by Shana Gray
“Imma go now, Mom, got a game to play.” Colin had just turned six. While Jilly was happiest outdoors, Colin liked technology, whether it was his gaming system or a book on his iPad.
“Wait, Colin, not yet. I want to talk to you a little longer.”
“Aww, Mom!” Colin crossed his arms and pouted, his joy at seeing his mother diminished by the lure of a video game going unplayed.
“Quiet, Colin! Mom, we’re having fun. Daddy bought us some new movies for our sleepover and Grandma Kate came over to make us tuna and tater tots. Are you having fun?” Jilly asked.
Kate was the dickwad’s mother, and she and Celia had never gotten along. The thought of Kate having access to her kids without her there made Celia’s free hand clench into a fist, and she tilted her face down to avoid having her kids see her expression. Bonni nipped the phone out of Celia’s hand to give her friend some time to recover.
“Of course your mom is having fun. We’re all having fun. In fact, we are just finishing up with our breakfast.”
“What did you have? Pancakes and bacon?” Colin asked.
“I had bacon and eggs, your mom had scrambled eggs, and do you know what?”
“What?” They asked in unison.
“She was talking with her mouth full.”
“Mom, you get mad at us for that!” Colin yelled into the phone.
“Say goodbye to my friends, kids,” Celia said, loud enough for them to hear. “I want to talk to you for a little while by myself now.” She held the phone up for everyone to see. They all waved and gave a chorus of goodbyes as Celia turned it back to her as the kids sang out their goodbyes through the phone.
Celia stood and picked up her bag. “I’m just gonna go and talk to them for a little while over there.” She pointed to the other side of the lobby, where some chairs were tucked away in a corner.
Bonni watched Celia walk away, looking into her phone with that big and loving smile etched on her face. She really was an awesome mom, and she totally deserved these few days away. Bonni sensed she had feelings of guilt at leaving her kids behind, but Celia also needed to take care of herself. Once she’d said her goodbyes to her babies, Bonni was convinced Party Celia would be back with a vengeance.
Chapter Eleven
Quinn wanted to focus on the cards. Good God, he’d had a hard time leaving the suite. Memories floated across his mind: Bonni sitting naked in the bed, her breasts begging to be kissed. Her soft moans last night as he discovered her secret spots. Her responsiveness to his touch. The sounds she made when she orgasmed…how the hell was he supposed to focus? But he had to.
The only thing he could do was push her out of his mind. Forget how sexy she was, and how wonderful she looked, lying all caught up in the sheets on his bed. He needed to concentrate. He could fuck up the first elimination round, and that would be a disaster.
Quinn lifted the edge of his cards and kept his face blank. Lady Luck was being kind to him today. If he screwed it up, he’d only have himself to blame. From behind his dark glasses and under the shadow from the brim of his ball-cap, he watched the other players. Unlike the others, who chose a more casual style or dressed to conceal their tells, he chose to shield his face only with a cap and sunglasses, maintaining a more professional appearance with tailored slacks and a crisp shirt, open at the neck. He pulled the brim of his cap a little lower, casting his face deeper in shadow. Some tournaments, he’d forgo the hat entirely, but he didn’t completely trust himself to keep his emotions hidden today.
He had pocket aces. Quinn rolled a chip along his knuckles, for drama, then put it down. He pushed his entire stack of chips into the center of the table, and the crowd watching gasped. He was all in. Two players threw their cards down, folding, and his last opponent called. He and Quinn revealed their hands, and the crowd erupted. Relief swept through him. He’d won.
He let out a big breath, sat back in the chair, stretching his cramped body, and looked around for his brother, Landon, seeing him in the back corner. He stood up, stretched again, and indicated to his brother to meet him outside the casino after Quinn had finished the necessary paperwork.
“One down,” he told Landon. “I was warned this was going to be a tough tournament.”
Landon clapped him on the back. “You had it, but what was distracting you?”
Quinn was surprised that Landon had picked up on it. He shook his head. “Nothing. Didn’t get much sleep last night.”
He wasn’t ready to tell Landon about Bonni. He’d get on his ass about her. Landon always expected women to have hidden agendas. If he found out about Bonni distracting him with her sexiness, Landon would immediately assume she was a gold-digger planted by one of Quinn’s competitors. His brother eyed him for a moment and then let it go.
“I’m glad I was able to fly out for this. It’s been too long since we’ve hung out,” Landon said, and checked his watch.
With Landon established in San Francisco, and Quinn basically a nomad, following the games, they mainly kept in touch through video-chatting and on-the-fly texts. Quinn nodded. “You got that right. Let’s grab a bite.”
Landon looked around then pointed to a classy-looking restaurant. “Definitely in the mood for steak.”
As they headed across the floor, Quinn found himself scanning the crowd. Checking the faces…for her. It didn’t go unnoticed.
“Who are you looking for, Quinn?” Landon’s tone was suspicious.
Shit. “No one.”
“Don’t bullshit me. You are clearly checking out the crowds. I know you’re not in debt to loan sharks because I manage your portfolio. Is it a deranged fan? Dammit, Quinn, I told you that you should hire a bodyguard.”
Quinn grunted. “It’s not a deranged fan. I don’t know where you get these ideas, numb-nuts. I’m not as popular as you think I am.” He slid his phone out of his pocket to check again if Bonni had texted him, trying to hide the motion from Landon.
“Excuse me if I want to avoid having to pay ransom for your stupid ass. So, if it’s not a stalker, it’s a woman. Same thing, I guess.” The hostess at the podium of the restaurant raised her eyebrow at that, but Landon flashed a smile and the woman noticeably thawed, leading them to a table with a view of the casino via one-way glass.
Quinn picked up his menu, hoping his annoying older brother would let it go, but Lady Luck had clearly abandoned him now that the poker game was over. “So who is she? She must have been pretty good to have you knotted up at a game.”
The implication that the only reason he was interested in Bonni was her skill in bed didn’t sit right with him. Okay, true, they haven’t had any in-depth conversations yet, but he’d seen the care and concern she’d shown for her friends last night, and enjoyed their banter in the elevator and while snacking. He’d been hoping she’d come see him play because he wanted to know her beyond the bedroom.
“Fuck off, asshole. I’m hoping to see her again tonight.”
“Whoa, two nights in a row? Now that’s different.”
His brother was giving him a hard time. And Landon continued to bust his chops throughout their appetizers and steaks. Quinn let it roll off his back (his brother had so few joys in his life) and debated whether he should text Bonni.
The two brothers finished off their steaks. Landon put down his fork and placed his napkin beside the plate. “That hit the spot.” Sitting back in the chair, he rested his arm on the back of the seat beside him.
“How did you manage to get the time away?” Quinn asked his brother.
“I’m CEO, I can do whatever I like.” Landon smiled. “But Mom was also on my case about finding a date for her next charity gala. I decided a little vacation would do us both good.” He reached for his glass and finished off the Italian red.
“How long you staying for?” Quinn checked his phone again. Still no text from Bonni.
“Thought I’d stay and watch you win.”
Quinn smiled. “I figured.”
Something caught his
eye through the restaurant windows. He squinted and searched the throng shuffling by. Then he saw her, and his breath stuck in his lungs. Just like last night, the crowd seemed to part and a light shown down, illuminating her. His reverence for Lady Luck aside, Quinn wasn’t particularly superstitious, but this was the second time he’d seen Bonni among a mass of people, and everyone around her faded to gray. He had to admit it felt like some kind of sign.
“I’ll be right back.” He grabbed his phone and bolted from the chair.
“Where are you going? Are you sticking me with the check, jackass?”
Quinn heard Landon, but didn’t bother to answer his brother as he rushed out of the restaurant before he lost sight of Bonni.
But, by the time he’d got out to the crowd, she was gone.
“Damnit!” Quinn searched for her dark head. Weaving in and out, he picked up his pace until he saw her ahead. Quinn smiled at the rush of emotion that filled his chest. Just then, his phone—finally—buzzed.
Hi, it’s Bonni. I was going to surprise you at the tournament, but then I thought maybe that would distract you or something. I don’t know if you get breaks between rounds or whatever, but let me know if it’s still okay if I stop by.
Her head was bent over her phone and she stood partially blocked by a pillar. Approaching her, he used his phone to reply:
Turn around.
When he was close enough, he reached out and grabbed her arm.
She whirled to face him, her hand raised, and he was pretty sure that, if he hadn’t dodged, she would have punched him.
“Hey. It’s me,” he said, feeling a little foolish.
“Holy shit, Quinn, what the hell! You don’t go around grabbing women from behind! Didn’t your mother ever teach you that?”
The frustration in her voice was a new element to her, and he decided he much preferred her soft moans of passion.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that,” he said, giving her his most charming smile.
Bonni rolled her shoulders slowly, allowing the tension to seep from her body. She lightly swatted him on the arm. “Don’t do it again.”
He caught her hand and entwined their fingers. At last she smiled back, and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I thought you were in the tournament?”
“It’s finished. Done a while ago now.” Quinn felt his phone buzzing in his pocket and knew it was his brother, wondering where he was. Landon could wait.
“Really? I thought they took forever. Like an all-day affair—you know, as seen on TV.”
He shook his head. “Sometimes it can, but this one was quick. It didn’t take long. I won.” Quinn wasn’t in the habit of bragging about a win in a qualifier—it felt too much like he might jinx the tournament—but he wanted to impress Bonni.
“Oh my God, Quinn, that’s awesome! Congratulations! What happens next?” Bonni moved in to give him a congratulatory hug, and he wrapped an arm around her waist before she could step back.
“Next qualifier is bright and early tomorrow. So, do you have plans for tonight?”
Bonni draped her arms over his shoulders and leaned into him. “We’re doing spa treatments in about an hour, but I’m not a hundred percent sure about tonight. We’ve talked about going to a show, but no one has decided yet.”
Over her shoulder, Quinn saw Landon walk toward them, glancing down at his phone. Bastard was probably tracking him through the Find Your Friends app. Turning it on had been a condition Landon had insisted on before he agreed to manage Quinn’s personal portfolio. He was such a worrywart.
“Dine and ditching your own brother. Just for that, you’re paying me back for the whole thing now.” Landon gave Quinn a pointed look. He turned his attention to Bonni. “And who do we have here?”
Quinn could feel Bonni stiffen up. She didn’t wait for Quinn to introduce them. Stepping back, she forced him to release her and reached out a hand to Landon. “Bonni Connolly.”
He savored the fact that he now knew her last name, which momentarily distracted him from Landon grasping Bonni’s hand and attempting to smolder at her. “Landon Bryant, this shithead’s brother. Pleased to meet you.” His eyebrows rose. “That’s a firm handshake you have there, Bonni.”
Okay, that was enough of that. Quinn shot his brother a murderous glare, and the bastard smirked before Bonni managed to tug her hand free. She looked between the two men. “Sorry, but I don’t see a resemblance.”
He’d been hearing that all his life. While they shared a similar build, Quinn took after his father while Landon resembled their mother. “No, Landon didn’t inherit the family’s rugged good looks, but we let him stick around.”
Bonni smiled at him while Landon flipped him off behind her back. His brother got his revenge, though. “So, Bonni, what are you doing now? I’d love to hear about how you and Quinn met.”
Before Quinn could cut off that line of questioning, Bonni was explaining about meeting up with her friends. “Oh, you have time, then? You must let Quinn and I treat you to this wonderful patisserie in the hotel. They have simply delicious macarons.”
Landon began to usher Bonni away, and she shot Quinn a look over her shoulder. His hopes of sequestering Bonni for some private time to explore the connection between them disappeared. Quinn stalked after his brother and his woman, wondering how mad his mother would be if he took steps to become an only child.
Chapter Twelve
The spa music was lovely. It soothed and calmed her. Bonni had hoped to spend an hour or so staring at Quinn while he did his thing, but instead she’d had the most sinful pastries while Quinn and his brother traded jabs at each other. Landon had never completely relaxed, though, and Bonni could tell he wasn’t entirely sold on her. He’d asked a lot of questions about what she did for a living and where she was from, but she had deflected them as best as she could. She had glanced quickly at Quinn to see if he was wondering as well, but he’d been busy inspecting his pastry.
Quinn had walked her to the entrance of the hotel, and the taxi stand, but before they exited, he pulled her into a secluded alcove and kissed her senseless. If it hadn’t been for the girls texting her, she might still be in his arms. Bonni promised to text him later, once her plans with the girls were finalized. Thinking about his kisses made her muscles melt, and her anxiety about leaving Quinn subsided. It surprised her how much she longed to be with him; it was something she wasn’t used to. A man had never thrown her off her game so much before. This was new, and she was trying to figure it out. Bonni stared at the hot, bubbling water foaming around her feet. It felt glorious. Almost as good as Quinn massaging her feet last night. He certainly had the touch.
She almost moaned aloud, thinking about how sweetly they fitted together. Their bodies matched perfectly and…stop torturing yourself, Bonni. She shook her head and did her best to put him out of her mind.
“Earth to Bonni.” A vague voice reached through her thoughts, and a poke in the arm nearly made her jump out of her skin. It seemed she wasn’t doing so good at focusing on the here and now.
She glanced up to find Fredi snapping her fingers. “Bonni! Please rejoin us on Planet Earth.”
“Sorry, I was thinking about something and enjoying the soak.” Bonni’s toes curled beneath the water as she looked up to find her friend staring at her.
“Obviously. I’ve been talking away about this consultation I had with this Bridal Bitch and you haven’t said a word.” Fredi sounded frustrated and Bonni felt bad.
“I’m sorry. Again. I’m being a bad friend. My mind has just been busy.” She pushed herself up in the chair a little higher and began fretting about how torn she was between hanging out with her friends and being with a man she barely knew. These were her girls, the sisters of her heart, who she barely got to see now that they were scattered across North America. Could she really sacrifice time with them for a vacation fling—for Quinn?
“Your preoccupation wouldn’t have anything to do with the sexy man that swept you off y
our feet last night, would it? Did he give you a standing O when you saw him this afternoon?” Fredi winked.
Bonni turned bright red and tilted her head to the side. “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously. Having sex in public can add a little spice to the proceedings. Anyway, I can tell you are out in Never-Never Land.” Fredi’s bluntness was always refreshing, even if it was annoying at times.
Bonni glanced at Ava and Celia. They were relaxing in their chairs, cucumbers resting over their eyes and earbuds in. Both of them were very snobbish when it came to music. Ava was probably listening to the latest Broadway-hit musical soundtrack or the most up-to-the-minute pop-country act and, judging by the tapping of Celia’s fingers, she was blissed out to classic rock.
She turned to Fredi and leaned over. “I know this is supposed to be a vacation fling, but I can’t get him out of my head,” she admitted, something she hadn’t thought she’d be able to do.
Fredi raised her eyebrows. “That didn’t take long. Does he have magic hands or something?” Her crystal-blue eyes narrowed.
“You have no idea. I swear.” Bonni let her head fall back and sighed.
“Uh-oh. Are you hooked?” The deeply concerned tone in Fredi’s voice clashed with the soothing spa music coming from the carefully concealed speakers.
Bonni tilted her face to look at Fredi. “I can’t believe it. Me. The epitome of independence. I spend my life surrounded by men—some really hot, really built men—and meh. But one look at Quinn across a crowded dance floor…” She waved her hands in an agitated motion. “This is straight out of those sappy movies Ava likes so much. What am I supposed to do with this…this…whatever it is?”
Fredi leaned on the arm of the chair. “Look. Stop being hard on yourself. Roll with it. Enjoy the moment and don’t think about where it’s going. Because it’s likely going nowhere. It’s a fling…in Vegas. Just don’t fall in love, get pregnant, or catch an STD. Not everything in Vegas stays in Vegas. Most importantly, enjoy yourself and have some fun. Take a break from saving society from itself. You only live once.”
