caught that reference tells me that it’s a great choice. You’re a genius, right? Well, then, you’ve got nothing to fear. What do you say?”
“Chess.” It was a question as much as a statement. Lacrosse in Wales, fencing around the globe, and chess as his go-to game of choice. The man sitting before her had quite the different upbringing than she had. Durham did not waste time waiting for her to answer and pulled out a chess set from a small compartment located near his seat. Durham pushed a small button, and a table rose from the floor.
“Convenient that you have the board ready.”
“Isn’t it, though?” Durham grinned like a child. The pieces were set up in a matter of minutes. “Ladies first.”
Juliane marveled at the board as Durham placed the final piece. It was a beautiful set; each piece appeared hand carved out of marble and polished to a high shine. She hesitated to mar their surfaces with her fingerprints. She moved her first pawn as if it might shatter on impact.
A few moves later, several of her pieces had been captured. As she suspected, Durham was quite skilled with the game. She watched as he swooped in to take out another, this time a knight. With each move, he had grown bolder and bolder while her available moves dwindled.
“Really, my fine doctor, you ought to pay more attention to the game at hand—a couple more moves like that and your king will be completely exposed.” He paused.
She had been hunched forward, studying the board, but looked up when he had begun speaking.
His smile widened to a near leer. "Or are you hoping for an excuse to bare all your secrets?" She glanced down to realize that her neckline had drooped low, providing him with a display of cleavage. She successfully fought back a blush. Stay confident, Juliane , she told herself as she acknowledged his comment with a quick tilt of her head and a single raised eyebrow.
She watched as he raised his own eyebrows in surprise. She saw his Adam’s apple bob in a quick gulp before he himself regained his own composure.
Juliane turned her face back toward the game at hand, although she continued to look up at Durham through her eyelashes. “Oh, I think I might still have a chance. Don’t you?” Her voice deepened to a near purr as she reached out to caress one of her chess pieces. “You know, we never did agree what I get if I win.”
“In full disclosure, I feel that I do need to tell you that I’ve beaten some of the best in the world, including Louis. But in the event that happens, you can name your reward.”
“Anything I want?”
“Anything at all.”
“Day spas, shopping sprees, fine dining?”
“Sure. I’ll hand over my card, but you might find yourself needing a big strong assistant to take you to all those places.”
“And you’d be willing to do all that if I win?” Juliane drew the piece she held ever so slightly along her face so that its tip rested just beside her lips.
“All that and more. If you win, I’ll be your personal slave as long as we are in Vegas,” Durham responded eagerly.
Juliane shifted her head so that it rested on her other palm as she placed the piece back on the board, rubbing her thumb along its head. Durham took a quick glance around, as if verifying that they were alone in the cabin. “Well then, I believe you should hand over your wallet, as do I believe you have found yourself in a back-rank checkmate.”
Durham’s eyes darted back to the board. His king was firmly trapped behind his own ranks with no available moves, and it was at the mercy of her queen. Juliane smiled, batted her eyelashes, and said, “Oh, and while you are at it, would you please fetch me another drink?”
The look of shock upon Durham's face was too much to resist, and Juliane threw back her head in a burst of unrestrained laughter.
"What just happened?" Durham asked as he moved to refill her beverage.
"You don't play women often, do you?" she asked as she shrugged a shoulder with
“Chess.” It was a question as much as a statement. Lacrosse in Wales, fencing around the globe, and chess as his go-to game of choice. The man sitting before her had quite the different upbringing than she had. Durham did not waste time waiting for her to answer and pulled out a chess set from a small compartment located near his seat. Durham pushed a small button, and a table rose from the floor.
“Convenient that you have the board ready.”
“Isn’t it, though?” Durham grinned like a child. The pieces were set up in a matter of minutes. “Ladies first.”
Juliane marveled at the board as Durham placed the final piece. It was a beautiful set; each piece appeared hand carved out of marble and polished to a high shine. She hesitated to mar their surfaces with her fingerprints. She moved her first pawn as if it might shatter on impact.
A few moves later, several of her pieces had been captured. As she suspected, Durham was quite skilled with the game. She watched as he swooped in to take out another, this time a knight. With each move, he had grown bolder and bolder while her available moves dwindled.
“Really, my fine doctor, you ought to pay more attention to the game at hand—a couple more moves like that and your king will be completely exposed.” He paused.
She had been hunched forward, studying the board, but looked up when he had begun speaking.
His smile widened to a near leer. "Or are you hoping for an excuse to bare all your secrets?" She glanced down to realize that her neckline had drooped low, providing him with a display of cleavage. She successfully fought back a blush. Stay confident, Juliane , she told herself as she acknowledged his comment with a quick tilt of her head and a single raised eyebrow.
She watched as he raised his own eyebrows in surprise. She saw his Adam’s apple bob in a quick gulp before he himself regained his own composure.
Juliane turned her face back toward the game at hand, although she continued to look up at Durham through her eyelashes. “Oh, I think I might still have a chance. Don’t you?” Her voice deepened to a near purr as she reached out to caress one of her chess pieces. “You know, we never did agree what I get if I win.”
“In full disclosure, I feel that I do need to tell you that I’ve beaten some of the best in the world, including Louis. But in the event that happens, you can name your reward.”
“Anything I want?”
“Anything at all.”
“Day spas, shopping sprees, fine dining?”
“Sure. I’ll hand over my card, but you might find yourself needing a big strong assistant to take you to all those places.”
“And you’d be willing to do all that if I win?” Juliane drew the piece she held ever so slightly along her face so that its tip rested just beside her lips.
“All that and more. If you win, I’ll be your personal slave as long as we are in Vegas,” Durham responded eagerly.
Juliane shifted her head so that it rested on her other palm as she placed the piece back on the board, rubbing her thumb along its head. Durham took a quick glance around, as if verifying that they were alone in the cabin. “Well then, I believe you should hand over your wallet, as do I believe you have found yourself in a back-rank checkmate.”
Durham’s eyes darted back to the board. His king was firmly trapped behind his own ranks with no available moves, and it was at the mercy of her queen. Juliane smiled, batted her eyelashes, and said, “Oh, and while you are at it, would you please fetch me another drink?”
The look of shock upon Durham's face was too much to resist, and Juliane threw back her head in a burst of unrestrained laughter.
"What just happened?" Durham asked as he moved to refill her beverage.
"You don't play women often, do you?" she asked as she shrugged a shoulder with
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