CHINA
I need one more card. Just one measly card to win this hand. I’ve perfected my best ‘poker face’ that I can accomplish three sheets to the wind, and I know that my hand is good. Not spectacular yet, but good enough. One card will turn the tides, letting me take everyone.
Risen and I were coerced into playing. He, because his friend is holding something over his head, and me, because I want to know what it is that’s had the girls gaga over his ink since seeing it in the courthouse. I’m intrigued, as he’s worn shirts the whole time he’s stayed here.
“Cathryne, your turn. Draw?” Hallette is sitting in her grandmother’s pearls with a leather pillow from the couch covering her. She’s the only one out, so we put her in charge of the deal.
With an imperceptible nod of her head, Catty tosses out three cards, and is handed three more from Hallette, who then fans them into her remaining two. Risen and Trevor don’t know Cat like I do. Looking them over one by one, there’s a faint adjustment in her eye that tells me she did all right.
Hallee, who’s sitting beside Trevor, shoulder bumps him with a grin. He turns his cards her way after he discards two. “Well, color me purple and hand me a pig. The game is afoot, boys and girls.”
“Harlot. How many you want?” Over the past hour, she’s sobered up. She folded three hands and stewed in the background as Trevor and Hallette cozied up. Naked, I might add. He’s been a lucky son of a bitch, holding his own. Still in underwear, he’s won the last few hands, which puts us at the current predicament of myself in only a black see-thru bra, a fire red thong, and my earrings. Jewelry was added in to up the ante on available clothing. Some of us had less to lose than others. Risen has ditched his socks, pants, and a ring, leaving him in the T-shirt I want off, and a pair of dark boxer shorts with fluorescent paisley flowers.
Curling closer to Hallee, Trevor whispers something low. In true form, Hallee falls prey to his advances. She believes in romance, seduction, dreams and true love. Men, whom are a bit on the wilder side are great, but if they know the way to a woman’s clit through soft spoken dirty words, they fall into her category of delectable necessities. It seems that Trevor is fitting in swimmingly. She giggles low, murmurs something unintelligible toward him.
Harlow tosses her cards down, rising to leave. “’Night, ladies. I’m tired. I’ll be hangin’ in Casper’s room for the night. It’s quiet down there at least.”
Looking down at my watch—that’s on the table because I already lost it—it’s almost three am. Fuck, time flies. “You sure, lover? I mean, it’s still early.”
“I’m good. Night, nasty witch.” Leaning down, she kisses me on the cheek, and glares daggers at Hallee. I know that when Trevor came in, she kind of called dibs. With the turn of events, Harlow is being gracious, stepping away before jealousy hits her square in the chest.
“’Night, Harlot.” I pull her close and whisper, “I love you.”
Rising to her full height, leaving me half naked in this war, she calls back, “Love you,” before venturing over to Catty. Kissing her on the top of the head, spinning on her heels with her clothes gathered in her arms, she’s off.
“’Night, Harlow,” Hallee calls out. Even though I know she did it half-heartedly because she’s more involved in Trevor and his wandering lips, she’ll feel bad in the morning when she realizes the mistake she’s made. We always promised boys, men, husbands, flings, and the likes would never come between us or our friendship. This right now just hurts her because of her own internal war. Harlow’s not mad at Hallee, Harlow is mad at Harlow. She’s upset she feels jealous.
After she ventures up the stairs and out of view, everything settles back into the game at hand.
“Ri, buddy, how many for you?”
“Hey, I’m the dealer. That’s my question.” With a fake pouty face, Hallee mocks hurt.
“I’ll let you have as many turns as you want. You just have to ask.”
“Stay on task you two,” Cathryne scolds, showing her matronly stance. “Let’s say we make this the last game. I’m gettin’ wiped.”
“Yeah, cool with me,” Risen says as two discards float onto the makeshift pile. “Hallette, I’ll take two cards, please.”
Picking up his new ones, Risen doesn’t flinch. So far, he’s kept most of his clothing, and has ingested less alcohol than the rest of us. Sober, this man is kind of scary in his intensity. Partially liquefied, I think he’s even worse.
“I’ll take one,” I pipe up, flicking my lone card down. I’m hoping for the card I need. Second to that, I hope I can keep my poker face intact. The rest of Risen is my prize, and I think I’ll have the hand to do it.
Picking it up gingerly, I try my best to keep it abreast. The last thing I want is to show my hand. Staying still, calm and poised, I breathe gently. If there’s one thing my mother taught me, it was to stay in control and school your features. Don’t let them know. Don’t show your weakness. Don’t give in to anyone. I may not have appreciated it all before, but right now, I’m using that training like a Jedi knight.
Placing the card in my stack, I slowly flicker them into a fan. A K Q J and 10 of spades. Sweet. It was that damned 10 killing me slowly. All is as it should be. Now, I just need to keep them guessing until the end.
“Raise or call, Cathryne?” Hallette asks.
Peeking around the table, trying to look sly, Cathryne folds up her cards and says, “I raise one shopping day at Bergdorf's on my card.”
Not bad. I can take that bet.
“Trevor?” As her hands inspect the planes of his chest, Hallette quirks a shy look his way.
With a sharp intake of breath, Trevor tenses, then answers, “I can’t raise that, but I’ll guarantee if I pull you over, I’ll get you off.”
“I think that’s already been established with Hallette, and I’m not sure you want to get me off. You sure you want to offer that to me or the other two girls?” Risen asks.
Laughing deep, Trevor’s chest rumbles. “I fold. Risen is too much man for me.”
That leaves us down to two. I think I have Catty, but it’s Risen that I’m really worried about.
“Risen?”
Contemplating his odds, he muses and ponders deeply the consequences of losing to us. I can see it as the wheels turn. Not a look I hadn’t seen on my brothers as they considered whether the jump was too big, or the turn too tight.
He places his cards in his lap. “I accept that raise and re-raise you.” He stares directly at me. This isn’t someone else’s bet, this is a bet for me. He’s intense. “I raise you a race on the track. Just you and me, no one else. And if I win this hand, you go on a date with me to a place of my choosing.”
What?
I’m sure the shock is written on my face. Risen wants a date and a race on the track with me? Why? What for?
Knowing I have a hand that he can’t beat, and a hand that Cat can’t take either, I calmly state, “I accept that bet.”
Cathryne, feeling left out of the intense conversation, tosses her cards on the table. “I can’t beat that one.” Her cards flip, showing she had a full house of mixed hearts and clubs. “’Night, guys. See you in the morning. Oh, and just to be clear, I’ll be in Jamieson’s room because it’s quiet too.”
Why are they both mentioning they’ll be in the west wing where no one else is located? Sure, Hallette and Trevor are inevitable, but Risen and I are not even close to the same level of intensity.
Or are we?
Yeah, we’ve been sitting nearly nose to nose on the couch, but there’s no funny business going on, no flirting like Hallee and Trevor, and no double-ended innuendos in our conversation. At least, as far as I’ve noticed there hasn’t.
“’Night,” we say as bends over to pick up her stranded clothing.
“I guess it comes down to us,” Risen taunts.
Hallette has dipped her head behind the pillow, hiding her naked form, as the two speak in hushed tones.
“What’s the story, morning glory?” I ask.
She pops her head back up. “I can see the outcome of this. Trevor, you ready to win back some of those points?” She’s the consummate good girl in public, but she has a wicked bedroom streak. Trevor will never know what hit his hick ass. Well, he might. It depends on what she hits it with.
With a quick goodnight over the shoulder, they head off to the west wing. Sauntering off and out of the room, the two of them are in constant contact. The remainder of their clothing will be stripped bare, and we’ll hear them fucking in the hall before they even make it to the guest end of the house, the end where Risen is currently housed.
“Shit. He’ll be near me, won’t he?”
“Yeah. Hate to inform you, but you just gained a roomie in your end of the house.” Sitting back against the pillow, taking in the last piece of clothing Risen has to lose, I can’t wait for his demise. “Show me your cards, Officer, and I’ll show you mine.”
“That sounds like a dangerous request. I’m afraid of the outcome now.”
“You should be. Present.”
Flipping one at a time, I watch as J 10 Q K, all in diamonds appear.
“Stop,” I say, placing my hand on his, commanding him to wait. Risen holds his last card as I flip down the same in matching spades. “This comes down to the last card. If I win, not only do you owe me that shopping spree and the shot of Jack, but the piece of clothing will be doubled to two. Fair?”
Smiling, I start to worry if we’re on the same playing field. We might be, but in different sports. “I want to have you up it one then. I can’t be expected to lose the last of my clothing while you still have material hiding the goods.” Holding my gaze, he smirks. His eyes twinkle with mischief and I think I’m in trouble.
“So, what do you suggest, Mr. Mason?” I’m screwed. I can see it like a car wreck. Everything is in slow motion and he’s about to take the last of my resolve. Showing the hint of a dimple, he smirks dangerously.
Yep, I’m fucked.
“A kiss.”
“Didn’t you already take that in the office today, Officer?”
“That was a forcibly confined lip lock. I want you to give it freely, Miss Crown.”
Fuck me. My lace panties are swimming at the intense look. He wants me to kiss him of my own accord. Jesus, what’s this world coming to?
“Fine. We’ll flip the cards at the same time, and if I win, you have a lot of explaining to do, Lucy.” I sing out my favorite sixties show, laughing at the thought of taking him for all he’s worth.
“One, two, three!” both of us say in unison as we tip over the last card.