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Do not yell at him. He’s trying to be helpful.
High-handed.
Overbearing.
But helpful.
She hissed out a breath. “Aaron, this isn’t going to work if you keep reminding me of our unequal roles financially. I’ve been living here a week. Believe me, I know you make a whole hell of a lot more money than I do. You don’t have to whip out your wallet for every little thing to prove it.” He narrowed his eyes, but she kept talking, determined not to ruin their evening. “And you know you don’t have to skip alcohol on my account. I’m the only one required to be depressingly sober for the next however long. No reason for both of us to suffer.”
“It’s hardly suffering.” He nudged her glass across the counter to her.
If she squinted just right, she might be able to pretend it was wine. Not that Becka wanted to drink. The thought of the scent of wine was enough to have her wrinkling her nose in distaste. Safe to say she wasn’t going to be one of those pregnant ladies who indulged in a glass or two from time to time. That said, it would have been nice to have the option. She took a drink of her cranberry juice instead. “So, about that strip poker.”
Aaron choked. “I was joking.”
“I know. But it sounds fun, and if we can’t drink together and make bad life choices, we might as well go ahead with the bad life choices anyway.”
“You have a strange way of looking at things.”
Didn’t she know it? “Strange, but compelling.” She pushed to her feet and padded over to the coffee table. “Come on. I know you have cards around here somewhere.” Becka sank cross-legged onto the floor next to the table and set her wineglass on a coaster. Knowing Aaron, the piece was probably painfully expensive, and she wasn’t going to be the one to ruin it.
The baby won’t know better, though. Babies destroy shit. It’s in their genetic makeup, I’m pretty sure.
She pushed the thought away. No use working so damn hard not to ruin tonight if she was going to let herself do it despite everything. She looked up just as Aaron came back into the room, cards in hand. He sat on the other side of the table and raised his brows. “You sure?”
“You say that like I’m going to lose and you’re trying to give me a gracious exit.”
He laughed, the deep sound doing funny things to her stomach...and lower. The twinkle in his blue eyes didn’t help her control any, either. “Aw, minx, you’re cute when you’re in denial.”
“Denial?” She sank as much fake outrage into the word as she could.
“Denial,” he repeated. “You’re going to be naked and coming on my mouth inside of five hands.”
Her jaw dropped even as she shifted to her knees and pressed her thighs together. As if that would be enough to stop the need his words suddenly had pulsing through her body. “Pride goeth before the fall, mister.”
“And sometimes the pride is just reality.” He was still smiling, the heat in his eyes barely banked as he dealt out two cards to each of them. “I’m assuming Texas Hold’em works for you.”
“My favorite.” She studied her cards—a king and an ace—and laid them facedown on the table. “You know, if you’re trying to punish me for losing, saying I’m going to be coming on your mouth is hardly the way to go about it.”
He leaned forward and propped his elbows on the coffee table. “It’s not about you losing.”
“Actually—”
“It’s about me winning.” He stared at her mouth and then lifted his gaze almost reluctantly. “You naked on my couch, your thighs spread wide, and feeling you come while I suck on that pretty little clit of yours? That’s winning for me, minx. No question about it.”
She couldn’t quite draw a full breath. “Sounds like I’m still getting the better end of the bargain.”
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “But you still lose at cards.”
And that was something she’d never willingly do. Becka forced herself to inhale and straighten. “In that case, when you lose—yes, I said when, not if—then you’re going to be naked and you’re going to be coming in my mouth.” The shocked look on his face was almost as good as actually winning would be. She pasted an innocent expression on her face. “Sorry, is there a problem?”
Aaron cleared his throat. “No problem.” He nodded at her cards. “You ready?”
“I was born ready, baby.” She laughed, her stress falling away for the first time in months. Right now, in this moment, nothing outside the two of them and this game of cards mattered. She could stress about the future and she and Aaron could go back to warily circling each other in the morning. Tonight, she was going to enjoy herself.
And she was going to enjoy the fuck out of Aaron, too.
Aaron was losing. He didn’t know how Becka was pulling it off, but he was down to his boxer briefs and cursing himself for not throwing on an extra layer of clothing before their date. She wore her bra and her leggings and nothing else, but she had a look in her eye for this hand that he didn’t like.
