Spellbound

Original Edition: Twenty-Two

The woman's husband nodded and replaced the pool cue. "That's all right, I can go kick your ass at a game of gin in our room," he teased, and she giggled on their way out. Neither one of them noticed Archer before I yanked him inside, locking the door and pulling the shade down.

"Care to join me for a nightcap?" I asked, weaving my way to the bar through the four pool tables made of cherry wood and pink felt tops. I always loved this room because I thought the tables were so pretty, and it made me feel like a grown up to pretend that I knew how to play pool and was sipping whiskey instead of Coca-Cola.

"You make the drinks and I rack the balls?"

"Deal."

While I poured us both a Jack and Coke, I watched him set up the table to play eight-ball, his pants hugging tightly to his round ass, biceps nearly bulging out of his slim-fit jade-green button down. He was exquisite, and I could easily stand and stare at him all night.

But I had questions to ask.

An idea came to me and I grinned, knowing what I was about to do was sneaky as hell, but almost guaranteed to work. At least until he figured out what I was doing.

I walked to him and held out the drink. When he took it, I leaned against the pool table. "So how about this? You know I still have things I want to know about you, right?"

"I sort of figured," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What if we play a game? A question for a ball. Every time one of us sinks a ball, we get to ask a question. And the other must answer truthfully," I said, rubbing my palms together after setting down my drink. "And I'm terrible at pool, so you may not even have to answer any!"

Archer took a second to size me up, his gaze lazily traveling over my body. "You sure you don't want to play strip pool?" I lifted an eyebrow in response, and he chuckled. "All right, we have a deal. Ladies first."

I chose a cue from the wall and chewed on my lip as I positioned myself to break. Logan would be so ashamed of me if he saw what I was about to do; we were never very close, but he did teach me everything I know about pool. Leaning forward, with mock concentration lining my face, I purposely hit to the left and watched as the cue ball barely disrupted the pyramid he'd arranged.

"Oh, shit...that was terrible," I said with a sheepish grin. "That's why my brothers never let me break."

With a smirk, Archer took aim and the balls scattered across the table. He sunk a solid ball and turned to me. "How old were you the first time you had sex?"

My cheeks flushed, and I cleared my throat. "Damn, bringing out the big guns on the first question. Would you believe me if I told you I was a virgin?"

"No way, beautiful. Not after that blow job the other night."

I laughed and nodded. "Fair enough. I was 16. The first and only boy I ever really loved."

"I enjoy the knowhow of an experienced woman in bed."

He leaned over the table and sunk another ball, and a surge of panic flowed through me. What if he was better at pool than me? What if I never got to take a shot? Maybe I should have asked him if he was any good before we started.

"What's the one fear that has a tendency to keep you up at night?"

I didn't even have to think about my answer. "That I'll prove my parents right and never make anything of myself. That I'll be the loser in the family until the day I die."

His eyes darkened, and he shook his head. "Here's a bonus fact for you: shitty parenting is my pet peeve." I shuddered at his statement, knowing the horrific treatment he and his brother endured at the hands of their guardians.

Again, he lined up his cue stick and the balls clacked together before another sunk into a pocket. "Do you want children of your own?"

Children was a subject I hadn't thought of much, but I had a general idea. "I don't think so. Not unless it's with the right person. And to be honest, my parents have been such a piss poor example that I feel like I have nothing to go on." I took a deep breath and leaned on the pool cue. "Archer, I don't know if you've noticed yet, but I'm not very good with commitment. And what bigger commitment is there than children?"

"Despite my circumstance, I feel the same way. Even deciding on the right partner feels like a never-ending chore. I always worry about making the wrong decision and being stuck for years upon years. But lately, I'm not finding it so hopeless."

Oh shit, I have to get this game back on track before he makes me go weak in the knees again. "Really? And why would that be?"

"Uh-uh. You haven't earned a question yet," he said, positioning himself to take another surely successful shot.

I moved in his line of sight and as soon as he took aim, I slid down the zipper on my jacket, revealing a thin white cami with a red pushup bra underneath. "It is so hot in here," I said a little too loudly, and when Archer looked up at me, his concentration left the shot and centered in right on my chest. I grinned as the stick slipped from his hand and barely knocked the cue ball into the side of the table.

"Oh, now you're going to play unfair?" He smiled and reached for his glass, taking a long sip. "It was worth it for me though."

I winked and stepped up to the table, surveying my best chance to sink a striped ball. "Maybe I'll get lucky this time," I mused, lining up the shot and sinking the 9-ball. I jumped up and down like I was pleasantly surprised. "Hey! Look! I made one!"

Archer's eyelids dropped as he studied me and took another sip of his drink. "Look at that."

I moved in front of him and leaned against the table, lifting my glass to my lips. "My turn."