by Odell, Roxie
Corrine laughed nervously. “How does one end up married to an awful woman?” she asked. It truly made no sense to her. She didn’t consider herself awful, yet she had never had any success in relationships. It perplexed her that Derrick was willing to tie the knot with such a woman. He seems so smart, so sure of himself. He could have had any wife he wanted. Why would he end up with someone so unpleasant?
“We were young, and I was fresh out of law school,” he said with a sigh. “I wanted the whole picture, the white picket fence and everything. I hurried down the aisle, and as soon as the honeymoon was over, one thought occurred to me.”
“What?”
“Oh, shit.”
She laughed. “Was she at least great in bed?” she asked with a touch of jealousy.
Derrick’s body snaked in the bed, as if her words made him horny all over again. “Corrine, what you and I have is incredibly rare and unbelievably hot. Just the thought of you turns me on like crazy. As for my ex, no, we did not have a good time in bed, not by a long shot. We didn’t have a good time anywhere.”
Corrine had never been married, but she knew it was what she wanted, as long as it was with the right person. She knew people often got hitched in Vegas after just a few hours of knowing each other, but she wanted it to be at the right time. She only hoped his bad experience with Mrs. Wrong hadn’t soured him to the idea forever.
“I’m lucky I don’t have to worry about any of that with you,” he said.
She laughed. “That’s an odd thing to say. Are you suggesting you like me because I’ve never had much of a romantic life before?”
“Not at all!” he said. “I guess that came out wrong. I only mean I’m glad we don’t have any baggage to deal with, now that mine is out in the open.”
“Oh,” she said. “Well, I guess that’s a good thing.”
“Unless there’s more to that tall gambler than you’ve let on,” he said with a new anxiousness dripping from his voice. “You guys seem to hang out a lot.”
“Bill?” she asked. “No, we’re just friends, gambling buddies now and then. As for romance and baggage? Well, I was seeing another guy for a while, but all he wanted to do was have sex.”
“Imagine that,” Derrick said with spice in his voice. “How dare the bastard!”
She playfully socked him. “It was too much,” she said. “He acted like he didn’t want to be seen with me otherwise, and he didn’t even treat me like a person.”
“Now that’s not funny at all,” he said. “The boy was a fool.”
“As for Bill, I just met him that night you gave him the chips. His only love is gambling. He thinks I’m a good luck charm.”
“I can see why,” Derrick flirted.
“Nothing has ever happened between us,” she reassured him, “except medium rare steak and Keno.”
Derrick laughed and sighed heavily with relief.
Corrine continued. “I went home after I saw you that morning because I had to get away from here. When I got back to Paradise—”
“Paradise?”
“Yep. That’s my home.”
“Of course it is, angel,” he teased.
She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, when I got there, I realized I didn’t want to be there either. The truth is, I haven’t been comfortable in my own skin since I met you. I called Bill and asked him to keep me company, but he was the one who told me to go after you. It was his idea to go to the Tresor. I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“Remind me to comp that man something,” he said, stroking her hair. “I keep remembering what you said the first time we were together. Do you remember?”
She tried to think but came up blank. “Not sure.”
Derrick rose above her. “You asked me if I would be willing to have an affair with you.”
“I did?” She pretended not to remember.
“You did, and my answer is yes. I want that with you, Corrine. That, and maybe more.”
An affair was a great solution, as neither of them was really ready to dive headfirst into any kind of commitment. The ink on Derrick’s divorce papers wasn’t even dry, and Corrine still had some work to do to put her former relationship behind her emotionally and mentally. Even though it obviously made him very happy to be done with his disaster of a marriage, Corrine feared things were happening a bit too fast between them, especially since she’d just gotten out of a going-nowhere relationship herself. If they determined that what they had was simply an affair, it took the pressure off, and that would allow them to rebound and ease into a settled relationship if they still wanted to when the time came. They could enjoy all the intensity without any of the responsibility. They could be who they really were, could explore and learn to trust one another without feeling trapped. Her affair with Derrick had already been the best time of her life, and she hoped it would lead to more.
“So you’re ready to sow some wild oats with me?” she asked.
“I am,” he said, rubbing her body with more and more intensity as they spoke.
“So, what does this mean?” she asked. “Will we be sneaking around to see each other for secret lunch dates?”
“Only if you want to,” he said. “I was thinking something a little more refined, fun in every sense of the word, something intense and romantic, the stuff movies are made of.”
“It’s too bad,” she said, without bothering to clarify.
“What is?” he asked with alarm.
“It’s too bad you’re with the Tresor and not the Golden Nugget,” she offered. It was only a tidbit of what she was really talking about.
“Why is that?” he challenged, pretending to be firm with her.
“Well, if we’re going to sow oats now, there’s a place on my bucket list,” she said.
“You mean to tell me you’ve had a bucket list all this time, and you didn’t tell me?” he teased.
“We’ve really only known each other for a couple days, Derrick,” she said in her own defense. “I sort of mentioned it before when I told you about the elevator.”
“It feels like a lifetime, though, doesn’t it?” he asked, almost nostalgically.
“Yeah, it does,” she agreed.
“I don’t know how it’s possible, but this just feels so right,” he said.
They enjoyed a quiet moment, swimming in their good feelings for each other and not just their sexual heat.
Suddenly and friskily, Derrick grabbed her. “So, missy, do tell me about this bucket list,” he said under threat of tickling.
“Hmm. Come to think of it, the Tresor is a better place. Maybe it will work out, since you have some pull there.” She deliberately delayed her answer to him.
“Come on,” he said. “Spill it.”
“Well, you know I have a fear of elevators,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said.
“I was thinking about how you like to have sex in stairwells and swimming pools. Clearly, you’re a bit of an exhibitionist, Mr. Quinn, not opposed to being naked in public.” She paused to giggle. “Oh shit! I can’t believe I just said that.”
“It’s true,” he said with a laugh of his own.
“Well, I’d like to take another glass elevator ride at the Tresor,” she said.
“Oh?” he said, startled. “You mean ride?”
“Absolutely,” she said.
It was really a guarded, self-defeating goal, no matter how enticing it sounded. Deep down, she was sure there was no way for him to swing such a thing. He would have to shut the elevator down, and everyone below would be able to see them. But what a thrill that would be, she thought, with that magical Nevada sky as our backdrop as we make mad, passionate love to each other.
He thought a moment. “There would be some… logistics involved, but I’m sure we could figure it out,” he said in a sexy tone. “It’s really a fucking awesome idea, you bad girl. I knew there was something I liked about you.”
“Really?” she purred. “Just that
?”
“No,” he said genuinely. “Definitely not just that.”
Chapter 12
Corrine knew she couldn’t live in a hotel forever, and she would eventually have to go home and back to the grind of working for a living. Nevertheless, in her two trips to Las Vegas, she was up nearly five grand, with the help of Bill, her favorite professional gambler.
It was tough to focus on anything but being with Derrick, so her work began to suffer. Their affair was something like a drug, one she was quickly and strongly addicted to. When she was home, she yearned to be with him, but the last thing she wanted to do was ruin it by overdoing it. She knew it was healthiest to pace herself and avoid letting her responsibilities slide. She had a home and a job to take care of. Besides, Paradise wasn’t that far from Vegas and the Tresor, Derrick’s new permanent home.
When she reminded him of that, that she was just a short drive from him, he smiled. “I like the sound of that,” he said as he kissed her goodbye for the weekend. “Paradise is not that far away.”
“It would be nice of you to come out and see me,” she gushed. “I’d love to make you dinner.”
“Dinner? I’d love that, and I’d love to have you for dessert.”
She grinned. “We haven’t experienced us outside the surreal world of Vegas,” she said. “It might be nice.”
“We’ll have to put it on our bucket list,” he suggested in a soft voice. “Right at very top. In fact, we can slap it on there a couple times.”
Despite the invitation, their usual way to meet was for Corrine to show up at the hotel. She didn’t mind and was willing to do it as long as dressing up like an expensive whore remained a novel idea. It was fun to engage her imagination that way, and there were so many games to play and so many costumes to wear. She was having a blast entertaining Derrick.
Of course, it wasn’t all one-sided because he was as inventive and thoughtful as always. Most wonderful of all, he never failed to be excited to see her, even though they were in constant contact.
And why shouldn’t he be excited? She was hot, and she knew it. There was no sin in being aware of that, of enjoying who she was.
Under her short trench coat, she donned a stretchy slip dress that fit her like a second skin. It was form fitting but quite comfortable, and it made her figure look even more amazing. She buttoned the trench coat, which was definitely not necessary in the Vegas weather, and she was pretty sure people wondered why she was even wearing it. Her seamed stockings were held in place with garters, and spiked heels with ankle straps finished off the smoking-hot, stunning outfit. As she walked through the lobby of the fabulous Tresor, its popularity in full swing, she felt like she owned the place.
Derrick spotted her immediately and watched silently and with great satisfaction as she approached him. “Jesus,” he cursed softly. “You’re beautiful.”
She smiled because she also felt beautiful, especially in his company. “So do you,” she said, blowing him a kiss.
The very sight of him thrilled her, and he looked good in—or out—of anything, whether he was dressed casually or in a power suit. At the moment, he was all decked out for work. His honey-colored hair would have given him a boyish appeal if he was wearing jeans, but while he was dressed in his business finest, his mop made him look like a model on the cover of GQ.
Corrine loved the way his eyes sparkled as he watched her. She moved closer to him and didn’t stop till they collided. They smiled at each other then shared a kiss, paying no mind to anyone who saw them.
“You ready?” he asked playfully, as her outfit already gave him the answer to that.
“I don’t know,” she said with a charming grin. “Am I?”
He took her hand firmly and gazed into her eyes with a piercing look, one that made her shiver and her belly warm with a smoldering fire. “Come with me,” he said.
She saw him nod at another employee, giving a clear signal to his staff, and her curiosity was instantly piqued.
He led her to part of the hotel that was not fully lit and rarely ever used. It felt a bit strange because most Vegas hotels were fully in service. Seeing that vacant part, not teeming with life, was somewhat startling. Corrine struggled to figure out the scheme instead of letting it slowly unfold before her. She could only guess that he’d asked the staff to close off that part of the hotel for them.
They stopped at the doors at the base of the exterior glass elevator, the one that had brought them together. As they waited for it, the lights flashed on. She instantly broke into a series of excited tremors when his plan suddenly became clear.
“Are you okay?” he asked in alarm, mistaking her shaking for a fearful reaction. “The maintenance people have checked it out, and it won’t—”
She laughed. “I’m fine,” she said assuredly. “I’d really like to go for my ride now, Mr. Quinn.” Her phobia was still in play, but she was really trembling at the thought of his off-the-hook idea of love in an elevator, and she couldn’t help but be all worked up about that.
He took hold of her and looked her straight in the eye. “The first rule of an affair is that we have to be honest with each other,” he said sincerely. “We have to tell each other what’s important, as well as what our limits are. Deal?”
“Deal, counselor,” she said with a smile. “I’m not about to do anything I don’t want to do, not even for you.” She punctuated the brutally honest remark with a smile and wink.
He pushed the button, and the car magically rose. When the doors opened, he led her inside.
Corrine’s heart raced, and her head immediately drifted to doing the math, relying on calculations and statistics to assure herself that she was perfectly safe. Plenty of people have ridden this thing since that day I tried it. It would be a cruel prank for him to take me up on it if it still had problems. Then, without thinking, she found herself bracing her body against the door side of the car.
“Come here,” he said sweetly. “How am I supposed to kiss you if you’re way over there?” He moved over to hold her tightly against him, and he felt her tense muscles in his grasp. “Boy, you really are afraid.”
“I can’t help it,” she said with a nervous laugh. “I’m fine with regular elevators now, but this one…”
“Aw,” he said with a little bit of disappointment. “That’s too bad.”
“You were going to… I mean, we were gonna…”
“Yup,” he said, sounding a bit guilty. “But I don’t think tonight’s the night. I didn’t bring any calming agents.”
“You brought you,” she said softly. “We can work on it.”
“Well, if you’re sure,” he said, as if he wasn’t.
Suddenly, a deep calm washed over her. Seeing that he had gone to such trouble to reserve a private corner of the hotel for them, she found the strength to set her fears aside. “I’ve done a lot of reading about phobias, and the one thing all the experts advise is to practice facing them, again and again, till you’re not scared anymore,” she said, trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince him.
He kissed her quickly. “Good, because we’re here.”
“Here?”
“The top floor. What goes up must come down.”
Corrine grinned wickedly. “Well, I have to face my fears again and again and again,” she teased with newfound confidence. “Derrick?”
“Yes?” he asked somberly.
“I don’t see any reason why we can’t go through with your plans,” she said. “I mean, we’re already up here, so…”
He brightened and grinned. “Really?” he asked with a spark of interest.
“First things first,” she said.
He nodded and pressed in a code on the panel to stop the elevator.
As inspired as she was, it was still tough to wrap her head around what they were about to do. In slow measures, working together, Derrick and Corrine worked on getting her ready to knock another item off the bucket list of their fledgling affair.
Derrick leaned into her, and his strong hands curled around her hips. He lifted her to the corner of the small space and set himself in front of her. “For the camera’s,” he whispered, his breath hot in her ear. “They won’t see anything.”
He lifted her leg up and pressed his body against hers. In the same motion, he unzipped his pants.
Corrine kissed him hard, her tongue forcing its way into his mouth to claim him.
The excitement and fear of being caught sent her spiralling. He rammed into her, sending sensations to every nerve ending.
It was a hot, intense climax, naughty and breath-taking. Derrick cried out as he came inside of her.
“That was incredible,” he whispered.
Eyes wide, she could only nod as her leg slipped back to the floor. Then she giggled.
He adjusted and zipped up his fly before turning around to mess with the elevator control panel. He chuckled when she giggled again. “I like where this is going.”
“Me too,” she said. “Getting over fear is an amazing aphrodisiac.”
“Hell yeah,” he said and then punched more numbers in the panel. The elevator moved again. They embraced, enjoying the warmth of each other as they glided down. It was as satisfying as any decadent memory they could have created there.
The elevator made it to the ground floor uneventfully, and the doors whooshed open. As they did, Corrine let out a laugh.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“I just rode the fabled Tresor elevator down, but the most exciting thing about it was you.”
“You know, we still have this side of the hotel to ourselves,” he suggested, wiggling his eyebrows at her.
Corrine grinned. “Even better, we have us to ourselves,” she said. “Let’s sow some oats, shall we?”
Chapter 13
The sprawling conference room was graced with a panoramic view of the Las Vegas skyline. Despite the expensive furnishings, the windows were what made the room really stand out. The décor had cost more money than most people would earn in a lifetime, but that glimpse of nature was its only redeeming quality.
