The Escort - By Gina Robinson Page 0,27

his stiletto holstered at his waist. Her heart tripped at the sight of him. Angelina was certain that if she were a man, she would not trifle with him, but as a woman…

She felt happy and flirtatious. Her talk with Maria, while arousing jealousy, had also buoyed her confidence. Could Tonio be interested in her? For reasons beyond what she understood, she hoped so. She intended to find out this night just how deep his interest went. Just some innocent flirting. She deserved that before she went to her husband, didn't she?

Maria started to move forward to enter the room. Angelina held her back with a hand. "Let me watch a few minutes more. This game is played differently than a private game. I must watch to understand."

Maria gently pushed her hand aside. "Come. You must see the table to understand. It has special markings that show which bets are available, and it's marked with the odds."

At that moment, perhaps alerted by their feminine voices, Tonio turned and saw them. To Angelina's surprise his look was one of genuine pleasure. Something in her wished he always wore that particular expression. With the warm glow in his eyes, he was devastatingly handsome. She wanted to hold that look forever. Was it caused by their appearance or luck at the table?

"Sal, your luck has arrived," Tonio said, but his eyes were riveted on Angelina. Though many of his friends stared openly at her, he didn't introduce her, even after she walked to the table and positioned herself at his elbow. Without a word he pulled her in front of him, so that she could see the table.

"What about your luck? Has it arrived, too?" she asked.

"I'm hot tonight. Do I need more luck?"

The game resumed. The men bet with vigor. Sal continued to lose, begging out after two more rounds. "I'm out. I'm broke."

He and Maria looked unhappy as they stepped back. Angelina wondered if their losses stung them or if they regretted leaving the action of the game.

Angelina fisted and released her fingers repetitively as she watched the banker shoot. She itched to join the game, but she had no money to wager. She followed the game closely, calculating the odds to herself, watching how each man wagered, trying to determine his strategy.

She watched the banker recover the dice between bets, collect and pay out, and shoot the dice, intrigued. She had never seen a craps table before. The game was played differently than a private game. All bets were made with the house.

She scrutinized Tonio's game most closely of all. But unlike the games they played together on the train, he didn't ask her advice. He didn't let her wager. He raked in his winnings and kept them to himself.

A crease formed between her brows. No one but Tonio noticed her mood. Men dropped out of the game, cutting their losses. It grew late.

He wasn't going to let her play. He didn't trust her! He'd won enough money to let her make a small wager. Her irritation with him grew. She wouldn't ask him for the privilege. Arrogant man!

The banker looked to Tonio. "Last round for me," Tonio said. "I've kept my friends waiting too long. I owe Sal a drink. And Maria whatever she wants."

The men laughed.

Angelina scowled. He hadn't mentioned her.

"What do you think, Angel?" he said.

Angel? "Are you asking me for advice?"

"No, I'm telling you to place the bet."

She swiveled around to face him. Her stomach hummed nervously, and excitement tingled in her fingers. She hesitated on the verge of a safe bet. She knew that betting with the odds was the key to winning, but on a single bet, as she well remembered, odds were only that. Something goaded her toward recklessness. A little voice inside screamed at her to take a chance.

He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Listen to your gut this time."

The room seemed small and close. A tiny trickle of perspiration dripped down her back. This was her chance to redeem herself.

"He rolls craps." She pulled a silver dollar from Tonio's winnings and set it on the board, then turned to stare him down.

"The odds are seven to one against us." His eyes danced mischievously.

"Chicken?" She turned back to the table.

"Craps," Tonio told the banker as he pulled out a twenty-dollar gold piece, the house limit, and set it on the table, removing the silver dollar.

She turned back to look at him in amazement. There was a quizzical mixture of emotion