But the other women obviously knew they were seductively pretty, too, and made the best of that knowledge to play up to the fourth man at the table.

Tanya didn't have to be told he was Mr. Steele. The man's presence dominated the entire room. He sat quietly, his swarthy face calm, aloof, impassive. She wondered what thoughts raged behind those hawk-like eyes? They must be potent ones, she guessed, because she felt cold shivers go up and down her spine. This was a man used to commanding – and being obeyed.

This was a man she wanted to know better.

"Sit," he said, his voice calm and level. "And we shall begin." He glanced at Tanya and asked, "Has Marcus told you the rules?"

"Poker," she said, trying to be casual about it even though she was raging inside. "What more do I need to know?"

"We play for more than simple table stakes," said Mr. Steele patiently. She wondered if fire ever burned in those eyes, the fire of arousal, sexual arousal caused by a woman. She wanted to be the one to find out.

"I don't care."

"Good," he said. "I like that attitude. It shows you are in command of your own mind and body. Cut for deal."

The play went swiftly, expertly. Tanya had learned to play in a hard school and won fairly consistently, the chips piling in front of her. But Mr. Steele's game wasn't that of an amateur. He won, gradually and soon only the pair of them were left in the game.

"Get the others out of here," said Mr. Steele to Marcus. The burly man opened the door and ushered out the other women. The men at the table leaned back and watched the play continue between Tanya and Mr. Steele as if it were the most interesting spectator sport in the world.

Tanya couldn't figure out what was going through the men's minds. They eyed her almost exclusively, as if staring at Mr. Steele would cause them to turn into pillars of salt. Their continued study of her made her a little nervous. She felt the tension in the air – and it was a highly sexual tension she couldn't understand.