Page 11 of Gabriel's Album

I ask our server for the check and sign for the meal, passing on my compliments as I do. It’s a couple of blocks to get to the pool hall from Giovanni’s. I’ve been to this place with the guys more times than I can count.

“Pool?” she asks me when we get close enough for her to realize where we’re going.

“Yup, do you play?”

“Not well, and not often.”

It’ll be nice to play with someone who doesn’t whoop my ass for once. I’m not terrible at the game, like Hayden, but I can’t beat Sebastian for the life of me.

“Great, because I don’t like to lose,” I tease her.

She pokes her tongue out at me as we walk into the building, and I’m distracted by thoughts of other things we could be doing together. I get us pool balls and chalk, then head to table eight. It’s on the left-hand side of the large room, which is full of tables.

The lighting in the pool hall is dim, with each table lit up by a light that hangs directly over it. The air is musty and filled with the sounds of people laughing and pool balls clacking against one another. I love coming to this place. I’ve been here more times than I can count after dinners at Giovanni’s with the guys. I’ve never brought a woman here before, though.

We each pick a cue from a rack on the wall, and I rack up the balls as I ask, “Do you want to break, or should I?”

“You can break,” she says as she gives me a smile, looking nervous as I nod my confirmation back at her.

I line up to take my shot, then hit the white ball toward the triangle of balls at the other end of the table. I knock down two stripes, which is a very good start to the game.

“I’m stripes; you’re solids,” I tell her with a grin on my face. “No pressure, but you have to sink at least one ball, or I’ll pants you.”

“You’ll ‘pants’ me?” She gives me a quizzical look.

“Yup, traditionally, you have to drop your trousers and run around the table in your underwear. I guess, in your case, you would have to hike your dress up over your hips.” I wink at her and look very obviously at the hem of her dress, thinking that I would very much like to succeed at doing this.

“Is that even legal? Wouldn’t we be kicked out?” she asks me, sounding incredulous.

“The rules of pantsing are steadfast. They cannot be broken. So make sure you get a ball down, no matter how much I would love for you to be pantsed.”

She takes her turn and hits one of my balls, looking adorably frustrated with herself when she does. On my turn, I get two balls down before I miss my next shot. Ariana manages to hit one of her solids, but it bounces off the side of the end pocket and doesn’t go in.

“You’re really not very good at this, are you?” I can’t resist teasing her before she takes her next turn.

“I told you I didn’t play very well,” she says. “You might just pants me yet.”

“Here, let me show you what to do.”

I walk over to her, place my hands on her shoulders, and turn her entire body so that she’s aimed toward the purple number-four ball that’s lined up with the corner pocket opposite us.

I stand directly behind her, place my left hand over hers at the front of the cue, and place my right arm around her to grip the cue behind her. I’m distracted for a moment because she smells flowery and exotic. Her hands feel so small underneath mine, and I want to explore every inch of her body.

I get my shit together before helping her sink the ball. She’s so excited that she jumps up and down, obviously pleased with the result, and it makes me smile.

“I did it!” she exclaims.

“You sure did,” I agree, even though it’s an obvious lie. “You’ve still got another shot left because you sunk that one. Let’s try and sink the ball by the center pocket.”

This gives me the excuse to hold her close again. I take my time lining her up to take her turn, enjoying the closeness between us. I put my hands on her shoulders to angle her, then place my hand over hers, but allow my left hand to slide down her arm to take position over her hand on the cue.

I hear her breathing speed up as we hit the white ball with the cue, sending the blue number-two into the center pocket. Obviously, she wants me as much as I want her, so I’m surprised by her next words.

“Um, I think I’ve got it now,” she tells me.

“Are you sure?” I ask, not moving from where I am, standing directly behind her with my arms still around her. She turns her face to me, and I’m amazed by just how green her eyes are. I murmur huskily, “I really think you could use a little more instruction.”

“Yeah, I am sure. Plus, those people over there are watching us, and I think they might have recognized you,” she tells me.

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