His Last Gamble by Maxine Barry Page A

differently. She looked simply magnificent. Under the light of the chandeliers, the silver in her dress caught and flashed at him, as if signalling him in some code known only to lovers. It was certainly pulling him across the room as if she were a magnet, and he a mere iron filing. The rest of his body was feeling iron hard too, and he cursed this instant effect she had on him.
    He was going to have to be very careful around this woman. She was the human equivalent of dynamite!
    â€˜Hello Payne,’ Jo-Jo said as he bore down on them, admiring the cut of the other man’s dinner jacket. He wished he looked as good in tropical white. ‘Thanks for this,’ he said, indicating the happily snapping photographer. ‘I promise you he won’t disturb the gamblers.’
    â€˜No trouble,’ Payne said briefly, then snapped his fingers at a hovering waiter. ‘And speaking of gambling,’ he said, smiling, ‘I thought the ladies might like a flutter.’
    And with that the waiter lowered the tray, revealing not fluted glasses of champagne, but piles of chips—red, black, green and white.
    Jinx, of course, was immediately there. ‘Payne, for us!’ she breathed, widening her eyes and rubbing her arm against his. ‘How deliciously wicked.’
    The other girls murmured too. Even the chronically bored Coral perked up. ‘Lovely. I must try my hand at poker,’ she said, reaching out and grabbing a handful. ‘I’ve always wanted to!’
    By the time the others had done the same there were very few chips left.
    Charmaine couldn’t have cared if they’d taken them all. Gambling just wasn’t her thing. Besides, she was still trying to find her tongue and come up with a good opening line for Payne. ‘Sorry I kissed you,’ just didn’t seem appropriate somehow.
    â€˜The greedy little darlings,’ Jo-Jo drawled ruefully, watching his models eagerly making for the various tables, and then reached for the few meagre specimens left on the tray. Wryly he handed them over to Charmaine who had no choice but to let him drop them into her hand.
    â€˜Oh no, Jo-Jo,’ she murmured, looking uncomfortable. ‘Why don’t you take them. You’re bound to have more luck than me.’
    â€˜Oh I don’t know,’ Payne said softly. ‘Sometimes Lady Luck recognises one of her sisters.’
    Charmaine forced her eyes up to meet his. She tried for a puzzled-sophisticated glance.
    â€˜Oh?’
    â€˜Another Lady I mean,’ he said softly. ‘Lady bountiful, perhaps?’ he teased. ‘Or maybe Lady Godiva. With that wonderful blonde hair . . .’
    Charmaine blinked. Wasn’t Lady Godiva known for riding around naked on a white horse? She almost snorted. He should be so lucky!
    Payne, eyes twinkling in response to her angry flush, reached out to push back a soft strand of hair from her cheek.
    It was all she could do to stand still.
    Beside her, she heard Jo-Jo give a soft sigh. He’d always been a romantic. And so must she be, if she was ever going to get Payne Lacey back in her sight she reminded herself grimly. It was no good just standing there like a statue, she reprimanded herself.
    â€˜How kind,’ she said softly. ‘But I’ve never placed a bet in my life. I’m not sure I know how.’ She hoped she sounded as helpless as a lost kitten. It was, she was almost sure, the kind of thing Jinx would say, if she wanted to encourage a man to show how big and strong and gallant he was.
    Then she saw Payne’s lips twitch in amusement, and wondered if she hadn’t overdone it somewhat.
    â€˜Well then in that case,’ he said, offering her his arm, ‘allow me to demonstrate.’
    She tensed as she slipped her hand through the crook of his arm, and knew, without having to look up at him, that he was grinning like the devil at her.
    Of course he’d seen right through her