Maid for the Billionaire(25)

"I thought you had a good hand, Scott. Now you sound almost afraid that I'm going to win."

She cocked one eyebrow at him.

"The list was made for a reason, Abby. Write another card and toss it on there, but that one is a no go."

Abby fingered the rough edge of the card lightly. She didn‘t have a forbidden destination in mind, but the last few days had revived a side of her she‘d assumed she‘d lost along with her parents. She wasn‘t going to hide from life anymore. She had no idea what that meant as far as Dominic or her life back in Boston, but right here, right now it meant winning when the odds were against her. "Ok, if you really think that a public school teacher can best three former special forces men at a game they claimed they ruled in -- well, fold now and I will tear up this card."

"Don't do it, Scott," one of the other men said.

"She's bluffing," the other one said.

"Dominic would be furious," Scott added in an attempt to back her down.

Abby upped the ante. "I'm not afraid of Dominic." She placed her chin on one of her hands and smiled sweetly across the table and said, "Are you?"

Scott's expression turned serious for a moment, before he responded with grudging admiration. "Abby, word on the street is that Dominic has come completely unglued. I was in agreement even as I flew over here, but I may have just changed my mind. I only wish I had met you first."

Abby blushed, but she knew a side maneuver when she saw one. "Flattery, however sweet, will not get me to tear this card up. And that one wrinkle on your forehead? A clear giveaway that I've got you beat. Just admit it."

Collectively all in the room held their breath while Scott weighed pride against common sense. He revealed his cards with premature confidence and announced, ―Full House.‖

Abby let her glee show in her eyes as she laid hers down beside his. ―A good hand, but not quite good enough.‖ She laid down her winning hand with flair. ―Looks like three special ops men have been bested by four little ladies.‖

She reached forward with both hands and scooped the remaining cards into her large pile.

Carefully she picked the Choice of Excursion card out of the pile and held it up for all three men to see. She showed it happily to each, not minding that they sat back in their chairs as if she'd mortally wounded each of them. "You know what this means?" she knew her voice held a bit of smugness.

"Paddleboats," the three men said in disgusted union.

She held up another card, unable to stop herself from enjoying some of her winnings. "And this one?"

"Do you even have any movies with you?" one of the body guards asked.

"Mrs. Duhamel set me up," Abby replied. "I'll just have to decide between Meg Ryan and Sandra Bullock. You guys aren't closet criers, are you? Should I call down for a box of tissues?"

She knew she should stop, but it was really too much fun. The men looked positively miserable.

Scott pulled out the one card he'd balked against. "And what about this one?" he asked.

The mood turned serious for a moment. She knew that Dominic had written up instructions with her safety in mind and, as much fun as it had been to win the outing, she wasn't going to do anything deliberately foolhardy. She shook her head. "There is nowhere I need to go. It was just fun to win it."

He placed the card in his shirt pocket looking more relieved than he likely wanted her to see.

The men beside him nodded and Abby knew that she'd gained their respect in that moment. She wasn't here to endanger them or give them trouble. Her goal had been to harmlessly have a little fun.

Still, she couldn‘t help wondering what they would have done if she‘d actually named an off limits destination. Something told her that these men were not always so congenial. They were humoring her because Dominic had instructed them to and like so many other people in Dominic‘s world, they did his bidding without question.

Knowing that, the paddleboat excursion seemed almost cruel. Abby remembered how confident they‘d all been that they‘d whip her at Poker and she bit her lip to hide her mischievous grin. Nothing wrong with a little payback.

"I'm going to go change. I think the rental place is open until five," she announced gleefully and was rewarded with a round of dramatic groans.

The walls of the hotel must have been thinner than what they were used to because Abby could hear the men as they cleared the table. One of them said, "I can't believe you told her what people are saying about Dominic."

The other, older guard said, "I can't believe you said you wished you'd met her first. If that got back to Dominic you could kiss your company goodbye. Was the joke really worth it?"

"Who said I was kidding?" Scott asked.

"Don't do anything stupid, Scott," one of them warned.

"I didn't say I'd act on it. I just voiced what the two of you are too afraid to say out loud.

That is one incredible woman."

Abby pressed her back up against the door, knowing she should stop listening, but unable to.

She sought more than compliments. These unguarded moments could provide her with some insight to what this trip was really about.

"Do you think it's true that he met her this week?"

"Walton has had me following Dominic since he received news about his father. It's true,‖