Hot in the City

Della slid her fingers up to the buttons on her blouse. Maybe she should try unloosening a few. Learn from the experts, they always say.

Instead, she sipped her cola and observed Gabe’s smile as the attendant engaged him in a few seconds of small talk—including letting him know she was on a weekend layover once they got into New York.

Subtle. Not.

Della stared out the window at the cloud layer, enjoying the view and pretending not to hear their conversation.

Suddenly, a warm hand closed around hers, and she nearly jumped out of her seat. Gabe’s fingers squeezed hers slightly, stemming her startled response.

“Thanks, but my girl Della and I are on an anniversary trip. Three weeks this weekend since we met.”

Gabe lifted her hand and kissed it, and Della simply let him, too surprised to do otherwise. The flight attendant looked like she wanted to gag.

“Well, then, enjoy your weekend.” Her smile was forced as her eyes met Della’s, with no small amount of disbelief.

As the attendant moved on, Della extricated her hand and whispered, “What did you say that for?”

Gabe shrugged. “She was being rude, and I wasn’t interested. Thanks for helping out.”

Della laughed. “She probably didn’t believe we’re together for a second.”

“Why not?”

She leveled him a disbelieving look. He was being completely serious. This incredibly hot man had no notion why a very sexy woman would not believe he was with her.

“Have you looked in a mirror lately?” she asked with a laugh.

He shook his head, staring back at her. “Have you?” he asked in the same tone.

Surprise choked off any reply.

“We should keep the ruse up, don’t you think?” he asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows and a grin that Della was helpless to resist.

She was more than willing to play.

“Sure. Why not?”

He leaned in closer. “This is a delicate undercover project. You’ll do whatever I need you to do,” he teased mischievously.

Della almost giggled.

“Well, nothing that could put me on a no-fly list.”

“That leaves a lot we could do,” he said, and though she knew he was only flirting, having some fun, there was a look in his eye that threw her off. Like he was enjoying this as much as she was.

“Well, it’s only been three weeks. And I’ve been out of town for most of that time. I’m not sure we’ve had sex yet,” she said primly.

He chuckled and leaned in. “Oh, honey, we had sex the first night, and almost every night after. We can’t keep our hands off each other. It’s the most amazing sex of your life,” he said, gloating.

Della’s pulse raced at the thought. “You’re pretty confident. And apparently I’m very...easy.”

He nodded. “See? We’re like peanut butter and jelly.”

Again, he made her laugh. Unsure what to say, she resorted to reaching into her bag for a deck of cards she always carried with her.

“Play cards?” she asked.

“What game?”

“Solitaire.”

“How about poker? Maybe we could make it interesting, if you’re a girl who likes to gamble.”

“No gambling for me,” she said with a shake of her head.

“Addiction?” he asked, very seriously.

“No, I’m just...really good.” She glanced at him from under her lashes, hoping he bought it. “I always win.”

One brow raised. “Lots of college poker parties?”

“Something like that.”

The truth was that she won because she couldn’t help but count the cards and mentally calculate odds. It had almost gotten her into hot water at a casino once.

“Well, now you’ve made me curious. No stakes, but let’s see if you’re as good as you say you are.”

She smiled, taking out the cards and shuffling them quite expertly, which drew another impressed glance from her sexy neighbor.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

He was toast.

Della took the majority of the hands over the course of the flight, but she admired how Gabe didn’t give up. She also liked that he wasn’t a sore loser. In fact, he seemed to have a lot of fun with her, unlike other men she’d played cards with. They never liked a woman winning all the time.

If there had been stakes, she would have cleaned him out.

Gabe managed to win a few hands. He was a clever player, and though he wasn’t counting cards, he was a shrewd observer and had a great poker face.

He won the last hand as the captain announced their imminent arrival, his grin wide.

“Too bad I didn’t bet a kiss on that last hand.”

“I, um, er,” she mumbled as she almost dropped the cards while putting them back in the box.

He caught them, sliding his hand over hers as he did so.

She held her breath as they started their descent. Gabe didn’t release her hand, but squeezed it reassuringly.