Lucky Night

What's the harm in upping the ante in a game of poker?


1.

...

"You are such a loser." Emmett splayed his cards on the table and smirked in Edward's direction. "When are you going to learn that you cannot win against me?"

"You have got to be cheating."

Emmett raised an eyebrow and reached across the table, snagging the cigar from Edward's mouth and sliding it into his, holding it in place with his teeth. "I don't need to cheat to beat a punk ass like you. You get your card playing technique from the boy scouts or somethin'?"

"You're not amusing."

"He's amusing me."

"I forget, who invited you?"

"Well, considering what happened the last time Emmett played cards with you, I thought it best for everyone if I came along. Though if I'm interrupting some sort of," Bella made quote marks with her hands, "bonding ritual between you two, let me know and I'm out the door."

"Is there a way to shut you up?"

"Just keep playing the way you're playing, Edward. I'll be laughing too hard to talk."

Edward slammed the cards in front of Bella. "Deal."

"You know, it's almost too easy." She lifted her eyebrows and shuffled, grinning at him. He glared at her, taking a long pull from his beer.

"Like takin' candy from a baby," Emmett agreed. "Come on, Swan. Deal 'em. Maybe this time we'll make him cry."

"You know what?" Edward finished his beer and tossed it in the bin beside the door. "Let's make this interesting."

"Taking your money is plenty interesting," Emmett assured him.

"Fine then, we'll make it interesting for me." He looked at Bella. "What d'you say, Swan?"

She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "What'd ya have in mind?"

"Well, we wouldn't want to get too rich for your blood, so I say we up the ante a bit." He pushed a beer in her direction. "Loser of each hand takes a drink and does a dare."

"Ooh, a variation on strip poker," Bella hunched her shoulders then let them drop in an exaggerated shrug. "Too bad neither of you have anything I want to see."

Edward looked at Emmett. "McCarty? You game?"

"Hell, I don't have to pay for the privilege of seeing Bella's titties, do I?" He dodged the swing she took at him. "What the hell?" He shrugged then looked at Edward with a raised eyebrow and a look of disgust. "Not that I want to see you in your tighty-whities."

"Don't worry," Edward assured him, passing another beer his way. "You won't."

...