Devil in Texas (Lady Law & The Gunslinger Series, Book 1) by Adrienne deWolfe Page B

firmly in place. Besides, no one liked competition more than Cass.
    "I'll see your hundred, and raise you a hundred," she said, tossing her chips into the kitty. She'd be damned if she lost to him. The Pinkertons gave her an allowance for gambling. Rarely was she called upon to spend it, but when she did, her bluffing skills usually earned the agency money.
    "Harvest must've been good this year, granger." He met her stakes and demanded two cards.
    Thinks he has a decent hand, does he?
    She dealt herself two cards and prayed for queens. "Some things ripen with age."
    "Like women?"
    "Like cheese."
    He chuckled. The leading bet was his again, so he tossed another hundred dollars into the pot. "Don't know too many men who wear sun-shades in a poker game."
    "You calling me a cheat?"
    "You wanna wrassle over it?"
    "You'd only get whupped."
    He flashed all those pretty teeth. "That's why I brought an extra lariat."
    Oh, he really was a cut-up.
    Doing her best to ignore the delicious tingles skipping down her spine, she drilled him with her best no-nonsense glare. "I call. Show your hand, cowpoke."
    "Poke being the operative word." With a deft finger he flipped his cards. "Full house."
    Damn.
    "Double or nothing?" he taunted in provocative tones.
    Ever-conscious of her cover, she shot him a withering glare. "Only if you watch your manners. I have a reputation to keep."
    "You should've thought of that before you grew a beard." He poured her a drink then scooped up the cards. He handled the pasteboards like a professional, letting them fly between his hands in a rippling arc of red and white.
    "Impressive. Who taught you how to shuffle like a sharper? Doc?"
    "You mean, Holliday?" Cass chuckled. "Naw. Collie did."
    She nearly snorted whiskey up her nose. "That kid scares me."
    "Not so loud. He'll only gloat."
    She laughed, tossing back her shot. Cass dealt. The cards flicked so fast across the table, they blurred. This time when she peeked, she had a shot at a full house or a three-pair. The Ace of Spades was showing on Cass's side of the table.
    She bet one hundred.
    "I'll see you, and raise you two hundred," he said.
    She rolled her eyes. Of course you do.
    "Two cards," she said, and he dealt again. She got her third ten.
    "Dealer takes one." He slapped down the deck. "So, Granger. About this red-headed sister of yours—"
    "We were talking about sisters?" She tossed her stake into the pot.
    "We were talking about women."
    "I thought we were talking about cardsharps."
    "That's 'cause you hear only what you want to hear," he retorted.
    Donkey butt. How many times have I accused you of the same thing over the years?
    "So what happened to the girl?" he demanded.
    "What girl?"
    "Your firebrand of a sister."
    She shook her head. "Sad story."
    "I'm listening."
    "You know what happened to Maisy."
    He had the good grace to redden. Back in Dodge, he'd gone snooping through her bedroom and found the untitled ballad she'd written as a catharsis about her drowned twin. After reading lyrics like, "Secret angel of my heart, I hate that we are parted," Cass had leaped to the conclusion she'd been writing love songs about Rex. The blow-up that night had been cataclysmic, and the beginning of the end of their affair.
    "Not that sister," he persisted, tossing another two-hundred dollars into the pot. "I'm talking about the sister who's too ornery to die. The sister who wouldn't pay the devil his due."
    "I like her already."
    "I couldn't help but notice a certain family resemblance."
    "What sharp little eyes you have."
    "Just wait 'til you feel my teeth."
    She ducked her head to hide her smirk. "I'll see your two hundred, and raise you two more."
    But he ignored her bet. He was leaning closer now. The air between them shimmered with heat. Sparks and cinders, she thought a trifle breathlessly.Lucifire was lurking in the blazing blue depths of those eyes.
    "Is your sister in trouble?" he demanded quietly.
    The fire in that stare was making her grow hotter