20
Their game lasted a long time. Yet, Shyla hadn’t looked at the clock and didn’t care about the time. Score pondered each move. Maybe he hadn’t been at the peak of his concentration the first time they played or maybe he’d just let her win to give her a boost. Whichever one it was, their current game was going only one way.
“Checkmate,” he said and sat back on the couch. “Are you mad?”
Shyla just smiled and rose up on her knees to put their pieces back to their starting positions. “No,” she said, tossing him a wily glance. “People who get mad about losing are insecure. Do I seem insecure?”
The question was only posed because Score had put it to her that way. Shyla hadn’t really expected him to reply.
“You shouldn’t be,” he said. “You’re beautiful, you’re smart, and you’re resourcefu
