Nic's Devotion: An Endless Series: Book One (16 page)

     We walked into the kitchen, a huge kitchen, with a
large dining area attached. Located in the center of the dining room was a
table sitting six, filled with guy’s playing cards. Two of the card players
were Nic’s roommates; Seth and Landon. I hadn’t been officially introduced yet,
but they weren’t difficult to identify from what Amanda had told me and having met
them before. There were also several men and women milling around watching the
guys play cards, eating pizza and snacks from bowls on the counter, and getting
drinks from big garbage pails. One pail held water bottles and the other held
sodas.

     “Water, or would you rather have a soda?” Nic asked,
maneuvering us around everyone.

     I examined the soda offerings and decided on a Squirt,
Nic grabbed water. He walked over to several large stacks of pizza boxes and
slipped two slices on a paper plate and then led me over to the dining table pulling
up two folding chairs between Seth and Landon. Everyone at the table stared at
us as we sat down. I smiled hesitantly at Seth and Landon but avoided the
others eyes.

     “Carrie, you remember Seth and Landon, my roommates.”
Nic sat me next to Seth and himself by Landon. They moved to make room and Nic
slid the pizza plate in front of me. I gave him a grateful smile; I was pretty
hungry.

     “Carrie.” Seth grunted with a crooked smile before
looking back at his cards. 

     I couldn’t help smiling at Seth’s grunt. He’d acted the
same at the restaurant. His crooked smile revealed a flash of a dimple on one
side that was absolutely endearing on his rough features. 

     “Seth,” I rumbled back. His lips quirked but his eyes
remained fixed on his cards.

     “Hey, Carrie.” Landon said, bringing my attention over
to him. He was staring at me looking both bored and curious at the same
time…weird. 

     “Hi, Landon.” I acknowledged cautiously.

     The other guys at the table were staring at me with
avid interest and my face burned in discomfort. I shifted in my seat and played
with my plate.

     Nic leaned back and stretched his arm over the back of
my chair. “These other knuckleheads are some of my other teammates; Jeff,
Roman, Greg, and Jax.” Nic growled, pointing at each one as he introduced them.
I don’t know if it was Nic’s growl or the pointing, but it broke their
concentrated stares. They all said a quick ‘Hey’ and returned their attention
to their cards. They still sent plenty of looks my way, but I was able to
breathe a little easier.

     “You guys played a great game today.” I congratulated,
hoping they’d get into some big discussion over it and forget about me.

     “Hell yeah, we did,” Jax exclaimed with a victorious
smile.

     Just as I’d hoped it set off an avalanche of lacrosse
chatter and trash talk. I ate one slice of pizza listening in avid interest. It
was quite funny watching them praise each other in offensive ways.

     Nic’s hand began rubbing my back at one point. It was
warm and relaxing, but the warmth spread to other areas of my body that made it
not so relaxing. Then he brought his arm forward and settled his hand on my leg
just above my knee. I tensed up at first but his hand just rested there and I calmed
after a while, but remained extremely conscious of it.

     I tried distracting myself by paying attention to the
card game the guys were playing. The dealer would distribute two cards to each
player and then lay some out in the middle. Everyone would ‘ante in’ some chips
into a pile, and the dealer would then pass out more cards. If someone wanted
to remain in the game they would have to ‘ante in’ more chips, or if they
didn’t they folded. Each chip had a separate denomination. The person with the
best hand at the end won the pot. I heard phrases such as; two of a kind, three
of a kind, full house, and straights.

     I leaned over toward Nic. “Are they playing Yahtzee,
but with cards?” I asked quietly.

   The noise level had been rising steadily in the house as
more people arrived, but I must have been louder than I thought because the
whole table snorted and laughed at my question. I flushed.

     Nic chuckled. “In some ways it’s like Yahtzee. It’s
called Texas Hold’em. It’s a poker game.” 

     Landon snorted again and said condescendingly. “And
this ain’t no child’s game.”

     I bristled at his tone. “Well, that was a double
negative with an improper contraction, and it looks like a game of chance which
is the definition of a child’s game.” I commented.

     A couple of ‘Oohs’ came from the guys and Nic and Seth
laughed. 

     Landon scowled and looked at me in utter seriousness.
“This is a game of strategy. It takes skill to know when to hold’em, and when
to fold’em.

     There was some shaking of heads, groans of ‘ahh man’,
and ‘lame’ exclaimed around the table.

     I looked at Nic. “Was that some kind of quote by some
famous poker player?” I asked grinning.

     Landon interrupted before Nic could answer. “The most
famous of gambling men.” Landon asserted in scornful amusement.

     “I’ve been watching and it doesn’t look that hard.” I
stated just as scornfully, holding back my amusement.

     Landon quirked an eyebrow at me and then looked at
Roman. “Deal her in; I’ll cover her. Nic, no helping.” Landon set a handful of
his chips in front of me. Everyone sat up a little straighter all of a sudden.

     Nic straightened up beside me. “I’ll cover her.” He
grumbled forcefully.

     I sat up straighter at the sudden intensity emanating
from everyone. “Cover me for what?”  I asked confused.

     “The money that you bet.” Nic answered. He grabbed a
slip of paper out of the wall table behind him and began writing on it.

     Crap! “Money! I thought it was just for fun. I’m not
going to spend your money.” I squeaked. 

     Nic grabbed my knee and squeezed making me jump. He
gave me a wicked grin. “It’s not much, and I want to see what you can do?” He
set the slip of paper next to me with all the possible hands in their winning
order.

     The cards were already being dealt. Everyone put their
‘ante’ in the pot after a quick glance at their cards. Nic relaxed back in his
seat, and I stared down at the two cards laying face down in front of me in
nervousness. Taking a deep breath I looked at my two cards; a two of hearts and
a five of clubs. I put a happy grin on my face and then cleared it quickly and
looked back at everyone. They were all watching me intently.

     “So now the dealer puts cards down in the middle,
right?”

     “Yep.” They all replied.

     Three cards were placed face up; a seven of spades,
jack of hearts, and a three of diamonds. I stared at the cards in interest and
then back at my two cards. All the guys placed their bets and then waited on
me. I threw my chips in. Another card was placed in the middle; a jack of
diamonds. Another round of bets went around the table. I frowned and looked at
the list next to me, and then at the cards on the table, and back at my cards
before placing my bet. The last card was then placed; a four of clubs. Betting
than became serious. Jeff, Greg and Seth folded. Roman bet and Landon raised by
a lot. I studied my list and then the cards again very carefully making sure to
stare hard at Landon’s two cards. Then I folded too.

     Roman ended up having two pairs, but Landon had three
jacks so he won. I picked up my cards again and compared them to the list
before throwing them on the discard pile face down.

     Landon laughed. “Did you throw away something good? Got
to have the balls to go all the way.”

     “Landon,” Nic growled.

     “Nic, it’s okay.” I patted his knee. He tensed up at my
touch and I flushed at what I’d done. I went to pull away but his hand slapped
down on mine stopping me, holding my hand in place on his knee. I looked back
to see him giving me a heated look.

     More cards were dealt and Nic released my hand so I
could play. We played several more hands. I folded two more hands that I
pretended were really good. Bet low and won on a mediocre hand that I shouldn’t
have won. I lost a few hands and folded a couple more hands, but made sure
everyone saw my cards. I got a really good hand but kept my betting low and won
it. After throwing away two more hands a perfect one came up.

     It was a potential straight flush with a six, seven,
and eight of clubs, but there were also two kings.

     Everyone was still in and had been betting high, and
the pot was substantial. I restrained my giddiness and kept looking at my cards
and the list and when the final bet came up I hesitated briefly before pushing
most of my chips in. I felt a nudge and looked behind me. Nic gave me a head
nod. I smiled and pushed the rest of the chips in. Everyone groaned and folded.

     “I was folding at her second call.” Jax complained.

     “Yeah, Nic; you didn’t have to make her throw all in.”
Landon complained.

     Nic laughed uproariously. “It was a hand that required
an all in bet.” 

     I threw my cards on the table; a two of diamonds and a
queen of hearts, and grinned widely. The guys stared at my cards in disbelief.
Seth started chuckling but then it turned into a full belly laugh. Other people
had been standing watching the game and they all laughed too, except for a few
girls who scowled heavily at me. 

     “You bluffed. I can’t believe you bluffed.” Landon
stared at me in amazement.

     I raked the chips toward me. “I’m done boys, because
you need to know when to walk away and when to run.” I said chirpily.

     Everyone’s mouth dropped, Landon’s the most. Nic and
Seth were laughing so hard they were having a hard time staying in their seats.
I was grinning so widely that my face hurt.

    “I was conned; conned by a girl.” Landon lamented.

    “Hey; I didn’t con you.” I said with an affronted grin.
“I’ve never played this game before in my life,
but
I did bluff about
not knowing those Kenny Roger’s lyrics. It used to be one of my favorite
songs.”

     Landon’s head dropped on the table. “That’s even worse.
I think I’d rather be conned then taken in by a complete novice.”

     “I warned you Landon.” Nic laughed. He wrapped his arm
around my waist, pulled me close, and kissed my cheek. I blushed at the public
display because
everyone
was watching. “Honey, you just raked in a load
of cash; what are you going to do with it all?”

     His ‘honey’ made my heart swell. “We’ll, I have a
bookie I have to settle with first.” I sighed glumly.

     “That’s right, you do.” His expression turned grave.
Standing up he pushed my chips in Seth’s direction and led me away from the
table. “And his interest is astronomical.” Nic whispered in my ear on the way
out of the kitchen. I shivered…in anxiety…or anticipation?

Chapter Fourteen

NIC

     I had sat at that table watching Carrie play poker with
my teammates barely controlling myself from lifting her onto my lap and staking
a clear and undisputed claim. The way my teammates had stared at her had set my
teeth on edge. I’d wanted to punch a few of them in the face at the obvious
interest in their gazes. Even Seth and Landon’s eyes had lingered over her.

     I’d had to settle for fierce scowls and proprietary
touches to her person, touches that had caused me more than a little
discomfort. Although, that discomfort had initially reared its head when she’d
stepped into the room with Amanda; all that glorious midnight hair loose around
her face and falling down her back. Her face alone was striking, add in the
hair and she was stunning.        

     This was the first time seeing it loose and it was
having an extremely visceral effect on my body. I’d wanted to take her back
upstairs and bury my hands and face in it, but there had been thoughts of
burying other body parts into her as well, and unfortunately, we were taking it
slow.

     Leading Carrie out of the kitchen area I blanketed her
body from behind and bent down to murmur in her ear. “That was pretty tricky
back there.” A shiver ran through her and it reverberated through me causing my
cock to quiver. I shuddered in response.

     Her voice was husky when she answered back. “Hey, you
nudged me on there at the end.”

     I forced a chuckle past the ache in my balls and guided
Carrie through the horde of people in the hallway. It seemed like every single
guy checked her out as we walked past. I sent a glare back at each one. “The
look on Landon’s face when he’d realized you’d bluffed that hand was priceless,
and then when you said that line from the song; it was like a cherry on top.”

     “There’ll be no lasting scars though, right?” Slight
apprehension bled through Carrie’s teasing remark and I realized she was
worried about how Landon viewed her actions.     

     I hugged her closer and rubbed my cheek against her
hair. It was so damn soft. “He knows you weren’t conning him, but he’s going to
hound you for a rematch to try and get his man card back.”

     She giggled. “Was that in the pot? I don’t remember
seeing it in there.”

     I snorted. “It gets taken every time a guy gets schooled
by a girl.”

     “How do you guys make it through a day?” She shook her
head sorrowfully.

     I chuckled inwardly at her remark but kept my tone
somber. “It’s a minefield of pretty smiles and innocent visages.”

     A laugh burst from her lips and I smiled. She was the
only girl who could make me both lust and want to make laugh simultaneously.