do when he had the sexiest, most playful little vixen trying to blow his fucking mind. “There’s no way you’re going to make that shot.”
“Well, I can’t with you standing in my way. Scoot.”
By damn, she was fun. “You’d better make it. I’m looking forward to the naked hot-tubbing.”
“Such pressure.” Her tone was pure cocktease, with a dash of posh little princess thrown in. He made room for her—barely—as she lined up her shot, her ass mere inches away from him as she leaned over the table. “Watch and be amazed.”
“Oh, I’m watching,” he assured her, his eyes glued to that firmly rounded backside of hers. Had there ever been a more perfect ass created anywhere, at any time? He was fucking blessed to be given such a view. “And I’m amazed.”
“I haven’t made the shot yet.”
“At this point, that’d just be the icing on top.”
“Hm.” Coyly she looked back at him from over her shoulder, and the look she gave him told him straight up that she knew exactly what he was talking about. “So, are you going to tell me why you’ve never brought any of my fellow former debutantes to Gillooly’s?”
“Why, do you think they would’ve liked it?”
She seemed to give that some thought. “I think Mimi Weissman would have been happy to go anywhere, as long as you talked skiing with her.”
He couldn’t help but snort at that. “She’s kind of a weird duck, I’ll give you that. I’m thinking she’d be happier in the mountains somewhere.”
“But not at Gillooly’s?”
“Let’s just say I’m a quick read when it comes to character.”
“And when you read my character, you saw that I wouldn’t freak out at shooting a few games of pool at a South Deering watering hole?”
“I’m saying I’m good with sharing this small piece of my history with you because I knew you’d be okay with this part of me.” Holy shit. When the hell had Casey slipped truth serum into his beer? “You gonna take the shot, or what?”
“Perfection cannot be rushed.” But she turned her attention back to the table, where she clearly had every intention of banking the cue ball off other balls to sink the solid blue two ball. The angle looked pretty good, but…
She took her shot.
A solid, confident stroke.
Billiard balls clacked and scattered. The two-ball rolled…
And didn’t go in.
“Well, fuck,” she muttered, momentarily shocking him. Hearing an F-bomb dropping out of that perfect little cupid-bow mouth of hers was downright hilarious. Up to that point, he would’ve bet real money she’d never uttered that word before in her life. “I totally thought I had that one.”
“Too much clutter for it to get through.” Still grinning, and delighted at her disgruntled expression, he took his place at the table. “My turn, my lady.”
“Hmph. You’re just lucky I cleared things up for you.”
“I’m lucky, all right.” Giving her a wink, he went about clearing the table as fast as possible. More than his next breath he wanted to get her to his place, and let nature take its damn course.
He couldn’t fucking wait.
“Geez.” Standing opposite him, she watched as he sank the eight ball right in front of the pocket she stood in front of, looking pissy enough to take that ball out of its pocket and throw it at him. “That didn’t take long. I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so quickly demolished before. At least when I played against my father or brother, they’d take the time to gloat at just how badly I was getting whipped.”
“I was highly motivated.” Dropping the cue stick on the table—bad form, but Casey could kiss his ass if he had a problem with it—Gus rounded to where Joelle stood. Taking her cue stick to leave it on the table as well, he pulled her up against him, watching those knockout blue eyes of hers as he ground her slowly against his hips. He knew the exact moment she felt his hard-on, because her eyes widened first in surprise, then darkened in unmistakable lust. “You make me hard just by breathing, lady. Knowing you’re good with coming home with me tonight was all the motivation I needed. Any objection to bouncing out of here?”
“I haven’t finished my drink yet, but a kiss from you could probably compensate for that. I could definitely get drunk on your kisses.”
Jesus, this woman. “Prepare to get fucking smashed.”
Her delighted laugh echoed in his head as he caught her mouth, and that one light-filled sound worked on him