"I just want to make it clear. I don't hustle. I'm good, I'll win, and you'll pout. I'm trying to be completely upfront about my abilities."
He tilts his head as a gleam of curiosity comes over his eyes.
"I don't pout when I lose. I am, however, a little distressed that I don't get to enjoy the pleasure of teaching you to shoot."
I just smile as I grab the first cue that doesn't look too worn. These aren't the best choices, but they'll do. I've certainly used worse.
He racks the balls, and I chalk the end of my cue stick as he finishes forming the perfect triangle.
"Eight-ball?" he asks, making my grin only grow.
"Perfect. You can go first."
He laughs while walking over to join me. "I was raised that ladies go first. It's not an anti-feminist thing; just a gentlemanly thing. After you."
He sweeps his hand in an ushering motion, and I shrug.
"I just thought you might want a chance to shoot."
His laugh comes out again as he shakes his head. "You're killing me. I'm really glad you came out with me."
He didn't give me much of a choice. Winning a game of pool sounds like more fun than watching Courtney and Kade rekindle their lost romance.
I keep telling myself it's for the best, but it still hurts. She's from his world, he obviously missed her, considering the hug he was wrapped up in.
I shake free from the distracting thoughts as I line up the cue ball and set up my break. With one perfectly executed thrust, I strike the ball precisely. I watch as it clanks against the others and they roll out with an excellent spread, knocking two solids into the top two pockets.
"I'll take solids," I say with a smile and a wink.
He leans back, seeming amused as he watches me move on to my shot. The cue ball lightly kisses the solid three, and it rolls in, thudding against the padded bottom of the pocket.
After a few walks around the table and several tricky, but well calculated shots, I end up with a ton of stripes in my way for the eight ball shot.
"This has to be the most fun I've ever had watching pool," he murmurs, seeming to swoon over me a little.
I've seen stars in the eyes of many people who watched in amazement as my dad decimated a table or two. His specialty is poker. Mine is twenty-one. Pool is always fun, too, though.
"Eight ball, corner pocket," I murmur, tapping the pocket of my choice with the end of my cue stick for good measure.
"That's going to be a tricky shot," he says, eyeing the predicament and mess of scattered stripes littering the route I'll have to take.
"Those are my favorite."
I don't look back, but I feel his grin. As I take a breath, I gauge the bank in which my shot will have to bounce off. A gentle graze of the cue ball against the eight ball will be all it needs to slip into the pocket, but I'll have to do it without scratching. That's not going to be easy.
With a final stroke, I propel the cue ball to the exact place I mean to on the bank of the table. It bounces back and rolls straight between the small divide in stripes, never veering off course, and it taps the eight ball perfectly to force it to roll in. The white cue ball slowly drifts to a stop centimeters before it joins the eight ball in the pocket. Winner, winner.
"That has to be the sexiest thing I've ever seen in my life. I'd fall to your feet and worship you right now if I knew you wouldn't get embarrassed."
I sigh smugly while laying down the cue stick and pretending to dust my hands. "I prefer to be worshipped from afar."
His laughter rumbles free as he shakes his head and goes to line up the balls again. I start to call the waitress over to order a new beer, but I'm met by deep blue eyes from a far off table. My heart almost stops beating. Kade is here, and damn... he looks pissed.
Courtney's arm is draped around the back of his chair as she talks animatedly to Erica. Wren is talking to Tag, and Kade's death-glare is locked on me. Tag and Wren follow his gaze to me and Lyle. What did I do wrong? Is he pissed that I'm here with his girlfriend's brother? It's not like I'm making waves for his future business plans.
Tag's smile falls when he sees the murderous gleam in Kade's eyes. He stands when Kade does, and puts his hand on his chest, as though he's holding him back.
Lyle's hand slides around my waist as he asks the waitress for two more beers.