Revealed: A Hype PR and Eye Candy Bookstore Anthology

by Bethany Lopez

  It’s all the confirmation he needs to know I count. But what he doesn’t know is I could destroy him and his friends when it comes to this profession. I lick my lips and sigh, trying to pretend that I’m completely unamused by his presence.

  Sailor offers me a smirk, turns around, and pushes the down button for the elevator. “Well, Didn’t-offer-it, I hope to see you around. I’m sure I will.” His eyes are so blue I feel as if they are burning straight through me. They are the color of the Florida sea and having him look at me like he knows all my secrets causes heat to rush through my body. Sure, I’ve had some attractive men chase me, but Sailor’s different. I swear to God he better not be a mind reading X-Man. I laugh at the thought.

  Though he’s mysterious and sexy as hell, what’s scarier is he understands the odds. He bet exactly as I would have and I wouldn’t be surprised if he brought home more than I did. Too bad I won’t be playing his game. I offer him a head nod and walk confidently down the long hall that leads to my room. When I turn to look over my shoulder, he’s no longer standing there. Thank god. I swipe my card and walk straight to the windows and look down at the Bellagio waterfall. Before I call it a night, I take off my clothes and leave them on the floor. I lie in bed and study Sailor’s card and his embossed name in silver letters.

  For the first time ever someone other than me knows my game.

  This could change everything.

  Chapter 3

  Saturday morning comes quicker than I expect. I eat breakfast on the balcony and allow the dry Vegas air to rush in and out of my room. The stark white curtains blow in the breeze as they flap against the wall. Last night I won close to twenty-five thousand dollars, which is pretty good for one night. Making six figures in a weekend is easy for me. As I sit eating my poached eggs, I have a feeling I should catch the next flight to Washington but I decide against it. I’m not going to let one man ruin my weekend.

  Once the Vegas strip lights up with excitement, I put on a blonde wig, some big fake veneers and keep the fake eyelashes. I wear bright pink lipstick and slip on some prude wear. I don’t dare play the same casino in the same month, so I walk down Las Vegas Boulevard until one catches my eye. Choosing my casino is the most gambling I’ll do all night.

  Before I walk in, the smell of cigarette smoke on the streets almost knocks me off my heels, but I keep walking forward. I look up and see myself in the reflection of the mirrors that line the ceiling. I almost don’t recognize myself in the blonde wig and shirt buttoned up to my neck. I’m going for the good-girl look, but I won’t be playing conservatively. As soon as I find the high-roller table, I’ll be placing five hundred dollar bets until I get my count and getting out when I’ve doubled my money. I’m hoping it only takes a few hours because I’m tired. And playing tired is dangerous.

  I watch a table as I drink a cup of coffee. It burns going down but I can use all the caffeine I can get. After the dealer changes a few times and I’ve got the count, I decide to sit. The minimum bet is one hundred dollars and I don’t bat an eye at the amount. The time to play is now while the table it hot and while I have the opportunity to win big. I lay my stack of hundreds on the table and the dealer screams the total to the pit boss.

  “Five thousand going out.”

  I give a small smile and immediately start playing five hundred dollar hands. I put money down and win money back. I’m not chatty tonight. I’ve got my mind on the money and that’s it. An hour passes and I feel like I’m on top of the world, that is until a person sits entirely too close in the empty seat next to me. I can feel the warmth of his arm against mine so I scoot away from him. He’s in my bubble and that’s frustrating.

  “Didn’t-Offer-It, so nice to see you here.” He leans in and says his words only loud enough for me to hear. His breath is warm on my ear and neck and I hold my breath until he moves away. I turn my head and blue eyes and a perfect smile is sitting there uncomfortably close. Sailor.

  Damnit.

  My mouth slightly drops open and the reaction isn’t lost on him. I shut my mouth, swallow hard, and try to stay calm and calculated. The next hand I bet five thousand dollars, but Sailor plays ten thousand. We both win. I keep the win on the table and play ten thousand and he ups his bet to twenty.

  At the coffee shop, I barely make fifteen thousand dollars in a single year and I’m throwing that amount down like it’s Monopoly money. This isn’t uncommon in the high stakes room though, but when I put it into perspective it makes me question myself. Some people play fifty-thousand dollar hands, but I’m not that brave.

  The dealer issues cards and my first one is an Ace. He goes around the table and I luckily get a king. Twenty-one! The table claps and I double my money. Right now, thirty thousand dollars in chips is sitting on the table. I keep playing and my heart is beating so hard in my chest. I’m not sure if it’s from the amount I’m betting or because Sailor is so close to me I can smell the scent of his soap. He’s undoing me, little by little, and I don’t like it one bit. The dealer turns over his cards and I win with higher cards, doubling my money again. Sixty thousand dollars is on the table and I move it back, dropping all the chips into my purse.

  “Yes,” I say under my breath, celebrating. I feel Sailor’s eyes on me and heat rushes to my cheeks. I’m not one to get anxious, but being under his microscope is a little unnerving.

  I give the dealer a smile once the hand is over and throw him five hundred dollars in chips before I stand and walk away. Sailor immediately grabs his chips and follows me.

  “Blonde? The color looks great on you. But I’m thinking I like you better with darker hair.”

  I stop walking and turn and glare at him as the slot machines behind me go off. “What are you doing?”

  He takes a few steps closer, closing the gap between us. “What are you doing? I take it you’re not Southern.”

  “You’re impossible. It’s obvious that I’m leaving, isn’t it?” I walk to the cashier booth and push my chips across the threshold and the woman counts back seventy-five thousand dollars. Not bad for a few hours of work. I turn around and Sailor is standing there, smirking in his perfectly tailored suit and designer shoes.

  As I walk past him, he places his hand on the small of my back. “Do you want to grab some breakfast?”

  “No.” I keep walking, hoping he will get the hint, but I couldn’t be so lucky. He shoves his chips into his pocket and follows me out the door.

  “You are something else, Didn’t-Offer-It. You might keep running, but you obviously can’t hide.”

  I shake my head at him and keep walking down the sidewalk. “Leave me alone, Sailor.”

  I walk into the casino that I’m staying in and see a bar across the way. I go upstairs, take off the ridiculous get-up, put on a t-shirt and blue jeans, drop the money in the safe, and then go downstairs. Right now, I need a drink.

  In the morning I’m calling to see if the private plane I rented is taking an earlier flight back. I need to get back to Washington as soon as I can and I might even take a few weekends off so then maybe Sailor will forget about me. The man with the deep blue eyes is cramping my style and I can’t have someone watching my every move. I don’t know him, his game, or who he’s working with and the less I know, the better.

  Chapter 4

  I’m usually able to keep my wall built until I start drinking, but why the hell not. I’m done playing and I need to relax because I’m feeling a little on edge. I chat with the bartender for what seems like hours. Drunk men buy me drinks, women lean across the bar barely able to stand, and I just stay seated, watching it all. The truth is, I’m a people watcher. I love the sociology of it all and how people react in different situations. I could travel anywhere in the world, sit on a bench in a busy area, and be completely content. Well, as long as coffee is involved.

  I take another shot of whiskey and the alcohol completely consumes me. I’m not leaving until I know I’ll fall instantly asleep and get rid of all thoughts of that nosey man.
Just as I set the shot glass on the bar, a hand glides across my lower back and I turn to see him standing behind me, grinning like the Cheshire cat. I groan and immediately ignore him.

  “You wouldn’t get a hint if it slapped you across the face,” I say, lifting my hand to order another drink.

  “Fearless, babe. You can push me away all you want, but I’m not going to leave you alone.” He sits in the empty stool next to me.

  “Why? Why are you so obsessed with me? Go away,” I say between gritted teeth.

  He laughs and orders a drink too. “I really like the all-natural look. You really overplay the wigs, accents, makeup, and costumes too much. There’s no need to do that, you know. What you do isn’t illegal.” His voice drops low.

  I sip my drink and try to pretend like he isn’t there and that he isn’t speaking to me. “Right.”

  “And to answer your question. You fascinate me. Not many women can do that, but you.” He pauses and his eyes search my face. “You’re not like other women.”

  Now I’m laughing. “Oh god. Is this where you ask me if it hurt when I fell from heaven?”

  He grabs my thighs and twists me around until I’m face-to-face with him. Heat rushes through me and I finally have the chance to really look at him tonight. When he smiles he has one dimple in his cheek, and his bottom lip is plump, suckable almost. His long eyelashes brush the top of his cheeks when he blinks and his eyes are so blue they basically pierce straight through me. He’s gorgeous, just like the fucking devil.

  Sailor leans in closer, his hands glide along my thighs and whispers, allowing his bottom lip to trace the shell of my ear. “The things I’d do to you.”

  Oh. My. God. I’m not one who can be so easily seduced by sexy talk, but right now, I’m considering it. This isn’t my first rodeo and I’m sure it won’t be my last. I move my body away from his and look him in the eyes as I call his bluff. “Like what? What would you do to me exactly?” I take another sip of my drink, completely unamused by him.

  “Come back to my room, and I’ll show you.”

  I laugh so loud. “No thanks. I’ll pass on that offer. It’s one that I can definitely refuse. The audacity.”

  The bartender sets a beer in front of Sailor and he takes a drink, downing half of it. “The offer still stands. But I’m pretty sure you couldn’t handle me anyway.”

  My mouth falls open. I hate the reverse psychology of it all. But I can’t deny that I’m curious. A few more drinks and maybe I would consider his offer.

  “You don’t even know my name,” I say.

  “It’s not important. You can be whoever you want to be, obviously.”

  He leans in closer. “I’d lick your entire body from head to toe. Bite your perky little nipples that are hard as fuck at this very moment. And make you come until your cunt begs me to stop. No strings attached. And just in case you think I’m making it up, call my bluff and see.”

  The sexual tension is so thick that I almost choke on it. I’m a risk taker, that’s a given. But this, this is something totally different. The alcohol isn’t helping and my body is begging me to go to his room, but I’m smarter than that.

  He lifts an eyebrow at me and continues to drink his chocolate looking beer. “So?”

  I’m at a loss for words for a brief moment and then I almost do the unthinkable; almost.

  I shoot the rest of the whiskey down then lay a hundred down on the bar for my tab and tip. I glance over at Sailor and when his eyes meet mine, I think of all of the reasons why I should follow him to his room.

  I swallow hard and he lifts an eyebrow at me.

  “I’ll see you around, Sailor,” I say, pushing my stool under the bar and walking through the casino back to my room. The alcohol pulses through me and all I can think about is the offer he made me. I’m sure I’m not his first.

  As I walk through the hallway, I turn around and notice two guys following me. I take a random turn that leads back to the casino and check the mirrors against the wall and notice they’re still behind me. I walk through slot machines and sit at a random one next to a few people. The men look at me before walking past. As soon as they are out of sight, I stand up and rush back to the hallway that leads toward the elevator. I press the up button and they walk up behind me and wait.

  From across the way, I see Sailor smiling, making his way through the casino toward me. For the first time since I’ve met him, I’m so happy to see him. He walks up, sees the men standing behind me, and places his arm around me. He’s so comfortable doing it. “There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you, babe.”

  I slip my arm around his body and I feel safe. His fingers brush against my skin and I naturally lean into him. We step on to the elevator alone, and he removes his arm from me.

  “Who the fuck were they?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t know, but I noticed them following me as soon as I left the bar.”

  “I watched them follow you.” He tightens his fists and his knuckles pop. “I’m walking you to your room to make sure you make it there safe.”

  I smile at him, not sure what to say other than thank you.

  Chapter 5

  As the elevator shoots up, I'm relieved to have Sailor next to me. My adrenaline is in overdrive fighting against the alcohol in my body. Tomorrow, I'll be exhausted.

  We walk down the hallway and before I swipe my key, I turn and look at him. He studies my face and my heart almost stops beating.

  “Thanks again. I really do owe you one,” I say, holding out my hand for a friendly handshake, one that I refused to give him the day before.

  “Just one night,” Sailor says, leaning in, his voice dropping low and velvety like thick chocolate. “That’s all I need with you.”

  I narrow my eyes at him and I can’t believe what he’s asking. His lips brush against the softness of my neck and I almost slide down the door because my legs feel like jelly. Sex appeal oozes from him and as much as I want to deny him, my body is begging me to go for it.

  My eyes flutter closed when he places my earlobe in his mouth.

  “Fuck it,” I say, unlocking the door.

  A side grin meets his lips and I’d be lying if I said it wasn't one of the sexiest smiles I've ever seen. I don't believe in love at first sight, but lust, yes, definitely lust, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want him. The room is dark other than the lamp I have on next to the bed. It casts a soft glow across the floor and I turn to him with a seductive grin splashed across my face. I’m a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to ask. I hope he can handle it, because most men are intimidated by me.

  “Show me how fearless you really are.”

  He narrows his eyes at me, almost asking if I’m serious. He takes a few steps forward without a hint of hesitation, removing the space between us when he realizes I’m all in. He grabs my chin between his two fingers and forces me to look into his crystal blue eyes.

  “I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you.”

  Damnit, his words and the way he’s looking at me are a turn on and the alcohol isn’t helping. I want to run my fingers through his messy hair and suck that bottom lip.

  “I'm not bragging or anything, but one night with me isn't going to scratch your itch.” Luckily for me, if he does all the things he’s promised, I'm sure I'll be more than satisfied in the morning and won’t need a round two.

  “Once I fuck you out of my system, you'll never see me again,” he whispers across my mouth with warm breath.

  “Is that a promise?” I ask, grabbing his bottom lip between my teeth and pulling.

  He growls and grabs my ass with a firm hand. “I’m not sure you can handle me more than once.” Sailor unbuttons his shirt and drops it to the ground, displaying a perfect set of abs. His suit pants hang on his hips, and I can’t help but follow his happy trail down to that sexy V. I gulp, but don’t dare let him see my approval.

  “I was about to tell you the same thing.” I remove
my shirt, revealing a lacy black bra.

  “Fuck,” Sailor says, his eyes roaming up and down my body, lingering on my breasts and stomach. His fingers stream through my hair as he pulls my mouth against his. The kiss is hot and passionate and my entire body feels like it’s on fire. The electricity pulses through me and I’m sure he feels it too.

  “I won’t go easy on you,” he says.

  “I’m not asking you to.” I pull at his pants, dragging him closer to me, and undo the belt that’s more of a decoration than anything. I throw it to the ground and unbutton his pants. My movements are purely animalistic and I don't mind taking control.

  Sailor stops me and takes my hand then leads me to the bathroom. “You're a dirty girl and I need you clean.”

  He bends over and turns on the water. As the tub fills, he comes to me and silently undresses me, placing kisses along my collarbone and shoulders. I'm hypnotized by his touch, by the way he smells, and by how intimate he's making a simple night of random fucking.

  He dips down and takes my nipple into his mouth as he palms the other and he's so greedy I can't hold back the small moans that escape my lips.

  He undresses and my eyes go wide as I study what's about to be mine. He's so hard and the need for me is written all over his face, which pleases me.

  I step inside the tub, the water is the perfect temperature and Sailor joins me. I splash the water over my breasts and he watches as it slides down my body. With care, he squirts my body wash on the loofa and moves to me, washing every part of me. He moves between my legs and pays extra attention. Each time he brushes over my clit, the need for him rushes over me. It almost becomes too much to handle and he notices.

  Once I'm clean, Sailor stands and reaches his hand out to me, but I don't take it. Instead I position myself on my knees and take his length in my mouth. I lick the pre-come from the tip, tasting him, listening to him moan. I work him in and out, making sure to pay attention to what he likes. Before too long, his fingers thread through my wet hair and I'm trying desperately to keep control.