My phone rang on the table. He took it and showed me the caller ID. Marlon. He then rejected the call. “I brought you here. I can supply the uniform.”
Doctors weren’t starving in my country. I sat down in my bra and panties. “I never thought of fancy clothes like that.”
He dealt again his heated gaze trailing over my skin. Somehow, with Quentin, I wasn’t perfect, and I didn’t care.
“It’s fine,” he said as I took my cards. “I take care of what’s mine.”
Heat coursed through me from those words. Marlon had never once said anything like that, but then I don’t think I have ever been in this situation. The corners of my mouth lifted. “Mine?”
He let out a warm growl. “That ass of yours has been on my mind since I touched it.”
I laughed and shuffled my hand. “You’re a butt guy?”
“At first it was your breasts.” He put his hand down and stared at my chest with no abandon. “But I am a fan of exquisite beauty, and your ass would be up for that award.”
I wasn’t some model, but with my wanker who made my body ache, I was complete.
I took a card. “Keep talking like that, and you can have whatever you want.”
He took another card and winked. “Well, your chest is also large and squishable, and your nipples, when they are hard, literally take my breath away.”
I had no hand, but I knocked. “Good, this is more the speed we agreed on for the week.”
He took another card, but his face pinched. “Sorry my friends are heavy.”
“They’re not wrong,” I said while he arranged his hand to show me. “I don’t know anything about medicine, but I worked in a bottle company factory where my boss said I lost his million-dollar client. I never met the client, and my work had no mistakes, so I quit. When I get home, I’ll go on some interviews, and while I don’t get the reward of saving people, I understand stress.”
“Maybe Bridget was on to something. You could work for my father,” he said and then showed his hand.
No. He wasn’t interested in forever with me.
And I wasn’t ready.
I put my cards on the table. Two pairs.
“I’m secure in my job.” His hand beat the mishmash of nothing in mine. Still, I held my cards and drew this moment out for a minute longer. “Even I know that doctors and nurses are not God. You can’t know everything, especially when you’re close to the patient’s family.”
He nodded. “Cecilia’s sister Desiree sued me. She blamed me and proved to me how I missed what should have been obvious. I can’t help anyone if I can’t make the logical connections.”
Blame wasn’t good for a relationship. Or I’d imagine that was true. Marlon and I only talked occasionally, and I never wanted love. “Well, you’re not healing me unless you think orgasms are a cure.”
I turned over my hand, and he laughed and motioned for my bra. “Kara, until I met you, I didn’t know my wanker worked so hard still. I thought I was only eighteen once.”
I stood and removed my panty hose. He snapped like he was disappointed, but nowhere in the rules had we said winner gets to choose the article. And he was still fully clothed. I’d have to strip him the old-fashioned way. “Well lucky me then. When I was eighteen, I was still a virgin and not that into men yet.”
He dealt again, and I took my cards like I was winning this round.
“I’m happy you’re in my life now,” he said, eyeing his cards, “as your naked canvass invigorates my cock.”
“I’m glad to give you a workout then.”
He opened his legs, and I could see he was hard for me. He didn’t bother with his cards either. “We’ll find you a dress tomorrow.”
Oh, we weren’t finishing this game so fast. I wanted to stretch out this evening.
I checked my cards. “Tomorrow?”
“I don’t want to go out anymore,” he said, glancing at his cards.
I took one and pretended to put things in order. “What do you want?”
He glanced at my breasts. “Once we finish this game—”
His phone rang this time. He picked it up and stared at it. “It’s Simon.”
“Let it go to voicemail,” I said.
I wasn’t ready to go out now. Quentin didn’t need to be lectured again whether his friends were right or not.
He twisted the phone as it rang. “Are you sure?”
I nodded.
He turned it off, studied his hand, and drew another card. “I’m going to get those panties of yours, and I’m not giving them back.”
Good. Perfect, actually. This was what I wanted and needed. “I’ll need them back eventually.”
He shuffled. “The next bet is double. If I win, you don’t wear any panties tomorrow.”
I’d never gone outside without covering up, ever. “Why?”
His gaze went to my chest, and he licked his lips. “So I can find a place in the party and claim what’s mine whenever I want.”
I lost my breath. “In public?”
“If you lose.” He nodded.
Fuck yes. I loved how daring I was with Quentin. This was why I was here. This wasn’t about forever. I nodded like I was going to actually try this time. “And if I win, I want… to command where and when you get to put your wanker into me, and you need to follow my every command.”
He tapped the deck. “Now, that sounds interesting.”
I sucked in my bottom lip. If only I believed love happened for us. He’d find someone else, in time. I might be too broken, but for now, my nipples hardened as he clearly saw when I asked, “So, do we have a bet?”
“Yes,” he said and dealt the cards.
Commanding Quentin might be fun, but I needed him to direct me and take some of the decision making off my shoulders.
I took a second card and accidently made a pair of eights.
He took more time. I didn’t dare keep the hand and tossed that other eight.
He stared at my almost naked body. “Time to show your cards ma chérie.”
That cooled me, and I asked, “Who’s Cher? You’ve said it twice now.”
He laughed. “Cheri… it means, my dear.”
I thought so, but I put my cards on the table with a defeated sigh. “I like being your temporary girlfriend.”
His entire face brightened like he’d just found out it was Christmas morning. “I like you being here, too.”
To continue my charade, I wiggled my shoulders and pouted. “My cards don’t match at all.”
He showed his double pairs and opened his palm, “Excellente. My panties. Hand them over.”
I stood and watched him stare at my backside like I was somehow perfect. I’d been destroyed and humiliated once, but Quentin empowered me to be different. Good thing this was all temporary. I’d never be like this forever.
Beauty fades, and I never had much of it—just an average slice. But that, for today, was enough. I wiggled and handed over my cotton briefs. “Now that I’m naked, what are you thinking?”
He stood, and I saw his wanker was waiting for me. “Get over here and find out.”
And I didn’t care we were on a balcony where anyone could see. I strutted into his arms, certain I ached for him in a way I never had for anyone else.