He led them through a nearly invisible door and down a long, brightly lit hallway to a small office. As he sat, he gestured for them to take the guest chairs. "We have the video." He typed at his keyboard then swiveled to look at a television on the wall.
In slow motion, it showed Boone inserting a dollar in the machine, pressing the button, then grabbing the handle. Watching the kiss they shared brought warmth to Gieselle's cheeks and heat to her core. Especially in slow motion, the tangle of their lips and arms took sensual to the next level.
She glanced at the manager. He smiled at her. "How long have you two been together?"
She heaved out a breath. "Would you believe we just met?"
He smiled and turned toward to the television where Boone pulled the handle while their kiss went on. "Ma'am, this is Vegas. I believe anything is possible."
They watched as the three cakes came up, one after another, the lights flashed to life, bells rang, and their kiss went on.
Boone turned in his chair and winked at her.
Gieselle smiled. His presence eased her worry.
The manager stopped the video playback. "So you can see that Mr…." He tipped his head and looked at Boone.
"Boone Hancock," her cowboy supplied
The man wrote then looked up. "Mr. Hancock is legally the prize winner."
"But I don't want it." Boone took her hand. "I want to give it to her." His voice sounded as determined as the tightness in his jaw.
Relief washed through her. Boone could have claimed the money, waved goodbye to her, and left Vegas a rich man.
As the manager looked at her, he sighed. "And your name?"
"Gieselle Colberg-Staub."
He wrote again. "Here's the issue." The manager leaned back in his chair. "There are tax implications here. Ones we can't legally get around."
She sat forward in her chair. "Such as?"
He gestured to Boone. "He may be a tax evader, trying to get out of paying—"
Boone sat up, as stiff as new cowboy boots. "I'm a rodeo bull rider."
Gieselle waited for him to say more, and then snorted as she sucked in air, trying to stifle a laugh. A couple chuckles escaped her.
Boone glared at her.
"Sorry." She suppressed her smile. "I don't understand. What does being a bull rider have to do with honesty?"
He stared into her eyes. "I believe in the American dream. I'm going to make it big on the rodeo circuit and I'm going to start my own business based on the name I make for myself. I'd never do anything to jeopardize the future I've got ahead of me." His face softened, became less intense. "One day, I want to hold public office, work for the community, help those that need it, and punish those who deserve it." He blinked a few times. "I want a family of my own, and a ranch where my kids will learn those same values and ethics."
"Boone. I…" She swallowed the sudden urge to kiss him, to tell him she believed in him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh."
A corner of his mouth quirked up. "And I didn't mean to get all righteous on you, Gigi." He glanced at the manager. "My apologies."
The manager's eyes had lost the tired, bored glaze and now held appreciation. "Mr. Hancock, no need to apologize. And I should be the one to ask your forgiveness for blurting out what may have sounded like an accusation." He picked up a piece of paper. "I'll stick to my approved script from now on." He smiled.
Boone nodded.
Gieselle wanted to be on her cowboy's lap, in his arms. But this was neither the time nor the place. This whole jackpot fiasco was spinning out of control. How could she make this work out for both of them?
She turned to the manager. "Could we have a minute, please?" As a plan formulated in her mind, she grew excited to share it with Boone.
Chapter Two
Boone stood and watched the casino manager leave his own office at Gigi's request. Once the door closed, he turned to her. "We're going to have to make this fast, baby." He reached for her with a grin.
She laughed and slapped away his hands. "That's not what this is about, you studly, horny cowboy."
He flexed his muscles and gave her a steamy look. "How about now?"
Smiling, she shook her head. Her beautiful hazel eyes sobered as she stood. "I wanted to make sure this was okay with you." She crinkled her nose.
"Sure. What's on your mind?"
"I want to split the jackpot with you."
His head jerked back. One hundred twenty five thousand dollars, less taxes. He could start the rodeo school he and Dallas and Jayden had talked about. Pay off the money he owed his folks. Buy a decent truck. He looked at Gigi's pretty face. Find a woman to love, and start a family… "No." It just wasn't right to take half her money. "It's generous of you to offer, but I can't accept."
Her mouth opened then closed, and her brow wrinkled. "You have to. It's only fair. I had two dollars in. You had one dollar in, and you—"
"No." He had no right to it. "It should all be yours."
"Listen, please." She stepped closer and placed her little hand over his heart.
Tender feelings slid around his chest while hot, nasty urges grew low in his belly. This woman was sweet and sexy and exactly what he needed. He shook his head to settle his brain in the right place. Exactly what he needed for a couple hot nights. That's all. Looking up at the ceiling, he tamped down the urge to see if it could be more.
She stared at him as if he'd lost some of his lucidity. "Boone?"
"Yeah. Sorry. Listening." He laid his hand on top of hers. Warm and soft.
"I've never won anything before, so I have to give you credit for bringing all the good karma. You had a dollar in, plus all that luck…that adds up to half the jackpot. "
He lifted her hand and kissed her palm. "I appreciate that you're trying to do this, but it just wouldn't be right."
"Please?" She gave him a mewling voice and doe eyes.
How could any guy resist? He shook his head. "Gigi—"
"Where did this 'Gigi' come from?"
He shrugged as he nibbled on the pad of her pinky finger. "Hard to remember that big, fancy name of yours." He needed to get her alone. Get her under him, naked; get their bodies joined, hot and sweaty.
She tugged back her hand. With a patient smile, she sighed. "I know what you're thinking about, but we need to do this first." She sat. "Tell me the reasons you won't take the money."
He sat next to her, his hand on the back of her chair, his fingertips playing with her silky hair. "It was your machine."
"That's it?" She shook her head. "Okay, imagine if I had left two dollars in the machine and walked away. Someone came up, put a dollar in, and won the jackpot."
He nodded. He could tell where she was headed.
"Could I come back and say, 'Oh, excuse me, I get part of that because I left my money in there'?"
"I see what you mean."
She laid her hand on his thigh.
Pulses of lust rushed to his cock. The sooner he got this settled, the sooner he could get them settled. In his bed.
"Boone, let me do this for you. It's the only fair way."
He puffed out a breath. "It doesn't seem all that fair, but if you're sure."
She smiled so wide, he nearly lost his breath. "I'm sure."
She had to have a hell of a generous heart to give up half of a small fortune. Everything about her so far lined her up as the perfect woman for him.
He pressed his lips tight together. That line of thinking would only bring him trouble. "Okay then." He stood. "But if you change your mind, you can—"
"I won't." The look in her eyes confirmed her words.
"I'll get the boss back in here." He opened the door and gestured to the manager. "Ready."
Once they were all seated, Gigi explained that she wanted to split the money.
The manager rubbed his eyes. "Okay, here it is one more time. The money belongs to Mr…." He checked his paper. "Hancock. You…" He looked at Gigi. "Can't take half of what is not yours."
Boone leaned forward. "I want to give Miss Colberg-Staub half the money."
Her head swiveled. "So you can remember Colberg-Staub, but you can't remember Gieselle?" She gave him a glare that she ruined by smiling.
He grinned back at her. "Yup. Just blame it on one too many falls off rank bulls."
The manager cleared his throat. "All right. Here's how this works." He gave them each a serious look. "The Gaming Commission needs to verify the jackpot. It'll take until morning to get this all tidied up, since it's the holiday." He slid a tiny folder with two keycards in it. "You'll have the Gunslinger Suite for two nights." He glanced between them. "It has two bedrooms, since you're not…together."
Boone winked at her.
She bit her lip and blushed.
Damn, he wanted her.
"I also put five hundred dollars casino credit on the suite. Eat at any of our restaurants, drink in the bars, dance in the clubs." He smiled. "Get hitched at the wedding chapel."
Boone's heart double-beat as he pictured Gigi standing next to him in front of a preacher. Then his stomach clenched and an icy wash of panic slid through him. He had to wait until he had his business up and running and profitable before he even got serious with a woman. It could take months. Years. Why the hell was he having goddamn wedding fantasies?
Gigi laughed. "Everything but the wedding part sounds lovely. Thank you."
Boone frowned at her. She didn't want to marry him? She could at least give him a dreamy-eyed stare before she laughed it off.
He blinked. What the fuck was he thinking? No, they weren't getting married. So why did her words nag at him? "Hell."
"Pardon?" The manager watched him.
"Uh, thank you. That'll be great."
He handed them each a couple papers and a pen. "Fill these out and put your phone number at the top. I'll call you tomorrow when we're ready to finalize the payout."
****
Married? Gieselle spent too many minutes thinking about it as she and Boone walked hand in hand to the Roundup Bar. He led her to the corner table where his brother, Kira, and Dallas sat. In front of each of the men, glass mugs in the shape of cowboy boots sat half-empty. Between them, Kira sat sipping from a straw in a margarita glass large enough to wash her hair in.
"Let's see the cash." Jayden slid closer to Kira, making room for them.
"No cash." Gieselle slid in next to the cowboy and Boone took the last spot on the end next to her. "We have to wait until morning."
"What?" Kira pulled out her phone. "I'm calling Daddy. His attorney will—"
"Put that away." Gieselle glanced at Dallas. "How many of these has she had?" She tapped the margarita glass.
Dallas grinned. "Evidently not enough to mellow her out."
Kira glared at him as she set her phone on the table. "Only one." She shrugged. "But the shot of tequila we each did got us kicked off."
The waitress took Gieselle's order of a small margarita, and Boone's order of a beer and a shot of whiskey.
Boone set the folder with their key cards on the table. "We've got a suite for two nights, and five hundo to spend in the hotel."
Kira, Jayden, and Dallas hooted and toasted them.
Boone and Gieselle explained that they were going to split the jackpot, and Dallas and Jayden shared a look before staring at Gieselle.
She met their gazes and saw appreciation in Jayden's, and panic in Dallas's. What the heck did that mean?
After they'd finished their drinks, they got busy making plans for the night.
Kira and Gieselle headed to their room to pack Gieselle's clothes for her move to the suite.
Kira, Dallas, and Jayden refused to stay in the suite with Gieselle and Boone, but promised to help them spend every penny of the casino credit.
Gieselle zipped her bag and hefted it off the bed. "Are you sure you feel safe alone?"
Kira walked out of the bathroom wearing fresh makeup and perfume. "If things go the way I plan, I won't be alone." She dug in her suitcase and moved a box of condoms to the drawer in the bedside table. She paused and glanced at Gieselle. Opening the drawer once again, she pulled off two packets and slid them into her purse. "Since it's Vegas, it's best to be prepared for anything."
Gieselle laughed. "Dallas or Jayden?" She opened the door to the hallway.
"Oh, please. Jayden? He's got to be eighteen." She walked past Gieselle and swayed her tush as she sashayed toward the elevator. "Dallas is all man." She pushed the up button to call the elevator. "How about Boone? Is he going to be in his own bedroom tonight? Or in yours?"
Gieselle could almost feel the touch of Boone's hands on her body. Tweaking her nipples then licking and sucking. His mouth drawing wet paths along her ribs and stomach, parting her bare pussy to taste her, lave her, and suck until she shook with climax.
"Don't answer." Kira stepped into the open elevator. "The look on your face tells me that poor bull rider is going to be useless for anything but sleep after you get done with him."
Gieselle grinned. "I hope so."
Opening the door to the suite, both women sucked in startled breaths.
Gieselle expected something Western, but it was sleek and modern. A few cowboy paintings hung on the walls, and rustic accent pieces sat on the heavy wooden tables. But the sleek, brown leather furniture and plush tan and brown patterned carpet invited her to stay. Forever.
Floor to ceiling windows showed an incredible view of the lights of the strip. A huge wood bar filled one corner. On top of it sat a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket of ice.
"Can I change my mind?" Kira walked into the room and spun around on the acres of carpeting.
"No." Gieselle looked in the first bedroom, then in the second, and chose it for its beautiful view and extra-large bed. "And Kira…" She shouted from the bedroom. "When I give you the sign, you take those other two cowboys and get the hell out of here."
Kira laughed. "Nice."
Gieselle chuckled as she unpacked. "As if you haven't done that to me a couple dozen times." She hung up her dresses and slid her underthings into a drawer.
When she carried her cosmetic bag into the attached bathroom, her mouth dropped open. A walk-in shower with six sprinkler heads took up a whole wall. A ridiculously huge bathtub with jets filled the other. Big enough for two. She quickly turned off the light and walked out to the bedroom before her girlfriend saw it and truly did decide to move in.
Kira came in and flopped backward onto the bed. "This baby'll get a workout tonight."
"Uh huh." Gieselle tucked her own box of condoms into the bedside table. She stashed her suitcase in the closet as the click of the hallway door echoed.
"…and I swear to God…" Dallas's voice boomed through the suite. "I'll hit you over the head and drag you out to the truck if I see you getting attached."
Gieselle's eyes popped open wide as she looked at Kira, whose eyes narrowed.
Her friend pressed a finger against her own lips to shush Gieselle.
"Don't fucking worry about me, asshole." Boone's voice came from the first bedroom. "I know what this is." His voice grew closer. "I'm not going to get suckered into…" He stopped just inside the bedroom door.
"Not going to get suckered into what?" Kira gave him a glare.
"Oh, fuck." Dallas's voice came from the behind Boone.
Jayden peeked his head into the room then disappeared.
A loud smack sounded and Jayden and Dallas's quiet, angry voices moved off.
Boone smiled at Kira, then at Gieselle.
She saw a flash of something in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by excitement.
"Not going to give the casino back any of the winnings." He tipped his head toward the living room. "These two cowpokes think the only reason we've got the suite is to keep us here so we'll spend all our money."
Kira glanced at her, a disbelieving look on her face. She slid off the gold satin bedspread and walked past Boone. "Uh huh. Good cover, cowboy." She shut th
e door behind her.
Boone flipped the lock.
Together, alone with Boone, with a big bed between them, Gieselle's nerves kicked up into a whirl.
He set his duffle bag in the corner. "Are you ready for this?"
Chapter Three
Boone took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair, lifting it into messy, sexy locks that she wanted to get a hold of. He stalked toward her.
She didn't believe for a minute Dallas had been talking about Boone losing his winnings at the casino. He'd been referring to her, to how quickly their feelings for each other had developed. The way Boone had responded to his buddy, Gieselle didn't know if she should believe the words Boone had said to her about fate and luck, or if his honest thoughts included the fear of getting "suckered in" by her.
Either way, she would be with him as much as she could over the next two days. Something about him pulled her in, made her want to know everything about him. The few guys she'd dated seriously in New York had never made her this…nesty? Could that be it? Had finally meeting a true gentleman, an all-American male, given her ideas of what she was missing in her life?
Gieselle swallowed and looked at the bed. "Ready for what?"
He laughed and set his hat on the dresser. As he reached her, he held out his hand. "For a wild night of…partying?"
Sliding into his arms, she smiled. "Is that what you cowboys call it?" Her body melted against his, her arms wound tightly around his neck.
His lips brushed her jaw and settled at the sensitive skin near her ear. "Call it gettin' to know you, beautiful."
A knock sounded. "Hey you two, we're ordering booze from room service and charging it to your room." Jayden sounded so much like his brother.
"Go ahead," Boone shouted over his shoulder.
"We got beer, whiskey, tequila, and vodka and tonic for Miss Kira. Anything else? Gigi?"
Boone raised his eyebrows. "What's your pleasure tonight?" His hard shaft pressed against her belly.
She shifted her hips against him. "Besides this?"
He groaned and stepped his feet farther apart, hitting her lower with the rise behind his fly. "You know this'll be pleasure for you. As much as you want."
Cowboy Jackpot: Christmas Page 2
