Texas Hold Him by Lisa Cooke

her virginity in exchange for the lessons she needed to save her father. If anyone had told
     her a week ago she’d do such a thing, she would have laughed at the audacity. But to night there was no laughter, only surprise.
     Surprise that he’d demanded her body as payment and more surprise that she’d agreed.
    What had she been thinking? She’d been thinking she had nothing else to offer, and her father’s life was more important than
     her maidenhead.
    Maybe when all was said and done, he’d be a gentleman and not take his payment. Maybe he’d be chivalrous and congratulate
     her on her win with a chaste kiss on her hand.
    And maybe she was the queen of France,
she thought as she returned to her bunk.
    The next morning, she heard from Sally that Dyer had left the boat just after dawn. After what Lottie had seen in the middle
     of the night, she couldn’t help worrying.
    Though having Newt catch her watching for Dyer’s return was a little embarrassing. “Gone all morning again?” he asked.
    She started to deny searching the dock for Dyer but knew it would be a wasted effort. “Do you know where he goes?”
    “Anywhere. Everywhere,” Newt answered cryptically. “But you needn’t worry about Dyer. He’s a big boy.”
    “I wasn’t worried, just curious.”
    Newt grinned one of those
knowing
grins and offered Lottie his arm for a stroll down the deck. “How is it going with him now? Any closer to your lessons?”
    Lottie smiled. “Actually, he’s finally agreed to teach me. We start this morning.”
    “Hmmm.”
    Lottie was beginning to hate it when Newt ‘hmmm’ed. It usually meant he was about to say something she didn’t particularly
     want to hear.
    “I’ve known Dyer a while now, and I can’t imagine him doing that for free, especially considering how much he fought it.”
     He left his statement hanging with an unasked question she really didn’t want to answer.
    “Well,” she hesitated. “I’m going to pay him when I win the tournament in St. Louis.”
    “Ahh,” he said. “So if you don’t win, you don’t pay?”
    “Exactly.”
    Newt stopped walking and turned to look at her. “Be careful, Lottie. There are some things in life more important than money.”
    “Most things in life are more important than money. Unfortunately, you usually need money to secure those things.”
    Newt chuckled. “I guess I never thought of it that way.” He glanced over Lottie’s shoulder toward the gangplank. “Here comes
     Dyer now. I think it’s time for yourlessons—just be sure the only lessons he gives you have to do with poker.”
    “What do you mean?”
    Newt raised his brow, and suddenly she understood.
    “You don’t think he would . . .” She couldn’t make herself say it, but Newt’s expression left no doubt. Her face heated at
     the implication.
    He lifted her hand to brush a kiss across the back. “Be careful.” He walked away.
    She took a deep breath and pasted on a smile she hoped was friendly without being too forward. Even though she had coerced
     Dyer into giving her the lessons, now that he had agreed, she was nervous to actually begin.
    She turned around with a smile. He returned it with a scowl.
    Civil might be out of the question; perhaps she should settle for non combative. “Are you ready for my poker lessons?”
    “Are you still intent on that nonsense?”
    Raising her eyebrow, she said, “What do you think?”
    He sighed. “I think I should have someone shoot me now and get it over with.”
    “Really, Mr. Straights, such melodrama over a few simple card lessons.”
    He shook his head and walked away from her. There was no way she would let him renege on their agreement. She’d opened her
     mouth to give him a piece of her mind, when he yelled back over his shoulder, “Come, Miss Mace! Don’t dawdle, I haven’t all
     day.”
    “Well, I never,” she muttered, hurrying to catch up with him. No mean feat considering the length of that man’s legs.
    They