Free DragonGames by Jory Strong

the idea of being away from an audience
appealed to her, as did the thought of spending time alone with the man the
cards favored.
    She could have all his chips in a couple of
plays, though worry nibbled at the edges of her psyche. Hadn’t she imagined him
a dragon intent on stealing treasure, lulling his opponents into a false sense
of security then striking?
    Yet still she said, “And if I win?”
    “I will fund a field trip for your class in
the upcoming school year. Anything logistically feasible. A trip to Disney
World perhaps? Or the private screening of a not-yet-released movie, with
snacks provided of course. What do you think?”
    She thought what he offered was far more
tempting than jewelry—and far more dangerous. It meant he understood her well
enough to know where her weaknesses lay.
    Did she dare take this private? Would she
regret it if she said yes? Or regret it more if she said no? “Make it a field
trip for all of the third-grade students.”
    “Done.” As easily as that, as if money was
no problem.
    Because he actually had that kind of
wealth? Or because he considered the card table an ATM? Though in studying
poker, she knew even the best players had long streaks of losing.
    “I’ll take the bet,” she said.
    Tielo’s smile made her think of a dragon
stretched out on a jewel-covered ledge and basking in the sun. “Deal the cards,
Pierce.”

Chapter Five
     
    Tielo purred when he looked at his hole
cards, a pair of kings. The sound of his satisfaction was soft enough Lyra
didn’t hear it, though the dragons crowding the velvet rope did. They knew
within moments he’d have his mate behind closed doors and his seduction would
begin.
    Pierce would be left with the task of
dealing with males who wanted to know when their mates would arrive at
Drake’s Lair. Fitting retribution given fey trickery.
    Lyra nibbled her bottom lip, signifying she
had nothing but possibility. It was a tell that would dismay her if she knew of
it, though the sight made him want to lean forward and take that same lip
between his teeth, to explore it with his tongue as a precursor to delving into
her mouth.
    Pierce spread the three-card flop—queen of
clubs, two of clubs, jack of hearts.
    The tell disappeared, and that in itself was a tell. She now had something.
    But it wasn’t worry that twisted in his
chest, leaving him conflicted and uncomfortable. It was imagining her radiant
smile at being able to do something wonderful for the children.
    A glance down at his chips said he couldn’t
afford to lose. He very much feared he would if he couldn’t chase her from the
game before turn and river cards joined the flop. “All in.”
    Lyra contemplated it for all of a second
but the chance of a field trip was too tempting. “I call.”
    Tielo flipped his cards over.
    A soft “damn” escaped when Lyra saw his
kings against her sevens with the possibility of a straight.
    Chip racks arrived. Tumultuous,
contradictory emotions buffeted Lyra as she left the velvet-roped public table
and moved through a crowd of men whose attention remained focused on her. Twice
her steps faltered, as if some instinct for self-preservation tried to kick in.
Twice, a glance at Tielo burned away resistance.
    I can handle this. I can handle him.
    It wasn’t panic that flared in her belly at
glimpsing the bed in the attached living quarters, or at finally being alone
with Tielo after a small, intimate poker table had been set up in the middle of
the office.
    She swallowed. She’d underestimated his
effect on her.
    If she’d thought she’d been caught in a
maelstrom of desire out in the club, with plenty of distraction and an audience
guaranteeing self-control, in private it was like being on the edge of a fiery
vortex with him at the center.
    She closed her eyes but it didn’t help. His
features might as well have been branded on the backs of her eyelids and the
need for him painted onto every inch of her skin.
    “A drink?” he