Bluffing the Devil
C. L. Foster
Prologue
Every one of my senses ignited simultaneously making me stuck between wishing for instant death and or immortality, I could not decide which. “It’s sweet that you try to be modest, my love” the silhouette said with a soft, husky chuckle as I tried to hide my nudity with a blanket. Why was I even doing that? We were in complete darkness. I couldn't see him but oh.my.God. I could feel him, everywhere.
“Maybe I am cold,” I retorted.
“Perhaps I am not doing my job properly if you feel cold, kitten.” Ooh, was he going to use an endearment every time he spoke to me? His husky voice nearly purred itself across my sensitive skin. I had read about that in books at least a dozen times before, but feeling it was a totally different experience that I highly recommend to everyone.
“I am sure that you are doing your ‘job’ just fine, thank you” as my cheeks flushed and I recalled exactly what sort of job that was, and the current situation I was in.
Over the last three nights, the literal ‘man of my dreams’ had managed to seduce every one of my senses, save the one that most people would typically use as their way of deciphering if someone was their “taste” or not. While I was not one for random acts of seduction or even interested in that which people could call tantric, this shadowed stranger had delighted and pleased me in every way imaginable. If I was being honest with myself, I wanted more. Waking up was my least favorite activity anymore. I wanted to savor each nanosecond I could with him.
Snapping out of my momentary lapse in conversation with my knight of darkness, I felt him move again and realized he was moving closer to me again. Sweet Jesus, I don’t know what I did to deserve these dreams but please do not wake me for a few more hours! A girl could get used to this…
Chapter 1
“Alexia, will you come ON already! My God, I'm going to be a grandmother by the time you get it in gear! You’re like the slowest person ever today, what’s wrong with you, weirdo??” Victoria huffed as I tried to keep the utter look of boredom and disinterest off of my face.
She only got away with such exasperating sounding commands as one of the many privileges of being my best friend. Her dazzling emerald eyes often worked on lesser creatures, but not me. I am either a stone-cold ninja with the ability to not melt at gemstone-colored, doll-like eyes, or I am oblivious to her charms after all of these years. Her gaze was locked onto me like a starving lioness waiting for her next meal and I was totally unmoved. She was nearly begging me to step up my pace, or be her next meal. If I didn't love her so much, I might be afraid of such a deadly combination of fiery red Pixie-cut hair and dagger-shooting laser vision. Yes, ninja it is.
Victoria and two other friends were trying to force me to keep up with their ridiculous pace on their boring idea of an "adventure". I had been in Atlantic City at least two dozen times before. Whenever a good poker event was coming to town or someone I idolized was going to be there, I would put my game face on, and head out to see if I could add to my growing bank roll. I hoped to learn some secrets or tips to the game that I loved so much. I didn’t always win, of course, but it was always a rush, and I was always learning something new. True poker players know that you cannot win them all, but you can always learn something in every game. Focus and concentration on every aspect was the key.
We were strolling down the Boardwalk, well I was strolling, they were nearly galloping, in search of somewhere new and exciting to have dinner my mind was just not on the right track apparently. I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my hoodie and tried to keep up with their quicker-than-necessary pace. I mean, we are in one of the most gorgeous places on the Eastern seaboard and they were running past the beauty of the water, the lights, and the sounds to be stuck in some glistening restaurant. While that might be nice and fancy for some people, I'd rather take a sandwich and a piece of fruit down to the beach and enjoy the waves and peace. There's nothing quite like the different array of colored lights dancing across the waves as they crash to shore. The light and water tango was a beautiful mixture of color and power that created a perfectly peaceful moment in my soul every time I saw it.
The dreams must be getting to me. I haven’t been able to focus on much of anything else lately except that delicious sample of man that kept creeping into my dreams. Of course, it could simply be because I had decided to give up on men forever and was just in the right mindset for the dreams. Either that or I was tense and needed some serious exercise, or a good tumble in the sack was in order. Exercise was much easier to come by and with it way less attachments, so I had been hitting the gym at least six times a week. This particular week, after he entered my dreams, I had not been able to focus on much more than the need I felt. Great. Now I was turning into some raging nympho in my mind with no outlet. Way to think things through, Alexia! Put on your big girl panties… or any panties for that matter, and focus on your goals for a change, would ya?
Of course, it’s not as if I could really control those dreams anyway. Every night, I dream. I always have. My dreams used to be about mysteries, or fantastic days that I hoped to one day live. Like a trip to Australia where I get to go snorkeling, go to the Sydney Opera house, play in the Aussie Millions tournament (yes, I’m only slightly addicted to poker, but that’s normal… right?), and see things that you just do not see in the states. I am totally willing to forgo the experience of the ginormous snakes I'd seen on National Geographic. They are cute, from a distance. Like Monet paintings and sticky children.
Other dreams would be almost psychic in nature, and then suddenly I started dreaming about this stranger, every night. It’s not as if they are bad dreams. On the contrary, they were probably some of the most delicious dreams in history - all dark, mysterious, and a complete fantasy for the books. I could never see his face, didn’t know his name but I remembered how he smelled, what every touch of his hands felt like all over my body, how his lips tasted….. whoa! Nympho alert!! See? Wait… shouldn’t I be replying? Didn’t someone ask me something? Oh yeah…
“Seriously guys, I offered to stay at the hotel and just get room service and chill before my tournament starts. You do not need to do me any ‘favors’ my bringing me out to walk around a city I have seen a zillion and thirty-seven times,” I protested even though I knew they were probably right to get me out and try to get me to do something. The dreams had me wishing I could sleep more and more. For an insomniac to try at all hours of the day to find any excuse to nap is just proof that the dreams make me think like a crazy person!
“So every time we come join you on one of your poker adventures, we all have to stay trapped in some hotel room and do nothing while you go be a superstar. We just get the grand pleasure of watching you at your finest? BO-RING!” Carly piped in, even though I don’t recall asking for her two cents on the matter. She stood tall with perfect posture, always. Her hands were placed delicately on her narrow hips and she was tossing her brunette mane around as if she was auditioning for a shampoo commercial. Her violet rimmed-grey eyes began to plead when she realized she had my full attention. “I want to see some lights, food, men! Let’s get crazy enough to get arrested, but be so cute that they won’t want to arrest us! These boobs don't look like this without HELP and effort, chicky! Do you know how long it took me to get ready? Let’s DO something, and have fun while we are here, Lexi! Don't waste all of my primping time! Puh-leaseeeeee??”
As if nearly getting arrested, showing off her cleavage, and the rest of that would really make our lives complete, annoying females. How am I friends with them? Oh yeah, just smooshed together through life, and ended up sticking together. I guess I am stuck with them. Usually I would be happy about that. Right now, meh.
“No, you all decided you wanted to join me and invited yourselves. I am tired and need to rest my mind after that drive. If I go in there like this, I won’t do as well and I know I can make the final table.” I sounded like a petulant brat, but it was true.
Something about me was just off lately. Calling ridiculous raises with a pair or even less, not realizing when someone obviously has me crushed the whole way and were check-raising me to death, but what do I do about it? Nothing! I just make the call with the weakest hand ever and embarrass myself or worse, lose more money. I needed to get my head back in the game, but this little ‘adventure’ and these dreams were not helping me one bit!
“You know what you need?” Rhea chimed in.
Oh yeah, she is here, too? I forgot even who is with me. Wow. See? I cannot even focus on lifelong friends, and I keep forgetting what I am doing. I need to focus… wait, what was she saying? Geez…. You would think I would not be allowed to forget Rhea. She has always been the brazen, little life of our merry band of beatniks. She was always a different color streak in her chestnut hair that accentuated any number of her rainbow-colored, artistically-balanced outfits. Her matching chestnut eyes, like milk chocolate always made her seem like a sweet, innocent little fairy… until she opened her mouth. Usually so soothing to me and my second-in-command supporter, now was pushing me to want to use profanity to get my point across.