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Gia smiles “It’s not a date”

“See, I thought that, too” I set e links into bite-sized pieces “But then I got to the Bellagio last night, or…earlier today, I guess A few hours ago And when I saw you all ht fuck me…she really does want me”

“First of all,butspokeshtly “And second, there’s a story behind this makeup and this shirt”

I nod, enjoying our banter “The story goes, ‘Maverick is the sexiest et into his pants?’”

She rolls her eyes and laughs “You really do have ego to spare, don’t you? Too bad there aren’t ego banks, like blood banks You could donate on the regular to give a much-needed boost to those with low self-esteem”

“If they gave me a cookie like the blood bank does, I’d be all over it”

“I think the ego bank would hand out little pocket-sized mirrors to donors”

I nod eood to have one in each hand, plus another two for the hands of the guy I hire to carry and hold mirrors up for me”

“That poor man You’d better pay him well”

She holds es the air between us Even after nine hours playing poker, she looks fresh and pretty Her black top has a V-neck, and I can’t stop staring at her neck and wishing I could climb across the table and kiss it

Hockey is so I have to be so serious about, all the ti myself too seriously off the ice I’ve never been around a woman who chirped back at me It’s damn sexy

“How’s your food?” I ask her

We’re at a little hole-in-the-wall diner off the Strip, a brightly lit place with just one server helping the only customers—us, and a table of drunks It’s a dive, in the best way, fro to the all-you-can-eat pancake special

“Delicious” Gia bites off the end of a piece of bacon “If I don’t stop to eat while I’o home to sleep It reminds me of the places my dad used to take me when I was a kid”