Contradictions (Woodfalls Girls 3)

“Oh my, who is this?” Adam drawled, eyeing Trent appraisingly. “Love the shirt, by the way. Where have I seen that before?”

“Excuse me?” Trent asked, nervously pushing up his glasses.

“I’ve got it!” he said. “The Big Bang Theory. Sheldon wore that shirt on the show. Tim and I are avid fans,” Adam said, indicating his partner, who joined us. Adam gave Trent another once-over, clearly liking what he saw.

Derek arrived with the food and beer before Trent could say another word. “Hey, it’s Clark Kent,” he said, clapping Trent on the back while basically pushing him away from the front door. “Too late to turn back now, buddy boy.”

“Oh, I’m not going anywhere,” Trent said, catching everyone’s attention by eyeing me meaningfully.

“Aww, isn’t that sweet. Sheldon here has a crush on our girl.” Adam dabbed at his eye like he was wiping away a tear. “This is my kind of card game.”

“Adam, you’re impossible. Everyone, this is Trent,” I said, making the introductions. “Trent, this is Adam, Tim, and, of course, Derek.”

“Hello, Trent,” the three of them answered in unison.

Oh God. Tonight was going to be like a trip to the seventh circle of hell. I should have bought marshmallows and wieners to roast in the pits of fire, although I was starting to think I would be the one roasted.

Trent remained unfazed as he shrugged out of his hooded jacket. This night might seriously be my undoing. It had been easier when I could place Trent in the “geeky” box, but lately I had realized there was more to him than that. He was smart, of course, and acted like a robot at times, but he was surprisingly sensitive and caring. It also didn’t hurt that he was sporting a chiseled abdomen beneath all those clothes.

“Do you want some pizza?” I asked Trent, deciding I might as well play the good hostess. I tossed the three jackets I was holding on the couch. That was about as far as my hostess duties extended.

“Sure.” He followed me to the table where the others had already sat down, leaving two remaining chairs right next to each other.

“Two seats left,” Adam said, patting one of the chairs. “You two lovelies come on now. I am eager to get this game started.”

Between the five of us, the pizzas Derek brought home didn’t stand a chance. I divided out the poker chips and began shuffling the cards.

“You play a lot of poker?” Tim asked Trent oh so casually.

“I’ve played a few times. Haven’t had a whole lot of opportunities for a sit-down game lately, though,” Trent replied, arranging his chips in precise stacks. It was like an OCD wet dream.

Tim and Derek grinned at each other, deeming Trent an easy mark. I should have felt bad for him, but I had a feeling Trent would be able to hold his own.

“Hold ’em, right?” Derek asked as he dealt the first hand. I watched everyone’s faces as each card was tossed in front of them. I liked to study their expressions as they discovered what they had received. I noticed Trent waited until all the cards were dealt before he checked his hand. He slightly lifted the corners of the two cards so no one could see what he was holding. He had also angled his chair so he was practically on top of me.

At first I thought maybe he was trying to sneak a look at my cards, or maybe he was trying to keep Tim from catching a peek at his cards since he was sitting at the end of the table near Trent. Whatever the reason, Trent was definitely invading my personal space and the extra distraction wouldn’t help me or my game.

The issue was his damn hot-as-sin cologne that swirled around me like some freaking erotic blanket. I wanted to bury my nose in the crook of his neck. One of my favorite spots on a guy was the soft part of his neck, just above the collarbone. It was a perfect spot to start kissing. After which, my mouth would take a slow journey down to his pecs, making sure to give proper attention to each nipple. Finally, my tongue would trace each and every groove of his eight perfectly sculpted abs, past his belly button until I reached his . . .

“Yoo-hoo, Tress,” Derek said, waving his hand. “Are you going to bet, or are you waiting for an engraved invitation?” He was looking at me like he’d just read my thoughts. I kicked him under the table and smiled when he reached down to rub his leg.

Finally focusing on my cards, I discovered I’d been dealt pocket queens, which put me in a strong position. I made my face an unreadable mask and placed a bet that wasn’t too aggressive so I wouldn’t scare anyone into folding.

Trent was next. I angled my chair away from him to give myself a little more personal space. Watching him closely as he peeked at his cards again, I was unable to get a good read on him. He kept a small smile on his face like he was amused. At first I thought I’d figured out his tell, but he killed that idea when he folded.

“Getting out wh

ile you can?” Adam commented. “Good, that gives us a chance to chat. I fold too.”

“It’s not even your turn,” Tim said.

“Oh, I’m so bad. Tell you what, honey. You can spank me later.”

“No whips, I hope?” I joked.

“Heavens no. My soft tush can’t take it,” Adam replied, rubbing his bottom.

I looked at Trent, who was smiling.