Monday, October 15, 2007

Chapter 35

The way Sandy was flirting with Rick was making him increasingly nervous. He was enjoying it of course. Sandy was older than he was by several years, maybe as much as ten years. She was good looking though, he thought, and was a really good flirt, something he knew he was not great at although he didn’t think he was bad. She wasn’t terribly busty and he wondered if she realized that the way she bent over every now and then allowed him a good view down her blouse. He suspected she knew exactly what she was doing. He wished he knew what her goal was. Was she just playing, teasing a little, or was she seriously trying to seduce him.

The fact that her husband Gary was at the same party, although not with her a lot of the time, made Rick uneasy. Gary seemed like a nice enough guy but he was a big guy, not real bulky but very tall. Not somebody Rick wanted to antagonize. Besides he’d come to know Gary a little and liked him.

Why, Rick wondered, was it always the married women who seemed to be interested in him. Not that he was opposed. He’d been happy for what had developed between Tricia and him. He wasn’t sure where that was going now. She didn’t seem to regret what had happened. In the past he’d had women who would pretend they didn’t even know him afterwards, or who would be openly hostile as if he’d seduced them against their will which had certainly never been the case.

Tricia was pretty unique in his experience. He really liked her and not only because of what had happened that one night. She was an excellent poker player and could hold her own in those kind of discussions, especially now that she had become more comfortable in the environment, which was pretty new to her. He found that he just enjoyed time with her even though she continually sent mixed messages. With some women that aggravated him. It felt like they were playing some kind of game with him. With Tricia he had come to see that the mixed messages she sent out were because she didn’t know what she wanted herself.

She had told him a little about her affair with Jaime Devlin. She’d said that had been the first and only time she’d strayed in her marriage until her time with him. She’d certainly seemed willing enough with that but then afterwards he could tell she felt guilty to some extent at least. He liked her enough not to push. He could be content to just be friends. Besides who knew what might happen down the line?

The whole thing had him feeling kind of horny though. Generally by this stage of a tournament series he’d either had a fling that had, as he thought of it, scratched the itch, or he was playing enough and was tired enough not to worry about it. This time he was feeling very much like he wanted to get laid. Even thinking about it like that made him uneasy. While he wasn’t looking for a permanent attachment having failed twice he was not a fan of quick one night stands with women he’d never seen before and would never see again. Somehow he’d managed to stay friendly with a lot of women who he’d shared a pleasurable time with and might again someday. None of them were here though and Sandy was seemingly very willing. At least he thought she was.

Gary left the party after talking briefly to Sandy. After he had gone she had told Rick that Gary wanted to play some more and had gone off to do so.

Sandy and he continued to talk and laugh as well as drink. Rick was watching Tricia and Sandy caught him at it and finally said, “Be careful with her sweetie. She is, I think, a little confused about her life now. I really like her though and would hate to see her hurt.”

“I have no intention of doing anything to hurt her,” Rick said, not taking offense. “I like her a lot. Everybody seems to like her a lot.”

“Jealous?” Sandy asked with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

Rick shrugged. “I have you here with me flirting like mad. What’s to be jealous of?”

“Am I teasing you too much?” Sandy asked. “I don’t want to lead you on. I’m getting tired and I’m going to stop drinking before I get drunk. It looks like Tricia is already two sheets to the wind.”

“She does look pretty happy,” Rick agreed. “She’s safe in this crowd though.”

“Yes she is,” Sandy said. “I’m not drunk yet but I’ve had enough to drink to be blunt sweetie.”

She cuddled up a little closer to Rick. “The reason I asked if I was teasing you too much is that sometimes I do that. I like you a lot and you’re really a sexy man. Tonight is not the night though. It just won’t work for me tonight. Sometime, if you don’t get mad at me for the way I’ve teased you tonight, the time will be right. I hope to see you again sometime at one of these things.”

That had left Rick feeling both relieved and disappointed. On the other hand he’d been leaning toward turning her down and this way he didn’t have to. He’d been shut down lots worse by women in the past.

“I won’t get mad Sandy. I’ll just bide my time and consider myself lucky when it happens.”

“I like that.”

“What?”

“You said when not if.”

“Well I am an optimist.”

“Your optimism will be rewarded,” Sandy said. “You’ll just have to wait for it a bit.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Rick said.

Sandy leaned her head on his shoulder and said in a quiet sensual voice, “I will look forward to you holding me baby.”

Then she sat up straight and smiled at him. “For now though I’m going to go before I can’t. In a way I really don’t want to but I think I should. I’m going to go over and congratulate Tricia one more time than then I’m going to bed…alone.”

“Ok,” Rick said simply. “Sleep well.”

“I will, you too baby,” Sandy said, giving his hand a squeeze. “Sweet dreams…and if some of them are of me so much the better. Some of mine will be of you sexy.’

He watched her go over and talk to Tricia, watched them hug and then watched Tricia nearly slip and fall when Sandy released her. He could see Tricia giggle as Sandy caught her and she eased back into the booth where she was sitting with Jaime, Kevin and two people he didn’t know.

“Want company or would you like to be alone with your thoughts?”

Rick looked up and saw Carolyn Snow standing there. He jumped to his feet, not as steadily as he’d have liked due to the alcohol. “By all means sit down.”

Carolyn sat across from him. He had seen her before and had even played with her but they had never really talked until this evening. She’d always struck him as a very competent, no-nonsense player. She’d always appeared totally focused and composed at the poker table. Tonight in this social setting she was less focused, much more relaxed but there was something in her eyes or her body language that made him think there was something bothering her.

“She’s making quite an impression on some people isn’t she?” Carolyn said, looking over to where Tricia was sitting. It was very obvious that it was Tricia she was talking about.

“She is. She’s done well for being a relative newbie.” Rick said.

Carolyn nodded, pausing when a waitress came by to order a drink. Rick did the same.

“Lots of that these days with all the internet play,” Carolyn said. “I wasn’t talking about her poker play that much. I can see she’s got you hooked as well as Jaime Devlin and Kevin James at least.”

Rick looked at her trying to see if the comment was born of jealousy. It sounded like it but there was nothing else about her that bore that out.

Carolyn smiled at him, “I’m not jealous. That would be silly. Hell I like her too. She is a likeable person. I think even Carmen liked her. Somebody needs to warn her about that.” Carolyn chuckled.

Rick smiled. “I think she has been warned. Carmen could be a good mentor too though.”

“Yeah she has been to me,” Carolyn said.

Rick looked at Carolyn, slightly surprised although he’d seen Carolyn and Carmen Cruz talking enough before and during events to know they were friendly and seemed to have a bit of  mentor relationship. He’d never been sure who the mentor was though. Carmen was arguably the more successful player and her flashy style got her a lot more notice at the table and away from it but he knew Carolyn for a very good focused player, destined some said, to the one of the best. He wondered if Carolyn’s relationship went beyond the professional, or had at some time.

“She’s really tying one on,” Carolyn smiled, shaking her head. “Jaime and Kevin should be ashamed of themselves.”

“She’s a big girl,” Rick said. “She can take care of herself. Besides she just exceeded her fondest dreams for her trip here so she deserves to celebrate.”

“Yeah but oh how she is gonna pay for it in the morning!” Carolyn said.

“Well none of us are going to be great first thing in the morning.”

Carolyn laughed. “True.”

The waitress brought their drinks and Carolyn took a deep sip. “I have played with you a few times Rick and seen you around for a while. I’m glad to get the chance to talk to you. I didn’t think I would for a while. I thought that woman was going to haul you off.”

Rick smiled uncomfortably. “She was just being friendly.”

“I wish I could learn to be friendly like that,” Carolyn said. “They don’t teach that in law school. I was a serious teenager, spent my whole time in my books. Then in college I focused on getting to law school. Then I did that and became a serious focused lawyer. A damn good one if I do say so myself. Then it all went to shit and here I am.”

Rick looked at her in surprise. He’d heard a little about that but not what it was that had caused her to leave what had apparently been a lucrative law practice and become a professional poker player.

Carolyn looked at him, reading his surprise. “I’m sorry. This is a tough time for me. Two years ago nearly to the day my divorce was final and the practice was sold and my former life officially ended.”

“That must have been tough,” Rick said. “I’ve been through two divorces. I also sold my company to play poker but I did that on my own terms. I guess you didn’t sell your practice on your own terms.”

“The hell I didn’t,” Carolyn said with a smile that looked like a wolf seeing prey. “I took the son of a bitch for all I could and made a hell of a deal with the rest of the partners forour interest in the practice.”

“Oh well that’s good.”

“I miss it at times. Maybe I’ll go back to it someday. I do a little pro bono work. If you ever need a good lawyer just give me a call.” Carolyn said. “Or if you ever need a good time with a lawyer you can call me.”

Rick could not keep the surprise off his face at the last comment of Carolyn’s.

“Shit,” she laughed. “I can’t believe I said that! Would you like to dance before I embarrass myself like that again.”

“I kinda liked it but if you’d like to dance I’m willing,” Rick told her.

Carolyn took him by the hand and they mingled with the few other people who were dancing. At one point they tried to get Tricia to dance too, joining Kevin and Jaime who were trying to talk her into it.

Carolyn turned out to be a good dancer and Rick had enough drinks in him to not worry about whether he was or not. He thought she didn’t seem to think he wasn’t. When the first slow dance came up he waited, giving her the chance to go sit down instead of dancing a slow dance. The moved right into it though.

It was pleasant, Rick thought, dancing with her like this. They were holding each other close. Rick was aware that Carolyn was not a small women. For one thing she was his height and he was not short. It was the first time he could recall dancing with somebody his own height. By the second dance he was very aware of her breasts pressing against him. Her hands were also wandering across his back. She felt like she was relaxing some, she’d felt very tense when they first started.

There was a bit of a commotion and they looked around. Kevin apparently was trying to suggest to Tricia that she had had enough to drink and might want to think about going to bed. Tricia was rather loudlyteasing him of trying to seduce him which actually made him blush a little to Rick’s delight. Carolyn seemed to find it funny as well. Then Tricia began saying she wanted Jaime to tuck her into bed. She said that was the only way she’d go.

Carolyn looked Rick in the eyes as they held each other close dancing. “I wonder if she is going to remember this? Look at poor Jaime blush. Do you mind if I try toget her to let me take her up to her room?”

Rick smiled and shook his head. “Any chance you’re coming back?”

Carolyn stared at him and then giggled. “You didn’t mean that the way I thought you did…sorry. Yes, I was about to say that I’d really like it if you were here when I got back. It shouldn’t take too long.”

Rick watched Carolyn go over and try to persuade Tricia to let her take her to her room. Tricia was not having any part of it and finally Jaime began helping Tricia out of the bar and toward the elevators.

Carolyn came back over to stand with Rick. “Well I tried. I wish I knew what the deal was with Devlin though. I wouldn’t have thought he’d be so opposed to taking her to her room. Hell it might be a golden opportunity for him.”

Rick half smiled. “It might but he won’t exercise it. They have a history. I shouldn’t say more. She told me about it and probably wouldn’t mind you knowing but I don’t think I should share it without permission. Also I would think Jaime would like a partner who would know what was going on and she was just about out on her feet.”

“True,” Carolyn said. “I’m curious to hear that story but I won’t push you. On the other subject I guess you guys do like a partner who can participate huh?”

“It helps.” Rick grinned.

“I’m not too drunk yet although if I stay here much longer I will be.” Carolyn said.

Rick looked at her wondering if she had meant what it sounded like.

Carolyn smiled. “That’s as close as I’ll ever come to trying to seduce you. The fact is that I really would rather not be alone tonight. If you’re not interested though I won’t hold it against you. I like you a lot Rick.”

“And I like you too,” Rick told her. “I would be happy to keep you company tonight.”

“You’ll hold me tight like you were when we were dancing? That felt really good.”

He nodded. “For starters.”

She smiled. “Are you ready to go then? I think I’m done with this party.”

“I have to ask,” Rick said. “What about the guy you were with?”

“Ruben?” Carolyn asked. “he’s a sweetie. He’s a friend from my past. I was glad to hear  from him and to show him around but tonight was not a good night. He was married to a woman who was one of my best friends. We’re just friends and tonight he brought up too many ghosts.”

“Ok,” Rick said. “I just didn’t want to poach.”

Carolyn smiled at him. “Thank you but don’t worry. Now if you haven’t changed your mind?” She motioned to the entrance to the bar and took his hand.

Rick saw Kevin watching them and once Kevin saw Rick had noticed he smiled and winked.

“Your place or mine?” Rick asked, smiling, when they got to the elevator.

“I bet you have wanted to use that old line for a long time,” Carolyn laughed. “Or maybe you use it with all the girls. I guess I don’t care. We’ll go to my place. I suspect I sprung for a little better room than you did and besides I want all my girl stuff near me.”

She punched the button for one of the top floors and then wrapped Rick in a hug. He hugged her back and looked into her face. She was smiling at him and shortly after their eyes met so did their lips.

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