Snowbound in Starlight Bend: A Riding Hard Novella by Jennifer Ashley

Author:Jennifer Ashley [Ashley, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JA / AG Publishing
Published: 2017-10-16T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Haley’s heart thumped but at the same time, she tasted triumph. She was good at poker, very good at it. If she could rescue a company from its death throes and bring it back piece by piece until it made billions, she could win at poker against Maddox Campbell. There was a series of careful decisions in pulling a business back from bankruptcy, same as in poker.

Haley would pry all this man’s secrets from him and maybe have a look at his nice body too. They both wore layers of clothes against the cold, but all those layers wouldn’t help him in the long run.

“What about Aunt Jane?” Haley asked, glancing up the stairs. “I don’t think she’ll approve.”

“Aunt Jane sleeps hard,” Maddox said. He ran his thumb over the edges of the cards, snapping them together. “We can do this in my room if you want more privacy.”

“My room,” Haley said quickly. “You’re a bachelor. I’m sure mine’s neater.”

“Huh. You never grew up with Aunt Jane.” Maddox slapped the cards to his other hand. “But okay.”

He started up the stairs, not waiting for her. Lance woke up, snorted, and followed.

Haley scrambled to her feet, jogging to keep up with them both. Maddox walked calmly down the hall and into her room, which overlooked the front yard. Aunt Jane’s bedroom was in the back, Maddox’s and another spare room in between hers and Haleys’.

Lance hurried in, tail moving. Haley didn’t object—if they shut Lance out, he’d only scratch and whine until they let him in. Maddox shut the door all but a crack behind them, so Lance could paw his way out when he wished.

Maddox dragged the chair from the desk and turned it around to face the bed. He sat down, divided the deck in two, and began to shuffle the cards expertly on the bedspread.

Haley climbed onto the bed, sitting with her back to the headboard. She started to slide off her shoes, then thought better of it. Better to leave as many items on as possible.

Maddox continued to shuffle. “Five-card stud? Or Texas Hold-'Em?”

“Five-card is faster,” Haley said. “And more risky.”

“All right.” Maddox’s blue eyes glinted as though she’d sealed her fate. He dealt out the cards then slapped the pack facedown on the bedspread. Lance sank to the floor with a huff of breath and lowered his head to the carpet.

They didn’t bother with the usual betting rules or wild cards. What they had at the end of each hand would decide who won.

The first deal gave Haley a lousy pair of twos. She ditched the other three cards, took the replacements Maddox dealt her, and ended up with an ace to go with her twos, but nothing more.

“Call,” Maddox said, watching her carefully.

Haley sighed and laid down her cards. Her heart beat faster until Maddox dropped his hand. He had five unmatched cards, nothing at all.

Haley grinned in victory. “Ha. Okay, first question,” she said as Maddox gathered the cards and stacked them together.

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