Page 29 of Wild Card (Advantage Play 1)

The tension in the room spikes as he scratches the scruff on his chiseled jaw, but it doesn’t stop me from blatantly checking him out.

“So that’s what it’s like,” he notes.

The huskiness in his voice distracts me, and I catch myself peeking up into his hypnotic eyes.

“That’s what what’s like?” I ask.

“Being checked out.”

I laugh while covering my face as my cheeks heat to epic proportions. “Yup. How’d you like it?”

With a shrug, he offers, “Meh. Not too bad. I don’t know what you women are always complaining about.”

Again, I just shake my head as another fit of giggles rolls through me.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“And you’re gorgeous. Even with no skin showing,” he compliments. I’m positive I’ll burn up from embarrassment as I drop my gaze down to my bare feet, speechless. Taking a step closer until we’re nearly chest to chest, he changes the subject. “You wanted to tell me something?”

Clearing my throat in hopes of breaking the spell, I look back up at him and reply, “Uh, yeah. I wanted to let you know that I found out the date of the tournament.”

A smirk tugs at the corner of his lips. “Yeah. We already figured that part out.”

“How?”

“The casino has been advertising the hell out of the tournament since the night you and I talked. It was even on the news, Ace. How did you not know about it as soon as it was announced a few days ago?”

Well, that’s not embarrassing.

My cheeks are on fire as I admit, “I don’t exactly watch the news.”

“I figured.”

I open my mouth to respond before closing it again, and he watches with amusement as I stumble along. “S-so why’d you come if you already knew the date of the tournament?” My voice is laced with confusion, and Kingston hears it loud and clear.

“I didn’t know that’s the information you were going to give me.”

“But you suspected it,” I counter.

“Yeah.” Lifting his hand, Kingston tucks a few dark strands of hair behind my ear, then confirms my suspicion. “I suspected it.”

Frozen, I let his calloused fingers brush against the shell of my ear before he drops his arm back down to his side. But he doesn’t back away. Nope. That would be way too convenient for me and my muddled feelings.

I’ve never felt more confused in my entire life, but a question tugs at the back of my mind, and because I’m begging for punishment, I voice it aloud. “Do you always touch your informants like this?” My chest squeezes with curiosity, though I refuse to admit why I’m anxious to hear his response.

With a flash of a smile, his tongue sneaks out between his lips to moisten them before his piercing gaze pins me in place.

“Not usually,” he rumbles.

“Then, why me?”

The question hangs in the air, making his silence speak louder than words. I can’t believe I just said that out loud. It’s not like I’m special or anything. He probably just thinks I’d be an easy lay, and since he’s using me for information, I bet that he assumes he could pass the time with a solid screw too, right?

My head screams this is a terrible idea, while the rest of my body is shouting the opposite. I mean, is there anything wrong with a solid screw? I wouldn’t know from personal experience, but I’ve heard good things. Things that have made me wonder if the entire world is smoking something when it comes to the idea of sex, or if my childhood has screwed me up to the point that I’ll never understand what it’s like to enjoy a solid orgasm unless I’m alone in my bed with an itch that needs to be scratched.

As I stare at the tan skin along the column of his throat, that same insistent curiosity threatens to take over again. What would it be like if someone else scratched that itch for me? Chewing on my lower lip, I can’t seem to find my voice, but I don’t know what I would say, anyway, so maybe it’s for the best. Hell, I can’t figure out how my body betrayed me by rubbing up against his as I find us standing so closely together that I can feel his warmth radiating through my thin hoodie. However, at least leaning closer to him is the only thing my traitorous body did when the possibilities running through my mind are endless.

“I should get going.” He steps back, taking his heat with him. “Let me know if you hear anything else.”

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