Read the excerpt from Susan DiPlacido's latest adult fiction, Shuffle Up and Deal.
SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL, by Susan DiPlacido, Neon Fiction, 424 pp., $3.99 (Kindle edition).
Meet Izzy Santillo. She’s a charming-but-lonely thirty-four year old woman who loves poker and harbors a secret crush on the reigning king of Hold ‘em.
Meet Nick Nolan, the reigning king of Hold ‘em. On the tables, he’s fast and loose and almost always wins. But when it comes to women, playboy Nick holds his cards too close and always loses.
When Izzy and Nick meet in embarrassing fashion at a Las Vegas poker tournament, Izzy’s secret dreams turn into a public nightmare. But despite her humiliation, she may have finally sparked Nick’s interest in something other than cards. Before long, Nick takes a gamble on Izzy and raises the stakes when he offers to help her sharpen her game. But Izzy’s convinced that Nick is bluffing and will fold his hand after he’s had her on the flop. But a string of outrageous proposition bets and steamy trips on the poker tour, from Los Angeles to Miami, make these two fierce competitors realize that it may be time to put all their chips on the table. Will Izzy and Nick pair up? Or will they lose it all if they go all-in for each other? Sit down, ante up, and hang on, as Nick and Izzy get ready to Shuffle Up and Deal.
Book Excerpt:“Izzy,” he whispers in my ear as he nudges me from behind. It’s gentle, but I was in a deep sleep, so I’m groggy and slow to respond.
I had forgotten he was even here. My boyfriend du-jour. It’s an on and off relationship that, for tonight at least, is on.
He pushes his body closer, spooning me, wrapping an arm around my waist. His breath is warm and sultry in my ear. His erection is pressed against my thigh. “You awake, Iz?”
“Mmm,” I mumble, slowly swimming back up from the depths of sleep to regain conscious thought. His hand moves under the covers, caresses the front of my thigh and starts pulling up my nightgown. His hand is sure and soft, the fabric silky as it glides across my skin. “Wake up,” he urges as his hand moves back down, between my legs.
“Sleepy,” I murmur. I could easily go back to sleep. But the sad fact is that since we’re more “off” than “on,” I really don’t get much fun in the sack, so I’m happy to forego sleep for sex tonight.
