Smug Bastard - Stacey Marie Brown Page 0,38
pool. Innocent. Right?
My brain fell off his chair laughing at me as our forms pressed together, her back arching slightly. There was certainly nothing innocent about what I was thinking right now.
My arms sliding over hers, I moved her arm in position, moving the stick back and forth until I felt she got a better understanding, then I shot it forward, the ball knocking into the one she wanted. It still missed, but only by a hair.
Her head curved, glancing back at me. “Better.”
I stared at her, feeling the chemistry crackle, our mouths only a breath a part. Very slightly, her ass pressed back into me, raking desire down my nerves. Claws burst into my chest and clapped down on my lungs, spearing hunger through my groin. I didn’t care about anyone around us, everything a blurry humming… I could fuck her right here.
“I think I got it now.” She gulped, her body pressing back again.
It took a moment for her words to sink in, to realize I was still on her like a second skin, and she was nudging me back.
“Oh.” I jerked back, stepping away. “Good.”
She stood up, her eyes not meeting mine. She grabbed another tequila shot.
“Maybe not drink one every time you miss a shot?”
“A deal is a deal.” She downed the single shot.
I stepped back up to the table, clearing it in a matter of minutes.
“Another game?” she slurred.
“I don’t think so.”
“Come on. Double or nothing.” She waved as the server neared us. “Another round of shots. But make them doubles.”
“Oh, hell no.” I shook my head at the waitress. Kinsley was already drunk. “I do not want to hold your hair again.”
“You’re backing out of a bet?” she challenged me.
“Back out? I won.” I clapped my hands together. “Bed’s mine. Get ready for a night on the lumpy ground with the bugs and snakes.”
She snarled at me, putting her hand on her hip. “Bed for the rest of the week.”
“What?” My mouth dropped. “You really want to sleep on the ground that bad? You could have asked.”
“Double shots,” she told the waitress.
The blonde looked between us, shook her head, and headed for the bar.
“Okay, but remember when a rock is stabbing into your spine and a spider is crawling over you… you chose this.”
“Be an adventure, right?”
“Sure.” I racked the balls, setting up the table. “You break this time?”
“Okay.” Her footing was unsteady as she went around to the end. I tossed down a large bill on the tray as the server dropped off our drinks.
“Thanks.” She winked at me, then trotted off.
“You ready for this?” I motioned to all the double shots. Neither of us needed them, but we were at the stage we thought we could handle it. I usually felt differently the next day. Bourbon or beer was my drink. Tequila was not a drink I should have been consuming around Kinsley.
She swayed as she leaned over. I laughed. The girl was bad sober; if she thought seeing double the balls would help her aim…
Crack.
The balls spread out across the table like an explosion. A striped ball fell in a side pocket.
“You’re solids.” She rose, giving me a patronizing wink before shifting down the table.
Crack.
Two more stripes went into pockets.
I blinked.
“Twelve in right pocket.” She pointed with her stick before she got down, her shot landing that very ball in the hole.
“What the fuck?”
Her demeanor totally shifted. The unsure girl was gone, she slid around the pool table like liquid, every ball going in.
“You said you only played a couple times… that it had been a while?”
“It has been.” She smirked at me. “At least a month. And I meant a couple times that night.”
My jaw dropped. “You played me?”
“Oh, that’s a bit harsh.” She dropped another ball before prowling over to my side, her sandals hitting my boots, her head craning back. “You seemed eager to play the misogynistic stereotype… and I let you.”
“You. Fucking. Played. Me.”
“Don’t feel bad.” She grinned, patting my arm. “You’re not the first.”
I noticed she was no longer slurring or swaying. She had tossed out the bait, and I had totally gobbled it up.
I should have been mad, but her audacity had a grin tugging on my lips. A chuckle bumped up from my chest as my hand ran over my head.
“Did you forget my brother had his own pool table down in the basement?” She dropped another stripe in the pocket.
The Maxwells had a full game/media room in the basement, which I wanted to