Page 30 of Play to Win

“I just have one question.”

“What?”

“Can you turn the car around and take me back to Vegas?”

8

THÉO

My head whips around,my jaw going slack.“What?”

“Kidding!Hey, eyes on the road!”

I snap my gaze back in front.“Jesus.”

She laughs.“Sorry.I was just joking.Believe me, your family feud sounds less scary than Ed and Lincoln.”

“Which dude was Lincoln?”

“The short one who didn’t talk.”

“Huh.”

“Okay, tell me more about your family.What are your mom’s and dad’s names?”

“My dad is Matthew; my mom’s Aline.”

“Aline.”She pronounces it carefully, imitating me, so that it sounds like Ah-lynn.“Okay.No other siblings?”

“Nope.I have a couple of cousins, and I have an aunt and three uncles who are younger than me.”

“Wait, what?”

“I know, I know, it’s weird.My grandpa?—”

“Your boss.”

“Yes.He’s on his second marriage.My grandma died before I was born, and Grandpa remarried.They have four kids who are technically my aunt and uncles, but they feel more like cousins.”

“Wow.”

“Just wait till you meet them all.”

She grimaces.“Can’t wait.”She slouches a little into the seat, then lifts her bare feet up onto the dash of my car.The loose skirt of her sundress falls down on her thighs and my body tightens in response to seeing those long, bare legs.

“Hey.Feet off the dash.”

“My feet are clean.”

“Well, sure, but ...”

“But what?”

“This vehicle is brand new.”

“I’m not doing any damage with my bare feet.I just had a pedicure the other day.”

Her purple-painted toenails gleam in the sun.And yeah, her feet look soft.Pretty.

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