Page 16 of D’Vaire or Nothing (D’Vaire #44)

“Okay, okay,” Josh said. “You can start. I gotta take a second to think this through. I need to be strategic and shit.”

“Fine. If I lose this hand, I will remove my suit jacket.”

“Good. One step closer to getting that chest of yours bared. Hmm, you make smart choices, so I’ll copy you to start. My suit jacket goes first too.”

“Perfect,” Donnell replied, wiggling a little to get comfortable. His mind was already conjuring a fantastically nude Josh writhing beneath him. It was causing his bear to roar with approval, but it was probably too early in the game to have a hard cock. Too bad Donnell’s body wasn’t listening.

“What’s next?”

Realizing he was doing nothing but letting his gaze wash over the handsome man Fate had given him, Donnell gathering his scattered wits and dealt each of them one card face down and two up.

“This is a version of five-card stud. Now that the initial cards are visible, you can place a bet. We don’t have poker chips, so we’ll use kisses.

Little busses are for a decent hand, while a more vigorous one signals that you believe you have something good.

But unlike normal rules, there is a penalty if you kiss too much and have a shitty hand.

The other person gets to exact revenge.”

Those witchy teal eyes met Donnell’s, and Josh’s tiny overbite was visible as he offered the bear a rakish grin. “What kind of revenge?”

“Like if you kiss me and wind up with shit, I’m going to fondle your dick.”

“How is that a bad thing?”

“Because if you come, the game ends and I go watch cartoons with the sleeping elementals.”

Josh laughed. “No fuckity way.”

“Do you know how to tell what you have in your hand?”

“Like, three of a kind, full house, or whatever? I think I know, but can I ask questions?”

“Of course, this is a learning experience, after all. Do you want to bet first?”

Leaning over the cards, Josh gave Donnell a smacking kiss. “I don’t have shit yet.”

Despite the rules he’d laid out, Donnell was prepared to fight dirty.

He hadn’t even glanced at his cards, but he lifted Josh’s chin and slipped his tongue between his lips.

The scent of the ocean pleased him and his bear as he allowed desire through him.

No one was as intoxicating as the lockmage hybrid Fate had brought into his life.

When Donnell finally pulled away, Josh blinked heavily, and the bear was ridiculously thrilled by the flush on his cheeks. The game was going well. Donnell dealt another card face up for them both.

“No more betting until the next hand, okay?” Donnell asked as he laid the last card on the bedspread.

Allowing just a single bet hadn’t been his initial intention nor was it part of the rules, but Donnell wouldn’t get Josh naked if he did nothing but kiss him.

At least not in a way that honored the rules Donnell had laid out for them and their card game.

“Sure,” Josh said. “Are we looking at our mystery card now?”

Belatedly, Donnell peeked at his cards and was happy to see a pair of sevens—especially since Josh had nothing.

“Yes, what do you have, Joshua?”

His mate sighed and tugged off his coat before Donnell finished flipping his facedown card.

“Okay, that was practice. Next round is mine for sure,” Josh grumbled. “You do your ante.”

“Ante moves to the next player. You have to decide what to remove first.”

“Fine, I’ll remove my belt.”

“That is used to secure an article of clothing, so it’s included with your pants.”

Josh’s mouth fell open, but he recovered swiftly and narrowed his eyes. “Okay, fine. We’ll play your way. It doesn’t matter because I’m winning from now on. My ante is my socks. I’m guessing you’re going to insist that’s a pair so I can’t pick one.”

“Intelligent and sexy. Fate has been so good to me,” Donnell said, meaning every word. “My ante is my jacket again.”

They played out the hand and several more.

Donnell had lost his jacket but was otherwise fully dressed.

Thankfully, Josh’s luck was terrible. The Aqua Superus was sitting on the bed in nothing but a pair of teal boxers decorated with dark brown pawprints.

His lovely chest was flushed, and his mouth was swollen from their kisses.

There was even a wet spot on the front of his underwear.

Everything was going according to plan. Except Donnell’s balls ached, his dick was smooshed against the zipper of his trousers, and he dearly wanted to shove the cards out of the way so he could properly make love to the man he loved.

“Big surprise, my ante is my shorts,” Josh commented.

Wanting to please them both, Donnell changed his ante from the last several rounds. “I’m going with my shirt.”

Josh rubbed his hands together. “Okay, time to get serious. Your fluffy chest is on the line, and I need to get my hands in that fur.”

Once again, Donnell gave little attention to the cards as he dealt them.

They didn’t matter. Josh did. To please them both, Donnell went with a serious bet.

He cupped Josh’s face in his hands and took his mate’s mouth in a deep kiss that made the lockmage whimper.

The sound was music to Donnell’s sexually frustrated ears.

Forcing himself to release Josh wasn’t easy, but he eventually managed. Josh blinked heavily and panted with his mouth open as they studied each other in the low light of their hotel room. Flustered, it took Donnell a couple of tries before he finished dealing them both cards.

“I have three of a kind,” Josh exclaimed. “How the fuckity did I finally manage to win? Get that chest out right now, Donnell.”

Donnell didn’t even have to flip his card over. He didn’t have shit, and they both knew it. His fingers went to his buttons, and he only opened enough to tug his shirt off. Josh shoved the cards to the floor and pushed Donnell back against the pillows.

Josh buried his fingers in Donnell’s chest hair, and their lips met. Poker was apparently done for the night, so Donnell grabbed two handfuls of Josh’s perfect ass and pressed him closer. But he immediately grew frustrated with the stupid clothes they were still wearing.

“I should’ve lost a few hands,” Donnell muttered.

“Who cares?” Josh asked as he tackled Donnell’s belt. Too close to the edge for any patience, Donnell brushed his mate’s hands out of the way and took care of the task himself. Seconds later, he flung his pants, boxers, and socks to the carpet.

Josh gave him a killer smile as he dragged his own underwear off.

Although Donnell had envisioned a long night of poker and seduction, restraint would have to wait.

He and his bear needed Josh. Mindful of their size difference, Donnell grasped both of their rigid cocks in one big paw and jacked them with intent.

With his back already arching, Josh groaned Donnell’s name and dug his fingers into the bear’s pectorals as he jerked his hips rapidly without a hint of his usual grace. Donnell enjoyed the sparks along his spine and the heaviness in his balls. He was close. But Josh needed to come first.

Donnell tightened his fist and wasn’t surprised as his fangs elongated.

His bear was fond of marking his territory.

Instinctively, Josh bared his throat, and Donnell didn’t hesitate.

He sank his teeth into Josh’s tender flesh, and his climax roared through him.

His bear filled his head with an exclamation of triumph as Josh’s seed splashed onto Donnell’s fingers.

Being with a sorcerer had many benefits, including the immediate cleanup of any mess with a quick spell. Grateful for Josh, Donnell tugged the exhausted man into his arms and held him tenderly.

“I could teach you a few finer points of poker if you want,” Donnell said against Josh’s ear as he dropped little kisses on his heated skin.

“You get me, Donnell, I’d love that. I think I’ll need the entire night to get through your lessons.”

“Maybe even the whole weekend.”

Josh found Donnell’s mouth and kissed him softly. “Yes. Absolutely. All fuckity weekend. I love you.”

“I love you too.”