I don’t care what anyone said, a man holding a baby was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. Nix had been nervous when we’d found out I was pregnant, but his worry was baseless. He was an incredible father. He never shied away from a blow-out diaper and more often than not, he got up with me for night feedings even though there wasn’t much he could do to help.
Straddling the bench, Nix took a seat next to me, rubbing circles on the baby’s back.
“You good?” he asked, one eyebrow raised. He’d taken to asking me the same question at least once a day. It was his way of checking in, letting me know he was there if I needed him, and I loved him for it.
I smiled softly, enjoying the view of my sexy biker holding our precious baby boy. “Yeah, I’m good.”
It was the truth, in fact, it was an understatement. I was more than good, the life we’d built together from the ashes of our past was perfect.
ABOUT K.A. WARE
K.A Ware is an indie author living in Ridgefield, Washington with her husband and daughter. Her days consist of surfing the internet while pretending to write, making soap, and avoiding eye contact with an ever-growing pile of laundry.
Writing is not her only passion, K.A. also serves on the Board of Directors for a local non-profit and spends way too much time reading. She believes in the power of words, alpha females, and that special escape you get when you hunker down and dig into a good book.
When she’s not busy mothering, working, writing, or reading she enjoys spending time with family and friends and embracing the weirdness and wonder that is the Pacific Northwest. K.A. loves to cook and is often found tinkering in the kitchen and trying to feed anyone that walks through her door. She is obsessed with music, so if you find yourself at a metal show in Portland —take a look around— she’s the crazy redhead headbanging at the front.
Stalk Me Online
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BOOKS BY K.A. WARE
The Knights of Mayhem Series:
Tempt My Trouble
Coming Soon:
Madness In Me
The DeLuca Family Series:
Omertà
Vendetta
Notorious
Bloodline
Fracture
DeLuca: The Complete DeLuca Series
Swamp Bottom Series:
Front Porches and Funerals
Voodoo and Vodka
Hook-Ups and Hang-Ups
Blue Lights and Boatmen
Pink Lines and Panic
Divorce and Denial
Warrants and Onesies
The Dirty Bitches Series:
Hot Mess
BECOMING HIS
By K.I. Lynn
CHAPTER 1
January 12th...
“Welcome to Las Vegas. Local time is 9:27. Current temperature is forty-three degrees and sunny. We thank you for flying with us and look forward to seeing you all again. From the entire flight crew, we hope you have a fabulous stay,” the captain said over the intercom.
“Finally,” Sarah sighed loudly in the seat next to me.
“That was the longest flight ever.” My muscles were thankful for the first stretch in hours.
“It just felt like that.”
We pulled our bags down from the overhead and waited to exit the plane. As soon as we were off, the sweet sounds and bright, flashing lights of the airport slot machines called to us. I had to grab Sarah’s hand as she angled for a bank of them.
“But…”
“Just think of all the machines waiting for us at the hotel.”
With a small pout, she conceded and we continued on our path to baggage claim. The walk was endless, our spot at the end of what seemed like a mile’s worth of carousels. We wrangled four suitcases from the moving platform, and only one of them was mine. The others were filled with various wedding paraphernalia. After the luggage debacle, we headed to the curbside pickup to hail a taxi.
“Why didn’t we order a car?” Sarah asked as we looked at the line—at least fifty people were ahead of us.
I narrowed my eyes on her as we sat at the end. “That’s what I asked you. More than once.”
Thankfully there seemed to be a pretty steady flow. After a fifteen-minute wait, the driver of a minivan loaded our bags into the back.
“Let me get that for you,” he said with a smile as he held the door open for me.
“Thank you.” I slid in and found Sarah staring at me. “What?”
“He’s flirting with you.”
“He’s just being nice.”
The cabbie slid in and turned to us, his eyes locked on me. “Where to, ladies?”
Sarah’s elbow swung out and tapped me. “The Tyrrhenian, please.”
He turned back around, but I caught his eyes in the rearview mirror. They were dark, but soft, very friendly, and he wasn’t bad on the eyes at all.
“Can you take us down the strip?” Sarah asked.
“You sure? That costs more.”
She nodded. “She’s never been here before.”
My eyes were wide as I stared at the massive complexes of the mammoth hotels, each different and unique. The driver was acting like a tour guide, giving us the history and names of each one.
“Wow,” I said as I stared in amazement.
“Right? Told you it was something.”
About halfway through our trip, I noticed the driver turn off the meter.
We pulled up to a massive white marble and aqua glass drop-off to the hotel. There were crystals hanging everywhere, making everything sparkle and the lights bounce all over as they glinted off the faceted edges, sleek and modern with a sea-like feel.
“How long are you in town for?” he asked as he unloaded the bags, his eyes on me. It was almost like Sarah wasn’t even there.
“For the week.”
“Maybe I’ll run into you again. I’m Sam.” He held out his hand, and I slipped mine in.
“Harper.”
“Well, Harper, if I don’t get to see you again, have a great week.”
“Thanks, Sam,” I said as I bit down on my lip.
Behind Sam, I could see Sarah making gestures and mouthing something, finally landing on the pound sign.
With another warm smile, Sam got back in the car and I stepped over to Sarah and the heap of luggage.
“Why didn’t you give him your number?” Sarah asked when I turned to her.
“I don’t know him.”
“Duh. You don’t know anybody until you get to know them, and that was the perfect opportunity to have some fun with a good-looking guy this week.”
“Let me work up to it, okay?”
Her lips formed a thin line. “Fine, but promise me you will not shoot down every guy.”
“I’ll try.”
The Tyrrhenian was the newest hotel on the strip, taking the place of one of Vegas’s older, failed establishments. It was still in its soft opening, gearing up for a hard opening on Saturday.
The hotel wasn’t as nuance themed as many of the other on the strip. It had a modern ocean theme. Clean, crisp colors, with shades of blue and aqua that danced across the marble floors.
The lobby was packed with people checking out, but thankfully there was a separate line for check-ins. Sarah had requested early check-in, and we didn’t have to wait for a room, which was great because jet lag had taken over.
“Are you sure you’re up to this?” Sarah asked as I threw my backpack onto the bed.
“I’m fine,” I replied, but she gave me that look, the one your best friend gave when she knew your bullshit and she caught you in it.
“Really?” she stressed.
“Really, seriously.”
“There are times you’re going to be on your own,” she reminded me.
“I know.” I wasn’t Sarah’s maid of honor—that roll was reserved for
her sister Anna—I was her best friend and only other bridesmaid. There were a lot of final things she and her fiancé had to do before the big day.
Vegas was their favorite vacation spot, and they decided on a small destination wedding. There were only about fifty people, closest friends and family, traveling out and attending.
She’d convinced me to leave winter in Ohio for Las Vegas on Sunday, four days earlier than my original plan. After all, I had the vacation time, thanks to it rolling over from the previous year.
Actually, it was thanks to my ex-boyfriend Jeremy breaking up with me a month before we were supposed to go to the Bahamas—a trip I didn’t go on alone.
Sarah let out a sigh. “I wanted you to come out to Vegas with me to renew yourself, but I didn’t think about how much there was to do to get ready for the wedding after I pick Rob up on Tuesday.”
“I’m not dead,” I said as I toed off my shoes.
“No. But your social life is.”
“We still have time for some fun. That gives us all of today and tomorrow and most of Tuesday to drink and gamble.”
“And see a show.”
I groaned. Sarah was obsessed with the shows. She and Rob spent an entire week just going to as many as they could cram in.
“Remind me how you managed to land this hotel,” I said as I flopped down on one of the beds, a contented moan leaving me as I sank into its softness.
“Rob’s uncle is the hotel manager.”
“It’s going to be the first wedding here, isn’t it?”
She nodded and lay back on the other bed. “What do you want to do first?”
“Nap.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously,” I stressed as I pulled the edge of the duvet to cover myself. “We left at nine and got here at nine. We take an hour nap, freshen up, and explore.”
“Hmm, I might be down with this plan,” she said and immediately began to choke hold one of the pillows.
“That way we’ll be on local time faster,” I pointed out.
“I’m not finding many holes.”
“It’s because there are none. Sleep, freshen up, food and booze—in that order.”
“Gambling?”
I popped my head out from underneath the cover. “That goes with the booze number two.”
“Booze number two?”
“Booze number one is with food.”
“Ahh, you want to get shit-faced.” The last word triggered a yawn before she settled back into her wrestling position. I often wondered how she slept with Rob. Did she do the same maneuver with him?
“They’ve got yards of margaritas around here somewhere, right?”
She fanned her hand in front of her. “Pretty sure somewhere.”
“I want to try every flavor.”
“We need a DBG.”
“What?”
“Designated bodyguard. Someone to make sure we don’t get ourselves killed or kidnapped while we’re a hundred proof and throwing up on the streets.”
My eyes were heavy, the drowsiness taking over, body weighted. “We’ve been watching too much Abducted at First Sight. And, dude, I want to get wasted, not poisoned. You go that far and tomorrow is over, and there are still things I want to do before I lose you to the man.”
“Mm hmm,” Sarah responded.
That was the last I heard before sleep took me.
I startled awake at a blaring noise, my heart nearly jumping out of my chest. “Shit!”
“Mmm, hey, babe,” Sarah said into her phone. “Yeah, sorry. We got in and immediately crashed for a little while.”
I grabbed my phone, noticing it was at forty percent, and also the time, but the time didn’t register until I was pulling my cord from my purse.
“Shit.”
“What?” Sarah asked, pausing her conversation.
I looked over to her. “We slept for almost two hours.”
“Shit, indeed.”
A yawn and a deep stretch was the first step to waking up. While the nap did help, I was in need of an espresso or energy drink to get my brain going again.
It was the first time I got a good look at the room. The color scheme from the lobby continued into the rooms. A textured wallpaper of aqua and gold adorned one wall, there was a white dresser that had a few drawers and a small fridge against the opposite wall, a desk on one side with a white desk chair, and two aqua-colored sofa chairs near the window with a gold painted table between them. The lamps had a mercury glass-like look with off-white shades that matched the carpet, which was textured with aqua waves.
Moving to the window, I opened the blackout curtains all the way, then the privacy shade. I stared out in awe at the view of the few hotels in sight. They were all so huge that only the ones directly in front of the hotel could be seen.
After digging out my toiletry bag, I headed into the bathroom. It was huge, taking up more room than I anticipated with a large walk-in shower and marble sink. A large lighted mirror sat over the counter, and I scared myself with the reflection of my raccoon eyes. The only nice thing was how it made my green eyes pop.
My brunette hair was also sticking everywhere and in need of some taming. All in all, I needed a lot of help before I was presentable.
“Rob says hi,” Sarah said as she entered the bathroom.
“What did he think of the plan?” I asked.
“He said be careful and it better result in you getting laid.”
“Ha! He would say that.” I wasn’t exactly opposed to the idea of having fun with someone this week, but I wasn’t a one-night-stand kind of person. I’d never had one before.
Then again, there was a first time for everything.
CHAPTER 2
After freshening up, which included redoing my hair and makeup and sifting through all the clothes I brought with me, we made our way down to the lobby. The jeans, Mary Jane wedges, and a front-tie V-neck with embroidered flowers on the shoulders was the most I’d dressed up in months, and it wasn’t much.
I wore yoga pants and a T-shirt to work, and I hadn’t been in the mood to go out since the breakup. I didn’t even go out for New Year’s Eve, opting instead for my pajamas and watching movies with my niece.
We’d barely stepped out of the elevator when Sarah glanced at her phone and cursed.
“Shit, do you have your power bank on you?” she asked before we’d gotten too far from the elevator bay.
I stopped in my tracks. “It’s in the room. Want me to grab it?”
She twirled her finger in the air. “Pretty please. I’ll be over at the Seaside bar getting us some margaritas.”
“K.” I turned and sprinted back to the elevator bay.
A door closed right when I got there, but I spotted a door at the end still open.
“Wait!” I sprinted over and slipped through the gap as the doors closed. “Oh!” I cried as I slammed into a chest. Hands wrapped around my waist, sending a shock through me as they steadied me.
“Whoa!”
“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry,” I said as I tried to pull back, my gaze flashing to the man I pretty much tackled. All the blood rushed to my cheeks as I stared at piercing grey eyes that held a glint of amusement.
He was gorgeous. Perfectly tousled brown hair, strong features, and a solid physique that was evident from the fabric of his dress shirt practically stretching from the muscles underneath. He towered over my 5’3” frame, which was heightened another three inches due to my shoes, easily passing six foot. His shoulders were broad, a five o’clock shadow accentuated his strong jaw, and did I mention the muscles?
“A beautiful woman throwing herself at me will never get old,” he said in a deep, smooth voice.
“I-I...what—” I was frazzled, completely speechless and an utter clusterfuck. I gasped, realizing I was still pressed against him, then stepped away in total and complete embarrassment.
The elevator was already whizzing up the shaft, and I turned toward the panel. A surge of panic ran th
rough me as I stared at it, trying to read the numbers, but was confused when the numbers started at fifty.
“What? Where are the other numbers?”
“Are you in a suite?” Mr. Gorgeous asked.
“No.”
Suddenly the elevator slowed and shook, the lights flickering. Instinctively I reached out and grabbed onto the stranger next to me as the car shuddered to a stop. My eyes widened, and I dug my nails into his forearm as panic settled in. My stomach turned, and it felt like my body was vibrating.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he said, trying to catch my eyes. “Look at me.”
My gaze found his as my jaw locked down. I suffered from a little bit of claustrophobia, but I was good with elevator rides as long as they kept going.
“I’m guessing you just jumped into any elevator,” he said, pulling my attention away from whatever was happening.
I nodded. “I wasn’t thinking. I just saw an open door.”
“It’s okay. I won’t snitch on you,” he said with a smirk.
His eyes were so beautiful, clear, and I was swept up in them. It was the distraction I needed. He was so warm and strong, his presence filling the small space and wrapping around me.
The elevator gave another shake before continuing its climb, and I let out a sigh of relief.
“What was that?” I asked.
“New hotel. Just a hiccup,” he assured me.
I nodded, trying to believe that he was right, but my imagination was attempting to override that. “So, this is the expensive rooms elevator?”
“Yeah.”
I blew out a breath and leaned against the wall. “Well, this is going to make my quick run to my room a bit longer.” He chuckled at that. Something about his expression I’d seen before, but I couldn’t place it. “You look familiar, but in an out-of-place kinda way.”
“What does that mean?” he asked, but that smirk stayed. He knew what I was talking about.
“Like, I know who you are, but you’re not in the setting I know you from. Make sense?”
He nodded. “I can see that.”
“But I’m the only one feeling it.”
Blackout: A Romance Anthology Page 93
