SILENT DESIRES

“Yes. I have a friend with a passion for the game. I will locate a deck of cards to amuse you if you like.” Dean said.

She took another sip of champagne. “I’d like that. If you play gin rummy with me, I’ll play poker with you,” she promised.

“So, we will both indulge our vices,” he replied.

That sounded good to her. She wasn’t indulging any vices with Dash.

Dean was back within a minute, a deck of cards in his hand. While he amused her with stories of Dash’s friends, they played a game of gin rummy.

They had only played a couple of hands when it became apparent she would win. On her second glass of champagne, she was feeling warm and benevolent when she went out for the last time.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

So, although she would much rather have played another game of rummy, when Dean’s frown told her he did not like to lose, she offered to play poker.

“I’m terrible and you’re sure to win,” she said consolingly.

He laughed out loud. “You know it’s a guy thing. Guys don’t like to lose, eh?” he said.

“This is very true. He particularly does not like to lose his woman only to find her entertaining herself with another man.” The freezing tones of Dash’s voice came from the doorway to the sala.

Dean looked up, his expression indolent. “Ah, it is the inattentive boyfriend. A man must accept the risks when he leaves his companion to her own devices, my friend.” he said.

Tess said nothing because she agreed. Furthermore, tipsy on champagne, she was in no mood to appease Dash’s stupid male ego when he’d been grinding hers into the dust. Memories of roses and other gifts rose to taunt her conscience and she quickly dispelled them. She didn’t want to think about how kind and attentive he’d been when she could still remember the sight of his lips locking with Olivia’s.

Brief or not, it had been a kiss.

“You have nothing to say?” he demanded of her.

“I was just about to play a game of poker with Dean, but I don’t have any money.” She indicated her swimsuit-clad body and lack of a bag with a negligent wave of her hand. “Can I borrow some?”

Dash’s expression went flint hard. “No.” he replied.

She sighed and turned to Dean. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to bet in kind, would you?” she asked.

“In kind?” he asked, looking at her as if she was a strangely fascinating creature.

“You know, let me bet something other than money?”

Dean’s eyes widened as a strangled sound reached her from the doorway.

She ignored it. “It can’t be my clothes though. I’m too shy to play strip poker and besides you’d have the advantage.” In actual fact, she was thinking more along the lines of an IOU, but why be boring and say so?

Dean looked at her glass of champagne, which was almost empty and back at her. “You don’t drink much, do you?” he asked her.

“What? No. I don’t. Has that got something to do with playing poker? I’m sure I’m not too tipsy to read the cards, if that’s what’s worrying you.” Tess replied.

His gaze slid sideways to a glowering Dash and back to her. “Not precisely, no.” he said.

“You are not playing poker.” Dash said.

Tess didn’t bother to acknowledge Dash. She smiled at Dean. “So, what can I bet?”

“Dash does not want you to play.” He spoke slowly, as if she might not have gotten the message the first time around when Dash had said it in such a bossy tone.

“You know, I am a woman who is not that great at being told what to do. For that matter, I’m not sure many modern women are not too” She said.

“Even the shy ones, I see.” His brown eyes twinkled with a level of amusement unwarranted by the situation.

“Dean,” Dash interrupted in a voice that could have razed steel, “I believe Stefan would like your help entertaining his guests.” he said.

“I am sorry, Tess. I must go.” The younger man stood, his angelic smile marked with overtones of real humor. “Duty calls. Perhaps we will get our game of poker another time.”

She sighed. “All right. I promise to let you win next time.”

He inclined his head toward her. “I will look forward to it.” Then he left.

She picked up the deck of cards, shuffled them, and then laid out the pattern for a game of solitaire. She’d been deprived of her gin rummy partner, but that didn’t mean she had to return to poolside to watch Olivia fawning over Dash.

She’d moved three times when she felt his brooding presence right behind her. “Why were you here playing cards with Dean?” he asked.

She didn’t bother to turn to face him, but shrugged. “Because I wanted to.”

“I do not like finding you alone with other men.” He sounded like a guy trying really hard to hold on to his patience.

“Really?” Well, she didn’t like him letting other women kiss him, so they were even. “I’ll remember that.” She said,

“And not do it again?” His voice was dangerously soft, but the champagne had affected more than her willingness to let Dean win at cards.

“I didn’t say that. I enjoyed playing gin rummy with Dean. He’s a very nice man. He’s really good looking too,” she said with more candor than wisdom, “and not so tall that he’s overwhelming to a shrimp like me.”

Really, she should go for a guy like that instead of the ultra-masculine Dash. Why weren’t hearts more logical?

A sharply indrawn breath behind her told her that he had not liked the provoking answer.

“You prefer his company to mine?” His voice was quiet and yet she just knew he was majorly furious at the idea.

An honest answer would be too good for his ego. “I don’t know,” she surprised herself by saying. Apparently she wasn’t done being provoking.

Maybe she should drink champagne more often. She studied her cards. “I only got to play one game of gin rummy with him before you came in and chased him off.” She said,

Masculine rage radiated from Dash in palpable waves that burned against her back. “Yet, you think you might, given the opportunity?” he asked her.

She moved a red five onto a black six. “He touched me. You don’t. Maybe.” She replied.

Liar. She wanted only Dash. She knew that, but she wasn’t going to say that right now.