Page 3 of Stealthy Seduction
The hand finished with the poker chips stacked in front of Steele. It helped a lot that Izzy moved out of view.
By the time the new hand was dealt, he was just hitting his stride. The ladies went off to soak in the hot tub, which meant they could really get down to business. Steele won two hands, and Mason one.
When the women filed in again, some sporting swimsuits with towels wrapped around them, his stare went straight to the only woman he didn’t want to see—yet couldn’t take his damn eyes off of.
It had been too long since he’d seen any action that didn’t involve a sniper rifle.
Izzy trailed in last, a colorful beach towel swaddling her hips, the end twisted and tucked in at the smallest part of her waist. And that bikini top Steele had envisioned.
It wasn’t exactly the same, but damn close. The bright orange color, almost red, made her skin glow. The cups weren’t triangles but still left little to the imagination.
Kennedy walked straight over to Dante and leaned over his shoulder. Alyssa passed behind Steele and he quickly lowered his cards so she couldn’t see his hand. But the next minute her lover, Julian Chase, won the round.
And Izzy stood on the outside of the group, margarita in hand and one hip cocked outward. He always suspected the woman saw too much, could read undercurrents most people didn’t pick up. She’d once been an investigative journalist. Her job was digging up dirt and spreading it out for the public to see no matter how filthy it was.
He stared at her for a moment too long, and Mason noticed. Of course he did.
“Hey, Izzy. You good at poker?” Mason called out.
“Yes.”
No boasting about her skills. Just yes.
Mason pointed to a vacant seat, which happened to be beside himself. “Deal her in, boys.”
As soon as she’d settled and had cards fanned in her slender fingers, Steele ripped his stare away from her bikini top long enough to catch her eye. “You can’t be good at poker.”
“Why is that?”
“You don’t have a poker face.”
But she did have freckles.
She gave a small toss of her head that sent her loose curls dancing along her sleek shoulders. “Are you kidding me? I paid half of my rent in college from poker winnings.”
“So you do have a poker face.”
She looked straight at him. “No. It’s my boobs.”
The table erupted in laughter, but more than one of the single guys were staring at her breasts.
Laughing, Alyssa returned to the kitchen and came back with a glass of water. Kennedy slipped into Dante’s lap. When Kennedy leaned closer to whisper something to Izzy, Steele straightened. “All right, y’all stop cheating. No whispering with the players. Alyssa has walked behind me three times now. She got a good look at my cards and everyone else’s.”
Alyssa chuckled. “What reason would I have for looking at your terrible hand, Hudson?”
At her use of his name, Izzy’s eyes flashed to him.
“No one is cheating, Steele. You’re just on a losing streak.” Mason threw a look at Izzy.
Christ, that enticing plunge of Izzy’s bikini top was driving him to distraction.
“Wouldn’t you be more comfortable with a shirt on?” Steele blurted.
The room went dead silent.
Izzy leaned forward, giving him—and everyone else—a better view of her cleavage. “I don’t know, Steele. Wouldyoube more comfortable if I had a shirt on?”
“You know what this game needs?” May broke the tension. “More snacks.” She took off to the kitchen and returned with bowls overflowing with peanuts and pretzels.
