by Autumn Reed
“Sounds great. Haley and I just need a quick change.” Jess gave me a pointed look.
I returned her look with a questioning one of my own. What is wrong with my outfit?
“And I should ditch my stuff,” she added hastily. “Haley, which direction is your room?”
“This way,” I responded and led the way down the hallway.
Jessica shut the door, her bright Vera Bradley bag falling to the floor, and stood as if momentarily stunned. “This is your room?” she finally asked, her tone incredulous.
I nodded. “Well, our room.”
I glanced around the room as I watched Jess take it all in—a large, luxe king-size bed topped with beautiful bedding in neutral tones, contemporary furniture and decor that was stylish, but not overly modern, a large window overlooking the Strip, and a huge bathroom with the largest bathtub I had ever seen. Fortunately, I knew the other bedrooms were just as lavish.
Jess skipped from the bedroom to the bathroom and back before stopping in front of me, her face serious. “Haley. Who the crap are these guys? Are they drug dealers?” she asked in a loud whisper.
“What?” My tone was incredulous. “No.” I shook my head. “But we’re holding them up, so tell me, what’s wrong with my outfit?”
“Nothing.” She waved a hand dismissively, still completely absorbed by our surroundings. “You look amazing.”
“Then why are we hiding in here pretending to change? I love what you’re wearing, by the way.” Jess, like me, was wearing jeans, but hers were a dark wash that was almost black and clung to her legs like a second skin. Her black tank was topped with a long necklace and a fitted leather blazer. She looked both chic and sexy.
“Thanks,” she smiled. “I haven’t seen you alone in months; your entourage will be fine waiting for a few minutes. I seriously cannot believe how hot they are! You’ve been holding out on me.” She wagged her finger in front of me.
“I told you they were insanely attractive.” I rolled my eyes.
“Words don’t even do them justice, and all together,” she fanned herself, “whew, I think I finally understand why women swoon.”
I laughed. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Don’t be so blasé, missy. I can tell you have the hots for them, although I’m having a hard time picking your favorite. Anyway, I digress; that’s not why I brought you in here.”
“It’s not?” I said, my tone sarcastic, while I wondered what Jess was going to say next.
“No,” she scowled playfully, “but we will discuss them all at great length later. No, it’s time for you to fess up. What’s going on?”
“What are you talking about?” I hoped my casual tone would put her off the scent, but knowing Jess, I doubted it. Already emotionally drained, I was dreading what I assumed would be a taxing evening ahead. I wasn’t ready to talk about yesterday’s revelations even though I had spent half the night thinking about them. “And are you changing or not, because we need to get going.”
“Come on, Hales.” Her voice was soft as she led me to sit at the edge of the bed. “This is me. I know something is bothering you, and I wish you would tell me what it is.”
“Fine,” I huffed. “Long-story-short, I found out yesterday that the six of them made a pact not to ‘pursue me romantically.’”
“Um, what?” She stared at me, her eyes blinking slowly. “Are you kidding me?” I could hear the outrage in her voice.
There was a knock on the door and my heart stopped. Crap. How long have we been in here?
“Haley?” Knox’s voice sounded from behind the door. “Are you guys almost ready, because Ethan’s starting to get hangry, and we both know that isn’t pretty.” I closed my eyes, silently hoping he hadn’t heard any of my conversation with Jess.
“Be right there,” I called in a chipper voice.
“Just be sure to wear walking shoes.”
“Yep, got it, thanks,” I responded as Jess muffled her laughter behind her hand.
“Come on,” I grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet, “let’s get going. We can talk about this later.”
“Yes, we can, and we will. But for now, screw the sexy six pack,” she said with a smirk, trailing off before finishing her sentence.
I waved my hand in front of her face. “Earth to Jessica.” Laughing, I said, “Jeez, get your mind out of the gutter.”
She shook her head as if to clear the image. “Oh yes, as I was saying, who needs the sexy six pack when the dynamic duo is reunited and ready to tear up the Strip?” She pumped the air with her fists.
I laughed at Jess’s usual exuberance, and she wrapped her arm around my shoulder. “Seriously, Haley. Forget about all this drama and enjoy the moment, okay?”
I nodded, sincerely hoping I could, at least for Jessica’s sake.
When we returned to the living room, all the guys immediately stood.
“I thought you were changing?” Theo said, glancing between me and Jessica, a confused look on his face.
I cringed internally. Dang it. Fortunately, Jess jumped in with an answer. “I needed to ditch my bag, and Haley wanted to grab her comfortable shoes.”
Theo seemed satisfied by her response, but I caught Liam failing to hide a knowing smirk. Cocky bastard, I thought. He probably assumed we were talking about him, and he was right.
Knox held the door as we strolled out of the suite toward the elevator. Jess linked her arm in mine and grinned as the guys followed behind us. Jess carried the conversation over dinner, and despite a few embarrassing stories about my childhood, it was relatively uneventful. The food, and Jessica’s presence, had gone a long way in helping me relax.
After dinner, we took our time, strolling outside along the Strip. It was late enough that it was dark out and the sidewalks were starting to fill up. Our group fluctuated, smaller clusters of us shifting together to talk before breaking apart. Ethan, Chase, and Knox trailed behind the rest of us.
Seeing Las Vegas at night was completely different than during the day. Neon lights surrounded us, and everything seemed designed to attract attention. The hotels and casinos were enormous, many with an over-the-top theme that impacted every aspect of decoration and design.
Theo was our tour guide, and Jess was clearly charmed by him. All evening he had gone out of his way to make her feel welcome, and I was thrilled to see my two best friends hit it off. While Jess and Theo were discussing fashion, Liam sidled up next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“Enjoying yourself, gorgeous?”
I smiled easily, relieved to find that I was in fact enjoying myself despite my earlier misgivings. “I am. Dinner was delicious, as usual. Good pick.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I like to please you.” He grinned, gray eyes sparkling.
I focused on the Paris casino, complete with a replica Eiffel Tower out front. “Have you ever been to Paris?” I asked, wanting to keep the conversation light. Now that I knew about the pact, I was questioning everything the guys did or said. I knew I was overanalyzing the situation, but I couldn’t help myself.
While Liam expounded on the beauty of Paris, my notice was drawn to Theo and Jessica’s conversation when I heard Theo talking rapidly and in great detail on various casino-related trivia. What did she ask him to make him flustered like that?
Jackson joined Liam and me, and when I glanced back at Jess, she winked at me.
“Hopefully we timed this right for the Bellagio fountains,” Jackson said as all eight of us walked over to the balcony overlooking the fountain and lined up to watch the show. Liam and Jackson stood slightly behind me, almost protectively. We fell silent when the show started, mesmerized by the display of fountains, lights, and music.
When we returned to the suite, Jackson and Knox wished us a good night and left to greet their client. I knew Jess had a lot of unanswered questions about who they worked for and what they did, but it wasn’t something I was free to discuss, even if I had all the answers.
After c
hanging into pajamas, we turned on the television in our room and chatted while watching Ocean’s Eleven.
“Despite their secrets and the stupid pact, I really like them,” Jess said.
“Yeah, I know. They can be infuriating at times, but they’re good guys.” I yawned.
“Theo is so funny and sweet, and he has the best style. And Knox, wow is he protective of you. It’s hard to believe they’re brothers because they’re so different.”
I laughed at Jessica’s observations. “He is definitely protective.”
“I wish I had gotten to talk to Chase and Ethan more, but there’s always tomorrow and Sunday. That dimple, though, talk about distracting.”
“Yeah, I know. How do you think he convinced me to sing for him?”
“Aha! So I just needed a dimple all these years?”
“And blond hair and a swimmer’s body.”
Jess grinned. “I could dye my hair and start swimming.”
“What did you think of Jackson and Liam?” I asked, curious to hear her impressions.
“They are an odd pair. You said they’re the oldest friends of the group, right?”
“Yeah, practically raised together.”
“Jackson seems brooding and mysterious while Liam is fun and so flirtatious. His accent is sexy, but I’m surprised you seem so comfortable with him.”
“It wasn’t always that way, trust me.”
“So . . . do you want to talk about the pact now?”
“Honestly, no. I want to talk about it at some point, but I’m too tired to deal with it right now.”
“Okay. Slightly easier question then.”
“Mhmm,” I said, now barely awake.
“Can I please keep one of them? I’ll even let you decide which one.”
I nudged her in the side. “So generous,” I muttered.
“Just think about it, okay?”
Chemistry Lesson
“Morning, loves,” Liam said cheerily when Jessica and I made our way into the living room the next morning. “What mischief do you two have planned for today?”
“Mischief!” I exclaimed with exaggerated disbelief. “You must have us confused with someone else.” I gestured between me and Jess. “We’re angels.”
“Is that right?” Liam asked, slinging an arm around my shoulder while staring at the top of my head. “And what happened to your halo?”
“I loaned it to Theo; his is at the cleaners.”
Knox appeared from one of the bedrooms and grunted. “If Theo’s an angel, I’m Justin Bieber.” He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, his blond locks falling over his forehead and into his eyes. His usual scruff was almost long enough to be considered a beard, somehow drawing my attention to his mouth more than ever. His sweats hung low, and when he stretched to reach a coffee mug from the cabinet, I got a tantalizing glimpse of the skin below his belly button. If he’s Justin Bieber, I’m officially a Belieber.
“Holy hell,” Jess said under her breath.
“Tell me about it,” I muttered back, unable to stop my ogling.
“I can’t believe you get to wake up to that every morning,” she said in awe.
“You should see him mid-workout.”
Liam, his arm still balanced on my shoulder, chuckled quietly. “You are my kind of angel, gorgeous,” he said with his most charming smile before heading to his room. “Be right back.”
I should have been embarrassed that Liam was listening to our whispered comments, but for some reason I wasn’t. If he had been one of the other guys, it would have been a different story. But, Liam’s obvious amusement at our totally unapologetic perusal of Knox just made me smile. Knowing Liam, he was most likely proud.
“Long night?” I asked Knox while Jess grabbed a cup of coffee.
“Yes,” he groaned. “It didn’t help that Theo dragged in early this morning and started his tossing and turning and kicking routine.” The team had been hired as private security for some uber-wealthy client who was in Vegas for the weekend, and they were working in shifts, which meant crazy hours for some of them.
“You didn’t set up your famous wall of separation?” I asked, referring to his offer to create a pillow barrier between us when we’d shared a bed in San Francisco.
“I should have.” Knox ran a hand through his hair, finally pushing it out of his face. “Of course, I didn’t need it when sleeping with you,” he added with a roguish grin.
Jess choked on her coffee, and I bit my lip, having almost forgotten that she was standing a mere foot away. Knowing she would have a field day with that remark, I was relieved when Liam re-entered the room and Knox excused himself.
“Are you ready for your surprise, ladies?” he asked, handing over a small, rectangular box wrapped in shiny blue paper.
“What’s this?”
“You’ll find out if you open it.”
“Okay . . .”
When I didn’t immediately rip into the paper, Jess grabbed it from my hands. “Oh, just give it to me.” She unwrapped the gift and shrieked at what she found. “Two tickets to ‘O’—the Cirque du Soleil show I’ve been dying to see!” Jess gave Liam a side hug and kissed him on the cheek. I gaped at them both, stunned by the gift and Jess’s easy affection with my Liam . . . um, Liam.
His smile was playful. “Jessica sure knows how to show appreciation, don’t you agree, Haley?” He tapped his cheek and watched me expectantly.
Suddenly overcome with the irrational need to show Jess up, I stepped in close to Liam and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him in tight. Inching my head back enough to look up into his slate-colored eyes, I said, “Thank you, Liam,” and kissed his cheek dangerously close to his mouth.
When I started to remove my arms from his neck, he caught my hands and held them in place. His usual lighthearted expression had become downright fiery, and I found myself unable to look away, my pulse throbbing almost uncomfortably. “If that’s the thanks I get for a simple ticket, may I please buy you a car? Or perhaps a house? I believe the penthouse next to mine is on the market.” Although I knew he had to be teasing, his tone was utterly sincere, making me more than a little apprehensive. “Or you could move in with me,” he murmured just loud enough for me to hear.
“Penthouse?” I heard Jess say from behind me, finally snapping me out of my Liam-induced trance.
I let out a nervous laugh, avoiding Jess’s wide-eyed stare. “Yes, Sir Liam lives in an amazing penthouse.” I couldn’t believe I’d flirted with Knox and Liam right in front of her. What had gotten into me?
“Well, I hate to hug and run, but I have to get to work. Have fun at the show,” Liam said with a wink before leaving the suite.
“Come on, it’s time for sightseeing,” I told Jess as I grabbed my crossbody and tossed my cell inside the zipper section.
“Not until you explain to me what the hell I just witnessed.”
I rolled my eyes at her like she was being ridiculous. “Nothing,” I said, pulling her out of the suite and dragging her toward the elevator.
Jess eyed me warily. “What was the name of my childhood dog?”
“Huh?” I asked, taken aback by the unexpected change in topic.
“Answer the question,” she said rather forcefully.
“Goldilocks,” I replied slowly, concerned that she was losing her mind.
“The name of the first boy I kissed?”
“Jake Pearce. In second grade. On the playground, next to the monkey bars.”
“My favorite Hemsworth?”
I scoffed. “Chris, obviously.”
“That one’s too easy,” she said with a frown. “He’s everyone’s favorite.”
“Is there a point to these insane questions?”
“Yes, I had to make sure that your body hasn’t been taken over by an alien parasite like in The Host.”
Laughing, I said, “I can assure you that it has not.”
“Can you? Because the Haley that I’ve been best friends with fo
r years lacked the confidence to do and say . . . any of that.” She waved a hand through the air, gesturing wildly. After studying me for a few more moments, her smile turned delighted. “I freaking love this new, feisty Haley.”
Having survived Jess’s grilling, we emerged in the lobby, ready for sightseeing. While we couldn’t linger on the casino floors due to our under-twenty-one status, Jess suggested we at least wander through a few of the mega-hotels and check out the shops, restaurants, and other sights. Even this early in the day, a number of people milled around the walkways, and it seemed like Vegas was always humming with activity.
Walking through The Venetian felt like a mind trick, from the stone floors to the ceilings mimicking the sky. The shop and restaurant facades elaborately imitated Italian-style buildings, and the canal running throughout offered gondola rides, making me long to visit Europe.
Jess was convinced the Bellagio would be my favorite, and once we entered the lobby, I understood why. Oversized glass flowers protruded from the ceiling in a rainbow of colors and a mosaic tile floor lined the walkway of the conservatory garden space, where lush and colorful plants were all designed to fit the current theme. When we reached the chocolate fountain—the largest of its kind in the world—I gawked in appreciation. Multiple streams of white, dark, and milk chocolate flowed down from above the ceiling, pouring from one glass platform to another. We purchased a variety of treats from the store, debating whether we’d share some with the guys.
* * *
“Okay, Haley, you’ve delayed long enough. Let’s talk about this whole pact situation.”
I glanced idly around, attempting to delay my response. We reclined under a large umbrella on plush lounge chairs next to an oval-shaped pool—one of two connected by a bridge. These pools, like all of those at the Wynn, were tiled in a dark blue trellis pattern and were surrounded by inviting lounge chairs, lush landscaping, and scantily-clad bodies. Access was restricted to Tower Suites guests only, and Theo had hinted that we might even see a celebrity or two.
Knowing I had to face the music sooner or later, I slowly spilled everything that had happened at the coffee house, from our warm reunion, to Chase’s nervous behavior, his revelation about the pact, and finally, wanting to tell Jackson about our (potential) relationship. Shockingly, Jess remained silent through the entire story and even for a minute or so after I was done.
