by Odell, Roxie
“I’ve got no real plans,” she said. “I already got the most important thing out of the way.”
He tilted his head, and his eyes lit up with a wicked glint. “The most important thing?” he asked in a smoky tone.
“Riding the elevator,” she said. Then she burst out in a laugh. “I’m terrified of them.”
“Damn,” he said, sounding genuinely bothered. “Well, in that case, that ride went well, huh? No wonder you were so scared.”
“Yup,” she said.
Derrick took hold of her hand firmly. “Come on,” he said. “If you really don’t have any plans, let me take you to dinner. Have you been to our dining room?”
They stood there for a moment, just staring and letting their mutual touch linger while they both mulled over the possibilities. It’s Vegas, live a little. What happens here, stays here, right? Then again, nothing has to happen at all. I mean, we could just have dinner and never see each other again. It’d be the perfect setup to deny that our heated kiss ever happened.
No matter how she tried to overthink the situation, the power of their brief physical contact coiled in her belly and made her ache with need. Her raw desire overtook her, and she took Derrick’s perfect face in her hands. With sensual slowness she closed in, pressing her lips to his again, without caring who might be watching.
She let her tongue play inside his hot mouth, tasting him. She knew the very moment she laid eyes on him in the elevator that if she had the opportunity, she would readily lead him back to her room. Now, kissing him again, she knew they would end up in bed together.
“Can I take that as a yes?” he asked as she pulled her mouth away ever so slightly.
“Yes,” she whispered against his luscious lips. “I’ll have dinner with you.”
“What’s happening here?” he replied in a barely audible tone.
“I don’t know, but I like it,” she answered.
“That’s just what I was thinking,” he murmured. He slid Corrine’s arm through his, gazing over at her with delicious desire in his eyes.
Corrine looked back at him in awe. No one had ever been so gallant with her before. I could definitely get used to this. She patted his thick, muscled forearm and walked alongside him.
They strolled into the posh hotel dining room. When the staff spotted him, they responded right away, like castle staff fluttering around royalty. The maître d' quickly guided Corrine and Derrick to a nice, cozy table.
Derrick stepped between the host and Corrine to do the honors of pushing in her chair himself, and she felt his body through her chair. Somehow, he practically enveloped her before he smoothly took his place across from her.
“The steak here is out of this world,” he said as his gaze roamed over her. “They have wonderful vegetarian selections, too, though, if that’s your thing. If you don’t see anything you like, I can have them make something special for you.”
She practically swooned. Just the way he said that, with all that power, finesse, and promise, made her want to climb on top of him right there at the table.
“I’m not used to being spoiled,” she whispered, almost unable to speak because she was so turned on. Clarity was slipping away from her.
“You should be,” he purred.
“Huh?” she asked.
“Spoiled,” he said. “You deserve to be spoiled.”
“Oh. Well, thanks, but I’m sure I can find something I want… on the menu, I mean.” She stumbled over her words, suddenly noticing that the intimate table was small enough for them to practically lean across and kiss if they found themselves unable to resist.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked.
She hesitated, overcome with nerves and excitement. “I just don’t know if I should,” she replied honestly, blushing without him even looking at her. Damn, how can he be this sexy? She didn’t know if she could trust herself with even a little liquid courage.
He lifted his head and looked her straight in the eye. His expression was serious, and there was no hint of flirtation on his face whatsoever. “Relax,” he said with a wink. “It’s just dinner, a very nice dinner between two new friends. Just enjoy yourself, Corrine. That’s what I’m doing, with no strings and no pressure.”
“Okay,” she replied with a nod.
“I’m not trying to take advantage of you,” he said. “Have a drink or don’t. It’s up to you.”
“In that case, I’ll take a Manhattan on the rocks,” she answered confidently.
“Sounds delicious.” He smiled and looked her in the eye with devilish seduction.
She sucked in her breath and wondered if she was a little bit out of her league with a guy like Derrick. There was something magical about him that she couldn’t resist.
A very attentive waitress hovered at their table for a bit too long after she confirmed their drink orders. She was dressed as fabulously as Corrine was, in a form-fitting dress and sparkling heels. To Derrick’s credit, he was polite but uninterested. He only had eyes for Corrine. The flirtatious server walked away disappointed.
It seemed no time passed at all before the drinks were served, and Corrine immediately took a long sip of hers. When Derrick’s beef carpaccio arrived, he fed some to her. Corrine didn’t realize how hungry she was, but she had never tasted anything so incredibly delicious in her life. It was so light, yet so satisfying.
Corrine kept her tall body in decent shape, but she had an incredible appetite, and she was a bit bashful about that. She could have easily devoured the whole gourmet dish herself, but she waited patiently for each bite Derrick offered her, then took a moment to sip from her water glass. She really wasn’t much of a drinker, so she didn’t even finish her Manhattan, but she did make sure to savor a little of the red wine Derrick ordered.
He touched her hand and stroked it with his finger. “I’m so lucky you were available for dinner,” he said.
She smiled slightly, uncomfortable with the compliment. “Yeah, I’m glad too,” she replied. Dining with Derrick made her grateful she was single. “I just hope I’m not keeping you from anything. I’m sure you’re busy, and—”
“There’s no place I’d rather be than right here,” he said, cutting her off with that killer smile of his.
That was all Corrine needed to hear to know he was single, but he was also the lawyer for the hotel, which left her with more questions. “Tell me, Derrick. Why does Gil Frosh have his personal lawyer residing at this new little palace of his? Did the elevator bring you here? No one has filed a lawsuit about that, have they?”
“No, but I’m thinking fate may have brought me here,” he said in a most flirtatious way. “As for Gil, he likes having me on-site for all his projects. As his general counsel and vice president, I oversee everything. Well, except for elevator assembly. That’s best left to engineers.”
“Some brilliant engineers you’ve got then,” she teased.
He laughed. “Yeah, no kidding. They’ll be getting an unpleasant phone call from me tomorrow.”
“I’m sure they will,” Corrine said. “So, that’s your job, though? Hopping from one glamorous venue to the next to make sure nothing needs an out-of-order sign?”
“Not really,” he said. “I’m… corporate. I make the deals that get the wheels moving on all these glamorous venues.” He paused. “What about you? What brings you here? Surely, it wasn’t just the elevator for you, either.”
“The elevator was a personal challenge,” she said with a laugh. She really had come to the hotel to ride the elevator, and that seemed quite silly all of a sudden. Regardless of why she was there, though, Corrine was thrilled she was.
Derrick obviously found her answer intriguing. His frame relaxed as his movements became liquid, shifting his weight as if preparing to pounce on her like delicious prey.
“Oh yeah?” He arched his eyebrow. “What was the challenge? To kiss a strange man?”
“Are you strange, Mr. Quinn?” she asked boldly.
He sho
ok his head, grinning. “Not so much, I hope.”
“Actually, I just needed some time away, but as I mentioned, I’ve always had a deep fear of elevators,” she said. “I dared myself to ride yours. The ride was supposed to help me overcome it, not make it worse.”
His eyes darkened with desire. “Sounds like you need another kiss to make you feel better.” Then, without warning, he leaned across the table and pressed his lips to hers.
Corrine did not part her lips this time, and neither did he, but the kiss was anything but innocent. Electricity flowed into her, practically knocking her to the floor, until all she could do was let out a warm gasp against his tender lips.
Derrick slowly pulled away and sat back down. He topped off their glasses with red wine, as if they both needed a drink after the sultry kiss.
“That was… pretty hot,” she remarked candidly, thrilled that he had to take a large gulp of wine. Like he was just as overwhelmed by their magnetism as she was. “We obviously have a spark.”
“We sure do,” he said, his gaze burning into her.
Corrine thought she had known passion before, but kissing Derrick made all her past relationships seem like watered-down versions of the real thing. She stared at him, trying to figure out the odd swarm of emotions swirling inside her.
He’s a lawyer, though, she reminded herself. The man gets paid to be persuasive, manipulative. He’s a deal-maker in an über-competitive field, a brilliant bullshit artist.
Even if Derrick’s flirting was bullshit, it was working.
Maybe all he wanted was a fun night with the pretty girl he met on the elevator. Just dinner and drinks before tumbling into bed together. But so what? She wanted that too. It wasn’t like they had to get married. Why deny herself an enjoyable evening with the sexiest man she’d ever seen?
“I know I promised you steak,” he said. “But I say we skip dinner and go straight for dessert. I have the strongest urge to put something sweet in your mouth.”
His words dripped with innuendo and bordered on filthy, but they sent a warm shiver of pleasure through her. Derrick noticed.
“Shall I take that as a yes?” he asked in a low growl, followed by a soft laugh and a wink.
“I guess so,” she said with a nervous chuckle.
“Perfect,” he said. He picked up his phone to send a text.
“Need to get that in writing, counselor?” she teased, arching a brow at him.
He smiled. “I’m just texting our order in.”
“Really?” she asked. “That’s a new one.”
“Red wine and chocolate is an underrated combination,” he said, “and one of my very favorites.”
In short order, the waiter brought out a generous wedge of dark chocolate cake iced with rich, shiny frosting.
Derrick’s fork sliced off a piece of the cake, and he held the bite up for her. Corrine parted her lips for him, and her tongue immediately found the sweet frosting.
“Have a little wine now,” he encouraged. “It’s divine as a chocolate-chaser.”
She did as he said and moaned, enjoying the sensual taste. “Perfect, but…”
“But what?”
“Well, I’m not sure if it’s really that good, or if it’s just because you suggested it,” she said, nearly dazed by the taste and the company.
“Maybe a little of both,” he said with a grin. Then he fed her another bite
Corrine leaned back in her seat, entirely satisfied. After meeting Derrick and sharing food and kisses with him, she had no desire to gamble at all. She already felt like a winner.
She resisted the urge to giggle when he squirmed in his chair a little, obviously struggling with his own unexpected feelings for her. Maybe she’d died on that elevator after all, and now she was in Heaven.
Derrick cleared his throat, as if trying to regain his composure. “So we know what I do for a living. What about you? What do you do?”
Corrine didn’t answer. Instead, she just took the fork from him and loaded it with a big, chocolatey chunk. “Your turn,” she said, surprising even herself.
She’d never been one for boldness, but she was empowered by the raw attraction between them. It sizzled in the air like a live wire, making her whole body tingle. Something about filling his mouth with a forkful of rich, gooey chocolate felt intimate and sexy.
She watched him lick that goodness from the corner of his mouth, and she wanted to push him out of his chair and straddle him. That fantasy played through her mind as his lips again closed around the fork.
Derrick’s eyes were dark as he gazed at her. He pinned her like a hunter with that look, and the dominance shifted from her to him.
Dizzy with lust, Corrine pictured leading him up to her room. She needed that, even if she had only known him for an hour. Of all the dares she had subjected herself to, the prospect of picking up a strange, sexy man was the wildest. She’d never even dared to think about something like that before. She wasn’t sure she should be thinking of it now, but it just felt right.
“Ms. Smith, are you dodging my question?” he asked softly, interrupting her thoughts.
Her eyes widened. She’d actually forgotten what he asked. It took her a moment to compose herself and collect her thoughts before she answered. “No, of course not. I’m a marketing geek. A freelancer. Most of what I do, I can do from anywhere.”
He nodded. “A telecommuting entrepreneur? Impressive.”
Corrine had the distinct feeling she could have said she was a grocery bagger and he would have complimented her anyway.
They killed the last bite of dessert, and the manager who had met them at the elevator appeared at their table. “Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Quinn,” he said, “but we need to take care of some things regarding the, uh, elevator incident. Gil wants you to look over the forms and documents before we ask the guests to sign them.”
“Sure,” Derrick answered. “I’ll be right there.”
The manager nodded and took his cue to leave.
Derrick lifted Corrine’s hand in his. “I’m sorry to eat and run,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed myself.”
Corrine’s heart sank a little at the finality in his tone. Was that it? Was their time together over for good?
“I’m not sure how long this will take because there can be a lot of red tape,” he said. “But if you’re around for the rest of the weekend, I’d like to see you again.”
Something about the way he said it sounded as if he was just trying to be polite and let her down easy. It’s probably just as well, she told herself, still not sure she had the nerve to follow through with a fast-paced encounter with a man, even under once-in-a-lifetime circumstances. She offered him a half-smile and simply said, “Sure. I’ll be around.”
“Good,” he said, standing from his chair.
Corrine drank in his magnificent form. He was a good bit over six feet tall, and from her seated vantage point, he seemed to tower over her. Considering that she was a little on the tall side herself, she appreciated that about him.
And he looked so stylish and commanding in his dark suit, like he was in control of the whole room. In a way, he was. Everyone in the hotel answered to him. He wore that power well.
He was the most handsome man she had ever kissed before. Even if that was all that happened between them, she would remember him forever.
“Once again, your weekend at the Tresor is completely on the house,” he said, handing her a folded hundred-dollar bill. “You’re our guest in every sense of the word. Enjoy.”
She looked down at Ben Franklin staring back at her. “What’s this for?” she scoffed, insulted.
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” he replied. “It’s from the hotel. Treat yourself while you’re here. Indulge.”
She knew what she wanted to indulge in, and it had nothing to do with money. “Well, it’s too much, but thank you for being so generous.”
“It’s our pleasure,” he said, smiling.
Corrine stood up
from the table. “Go on now, Mr. Lawyer. Take care of business.” She opted not to kiss him on the cheek. Instead, she just took his hand in hers. “I think I’ll go play a few hands of Blackjack and then retire for the evening.”
Derrick nodded and turned to make his way to the office. As she headed toward the gaming tables, he called to her from across the restaurant and made a gesture common to dealers. “Good luck.”
Chapter 2
Corrine strolled to the Blackjack tables, not entirely sure she even wanted to play. Part of her wanted to take the regular elevator back up to her room and settle in for an early evening. She’d already shared a wonderful meal with a handsome man, so it wasn’t as if she’d wasted her little black dress entirely. When she caught sight of the gaming tables, though, she decided she simply had to play a few hands.
She took a seat at a table, minding her own business and not meaning to attract attention. She noticed the player next to her stealing glimpses out of the corner of his eye. For some reason, Corrine’s thoughts went straight to Derrick. The stranger beside her was cute, but he had nothing on the hot attorney.
As she stood to adjust her dress, the man caught her firmly by the forearm. “You can’t go just yet,” he said quickly. “I just won that hand, and I haven’t done that in a while. You must be my lucky charm. Please stay a while.”
The dealer shook his head, silently admonishing the man.
Corrine was taken aback. It was apparent that the gambler often behaved that way and was used to warnings from the casino staff about it, but it was an entirely new experience for her. She felt flattered for the second time that night. “Sure,” she said. “But for the record, I wasn’t going anywhere anyway. Deal me in.” She smiled, anted up, and waited as her tablemate made up his mind.
“Hit me,” he said after some thought.
The dealer nodded and dealt the card.
That time the fellow held up his hand, deciding to stay with his cards.
