As if! But all I could do was nod. And stare after him as he walked over to the bar, even though there were servers hovering around all over the place. But I was glad he’d gone over there himself. It gave me a chance to do two things – watch him walk, because he had a swagger I’d never seen on a man before and I was finding it incredibly sexy, and quickly text Finn to let him know what was happening. I didn’t want him sending out a search party.
Less than two seconds after pressing send on that text my phone rang. I quickly answered it. ‘You decided to take that chance, then,’ Finn said.
I looked over at the bar. Eddie was talking to the bartender, smiling and laughing, pushing a hand back through his hair and I watched as it fell forward again almost immediately. ‘Yeah. What the hell, huh?’
‘That’s my girl. Just be yourself, beautiful. Okay? And try and enjoy the night.’
I sighed quietly, my eyes still on Eddie. ‘He knew what to get me from the bar without even asking.’
‘Nothing a ridiculous shade of orange, then?’ Finn deadpanned.
I finally pulled my gaze away from Eddie. I didn’t want to be caught staring again. ‘No. Nothing a ridiculous shade of orange… He’s coming back! I’ll call you later.’
‘If you need us…’
‘I’ll be fine.’ I ended the call, quickly throwing my phone back into my bag.
Eddie sat down on the chair to my left, handing me a bottle of beer. ‘I didn’t get you a glass. Do you want one?’
‘Do I look like the kind of woman who needs a glass?’
He smiled. I was fast becoming addicted to that smile of his. There was something safe about it, almost. Something warm and comforting, which was a little bit at odds with the way he looked – that rough-around-the-edges exterior he displayed with the messed-up hair and beard; those dark, almost dangerous eyes. ‘You sure you’re okay?’
‘I’m fine,’ I replied, taking a quick drink of beer, thankful for the small but significant hit it gave me.
He leant forward, resting his elbows on his slightly open knees. ‘So, shall we start getting to know one another?’
All those nerves had gone now. In fact, I was feeling more relaxed than I had in a long time. ‘You look like a bit of a bad boy to me.’ Possibly too relaxed, because I wasn’t entirely sure I’d meant to say that out loud. But he did have that aura about him; the way he looked, the way he dressed. Even the way he spoke.
He laughed quietly. ‘I think “boy” might be pushing it a bit, darlin’, but… Does that put you off?’
Quite the opposite, actually, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. And at almost forty years old I should probably be past the whole “bad boy” thing but, hey, I’d lived with a good guy for way too long. Was it so wrong to fancy a change? ‘Would it matter if it did?’
He narrowed those beautiful dark eyes of his as he looked straight at me. ‘My name’s Eddie Fletcher, I’m forty-seven years old and I own a motorcycle shop in downtown Las Vegas. I live not far from the Strip in a place called Rancho Oakey, own two Harleys, ride regularly, hang out at biker bars and my MC clubhouse. I like beer and Mexican food, and can’t stand jazz music. And lastly, I’m still hanging around this hotel, instead of just going home, because I was hoping to see you.’
I blinked a few times, trying to take it all in; where I was, everything that was happening. But none of it was easy. I still felt as though I’d suddenly stepped into some kind of weird and unfamiliar parallel world that I wasn’t altogether sure I should be a part of.
‘You don’t have to tell me anything about yourself,’ Eddie went on, his voice shaking me back to the here and now. ‘But, you know, I’d quite like to find out a little bit more about you.’
I stared down at my beer, closing my eyes for a second before I looked back up at him, fixing a smile on my face. ‘Let’s just say I’ve left a lot behind, and I’m starting again.’
He looked at me – right at me – for a few, long seconds. Long enough for my heart to start knocking out a fast and heavy rhythm, pounding away inside me like some pulsating drum. If I’d been standing up I might well have felt faint, but as I was sitting down I just felt a little light-headed.
‘There really is something about you, Lana…’ The smile he gave me seemed to send a wave of calm washing over me. Like I’d just had a shot of something warm and relaxing, and I found my confidence returning.
Putting my beer down on the table in front of us I curled my legs up underneath me, resting my elbow on the arm of the couch as I looked at him. ‘You live here in Vegas?’
He nodded. ‘Have done for over fifteen years now.’
That explained the slight hint of US twang in his accent. I hadn’t really noticed it earlier today, but tonight it was coming through a little more.
‘Came over for a bikers’ convention, and I never went home.’
He didn’t seem in a hurry to offer up any more information, and I wasn’t going to push it. I’d hardly been forthcoming with mine.
‘You said something, this morning, about fate,’ I said, staring straight at him. ‘Do you really believe in all that?’
He shrugged, taking another drink. ‘You obviously don’t.’
‘We’re not talking about me. And I told you, I’m cynical.’
His eyes were still locked with mine and for a few seconds nobody said anything. But it didn’t feel like one of those awkward silences, and that was weird, in a way, given how long we’d known each other. Which was all of five minutes.
‘Maybe fate’s the wrong word,’ he said quietly. ‘Coincidence… is that a better one?’
My eyes refused to leave his, which was fine because, in all honesty, I could have sat staring at him all night. ‘So, were you really gonna hang around the hotel tonight on the offchance you’d bump into me again?’
‘I told you, that’s exactly what I was planning to do.’
‘Okay, well, you’ve found me, so… what else did you have planned?’
He laughed quietly, his eyes dipping briefly before meeting mine again. ‘I hadn’t really thought that far ahead, darlin’, if I’m being honest. But, you know, a few drinks, a club, then… maybe, back to my place…’
I broke the stare, those final few words killing the moment. ‘I’d better go.’ I swung my legs down from the couch, grabbing my bag as I stood up.
‘Lana, wait! Please. Just, wait.’
Oh, God, why did he have to say my name like that? Why?
I turned around, standing completely still as he walked over to me.
‘I’m sorry. That was really…’ He bowed his head, running a hand along the back of his neck before he raised his gaze. ‘It was inappropriate. But you… you’re… Jesus, Lana, you’re hot, you know?’
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. ‘Thanks.’
He laughed, the mood suddenly lightening. ‘Come on.’ He took hold of my hand, and my fingers automatically curled around his, clinging on tightly as he led the way out of the bar, beating a steady pace to the elevator, his long legs taking the kind of strides my slightly shorter ones weren’t capable of in the dress and boots I was wearing. ‘I know a great club not far from here.’ He stopped for a second, smiling that smile again, his hand still holding tightly onto mine. ‘You’re gonna like this place. I promise.’
It was a bit early to be making me any kind of promises, but his eyes – I trusted him, I really did. As much as you could trust anyone you’d known for less than an hour, anyway.
Neither of us said anything else until we were back in the elevator, winging our way down to the ground floor.
‘I’m gonna give you the night of your life, Lana Saunders.’ He winked at me before slipping on a pair of dark glasses, his hand still holding mine. And it was a nice feeling, holding his hand, his thumb running gently over my knuckles. ‘I won’t hurt you, I promise,’ he said quietly, a slow, sexy smirk spreading across his roughly handsome face. ‘Not unless you want me to.’
I couldn’
t stop a full-on smile from appearing. ‘I’ll get back to you on that one, okay?’
‘Okay.’ He squeezed my hand, and I felt the most insane sensation shoot through me. I had no idea what it was, or where it had come from, but it both scared and excited me. ‘Let’s play it by ear, huh?’
I was happy to go with that. I’d come this far…
He squeezed my hand again, pulling me closer to him, and I felt a tiny shiver run through me as my hip nudged his. I’m not saying sparks were flying or anything like that, but I definitely felt that hint of a shiver, and my fingers curled tighter around his, almost as if I really did believe this was nothing but a dream and if I let go of him – well, then he’d disappear. And I didn’t want him to disappear. Not yet.
The elevator doors slowly slid open and he looked at me, his expression a touch more serious than it had been before. ‘If you don’t want to do this, Lana…’I took a second to let the way he said my name wash over me, bringing with it the return of that tiny shiver, before I interrupted him.
‘You just promised me the night of my life, Eddie Fletcher. I want to see if you can live up to your promises.’
He grinned, and if I hadn’t been holding onto him I swear my legs would’ve buckled underneath me. ‘You got it, sweetheart. Let’s get out of here.’
He continued that rapid pace he seemed to favour as we exited the hotel and headed out onto the Strip, its bright lights and noise giving everything an unreal, almost fairytale, atmosphere. It was as if I’d, somehow, stumbled into someone else’s life and I was just looking in from the sidelines. But the excitement that was bubbling away in the pit of my stomach, I couldn’t ignore that. I didn’t want to. I was in a place I’d always wanted to visit, with the kind of man I’d always dreamt of. So I was grabbing this experience with both hands and not letting go. Not until I had to.
‘Okay, sweetheart, here we are.’ We’d stopped outside a building not far from the hotel; an unassuming place with a small entrance way and stairs that seemed to descend forever down into darkness. ‘It’s a hidden secret, this is. One of the best clubs in Vegas. I come here all the time; it’s my kind of hang-out. And I’m guessing it might be yours, too.’
‘You think you know me that well, huh?’
He turned to face me, smiling slightly. ‘I think I’m getting there.’
I shook my head, but I was also laughing. It was crazy, to be this comfortable in the company of a man I’d only just met, but that’s how I felt. ‘Well, let’s see if you’re right, hmm?’
He laughed too, letting go of my hand and sliding his arm across my shoulders. Overly familiar maybe but, hey, I wasn’t complaining. This was Vegas and whatever happened here, it stayed here, apparently. Not that anything wasgoing to happen. And even if it did…
I slid my arm around his waist, leaning into him as his thumb slowly stroked the back of my neck, turning that tiny shiver I’d felt earlier into a long, languid tingle running slowly up and down my spine. Okay, so maybe this was crazy. A little unreal. But I was going with it. You only got one life, and I’d promised Finn – I’d promised myself – I was going to start living mine. Even if this hadn’t really been the start I’d planned. Or expected.
We headed into the building, making our way down the stairs, the sound of heavy rock music coming from somewhere below, my fingers gripping the material of Eddie’s t-shirt for dear life because the stairs were so steep, and not that easy to navigate in my choice of footwear. It was only when we were about halfway down that I loosened my grip, although I didn’t let go of him completely. I was enjoying being this close to him. Adam and I, we’d never really been the hand-holding, waist-hugging type of couple. And now I realised what I’d been missing, that comforting feeling of closeness. It was nice. I liked it.
‘You holding up okay there, darlin’?’ Eddie asked, letting his thumb wander over the back of my neck again. God, that felt so good!
I nodded, once more concentrating on those stairs. We seemed to be descending more than I could count now, until we finally came to a long, black-walled corridor, a corridor that, thankfully, seemed to be leading us to the entrance of the club. Once there Eddie had a word with a tall, well-built man at the door who seemed to know him rather well, and after a lot of laughter and genial back-slapping – during which he never once let go of me – we eventually headed inside.
The club itself had a dark, almost dangerous, atmosphere, yet, I didn’t feel in any danger. Nothing felt threatening, and that was probably because I’d been to clubs like this before, with Finn and our friends. They’d taken me to so many places I’d never had the chance to experience before, from biker bars, like this one, to rock gigs, pub lock-ins and house parties that ranged from wild all-nighters to chilled-out evenings spent listening to Pink Floyd and eating great food with good friends. So this world, it wasn’t completely alien to me. It was still quite new, but not completely alien.
Loud, thumping rock music pulsated from what I could only imagine were concealed speakers, because I couldn’t see any anywhere, filling the space with a vibe I couldn’t describe, but I liked it. I craved it. Because this was a place where nobody seemed to care what anyone else thought. The people here were dressed in everything from denim to leather, skinny jeans to short skirts, and tattoos certainly seemed to be something favoured by the clientele, which suited me just fine. The walls, like the corridor outside, were mostly dark, the prominent colours being a deep, almost blood-red and black, all of them decorated with images of rock stars, reapers and huge swirling snakes wrapped around bloodied thorns. I felt like Alice walking into my very own warped kind of wonderland.
‘I knew you’d like it here,’ Eddie murmured, his mouth so close to my ear I could feel his breath on my neck. And that shiver returned. It was growing stronger with every visit.
I gripped his waist tightly again as we walked over to a booth at the side of the room, my head turning this way and that as I tried to take it all in. He let go of me as we sat down, and I continued to stare out ahead of me, watching everything with a slight sense of awe. It was like another world; one I was quite happy to frequent.
‘I’ve ordered beers. That okay with you?’
I turned my head to look at him. ‘Yeah. Yeah, that’s fine. I’m not really a champagne kind of woman.’
He slid his arm along the back of the couch, finally taking off his dark glasses and slipping them into his jacket pocket.
‘Are you always this perceptive when it vomes to women?’ I asked, shuffling my body around slightly, pulling my legs up underneath me, tucking them in, resting my elbow on the back of the couch, our arms touching, just a brief second of contact but enough to cause goose bumps to form.
He smiled, pushing a hand through his hair, although it was refusing to stay back off his face tonight. But I quite liked that just-got-out-of-bed look that he was managing to pull off quite magnificently.
‘I’ve always thought I was rather good at reading people, if that’s what you mean.’
I could have listened to him talk all night. Constantly. I’m sure if he was to sit there reading a take-out menu to me I’d still find it incredibly sexy. He had a way of rolling his tongue that was just so hot! ‘So, do you think you can read me?’ I asked, trying desperately to stop imagining what else he could do with that tongue.
‘I know you’re looking for something.’
I smiled at the pretty, dark-haired waitress as she set our drinks down on the table in front of us before I let my eyes meet his, and all I could do was stare at him. Again. Because I didn’t really know what to say to that.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, breaking the stare and bowing his head. ‘I’m pushing too much.’ He slowly raised his gaze, our eyes locking once more. ‘None of this matters tonight.’
‘No,’ I whispered. ‘None of it matters.’ Did any of it matter at all? But maybe he was right about tonight. It was too early, too soon – it was pointless getting into any kind of deep conversation about our
pasts and who was looking for what when this was nothing more than some chance encounter I really should just be making the most of, while it lasted.
I felt his fingers slide between mine, and I looked at our joined hands, blinking a few times as I tried to force feisty Lana back out of hiding. I needed her right now, because I had a feeling that, tonight, I was either going to do something I could end up regretting for a very long time, or something I might actually enjoy. If I let myself. I just wasn’t sure which it was going to be. Either way, it was going to be something completely out of character – for the old me, which was why I needed feisty Lana back.
‘And in answer to one of your earlier questions,’ he went on, reaching out with his other hand to push my hair back off my shoulder, ‘… I don’t do this on a regular basis. Pick up random women, I mean. I’m not gonna pretend I’m some kind of monk either, but… You’re different, Lana. I know you are. I can feel it.’
The way he put the emphasis on the word feel, with that low, sexy voice and eyes that seemed to be so sincere, it did something to my insides I hadn’t felt happen before. And they’d been experiencing a lot of new activity over the course of the day.
His hand moved up to my neck, resting gently against it, his thumb lightly stroking my cheek. ‘Are you okay with this, darlin’?’
I felt my eyes slowly close, his thumb still stroking my cheek, an action that was almost hypnotic, and all I could do was nod, aware that he was moving closer now.
‘Good,’ he whispered. ‘Because this is something I have wanted to do ever since I saw you this morning.’
I laid my hand over his, our fingers intertwining as his mouth touched mine, and I swear I had never felt anything like it before. I’d never experienced a kiss like that in my entire life, because for most of my life I’d only ever kissed one person. So how could I possibly have known this kind of kiss existed? His lips moved ever-so-slowly against mine, opening just a touch, his tongue hesitating only slightly before pushing its way into my mouth, and I accepted it immediately. I let his hand slip lower, onto my hip, stroking it gently as he continued to kiss the hell out of me. And I was in no hurry for him to stop. Whatever the rights or wrongs of this situation; however weird or unreal it could yet turn out to be, right now I didn’t care. I just didn’t. I might be acting like some teenager out on a Saturday night, but I really didn’t care. Being with Adam from such a young age, I’d missed out on so much. Was it that wrong of me to want to have some fun now?
Shirley Valentine Goes to Vegas Page 4
