“Yeah, looks like he broke his nose. That’s gotta hurt,” he said. They watched the fight, the other players circling like sharks while the referees waded in trying to pull the two apart, one getting a probably inadvertent elbow in the face for his troubles.

“My God, the things we do for a little excitement, right?” She shuddered and gulped her drink.

“I dunno,” Worth shrugged, turning towards her. “I enjoy the game, but I really watch it more for the strategy and the competition. The fights, I guess that’s part of the darker side of human nature that’s in all of us, really.”

“You think so?” She tilted her head up at him, taking another drink. “I think that’s more of a guy thing, the aggression thing. I think—” She flushed a bit, taking another fast gulp. “I think there’s something just a little bit submissive, deep down, in almost every woman. I mean, I don’t want some guy to drag me around by the hair or to spend the rest of my life washing his socks and underwear, but I think most women prefer a guy who can, you know, kinda take charge. And I think that men are, well, like that.” She shrugged. “Like I said, a guy thing.”

“That’s very… perceptive of you.” He looked at her intently, holding her eyes. “I’ll bet you’re very good with people.” He could see the pulse at her throat beating rapidly. She licked her lips and was oddly still, as if frozen by the tension between them. He leaned over and claimed a slow, tantalizing kiss, pulling back when he realized his hand was tangled in her hair at the nape of her neck, his jeans were awkwardly tight, and they were still in a very public place. For his preferred games, public wouldn’t do at all. Besides, there was the warning from his control. She could be a very pretty piece of bait. Either way, if he had anything to say about it he was going to have one hell of a time making sure.