls.
“Sure,” Mikey says before standing up. He cups my chin in his hand and tilts my head before sealing my mouth with a kiss. “I’ll be waiting for you, Red. Don’t put any of those damn clothes back on,” he growls too.
“I won’t,” I whisper.
