“For what? You’ll just wake up in the morning and we’ll play more poker. May as well keep going.”
“I already owe you too much money.”
“Double or nothing?” His voice was low, almost sexual, and she wanted to slap him.
“Can’t afford it.”
“You might always win.”
“Only if you let me.”
“Then we can wager for more traditional stakes.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Such as what?”
“I’d start with your underwear.”
Okay, that wasn’t what she was expecting. She felt her reaction down low, shocking herself. “I don’t think they’re your style.”
His smile was slow and sensual. “No, they’re not. That’s why I want you out of them.”
For a moment she said nothing. “Clearly you’re bored. You’re forgetting I’ve gotten pretty good at calling your bluff. If you’re trying to make me squirm it won’t work.”
“It looked to me as if you just squirmed quite nicely.”
She could feel her face heat. “Then you’re imagining things. I’m sorry you don’t have some suitable female around to practice on, but we’ll be in Spain in another couple of days and I’m sure you can find someone more appealing.”
“Stop it.”
Her eyes widened. There was no humor, no teasing in his voice now, but an undercurrent of real anger. Don’t pull the tiger’s tail, she thought absently. And did so anyway. “Stop what?”
“Guilelessness doesn’t become you.”
“You think I’m guileful?”
“I think you know exactly what’s between us, and you know that sooner or later you’re going to have to face it.”
“I don’t have to face anything I don’t want to.”
“Yes, you do.” He dealt the cards with brisk, elegant efficiency. “Pick up your hand.”
“I want to go to bed.”
“We can do that instead.”
She couldn’t help her reaction, and he raised his eyes. “Don’t flinch. You know damned well I’m not going to hurt you.”
She didn’t know any such thing. He might not inflict physical pain on her body, but he could destroy any last hope of equanimity she had left. “I came to Callivera for peace,” she said, seemingly a non-sequitur. “If I were interested in a relationship I would have stayed home, not gone to live with a priest.”
“First off, Sister Beth, if you were looking for peace you made a big mistake in choosing a country like Callivera. Second, I’m not offering you a relationship. They don’t work for me.”
“Then what are you offering me?”
“The best sex of your life.”
It was out there now, what she’d been trying to pretend didn’t exist. “That’s not saying much.” The words were out before she had a chance to think better of it.
“I know.” He picked up his own hand, then gave her an evil smile. “One hundred thousand dollars against your bra, Sister Beth. Surely it’s worth the risk.”