Manipulative Attraction

30. ⚛️ Gambling on the Stars

Shon wore a blue V-neck cotton sweater and khaki pants. He perfected his preppy look with perfectly gelled hair and loafers without socks. He'd dressed in collegiate clothing because it gave him confidence. He needed all he could get to view Jeannie as a friend instead of a potential lover.

He waited for Jeannie in the lobby's shadows, going over his greeting in whispered breaths. Shon had done a lot of thinking since Jeannie had called it quits. He didn't like the man he'd become. He'd written a paper in exchange for favors, and he'd treated both Jeannie and Bekka abominably.

Well, Bekka had known what she was getting into, but Jeannie hadn't, and now she only wanted to be friends. It served him right. He'd bother her no more.

A low whistle broke him from his thoughts.

He turned his head, noticing Jeannie and the attractive woman she'd come in with—the one that was smiling as she eyed him up and down. Shon returned the look, liking what he saw.

The Latina responded to his admiration by sucking the back of her teeth and giving him a lewd wink. Flames of red heat blossomed in Shon's cheeks.

A woman he found attractive had returned his glance. He liked the change. Normally he wanted to be the pursuer, and that was why Bekka didn't do much for him. But, under the Latina's seductive gaze, Shon grew uncharacteristically shy. He threw a smile at the grinning woman and then walked over to where Jeannie stood by the reception desk.

"Hey, Jeannie."

Jeannie glanced up briefly from the paperwork the receptionist had given her. "Hey, Shon... I'm going to go sit over there and finish these papers." She pointed to a row of small cubicles. "Why don't you go on ahead?"

Jeannie walked away before Shon could reply. A soft laugh rang in Shon's ears, and he turned to see the Latina chuckling. Her protruding teeth, which Shon thought were beyond sexy, were on full display.

Shon puffed out his chest, smiling back.

Maybe being friends with Jeannie wouldn't be so bad.

Dr. Share Longborn was a petite woman with wispy black hair and a pointed, elfin face. Her ears were large, and her blue eyes were small and beady. She wasn't a beauty, but she did have brains, and that's all she needed. Renowned and respected in her field, Share had received several accolades on her articles and research of biological warfare.

All that was well and good, but if her deepest, darkest secret ever came out, she'd be ruined.

Share Longborn loved to gamble.

A lot.

Share had amassed such a massive debt, every casino in the area refused her entry until she paid in full. Dr. Longborn had tried, but she'd run out of options to raise money.

She'd pawned all of her jewelry.

The finance company had repossessed her luxury car.

The house was twice re-mortgaged.

She had sold her furniture and fixtures two months ago at a firehouse garage sale where everything must go!

All Share had left was an air mattress on the floor, a rack of clothes the consignment shop clerk had turned her nose up at, and a few pairs of scuffed shoes lined up by her front door.

However, two weeks ago, her fortune had changed for the better.

Share had been at a hotel bar, slowly getting drunk on sloe gin fizzes, when a white-haired man with the slight Eastern Slavic accent had approached her.