To Love A Wild Irishman

Chapter Forty-Three

"Well there was this game of poker don't ya know and..."

Cassandra sighed and flopped down in a chair. "Poker?"

"Now don't sound so disappointed in me, Little Cass! We didn't start out playin' for money and your papa was right there with me playin' himself! He's the one that took me to the game!"

Cassandra nodded. "Go on..."

Finnegan grabbed the pillow to cover his nakedness and waved his arm. "We were playin' with nothin' but chips, just havin' a bit of fun, when another man says, 'poker ain't poker without a bit of a wager', and even you have to agree that he was right..."

Cassandra bit the inside of her cheek, desperately fighting the laughter that was wanting to burst forth as Finnegan attempted to explain himself while wearing nothing but a pillow. "I assume we'll be getting to the part about you losing your clothes soon?"

"Ya can't rush a good story," Finnegan informed her. He shoved his hand through his hair. "Well I didn't have nothin' to wager other than the fancy suit your parents lent me to wear which included the nice shiny shoes..."

"Maybe that should have been a sign that you weren't supposed to bet," Cassandra offered.

Finnegan snorted. "I had four eights! Ya don't just get four eights and then fold your cards and not take a bet! Hell I never imagined I could be beat!"

"But you were?"

"Yes," Finnegan's face fell. "By a bastard with four tens. Swear to God, Cass, I think the bloke was cheatin'!"

Cassandra stared hard at her husband for several long moments and then found she could no longer hold back her amusement. Laughter bubbled up and burst from her mouth. She laughed so hard that tears were soon streaming down her face as she gasped for breath.

"I'm glad ya find this so funny, love," Finnegan mumbled.

"Come on, Finn!" Cassandra gasped as she fought desperately to calm herself. "Surely even you must see the humor in the situation."

"Yes, yes. Funny. Funny. Ha. Ha. Can we sneak out the back way and get to the hotel so I may put some clothes on. I may feel more free to laugh about my misfortunes when I'm wearin' a pair of pants!"

"Finn," Cassandra sobered up the best she could and fixed him with the most serious gaze she could muster. "There is no way out of this dance hall without passing through the main room. You have to walk through there to get to the front door and the back door."

Finnegan paled. "Are ya tellin' me that I'll have to walk through that crowd down there to get out of this place?"

Cassandra snickered. "That's exactly what I'm telling you."

"Little Cass, I beg of ya," Finnegan dropped to his knees in front of her which only caused her to being laughing again. "Please, love, go to the hotel and bring me back a change of clothes!"

"No." Cassandra shook her head.

"What do you mean no?" Finnegan demanded with shock as he rose back to his feet and threw the pillow.

Cassandra found herself eye level with Finnegan Jr. and so she quickly jumped to her feet to even the playing field a bit. "I won't go get you clothes, Finn. You gambled your clothes and you lost. This will serve as a powerful reminder not to do so again."

"Or to marry a more carin' woman next time," Finnegan mumbled.

"Come on then, Finnegan. Let's go get you some clothes. This should liven up the party going on down there."