Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time

Chapter Three

Aaron fixes his cuffs on his way down the stairs. The stairwell is now filled with men talking. Beer seems to be a popular drink at at this time of day. Some men occasionally look at him, others hide 'secret' possessions.

Upon pushing the heavy door open and finally arriving at the second floor of the building, Aaron notices that despite it being ten in the morning, gamblers never seem to rest. It is as full as it was last night, probably, anyway. He looks around and sees the desperation in the faces of those who sit around the poker tables. He walks around trying to find the young man with the cane. Many people don't look up as he passes by, too focused on the game which their bank accounts probably depend on. Until he walks by a full table, everyone but a young man look anxious. The young man, he immediately recognises, is Spencer. Aaron can only tell he is wearing a blue collared shirt and an uneven, black tie. He is surrounded by people who are dressed in expensive Gucci suits and Micheal Kors dresses. He recognises the face of a woman who stands at the side of Spencer's chair. She is the call girl from last night. Why is she there? It was evident why she was there, actually.

Spencer briefly looks up and meets eyes with Aaron. His smile slowly turns into a grin as he sets his cards down. The people around him start cheering and his opponents slam their cards and then hands on the table, clearly pissed off. Spencer looks back down and grabs the bills that are set down on the table.

He won. 

He stands up, shoving the messy bills into the front pockets of his black slacks. People follow him as he limps towards Aaron. 

"Magic," He says.

Aaron realises his mouth is open. That was incredibly fascinating. It was right on cue and Aaron can't help but grin at Spencer's quirky mechanisms.

"So does that tour start now?" Spencer asks.

Aaron looks at the people behind and besides Spencer.

"Will they be joining the tour?" Aaron asks.

"Nope." Spencer says, the people not caring about what he just said.

"What kind of tour would it be without others, Dr Reid?"

"Compelling argument, but these people here are money dwellers," Spencer says, resulting in some insulted expressions and some people leaving.

"I see, and a gambling doctor that happens to be a magician and a mathematician isn't?"

"Not at all, the gambling doctor magician mathematician has a very good reason."

Most of the people have left.

"What would that reason be?" Aaron asks.

"A magician never reveals his secrets," Spencer smirks.

"That's--"

"That's hot," the brunette who is still there interrupts Aaron. She attempts to lean in on Spencer but Spencer pushes her away. 

"I, uh--I have a thing about germs."

Aaron can't help but laugh and Spencer's face lights up. The brunette leaves, glaring at Aaron, followed by the remainder of the people.

"Are you serious about the germ thing?"

"New Dutch research suggests 10 seconds of lip to cheek contact can translate into 80 million germs moving from one person to the other and shoulder touching just makes me extremely uncomfortable." 

A smile tugs on Aaron's face as well as on Spencer's.

"I like your dimples," Spencer says.

"Thank you," Aaron replies, slightly taken aback but ignores it. "I can't help but wonder: are you really a doctor? Or is it a Vegas alter ego?"