Twins on the Way

by Janice Maynard

  “I’m twenty-three,” she said flatly, erasing most of his misgivings.

  “Good.”

  She cocked her head. “Why is that good?”

  He gave her a gentle smile. “Because if I follow up on your invitation, I want to make sure I don’t end up in jail.”

  “What invitation?” she asked, feigning innocence, though in those huge expressive eyes, feminine excitement lingered.

  His customary distrust of unknown women cautioned him to slow down. But Cassidy was light and warmth and spontaneity, all the things that were missing from his life. He was irresistibly drawn to her vibrant personality like the proverbial moth to a flame. But he’d been burned once...badly. So the doubts remained.

  “Don’t be coy. A woman doesn’t outline her relationship status quite so succinctly unless she wants a man to know the score.”

  “Ah.” Cassidy popped a nut into her mouth and chewed it slowly before swallowing and taking another sip of her drink. “Why don’t you gamble?” she asked.

  The non sequitur caught him off guard. He shrugged. “I’m good at math. But the house always wins. I prefer to control the outcome.”

  She gave a mock shiver. “So intense. I like that in a man.”

  “Is that why you were hanging around with Bozo the Bruiser?”

  “Trust me,” she said. “There’s nothing romantic there.”

  “What were you arguing about?”

  “I’d rather not discuss it.”

  “You’re willing to have sex with a stranger, but you won’t answer a simple question?”

  She tossed her head and stood up, cheeks flushing. “Who said I’m willing to have sex?”

  He gazed at her intently, letting her see the arousal that had built since he looked her over in the elevator. “No games, Cass. You tossed out a pretty blatant lure. Stay or go. Your choice.”

  * * *

  Cassidy shivered inwardly. Gavin Kavanagh was a man, not a boy. He’d rescued her from what he thought was a dangerous situation, not pausing to consider the consequences. Though she was more than capable of taking care of herself, Gavin’s masculine assurance triggered all sorts of non-PC feminine emotions.

  He was a beautiful man. Tall and broad...exuding confidence. The combination made her damp in places she’d rather not ponder. His streaky brownish-blond hair was short and spiky, not expertly styled, but like a man who didn’t care to fool with anything he considered a waste of time.

  His gray eyes with the hint of blue were cool and distant at the moment. “Which is it?” The question was rife with masculine demand.

  “Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy.” She wanted more time to think about this, but if she let the moment pass, she would never see him again. She was tired of being her father’s good little girl. Everyone expected her to live like a nun. And she had. But why? Her whole life was about work, work, work, and earning the love that should be a gift.

  She’d been edgy and stressed for weeks now, arguing with her brother and going head-to-head with her father. Perhaps if she’d had a mother, she could have talked frankly about the fact that she felt like the world’s oldest virgin. About her choice to wait for the right man. And the fact that she’d never even met a guy who honestly tempted her.

  Being raised in Vegas had exposed her to a whole lot of mature situations that gave her an insight into all kinds of adult behavior. But it also took some of the bloom off the rose when it came to romance. She was probably holding out for a fantasy that didn’t even exist except in books and movies.

  She took a deep breath, feeling a funny spin in the pit of her stomach. To hell with her status as the firstborn who never strayed from the straight and narrow. She could blame Gavin for her sexual epiphany, but truthfully, this moment had been coming for a long time. She’d been saving herself for some unknown white knight, but surprisingly, the tarnished armor of a gruff, no-nonsense, make-my-day kind of guy punched all her buttons.

  Though it took a measure of courage and nonchalance she wasn’t sure she could pull off, she went to him and perched on his lap, curling one arm around his neck. “You could kiss me. It might help me make up my mind.”

  A firm hand gripped her hip. He smelled amazing. Woodsy cologne and warm male skin. She wanted things from him. Wild things. Wicked things. And that was saying a lot for a girl who had grown up in sin city.

  “I should toss you out on your butt,” he muttered. “You’re a menace to the male sex.”

  “Really?” Could he be telling the truth?

  “You’re playing a dangerous game.”

  The suspicion in his hard eyes was perhaps warranted, but it stung. “Don’t be that way,” she said. Putting a hand to his stubbly cheek, she smiled wistfully. “I’ll go if you want me to. But I’d really like to stay.”

  He made her wait a miserably long time. Maybe thirty seconds. Or more. She actually felt the moment she won the standoff. Though she was technically on top, Gavin took control right out of the gate. One big hand settled in the curls at the back of her head, pulling her down until his lips could reach hers.

  “Gavin...” She had no idea what she meant to say. When his mouth settled over hers, her brain short-circuited. He was a great kisser. World-class. On a scale of one to ten, a thirteen. The only unlucky thing about that number was that they were both fully dressed.

  He took his time, drawing attention to the fact that her experience was limited at best. Unapologetic, he slid his tongue into her mouth, mimicking the act they both wanted.

  When she was starved for oxygen, he pulled back, his heavy-lidded gaze searching hers. “I don’t know why you’re here,” he said gruffly, with perhaps the slightest note of accusation in his voice.

  “I can leave.” It would probably be best if she did. What had started as a personal declaration of independence suddenly seemed far more serious.

  “Do you do this often?”

  The insinuation infuriated her. “No,” she snapped. “How about you?”

  He grinned. “Never. Maybe we’re experiencing Vegas madness. I’ve heard about it.”

  “I wouldn’t know,” she sniffed. “I’m a native.”

  “And I’m a novice.”

  “You’re not a novice anything,” she said drily. “But I could show you the sights if you’re interested.”

  “I fly home tomorrow.”

  “We have tonight.” She was skating a fine line between taking what she wanted and being totally reckless. But after four years of college and two years of grad school without a break, she wanted to know how it felt to be a woman. In every way.

  He toyed with the neckline of her dress. The feel of his slightly rough fingertips on her bare skin made her nipples pebble. “The only sights I’m interested in at the moment are in this room.”

  The words were flat. Unadorned with emotion. The blaze in his eyes more than made up for it. So much so that she almost chickened out. To him, she had been a damsel in distress. He had acted honorably, protecting her from a perceived enemy. Only a man with high moral standards did that...right?

  She’d always been a good judge of character. It was a necessary skill growing up in Vegas, particularly when your family had a lot of money. Every gut instinct she possessed told her that Gavin Kavanagh was one of the good guys. He was leaving in the morning. Was there any point in starting something that would never amount to anything more?

  Playing by the rules was a first-child burden. Good grades, never breaking curfew, always trying to satisfy the parental units. Tonight she was damned if she was going to miss out on something incredible because she was too afraid to take a walk on the wild side.

  “I’d like to take a shower.” The follow-up didn’t need to be spelled out.

  “May I join you?”

  So polite. But it wasn’t really a questi
on. She swallowed hard. “I suppose.”

  He shifted her out of his lap onto her feet. Her legs felt like overcooked pasta and her heartbeat was none too steady.

  “I like your hair.” He ruffled his hand through it, mussing the style.

  Every time she thought she had him pinned down, he surprised her. Men in general had little patience when it came to sexual gratification. At least the ones she knew. Gavin, on the other hand, possessed remarkable restraint.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “Don’t get shy now.” He chuckled, taking her hand and leading her across the thick carpet that made her toes curl.

  The bathroom was palatial and decadent. She spared a glance for the hot tub, but Gavin shook his head. “Later.”

  He turned the faucet control in the glass enclosure. Triple showerheads sprouted streams of water. “Last chance.”

  They were both still fully clothed except for her shoes. Though he might not like it, she knew she could turn around and leave the suite. He wouldn’t chase after her. Her confidence wavered. Was she really about to get stark naked with a handsome stranger in his opulent shower stall?

  She spared a glance in the mirror, hardly recognizing the woman who stood there. “Do you have any wine?”

  “Needing a bit of Dutch courage, are we?”

  “Don’t make fun of me,” she said. “You’re an intimidating man.”

  “Which is why you insisted on coming to my room and throwing yourself at me.”

  Hot color swept from her throat to her hairline. From where he was standing, it must have seemed that way. How could she explain that he had dazzled her without even trying? “You’ll be disappointed if you think I’m a pro.”

  “I thought we already established that you’re not a pro.”

  “That’s not what I mean. I haven’t done this kind of thing.”

  “Sex? Or seduction?”

  “I have not seduced you,” she said primly, secretly charmed that he thought she could.

  He nodded briefly, his firm lips curved in a sensual smile. “I’ll admit to being predisposed. You’re a very appealing woman.”

  The die was cast. “How about fetching us some of that wine while I get undressed?”

  Two

  Gavin’s hands shook as he opened a bottle of Zinfandel. He managed to pour two glasses without spilling anything, but it was a close call. In his bathroom was a naked young female...the most beautiful woman he had seen in a very long time. If he had to create a sexual partner from scratch, she would look a lot like Cassidy Corelli.

  Her sun-kissed Mediterranean coloring and cheeky personality were irresistible. He’d never particularly believed in fate as the arbiter of his destiny. He was too much of a control freak for that. But some unseen force or quirk of timing had put him near that alley at exactly the right moment. It was his choice how to proceed.

  He carried the wine into the bathroom and stopped dead in his tracks when he realized that Cassidy was already undressed. She had donned one of the hotel’s signature bathrobes. It was much too large for her.

  “Most people wait until after the shower to cover up,” he said drily. The acres of terry cloth might as well have been armor. But what his guest didn’t realize was that bare feet and flushed cheeks gave her an air of innocence. The juxtaposition of smart-mouthed banter with youthful naïveté brought tenderness into the mix.

  “I was cold,” she said.

  Since the bathroom was steamy, he took that with a grain of salt. Though he had turned off the water when he saw they weren’t getting in immediately, the room was plenty warm.

  “Drink some wine,” he said, handing her a glass. “It will settle your nerves.”

  She scowled at him over the rim of her crystal flute. “Who says I’m nervous?”

  Leaning a hip against the counter, he drained half his glass. “Aren’t you? Shouldn’t you be?”

  “Not unless you’re a twisted psychopath.”

  “It’s a little late to worry about that now, don’t you think?”

  She set down the glass of wine she had barely touched and shoved her hands in her pockets. Her chin lifted. “I can read people.”

  “Do tell.”

  “You were a Boy Scout. Eagle, if I had to guess.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “I’m impressed.”

  “So I’m right?” Her pleased smugness amused him.

  “One lucky shot doesn’t qualify you to read the Tarot cards.”

  “I don’t need cards. You’re an open book.”

  He emptied his glass and set it gently on the counter with a little clink. “Then what am I thinking now?” He unfastened his belt and drew it from around his waist. When he dropped it on the floor, he was pretty sure she gulped.

  “Stop that,” she said.

  “I seldom shower with my clothes on.” His solemn joke lightened the look of panic on her face, though she still eyed him warily.

  “Maybe we should get to know each other first.”

  “Did I mention that I’m flying out in the morning? Leave if you want to, Cass, but soon. I don’t want to go any further with this if you aren’t sure.”

  She paled, her brown eyes round with a mix of emotions he couldn’t decipher. “I want to be sure.”

  “But you’re not,” he said, reading her fairly well.

  “I thought I could be spontaneous and adventuresome. But it turns out I’m not really that girl.”

  He swallowed his disappointment. “I understand. Get dressed and I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”

  She took a step in his direction, placing her small hand on his forearm. “How about a compromise?”

  It became painfully clear that Cassidy Corelli didn’t know much about men at all. She was naked for all intents and purposes, in his bathroom, and yet somehow she expected him to play nice. Even her fingers on his skin made him shudder with hunger.

  Moving out of reach, he ran two hands through his hair. “What kind of compromise?” He was asking for more physical torture, but he didn’t have it in him to kick her out.

  “This is your first trip to Vegas, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “I could show you the sights for a couple of hours. Enjoy the ambiance.”

  “And then what?”

  “Whatever we want to do next.”

  Her smile seemed genuine. Was she deliberately teasing him, or did she honestly want to go to bed with him but was uncertain about the wisdom of that plan?

  He was hard and ready. It wasn’t conceit to think he could coax her into having sex right now. But he’d been raised to be a gentleman. Despite the demands of his body, he was well aware that Cassidy was not 100 percent on board with the idea of intimacy. Even if she had been the one to come on to him in the first place.

  The smart thing for both of them would be for him to boot her out before somebody got hurt. He couldn’t give her anything beyond tonight. And it was pretty clear that she was not a woman who went in for casual sex.

  But she fascinated him, intrigued him...and he couldn’t remember ever wanting a woman more. He was not in the habit of picking up strange females, especially not ones like Cassidy. Too many unknowns. Too many warning bells.

  He’d learned the hard way not to be taken in by a seemingly innocent come-on. Cassidy was more than that, though. He believed it, or told himself he did. Otherwise, he was about to break his personal code into tiny unmanageable pieces.

  His desire for her and her undeniable appeal could be blamed on Vegas, but whatever compelled him was strong and urgent.

  “Fine,” he said tersely. “Put your clothes on, and we’ll see the sights.” He’d been awake for almost twenty-four hours, but what the hell. Carpe diem it was...God help him.

 
* * *

  When they reached Gavin’s rental car, Cassidy was delighted to see it was a convertible. “Why don’t I drive so you can enjoy yourself?” she said.

  Gavin yawned and nodded. “Probably a good idea. I’m sleep-deprived.” He went around to the passenger side. “You’re in charge.”

  She didn’t think he meant that statement to be provocative, but the image it conjured made her shift restlessly as she settled behind the wheel. Gavin Kavanagh was an imposing man. Imagining him nude and at her mercy made her mouth dry and her cheeks hot.

  Once they folded back the top and exited the parking garage, her passenger slumped in his seat with his head against the headrest. She drove down the strip, pointing out places of interest that were unique to Vegas. The fabulous architecture, the neon lights, the endless spectacle and the marquees touting famous entertainers.

  When she paused at a traffic light, Gavin waved a hand. “You love it here, don’t you?”

  His perception surprised her. “I suppose I do. We take the good with the bad. There’s nothing like it anywhere in the world.”

  “I wasn’t too impressed with Vegas before tonight. You’ve convinced me it has a lot to offer.”

  When she glanced sideways at him, the look in his eyes made her shiver. He wanted her. And he planned to have her.

  Sweet heaven. Without asking, she turned the car around and headed out of town. She barely remembered her name. Sexual arousal flooded her veins, hot and sweet. Exhilaration, laced with anticipation, made her feel as if she could fly.

  Fortunately, gravity kept her grounded. Driving in the desert at night was a special pleasure. The road was straight, traffic sparse and the spring air invigorating.

  She was a good driver, and she knew her limits. Pressing down on the gas, she watched the speedometer hit sixty, then seventy, then eighty. In her peripheral vision, she saw Gavin straighten. “I’m not paying for any tickets,” he said.

  The implied but laconic warning made her grin. She pushed it to ninety and laughed out loud as the wind tangled her hair. “Don’t worry. I know every law enforcement official in a fifty-mile radius.” She had to raise her voice for him to hear her.