by Allie Ritch
After she shuffled the cards, she made him cut before dealing them out. Her pulse skipped excitedly when she picked up her hand and examined what she had. There was potential. If she snagged a green or a hexagon, she could manage a run or a fractal. Statistically, she was more likely to get the run.
“Two please.” Glynn discarded and accepted the new additions.
Although Deina studied him closely, nothing in his expression gave him away.
She decided to play the odds. “Dealer takes one.”
Damn. All she wound up with was a pair.
In the past, she’d played with chips or credits, which gave her the opportunity to bluff people out. She didn’t have a chance at that here. This was a straight showdown, leaving her dependent on her luck and math skills.
“Trifecta,” Glynn announced. He laid out his cards.
Okay, so much for her luck this time. Deina grumbled as she revealed her own hand and made a grand spectacle of removing one of her open-toed shoes.
When it came to games, Deina had a competitive streak, but for once the loss didn’t sting. It was worth it to see the boyish grin on Glynn’s face.
“You have a beautiful foot,” he teased her.
She wiggled her toes at him, and he dealt the next hand. The moment she picked up her cards, Deina felt confident she had him. Her run came through this time.
“How many cards?” Glynn asked.
“Zero.”
He cocked one brow, but otherwise didn’t appear concerned. “Dealer takes three.”
Deina watched him as he swapped out his cards and arranged the new ones in his hand. Wanting to put a chink in his stoic facade, she extended her leg until her bare foot touched his toe. Very slowly, she ran it up the inside of his leg to his knee.
His gaze leaped to hers. “Trying to distract me?”
“Yes. Is it working?” Having reached his knee, she stretched so she could stroke his inner thigh. Her toes could just reach the fly of his pants.
“Some, but that won’t help you.” Despite his confident tone, he sounded a bit husky.
Much to her delight, Deina no longer had any difficulty tickling his crotch with her toes. Glynn’s fly was now bulging toward her, as if seeking her caress.
“Let’s see them,” he demanded.
Thoroughly enjoying herself now, Deina made a double entendre out of his statement. “Oh, baby, not until you win enough hands, remember? Sadly for you, it doesn’t look like this one will do it for you. Straight run.” She revealed her cards with a flourish.
He showed a pair, and the deal came back to her. Expecting him to lose a sock, she was surprised to see him unseal his shirt instead. In the next instant, he was sitting across from her bare-chested. Well, not exactly bare. He was a little hairier than some of the men she’d dated. Coarse, dark whorls covered his pecs and sternum in a vague T shape before forming an arrow straight down to his waistband. Deina wondered what all those curls would feel like scratching against her nipples. She was also curious to see what that arrow was pointing to.
Her cheeks felt warm, although she was far from embarrassed. She threw his words back at him. “Trying to distract me?”
“I’m flattered I can. I just thought it was getting a little hot in here.”
Scorching. Her whole body felt flushed now, and there was no denying her panties were damp. By some miracle, she managed not to fumble her cards as she picked up her next hand.
This one didn’t look as promising. She needed two reds or a pair because the rest of her cards were a mishmash. When it was her turn to draw, she held her breath. Deina nearly pumped her fist in victory when she saw two reds.
“Looks like I’m in trouble.” Glynn shook his head sadly. “You never know, though. Care to make this more interesting? Say, two articles of clothing for this hand?”
He probably thought she had a high pair or a run. If he was still hopeful, he most likely held a strong run, maybe an octagon on top. She could beat that.
“All right. Double the bet on this one. What do you got?”
Her jaw dropped when he laid out all yellows. That was better than reds.
Glynn whistled when she showed him her hand. “Closer than I thought, but I still win.” Leaning back in his seat, he laced his fingers behind his head and waited for her to strip.
Deina popped off her second shoe and chucked it to one side. Standing up, she then took her time untucking her blouse from her tight skirt. Her shirt hem hit her at the tops of her thighs, just barely covering her mons. Unsealing the side fastening of her skirt, she pushed it down her legs and flicked it off the end of one toe. Since she was wearing a lacy thong, she knew her panties remained unrevealed despite the generous flash of thigh her blouse afforded when she moved.
“No panties?” Glynn sounded excited. “You do like to live on the wild side. Why don’t you lift that blouse so I can enjoy the view?”
“Don’t even think about it.” She sat back down and crossed her legs. “You have to win first.”
“Not even a preview?”
She laughed. Who knew he could be this much fun?
Her luck returned over the next few hands. Sadly, she only managed to get him out of his socks at first, but he eventually shucked his pants. Although his boxers still covered the good stuff, she could see the outline of his cock tenting the material.
He won the following round, cutting her remaining clothing in half. Wanting to torment him, Deina reached for the thin straps of lace on her hips and pushed her panties down. The red thong was drenched by now anyway, and the rasp against her skin made her clench inside. After spinning the scrap around her finger a few times, she launched it across the table to bounce off her adversary’s chest.
“So you were wearing panties.” Glynn looked at the lingerie like it was a platinum trophy with his name on it. He inhaled audibly and closed his eyes for a moment. “I see I’m not the only one aroused by our little game.”
“Getting aroused has never been a problem for me.” She shuffled the cards.
“What has been the problem?”
Counting off the sixth card into her hand, she glanced at him through her lashes. “Finding someone to satisfy me.”
His gaze turned molten. When he picked up his cards, she saw him throw his whole concentration into his next play. Since they both only had one more article of clothing to lose, Deina did the same. She had to win this hand.
Glynn discarded one, and she took three. Fortune was with her, and she nearly did a happy dance when she saw all that pretty green—even better than all yellow. Deina had him. She could already picture their wedding and all the naughty things she’d do to him that night.
“You look confident,” he remarked.
She allowed some of her triumph to show. “Oh, I am.”
“Should I be scared?”
“I would be if I were you. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
His gaze locked on her as he played the moment out, revealing only one card at a time. It was a good hand, all yellow, starting at a triangle and leading up to…
“No way.” Deina felt victory slip from her grasp as he laid out the final card.
He had a royal guard—the highest hand possible. Her cards fell face up out of her slackened grip.
Glynn leaned forward to see what she had, although it was a moot point. “Too bad. You had a nice hand.”
His grin heated her blood from simmer to boil, making her forget why she hadn’t wanted to lose. Standing up, she reached for her blouse and unsealed the front closure. The soft fabric slid off her shoulders and floated silently to the floor, leaving her stark naked in front of him. Never one to be shy, Deina planted her hands on her hips and faced him boldly as he inspected her.
“Very nice.” His gaze lingered before he got to his feet. “I’ll be collecting my winnings now.”
Without further warning, he threw her over his shoulder and headed for the bedroom.
*
“Glynn!” Dei
na’s surprised squeal made him laugh.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had so much fun, or any fun for that matter. Yes, Deina was definitely good for him. Pretty soon, he’d find out exactly how good.
Her skin was smooth against his, and he loved the contrast between her firm muscles and the soft pillows of her breasts. There was nothing like having a hot, naked woman in your arms, especially one who enticed him as much as she did. When he got to his bed, he resisted the urge to toss her onto the mattress and lowered her gently onto the edge. He’d already hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his boxer shorts when her hands covered them and her lips brushed his abs.
“Allow me,” she purred.
It was a measure of how sensitive Glynn was to her that just the feel of her moist breath on his navel made him tremble. His fingers flexed reflexively before going lax. The waistband of his boxers abraded his skin like fingernails as she tugged them down his thighs and let them drop.
The light caress of her mouth across his belly was enough to give him heart palpitations. Then she tested his hipbone with her teeth, which made his cock lurch higher and harder yet. When her delicate hand found his swollen sac, he was caught between agony and ecstasy.
“This looks painful.” Deina’s gaze locked with his when she glanced up. “You’re bloodred here. Does it hurt?”
The ache was so bad he nearly moaned. “Don’t worry about the color. A Semhym’s testicles darken over time.” Over time when they weren’t able to spend some of their stored-up seed.
“If you’re sure.” Cradling his sac like a fragile egg, she ducked her head to envelop his shaft in her mouth.
Glynn wasn’t much for vocalizing during sex, but the feel of her lush mouth had a litany of prayers and curses tumbling from his lips. He’d always known she had a quick tongue. Now she proved just how dexterous it was. She swirled the tip around his crown, tapped the sweet spot behind his glans, and traced the veins running along his length.
Thanks to his temperamental libido, he had no fear of coming too early. There was, however, a limit to how much raw stimulation he could stand. When he could no longer stop his hips from thrusting and he grew light-headed, he grasped her head and gently pulled her away.
Deina immediately slid back to lie full-length on the bed. Holding his gaze, she splayed her legs wide in demand.
Although her offer was tempting, he wasn’t inclined to let her have the upper hand. He crawled between her legs all right, but high enough to press his mouth to one perfect pink nipple.
“I remember how much you love having your breasts played with.”
Her response was a squeal as he latched on, nibbling and tongue-flicking the precious pebble by turns.
At the same time, Glynn got a hand between her thighs. Instead of probing or stroking her as she no doubt expected, he lightly pinched her labia together with his fingers. Her folds were so slick with excitement it was easy to slide her nether lips back and forth against each other. He made sure her clit was sandwiched tightly enough to feel the pinch.
“Ah, gods,” she cried. “Get inside me. Get inside me now.”
Feeling stubborn, Glynn tormented her for a full minute before giving in. By the time he rose over her and positioned the tip of his cock at her entrance, they were both panting.
“Come on, my Semhym. Let’s see what you can do.” She meant to goad him, but he was surprised by how softly she murmured the endearment.
Was he hers? He was about to find out. With a firm, steady push, he sank into her welcoming body.
Hot, tight, wet—she was everything a woman was supposed to be. He always loved this moment best. During that first fusion, that first instant of connection, anything was possible. There was so much potential for bliss. And for frustration.
Gritting his teeth against the pleasure, Glynn drew back for the premier plunge. His return thrust set off ripples of sensation in his shaft, making him do it again. And again. He settled in for a long ride.
Beneath him, Deina was anything but still or modest. She threw her hips up at him, made demands, and clasped his flexing buttocks to make him deepen his angle. The tiny bite of her nails in his flanks spurred him on.
“More.” Deina keened. “Like that. Yes, yes, bump me there. That’s it. I’m nearly there. A little faster. Yes!”
Her body convulsed under his. The force of her orgasm made her muscles lock on to his shaft, milking and pulling and fluttering until he almost felt as if he was coming with her. Almost, but not quite.
Usually, he hated this part—watching his partner achieve climax when he knew he probably wouldn’t join her. With Deina, though, all he felt was satisfaction. She was magnificent in the throes of passion, enjoying her orgasm with the same abandon as she did everything else in life. What’s more, she stared up at him like he was a god once she regained her wits enough to realize he was still hard.
She giggled like a girl with a new present. “You’re a machine, Glynn. Come on. Give me more.”
Shifting so he was sure to strum her clit on every stroke, he indulged her with an insistent rhythm.
In response, she encircled him with her legs and pulled him deeper. “Come on. I’m not made of glass. Do me.”
He heard the command between grunts—noises he was surprised to hear coming from his throat. Each jolt into her body lit off incredible spikes of pleasure in his cock. In fact, he felt a promising tingle in his scrotum. Was this finally it?
Giving in to the urge to rut, he took her as hard as he could. Within minutes, she was screaming his name. This time, when her channel seized around his erection, the power of her orgasm triggered his own.
His penis lurched so fiercely it felt like someone must have kicked him in the backside. Strong, mind-numbing pulses rebounded along his shaft, blinding him to everything else. The feeling was so intense it took him a moment to be sure, but there was no deluding himself. All of those wonderful pulses were dry.
Disappointment and hope mingled even before he stopped coming. Glynn couldn’t believe he hadn’t spilled his seed. After all these years of waiting—his whole life, in fact—he wanted a wet release so badly. Even sans ejaculate, though, this was the most potent orgasm he’d ever experienced. It made him think maybe.
Even with a compatible partner, a full release didn’t always happen the first time. The tickle he’d felt in his balls had certainly been promising. He’d have to try again with her.
Glynn could feel the grin of anticipation on his face. There were definitely worse fates to befall a man.
*
Deina curled her fingers around Glynn’s while she lay there and caught her breath. Along with a luscious bunch of aftershocks, she enjoyed how warm and open he’d become. He kissed her and caressed her skin with all the tenderness and adoration a woman could hope for. Gone was his usual reserve, the solemn mask he showed the world. He had good reason to look happy, too.
Given the strength of her feelings for him, Deina had expected the sex to be good, but she’d never guessed it would be that good. She’d come more than once, hard and deep. There was only one problem.
“You didn’t ejaculate, did you?” She tried to wrap her mind around that. “You came, but you didn’t spill. Is that what you meant by Semhyms being complicated?”
“Yes.” He said it matter-of-factly, but she felt the tension enter his body.
This was obviously a sore subject.
She was afraid to ask, but… “Does that mean we’re not sexually compatible?”
“The results were inconclusive.” Although he tried to sound serious, there was a definite smirk in his voice. “We’ll have to test it again.”
Her libido gave a silent, “Hell, yeah!” The craftier part of her held her back. Here was another opportunity for her to get what she wanted.
“You already collected your winnings for this round.” Spearing her fingers through his chest hair, she gave it a light tug. “The terms were I’d sleep with you tonight. Our bet didn
’t include extra testing.”
Deina snickered. Leave it to Glynn to refer to lovemaking as some kind of scientific experiment.
His frown was back. “Didn’t I please you?”
“Of course you did.” Foolish man. “But I haven’t won a marriage proposal out of you yet. We’ll have to play for it again, and next time I’ll choose the game. We’ll do it here. How’s Friday night?”
“You’re on.” The gleam returned to his eye, although she saw it fade quickly when she got up to retrieve her clothes.
He didn’t say anything, but Deina could tell he didn’t want her to leave. Truth be told, she would rather have stayed in his arms. It was best to leave now, though, before he recovered and realized tonight wasn’t technically over until midnight.
Deina was playing for keeps this time, and she had no intention of losing.
Chapter 11
Ring Toss
Deina knew just the game to play. Glynn may have been sharp at cards, but it would take physical dexterity to win this next competition. She felt confident as she walked into his condo Friday night.
The transformation she’d seen in Glynn’s demeanor remained, leaving her to wonder how much of his uptightness had been due to sexual frustration. Although his smile was still a subtle twitch of his lips, his eyes were alight, and he rubbed his hands together eagerly.
“What’s the game?” he asked.
Enjoying his enthusiasm, Deina crooked her finger to make him follow her into his bedroom. She set down her bag and pulled out her props.
“Ever play ring toss?”
She could already tell by his expression he hadn’t, but his headshake confirmed it.
“The rules are simple. We each get three throws per round to get the ring over the stake. Let’s make it a distance of, oh, about six feet. Best two out of three. If I win, you give me a marriage proposal and don’t get to sleep with me again until our wedding night. If you win, you get to have sex with me—”
“The whole weekend.”
Deina blinked in surprise. ‘What?”
