MEET
'Seven.Banks pays 19.' Natasha's voice for soft and cool as she turned over the card. Deftly she paid out the winning bets, racked in the remaining chips and sorted them into the rack without even looking at what she was doing .
Lord Daniel had won a modest amount and grinned as he put down his stake for the next hand. "See_ I told you this was my lucky table!
Natasha glanced towards the man sitting next to him, an unspoken question in her find blue eyes enquiring if he wishhed to continue play_he had been losing fairly consistently for the past hour, and now had only a harmful of chips left. He shook his head returning her a wry smile.'No thank you _you've just cleaned me out.' he rose easily to his feet pocketing his last few remaining chips.' I think I will adjournto the bar and drown my sorrows'
She concealed Merely a nod, but from beneath her lashes she slanted him a searching glance. This was the second successive night he had visited the Spinnard's Cove Casino and he have lost heavily both times. He didn't seem particularly bothered about it ,accepting the setbacks with the casual unconcern of a seasoned_habitually unlucky _gamber.
There was really no reason why she should be surprised of that, of course. The live _blood of the casino business was moderately wealthy young men like this men whose drug of choice was money whether they are winning it's or losing it. Some of them were crazy boys with large trust fund and low boredom threshold, others were businessman whose money was made in ways that perhaps wouldn't stand too close to scrutiny .
And yet ...Somehow this one didn't look like a loser.
There was a casual arrogance in the set of those wide shoulders, a firmness in the line of his jaw in spite of the lazy smile that hinted that behind the air of laid- back amiability he was not quite what he seemed.
Her assessing survey told her that his white dinner jacket might well have come from the same expensive Taylor as his friend Lord Daniel's . But dolls impressive shoulders old nothing to padding, and the immaculate started little to disguise a lithe, muscular physique that hinted at considerable reserves of strength. And his hand wearing pampered and soft like the English aristocrat's either. His hair was mid- brown cut brush -short and pushed casually to one side tipped the Golden flecks which suggested that he was more at home out of doors than in the smoke field rooms an impression heightened by the all weather thunder certainly hadn't come from a sunbed. And his eyes they were the real giveaway. They were a dark, smoking grey, but something dangerous lurked in their secret depths. Predators eyes _sharks eyes.
And they were regarding her now with her glint of sardonic amusement. .'perhaps by way of consolation you have a dance with me later?' he suggested an inflection of lazy's self -mockery in his voice.
Natasha shook her head.' I'm sorry_ I don't dance'. she returned' distantly polite. One dark eyebrow arched in mild surprise.'Never?'.
'Never '. She hardens intended that slightly sharp note. But he on settled her and she didn't like that.