I'm a good poker player! I have certainly won more than my share. I usually walk away from the table counting my cash. But this night the cards had not gone my way. I was down over $1000 and was flat busted when the game broke up. Three of the guys left, and only my buddy George and his son Larry were left. Larry was home from college, and we had agreed to let him sit in on our game.
I have to admit that it did not add to my concentration that Larry bragged all night about his conquests in the sexual arena. Like any cocky twenty year old, he thought that he was a gift to women. He really was a good looking guy, blond and buffed, so he had some reason to think so. To hear him tell it the babes couldn't wait to get naked with him. He had many stories to tell, but it seemed his favorite number was a girl he called Liz. I am trying to figure out whether to hold an ace kicker or not, and Larry disturbs me by telling how good her tits taste. When I am contemplating whether or not he is bluffing, he is talking about the great blow jobs she gives. I hold my breath and draw to an inside straight while he talks about the pink pussy she has. How is a guy to concentrate with a smart ass college kid talking like that all night? No wonder I am down a grand.
So George has to rub it in a bit. "Wow, Mark, how much did you drop tonight? Must have been $1500?"
"No, no," I said. "I am only down a little bit. I will make it up next game."
"Next game is a whole week," George goaded. "What are you going to do for fun money until then?"
"Hey, pal, don't worry about me. I will get by," I tossed back. But in fact that was exactly what I had been thinking. I need my daily dose of gambling adrenalin. Without cash for the week, no lottery tickets, no calls to my bookie, no slot action at the Elks Club. I was going to have to tough it out and I didn't like the idea.
"Hey, I hate to see a friend in a fix. Maybe we can give you a chance to win some of it back," offered George. I knew that between him and his son they had a good chunk of my cash in their pockets.
"Sorry, buddy, I am broke. I don't even have a nickel to match coins with you," I bemoaned.
"Well, isn't your daughter in the other room? Call her in here," he said.
Betty, my eighteen year old daughter, was home from college too. She had come in during the game, and had even brought us some chips and dip from the kitchen. I knew she was a looker, and had noticed that Larry could hardly take his eyes off her in her tight sweater and mini skirt. I wondered what George thought she could do. She was certainly no poker player.
"Go ahead," he urged.
So I called Betty in. Once again as soon as she entered the room, I saw Larry eying her. She sort of dimpled at the attention and flashed him a big smile. I guess she didn't mind a good looking guy ogling her.
Then George started in. "Betty," he said, "you love your old man, don't you?"
Betty put a hand on my shoulder and said, "Of course, I do."
George said, "Well, I am afraid he lost a lot of money tonight. Now you owe your Dad a lot of loyalty, not to mention all the expense he has keeping you in clothes and makeup. Wouldn't you like to help him out?"
"Sure," said my daughter. "But I don't know how I could."
"Well, I do," said George. "Mark, I will bet you $100 on one hand of poker. That would give you a stake to start up with again."
Now I knew if I could just get that $100, I could sucker George and Larry into more bets and run it back up to what I lost and then some. I was sure that the cards were about to turn my way and knew I couldn't lose this time. But I had to say, "But George, you know I am busted. I don't have anything to put up."
George smirked and took a $100 bill out of his stack. He said, "Your daughter is standing right beside you. How about this. I will bet $100 on one hand. If you win then you get your chance to run it back up. Every gambler knows how that can work. But – if you lose..."
"I'm not going to lose!" I declared with certainty.
"IF you lose," George said, "then Larry gets to take Betty's sweater off."
"WHAT?" gasped my daughter.
I was thinking it over. I saw the look in Larry's eyes, and I looked at my daughter and saw the look in her eyes. But I also saw that C-note lying on the table and knew I had to have it. One good hand, that was all I needed.
I looked at Betty and said, "Honey, you know I won't lose this hand. Just ride with me here and be my Lady Luck. It will be all right, I promise."
Betty swallowed hard. She looked over at Larry staring at her, and looked at the $100 bill. "Just take it off," she said. "No touching, right?"
"No touching," said George. "What about it, gambling man?" He flicked the $100 bill with a finger.
I couldn't stand it. "OK," I said, "you're on. But give up your hopes, Larry my boy, because I am not going to lose!"
"OK," said my buddy George, "one hand of 5-card stud. My $100 against your daughter's sweater." He flicked out two cards face down. I peeked at mine and saw the King of Hearts. I knew my luck was back.
There was no point hesitating, no betting between cards. He just dealt them out. A three to me, a King to him, one of MY kings! Again, an Ace to him, and a beautiful King to me. Next he got another Ace, and I got an eight. George had a pair of Aces showing. Larry licked his lips as the last card was dealt. George got a five but I tripped up with the third King. He had a pair of Aces showing, I had a pair of Kings showing, just where I wanted him. I smiled as I slowly flipped over my third King. "Read 'em and weep, pal. I am now $100 richer!"
George studied the three Kings, and Larry's face fell. Betty bounced and clapped her hands. But then George said, "Never claim the pot until the last card is shown, friend." And with that he turned over his third Ace!
I heard Betty gasp, and Larry grinned from ear to ear. My heart sank into my shoes. What had I done to my daughter? But I knew I had to pay my bet. "OK, Larry, her sweater is yours," I mumbled. I turned my head away, because I couldn't face her, and because I did not want to see her get stripped.
Larry sauntered over to our side of the table. I could see his arms moving up, but kept my face turned away. Then he was walking back to his side of the table, carrying Betty's sweater slung over his shoulder. He turned around and held it out to show me, and then tossed it behind him on the couch. I heard Betty breathing fast beside me. I had to turn to her. She gave me a sad look, letting me know that I had let her down.
She was wearing a low cut pink bra, and her C cup tits were almost spilling out of the top of it. In the far back corner of my mind, I had to admit she looked darned good. To her credit, she was being bold and not trying to hide anything. She stood there with her hands at her side and faced Larry squarely. "Well, college boy," she jibed, "get an eyeful. Because this is all you will ever see."
George once again flicked that $100 bill in front of him. "One more hand, buddy? What harm if Larry gets to take off her miniskirt. It could get you back in the game."
"Daddy!" gasped Betty. But I looked at her, standing there in her bra feeling vulnerable, and all I could think of was a winning hand next round.
"Baby, I won't lose any more. All I need is that hundred bucks to get started again and I will take them to the cleaners, I promise you." She stared at me, but finally gave a very small nod. I said, "OK, George, you're on! Make it draw this time, goes faster. I want to get that hundred fast."
I took the cards and quickly dealt out five each. I picked mine up and was looking at fives and eights, two pair. I knew in a two person game the odds were very highly on my side. I raised an eyebrow when George drew three cards. That meant he had a pair at best. My odds were sky high now. I tossed one card, drew a Jack but was happy with my two pair. George started laying down his cards, a nine, another nine, that was his pair. Then he tossed out a six and a Queen. I was breathing a sigh of relief as I knew my two pair were good. But then the last card came down and it was his third nine!
I slapped my cards down on the table in agony! What had I done to my only daughter? I felt her take a step back as Larry came around the table. I had to be a man and face her. I saw a look of fear flicker across her face, but then she toughened up and glared at Larry. She turned around so he could unsnap and unzip her miniskirt. It was tight, and he couldn't help but violate the "no touching" ban a bit as he pulled it down over her ass.
My daughter was wearing a red thong! I was a bit appalled to see the white cheeks of her ass with only three strings across them. I turned away, not wanting to see more. Larry strutted back to his side of the room waving the skirt over his head and laughing. It joined the sweater on the pile.
I put my head down on the table. "Betty, Betty," I moaned, "I am sorry honey. If I could only get a start..."
I heard George chuckle. I looked up and he had another $100 bill in his hand. "Mark, buddy, you know what a gambler can do with a $200 stake. We will raise the bar a bit. My $200 against..."
My mind took the obvious step. "Against Betty's bra? No way, friend."