Page 30 of Since Day One

“We have a lot of time to burn,” he answered and gestured at the little silver objects. “Pick your player.”

“The money bags, obviously ’cause I’m going to win all your money.” I snatched it up and placed it on “go” as he grabbed the race car.

“I think you’re about to find out how wrong you are, Princess,” he gruffly answered and began dishing out the money. Then it began. A slow game of strategy, smarts, and waiting. Waiting for the first person to make a move. To give in to the temptation of claiming property in an effort to gain their advantage, all while risking the loss of their own self-control.

Chapter 11

“AH HA!” he exclaimed in triumph as my money bag game piece landed on his second railroad. Already nearly broke, luck seemed to be taking matters into its own hands and mocking me. Nothing I owned, including the entire orange set, had returned revenue yet. My last chance, the final glimmer of hope to somehow get out of this situation, was scoring Boardwalk because that would give me a monopoly on the blue spaces.

Leaning backward, I plopped flat on my back and groaned. While my stomach was feeling mostly content from the food we’d eaten over an hour ago, every other portion of me was completely upset with how things were currently going.

“Come on, Princess, pay up.” He wiggled his fingers at me, grinning widely, knowing I was about to have to mortgage another one of the properties I owned. How was he constantly jumping over my spots, or always landing on the cheap ones?

Reluctantly, I placed a palm against the floorboards to push myself upright, unintentionally catching the edge of the sleeve beneath my hand. Before I realized what it was and what the ensuing consequences would be, I sat all the way up, snapping open the top two buttons of my shirt. The sleeve tugged off of my shoulder and exposed more cleavage than I’d ever flashed a man before in my entire life.

Gunnar’s eyes immediately locked onto it and darkened for half a second before pulling his gaze away as fast as he could.

“I’m so sorry,” I said, my entire face burning the brightest red in shock.

Reaching up to fix the buttons, I paused as a completely dirty and desperate trick crossed my mind. I could leave it. He clearly looked already, and undoubtedly would look again, which might take Gunnar’s mind out of the game. On the other hand, it would be a slightly unfair advantage.

However, he had accused me of possibly poisoning him earlier.

Plus, if I was being completely honest with myself, I kind of wanted him to look at me like that again. Like he enjoyed what he saw. And this time linger. My heart jumped as the confession filled my mind.

Only Gunnar, though; because for whatever confusing reason, the look that crossed his face briefly had made my stomach flip with an unexpected feeling I wanted more of.

Deciding to play halfway fair, I did up one of the two buttons and then rolled up the part of the sleeve that had unfurled beneath my palm. Gunnar slowly returned his hungry gaze as I leisurely finished the job, and I could see the wheels spinning in his head. His eyes darted back and forth between my eyes and what I was intentionally allowing him to have a little peek at.

“So, could we strike a deal?” I asked, giving him doe eyes, praying this worked.

“What—“ He cleared his throat. “What deal is that?” he asked, torn between being a gentleman and looking. His eyes darted around, struggling to find something to focus on.

I tipped my bare shoulder toward him, angling to give him just a little better view, and his brows twitched before he looked away and chose to stare at the floor.

“You get my two railroads, for payment of the spot I’m on and I get Boardwalk,” I said, pushing the two cards slowly across the table. Then I added, “It’ll mean you own all four railroads, which I obviously land on frequently.”

He gazed at the two cards on the table, refusing to look at me. So I leaned an elbow on the table and placed my chin against my hand, rocking his attention toward me again.

And more importantly, gave him full access to my rather accentuated cleavage.

“Fine,” he agreed, and I grinned. “Plus I want all of the cash that you’ve got left.”

“Deal!” I slid him the cards and gathered the little cash that was left. It was only fifty dollars, so not much. I had nothing to lose at this point, but it turned into the best deal ever made. Well, for me.

Jumping to my feet, I threw my fists into the air. “YESSSS!” I shouted in glee, doing a little happy dance. Gunnar landed on Boardwalk right after I upgraded to hotels. Almost all of his properties were already mortgaged, and the cash, plus anything he had left, would not cover the amount he now owed me.

“Sit your ass down,” he grumbled.

Giggling in response as my skin tingled with excitement, I plopped cross-legged down on the floor. Doing another little jig in place, he threw his hands over his face and leaned backward against the couch.

“I told you I’d take all your money.” I clapped in glee.

“I don’t think you accidentally unbuttoned your shirt,” he replied behind his palms.

“Excuse me? What are you saying?”

“You knew exactly what you were doing, cheater,” he answered, sliding his hands down his face and glaring at me over his fingers.

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