Queen of Diamonds ( Part of the Love and Diamonds anthology.)
Blurb:
After four months of denying his feelings for Sybil Diamond, Culley Maccailin enlists her brother help to set up a poker game between them. He knows Sybil learned the game from her professional poker-playing father, and is just as good.
If he loses, he’ll fold. If he wins… The sky’s the limit.
As far as Sybil is concerned, love sucks. She’s been burned once and isn’t interested in a repeat performance. When her brother sets her up – again – she’ surprised to learn it’s against Cully Maccailin, the only man who’s stirred her heart since her ex-fiance walked out on her.
Let the game begin.
Excerpt:
“How could you do this to me — again?” Sybil Diamond stormed round her brother’s living room.” I told you I wasn’t interested, and it’s the third time you’ve pulled this stunt without my permission.” She whirled on Ritchie and aimed her fist low into his gut. It did nothing to appease her rising fury when he deflected her punch. Ritchie worked out more hours daily than she spent shopping.
When she nearly tripped on his discarded shirt she swore, bent to pick it up, and threw it on top of the pile of clothes on a nearby chair. “When are you going to shovel some of this lot into the washing machine?” she demanded; hiding a satisfied smirk at her brother’s wince. He may be a world champion surfer, but much as she loved him, the guy was a slob when it came to his living quarters.
“Instead of trying to fix me up with all your friends, you should concentrate on clearing up this mess and getting a girl of your own.”
“Aw, Sis, don’t be like that. Culley’s okay.”
“Culley! Culley? What sort of name is that? Are you telling me this guy has the same name as on that TV show?” Sybil struggled to recall the name and gave up. She was too busy expanding her own party planner business and didn’t have time to watch TV.
She’d met the man four months ago, but decided to keep that information to herself. It couldn’t be the same Culley, she’d not heard from him since that meeting, and she admitted now she’d expected to.
“Do you realise how busy I am next week? I have three children’s birthday parties, an engagement bash, a baby shower, and a massive Valentine party to organise for Aila Metaxas on the14th, Friday night. And before then,” she added before Ritchie could interrupt, “I have my normal weekend rush of venues to deal with starting this afternoon with a fiftieth wedding anniversary.” Sybil stalked into the pocket-sized kitchen, dug a bottle of cool water from the fridge, and, unscrewing the bottle cap, stalked back again. “I don’t have time to play some stupid game of poker with this Culley just because you and your buddies think it’s cool to ‘play for the girl.’”
“So, you’re making excuses because you expect to lose?”
Sybil whirled round so fast, water spewed from the bottle and soaked Ritchie’s shirt and the pile of clothes on the chair, her satisfaction rapidly morphing to irritation when she recognised her brother’s tone. And knew, too, he’d won.
Blurb:
After four months of denying his feelings for Sybil Diamond, Culley Maccailin enlists her brother help to set up a poker game between them. He knows Sybil learned the game from her professional poker-playing father, and is just as good.
If he loses, he’ll fold. If he wins… The sky’s the limit.
As far as Sybil is concerned, love sucks. She’s been burned once and isn’t interested in a repeat performance. When her brother sets her up – again – she’ surprised to learn it’s against Cully Maccailin, the only man who’s stirred her heart since her ex-fiance walked out on her.
Let the game begin.
Excerpt:
“How could you do this to me — again?” Sybil Diamond stormed round her brother’s living room.” I told you I wasn’t interested, and it’s the third time you’ve pulled this stunt without my permission.” She whirled on Ritchie and aimed her fist low into his gut. It did nothing to appease her rising fury when he deflected her punch. Ritchie worked out more hours daily than she spent shopping.
When she nearly tripped on his discarded shirt she swore, bent to pick it up, and threw it on top of the pile of clothes on a nearby chair. “When are you going to shovel some of this lot into the washing machine?” she demanded; hiding a satisfied smirk at her brother’s wince. He may be a world champion surfer, but much as she loved him, the guy was a slob when it came to his living quarters.
“Instead of trying to fix me up with all your friends, you should concentrate on clearing up this mess and getting a girl of your own.”
“Aw, Sis, don’t be like that. Culley’s okay.”
“Culley! Culley? What sort of name is that? Are you telling me this guy has the same name as on that TV show?” Sybil struggled to recall the name and gave up. She was too busy expanding her own party planner business and didn’t have time to watch TV.
She’d met the man four months ago, but decided to keep that information to herself. It couldn’t be the same Culley, she’d not heard from him since that meeting, and she admitted now she’d expected to.
“Do you realise how busy I am next week? I have three children’s birthday parties, an engagement bash, a baby shower, and a massive Valentine party to organise for Aila Metaxas on the14th, Friday night. And before then,” she added before Ritchie could interrupt, “I have my normal weekend rush of venues to deal with starting this afternoon with a fiftieth wedding anniversary.” Sybil stalked into the pocket-sized kitchen, dug a bottle of cool water from the fridge, and, unscrewing the bottle cap, stalked back again. “I don’t have time to play some stupid game of poker with this Culley just because you and your buddies think it’s cool to ‘play for the girl.’”
“So, you’re making excuses because you expect to lose?”
Sybil whirled round so fast, water spewed from the bottle and soaked Ritchie’s shirt and the pile of clothes on the chair, her satisfaction rapidly morphing to irritation when she recognised her brother’s tone. And knew, too, he’d won.