Page 32 of The Gambler

Cruz.

Except, Cruz was just the tip of the iceberg. She had to find a way to tell Luca he was gunning for the wrong man. But how? Maybe another margarita would help.

Yes, because alcohol is a real problem solver.

It can make your worries drown.

Nope. My worries can float just fine.

“So, what’s up with you and Luca?” Tommie asked.

“Not much.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

Mary gave her a look. “He didn’t look too pleased tonight when we came to pick you up. Also, he handed you your jacket really fast, like he wanted to cover you up or something.”

Tess snorted. “That’s because the gap in my cleavage is a possible health hazard. He can’t have me catch a cold and get sick. How else would he find his archnemesis?”

“I don’t think that’s why he threw a jacket over you,” Tommie said in a weird tone.

“Maybe you’re right.” Mary threw a frown toward the bar. “Who knows why men do the things they do?”

Tess followed her gaze only to find Mary’s husband, Hector checking them out. As always, he was focused on his wife. She imagined that the possessive man became even more protective when they had their baby a few months back.

“Yikes.” Tommie followed Mary’s focus. “Way to go, girl, ice that big chunk of manliness right out of your face. Forget Tess. What’s up with you two?”

Tess found Hector frowning back at his wife. The club was beginning to turn into a big frowning festival. Wonderful.

“We had words about him spoiling Zoe rotten,” Mary explained. “And by spoiling, I mean spoiling. As in, anything she wants, he just buys for her. So, I’m not speaking to him right now.”

Ah, the much overrated and counter-effective silent treatment. “That’s no way to punish a guy,” Tess explained. “You should talk more to him. Like, a lot more. According to a study, you punish a guy more by talking his ears off than keeping your mouth shut. In fact, most men see it as a gift when their wife shuts her hole. I believe they perceive it as a moment of silent, marital bliss.”

Mary’s mouth dropped. Then her eyes narrowed as she slowly turned toward Hector again. “Oh my God. Of course. I just never saw it that way before.”

Before Tess could get into the not-so-very academic scientific proof of the social sciences, Mary had veered off toward her husband.

Hector folded his arms across his large chest as his wife, who barely reached his chest, started talking to him. And kept on talking. Adding in gestures with her hands. In fact, Mary didn’t shut up for at least five minutes. A strange thing happened when Mary started telling Hector off. A smile formed on the former Marine’s face. A smile that Tess could only describe as… wolfish.

Tommie was following the one-sided discussion with much interest. “Yeah, I don’t think Hector feels like his marital bliss is over now Mary’s talking. He looks like he…um—”

“Just wants to eat her up.” The way Luca had looked at her the other night. The way he had kissed her as if he couldn't get enough of her. It was the strangest feeling, and even thinking about it made her tingle and formed a hot spark in her belly. Strange because she hadn’t believed it possible to feel that way. Strange because never before had the reality of something she’d read about been better in real life. Her life just didn’t work out that way. A father was supposed to love and protect his child; in theory. In reality, her father never had. Being smart and working hard was supposed to land you a good job. It hadn’t happened. Exchanging scorching kisses with your boyfriend? Never happened to her. Well, not before Luca, and he technically wasn’t even her boyfriend.

A collective laugh shook her out of her thought. Everyone was looking at the bar. Hector had thrown Mary over his shoulder and sauntered off with her.

“There’s the Hector I know,” Tommie said. “Guess your advice wasn’t so sound after all.”

True that. “So much for the social sciences.”

Tommie chugged down the rest of his drink. “What a sad getting laid night it is tonight. Now, we’re only left with two. We should make a new rule about this night. Whoever doesn’t show up has to pay for the drinks the next time.”

“I second that.” She glanced at the bar and found Hector’s right-hand man looking after his boss with a smile. “So, Tommie, when are you going to ask Achilles on a date?”

Tommie almost choked on his drink. “Achilles? He's straight.”

“Are you sure?”

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