by Penny Wylder
My mouth went dry, my heart doing a little skip.
Carefully we disengage. I clean up in the bathroom, taking a second to smooth my hair... and to realize I'd never taken my dress off. He'd just lifted it enough so we could screw. I didn't see him shirtless, either. I'd only seen his cock. But when we'd been sliding together on the bed, I'd felt like we were as naked for each other as any two people could be.
I step out into the room, planning to do a sort of sexy pose. Instead I yawn, blushing as I do so.
Nolan chuckles; he's spread out on the pillows like a king. “Tired?” he asks.
“A little,” I admit. “Maybe I should go to my room. My flight is really early tomorrow.”
He winces so fast I almost miss it. “Stay here. There's plenty of space.”
“Are you sure?” My eyes peek at the big windows, then back to him. “I won't lie. Your room is way better than mine.”
Nolan stands up, but he doesn't approach me. I'm stunned as one by one, he undoes the buttons on his shirt. The tie's knot is tugged free, everything sliding to the floor. His body is as good as I hoped for—rows of muscle you could pour shots of whiskey into and then sip from without spilling a drop. The severe valley of a “V” that vanishes into his pants.
In two steps, he's in front of me. He presses me against the glass and says, “Yes. I'm very sure.”
Then he kisses me...
And so am I.
****
There's something beeping in my ear. I want to kill it.
Groaning, I rub at my eyes and try to sit up. I can't, though—there's a very solid and deliciously warm arm wrapped around my naked body. Wait, naked? Looking down at Nolan sleeping beside me, it all comes back.
Last night... wow. Watching him sleep is strange. I kind of like it, though. He's so peaceful... so relaxed. I'd be relaxed too, if that alarm would shut up. Why is it even going off? A flutter of despair swims through me. “Oh shit!” I say loudly. “My flight!”
Nolan stirs, sitting up to blink at me. “What's wrong?”
I roll off the bed, landing hard on the rug. “My plane, I need to get changed before I miss it!” In a blur I redress, trying to find everything I discarded. I've got almost all of it, but as I spin around the room, I can't find one thing.
“Here,” Nolan says behind me. I freeze, spotting him standing in the corner with my bra in one hand and an amused smirk on his handsome face. I go to take it from him, but he shakes his head. “This might be the last time I see you. Let me do it.”
His words take the wind from my sails. The last time? Ugh. He's right, though. Neither of us live in Vegas, in fact, I've got no clue where Nolan is from. I turn around, holding my arms up so he can scoop the bra around my front, then clip the back. I think it feels a little strange, but blame it on him probably putting it on the wrong strap setting. He helps me into my dress, so I forget about any tiny bit of weirdness. I've got other worries.
Nolan is in just his slacks and shirt from last night, the vest and tie gone. “I'll walk you to your room.”
“You mean run me there,” I say, shoving out into the hallway. “I've got no time to walk—ah!” Light explodes in my eyes—I'm blind. “What the hell?”
“Got it!” a voice squeals. Heavy footsteps shake the floor as someone runs off.
“Son of a...” Nolan growls, and as I'm stumbling around, he blocks me with his body. “Fucking paparazzi.”
I'm baffled, but I grip onto him until the colors leave my vision. “Did you just say paparazzi? Nolan, what's going on?”
Placing his hands on my shoulders, he sighs. “I'm sorry. There's a very good chance your photo will be all over the internet in a few hours.”
Okay, now I'm really lost. “You might have to expand on this just a bit more. Why is someone taking photos of me?”
“Not of you, exactly... of us. Of me.” He grimaces, looking at the floor. “Do you know who the Silver Lions are?”
I'm ready to say no, no I don't. Then my brain tickles—I recall that creeper Gerard and what he said last night. “You're one of those bankers?”
Taking a deep breath, he levels his eyes on mine. “I'm Nolan Coldwater. One of the heads at Coldwater bank. I'm sorry, Dani, I should have told you.”
The ground feels far away. Everything makes sense. The risky gambling, his fancy clothes, being here for work. “But wait, I don't... why would someone like you...” Spend time with me? I was swarming with unease. Had I misunderstood all of this? Was Nolan a rich playboy, and our night of fun was now a gross hookup? Did he say everything he'd said to me to others?
He was talking; I tuned in. “...Didn't want to go to another meeting. I hate all of it. I'm only a Lion because of my father, and after some months of this, I wanted to escape. I was supposed to go to another meeting when I saw you with that asshole.” He looks at me, and his grief shifts to sheepishness. “I went for a drink to avoid my responsibilities. But the longer I spent with you, the more I didn't want it to end. I've never run off like that before, you just made it so easy.”
I'd forgotten to breathe; inhaling sharply, I say, “You dodged a bunch of important responsibilities... to be with me.”
Palming his neck, he nods. “That's the truth. It was fun to be with someone who didn't know who I was. I'm sick of people trying to get close to me because of money.”
I thought about Gerard, how slimy he was when he mentioned money. I get it. I really do. Gently I traced my fingers over his forearm. He watched me as I did it, like he was waiting for what I'd do next. He didn't wait long, because I stood on tiptoe and kissed him. Even his morning breath was great, jeez. “It's okay. I understand, and honestly, I had a lot of fun, too. My sister would be very relieved to know I let myself open up, for once.”
His arms encircle me, and I think the paparazzi should have hung around. This was a much better photo. “Oh!” I gasp, pulling free. “My flight! I... there's no way I'll make it now.”
“I have an idea.”
I blink. “Does it involve time travel?” That's the only idea I'm down for right now. Ugh, how can I afford another flight.
Nolan sweeps my hand into his, guiding me to the elevator. “Let's get your luggage. Then you'll treat me by having lunch with me... and then I'll buy you a new ticket home.”
“I—seriously?”
“I'm very serious.” His eyes darken, making me flush.
“Deal,” I say, leaning on him in the big metal box. “Is it always that easy for you?”
“Sometimes.” He kisses my forehead, smoothing my hair away from my ears. “But,” he whispers, “Few deals are as nice as this one.”
And I believe him.
When I board the plane, everyone gives me funny looks. I'm thinking it's because I'm surely a mess, I haven't even changed outfits since last night. “Excuse me, Miss,” a stewardess says. “Can I see your ticket?” I pass it to her; she squints, then smiles. “Ah, this way, please.”
Now it's my turn to give her a funny look. “Uh, this is first class,” I say when she takes me further up the plane.
“Yes, of course.” She taps the ticket. “That's you. Get comfortable, let me know if you need anything.”
For a minute I look from my ticket to my seat. Nolan. He didn't have to do this, buying me a ticket was beyond his responsibility. That guy was full of surprises.
Sitting down, I groan as I feel how soft the chair is. Jeez, the rich have it good. I'd always imagined that people with money were jerks. Gerard had been one, for sure. But not Nolan... he'd been amazing. Memorable, for sure.
Next to me, a woman in a high ponytail gives me a side-eye. What, do I just look like I don't belong up here? It isn't until I glimpse her phone screen that I see something that explains her reaction. Could it be? Pulling out my cellphone, I open the internet browser.
All over the front page is a photo of me and Nolan. I'm disheveled in it, panic in my eyes since I'd been rushing for my flight. The headlines ran an array of things:
Lion Sleeps with Mystery Woman!
Is Nolan Coldwater a Playboy?
Did She Blackmail Him, or Did He Pay Her?
I can't help it; I start to laugh. The lady near me looks over again, wary this time. Covering my mouth, I muffle the sound. I'm not upset by the headlines; those are pure insanity. I do wish the photo of me was nicer, though.
My phone buzzes. The plane hasn't told us to put them away yet, we're still boarding, so I answer the call. “Hello?”
“Dani!” my sister, Kelly, screams. “Oh my god, what did you do?”
I sit up, shifting the phone to my other ear. When I do, something moves in my bra. It's been feeling off since this morning, but I'd ignored it. “Kelly,” I say, half-laughing. “It's not a big deal.”
“You slept with a billionaire!”
Okay, now I was giggling. Ugh, this damn bra. Reaching back, hoping no one sees, I fiddle with the strap. I trace a hard object that I know doesn't belong near my breasts.
What the hell?
“Dani,” my sister hisses. “Are you listening to me? I said go on vacation, have fun, not cause a scandal!”
I'm not listening. In my fingers I hold up a circular piece of plastic. A poker chip? Turning it side to side, my heart begins to thud. If there's any doubt this is from Nolan, when I flip it over, that vanishes.
On the back is some writing in black marker.
A phone number. His phone number.
“Dani? Dani, why are you giggling?”
Closing my fingers around the chip, I grin as wide as I can, hoping she'll hear it in my voice. “Because I'm a lucky woman.”
THE END
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