He positioned himself to the side, so he could view her more easily. Her concentration was astounding, as though her task were a matter of life or death. She licked her upper lip before biting into the lower lush one. God help him, he’d be the one who was kindling when the time finally came.

She brought the cue back, pushed it forward—

Smack!

The ball rolled quickly toward the corner, bounced away to hit the opposite side, and rolled diagonally toward the other corner where it hit, bounded back, and came to rest a few inches from the red ball. Disappointment washed over her face. “May I try again?”

“If you like. We’re not playing yet. Simply practicing.”

The next strike hit the opposite side and rolled to a stop. She sighed. “I suppose it takes a good deal of practice to be as good as you are.”

The third time was a charm, or part of one at least. She hit his white ball. She looked at him hopefully, her smile tentative. “Perhaps we should use your modified rules. If we did, I would have scored?”

“One point.”

“And I’d get another turn? I wouldn’t have to hand the cue over to you yet?”

“Correct. We’ll go with the more flexible rules.”

“You’re incredibly kind and sporting. Are you going to allow me to go first?”

“There’s a method for determining who goes first. It has to do with each of us hitting our balls, bouncing them off the far end, and the one—” He shook his head. This was all for fun. The wager didn’t involve money or pride. “It doesn’t matter. As my guest, you may go first.”

“Thank you. May I alter our rules a bit?”

Leaning his hip against the side of the table, he crossed his arms over his chest. “What did you have in mind?”

“When one of us scores a point, he—or she—gets to ask the other a question, which must be answered truthfully or a forfeit must be paid.”

“What will the forfeit be?”

Nibbling on that lower lip again. He could barely wait to do his own nibbling. “Whatever the point maker decides. I think it will add a level of excitement not to know what might be required.”

Bless her. Fortune had smiled on her with the last hit, might again with a couple more shots, but once the cue came to him, he’d rack up eight points in a row. Eight questions. He could ask anything of her. He nodded. “Done.”

She smiled brightly. “Very good. Will you set it up properly for us to begin?”

He placed the red ball at the opposite end, both whites at theirs.