Thursday, September 27, 2007

Chapter 19

“I’m going to have to go soon and get some sleep,” Jaime said as he and Tricia sat side by side waiting for the next hand to be dealt. “I’ve got to play tomorrow.”

Tricia looked at her phone and saw it was after midnight. She was amazed at how fast the day had gone. I felt like there had been a whole day or more since she had gone out early from the tournament. It had been eight hours though.

She and Jaime had gone to the poker room and gotten on a list for her preferred $4/$8 limit game. Once a seat had come open Jaime had watched her play, waiting until he could get on her same table. While he’d been watching they’d mostly quietly talked strategy.

Jaime finally got a seat on her table and then it was another half hour until they managed to sit together. There were no other players she had to worry much about than Jaime at the table and knew he was feeling the same way. They seldom clashed and slowly built up good stacks with Tricia’s being the biggest mostly, she admitted to him, because she was getting better cards. He had told her that she was also playing very well which made her happy especially since she had the results to back it up.

She was disappointed when he said he had to leave but knew it was not an excuse. She knew he had been enjoying this as much as she was. “Ok but I hope we can do this again sometime soon.”

“We will,” Jaime said. “I want to get you into a $10/$20 game. You are ready for it. If you’re too worried about your bankroll then we’ll work out a deal. I’d like you to try it before you leave here. I also want you to watch me play a no-limit cash game.”

“I’d like that,” Tricia said although the idea of the bigger game still scared her a little.

Jaime began to rack his chips and Tricia did the same.

“Just because I’m leaving doesn’t mean you have to Tricia. This is a pretty good game you might want to keep going.”

“I’m getting kind of tired and I want to go see how Rick is doing. I think he is still in.”

Jaime nodded. “I saw both him and Kevin still in. Tell Kevin I said good luck if you see him.”

They carried their chips to the cashier together. Tricia felt that their parting afterward was somewhat awkward but she wasn’t really surprised. If Jaime’s feelings were half as confused as hers still were it was not a surprise at all that parting had felt a little awkward.

She went over to where the tournament was still going on. It had another hour to go until the 2:00am  deadline to get down to one table. When she got close she saw they had two full tables still, 20 players left. A table must have just broken up she knew. Rick was in a hand but Kevin James, at the other table, saw her and got up.

“Where’s my boy? You didn’t wear him out did you?” Kevin asked with a grin.

Blushing and looking indignant but unable to get really mad at Kevin because of his infectious humor Tricia said. “Well I made him play $4/$8 limit with me for the past several hours, does that count as wearing him out.”

“God you’re as weird as he is. That is like watching paint dry to me. I really thought you two would be doing other things. I hoped he might console you for going out early.”

“You noticed?” Tricia asked, surprised.

Kevin smiled. “I noticed. It was a brutal beat sweetheart. You looked so down. I hoped Jaime wouldfind you and talk you into not killing yourself.”

Tricia laughed. “I didn’t want to kill myself. That’s silly.”

“Well then I’m glad he talked you into not killing the nit who called with crap and got lucky.”

“That was more of a possibility,” Tricia said. Then she noticed that the cards were being dealt on Kevin’s table. “You’re about to miss a hand.”

“Crap!” Kevin said making a dash for his chair, getting there almost too late.

Rick had been watching them talking and when he mucked his next hand he got up and came over.

“Hey. I heard you got knocked out on a really bad beat. I’m sorry Tricia.”

“I’m over it,” She said, mostly believing it. “How are you doing? You made final two tables! That is great!”

Rick smiled and she thought he blushed a bit as he said, “I’m either the chip leader or close. I’ve had good luck and I’ve been playing well.”

“Well keep it up,” Tricia said. “I think I’ll watch a bit.”

“Ok,” Rick said. “We’ve only got a little less than an hour and then we start from where we are tomorrow at 4:00pm. Unless we get down to one table before two but that’s not going to happen I don’t think.”

“Doesn’t look like it. You’d better go. Don’t let me mess you up.”

“You won’t,” Rick said. “Tricia if you’re going to stick around would you have a drink or two with me after? I won’t be able to sleep without it.”

She smiled at the almost shy way he asked her. “Sure although a drink or two may put me right to sleep. It’s late.”

Rick grinned at her and went back to his seat.

Tricia watched both tables focusing mostly on Rick and Kevin, watching how they played and contrasting their styles. She was surprised when the tournament director announced that it was time to stop play for the day. The players bagged up their chips after they were carefully counted. The bags were sealed and signed for and then Rick turned to her.

“Ready for that drink now?” he asked.

Tricia walked with him out of the poker room and into the casino taking a back table in the nearly deserted hotel bar. Rick was on a high, ending the day as the chip leader in the tournament and it was infectious. Tricia found herself in a strange mood herself. She realized she was flirting with Rick a little but when he started to flirt back and the drinks started to take effect she stopped even thinking about it.

When, after the third drink in a fairly short time, he asked if she’d like to go back to his room with him and get their drinks cheaper out of the bottle he had there she didn’t hesitate to say yes even though she wasn’t nearly tipsy enough to not realize that he might have other things in mind.

On the way to his room Tricia began to hope maybe he was planning on trying to seduce her. The time away from home, and the time there  that she had not gotten much attention, were having an effect on her and she was, she thought, feeling very needy.

In his room he poured them both a drink and he quickly downed his and poured another as she sipped her first one. When he kissed her lightly on the cheek she thought briefly about stopping him. A voice inside her told her she should go. She told the voice to shut up and turned toward him, letting him kiss her full on the lips.

Her heartwas hammering in her chest and she felt an almost electric shock where his hands caressed her arms as they kissed deeply. His tongue, as it slid into her mouth, sent shivers of desire racing through her.

His urgent kisses spurred a growing passion in them both and Tricia responded fully. She felt his hand fumble a bit with the buttons on her blouse and then felt his warm hand on her chest. It slid into her bra and cupped her breast and she was as lost to her passion as Rick was to his.

Their clothes came off between hungry kisses and eager caresses. Her hand found him hard and she knew she wanted him.

Quietly she asked, “Baby I need you. I hope you’ve got a condom.”

Cursing Rick said, “In my suitcase. I really wasn’t planning this tonight.”

“Well get them!”

He was out of the bed and back in the blink of an eye and Tricia took the packet of a condom from him and tore it open. She wondered at how calmly she was doing this. There was no guilt, just desire as she reached for him again.

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