Page 4 of Play to Win

“Well, one of them is Théo Somebody, and he just got a new job in California.”

“They’re all hockey players!From the Nevada Mustangs!”

“Ah.”We’ve had a hockey team in town for a few years now; they made quite an entertainment splash in Sin City.

“Well, they’re notallplayers.”Crystal eyes the group.“I think the big older guy is the coach.I forget his name.And I don’t know who Théo is.”

“You’re not much of a fan.”I flash her a teasing smile.

“I’ve only been to a few games,” she admits.“But it was fun.”

I pick up my tray loaded with glasses.I don’t know anything about hockey, and I don’t usually have time to watch much of it, between this and the two other jobs I was working until recently.

The guys are all laughing uproariously about something when I arrive with their drinks, and I smile as I set things on the tables.No one grabs my ass as I bend over, so I count that as a win.Not only that, they all say thank you when I’m done.I’m impressed.Hopefully they’re good tippers.

“Should I bring food menus by?”I ask, making eye contact with a couple of the men.

“Yeah, yeah,” the first man who spoke says.“We should order some food.”

“Absolutely.”

After I’ve taken orders and served a variety of small plates for them to share, I take stock of the table to see if they’re getting low on anything.“Is your new job a promotion?”I ask the man named Théo.

I’m not really flirting with him.I like to be friendly and make conversation with the customers I’m taking care of.

“Yeah.”His grin is a little loose, like he’s well lubricated.“Sort of.”He runs a hand through his hair, messing it, which is very attractive.My gaze drops to his legs; he has one foot crossed over the opposite knee, wearing expensive-looking loafers, his feet and ankles bare—no socks.For some reason, this strikes me as insanely sexy, and I have a hard time looking away.“Whole new job.”

“I’m sure you’ll do well at it.”I smile as I say it, even though I have no idea if that’s true.“Good luck.”

The man sitting beside him snorts.“You’re gonna need a fuckton of luck.”

This sparks my curiosity.

“I sure as hell am,” Théo agrees.“That’s why I’m getting shitfaced tonight.”

The other man’s forehead creases.“You sure you made the right decision, man?”

I sense his genuine concern and surmise they must be pretty good friends.

“I’m sure.”Théo nods, still smiling indolently.“You know me.Every decision carefully thought out.”

“True.”

“And I’m just joking about the luck.I got this, dude.”He lifts a hand, slaps it onto his friend’s thigh just above the knee, and squeezes.

“Yow!”The guy flinches.

Apparently Théo has strong hands.

“Get your mitts off me, asshole.”The man shoves Théo, but they’re both laughing.

I’m standing here watching them instead of working, and I give myself a mental shake.“Anything else I can get for you right now?”I keep my smile pleasant.

This time Théo meets my eyes, and I feel a little zap through to my core, a sizzling connection.He’s more attractive than I first thought.Maybe it was the glasses, or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention, but there’s something about him that pulls at me.The corners of his mouth are tipped up and his eyes gleam, as if he wants to ask me for something inappropriate.

And I kind of want him to do it.

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