[[ france ]]

[justdidntseeit]

With Boo spending the night with a playmate nearby and Demeter away, the remaining grown-ups have the evening and the house to themselves.

Which means, after a long, unhurried dinner and plenty of conversation, Kate, Beckett and Bill find themselves working their way through more than a couple of bottles of wine from Demeter's impressive cellar.

And Bill's shuffling a deck of playing cards.

The stakes have yet to be determined.

Comments

[justdidntseeit]

Kate refills her empty glass and arches an eyebrow in Bill's direction.

"I know you didn't just say we should play for M&Ms."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Why not? We got a bunch."

He nods to the bowl he's been eating from all night, and sets the deck down next to Beckett to cut.

"Plus, they're delicious, makes 'em worth winnin'."

[fanofthegenre]

Beckett makes a face.

"I can't eat any more. Besides, how can you eat those and drink this at the same time?"

She taps the blunt of a fingernail against the side of her half-empty wineglass.

[justdidntseeit]

"He's special, Kate," Kate stage-whispers before taking a sip from her glass.

She's pleasantly full, and the wine has her warm and loose-limbed.

"But."

She straightens and produces a handful of folded euros from one pocket of her dark designer jeans.

"We have to make this interesting, guys."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Because they're both delicious," He replies, matter-of-factly, finishing his glass and reaching for the bottle to get another refill.

When he sees Kate pull out money he grins.

"Y'all ain't gonna hate me for takin' all your money, are ya?"

His accent is fairly thick, thanks to the wine, and he hasn't stopped smiling for awhile now.

[fanofthegenre]

Beckett scrunches up her nose, but that quickly disappears upon her hearing of his question, and she actually laughs at that one, a soft oh-ho of a sound.

"Them's fighting words, Sheriff. You sure you can back that up after the cards are dealt?"

[justdidntseeit]

Kate's smile grows and her eyes slide from Beckett to Bill.

Someone's going to lose, and she'd put good money on the odds that say it won't be Beckett.

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Sure I'm sure."

Sitting up in his chair he reaches back and pulls out his wallet, fumbling with the money inside.

"Still say these look like Monopoly money."

[fanofthegenre]

Even as she reaches for her wallet, pulling out a few bills, there's a faint frown.

"Well, if I'd known we were betting euros, I would've gone and exchanged. Besides, I think my head's too fuzzy to convert the numbers."

The frown quickly inverts itself.

"And anyway, after I win all your money, what else will you have left to bet?"

[justdidntseeit]

Kate waves a dismissive hand toward Beckett's wallet.

"I can do the conversions in my sleep. But if we run out of money -- "

She chuckles and shakes her head, more to herself than anything.

"We may have to go with clothes instead of M&Ms."

She eyes the bowl -- it's more empty than full, thanks to Bill -- and then gives Bill's button-down a pointed look.

[wheelsy_sheriff]

Bill's eyes slide to Kate and he draws back.

"Hey, don't look at me, I ain't the one gonna be losin' my shirt here."

He nods to the cards in front of Beckett, waiting on her before he deals.

"We set then?"

[fanofthegenre]

"We'll see about that."

Beckett's gaze shifts to her impenetrable poker face as she waits for Bill to finish dealing, reaching to take more than a sip from her glass.

[justdidntseeit]

Kate clears her throat quietly and schools her expression into an approximation of serious.

"No cheating, sheriff, or Kate'll have to cuff you."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"We both know you're the one who don't play fair, Kate."

Taking the cards in hand he looks between the two ladies.

"All right, Texas Hold 'Em, what's our bet?"

Bill's poker face is a big grin.

[fanofthegenre]

"I'll take the two've you downtown if I have to."

Her gaze moves to Bill, then Kate.

"Shirts, then, after we bet the money. Winner at the showdown keeps theirs."

[justdidntseeit]

Kate looks like she's just been sent to the principal's office -- the effect's more comical than anything -- as she contributes to the blind pot.

"Why do I get the feeling I'll lose more than that with you two?"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Sounds fine t'me," Bill agrees, all confidence.

He starts to deal, smirking at Beckett while nodding towards Kate.

"Sounds like someone's nervous, huh, detective?"

[fanofthegenre]

Based on Beckett's expression, it's safe to say that she's feeling confident in her abilities.

Playing with the mayor of New York and the chief of police will tend to do that.

"She should be," she says, mock-seriously, before it dissolves into a smirk.

[justdidntseeit]

"Oh, I see what you guys are doing."

Kate flashes a sunny smile, then glances down at the two cards in front of her.

"Trying to shake my confidence before we even get started."

She shakes her head in mock-disapproval.

"Just for that -- "

More money goes into the pot.

"I'm raising."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Psychology," Bill says sagely, glancing at his cards.

He's so ready to raise after Beckett.

[fanofthegenre]

"Prepare to have your raise called," Beckett says.

She'll have to double-check her math later, but she's pretty sure she tosses enough into the pot to cover her end.

[justdidntseeit]

Kate's eyes cut to Bill.

"Scared yet?"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

Bill lets out a snort.

"Hardly."

He meets the bet, taking a quick gulp of wine before dealing out the flop.

"Queen of diamonds, three of spades an'... six? Nine?" Picking the card back up he squints at it then sets it back down. "Six of hearts."

[fanofthegenre]

Beckett smirks to herself at his inability to read the number, and then takes another judicious sip of wine.

The bottle on the table is steadily growing emptier, but she doesn't hesitate to refill her own glass, turning the edge of her cards up to glance at her hand before putting them back, face-down, in front of her.

"I'll raise," she decides.

[justdidntseeit]

Kate peeks at her own pair and mostly manages a straight face as she matches Beckett's raise.

She may look a little smug as she lifts her wineglass to her lips; whether it's actual luck or false bravado is her little secret for the moment.