“Okay,” I drawled. I couldn’t help but think that whole encounter was super weird, but I shrugged and shook it off as I walked away. Rubbing my hands together, I scanned the available slot machines until I found the perfect one hidden among the higher stakes slots, a fruity five-line nickel slot with $1500 jackpot. It was probably an odd choice considering how much money the hotel had given me to play with, but I couldn’t picture myself playing a high-stakes game no matter whose money I was using.
I inserted my brand new player card into the slot on the machine, pressed a few buttons to set the betting rate at the minimum, pulled the handle, and watched it spin. I won a few credits here and there, but mostly lost. I had only played about a dozen times before I felt a tingling at the back of my neck. It made me feel like someone was watching me, which didn’t make sense because I was surrounded by a sea of gamblers. Glancing over my shoulder, I scanned the surrounding area to see if I could figure out who was looking at me.
The guy I spotted after about thirty seconds would’ve caught my attention even if he hadn’t been staring right at me. He had dirty-blond hair that made my fingers twitch with the need to run them through it. His tanned skin made me curious to know if he sun-bathed nude or if his butt was pale from wearing swim trunks. His blue eyes were brighter than the crystal-clear water I’d seen off the Na Pali Coast of Kauai during a vacation with my parents after I’d gotten my bachelor’s degree. He had a beard that was cut close to the skin, giving him a slightly rugged appearance. He was tall, probably about six-foot-two, with a lean, muscular build. His custom-tailored suit looked like it cost more than the contents of my entire closet back home. Even the way his long fingers were fiddling with a poker chip, rolling it back and forth over his knuckles, was intriguing.
In a nutshell, he was too sexy for any woman to miss. Me included. I’d been too busy between med school and my residency to pay much attention to men over the past seven years, but my sleeping libido came roaring back to life when I caught sight of the mystery man whose attention was squarely on me.
He stalked towards me, and anyone in his path hurried out of the way. Not that he even noticed since his gaze held mine the entire time, never straying from my face. By the time he reached me, I had goosebumps running up my spine, my panties were damp, and I was wishing I hadn’t changed into jean shorts, a T-shirt, and flip-flops before I came downstairs. This man was so far out of my league, but at least it wouldn’t have been quite as obvious if I was still wearing the dress and heels I’d had on from an early morning meeting before my flight. Although with the way his blue eyes were devouring me, he didn’t seem to mind. Not even a tiny bit.
3
Drew
Autumn looked fucking adorable in her casual clothes and flip-flops that showed off cute, pink tipped toes. Unexpected possession flared up again and I actually hated that anyone was seeing those toes but me. When I saw her approach the cashier earlier, I’d been ready to kick Juan’s ass at the way he’d ogled Autumn. I didn’t know what he was saying to her, but I was confident that if I’d been able to hear it, he would be sporting a broken nose. My expression turned ugly as I stepped into his line of sight and stared him down.
Then the idiot had almost alerted Autumn to her “special status,” having obviously seen that the credit had been issued with my personal code and that she was currently staying in the Silver Suite, which had only ever been used by my close friends and family. Luckily, she hadn’t caught on to his dumbfounded attitude.
I stood at the entrance of the casino and simply watched her for a while. Then she seemed to sense my attention and looked around curiously. When she found me on the casino floor, I considered looking away so that I didn’t freak her out with my intensity. But, her eyes, which I now saw were a dark coffee brown, did their own survey of my body and gleamed with approval.
Our gazes locked as I stalked towards her and though she looked confused at my notice, there was a spark of heated interest. I smiled as I reached her and dropped down onto the stool of the slot machine next to her.
“I considered using a pickup line on you, but I couldn’t think of one that wasn’t cheesy and didn’t reek of desperation. So, I’ve decided to go with the bold and honest approach”—I held out my hand—"I’m Andrew. Drew. And, you are fucking gorgeous.”
Her cheeks flushed prettily but she didn’t shy away. She stuck her hand in mine and her glossy lips—damn, I wanted to kiss those—tipped up. “Autumn. And, you’re not so bad yourself, blue eyes.” I grinned and brought her hand to my lips, brushing them over the back before reluctantly releasing it.
“Out of curiosity,” she started in a playful tone. “If you’d gone with a line, what would you have settled on?”
“Hmmm.” I scratched my beard as I thought for a minute, then winked at her. “If nothing lasts forever, will you be my nothing?” Autumn laughed and the musical sound sent shockwaves of desire pulsing through me.
“Not bad. I might have gone with the one about stars in your eyes.”
“That’s a good one. But, why not go for the true reward right off the bat? ‘Kiss me if I’m wrong, but Dinosaurs still exist, right’?”
This time, Autumn threw back her head as peals of laughter rang out. Her midnight curls hung to her shoulder blades and they bounced merrily, calling out to my fingers. I wanted to feel those soft strands in my fist as I devoured her sexy mouth.
I didn’t want to seem too creepy-stalkerish, so I tore my eyes away from her to look at the machine she’d been playing. “Nickel slots? I think you can do better, sunshine,” I joked.
She shrugged with a grin and gestured to the screen, showing three cherries on a line of five fruit. “I don’t want to lose too much money, just have a little fun. Besides, it says right there that this machine pays out 97%!”
“Don’t you know? Slots have the worst odds.” I looked around before leaning in conspiratorially and stage whispered, “I’ll let you in on a little secret.” Autumn giggled and moved closer so our foreheads were almost touching. “Technically, yes, this machine pays out 97% over the course of play. But, we have no way of knowing the odds of this slot machine. The program assigns each symbol a certain number of stops. Without knowing that information, the odds of hitting three symbols in a row or the jackpot can vary from .16% to 0.001%. Instead, it pays out small amounts at a time, just enough to keep you playing and hoping you’ll eventually win a larger amount and losing more in the long run.” I tipped my head to the side and gave her a wry smile. “House edge.”
Autumn’s eyes had widened a little during my explanation. “Well, that doesn’t seem fair.”
“Right?” I agreed in a teasing tone, then shook my head like I was so disappointed. “Those casino owners, a bunch of motherfucking bastards.”
I was rewarded with her laughter once again, causing warmth to bloom in my chest. “You’d be better off at the tables. If you’re new to gambling, I’d suggest Blackjack.” I pointed toward the back cluster of tables. “It’s one of the easiest games to play, you’re just looking for a number that beats the dealer’s without going over twenty-one. Plus, it has the best odds of winning since the house edge is usually only about one percent. And, you’re playing the dealer, not a bunch of seasoned gamblers like you would in poker.”
Autumn looked duly impressed and I had to physically stop myself from preening like a fucking peacock. “Wow. You know a lot about this stuff.”
I opened my mouth to tell her I owned the hotel but for some reason, the words got stuck in my throat. I’d tell her eventually, but for the night, I just wanted to be a regular guy. “I work here. Plus, I’m from Vegas, born and raised,” I answered. “It’s kind of inevitable that you know a lot about gambling and casinos.”
Autumn nodded in understanding as she sat back up on her stool. “Like being from L.A. and knowing all about the movie industry.”
“Exactly.” I openly perused her from head to toe, making her blush again. How far down did that blu
sh go, I wondered? “I guess sunshine is a fitting nickname for a surfer girl from L.A.”
She raised a black brow and looked down her nose at me, her eyes narrowing impishly. “What makes you think I surf?”
I let my smile turn a little wolfish as I responded. “The long, toned legs in those tiny fucking shorts might have had something to do with it. Or maybe it’s just because you’re so easy-going.”
Autumn chuckled before putting her hands up in a surrender pose. “Guilty as charged. Though I haven’t had much time to hit the waves the last few years.”
“Breaking the heart of every guy who missed out on seeing you in a bikini,” I teased. “What kept you away?”
“Med school and then residency.”
I whistled with appreciation. “Dr. Autumn, huh?” I could only imagine the wicked expression on my face when I said, “If you only knew how many dirty fantasies that just conjured up…”
“Hmmm.” She licked her lips and leaned in closer. “You want to play doctor?”
I almost fell off my fucking stool as blood drained from my brain and shot south. My cock was hard as stone and my body practically vibrated with desire.
“I most definitely want to be your patient, sunshine,” I croaked. “But, how about we start with dinner?”
Her face fell and my breath froze in my lungs. After the easy, flirty banter, it hadn’t occurred to me that she would turn down my invitation.
“I wish I could, I really do,” she said with genuine regret, which eased some of the tension in my body. “But, my conference starts at seven in the morning and it’s already”—she glanced at a slim, silver watch on her slender wrist—"damn, almost eleven.”
Feeling like a scrawny teenager asking out the hot, older girl, I tried again. “Tomorrow night?” I suggested hopefully.
She beamed at me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Absolutely.” Then she stood, and since I was still sitting, it brought our chests to an even height. She bent her head and brushed a light kiss over my cheekbone. I felt it down to my bones, a deep awareness of our chemistry and the close proximity of our bodies. My hands balled into fists where they rested on my thighs. It took every ounce of my restraint I could muster not to grab her and kiss the motherfucking hell out of her.
“I’ll meet you in the lobby at six?” she offered.
I nodded, unable to speak, for fear that she would hear the raging lust in my voice.
With one last sweet smile and a saucy wink—so fucking adorable—she turned, and I watched her delectable ass sway as she sashayed out of the casino.
For several seconds, I just sat there in a daze, lost in Autumn’s spell. Eventually, the ringing bells and loud voices finally broke through the fog and I stood up. My first instinct was to follow Autumn to her room and seduce her, but I searched deep and found some of the patience I usually had in spades.
Determined to get my mind off of her, I made my way back to my office and attempted to bury myself in work. I wasn’t successful since my mind kept drifting to the gorgeous woman I couldn’t stop thinking about.
I didn’t know what it was about Autumn, but I’d never felt this kind of deep need and overwhelming desire for a woman. I briefly wondered if all I needed was to fuck her out of my system, but my mind and heart instantly rejected the idea. No, it was clear that Autumn was different, special. And, our story was just beginning.
4
Autumn
I was supposed to meet Drew in the lobby in less than five minutes, and I was second-guessing my decision big time. It wasn’t that I wasn’t ready to head down since I’d already changed out of my boring khaki dress pants and button-down blouse that I’d worn all day for my conference. I hadn’t brought anything date-worthy with me on this trip since it was supposed to be all business. Luckily, I had my favorite pair of jeans and a cute top that I’d packed for the trip home. It was the shoes that saved the outfit. The kick ass pair of heels notched it up from super casual to worthy of a first date in Vegas, as long as we didn’t go anywhere too fancy.
But the clothes situation wasn’t the reason for my hesitation. It was Drew and my reaction to him. He had me acting completely out of character. I couldn’t believe I agreed to meet him for dinner in the first place, but I’d been overwhelmed with disappointment when I’d realized it was too late to do anything other than go up to bed last night. Alone. And, I’d done some serious imagining of what would’ve happened if I’d asked him to join me in my room...which was another example of me not acting like myself. And then there was the fact that I’d seriously considered skipping out on one of my workshop sessions this afternoon to go shopping for a different outfit.
I’d been laser focused on my goals for a long while—undergrad, med school, residency. Guys didn’t interfere with that. Period. And yet here I was, skipping out on a networking opportunity to go on a date with Drew after thoughts of him had wreaked havoc on my concentration all day long. But I knew Bailey would ask me for details about my trip and if I told her about Drew after bailing on the date, she’d talk her husband into driving her and the kids from Nebraska to LA just so she could kick my ass.
“So I don’t really have a choice,” I muttered as I grabbed the handle to my hotel room door and wrenched it open. Although it was true, I was rationalizing the decision I wanted to make anyway...and that was fine by me since it meant I’d spend time with Drew.
Decision made, I was relieved to spot Drew as soon as the elevator doors opened on the bottom floor. Even more so when his attention landed on me and his blue eyes darkened a shade as his fingers stopped playing with a poker chip and slipped it onto his pocket. Then he strode purposefully towards me while I walked towards the lobby.
“I was starting to wonder if you’d changed your mind.”
I almost had, but it’s not like there was any way for him to know that. “I’m right on time.”
He tapped the face of what looked like a super expensive watch. Whatever he did for the casino must pay well. “You’re thirty-five seconds late, sunshine.”
“Thirty-five seconds?” I sputtered. He sounded worse than the Chief Resident had been about timeliness during my first year of residency. “That’s not even a thing.”
“It is when you haven’t been able to get the most gorgeous woman you’ve ever met off your mind all night and day.” The deep rasp of his words sent a shiver down my spine, and goosebumps broke out on my skin when he bent his head to brush his lips across my cheek. His hand went to my waist, and the heat of it burned through my top. “I’ve been kicking my own ass for letting you walk away from me, even though I got you to agree to dinner.”
Considering how much time I’d spent thinking about him today, I was incredibly touched by his admission. It meant I wasn’t alone in what I was feeling. My relief prompted me to confess, “I spent an awful lot of my day thinking about you, too. It’s a good thing the conference offers recordings of the workshops since I wasn’t paying attention like I should’ve been.”
“Recordings?” His hand slid from my waist to my lower back as he guided me around the corner to an elevator that stood by itself. He slid a key card into a slot to the right of the doors, and they opened. When they closed behind us, he pressed the top button before tugging me into his side. “Now that I know they’re an option and your mind is on me instead of your conference, I’m going to push hard for you to skip out on work and explore Vegas with me instead.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I don’t let men interfere with what I want to accomplish as a doctor.”
“I’m not just any man.” His hold on me tightened. “And I refuse to spend even a second thinking about how you might’ve been with anyone else. Not when I set this up so I have you all to myself.”
His declaration was a lot to take in, but I lost the ability to think clearly when the elevator doors opened. “We’re on the roof?”
Drew flashed me a satisfied grin at my gasp. “You deserve the best, baby, and you can’t beat this view an
ywhere else on the strip.”
He led me past a table covered with a crisp, white table cloth that had two place settings with silver domes most likely covering our dinner. In the middle of the table, there was a vase filled with lilies and two unlit candles. Off to the side, there was a wine chiller on a floor-length stand. The set-up was beautiful and demonstrated that he’d put quite a bit of effort into our date, but it was all blown away by the view. The strip was spread out in front of us, with all the sparkling lights, fountains, and people.
“This is amazing.” I tilted my head back to stare up at him. “A private dinner on the rooftop of the Lennox hotel is well outside the usual first date options. How’d you manage to pull it off?”
“I’m not without connections in this town.”
His response was humble, and I had the impression he was downplaying the extent of his network. “They’ve more than outdone themselves tonight.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet, sunshine.” He led me back to the table and got me settled into my chair before taking the one across from me. When he lifted the silver dome off the plate in front of me, there was a filet mignon, asparagus, and roasted cauliflower puree underneath it. “I plan to pull out all the stops when it comes to you.”
I smiled and leaned forward to whisper, “Want to know a secret?”
He swept the cover off his plate, set it to the side, and reached out to grasp my hand. “I want to know everything I can about you.”
“Although I plan to eat every delicious morsel on my plate, I would’ve been fine with an animal style burger, fries, and a shake at In-N-Out if that’s where you’d decided to take me instead.”
“Gorgeous, smart, and familiar with the not-so-secret menu at In-N-Out?” His thumb brushed over my knuckles. “You’re the perfect woman, sunshine.”
“Not hardly,” I laughed.
Vegas, Baby: Complete Series Page 2
