9. Poker
CHAPTER 9
POKER
Meri is a confident woman, and I kinda love that I’m throwing her off balance.
Meri’s pupils dilate, and she ducks her head. I know my comment is throwing her off balance, but I’d rather that than her anger. I’ve got enough of that surging through my veins for both of us.
At church this morning, I discussed Neero with the club. I’d already had Tracer dig into the other players’ backgrounds, and none of them are squeaky clean. But Neero is another story. While I wouldn’t have put him in the threat category, he’s certainly got some questionable business practices.
His attitude last night changed my perspective. Meri has always garnered respect and held her ground, but I could tell he rattled her. And now she has this note signed ‘N’. The only logical conclusion is that it’s from Neero.
“And what way is that?” she asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Like you want to lick me like a lollipop,” I deadpan.
Her eyes widen, and her cheeks infuse with color. “Well, that was… specific.”
“Yet you don’t deny it.”
Meri holds my gaze for a beat and then turns away. “Poker, I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to that,” she says as she moves back toward the mop bucket.
I snag her by the wrist and force her to face me again. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Pretend like there’s nothing here.”
What the fuck am I doing?
“We’re friends.”
“Yeah, we are.”
“What do you want from me?”
It’s a fairly simple question, but the answer is infinitely more complicated. I want so much from her that it eats me up inside. But I also started this flirting to distract myself from my anger, so I didn’t scare her.
I drop her arm and thrust a hand through my hair. “I want you to be honest with me,” I settle on saying. “It’s clear that that note rattled you, so why are you trying like hell to make me think otherwise?”
“Maybe I am rattled,” she says. “But I’m a big girl, Poker. I can take care of myself.”
“How many times do I have to tell you that I never thought you couldn’t?” I snap, annoyed.
“I… What do you want from me?” she groans.
“I want you to let me be your friend. Talk to me when something is bothering you. Ask me for help if you need it. Just… let me in a little.”
Let me take care of you, protect you, be whatever it is you need in a man.
“And how exactly would you help me with this situation?”
I arch a brow. “Babe, I’m a Soulless King. If someone is giving you shit or threatening you, I’d show them in horrific detail exactly why that’s the dumbest thing they could do.”
Meri swallows, but her nostrils flare. “You say that like I’m yours to protect.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her she is, but I wisely keep that to myself. “You’re my friend. Enough said.”
“Can we just drop it, please? I really want to finish up here and get home.”
I heave a sigh. I’m being a pushy asshole, and I hate it. “Yeah, sure.”
We spend the next hour in silence. Once Meri declares the state of the warehouse ‘as clean as it’s gonna get’, I help her carry the trash to the dumpster out back. After she locks up, she turns away from the building to face me.
“Thanks for your help.”
“No problem.”
She stares at me for a long moment before taking a deep breath and blurting, “How do you feel about gardening?”
“Um…”
“Never mind,” she mutters and tries to step around me.
Again, I grab her wrist, and the softness of her skin sends shockwaves straight to my cock. “Why do you ask?”
She lifts her eyes to mine. “I’m going to work on my garden when I get home and then I’m gonna make some spaghetti. I always make too much so…” Her unfinished question hangs in the air.
“Are you asking me if I want to come to your place?”
“I…” Meri squares her shoulders. “Yeah, I guess. But it’s stupid. Of course, you don’t like to garden. And I’m sure you’d much rather have steak than spaghetti.”
I grin at her nervousness. Meri is a confident woman, and I kinda love that I’m throwing her off balance.
“You’re right about the steak,” I admit. “How ‘bout I grab a couple at the store and meet you at your place? We can garden, and then I’ll grill out.” I tilt my head. “You do have a grill, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s settled.”
She nods once. “Okay. I, um… Give me your phone.”
I reach into my cut and grab it to hand to her.
“What’s your passcode?” she asks.
“Six three seven four,” I reply with zero hesitation.
She taps on the screen a few times. I move to stand and look over her shoulder. Watching her navigate to my contacts and enter her own information makes my heart beat double time.
“There,” she says as she hands the cell back to me. “Now you’ve got my address.”
“Right.”
“I’m gonna head home, so I’ll see you when you get there.”
“Okay. Need anything else at the store while I’m there?”
I repeat, what the fuck am I doing?
“No, but thanks,” she says with a smile.
“Okay. See ya soon.”
I move around her toward my Harley.
“Poker?”
I stop and glance over my shoulder. “Yeah.”
“I would lick you like a lollipop.”