Knox
Addilyn took her sweet time picking something to change into. The first outfit she considered wasn’t much better than the scrap of clothing she’d worn during her performance. I muttered an oath under my breath, and her brown eyes held a hint of mirth when she turned to look over her shoulder at me. Her plump lips curved up in a small grin before she let the hanger drop and grabbed one with a wine-red outfit on it instead. This one had more material, which was a damn good thing since I was already sick and tired of seeing the lust in other men’s eyes as they looked at her. I understood their reactions since her brand of sexy packed one hell of a punch, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t beat the shit out of someone if they gave in to the temptation Addilyn presented and tried to do more than look.
She cleared her throat, and I slowly lifted my gaze from her ass to her face. I didn’t feel the least bit embarrassed to have been caught staring at her lush curves, and I winked to let her know it. Addilyn blushed as she said, “I’m going to need some privacy to change.”
“Sure thing, baby.” I turned to face away from her, smiling at the sound of her deep sigh. If she had asked me to leave the room, I would’ve stepped outside and stood in front of the door without question. Since I didn’t want to leave her and she hadn’t actually asked, I stayed right where I was instead. But fuck, it was hard to keep facing the wall when I heard the soft whoosh of the scrap of material she called a dress hitting the floor. My dick flexed against my zipper as I clenched my fists at my sides. It was going to be damn difficult to wait to get my hands on her curvy body with how badly I wanted her already.
Luckily for me, it only took her a minute or two to change into her new outfit. “All done.”
When I turned, she was covered from her neck to her ankles with strappy silver heels on her feet and her arms bare. She still looked hot as fuck, though. Then again, I was willing to bet that she could put on a burlap sack and still be sexy. “You look great.”
“I’m glad you approve,” she purred with a mischievous twinkle in her dark eyes. After I opened the door and she walked past me, I understood the reason behind that gleam. The back of her top dipped almost all the way to the curve of her ass.
“Fuck,” I rumbled as I followed Addilyn, moving to her side to place my hand on her lower back. Goose bumps popped up beneath my palm, and I chuckled in satisfaction.
“I might’ve made a teensy miscalculation when picking this out,” she mumbled with a shiver.
I stroked my thumb across her soft skin and grinned down at her. “One that I’m quickly realizing the advantage to.”
She narrowed her eyes at me before shaking her head and laughing. “Didn’t you say something about taking me out to celebrate?”
“I sure did.” Keeping my hand on her back, I guided Addilyn down the hallway, through the club, and onto the casino floor. I glared at a few guys as they stared at Addilyn while we walked past the blackjack and roulette tables. Each of them dropped their gazes when they spotted me next to her, but by the time we reached the steakhouse that had opened a month earlier, I had closed the gap between our bodies until maybe an inch separated us. The celebrity chef and modern décor pulled in crowds, and the waiting list for a table was about three weeks long. One of the benefits of my position was that I was able to use Drew’s table whenever I wanted. It was my favorite place in the hotel, making it an easy choice for where to take Addilyn. She deserved the best, and I was determined to give it to her.
“Mr. Dawson.” The hostess grabbed two leather-bound menus when she spotted me, and she trailed us as I led Addilyn to the booth in the far-left corner of the restaurant. When I started to slide in on the same side as she had, Addilyn scooted over. I didn’t let her get too far, lacing our fingers together as I looked up at the hostess. “Would you like your usual? Slaughter House neat?”
“Yes, and a bottle of champagne from Drew’s stash,” I requested before turning to Addilyn. “Is there anything else you’d like to drink?”
She smiled up at the hostess. “I’d appreciate the biggest glass of ice water you can bring me.”
“Not a big drinker?” I asked when we were alone again.
“Staying hydrated is vital for singers,” she explained with a smile. “And I know better than to mix champagne with another kind of liquor. I’d probably end up kneeling in front of the toilet for hours on end, and that’s not how I want to spend the rest of my night.”
I could too easily picture her kneeling all night, but in front of me instead. Stretching my legs out, I shifted my hips to alleviate some of the pressure against my cock. My suit pants were tailored to fit me, but they’d never been tested when I was rock hard like I was right then.
Addilyn’s gaze dropped to my lap, her brown eyes widening when she saw the outline of my dick pressed against the dark material. Her plump lips parted on a gasp, and I was in the middle of lowering my head to brush my mouth against hers when I heard someone clearing their throat directly to my left. A deep growl rumbled up my chest before I pulled away from Addilyn to look at the waitress. With an apologetic smile, she hurriedly set the water and whiskey on the table before pouring two glasses of champagne.
“Would you like to order anything to eat, Mr. Dawson?” the waitress asked.
“Not for me.” I turned to Addilyn, who had already snagged one of the glasses of champagne and gulped it down. “Are you hungry, baby?”
“Nope, I’m good.” She shook her head and swapped her empty champagne glass with my full one. After the waitress walked away, she tilted her head to the side and blinked up at me. “Why do I feel like I should know who you are?”
I smiled and shook my head. “I’m not famous.”
“Then what’s up with all the fawning?” She waved her hand around in a small circle. “And how come nobody freaked out when you helped yourself to this primo table?”
I chuckled and took a sip of my whiskey before answering. “I’m the head of security for the Lennox.”
“Ohhhhhh.” Her plump lips formed a perfect circle, and an image of them wrapped around my cock popped into my head. “So you’re kind of a big deal around here?”
“I have a certain degree of power,” I conceded with a slight nod. “And all of Drew’s employees know it.”
Her dark eyes shone with humor as she sipped her champagne. When the glass was half empty, she set it back down and grinned at me. “It’s a good thing I have an iron-clad contract then. I’d hate for there to be an imbalance of power between us.”
I stroked my knuckles against her cheek, thinking about her irresistible pull. She had no idea the degree of power she had over me. “I gave Drew shit when he finally told me about the offer he made you because it went against all the security protocols I have in place. Then I saw you up on that stage, heard your incredible voice, and realized that I owe him one hell of a thank you for doing whatever it took to keep you in Vegas.”
“Do me a favor and tell my parents that sometime,” she sighed, finishing off her second glass of champagne before taking a sip of her water.
“Will do,” I promised, sliding my arm over her shoulders. I had no doubt that I’d meet her parents at some point, and I was more than willing to let them know how happy I was to have met their daughter. Although they would probably figure it out themselves, considering the place she was going to have in my life.
As she explained how they’d urged her to see the world before settling down, I poured her another glass of champagne and asked some questions about the places she’d be interested in visiting. There wasn’t a chance in hell she’d be going without me, though. The settling down ship had already sailed when we met because she’d found her man.
“I know they love me, but sometimes I feel as though they don’t truly know me.” She grabbed the champagne bottle and emptied the rest of it into her glass, before leaning into my side.
The waitress was approaching our table but switched directions when I looked up and shook my head because I d
idn’t want anyone to interrupt our privacy while Addilyn was opening up to me. “How so?”
“I love to sing, but making it big isn’t important to me.” She gulped down the rest of the champagne and set the empty glass on the table with a sigh. “Family is what matters.”
“Family is everything,” I agreed, happy as fuck to know she felt that way.
She jerked up and twisted her body to stare at me. “I have the best idea for what we should do next!”
“Whatever you want, baby. I’ll make it happen.” What she said next was definitely the last thing I expected to hear only hours after we’d met.
4
Addilyn
“We should get married!” I didn’t know where the idea came from, but I instantly knew it was the best one I’d ever had. Knox was the hottest, sweetest guy I’d met in my entire life, and I had never experienced the kind of attraction he aroused in me. And holy cow...the thought of this sexy god’s babies had my ovaries exploding. Yeah, best idea ever.
But what would he think about my proposal? I peeked up at him through my lashes to see him staring down at me with a thoughtful expression. “You want to get married?” he clarified, his gaze serious and assessing. However, I saw a glimmer in his eyes that made me think he liked the idea.
I nodded enthusiastically and clapped my hands. “There’s a chapel here, right? I mean, it’s Vegas!”
Knox rubbed his chin, and a slow smile began to spread across his handsome face. “As a matter of fact, my sisters run the chapel here at the Lennox.” He trailed his finger along my bottom lip, then the top, before leaning in and replacing it with his mouth. I immediately melted into him, feeling drunk from the effect his kiss was having on me. This man could freaking kiss. His tongue ran along the seam of my lips, and I parted them obediently. He deepened the kiss, and I moaned at the taste of his whiskey and something delicious I knew was all him. The arm he had around me slipped down, and he splayed his hand on my naked back. The touch of our skin practically burned, and my body was near to bursting into flames. By the time he pulled back, I was panting and ready to rip my clothes off and beg him to take me right then and there.
“Alright, baby,” he rumbled. The low timbre of his voice sent shivers through me. That so did not help my current state. I gulped down several large breaths to try to get some control over myself. Luckily, Knox slid out of the booth, and while he gently tugged me up after him, the empty space between us allowed me to think a little more clearly.
I just needed to wait a little longer. A wedding meant a wedding night. I shook my head and tried to focus on anything else. I couldn’t think about that right now or I’d probably melt into a puddle of need. Knox wove our fingers together and led me out of the restaurant. I silently followed, my attention on his very fine ass. When he stopped, I almost rammed right into him but caught myself at the last moment. He guided me around to stand in front of him, then released my hand and gently pushed me toward a store in the hotel lobby.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, my brow furrowing. Things were a little fuzzy, but I was pretty sure this wasn’t the chapel.
“You need a dress, baby.”
“Oh! Good point.” My insides went all soft and gooey that this big, strong man would think of something like my needing a wedding dress. I threw him a bright smile and sauntered into the store, making sure to put a little extra sway in my hips. For which I was rewarded with a low growl and a muttered curse. Good. I was glad to know I wasn’t the only one having a hard time keeping my hands to myself.
I supposed it shouldn’t have surprised me to find a store that carried formals and wedding dresses inside a Vegas hotel. The clerk handed me a glass of champagne, and I downed it immediately and held it out for a refill. Was I really doing this? My core pulsed, and my heart skipped a beat. Yup. This was totally happening.
Thumbing through a rack at the back of the store, I debated on what style to go with. Super revealing and sexy so that he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself. And perhaps see a little more of that possessive beast that was so damn hot.
Or something sweet and virginal since my parents and family would eventually see the pictures. And...well...I was actually a virgin.
Then I spotted the perfect dress with a mixture of both; somewhat demure but also incredibly sexy. The top was made of lace appliques, leaving peeks of skin here and there. It had cap sleeves, and the front was split, creating a deep, plunging V that went all the way to the waist. The two sides were held together with sheer, nude-colored fabric. The skirt was made of layers of tulle and looked quite innocent until I took a few steps, then my legs peeked out from the two, almost waist-high, slits. As I studied myself in a mirror, a wicked grin curved my lips. I couldn’t wait to see Knox’s reaction.
I picked out some incredible sky-high glittery heels, but when I tried them on, I almost killed myself trying to keep my balance. That third glass of champagne the saleswoman had handed me probably hadn’t been the best idea. I shrugged and went with some equally as gorgeous shoes that were a couple of inches shorter and had a chunkier heel.
Since I wanted his first glimpse of the dress to be when I was walking down the aisle, I had the clerk bag it up. Then I started to prance from the store but stopped and giggled when my head started spinning. Ooops, I was clearly a little bit tipsy! I giggled again and tried to walk a little more sedately. Knox was waiting for me in the lobby, wearing a black suit that looked as though it had been made just for him. It was similar to the one he’d been wearing when we met, but this one had a matching vest and he had a silver tie tucked into it. Plus, he’d switched out his shoes for shiny dress shoes. “Wow!” I breathed. “My fiancé cleans up goooood.”
Knox grinned, and I would swear his chest puffed up a little. His eyes did a sweep of me and he frowned until he caught sight of the bag in my hand. He seemed to understand right away and simply held out his hand for me to take once more. We walked to a door marked “Employees Only,” and he swiped a card, waiting for the light to blink green before opening it and gesturing for me to enter first. It was a long hallway, bare except for the maroon carpet on the floor and several doors. I wasn’t sure how many doors we passed since the stark white walls made me a little woozy.
We stopped at a door that was labeled Chapel of Dreams, and he rapped his knuckles on it a couple of times before twisting the knob and walking right in. A young blonde was sitting behind a desk facing the door and was pecking on a keyboard as she stared intently at the screen.
“Hey, Amanda,” Knox greeted her as he drew me closer into his side. The woman’s head darted up in surprise, obviously unaware of our entrance.
“Knox!” She smiled as she greeted him, but there was only mild interest in her gaze, so I didn’t feel the need to stake my claim on my man.
“Amanda, this is my fiancée, Addilyn.” He kissed my temple, then glanced down at me. “Amanda is Aurora’s, one of my sisters, assistant.” I gave her a little wave, and she smiled in return.
Knox frowned suddenly and asked, “My sisters aren’t here?”
Amanda shook her head and grinned. “Lia’s baby shower was this afternoon. I suspect everyone except Lia was tipsy from champagne and carted away by their husbands.” Lia...how did I know that name?
Knox snorted and rolled his eyes. “Well, then it’s their own damn fault they are going to miss my wedding.”
Amanda stood suddenly, and her eyes became big and round. “Wedding? Wait...did you say fiancée?” She squeaked the last word.
Knox held me a little tighter, and I instinctively snuggled into his warmth. Dang, he felt good. It made me a little drowsy, but I managed to pay attention. “I did,” he answered. “Since my sisters aren’t here, I’m assuming there are no weddings scheduled tonight?”
“Ummm, well, no but—” Amanda stuttered.
“Great, I’m going to escort Addilyn to the bride’s room, and you can track down an officiant.” Without waiting for a response, he walke
d us toward another door.
“But…but…Knox! Your sisters will kill me if I let you get married without them!”
He froze and spun around, his expression dark and scary. I wondered if I was supposed to be afraid, but all I felt was another set of tingles between my legs and butterflies in my stomach. I had no idea cavemen would make me so hot and bothered.
“Let me?” he growled. Fucking hell...I was going to come from his voice alone. “With the exception of Drew and Autumn Lennox, there is no one in this hotel who doesn’t answer to me.” Amanda visibly shrank, and I pinched Knox’s arm, drawing his attention. I glared at him, and he sighed. “I’ll handle my sisters, Amanda. Don’t worry. Just find me that officiant.” I pinched him again, and he sighed even louder. “Please.” I beamed up at him and felt almost giddy at the thought that we were already reading each other like an old married couple.
Amanda mumbled her agreement, and the next thing I knew, I was alone in a beautiful dressing room, still reeling from the thorough kiss Knox had given me before leaving. I hung up my dress, then grinned and did a little twirl, holding my arms out like I was Maria von Trapp on top of the mountain. It only took a few spins for me to get dizzy and laughingly stumble over to the pink brocade chair in front of a white marble vanity. My stomach lurched a little, but gratefully, it quickly settled back down. I looked up and froze at what I saw.
The woman staring back at me in the mirror was almost unrecognizable. My brown eyes sparkled, my cheeks were flushed, and my mouth looked like I’d slept with a hanger in it. I’d never believed in love at first sight, but after meeting Knox, it was glaringly apparent how wrong I’d been. And now, I was going to marry that sexy man. Then he would take me to bed and sate this raging lust consuming me. And maybe, in the not too distant future, he’d agree to make a family. Which reminded me...I needed to remember to tell him I wasn’t on the pill. What had been the point? I shrugged at myself in the mirror, then rose to my feet and began to get ready.
Vegas, Baby: Complete Series Page 36
