Chapter 13

Athena found in her hand the Ace of diamonds and 5 of hearts in the next round. The community cards had the Ace of spades. She looked around at everyone's faces. She had to find out their 'tells'. Play the man as Daniel put it.

"I bet 30 dollars." Freda called.

Athena noticed the side of Freda's mouth twitch slightly. It movement was so miniscule that it almost went unnoticed. But, it was like Athena's vision was hyperaware of every detail on Freda's face, almost flashing a spot light on her lips. Drawing Athena's attention to it.

Athena assumed that meant that her cards were good.

"I see your 30 and raise it by 10" Arsenio announced.

Athena kept looking for a twitch of the lips or something on him. But, she saw nothing. Which meant either he did not have good cards or he did not have a 'tell' for positive cards or that his tell wasn't as obvious as Freda's.

"Call"

"I see your 40 and raise you another 10"

"I see your 50 and see you another 10"

"Call"

"I raise by 20"

"I raise another 10"

"Fold"

"I raise you by another 20"

"Raise by 10"

"Fold"

"Call"

"I raise you by another 10 Arsenio's elegance"

"Danny boy I raise you by another 20"

"Call"

"I raise you a five"

"Call"

"Call"

"Raise by 10"

"Raise ten"

"Call"

"Check"

"Check"

Daniel revealed the fourth card. Ten of hearts. Athena knew she had nothing. And by the way Freda lip had twitched she might just have something up her sleeve.

"Raise a twenty."

"I see your twenty and raise you another 10"

"Fold"

"It seems like it's just you and me now my dear dear baby girl."

"Baby girl? Jeez woman! Anyways I raise you by another 10"

Athena wasn't sure if she should gamble this way.

"I see you and raise another twenty."

Athena looked closely for the twitch. To see if Freda was still confident of her cards. The twitch wasn't there. So she whatever she had was definitely not a royal flush. All Athena had to do was break her now.

"Call."

"Call"

Daniel placed the final card. The king of hearts.

"Check"

"Raise 20"

"Fold."

"I guess I won. What was it?" Athena asked.

"Four of kind. What did you have?"

"A pair."

"What! I could have one but you kept betting you with so much confidence!"

"Well, I guess we aren't going to treat Athena as a noob it seems. Looks like she is a natural!"

"Apparently" Freda mumbled as everyone raised their glasses and drank the daiquiri.

"Off with your shirts my dearies…" Athena gloated.

"You don't have to gloat you know. I am not so sure I like her anymore." Freda teased.

"Doesn't matter you are still losing you top and I am going to watch you take it off." Athena teased back. But, her eyes betrayed her as she looked sideways waiting to Arsenio to reach for his shirt.

Her lips slightly parted as his index finger began to trace the circular button. All Athena wanted to do was turn, watch the button slip slowly through it hole. She wanted to listen to the very sound of the button brushing against the cloth. Savor the moment it finally popped open, revealing an inch of his smooth skin.

"Yeah cause it's her that you want to watch loose the shirt. Don't even bother pretending like your eyes aren't actually darting to watch Arsenio. I can almost hear you heart beat loudly in anticipation. I can see the way your eyes darted momentarily in his direction, lustfully watching his finger play with that fucking button. Just turn around and look at him. I am sure lover boy here doesn't mind. Do you now?" Marco teased.

Daniel snorted in response.

"If that's what I wanted I would have simply turned like this and watched. See?"

Athena turned to face Arsenio. He had her full attention. Athena had after all finally found a reason to watch him. Arsenio immediately became self-conscious. His cheeks colored as he watched lust begin to cloud Athena's moss green eyes.

He ran a hand through his black bed hair before popping the button open.

The action was ever so slow. Athena almost heard the clock tick before the button finally gave away. The shirt hanging loosely, still covering his skin. She wanted to see more.

"I guess Arsenio means to make a fucking spectacle out of this!" Daniel groaned.

Arsenio reached for the next button, then another and then one more until the shirt stood open. The cotton carelessly flapping, teasing Athena. He felt her eyes, trace each contour of his skin that gapped through the shirt. He reached for the edge of the shirt, pushing it off his right shoulder, that's when the smell hit him.

The citrus sweet smell of her arousal polling between her legs. His eyes suddenly lifted up, to see her eyes on fire. Licking the flames of arousal against his skin, drawing him into her seduction.

"Get a room you two!" Daniel muttered, snapping them out of their trance.