The Grumpy Recluse's Wager: A Grumpy NeighborSunshine Curvy Girl Romance (The Mountain Men of Saddle Creek Book 1) by Kat Baxter

Author:Kat Baxter [Baxter, Kat]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-06-19T16:00:00+00:00

chapter five

Natalie

“So what are we playing? Five card draw? Texas Hold ‘Em? Seven Card Stud?” I ask.

The guy across from me, Grayson, I believe, releases a low whistle.

“Nah, she’s all talk, aren’t you, darlin?” the man next to him says.

“Can we quit jawing and play?” Linc asks.

It is wrong on so many levels, but there is something so attractive and sexy when he’s all gruff and growly. I have zero fear around this man and none of my red lights come on, as it were. He’s a bit prickly on the outside, but inside it’s all sweetness. Kinda like a dragonfruit.

“Whose deal is it?” Landry asks.

“It was Cain’s.”

Linc opens his mouth like he’s going to argue that front, but I just pick up the deck and shuffle. All three big, bearded guys go silent and still as I work the cards in my hand, including doing the shuffle bridge.

“Damn woman, are you a card shark and you didn’t tell us?” Grayson asks.

I laugh. “No. But my family played cards a lot. My stepdad went to Vegas to play and taught me how to shuffle and deal so he and my mom could practice.”

I can feel the weight of Linc’s gaze, but I keep my eyes on the cards in my hand.

“Dealer’s choice,” Linc finally says.

“Five card draw,” I say. Then I deal it out. I win that hand which doesn’t surprise me, but does the men. They all agree that since I’m playing with Cain’s money (that he left there) then it’s cool with them.

The next several hands go by quickly. The guys have clearly been playing together for years. There’s a lot of teasing, plenty of easy banter, and the occasional off color joke. For a bunch of guys that have the reputation of being grumpy loners, they all make the effort to include me.

Either Linc is a crap player, or he’s distracted, because he loses more often than he wins, and pretty soon he’s down to only a few chips. If the scowl on his face every time one of the other guys talks to me is any indication, I’d guess he’s distracted. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was jealous.

Just that thought is enough to make heart beat faster.

“Dude, you need to get your head in the game,” Grayson quips, elbowing Linc.

Linc’s frown deepens. “Shut the fuck up.”

“Seriously, you’ve folded every hand.”

“Maybe he just has crappy cards,” I say diplomatically.

Landry snorts. “Not likely. Not this many hands in a row.”

“Fine,” Linc snaps, pushing the last of his chips to the center of the table. “I’m all in.”

Grayson and Landry both fold with a smirk, leaving just me and Linc in the game.

I glance down at my full house and grin. “I see your bet and I would raise you, but since you’re all in, I guess we’ll stick with this.” I raise an eyebrow. “What’s it going to be? You gonna fold? Or do you have something else to offer up?”

I hear a faint chuckle from Grayson, but don’t even glance at him because I’m too busy holding Linc’s gaze.

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