Rapture's Rendezvous by Cassie Edwards Page A

touch the softness of the flesh of a breast. His heartbeats consumed him as his fingers continued to explore, circling this part of a woman he up to now had only been able to admire from afar. He had so often wanted to even touch Maria … but had been afraid to ask….
    â€œHey!” a man boomed from the ship's deck. “Are ye a goin’ to play cards or pussy?”
    Hating to set this woman free, Alberto clung for a moment longer, then whispered into her ear, “You're so beautiful.”
    â€œWin this hand and ya can touch more than my tits, darlin',” she whispered back-, blowing into his ear, making goose bumps ride his spine.
    â€œThen win it I shall,” he said, giving her breast just one more squeeze. “And your name? What might it be?”
    â€œJust call me Grace,” she said, giggling.
    Alberto had to join in the quiet laughter. Grace didn't seem the appropriate name for a woman who gave of her body so freely. But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered now, except that knowing how to win at cards would be to also win at something even more important. He would soon know the secrets that lay hidden beneath a woman's skirt.
    â€œLet me win this hand,” he said. “Then we can get on with the most pleasurable side of life.” He released his hold on her, smiling crookedly. Scooping the cards back up into his hands, he squatted and checked them once again. Yes. He had a winning hand. Yes. Hewould bet all he had in his pockets. With one thrust, he threw all his coins and green bills onto the pile of money that had already been bet by the other men.
    With a pounding heart, he watched as each man spread his cards out on the floor in front of them, revealing a various assortment of what could be winning hands . . . except that Alberto's had the most Aces, with two Kings to confirm his win.
    â€œDamn it all to hell,” one man grumbled, puffing angrily on his cigar. “A damn full house. You did it again, lad. Don 1 know how, since you never did play before. But, you sure as hell took my money from me.”
    â€œI'm quitting for a while, gents,” Alberto said, grinning from ear to ear. “I've better things to do, if you know what I mean.” He began to pull the money toward him, but was stopped when a boot lowered, to rest on his hand. He looked up into beady, dark eyes, surrounded by thick, scraggly whiskers.
    â€œNot so fast, sonny boy,” the man said, increasing his weight on Alberto's hand, making Alberto wince.
    â€œI won fair and square,” Alberto said, feeling the bones in his fingers straining to be set free.
    The man glowered, spitting chewing tobacco next to Alberto's knee. “In this game o’ chance, you don' just play to keep the money,” he said darkly. “You give the men a chance to win it all back. Don’ you see? Tha's part o’ this game, sonny boy.”
    Grace moved lithely toward this man attired in garments that reeked of sweat and tobacco juices. “Now, Sam,” she purred, wrapping her fingers around his hand, squeezing it. “You know it doesn't really matter. Now does it?”
    The low-cut dress gaped open even more at the top,catching Sam's eyes. Grace swung her hips around so the back of her arched against the front of Sam, then back around so her breasts barely brushed against his arm. “Do you understand? Huh?” she added, winking.
    Sam's face became all smiles as his foot released Alberto's hand. “Sure. Don’ know whut I was a thinkin’ on,” Sam laughed. He reached down and began to help Alberto with the money, even thrusting it into Alberto's breeches pockets. “Go on, lad,” he added. “Take yore leave. Damn sorry if I bothered you. Don’ know what gets in my head at times.”
    Alberto's thoughts were swirling, not understanding at all what could have changed this man's mind so fast. But one look upward at Grace made him understand how and