All-In (The Gamblers Book 1) Read online

  Alec did the same before reaching for the pile of chips the dealer pushed his direction. He looked over his shoulder and gave her another sexy smirk while holding out a hand. "Come here."

  She clasped his hand and let him pull her to the seat beside him. "That's quite a haul. What did you have?"

  "Trying to pry my secrets from me?" He still held her hand while organizing and making neat stacks of his chips with the other.

  River leaned in so the dealer wouldn't overhear. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

  His smirk turned into a grin before, he too, leaned in closer. "I was bluffing."

  She sat back exaggerating a shocked expression before jumping from her seat and stepping out of his reach. With a giggle she announced, "So was I."

  It took him a few beats, but then she saw when realization hit and he'd deduced she'd been bluffing about sharing her secrets with him. With a growl, he lunged for her, but she skipped out of his reach. "Sweetheart, you don't want to play cat and mouse with me. I'm bigger, stronger, and faster."

  She backed away another couple of steps while saying pertly, "That may be true, Mr. Throne, but I'm smarter." With a wink, she turned around and darted the four steps to the ladies room she'd spied earlier.

  River glanced around the nearly empty restroom, beelining for the vacant stall at the end of the row. As she'd just mentioned, she wasn't stupid so knew Alec would be waiting for her when she emerged. It was what he planned in retaliation that was the question. She went to the sink and washed her hands while looking at herself in the mirror. She had to admit, she wasn't looking her best. She'd forgone makeup, knowing she'd just rub it all off, looking a smudged mess by the end of the day. Her eyes were a little red and showed her fatigue, but she figured staying up half the night would make anyone look tired.

  She stalled as long as she could, even washing her hands twice, but eventually decided it was time to pay the piper. Cautiously, sticking just her head out the door, she didn't see Alec in the near vicinity. Extending her line of sight, produced the same results. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed he hadn't been waiting for her. With the break nearly over, she made her way back to her table for the next few hours of play.

  * * * * *

  By the start of their dinner break, Alec had doubled in chips and was feeling pretty good about his performance thus far. But the tournament was far from over. They still had two more days at the conclusion of this one, whittling the playing field of one hundred down to the final winner with the last day of play reserved for the final table of eight.

  He'd purposely avoided River for the remainder of their break earlier and having been moved to a different table after he was announced chip leader, they were no longer in each other's view. But he'd made plans for their dinner break. He grinned to himself as he made his way to her. She was still at play when he reached her table, and he quietly stood off to the side as she finished her hand. He used the time to mentally count her chip stacks, impressed to discover she had a hefty twenty-five grand cushion.

  She won the hand and bagged her chips. He walked up behind her seat, and she was still unaware of his presence. She took a long pull from a bottle of water before standing and nearly crashing into him.

  "You startled me." One hand had flown to her chest while the other had captured his arm to keep her balance.

  Not wanting to take any chances, he took her hand in his, holding it tight. "Now, what's that saying..." He rubbed his chin seeming deep in thought. Snapping his fingers, he declared, "Oh, I know. Payback's a bitch."

  Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

  "You didn't think I'd forget, did you?"

  "I—"

  "No," he interrupted before she could speak. "If you're as smart as you claim to be, you'll remain silent. Trust me, it's for your own good."

  She closed her mouth, but by the glare she was giving him, he knew she was dying to talk.

  He led a silent River to the bank of elevators and hit the up button, smirking when she couldn't contain her silence while they waited for the doors to open. "Where are we going?"

  "To eat."

  The cute little furrow was back between her eyes. "But these are the elevators to the rooms."

  "Yes. I'm going to feed you, and then you're going to feed me." The doors opened and they stepped in. Directing her into the corner, he hovered over her, trapping her in place. "We'll want privacy for what I want to eat."

  He watched the play of emotions cross her face as understanding dawned and pink tinged her cheeks. He brushed a feather soft touch over the telltale blush before wrapping his hand around her neck and taking her lips for a kiss. He kept it chaste, a few soft touches before lightly sweeping her lips with his tongue.

  Her lids were lowered when he raised his head. "Look at me." Her eyes slowly opened. "So damn beautiful." He skimmed her lips with his thumb, and her eyes grew soft.

  The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. He did a quick double check of the floor number before pulling her out and leading her to his room.

  "What's the rush?"

  She was practically jogging to keep up with his long strides, and he slowed his steps. "We only have ninety minutes for dinner break. Not nearly enough time for everything I want to do to you, but I'll have to make do."

  "And what exactly is payback for not sharing my secrets with you?"

  He gave her an evil grin. "You're about to find out."

  Chapter Fourteen

  The smell of food hit River as she walked into Alec's room. Or should she say rooms. He had a suite. And it was massive. A table laden with covered dishes captured her attention, and her stomach growled in protest at having only consumed a snack-size bag of peanuts earlier.

  "Come, let's get you fed before it grows cold." Leading her with a hand at the small of her back, Alec pulled out a chair and sat her before uncovering dishes.

  Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans were revealed along with a basket of delicious smelling garlic bread.

  Her stomach growled again.

  He filled her plate and when she didn't immediately start eating, he said, "Don't wait for me. You're starving. Eat."

  She smiled at him gratefully and picked up her fork, digging into the mashed potatoes first. Buttery, creamy goodness hit her taste buds, and she was already forking up another large bite before she had the first one swallowed. Alec took a seat beside her after pouring them each a glass of iced tea from a glass pitcher.

  So engrossed in her gluttony, it took her a few minutes to notice Alec wasn't eating. She looked over at him and saw he was staring at her with a small smile on his lips. Pausing with her fork halfway to her mouth, a cluster of green beans speared on its tines, she swallowed before asking, "What?"

  Shaking his head as if coming out of a trance, he looked at his plate, absentmindedly picking up his fork and sounding almost embarrassed when he answered, "I like watching you eat."

  She set down her fork and feeling a little perplexed, muttered, "Why?"

  He looked back up at her, heat and some other emotion she couldn't name filling his eyes. "I like to watch your mouth. Talking. Smiling. Eating. It fascinates me, and I find I have trouble looking away."

  His eyes held her spellbound. Usually so guarded, they were speaking volumes, and her heart melted at what they were saying.

  "Don't look at me like that unless you want me to throw you down and fuck you on this table." His voice, so low and gruff, created a flutter in her stomach and an ache between her legs.

  And suddenly she was hungry for a lot more than just food. Standing, she slipped out of her sandals before moving slowly across
the room while sliding the zipper at the side of her dress down and letting it fall to the floor. She stopped at the conundrum of three closed doors.

  Practically bare in just her bra and panties, she looked over her shoulder, raising a questioning brow. "Now the question is, do I choose door number one, door number two, or door number three?"

  She watched as Alec stood. He discarded his suit jacket, carelessly tossing it on the chair he'd just vacated. He tugged his dress shirt from the waistband of his slacks then attacked the buttons as he stalked toward her like a sleek, black panther, moving gracefully yet cautiously as if afraid to startle its prey. His tie hit the floor followed by his shirt.

  He drew close. Close enough to reach out and grab her. Lunging, he captured her by the waist and coming in low, tossed her over his shoulder. She managed a little shriek before losing her breath with a whoosh.

  "I pick door number two." His movements were fluid as he opened and navigated them through the door, flipping her off his shoulder, and gently tossing her on the bed.

  He had her panties pulled down, legs spread, and mouth on her before she'd even had a chance to catch her bearings and never had a chance to regain them before his fingers joined his mouth.

  The room went fuzzy as he worked her, biting on her clit and flicking it with his tongue while his fingers scissored and curled, finding all the right spots. Her hips jerked as she crested higher and higher until, with a final wave, her orgasm hit, leaving her whole body tingling.

  "Fuck!" She was still dazed when Alec's shout penetrated her fog, and she watched in fascination as he ripped at the button on his slacks.

  His cock sprang into view, and not even bothering to remove his pants all the way, he hastily rolled on a condom and slammed into her, planting himself deep and stretching her to her limits.

  And then he went still.

  The complete lack of movement was a jarring contrast to his urgency from a moment ago.

  Staring at each other–him from above, her from below–both panting, she asked, "Why'd you stop?"

  Leaving a hand to the bed to support his weight, he used the other to trail his fingers gently down the side of her face, starting at her temple and ending at her jaw. His face was a void, but his eyes were ablaze as he soaked her in.

  "Alec?"

  "I'm savoring the moment. The way you feel, so fucking perfect, I could live inside you forever. Your face, so beautiful, I could stare at you for hours. The look in your eyes as you stare back at me, shining with awe and wonder, making me feel ten fucking feet tall. All the tiny moments that make up our whole. That's why I stopped." He brushed a thumb across her lips. "To savor this tiny moment."

  River felt her eyes fill and a heated drop slid across her temple to get lost in her hair. "Please don't make me fall in love with you." But she silently worried that he already had.

  "Would it be so horrible if you did?"

  She closed her eyes, not wanting to share her answer because she had a feeling, that yes, falling in love with Alec could be the biggest mistake she'd ever make.

  Or could it be the best thing that ever happened to her?

  Her eyes flew back open when his lips found hers. Obviously not wanting to hear her answer, he occupied her mouth, preventing her from speaking even if she'd wanted to.

  Slowly at first, he moved in and out of her, until building them back up, his thrusts became faster and harder. Wrapping herself around him, she held on tight to enjoy the ride, convincing herself it was only sex.

  Stretching lazily, River checked the clock on the bedside table. "We need to get dressed. Only twenty minutes until the tournament restarts." Alec's arm captured her around the waist, pulling her back snug against his chest. River laughed while trying to extract his arm and wiggle free. "We can't be late."

  He groaned in her ear, releasing her, and she quickly scrambled off the bed before case he changed his mind.

  "Promise you'll come back to my room with me tonight."

  River nabbed her panties from the floor. She stuck her feet through the holes and slid them up her legs while saying, "You and your need for promises."

  He sat up, stretching his arms over his head, and she zoned out at the display of manly muscles. A throat clearing drew her attention and she jerked her gaze back to his. A smirk played on his lips as he raised a single questioning brow.

  "Yes, yes, yes." She dramatically waved her hand his direction. "I'm that girl. So sue me."

  Alec chuckled. "Then I guess I'm that guy because I can't seem to pry my eyes from your tits."

  River smirked, covering her boobs with her arm as she sought out her bra. She spied it in the corner of the room. How it got way over there, she'd never know.

  Still in his slacks, Alec only needed to hike them up a bit when he stood from the bed. The rest of their clothes lay scattered in the other room, and she followed him out to collect her dress.

  "I didn't give you a chance to finish eating." He was eyeing all the food left on the table.

  She picked up her dress, stepping into it. "That's okay. You can buy me another coffee. That'll tide me over until next break."

  He collected his shirt from the floor and made his way to the table while slipping his arms through the sleeves. "Here, at least eat a piece of garlic bread on the way back down."

  She took the bread from him, taking a bite. "Thanks," she said with her mouth full.

  He picked a piece up for himself. "We'll have garlic breath together." He winked before taking a healthy bite.

  They arrived back at the tournament with only a few minutes to spare after stopping for a much-needed cup of coffee. And it was much needed because there were still hours of poker left to play before they would stop for the night. They were playing down to a field of fifty and seventy-five people were still left.

  There'd been a few table shifts as players had gotten eliminated throughout the day. River was still at her original table but with the earlier elimination of Andre Moreau, she now found a new player sitting to her left.

  The last to arrive, she hastily unbagged her chips, counting them as she made even stacks. The first hand was dealt, and after taking a peek of her cards and seeing they were nothing to write home about, she mucked them in favor of finishing her organization.

  "Are you one of those neat freak perfectionists that has to have everything in precise order?"

  Startled by the rudeness of the question, River paused in her sorting to take a better look at the newcomer sitting next to her. She didn't recognize him, but that wasn't surprising. What was surprising was he appeared to be in his early-to-mid thirties. Old enough to have acquired some semblance of manners.

  "Pardon?" She tried to inject a bit of haughtiness, but as she usually wasn't the least bit haughty, was sure she failed spectacularly.

  He waved a hand at her chips. "You know, one of those people with OCD."

  "You know you sound like a moron, right?"

  The guy smiled, flashing a set of really nice teeth. She'd give the guy credit for one thing, he was good-looking, even if he was an arrogant prick. "Name's Carter Mills." He held out a hand. "And you are?"

  The name was unfamiliar. River looked down at his hand then shook her head before returning her attention to her chips. "Are you really that clueless or just pretending to be? Is this your way of sizing me up?" When he remained silent, she looked back over at him. She caught him frowning, but he quickly turned it into a smile. "You're unbelievable," she said amazed by the guy's audacity.

  "But I made an impression."

  She wasn't sure if he was expecting an answer, but she gave one anyway. "A negative one."

  "B
ut an impression just the same. How else would I get the attention of a beautiful woman?"

  They were dealt a new hand, and they paused in their conversation long enough for them to both decide their cards were crap and toss them away.

  "Well?" he asked, picking the conversation back up.

  "Oh, I don't know," she laid on the sarcasm. "Maybe try a compliment instead of an insult."

  "First off, I'm sure people with OCD don't find it insulting to be labeled as such. And second, I'm sure you get complimented all the time. How would that gain your attention?"

  River had to admit the arrogant ass's logic was sound. Not that she would ever tell him that.

  "It's okay to agree with me, you know."

  That reluctantly drew a amused smile from her. With a shake of her head, she peeked at the cards she'd just been dealt. "I'm not changing my mind, you're still an ass."

  "But at least admit I'm a charming one."

  River couldn't help it, he was so incredibly conceited, she had to laugh.

  Noticing she had a pair of queens, River tuned out Conceited Carter, turning her full attention to the game. Jim and Rio had folded, Phillip had called, and Tommy, to her immediate right, was still deciding what to do.

  While she waited, she debated her options. A pair of queens may seem good, but really, unless she flopped a third, it wasn't the greatest hand. So many others could and usually did beat it. She could raise and hope to scare everyone into folding their hand or just call the bet and see the flop. Carter was the loose cannon. Unfamiliar with his style of play and having him positioned after her was her deciding factor. When Tommy folded, River just called.

  All eyes at the table moved to Carter. They seemed to be sizing him up. After a few hours of playing together, everyone at the table was pretty comfortable with each other, but he was the new kid on the block, so to speak. He raised the bet by eight hundred.

  Phillip instantly folded and play was back to River. For the size of the pot, a eight-hundred dollar raise was steep, but not obscenely so. He either had a strong hand but didn't want to scare her away, or he had a weak one and wanted her to think it was strong in hopes of scaring her away.