Page 48 of One Night Gamble
He leaned down and caught one of her nipples in his teeth, scraping very gently. She started to tighten around him, her hips moving faster, demanding more. But he kept the pace slow, steady. He wanted her to come before he did.
He suckled her nipple and rotated his hips to catch her pleasure point with each thrust and he felt her hands in his hair, clenching her fingers as she threw her head back and her climax ripped through her.
A moment later, he followed her. He came hard and deep…and felt like he’d lost his soul to her. Afterward, he cradled her close and held her to him. She opened her eyes and looked at him in a way he couldn’t explain, and he wanted to believe that something had changed. That she understood no hand of cards could compete when she was in his life.
Chapter Fifteen
Talia woke in Casey’s arms. After last night, it was difficult to remember the fears that had been playing around the back of her mind. Instead she wanted to pretend that she didn’t know that gamblers were dangerous and just stay in this man’s arms.
But reality intruded when her alarm went off and she groaned as she rolled over to turn it off.
“I’ll order some breakfast while you shower,” he said.
Just that. Like it was a normal morning. Like nothing had changed last night, when in reality, it felt to her like everything had.
“Okay.”
It wasn’t like she was going to argue with him. Or start something before she had to be downstairs to meet first with the world poker championship people and then later with Darien.
She wasn’t sure how to deal with Casey’s business partner and friend. Though she knew she could just ignore him and deal directly with Rio, she was going to have to figure out how to make peace with Darien if she and Casey were going to keep this relationship going.
She finished her shower and blow-dried her hair before getting dressed in a simple fit and flare navy dress that was trimmed in red. She put on her necklace from Casey and remembered that he was different than her father. He’d never taken anything from her. He always gave her things and that meant more to her than she had realized it would.
She took her time smoothing lotion on her legs and then put on her sandals before heading to the stairs.
She heard the sound of voices downstairs and thought that it must be the room service staff delivering their breakfast. But the conversation was getting louder, and she moved to the top of the stairs, seeing the back of Casey’s body as he faced Darien.
Darien looked angry and she could tell from Casey’s stance that he wasn’t happy, either.
“I’m not firing her,” Casey said.
Her. Did he mean her or someone else? Was it about her? “I can’t let this go. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to sleep with her and let her run our social media. It’s just…too dangerous. For everyone involved. Her included. Sex and business don’t mix, Case. Please listen to me on this.”
Casey ran his hand through his hair. “She’s not like Poppy—”
“Hell, it’s not just about Poppy. My mom couldn’t take it, either. I’ve never known a woman to stick around and neither have you. What makes this one different?” Darien asked.
“She’s nothing like my mom. Talia’s not a leaver,” Casey said.
He has that right, she thought. She was the kind of woman who held on long after anyone else had let go.
“But sex complicates things. You are distracted in every meeting we have and you can’t tell me that has nothing to do with her. Nick and I both see it. When she’s in a meeting, you aren’t thinking about the casino. You’re thinking about her.”
“I don’t know that firing her is going to change that,” Casey admitted.
“Well that’s what I want. Convince me otherwise,” Darien said.
Casey spread his arms wide. “Can’t you just trust me?”
“I do trust you,” Darien said. “When you aren’t being ruled by your dick.”
“Fuck you, Darien, she’s more than a hookup.”
Talia didn’t like that she was listening to this conversation. She knew she should step away or let them know that she was there, but she couldn’t.
Darien stepped closer to Casey and put his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t be saying this if I didn’t care about you. Rio says she’s really good at her job but she knows too much about the workings of the Jokers Wild. You and I both know that if she goes to another casino after things cool, it could end up biting us in the ass—”
“I don’t intend to end it with her,” Casey said.
