For the first time in a long while, I felt like everything was going smoothly. The bar was doing amazing business, I was spending every night with Alex, and for the first time in a long time, I was feeling content and happy. Everything had turned out better than I ever could have expected.

But all of that happiness came with a price. I was exhausted, and I knew the other guys were, too. We had been working our asses off for months to get Rascals off the ground, and now that it was running like clockwork, we decided to take Monday night and have a good, old-fashioned poker night.

Just the five of us, like old times.

Dante provided the cards, Sawyer brought the spiciest chicken wings in Chicago, Chase brought the beer, and Liam brought expense reports to go over in between games.

It was nice. The five of us hadn’t been together since the night the bar opened, and even then, it had been us and a crowd of people. We hadn’t had the chance to just be ourselves. To get shit-faced and talk trash and try to take each other’s hard-earned money the way we had when we were younger.

“I want another dealer,” Chase fumed, throwing his cards down after his fifth bad hand.

“Not my fault you’ve got bad luck.” Dante swept up his chips, smiling.

“It is if you’re fucking with my cards,” Chase grumbled, crossing his arms.

“I don’t have to fuck with your cards,” Dante laughed. “You’re a shitty player.”

I shared a grin with Sawyer and Liam. This happened at every single game we ever played. Dante and Chase would go at it, one of them would storm out dramatically, and then return after fifteen minutes with a fresh six-pack and more money to gamble away. Dante had taken more cash from Chase in the past eight years than any of us cared to count. Not that it seemed to phase Chase. Because nothing did.

The only person who had ever dampened his spirit was the one girl he had ever decided to commit to. An actress named Monique who he dated for three years. When the two of them were together, he was a different person. They had fought all the time—which he always chalked up to her tempestuous, artistic nature. The rest of us? Well, we

always said it was just because she was a bitch. Then something happened and Monique was suddenly out of the picture. Chase never spoke about her again, and we never asked. It was like that with us: if anyone asked for help, then sure, we’d be there for him in a heartbeat, but we don’t go poking our noses into each other’s business. It didn’t matter to me that Chase was working his way through the entire female population of Chicago, as long as everyone was having a good time.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Chase swore at his cards, threw them down, and stormed out of the bar.

“Right on schedule,” Sawyer noted, looking at his watch.

“There’s a drug store around the corner,” I told them. “He won’t be gone long.”

He was gone less than five minutes, and when he returned, he didn’t have a six-pack. He had something—someone—much, much better.

“Alex!” I got up to greet her, ignoring the hoots and hollers of my friends as I kissed her hello. “I thought you were working late tonight.”

“I was.” She looked at her watch. “It’s past ten. But I thought the bar would be open.”

I hadn’t realized how late it was.

“We closed it for the night,” Sawyer told her. “Guys’ poker night.”

“Like how you met in college?” Alex asked, a knowing smile on her face.

The guys exchanged looks. I ignored those as well, because I knew exactly what they were thinking. I was the serial monogamist of the group, after all. And I already knew that what I had with Alex was serious. We just hadn’t made anything official, since I didn’t have any desire to scare her off. I knew that work was her first priority, and I wanted to make sure she knew that I supported that.

“I was just looking for something to eat,” she told me. “I thought the kitchen might still be open, but I can order something at home.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I told her, looping my arm around her waist and pulling her over to the table. “We’ve got plenty of food to share.”

“Can you play poker?” Dante wanted to know as I gave her my seat.

“I’ve played once or twice before,” Alex said, giving him a small smile. “But I don’t think I’m very good. I might need some help with the rules.”

I pulled up another chair next to me. “I’ll walk you through it,” I told her.

“As long as you don’t throw any hissy fits, like Ms. Sensitive over there,” Dante smirked.

Chase gave him the finger. Dante just laughed and dealt the cards.

We played a round, though I sat out to offer assistance to Alex. She lost terribly, and Chase got his first good hand of the evening.

“You’re good luck,” he told Alex, gathering up his chips. “You can stay.”

She frowned at the empty space in front of her. “Good luck for who?”

Then her phone rang, and she looked at the screen.

“Shit.” She got up and ran over to the door. Poking her head out, I saw her call to someone. “I am so sorry,” she said.

Her friend, Kelsey appeared in the doorway. “No sheet masks tonight?” she asked, holding up a pink bag that seemed to be overflowing with beauty products.

“I totally forgot,” Alex was telling her. “I came down to get us some food, and then the guys were playing poker and I lost track of time.”

Chase whistled to catch their attention. “Come on, next hand. I need my good-luck charm if I’m going to give Dante the whooping he deserves.”

“In your dreams,” Dante taunted.

Alex and Kelsey exchanged looks. “We don’t want to intrude on bro time,” Alex said, hesitating.

“Fuck bro time,” Chase said, demanding. “I’m on a hot streak, I can tell.”

They looked at each other again, and then Kelsey shrugged. “Sure, why not?” They joined us at the table, Alex snuggling in next to me again as her friend loaded up a plate with food.

“I love a woman with an appetite,” Chase told her.

Kelsey snorted with laughter. “Oh yeah?” she teased, and she stuffed a whole slice of pizza in her mouth, making sauce drip down her chin. “Still doing it for you?” she asked, chewing in his face with her mouth open.

Chase groaned, and pushed her away. “Gross.”

Kelsey laughed merrily. I was beginning to like this girl, but I should have known Alex would have great taste in friends.

“Now, can we get back to the game?” Dante interrupted, looking impatient. But just then, another intruder walked in.

“Oooh, game night,” Hayley said, sailing into the bar without knocking. “I love poker.”

“You hate poker,” I reminded my sister. “You think it’s a mean game.”

She pulled up a chair next to Dante, who ignored her.

“It is,” she told me. “But I don’t mind it when you guys are mean to each other.” She waved at Kelsey and Alex. “Hi, girls.”

They immediately had a round of hugs and kisses and cooing over each other’s hair.

“This is becoming an estrogen fest,” Sawyer muttered.

“Ain’t it great?” Chase quipped.

“You better be nice, or we’ll start talking about our periods,” Hayley teased. All the guys stopped and winced, and the girls burst out laughing.

“Come on then,” Alex said with a grin. “Are we going to play, or not?”

It took a few rounds before it became clear that Alex was not a terrible player. Not by a long shot. She was a full-on hustler, and after almost losing everything, she wiped the floor with all of us. Three times.

“I thought you weren’t any good at poker.” I stared at her in disbelief as she swept another armful of M&M chips into her pile. “Didn’t you say you would need help with the rules?”

“Did I say that?” She blinked at me innocently. “I guess I didn’t.” She tossed an M&M in the air and caught it in her mouth with a crunch.

“Trickster,” I accused, trying not to laugh.

“Sore loser,” she shot back, a smile on her face.

“Children,” Dante interrupted. “Are you going to fight or are you going to play?”

“I’m out this round.” I threw my cards down with a shrug.

“We’re running low on beer,” Liam noted, and I nodded.

“I’ll go grab some in the back.”

I was pulling a few six-packs off the shelf when I heard the sound of heels clicking on the hardwood floor. I turned to find Alex there, looking like my hottest fantasy. She had taken her jacket off, so it was just her in her pencil skirt and a silk blouse. One that I was pretty sure I could see the outline of her bra through. Alex leaned against the doorjamb, one leg propped up on the wall, her black heels only adding to my fantasy.

“Need some help?” she asked, coming over to me.

“Oh yeah,” I told her, before pulling her into my arms.

I kissed her, spinning her so she was pressed up against the storage shelves. Her hands were all over me, and mine were all over her. I had seen her last night, had fucked her last night, and yet I couldn’t seem to get enough of her. I wanted her all the time. I was obsessed.

She moaned against my mouth as I dragged my hands up her sides and cupped her breasts. I could feel her nipples through the thin lace of her bra and the thinner silk of her shirt. I was about ready to shove her skirt up to her waist so I could fuck her against the shelves when I heard someone call out.

“Where the hell is that beer?”

I pulled away from Alex, both of us laughing.

“Guess we should bring them what they want,” she said. “Before they come looking for us.”

I sighed, drinking in the sight of Alex looking thoroughly kissed—her hair a mess, her lips swollen, her eyes at half-mast. I wanted to take her upstairs and finish what we started, but I was also having fun watching her hustle my friends. There was something undeniably hot about a woman who was good at cards.

“Guess we should get back,” I reluctantly agreed, letting go of her and grabbing the six-packs I had come for.

We headed back into the room, and though no one said anything, it was clear that everyone knew what Alex and I had been doing in the back room. I didn’t care.

Now that it was evident that Alex was a kick-ass poker player, all pretenses were dropped, and she began kicking our asses in earnest. The guys responded the way they always did when they were losing—they began shit-talking with vengeance.

At first I worried that Alex would be put off by it, but she took it all in stride. In fact, it wasn’t long before she was dishing it back.

“Come on.” She took a card from Dante. “You guys are playing like a bunch of girls.” Then she paused and looked around the room. “What am I saying, you wish you played as well as a bunch of girls.”

Kelsey and Hayley laughed.

“Watch it,” Liam snorted at his cards. “Or we might have to ban you from the bar.”

“I doubt you’d be able to.” Alex put her arm around me. “Haven’t you heard I’ve got an in with the manager?”

She gave me a big, smacking kiss on the cheek before excusing herself from the table. As seemed to always be the case with women, she headed towards the bathroom, with Kelsey and Hayley following close behind. The minute they were gone, the guys turned to me.

“You are whipped, dude,” Sawyer commented with a smile.

“Totally whipped,” Liam agreed, but all of them were wearing grins.

“Jealous?” I asked them, crossing my arms.

“Fuck yeah,” Liam said immediately. “She’s hot.”

“I’d let her whip me any time,” Chase quipped.

We all threw popcorn at him.

“She seems nice,” said Dante, surprising all of us. “What?” he asked, when he noticed we were all staring at him. “She’s a good poker player.”

There you have it: the ultimate stamp of approval for him.

We were all laughing when the girls returned to the table.

“What did we miss?” Alex asked me.

“Nothing important,” I told her, pulling her onto my lap.

“What happened to you?” Kelsey asked Chase, brushing the popcorn out of his hair.

“Hazards of the job,” he told her. “The guys are jealous of how much attention you’re giving me.”

She laughed and was about to take a seat, but her phone rang. Her face lit up when she looked at the screen.

“Justin! I should take this,” she said, and she hurried outside to take the call.

“Who’s that?” Chase asked when she was gone. “Her boyfriend?”

“In a way.” Alex looked cagey, and the conversation moved on.

After a few hours—and more wins for Alex—we called it a night, and I headed upstairs with her.

It wasn’t until we were in her apartment that I realized I hadn’t even asked to come up. I had just expected that I would be spending the night at her place, the way we had been doing for the past couple of nights.

“OK if I stay?” I asked her as she slipped off her heels.

“Of course,” she said, winding her arms around my neck and kissing me. “I like it when you’re here.”

“I like it when I’m here too,” I told her, kissing her back, losing myself in her.

Then, abruptly, she pulled away. She had a look on her face, one that I couldn’t quite decipher, but it almost looked like she was nervous.

“What is it?” I asked, taking her hand.

“I don’t want to date other people,” she blurted out.

I blinked at her. “That’s good,” I told her. “I don’t want you to date other people either.”

“And I don’t want you to date other people,” she said, avoiding eye contact. “I want us to be exclusive.”

I couldn’t believe my luck. I had been holding back on having a conversation like this because I didn’t want to scare Alex away—and now she was the one bringing it up. I was a damn lucky guy.

“Is that OK?” Alex asked, and I realized I hadn’t even answered.

“Fuck yeah, it’s OK,” I told her, smiling. “I have no interest in dating anyone else.”

Her face brightened. “Really?”

“Really,” I confirmed, kissing her deeply.

Before she could protest, I swooped her up in my arms and carried her to the bed. We tumbled down onto the sheets, pulling each other’s clothes off. But just as we were going to get completely naked, Alex put her hand on my chest.

I paused and looked down at her. She was gorgeous, her soft blonde hair spread out across the pillow, her beautiful eyes blinking up at me, her lush lips parted.

“Well, since you’re officially my boyfriend,” she started, pausing for a moment, that nervous look returning to her face.

“Which I am,” I told her.

“I know it’s not your scene, but the firm is hosting a black-tie gala this weekend, and I would love for you to come with me.”

It wasn’t my scene, but I also knew that there was absolutely no way I could say no to Alex. And I didn’t want to. I wanted to make her happy. And I would do anything to achieve that.

“I’d love to go with you,” I told her.

She lit up, and she kissed me until I forgot how much I hated black-tie galas.

The guys were right. I was falling for this girl. Hard.