“Fuck you,” he said, and I froze. But his eyes were on his screen. “You’re just pissed because I cleaned you out.”
“That and other things,” a male voice said in response, followed by something in Greek.
I couldn’t tell if he was on speakerphone or Skype. Whichever, what kind of a man would Reeve be talking with in the middle of the night?
I wrapped my arms around myself and huddled in the cloak of darkness, watching him, not because I was snooping anymore, but because I had an innate curiosity where he was concerned and I was pretty sure that whoever he was talking to, whatever he was talking about, it wasn’t the kind of conversation he’d want me to hear. Maybe I should just go back to bed.
“It’s the family way,” came the voice from the computer, “to hold a grudge.”
“And Nikolas is especially good at it,” Reeve said. His eyes never moved from the screen. “Why don’t you come over here?”
“Come there? Me? Or Nikki?”
“None of you.” He looked directly at me now. “Emily.” He’d known I was there all along. Of course. He held his hand out for me to join him. Because that was what I wanted to do, because I’d do whatever he asked, I went. When I got close enough he pulled me onto his lap and wrapped an arm around my waist.
And instantly all my fears and doubts were calmed.
Now I could also see the computer and the whole scenario became clear. Three men’s faces showed on the screen in three separate frames. Another frame showed an animated computer table with playing cards laid out in the middle and one more frame showed a hand of two cards. There was also a box with names, current bet amounts, and total winnings.
“Online poker?” It was sort of charming to see Reeve involved in something so regular-guy.
“With real money, of course. And you’re my good luck charm.” Looking at his earnings, though, it didn’t seem like he needed a good luck charm.
The current bet amount changed for the name Nikki and an indicator lit up to show it was now Pet’s turn. It was this latter man who acknowledged me first. “Who’s this pretty thing?” He was about my age with dark features that suggested he was from the Mediterranean. The bright natural light that filled his screen suggested he was in a far different time zone.
Reeve dismissed him. “As far as you’re concerned, she’s no one. Make your bet.”
“Watch her, though,” one said. Nikki according to the screen. He was older than Reeve, by ten years I’d guess. His features were very similar to Pet’s. Relatives, maybe.
The third one, Gino, studied me. “Yeah. Good point.”
I tugged at the shirt I was wearing, knowing I was covered but feeling exposed with all the eyes. Without moving his focus from the screen, Reeve said quietly, “You know they’re looking at you to figure out what my cards are.”
“Oh.” I hadn’t even thought about them trying to read my face. It was hard to think at all with Reeve’s thumb brushing up and down on my bare thigh. He probably didn’t even know he was doing it, and it was sending electric bolts of want straight up to my core.
Pet’s eyes narrowed. “Seriously, Reevis? You’re already winning. Couldn’t you have given us the girl for a tell?”
“That would be a bad idea,” I said. “I can see his cards, but I know shit about poker. I’d lead you astray.” It was totally not true. I’d played cards since I could count to ten. Reeve was currently rocking a flush and if the river card was a two or seven of hearts, he’d have a straight flush.
To him, I asked, “Reevis?”
It was Pet that replied. “As in Beavis and Butthead. It’s been his nickname since he was, what? Fifteen?” Since the scoreboard listed Reevis as well, I presumed that all of the names were nicknames.
Gino nodded. “About that.”
“And you’re the butthead, Petros. Make your fucking bet.”
Petros said something in Greek that sounded like cursing and entered something in the computer. Pet showed on the screen as having made his bet and the indicator moved to light up Reevis.
His hand on my thigh moved higher, under my shirt to where my leg met my torso and his caress here made it nearly impossible not to squirm. Maybe he knew what he was doing after all.
He turned his head toward me and his breath felt hot on my ear. “What do you say, Em? Should I bet high or low?”
Gino interjected with something I didn’t understand and Petros responded with more Greek. Then he asked, “What are you helping Reevis for anyway?”
Reeve also said something I didn’t understand. I looked at him, questioningly.
“They’re trying to convince me not to take your advice since you know nothing about poker.” The look he gave me said he knew full well that I understood the game. “I told them I trusted you anyway.”
It was probably just something to say but it both thrilled me and gutted me at the same time. I wasn’t someone he could trust. And as much as I wanted to, he wasn’t someone I trusted either.
But I wanted to. I wanted him to trust me too, no matter how undeserved it was.
It was for that reason as much as because he had good cards that I said, “Then I say go all in.”
He brought his other hand up to stroke his thumb across my cheek. “Can’t win if you don’t risk, can you?”
I nodded, not sure we were still talking about the game, and my chest felt tight and funny.
“All in it is.” He dropped his hand to the keyboard to enter his bet. The animated dealer turned the river card. Two of hearts. Reeve took the pot with his straight flush.