Annie laughed and closed her eyes. “Ruin all my fun, why don’t you?”
All this talk of vacations was just that...talk. Here, away from the troubles that surrounded them, it seemed possible. But once they returned to the Sapphire, she was certain it would fly out the window. If he was right and her sister was involved, their reunion was just a ticking time bomb. Annie was sure if she didn’t leave first, Nate would be the one to push her away.
She wasn’t certain she could stand mourning this relationship a second time.
Eight
Nate was tired of the tournament already and they still had three days to go. Hosting it was good business, but now that he had Annie in his bed, the tournament and the chaos that surrounded it could disappear for all he cared.
He eyed his watch impatiently. There were two hours left of play today. Annie was doing well. She’d already single-handedly eliminated three people at her table. Before long, she would move on to another.
He’d tried not to hover. There were dozens of tables to watch and VIPs to entertain, but he kept wandering back in her direction. She had a gravitational force that seemed to impact only him. No matter how hard he tried to pull away, she’d draw him back to her. If he’d been smart, he would’ve left a few hundred miles between them. Now he had no way to fight it.
And he no longer wanted to.
Nate needed to focus. His short list of potential cheaters required his attention. Annie was watching another player at her table today, but she’d muttered under her breath into the wire that it was another dead end. He wasn’t about to give up, though. An entire team of security staff was watching the tables from overhead security cameras in addition to the people on the floor. A couple were plainclothes, but most were in the standard navy blazers with earpieces that gave them away. Gabe had been assigned to watch Eddie. A few of his best guys were assigned various other people, which now included Tessa.
As much as Annie insisted she would turn over her sister if necessary, he knew she wouldn’t go out of her way to collect evidence against her, either. If she was more than just Eddie’s girlfriend, his team would have to be the ones to uncover it.
Annie’s laughter called to him over the chaos of the room. He turned, drawn back to her. She looked so lovely today. Her shiny dark hair hung loose around her face. Her vivid purple blouse was clingy and unbuttoned low enough to give all the players an ample view. She knew it, too, leaning forward innocently onto the table. If she wasn’t careful, someone might see the tiny black microphone nestled between her breasts.
Nate’s jaw tightened. He knew it was simply a part of her game strategy, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. They might not have much of a marriage, but they were telling people they had reconciled. Seducing her opponents at the table didn’t do much for their cover. If it was even a cover anymore. His pangs of jealousy felt real. The lines had become terribly blurred lately.
He took a deep breath and tried to focus on her game. The other player went all in. Nate watched, knowing Annie wouldn’t give away a single thing. Her face was serenely calm, her lips parted in a smile that would confuse any man. She sat for a second, mentally calculating her hand and how best to play it. The cards on the table didn’t give much away.
Annie’s fingernails ran down a stack of chips, counting them out, and then she tossed them onto the pile in the center. Both players flipped their cards, but Nate didn’t get to see them. It wasn’t until he saw the man shake Annie’s hand and walk from the table that he knew the Barracuda had claimed another victim. Nate tried not to smile, but he couldn’t help it. He was beaming with pride. His wife was beautiful and talented, and everyone knew it.
His wife.
Nate stopped in his tracks when he realized what he’d just thought. His mouth went dry. Despite being legally married the past three years, Nate had never really thought of Annie as his wife. He’d barely adjusted to the idea of being married when she left. Then she’d simply become “her.” But now...now that he knew she had one foot out the door of his life, never to return...now he decided to stake this mental claim to her?
He’d thought he had done well to compartmentalize this week and what it really meant—nothing but some great goodbye sex. Focusing on their physical connection was the smart choice. It was the piece that had always worked between them. But recently, it was not Annie’s naked body or cries of passion that occupied his thoughts. He’d started thinking beyond the tournament and the potential for more.