“Right. I only broke up with Julian six weeks ago.”
“And he’s already dating someone else?” His brows narrowed.
“So am I now,” she said with a wan smile. “And, given what I caught him doing, there’s a chance they were dating before we even broke up.”
A horrible acidic feeling swirled in her stomach. She never thought she’d be the kind of person to get jealous—it didn’t seem to fit with the rest of her logical, fact-based way of thinking—but every time she thought about what she’d found, her body revolted. It was like she’d swallowed a snake and now it slithered in her stomach, twisting and turning and making her want to hurl.
The bad feelings weren’t totally caused by the breakdown of her relationship with Julian. She’d also cemented her fear that a long-term relationship wasn’t in her future. That she’d never get married, have kids. That she’d never be able to find her place in the world.
“He’s a dick, Bailey. You don’t deserve to be treated like that.”
“No one does,” she pointed out.
“That’s true. But you”—he gave her shoulders a squeeze—“are a total catch. Guys should be falling over their feet to worship you.”
“Oh, sure. That’ll happen when hell freezes over.” She’d meant for it to come out as a self-deprecating joke, but clearly all the bitterness she’d bottled up inside had given her words a sharp edge. “Why don’t I head back home and find my fairy wand. That should make everything better.”
Lance shook his head. “If you appreciated yourself more, others might follow suit.”
“Gimme a break. Don’t tell me I’m fake dating a male Oprah.” She swatted him and he laughed.
“You want the honest version? Because I’m not sure you can handle it.” The lines around his eyes softened as his smile slipped away. Heat built in her neck and chest as he stared at her, making the rest of the world evaporate like steam.
“Of course I can handle it.”
He pulled her in close and leaned his face down to hers, turning so that his mouth was right next to her ear. A shudder wracked her body as his lips brushed her skin.
“You’re so goddamn hot that I had a hard-on all night thinking about what I wanted to do instead of sending you off to sleep.” The words were quietly spoken, raw and rough against her ear in a way that seemed so unlike the rest of his polished persona.
A shiver raced along the length of Bailey’s spine. “What did you want to do?”
“I wanted to have you, Bailey. I wanted to take you bed and fuck you six ways from Sunday.”
Her eyes closed involuntarily as her thighs pressed together, failing to quell the dull thudding sensation between her legs. No one had ever spoken to her like that before. She wasn’t sure what to think, but her body knew exactly how it felt. What it wanted. What it needed.
“Why didn’t you?”
“I’m not going to take advantage of your situation.” He brushed his thumb over her lips. “You’ve been hurt and you’re still recovering. I’m not the right guy for you at this point. I can’t commit to anything and I won’t because I hate going back on my word.”
“What if that’s exactly what I want right now?” She looped her arms around his neck, emboldened by his admission. Fueled by the knowledge and the novelty that he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
“I want you to know how desirable you are. Julian might have cheated on you, but it’s not your fault.” A crease formed between Lance’s brows. “You’re gorgeous and you will find a guy who appreciates you.”
“What if I just want a guy who’s going to make me feel good?”
Something was definitely messing with her head. Maybe it was the Vegas lights, the over-stimulating colors and sounds, or the night of fitful sleep. But she needed Lance like a plant needed sunshine and water.
“Aim higher,” he said, loosening his grip and tugging her toward the café. “I’m not your guy.”
…
What the hell was he thinking saying all of those things to Bailey? His mouth was writing checks his body desperately wanted to cash. But he couldn’t offer anything beyond a flash in the pan fling. He didn’t have it in him to be with someone long-term. Was there such a thing as relationship ADD? Because self-diagnosis was imminent.
While he may not know Bailey all that well, he knew one thing for certain. She deserved a man who was going to lay himself on the line for her.
And stay there.
“Good morning,” Janet said, her eyes darting from Bailey to him and back again.
“I hope you don’t mind me tagging along, I was going to get breakfast somewhere else but Lance said it was silly for me to eat alone.” She flashed his boss a charming smile that damn near melted his resolve. “If that’s okay?”
“Of course.” Janet waved a hand as if brushing aside Bailey’s concerns. “You’re more than welcome if you can handle the boring shop talk.”
“Why don’t I go and order our coffees. What do you feel like?” Bailey remained standing and put a hand on his shoulder as he took the seat next to his boss.
“A tall Americano and a pastry of some sort. You know what I like,” he added for good measure.
She leaned down and pressed her lips to his temple before walking off and he couldn’t help but let his eyes follow. Her new dress might be a touch conservative, but even it couldn’t hide the sweet curve of her ass as she walked away. His hands burned with the memory of last night as he’d pressed her to him, taking his fill before decency had been thrust upon him.
“Well, aren’t you two the perfect little lovebirds,” Janet said. Her voice held a slight edge to it, a note of suspicion that caused him to drag his eyes away from Bailey.
“Janet, I know you’re pissed at me for what happened with Elsa. I get it.” Lance steeled himself. If this new image he’d created was going to stick, he had to commit. “But when I met Bailey, I knew there was something different about her. She’s it, for me. I’m tapping out of the dating scene.”
Janet was a romantic at heart, despite her icy demeanor. She loved coming to this convention every year and often left with a stack of signed books. On occasion, he caught sight of the colorful covers when she opened her handbag.
Hopefully that meant playing the love struck fool would appeal to her.
“I never thought I’d see the day,” she said, sipping her coffee.
“Me neither.” He glanced over to where Bailey stood at the counter, chatting to the server as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “My dad always said that when the right girl came along, she’d be everything I didn’t think I wanted.”
Janet’s face softened. “Doesn’t mean you had to break my Elsa’s heart in process.”
God, what had she been telling her mother?
Elsa was a lovely girl but she had it in her head that she was a Queen Bee who could bend everyone to her will. Not some innocent little maiden who’d fallen in love with him. Perhaps that’s why he found Bailey so refreshing.
“I never meant to hurt her.” At least that much he could say with his hand on his heart. “Truly.”
Janet pulled her tablet out and just like that it was business as usual. He wasn’t sure he’d gotten his boss completely on his side, but progress had certainly been made.
When Bailey returned with breakfast, she sat quietly and observed as he talked through his strategy for improving the Take Two brand partnerships. He knew the content back to front. Not to mention the fact that he’d presented to the CEO on countless occasions. But now, with her eyes on him, a nervous thrill raced up his spine and it was as if he’d stepped into the spotlight for the very first time.
Realization washed over Lance like cold water; he liked performing for Bailey. Which didn’t make any sense at all since they were virtual strangers. But he’d grown affectionate toward her, enough to care about impressing her anyway.
“You should mention some of this to Bert when we’re at the ball,” Janet said and then she turned to
Bailey. “Bert is our business development manager. He’s a great guy but he’s always more open to ideas after he’s had a few drinks.”
Bailey laughed. “Sounds like you’ve used that trick before.”
“Absolutely. I’ll be sure to introduce you tonight.”
“Oh, I don’t think I’m going to come tonight.” She shook her head and tried to regain the smile that had slipped from her lips. “I’m okay to crash breakfast but not something fancy like a ball.”
“Nonsense.” Janet patted the back of her hand. “Lance seems quiet smitten with you and I’m sure the other Take Two employees will be dying to meet the woman who tamed our resident bachelor.”
Lance curled his fists in his lap but didn’t say anything. He was finally making headway after months of being given the cold shoulder. He couldn’t blow it now by getting pissed over an unwanted reputation.
“I didn’t even bring a dress,” Bailey said, fidgeting in her seat. “I’m not a party kind of person.”
“I’m sure Lance won’t mind taking you shopping.”
Was it his imagination or was there a mischievous glint in his boss’s eye? Perhaps this was her way of testing him to see if he really was in love. Well, he wouldn’t back down from a challenge. If Janet wanted him to prove what he was made of by taking Bailey to the ball, then he would do it.
“We’ll find you a dress,” he replied, reaching out and clasping Bailey’s hand. “My treat.”
She looked at him pleadingly. “I don’t think—”
“Excellent.” Janet clapped her hands together. “Now, I have to go. Mark and the others should have arrived by now, so I’m going to catch up with them and make sure we’re all set for tonight. Have you got your client meetings set for this afternoon?”
He nodded. “They’re all confirmed.”
“Well, it was lovely to see you again, my dear,” Janet said to Bailey before she gathered up her things. “Have fun looking for a dress.”
He kept a smile plastered on his face until his boss left, but it melted away the second he turned back to Bailey and saw the daggers she was shooting him. Something told him that this particular Cinderella wasn’t too pleased about going to the ball.
Chapter Seven
“This isn’t what I signed up for,” Bailey muttered as she looked at the rows of glittering dresses in every color of the rainbow. “We’re wasting time when we should be trying to find Julian.”
“He knows you’re looking for him now,” Lance pointed out as he hung back, hands shoved into his pockets, while she looked for a dress to try on. “But he will be there tonight.”
“And you think if I doll myself up he won’t recognize me?” Her fingers trailed across the long, flared dress of a gown the exact color of the ocean. So not something she would wear. “Because I’m such a sasquatch normally?”
“Have you forgotten what I said this morning?”
“No.” A ripple of excitement ran through her. “But actions speak louder than words.”
He rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything as a sales assistant came over to help them. When Bailey tried to tell the woman she didn’t need any help, Lance jumped in and mentioned the ball.
“Oh, you’re here for the Romance Lovers Convention.” The sales assistant clapped her hands together like an excited schoolgirl. “How fun!”
“I’m overjoyed,” Bailey retorted with a deadpan tone and Lance shot her a reproachful look.
“And your boyfriend is buying you a dress?” She tilted her head in a way that reminded Bailey of a Cocker Spaniel.
“My boyfriend is very generous. But I don’t want to look like Showgirl Barbie.” She grimaced at a mannequin wearing a frou-frou dress with pink sequins and a purple tulle skirt.
“I have just the thing.” The assistant held up her hand and disappeared into another row of dresses.
“How about Pole Dancing Barbie?” Lance said with a wink holding up a dress that looked more like a glorified tank top. “Or Private Lap Dance Barbie?”
“Sure. And you can be Super Pimp Ken.” She planted a hand on her hip. “I’ll get you a glittery cane that matches my bedazzled thong.”
“You’re such a tease.”
The sales assistant returned with a dress folded over one arm and ushered Bailey toward the change room. “This should fit you, but if we need to add a belt to bring in the waist we can.”
The assistant hung the dress on the back of the door and gave Bailey a gentle shove forward. She turned, wincing at all the mirrors and bright lights. Hell, she was certain, would be a woman’s fitting room. No one needed to see their flaws from so many angles.
She stripped quickly, focusing her eyes onto the patterned wallpaper, determined not to look at her reflection. Not that it mattered, she already knew how lanky and boy-like she would look. Bailey No Boobs, they’d called her in high school. Sadly, not much had changed.
Ditching everything but her panties, she piled the clothes into a neat stack and set them on the bench before reaching for the dress. Black fabric poofed out from what appeared to be a bodice-style top. The skirt was embroidered with gold thread to create a boldly opulent pattern that looked like something you’d find on an ancient Greek vase. It was unusual and yet totally glamorous in a kind of 1950s Gracie Kelly way.
A hidden zip split the dress at the side of the top, and Bailey stepped into the puddle of fabric. It fit like a dream. Glancing at the mirror for the first time, she gasped. The woman standing before her was a stranger.
“I’ll take that as a good sign,” the sales assistant said from the other side of the door.
Her fingers flared over her stomach where the bodice nipped in at the waist, giving her curves that hadn’t existed a few moments ago. Her breasts pressed against the top, curving from the tight fit, forced outward in a way that made her look womanly and lush. The full skirt fell to her knees and provided a modest balance to the more daring top-half, but the entire effect was simply perfect.
“I’ll take it,” she said, a plan hatching in her mind. A fluttering sensation built in her stomach.
She’d come to Vegas to get her grandfather’s watch back, but now she was going to find her mojo as well. After all, Sin City was the perfect place to let down your hair, right? No one knew her here—well, except for her jerk-face ex—so she didn’t have to be Boring Bailey. She could be Sexy Bailey, Adventurous Bailey.
Seductive, tempt-a-man-into-bed Bailey.
If it all turned pear-shaped she could hop on a plane and be home the same day, leaving her mistake to be blown away on the desert wind.
Yes, this weekend was going to give her more than a chance to get an heirloom back. Bailey was going to live out a fantasy.
A few hours later Bailey wandered the hotel alone. She’d bundled up the dress and paid for it herself because she was already mooching off Lance’s generosity by staying in his room. Besides, you couldn’t put a price on personal healing, could you?
While he was meeting with clients, she was left to her own devices. He’d given her a guest pass to the convention and she’d attended a panel about finding your inner sexy. Two months ago she would have scoffed at such a silly, frivolous topic, but now she was starting to see the value in a little self-appreciation.
What had Lance said to her that morning? Appreciate yourself and others will follow suit.
He had a point. She’d never been the kind of girl to spend much time on hair or makeup or fashion. Hell, she barely even had time to cook herself a decent meal because she was too busy working herself to the bone.
But today that was all going to change. In the session she’d attended, they’d said that a bubble bath was a good way to pamper yourself in preparation for getting your sexy on and she had spied a tub in the bathroom.
Lance wouldn’t know what hit him. They’d agreed to meet back at the room at five p.m. right as the ball was starting. No sense in being the first to arrive. But she’d be in her dress by then—and the new pair of gol
d, lace panties she’d bought to match—ready to test the “finding your inner sexy” tips from the handout.
“Embrace good posture,” she said, reading off the list as she waited for the elevator. Drawing her shoulders back, she noticed how it made her breasts thrust forward and her chin lift up. “Focus on what you like about yourself.”
She glanced at her reflection in the gold paneling of the elevator bay. Although distorted, her fair skin and dark hair were well contrasted, but her small shoulders and less-than-impressive bust were a bit of a letdown. At least her new dress would help her fake an hourglass figure since God hadn’t exactly created her in Sophia Loren’s likeness.
“Touch your body. Learn how it feels and what it likes,” she read. Well, that wasn’t totally appropriate behavior for an elevator bay but she made a mental note to do that more often. “Play some soothing music to get you into the mood.”
“Are those the notes from the Find Your Inner Sexy panel?” A voice caught Bailey’s attention.
“Yeah, it was…” she trailed off as she found herself looking at the perfectly made-up face of Selena Lockhart. “It was great.”
“I wanted to go to that one but my agent has me totally booked. I’m hiding away for the next half an hour to catch my breath.” She smiled and Bailey found herself warming to the other woman, in spite of herself. “I think we could all stand to find our inner sexy a little more often.”
“Doesn’t look like you have much problem with that,” Bailey replied, eyeing the black leather dress and spikey heels that Selena wore. “You look great.”
“Smoke and mirrors.” Selena gave a conspiratorial wink. “Took me a long time to get comfortable being sexy. I used to blush like crazy whenever I wrote a sex scene and I wouldn’t let anyone read my work. For years.”
The elevator dinged and they stepped in. “Really?”
“Absolutely. Being sexy takes work; it doesn’t come naturally to a lot of people. You have to keep at it and build your confidence.”
Bailey nodded. “Thanks for the advice.”
“And don’t let any men push you around, you hear? You have to show them who’s boss.”
Loving the Odds (What Happens in Vegas) Page 7
