Page 12 of Wild in the Woods
Very naughty.
Very dirty.
Ha, joke was on him because so was she.
“Fine, then let’s play a round of pool with a bet on the table. If I win, you agree to meet with me and show me around your business. If I lose, I leave in the morning never to bother you again.”
Panic unfurled in her gut and blossomed like a cactus. What the hell was she doing? She had no idea how to play pool!
He held back a laugh, grinning, and holy mother of Mary, his gorgeous face lit up and she had to hold her breath to stop a moan from escaping.
“Come on, lady. Are you sure that’s the bet you want to make?”
I’d like to bet something that involves both of us losing our clothes, but that wouldn’t be very professional, would it?
She cleared her throat. “Yes.”
A pool stick was suddenly thrust into her hand.
Shocked, she looked around to see where it had come from. A group of men watched them from the farthest pool table, all trying desperately to pretend they weren’t.
“Come on, then.”
He offered her his hand. Lulu looked at it. So square and strong, his fingers capable and work hardened. Remembering how incredible it felt to have his hand on her arm, she thought twice about taking his hand and decided against it. Instead, she grabbed her drink and walked to the pool table with the balls already racked in the center and mentally demanded every movie scene she’d ever seen involving a game of pool to come to mind. Don’t hit the black ball into a pocket before all the other balls were gone. That was about all she knew.
The crowd of men gave them berth around the table. Their eyes on her were unnerving but she’d power through. If it meant getting the story she’d come for, she’d endure pretty much anything. Glancing subtly at Fox, she pulled together all the confidence she didn’t feel but was about to fake and moved next to him at the head of the table.
“You break first,” he said and lifted the rack from the balls in the center of the table.
Their eyes caught then ripped apart. Her heart picked up with the impulse to stare at him and never stop.
Lulu, focus.
“Break. Right. Yes, I will, I will break the balls.”
He scratched his temple, his voice deadpan. “You’ll break the balls.”
Her cheeks heated. “I’m very good at breaking balls.”
There was a snicker from the back of the room.
“I believe that.” Fox crossed his arms.
“Good. Because I’m about to break yours.”
Lulu approached the table and put her cue on top of the edge. How was she supposed to hold this thing? It seemed too long for her and maybe a bit too heavy.
“Can we trade sticks?”
Fox arched a brow. “Sorry, no. A man’s cue is personal. Once he finds one that he likes, he doesn’t give it up. Rules are rules.”
“That sounds like a made-up rule to me.”
He lifted his chin. “Sounds like you should investigate that.”
Ignoring his sass, she held the cue the way she thought was probably right, pulled back a little and took a shot. The balls cracked straight down the middle, spinning all over the table. A striped one slid into the corner pocket followed by another. A third striped ball rolled into a side pocket.
“Oh my God,” she gushed. “I sunk three, all stripes. That means I get to keep going.”
