Page 27 of Inflame

“What? This machine is broken. I made a triple bet.”

Our drinks arrive and she downs hers so fast that the waitress is still around for her to order another one. I stuff some bills into the tip glass and take a long sip from my own.

“What do you expect from a quarter machine?”

“Definitely more than what I just earned.”

She pouts her bottom lip out, does another triple bet, and makes the machine ring out again. The sound is so loud, but doesn’t compete with Claire’s high-pitched squeal of delight. Even though she knows it can’t be much, she has hope beaming in her eyes as she looks at me, pumping her arms.

The machine finally stops and concludes that her earnings are $9.25, due to scoring points for multiple lines of matching fruits.

“I am going to beat you so badly!” she chants.

“If you keep winning, even small bets like these, you probably will,” I chuckle. But seeing her this carefree makes me the real winner. She, however, is in a relationship already. So, I have to play my cards correctly if I am going to make this mutually beneficial for the both of us.

Claire finishes her ten rounds with $110.25 on her card, with a net profit of $10.25.

“Not bad,” I tell her. I laugh as she dances around the machine, telling me to “suck it” and that she “so has this in the bag.”

I max out the winning chances, taking up five rounds at once. I pull the lever and watch as the fruit rolls along the bars, finally stopping. The machine buzzes with a loss. I do this one more time, maxing out the bet. With the pull of the lever, the machine goes wild.

“Oh shit,” she groans, watching the money rack up. “I gave you the winning machine. This is all my fault.”

“I’ll share my profit with you.”

Her laugh goes right to my groin. I sip my drink, finishing it off.

“Whelp, you just beat me by fifty cents. I cannot believe it.”

“Want to renegotiate the bet?” I ask.

“Depends what you have in mind.”

“Do you know how to play poker?”

“I have watched the big tournaments on TV, but it was for Texas Hold’em. I think I know the basics.”

I nod and hide a grin. I honestly have no idea what to expect from her playing skills, but I am eager to find out. “How about we try the limit tables and see who comes out ahead? We’ll buy in at the same amount and whoever lasts the longest wins.”

“What are we betting?”

“If you win, I’ll make sure Graham does not sabotage your stripper outing.”

“Ugh, you really think he is going to keep us from going?”

“Have you met the man?”

Her face scrunches up. “Good point.”

“When it comes to his fiancée looking at other male bodies, I guarantee you he would put a stop to it. Or tag along and make it super awkward.”

She shakes her head. “Yeah, you’re right. Okay, I think that is a worthy enough bet. But what do you get out of it if I lose?”

I swallow hard. “If you lose, we go to a steakhouse during this trip and you have to try a bite of everything.”

“Oh my gosh, no.” She shudders over the thought. “Okay, this is pure motivation for me winning. I can’t even tell you the last time I had meat. Pretty sure it was bacon and Angie reminded me how smart pigs are”—she stops and looks to be in pain—“I just can’t.”

I can’t stop laughing around her. She is so unique and different from any other girl I have been around. She is like a fresh breeze of purified air.

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