Play It Safe Read Online Free PDF Page B

seemed immune to his charms. He thought a girl like me took one look at a boy-man like him, his looks, his clothes, his obvious money and my dreams would soar even though he had no intention of giving me anything other than a couple of beers and a little attention.
    Yep. Idiot.
    I went to the chalk and put it to the tip of my cue.
    He kept trying as he racked the balls, “Been in town long?”
    “Nope,” I answered, putting down the chalk.
    He looked at me. “Staying in town long?”
    “Nope,” I repeated and Janie came up with my beer. I looked at her, took it, smiled and muttered, “Thanks.”
    “You bet,” she replied then got closer in that way girls can do, that was to say without looking like she was and she whispered, “Careful.”
    I caught her eyes as she moved away and slightly tipped up my chin.
    Then I took a sip of my Corona.
    Then I looked at Cocky Guy. “Flip to break?”
    “Ladies first.”
    Total idiot.
    “Seriously, flip to break,” I said again.
    He pulled the rack off the balls and grinned. “You go, honey.”
    I studied him and tried not to think of Gray watching me. But I knew he was. In fact, I knew everyone was.
    As usual, I didn’t disappoint. I broke and then approximately seven minutes later, I pocketed the eight ball and there were three extremely difficult shots where I knew Cocky Guy thought he had me but I made without hesitation.
    I went back to my beer and took a sip, put it down on the shelf on the wall and stated, “This time, you break.”
    He wasn’t looking cocky anymore. He was looking pissed. Not only did I clear the table in seven minutes, I didn’t look at him once.
    Then I moved around the table, pulling out the balls. He made me rack them this time. He moved to the head of the table, watched me and waited. I set them up, pulled the rack away and went to my beer.
    He executed a solid break. Then he downed three balls. He wasn’t bad but his options dried up and he flubbed the fourth ball.
    I took a sip of beer, stepped to the table and in approximately seven minutes, cleared my stripes and pocketed the eight ball.
    “Fucking hell,” he muttered.
    I lifted up, put the butt of my cue to the floor and said, “Best of three. Five hundred dollars.”
    His eyes came to me. “Best of five, a thousand.”
    Darn!
    I shook my head. “That wasn’t the deal.”
    “I barely got a shot in,” he returned swiftly.
    “You saw me play. I offered you the flip. That’s the breaks.” I lifted a hand, palm up. “Five hundred dollars.”
    His eyes narrowed and he accused, “You’re a hustler.”
    He did not lie.
    Still, I didn’t hustle him.
    “I’m good at pool, you knew it and you made the bet,” I replied, hand still lifted. “Five hundred dollars.”
    “This is stupid,” he hissed.
    “Five hundred dollars, Bud.” I heard from behind me, I twisted my neck to look over my shoulder and saw that Gray was three feet away at the top edge of the platform.
    “Stay out of this, Cody,” Cocky Guy warned.
    “You made the bet, you lost, you pay. Five hundred dollars,” Gray stated, taking another step forward on the platform.
    Cocky Guy glared at him as his brethren closed ranks.
    This was not good.
    Hells bells.
    I felt Gray close in on my back.
    Hells bells!
    “Bud, five hundred dollars. Now,” he said low, his voice almost a growl, his patience clearly waning.
    I wanted to look at him to assess and compare. I knew he knew this guy; they probably went to school together. But somehow his maturity and masculinity had eclipsed Cocky Guy’s about seven thousand times. He was all man. He was losing patience, this vibe filled the space and not only Cocky Guy but his buddies were all taking it seriously. They didn’t like it but they were taking it seriously.
    Maybe they weren’t total idiots.
    Finally, Cocky Guy muttered, “I don’t have it on me.”
    “Then get it. Cash machine on the corner. We’ll wait. You’re not back in ten minutes, I’ll be collecting,”