Kira laughed. “Nice.”
Gieselle chuckled as she unpacked. “As if you haven’t done that to me a couple dozen times.” She hung up her dresses and slid her underthings into a drawer.
When she carried her cosmetic bag into the attached bathroom, her mouth dropped open. A walk-in shower with six sprinkler heads took up a whole wall. A ridiculously huge bathtub with jets filled the other. Big enough for two. She quickly turned off the light and walked out to the bedroom before her girlfriend saw it and truly did decide to move in.
Kira came in and flopped backward onto the bed. “This baby’ll get a workout tonight.”
“Uh huh.” Gieselle tucked her own box of condoms into the bedside table. She stashed her suitcase in the closet as the click of the hallway door echoed.
“…and I swear to God…” Dallas’s voice boomed through the suite. “I’ll hit you over the head and drag you out to the truck if I see you getting attached.”
Gieselle’s eyes popped open wide as she looked at Kira, whose eyes narrowed.
Her friend pressed a finger against her own lips to shush Gieselle.
“Don’t fucking worry about me, asshole.” Boone’s voice came from the first bedroom. “I know what this is.” His voice grew closer. “I’m not going to get suckered into…” He stopped just inside the bedroom door.
“Not going to get suckered into what?” Kira gave him a glare.
“Oh fuck.” Dallas’s voice came from behind Boone.
Jayden peeked his head into the room then disappeared.
A loud smack sounded and Jayden and Dallas’s quiet, angry voices moved off.
Boone smiled at Kira, then at Gieselle.
She saw a flash of something in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by excitement.
“Not going to give the casino back any of the winnings.” He tipped his head toward the living room. “These two cowpokes think the only reason we’ve got the suite is to keep us here so we’ll spend all our money.”
Kira glanced at her, a disbelieving look on her face. She slid off the gold satin bedspread and walked past Boone. “Uh huh. Good cover, cowboy.” She shut the door behind her.
Boone flipped the lock.
Together, alone with Boone, with a big bed between them, Gieselle’s nerves kicked up into a whirl.
He set his duffle bag in the corner. “Are you ready for this?”
Chapter Three
Boone took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair, lifting it into messy, sexy locks that she wanted to get a hold of. He stalked toward her.
She didn’t believe for a minute Dallas had been talking about Boone losing his winnings at the casino. He’d been referring to her, to how quickly their feelings for each other had developed. The way Boone had responded to his buddy, Gieselle didn’t know if she should believe the words Boone had said to her about fate and luck, or if his honest thoughts included the fear of getting “suckered in” by her.
Either way, she would be with him as much as she could over the next two days. Something about him pulled her in, made her want to know everything about him. The few guys she’d dated seriously in New York had never made her this…nesty? Could that be it? Had finally meeting a true gentleman, an all-American male, given her ideas of what she was missing in her life?
Gieselle swallowed and looked at the bed. “Ready for what?”
He laughed and set his hat on the dresser. As he reached her, he held out his hand. “For a wild night of…partying?”
Sliding into his arms, she smiled. “Is that what you cowboys call it?” Her body melted against his, her arms wound tightly around his neck.
His lips brushed her jaw and settled at the sensitive skin near her ear. “Call it gettin’ to know you, beautiful.”
A knock sounded. “Hey you two, we’re ordering booze from room service and charging it to your room.” Jayden sounded so much like his brother.
“Go ahead,” Boone shouted over his shoulder.
“We got beer, whiskey, tequila, and vodka and tonic for Miss Kira. Anything else? Gigi?”
Boone raised his eyebrows. “What’s your pleasure tonight?” His hard shaft pressed against her belly.
She shifted her hips against him. “Besides this?”
He groaned and stepped his feet farther apart, hitting her lower with the rise behind his fly. “You know this’ll be pleasure for you. As much as you want.”
“I want…” You. She couldn’t say the word. It sounded too serious. “How about gin? I’d love a gin and tonic.”
He nodded and shouted over his shoulder. “Gin. And make it the good stuff, Jay.”
“Right.” His voice moved away from the door.
Boone ran his knuckles over her cheek. “Where were we?” He tipped his head and moved closer.
“Hey.” Jaden’s voice came through the door. “It’ll be here in ten minutes.” He laughed. “Just enough time for you to get it done in there, huh, big brother?”
Boone’s lips tightened. “Get away from that door.”
Gieselle smiled. “Ten minutes, huh?”
“He’s got to die.” Boone pressed his lips to hers.
A pop sounded outside the door. It had to be the cork from the champagne bottle.
“There he goes! Didn’t even last ten minutes.” Jayden shouted.
Somewhere in the living room, Dallas laughed.
Gieselle smiled against Boone’s lips. “This isn’t going to happen right now, is it.”
“No.” He stepped back. “But I’m gonna take a great deal of pleasure in thumping my baby brother into that nice carpet out there.” He walked to the door and ripped it open.
“Oh fuck.” Jayden shot across the living room.
“You need to get some manners, boy.” Boone’s hands fisted.
Gieselle walked up behind him. “It’s okay, Boone.” She ran her hand over his forearm. Hard, corded muscles bulged under her fingers.
“No, it ain’t.” He glared at his brother. “He knows better.”
“Let him be.” Dallas took off his hat, got up from the couch, and walked behind the bar. “It’s close to his bedtime anyway.”
Jayden popped up from crouching behind the bar and pointed the champagne bottle at Dallas. “I got a fake ID that says I can drink and gamble all night if I want.” Without his cowboy hat, he looked so young.
Setting five tumblers on the bar, Dallas chuckled. “Fill up our glasses. We need to have a real toast to our big winners.”
Looking around the room, Gieselle didn’t spot Kira.
Dallas nodded toward the closed door of the other bedroom. “She got a call.” He narrowed his eyes. “Does she have a man back in New York?”
Boone hefted out a breath. “Dallas?”
Jayden poured champagne into the glasses. “Watch out. He’s doing that bonding thing again.”
Dallas pounded a fist on the bar. “It’s not like that. I just want to make sure I’m not moving in on another man’s woman.”
Gieselle watched the cowboys’ body language, weighing their words. Evidently Dallas had some history with women he was trying to live down.
“No.” She took Boone’s hand and pulled him with her out of the bedroom. “She doesn’t have a man. She’s free and clear.” Gieselle walked to the bar and slid onto a barstool.
Dallas handed her a glass. “Ma’am.”
Boone stepped up behind her, his arm draping across the back of the stool. He picked up a tumbler and touched it to hers. “To tonight.” His eyes darkened and his mouth curved slightly. “When we can lock these clowns out of our suite.”
She laughed. “The best toast I’ve ever heard.” She sipped her champagne.
“Hey.” Jayden walked out from behind the bar and jumped onto the barstool next to hers. “Mom said you were supposed to keep an eye on me.” He grabbed a glass and chugged it down.
“Just how young are you?” Gieselle took a closer look at his cute face.
“Almost twenty-
one.” He glanced at his brother. “He’s twenty-three.” He looked into her eyes. “How old are you?”
Boone shook his head. “You don’t ask a lady that.”
“Jayden, damn.” Dallas refilled their glasses. “You have no class, dust eater.”
“Hey, I landed on my feet today.” Jayden’s jaw tightened.
“You didn’t go more than two seconds on that crow hopper.” Dallas leaned on the bar. “You do better at practice than you do at events. Why’s that?”
Jayden blushed and shrugged.
Kira came out of the bedroom, pasting a smile on her face. “What are we talking about?”
“How old Gigi is.” Jayden grinned.
Gieselle met her girlfriend’s gaze with an inquisitive look. Was everything all right?
Kira smiled and nodded at her, then looked at Jayden. “How old do you think she is?”
“I’m gonna say twenty-one.”
Gieselle laughed. “I’ll be graduating with a masters in business this spring.” She glanced at Jayden. “What does that make me?”
He whistled. “Impressive.”
She shook her head. “No, I mean—”
“Then what?” Jayden leaned closer to her. “What are you going to do after you graduate?”
“I’ve got a couple internship offers at companies in Manhattan.” She looked at Boone. “But I think I’m going to use the casino’s money and go for it. Start my own company.”
He nodded, a pensive look in his eyes.
Kira set down her glass. “Prestigious companies in New York. Gieselle’s graduating top of her class.” She pointed at her friend. “Companies that would look really good on your resume.”
Gieselle nodded then frowned. “I can’t make the decision right now. I’ve got too much rattling around in my mind.” Top of the list; Boone, and the bedroom so close to them.
“All right, so you start college at eighteen.” Jayden calculated on his fingers. “I’d say you’d have to be twenty-three, but you sure don’t look it.”
She smiled at Boone. “Twenty-five tomorrow.” She batted her eyes. “Is that too old for you?”
He let out a laugh. “Practically a cougar.” He leaned down and kissed her. “You’re perfect.”
Something warm and sweet spread through her chest. Perfect. If only.
A knock at the door had Jayden shouting, “Booze!”
****
Six hours later, Boone walked out of the Beefsteak Grill with his arm around Gigi’s shoulders and a belly full of the best beef and whiskey he’d ever tasted. “I’ve never had a Christmas Eve dinner quite like that.”
She groaned. “I ate about ten ounces too much beef.”
He stopped and tipped his head, kissing her quickly on her pretty lips. “That’s what you get for betting Jay you could eat a sixteen ounce steak.”
She held up the ten-dollar bill. “I won, didn’t I?”
“Baby, you have no idea how impressed I am.”
Kira, Dallas, and Jayden stopped next to them. They looked sluggish and bleary-eyed after four hours of drinking in the suite followed by a two hour orgy of food and liquor in the restaurant.
Jayden pointed to his right. “We’ve got a country bar with dancing this way.” He pointed left. “And a rock band playing this way.” He looked at all their faces. “Aw, don’t tell me you old folks are going home to bed.”
Kira shook her head. “Hell no! Let’s get country!”
Dallas got them walking toward the Hotfoot Lounge. “It’s not even midnight yet. We’ve got to celebrate Gigi’s official birthday.”
She smiled at Dallas. “You’re so thoughtful.”
A burst of jealousy surprised Boone. She’d been kind and playful with both his brother and Dallas all evening, and he loved how she fit into his gang. Boone stopped walking and cursed himself. He was getting too close to her. Hell, she had dreams of being a big New York businesswoman, ready to start a business or work for some major company. Her future didn’t include a beat-up bull rider.
“Boone? Are you okay?” Gigi looked up at him with those big hazel eyes.
He got moving again. “Yeah. Just looking forward to getting you back upstairs.” He grinned.
She gave him a sly look. “We can duck out through the back—”
“Uh uh. I want at least once dance with you.” One slow, sexy dance where he’d let his lust take over again, let it edge out the strange craving filling his heart.
They caught up to the group and found a table near the dance floor. The band was excellent, playing old standards and new songs.
Dallas and Jayden argued over which of them did a better two-step, and Kira volunteered to be the judge. When Dallas took Kira out on the floor, Jayden scoped out the rest of the bar, checking out the honeys.
When it was Jayden’s turn on the floor with Kira, Dallas stared at them, a dark scowl on his face. Was his buddy getting too close to Kira? Just like he’d let Gigi mean a little too much to him at a time in his life when he couldn’t afford to have any distractions.
The band started a slow song.
“Belly rubbing music.” He stood and held out his hand.
Gigi placed her warm little palm in his. “Careful, cowboy. Last time we started rubbing bellies, we almost ended up in bed.”
He groaned, picturing her on the golden bedspread, her pale skin glowing, her dark hair fanned out. Her arms reaching for him.
Pulling her close, he nibbled at her ear. “I wanna touch you. Every perfect inch of you.”
She shivered and sighed, closing her eyes.
“When I pull off your clothes, I’m going to taste you, slowly, and kiss your breasts until you beg for more.”
“More.” The word left her mouth on a breath.
In his jeans, his cock pulsed, taking too much blood from his head, making him dizzy with the need to have her. “When I kiss your belly, you’ll grab my hair and push my mouth lower, into your sweet, honey lips.”
A tiny cry escaped her. Her cheeks glowed pink and her head lolled on her neck.
He ran his tongue from her earlobe down her neck. “You’re delicious. I won’t be able to get enough of you.”
“Boone.” She licked her lips and opened her eyes. Her hazel irises had turned to a dark gray. “You have to stop or I’m going to be a puddle on the floor.”
He chuckled. “Hold on to me. I’m here for you.” Always. He blinked and pulled back a few inches. Where the hell had that come from?
She blinked a couple times, too. “Something wrong?”
Yes! “No.” Just a fool falling for someone he couldn’t have. “Let’s get out of here.”
Gigi smiled. “Let me talk to Kira quick.” She looked around the bar. “Something’s wrong. That phone call she got had to be bad news, but she won’t admit it.”
“Probably because it’s your birthday.” Her concern for her friend struck a soft spot inside him. He led Gigi back to their table where Kira sat next to Dallas, each of them with a straw stuck in one huge glass of ice water.
“Kira, we should talk before I go—”
She held up a hand. “No. Everything’s fine.” She shooed them away. “You two go. Have fun and we’ll talk tomorrow.” She hugged Gigi. “Happy birthday!”
Dallas looked at his phone. “Five minutes to twelve. Better run if you’re going to be naked by midnight.”
Gigi blushed and swatted him. “You’re naughty.”
Boone took her hand. “Keep an eye on Jayden, would you?”
Kira said, “Sure.”
Dallas scowled at her. “I think he meant me.”
Glancing between the two, he let their comments pass. He had better things to do. Naked by midnight sounded like an achievable—and interesting—goal.
He led her through the casino to the bank of elevators. In the car riding up, he pressed her against the elevator wall and kissed her.
Her soft lips parted and he took her, deep and wild, his tongue twisting with hers, their
breaths shared back and forth.
When the elevator doors slid open, he picked her up and carried her down the hall to their suite.
She slid in the keycard, and he kicked open the door.
A six-foot Christmas tree filled with twinkling lights and shiny decorations stood in front of the wall of windows.
She gasped. “Boone.” Cupping his face with her palms, she kissed him. “Did you do this?”
His chest expanded and his voice choked. “Happy birthday, Gigi. And Merry Christmas.” He set her down in front of the tree.
She walked around it, touching a few ornaments and smoothing her hand over the long needles. “It’s a real tree.” Her face showed surprise.
“I have an uncle who’s a tree farmer up north.” He shrugged. “I like to support the industry, and I’m partial to the pine scent.”
She leaned close to the tree, sniffed deeply, and let out a loud sigh. “It’s perfect.” Shaking her head, she walked to him and wrapped her arms around his middle. “I would be amazed that you could arrange this, but I’ve been astounded by you since the moment I met you.” Her eyes held a depth of emotion he couldn’t let himself name.
Instead, he winked. “This is Vegas, baby. Anything’s possible.”
****
Gieselle couldn’t speak over the catch in her throat. How had he known exactly what to do to make her crazy for him? He didn’t have to do this. She would have spent the night with him. What a surprising man her cowboy turned out to be.
He slid his arms around her, linking his fingers at the base of her spine. Bending back to look into her eyes, he asked, “Would you like a drink?”
She shook her head. “I’ve had enough to drink.” Her gaze dropped to his lips. Firm and full, smiling with a naughty smirk, she could drink them up.
“What do you want to do, then?”
Running her hands slowly up his arms, she sighed. “I want to fool around.”
Chapter Four
A Naughty Little Christmas (Cowboys, Cops, and Kilts: 8 Seasonally Seductive Romances from Bestselling Authors) Page 3
