Poker – stripping is optional

Jenny finds the deck of cards on his bookshelves as he refills their glasses. They've managed to have a rare quiet night. Buffy's patrolling and there's no emergency research needed, so they've managed to indulge with a trip to the magic store for some supplies which were running low before heading over to his place to have dinner together.

"What have you got there?"

She holds up the small box in her hand to show him. "Your cards, what do you normally play?"

"Mostly solitaire," he responds. "I don't usually have visitors to play anything else. And I think it'd be frowned upon if I teach the children how to play poker."

"You play?" Her interest is piqued by the image of him sitting around a table in a hazy atmosphere as he played poker with a host of other players she can't put faces to in her mind.

"A little, you?"

"Not for a long time." Jenny can't actually remember the last time she played, only it didn't end very well. "I lost way too many clothes," she casually adds, watching his face.

She flashes him a toothy smile as his eyes widen adorably at the implication. "You played strip poker."

It's the awe in his voice that she can't resist teasing him. "Have you ever played strip poker?"

He huffs a little and readjusts his glasses as his face goes a little pink. Jenny sashays closer, moving into his personal space to look into his face. He gets adorably flustered when she flirts with him. "Have you played strip poker?"

He meets her eyes and nods. "Yes, a very long time ago."

Jenny laughs, unable to resist tugging on his tie to bring him down to her so she can kiss him. Pulling back, she stays close as his arms encircle her waist. She likes this newfound physical easiness between them.

They haven't slept together yet. It was too soon before Eyghon and since Eyghon, they've been getting to know each other better and sharing bits of their past before crossing that line. There's stuff she hasn't shared but she's working up to it, convinced she can tell him in her own time.

Since she admitted she found him sexy before Eyghon, they've been physically affectionate, exchanging kisses and holding hands. She likes his hands on her when they cuddle on the couch or if they're in his office. Whether he's cupping her face, tucking her hair behind her ear, or tracing her spine. He's got this balance of gentle yet confident. Her body arcs into his touch, sensual and arousingly explorative. She likes him touching her.

"We could play," Jenny suggests, half seriously. She watches his reaction for any hesitation but there isn't.

His hands skim her shoulder blades. "We could," he murmurs, looking into her eyes.

"Okay," Jenny agrees; she isn't going to bluff her way out of this. She doubts she could bluff him if she was in her underwear either. "But we need to even up the layers because you might hustle me into my underwear before I see some skin."

"Um, layers?"

She can see in his eyes he's still processing her comment about underwear. She laughs, gesturing down at herself.

"Well, I am wearing a jacket, dress, tights and underwear, that's me naked in four hands," she informs him. Rupert's mouth drops as he processes the information. Her hands find the lapel of his jacket to keep his attention.

"And you? There's jacket, vest, tie," she lists, touching each item as she labels it. Her fingers sneak to the collar of his shirt beneath the loose, knotted tie. Her finger worming through the opening between buttons. She prods the fabric she encounters before removing her finger and smoothing his button-up. "Shirt and undershirt."

Jenny looks down at his pants. "I'm guessing pants, boxers and socks. So, I've got to win eight hands before I see some skin."

This earns her a look of absolute adoration and a chuckle. "What if you're trying to hustle me?"

Not exactly the affirmative answer she was going for but she can go with his flirting. "What if I'm just trying to see you naked?"

"We don't have to play poker for that."

There's more to this than a game, there's so much more at stake. As fun as this moment is, she's quite serious. She's never been in a relationship that's meant this much or that she's afraid to lose. She wants him in all the ways she can have him, for as long as she can have him.

"However, we can if you would like to," Rupert offers, assuming her silence is indecision. "May I suggest, we take our drinks upstairs and away from the windows."

Instead of answering, Jenny takes hold of his tie and leads him up to his bedroom. The following morning, she wakes in his bed, thoroughly sated, their strewn across his bedroom floor.