Page 1 of Trick's Trap

Chapter 1

Trick Tyler glanced over his cards at the beautiful brunette sitting across from him. She wasn’t just winning—she wasdestroyinghim.

He hadn’t lost this badly in ages, not since his older brother Liam first taught him how to play poker.

Trick squinted at his cards. Three of a kind, a middling hand. He’d won with less, but his gut told him it wasn’t enough. Not against this girl. There was no way to turn this around. He was going to lose.

Well, I may as well enjoy the ride down. He threw a few hundred-dollar chips on the stack in the center of the table with a flourish.

Was it his imagination or did his adversary smile? He wasn’t sure. She had an incredible poker face…and an incredible everything else. Trick fixed on her full lips a beat too long before forcing his focus back to the game as she matched his bet.

Didn’t work.Even her hands were amazing.Huh. He’d always thought long nails were elegant. Now they seemed excessive somehow compared to these neat unpainted ones.

Trick gave himself a little shake. Waxing poetic on a woman’s nails? What was wrong with him? Everything about this girl was scrambling his signals.

The only other player, a sweaty middle-aged man, folded with a grunt. He shot them a dirty look before standing and heading to the bar.

Feeling decadent, Trick threw another grand in chips into the pile in the middle of the table, then peeked at the girl again. She lifted her drink to her lip, sucking it up through a tiny red straw. All the blood in his head promptly rushed south.

Trick gave himself a little shake. If he didn’t end this, he was going to embarrass himself. “I call.”

He held his breath, mesmerized, as his alluring adversary laid her cards on the table.

Of course. She had a straight, which beat his two pair. It was official—he’d lost.

“Will you marry me?” The words were out of his mouth without thought, but he wasn’t about to take them back.

The girl stopped with her hand halfway to the chips. Trick smiled at her. One corner of her lip turned up, but he wasn’t sure if she was smiling back.

She pushed her chair away from the table. “The last guy I beat wearing a suit like yours didn’t propose. He accused me of cheating.”

Her voice was like a warm whiskey. He immediately fell in love with the rich buttery sound.

Trick dismissed her observation about men in suits with a wave. “That guy was a jackass. What do you say to a June wedding?”

This time, she laughed. Suddenly feeling like a winner, he sat back as she signaled Chao, their host. “Can I please cash out?” she asked him when he arrived.

Damn. Did that mean she was leaving?

Chao murmured something and handed the chips to an underling. They were duly carried off to the no-go zone in the back where the count room was located. The brunette turned away.

“Are you sure you want to go without setting a date? Our children would be the most adorable sharks on the playground,” he called after her.

She turned and smirked, but only for a second. Trick half-considered following her, but chasing her smacked of desperation. He hadn’t chased a girl since…ever. Even in school, they chased him.

Smiling wistfully, he watched the brunette go. She banked left, heading in the direction of the bar and bathrooms.

It’s not the exit…night’s not over yet.

He rose to his feet, heading to the small dais where the owner’s private table was located. From there, the gangster observed his domain. “Tell me everything about her, Chao.”

Chao didn’t bat an eyelash, but Trick sensed he was amused.

“I’m very sorry,Mr. Scott,but I can’t oblige,” Chao said with an emphasis on the name. “You understand.”

Damn. Trick should have known he wouldn’t get anything out of his crusty host. Chao knew his name wasn’t Scott. One of the reasons this gaming hall was so successful was because of the staff’s discretion. No one used their real name here. If people had the cash and could keep their mouth shut, they were welcome. They, in turn, protected your anonymity.

He tried a charming smile. “I don’t suppose there’s anything I can do to change your mind?”

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