The Hand You’re Dealt

When love is the biggest gamble of all…

Marnie Brown is visiting Las Vegas for the first time, but she hasn’t got luck—or love—on her mind. Her last boyfriend back home in Dallas was a scam artist, and since then she’s had her hands full balancing a demanding job and taking care of her difficult, cancer-stricken mother. Even if she met the man of her dreams, she wouldn’t be able to upend her life for a new relationship.

But then she meets professional poker player Pete Copeland, who’s not looking for romance any more than she is. He’s much better with cards than with women—and even if he did find a woman he could talk to, she’d probably be scared off by the emotional scars his past left.

Only he doesn’t scare Marnie. In fact, she feels more comfortable with him than with anyone she’s met in a long time. Still, this can only be a fling. There’s no way a connection formed under the glitzy lights of the Strip can survive when exposed to the day-to-day demands of real life. Right?

But she’s about to discover that Pete is willing to play for very high stakes…