Home > Neutral Grounds (French Quarter Collection #3)

Neutral Grounds (French Quarter Collection #3)
Author: Jiffy Kate

Prologue


Shep

Two Years Ago

“Boardwalk for two thousand dollars? Fuck me, I’m out.” Maverick throws his fake money at me then unceremoniously finishes his drink.

“That just leaves you and me, sweets.” I waggle my eyebrows at my beautiful opponent only to be flipped off in return.

Rude.

“Get him, CeCe. Don’t let this prick win!” Carys shouts and I flinch just a bit at her words.

Again, rude.

“Sorry, Shep,” Carys says sheepishly. “I just get really competitive when I drink. I don’t actually think you’re a prick, I promise.” She gives me a friendly smile, her head tilting just enough to show how tipsy she is, even though she’s been out of the game for quite a while.

“It’s fine, Carys,” I assure her. And it is fine because she’s just being nice. I am a prick.

A prick with a heart, but a prick just the same.

CeCe, my current adversary—Carys’s best friend whom I only met one day ago when I let Maverick drag my ass to New Orleans so he could get his girl—sips her drink while waiting for my next move. She’s been watching me all night and I fucking love it. She also doesn’t seem to mind my eyes being on her the entire evening either, when they’re not on my growing fake bank account, of course.

Priorities.

CeCe and I have an odd relationship. Actually, relationship isn’t the correct word but I can’t think of another way to describe us after the many shots and drinks I’ve consumed while playing this game. Who knew playing Drunk Monopoly could be so much fun?

I guess acquaintance is how I’d describe us. We only know each other because our best friends are in love. If it weren’t for Maverick and Carys, we’d be complete strangers. I’d still think she’s the hottest woman I’ve ever seen, but that’s beside the point. I’m fairly sure CeCe doesn’t do one-night stands and I’m even more certain I’m not her type.

What a shame.

I roll the dice and move the top hat game piece I was assigned, landing on Tennessee Avenue.

Shit.

“Pay up, sucker!” CeCe demands, sticking her open palm out to me.

I hand over nine hundred and fifty dollars, watching as she adds the bills to her huge stack.

“How do you have so much money?” I ask. “I own the most expensive properties in the game.”

“Oh, Shep…silly, sexy, Shep,” she sing-songs. “Silly, sexy, smart-yet-stupid, Shep. It’s not about how expensive the property is; it’s about how often someone lands on it. Owning the red and orange properties will almost always give you a win. The dark blues? Well, the odds are against you, my friend.” She snorts and it’s oddly attractive.

I already had a semi from our witty banter, but after that little explanation, I have a full-on erection. Her beauty is a natural turn-on but knowing she has brains, too, just upped the ante. Big time.

Wait, did she just say I was sexy?

“Did you just say I’m sexy?”

Her eyes flash to mine while her cheeks turn a delicious shade of pink. How far does that blush go? I shamelessly let my eyes wander down to her tits. They’d definitely be a handful, if not more.

“What?” she asks, feigning ignorance, but we both know CeCe Calhoun is anything but. Clearing her throat, she cocks her head. “I…I think the liquor is getting to me. What I meant to say was silly, stupid, Shep.” Her coy smile is enough to make me hard, but then she bites down on that plump bottom lip and I’m a goner.

“I have an idea,” I say, deciding to let her off the hook for her slip-up, for now.

“What?” CeCe eyes me warily and it makes me want to laugh but I manage to hold it in.

“Let’s make the game interesting,” I suggest.

“You mean more interesting than having to take a drink for nearly every step of this game?”

Oh, yeah, Drunk Monopoly is a beast, and even if you win the game, you’ll more than likely lose to your alcohol of choice. That Jose Cuervo is a sore winner, for sure, trust me.

“I believe you and I are evenly matched in this game, so it only makes sense that we should make the stakes higher.”

“We’re not playing with real money, Shep.”

“That’s not what I mean,” I say, rolling my eyes at her absurd assumption. I have more than enough money. Why would I want hers?

“Then what do you want?” CeCe sits up straight and looks me dead in the eyes. She’s challenging me and it makes me want to sweep this fucking Monopoly board in the floor and fuck her right here on this table…all night long, not caring if Carys and Maverick are still in the room.

I return her gaze and hold it, simply wanting to see how long she lasts. Only after I hear Maverick mutter “for fuck’s sake” under his breath do I finally answer.

“A kiss.”

The laughter that erupts out of CeCe is surprising, but I don’t let it affect my composure.

“And, what do I get if I win?” she asks.

“What do you want?”

“The empty space next to Neutral Grounds.”

What the hell? This girl doesn’t pull any punches, she goes right for what she wants. How the hell did she know I own that property?

I hear a throat clearing, followed by a chair scraping against the floor that brings my attention to Maverick. “Come on, Mess, let’s leave these two to their game.” He grabs Carys’s hand and practically pulls her out of her chair.

Fucker.

“But I want to see who wins.” Her voice is whiny and tipsy.

“I was thinking we’d play our own game,” he mutters. “Strip Monopoly.” That’s all Carys needs to hear as she lets Mav lead her down the hallway to their bedroom.

“Y’all keep it down. We don’t want to hear any live porn action,” I grumble.

CeCe laughs, waving as Carys blows a kiss to her friend over her shoulder.

It was only an hour ago that the four of us left the lobby of the hotel and retired to Carys’s apartment for a nightcap. What was supposed to be a drink between friends escalated to shots over a fucking board game.

“You looked surprised by my answer,” CeCe says, bringing my attention back to her. “I’ve wanted that space for years, so I make it my business to know everything about it. Imagine my surprise when I was told who the new owner is.”

“I have plans for that space,” I tell her, thinking back to when I purchased it only a few months ago. Funny thing about that is it was long before I knew Maverick would be coming here to stay. I saw it in a stack of listings, various properties in the French Quarter area for sale, but one of the few that had potential. And quite honestly, I bought it because I knew Spencer Kensington was looking for properties in the same area and I would rather have it and sit on it for years, letting it rot, before I let him get his hands on it. Sure, it sounds juvenile and petty, but I don’t mind stooping to his level to beat him at his own game. “But,” I continue, holding CeCe’s gaze and trying not to get lost in her big brown eyes. It must be the whiskey. “If it’s what you want to win, I guess I could give it up.”

Lies. There’s no way in hell I’ll let her win, but I can let her think she’s winning so I can get what I want. “Just know, if I win, our kiss has to be fucking spectacular to even come close to being comparable to real estate.”

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