by Odell, Roxie
He said nothing more, but the two of them stared at one another, tangled in a long, lingering gaze before they parted ways.
Before their relationship transitioned from hot affair to an official boyfriend-girlfriend thing, Corrine always booked her own room in the decadent Tresor. Now, it seemed a waste of money to have two rooms because they usually spent more time in one room than the other. Derrick lived there, and they saw each other practically every day. It did sometimes seem like they already lived together, but Derrick didn’t seem to mind.
Though his home was a mere hotel, his work was intense, not all glamour and fun. It’s beginning to take a toll, though, thought Corrine. As handsome as she found him when he was called to rescue her from the mob of dice-throwers, he’d looked like hell. She’d never seen him like that before, and for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what was having such an adverse effect on him. Unless… is it me?
A pang of insecurity flickered through her belly. She didn’t want to go there, but for just a moment, she entertained the notion that maybe the change in their relationship was weighing too heavily on him. It was one thing to want to take their relationship to the next level, but another to do it. She shook the thought off quickly, though. It had been a long time since she’d felt insecure because of a guy, and she wasn’t going to allow herself to think she was wearing him out now.
She stepped into his opulent shower and rinsed the chlorine and sunscreen from her skin. After toweling off, she sprawled out on his big bed and took a nap. Even though the bed was changed every day by the housekeeping staff, his scent still seemed to linger there, and that sent her spiraling into sweet dreams of their many interludes as she fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter 24
Corrine stirred. The light that had been streaming in through the window was dimming, a sign that it was early evening. She threw on a simple Lycra dress and some heels, an easy ensemble that made her feel and look hot and sexy. Derrick loved it when she wore dresses, and he was so sweet that whenever she took the time to dress up even a little, he ogled and complimented her endlessly, as if she were something brand new to him.
“Be ready,” she read out loud, smiling at his text again. It was just a couple words, but it was enough to make her feel as good inside as she looked on the outside. She instantly texted him back to tell him she was awake and would be down in the bar shortly.
“I can hardly wait,” he replied.
Corrine squealed like a teenager. It was never enough, and it never stopped being exciting for her. “Leaving now,” she wrote and then made sure to send a seductive selfie along with her message.
She half-expected a praising reply, something to tell her how gorgeous she was or how she turned him on, but she got no answer. She assumed he was already downstairs waiting for her, but it suddenly occurred to her, with much horror, that he might still be at work. Damn. I hope I didn’t send him that picture at a bad time. Either way, he would be off soon, and they would be together. Her body tightened with anticipation at the thought.
Corrine and Derrick often met at the Tresor bar. In the early days of their relationship, they rendezvoused there nearly every day at the same time in the evening. They enjoyed drinks together, but they seldom made it through an entire meal before they engaged in various stages of passion on their way up to one of their rooms.
Soon, that behavior expired, at least the drinking part. It didn’t take them long to realize it was no picnic waking up with hangovers, and Corrine was beginning to put on weight. As their relationship evolved, so did they. Now when they met, they hardly drank at all.
She practically skipped into the bar, all dolled up and prepared to make a grand entrance that would take his breath away, but Derrick was not there. She checked in with the maître d’ and found out Derrick had not yet even called in to reserve a table for them. “Hmm,” she said. “That’s odd. Just put us on the list, and I’ll be waiting in the bar.”
She sat at the counter and engaged in conversation with the friendly bartender. All the Tresor staff knew her by now. She had become something of a permanent fixture. They were always pleasant enough, but she didn’t want to wear out her welcome, so she tried not to be a bother or to interrupt their work.
“Hey, have you seen Derrick?” she asked casually.
“I have not,” replied the bartender. Then, without her even asking, he set a drink in front of her, her former poison of choice. A Manhattan on the rocks.
She nodded, an attempt to appear gracious, though she really wished he hadn’t set it down in front of her to tempt her.
“First one’s on the house,” he said with a smile, sweetening the temptation to drink it.
“Thanks,” Corrine said, pushing it slightly away when he turned his back. She texted Derrick again and waited.
Again, there was no response, so she decided he’d gotten hung up at work.
Corrine realized that she was hungry, and if she did decide to accept the drink, she didn’t want to do so on an empty stomach. She ordered some popcorn shrimp and an iced tea to chase the drink. She finished the entire plate and still hadn’t heard a word from Derrick.
The anticipation of their upcoming conversation began to lose its magic. It had been an erotic notion all afternoon, at least in her mind, and it had her all amped up, but now, she was coming down from that excitement. She was more frustrated than turned on. He had kept her waiting only one other time before, when she sent a risqué selfie to him while he was in an important meeting. Her payment for that was that he refused to text her all day. Maybe he’s punishing me again. Maybe this radio silence is because he caught me wrestling with a strange man or because I interrupted his work earlier. Corrine shrugged, figuring she’d just have to wait and see.
She pushed her plate aside, left a couple bucks for a tip, and then wandered through the casino. The same thought occurred to her that always crossed her mind when she walked into that area of the hotel: The world’s idea of plush décor isn’t too far from that of a boudoir. The Tresor casino, like all other casinos, was decked out with leather, velvet, and shiny fixtures, staffed by people in neckties or bowties, vests, and crisp, white shirts.
She really didn’t expect to run into Derrick in the casino unless there was a problem he had to address there. Gambling had never really been a pastime of his, at least not since she had known him—other than their hand of blackjack he’d insisted they play before, just to prove a point.
She was sure he wasn’t there, so she didn’t bother to look for him. She walked haphazardly about, heading nowhere in particular, until something stopped her harshly in her tracks as if she’d stumbled over an invisible tripwire on the floor. There, at a crowded blackjack table, was the man she’d been waiting for.
“Derrick, are you kidding me?” she scolded.
He was so immersed in the game that he didn’t even hear her or bother to respond.
She took hold of his shoulder and gave him a good shake, as if she was trying to wake him up. “Hey, you goof,” she lightly reprimanded. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you. I told you I’d be in the bar. What are you doing in here?”
“Oh, hey,” he said. He was entirely unkempt, boasting a well-past-five o’clock shadow, and it was at least an hour past the time when he’d told her. “Be right there.”
It was obvious to Corrine that the only thing Derrick was hung up on was gambling. She inhaled deeply and just stared at him in disbelief. She understood that one could lose track of time in a Vegas casino. While she didn’t gamble much, she’d had a few nights where she’d gotten sucked into it for hours.
Growing up near Vegas, she had heard stories and even knew a few people who’d crossed the line and ruined themselves, completely destroying their lives for another hit from a dealer or one more spin on the slots. Nevertheless, she had never been stood up because of it, certainly not by a man who claimed to only have a passing interest in games of chance. She wasn’t sure whether she felt mor
e angry or awkward, but it was definitely a little of both. Even though her beloved worked and lived in a hotel with a huge casino, something about him being there just sent up a red flag. It wasn’t an outrageous red flag, but she made a mental note.
“I’m just playing some cards,” he assured her. “I guess I lost track of the time.”
His big, strong arm snaked around her waist and drew her into him. He could lay on the charm without even saying a word, and when her breasts were just about at his face level and his cheek rested against her body, she almost swooned.
“I ate already, but you must be hungry,” she remarked. “Unless you still need to get your gambling fix, why don’t we drive out to my place? I’ll toss you a salad. I think we could both do with a little quiet and normal, a little Paradise.” She smiled, referring to the place she called home.
There never seemed to be any need for clocks in Vegas as the hour was perpetually set to nightlife, so it was easy to get sucked into the fantasy of it. Since they had officially become a couple, they’d made it a point to incorporate non-Vegas elements into their lives, if only to occasionally remind themselves of how the real world lived. Corrine’s cute suburban house didn’t have a picket fence, but it did the trick.
“Is someone trying to avoid her comeuppance for her antics earlier today?” he asked spicily.
“Oh, I didn’t know I was still owed a comeuppance,” she whined playfully.
“Comeuppance sounds so kinky,” he teased.
“Masterminding my fate?” she asked. “Is that what you’ve been doing here?”
“Nothing quite as complicated as that,” he replied. “I was just trying to enjoy myself a little, end of story. As for you, I’ll keep it sweet and to the point.”
He took her hand and slyly moved it to his lap. It was a subtle move, so no one could tell he was letting her know how excited he was to see her when Corrine’s touch grazed his hardness.
“Nice dress, by the way,” he murmured to her. His eyes swept her body, and the vibe shifted from heavy flirtation to sweetness.
Love flowed between them, making her head swim and pushing out any worry she had about what Derrick was doing at a gaming table when he should have been sitting with her. I shouldn’t be a hypocrite. I’ve got no right to make him answer to me when I crossed a line myself earlier today. Talk about rolling the dice!
“I’m so glad you like it,” she purred, glancing down at her dress.
“I think it’s a good idea, going to your place,” he said darkly.
Corrine staggered under his spell, as if his gaze literally hypnotized her.
“I’d love some… salad,” he added suggestively.
“Are you in, Mr. Quinn?” asked the dealer.
Suddenly, Derrick’s attention was snagged away. “Oh, uh, no,” he replied quickly. “I’m good. You’re keeping track, right?”
“Taken care of,” the dealer said with a nod.
Keeping track of what? she wanted to ask, but she bit her tongue. For whatever reason, another red flag went up. She didn’t want to be the type of girlfriend to get in his business, but something about that didn’t sound good. As a businesswoman, she knew all about conflicts of interest, and she worried he might be getting himself mixed up in one. Is Derrick using his position as a top executive to gamble on credit? Maybe he’s allowed to, but still. She laughed nervously, unable to hold back her anxiety, and blurted, “You got a line of credit going, a tab?”
“Nah,” Derrick dismissed. “Let’s go, missy.” He stood and knocked back the rest of his drink, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, then took her arm. “You driving, or am I?” he asked wickedly, their bodies brushing one another constantly as they walked.
The devilish look in his eye said it all. It was a rhetorical question because it was obvious that they would take his car. Derrick’s Porsche 911 sliced through the desert like no one’s business. Corrine had never thought of herself as a materialistic person. She made enough money as a marketing freelancer and lived in a simple house in Paradise, just outside Vegas, but it was nice to take a spin in his luxury car every now and then. In fact, part of her was utterly turned on by the fact that Derrick had a high-powered job that paid very, very well.
Through him, she came to love the glamorous world of Vegas. She didn’t like taking advantage of anyone, but she had to admit that the extra attention the hotel employees paid to her as his significant other was nice now and then. She felt a little guilty about it, but she loved that, and she also loved his car. It was expensive, sexy, and dangerous, just like him, and totally erotic. There really was nothing like riding through the neon nights in Vegas, the last extension of fantasy before they traveled into the square, white-bread reality of her suburban neighborhood.
Derrick grinned and tossed the keys to the valet, and he and Corrine waited for the Porsche to be brought around.
“Oh, I see how it is,” someone said from behind them.
Derrick pivoted on his feet and was none too happy to see the dice man he’d had evicted from the hotel, the one who had insisted on taking Corrine’s things and manhandling her. “I thought I made it clear that you aren’t welcome at the Tresor,” Derrick said stiffly.
“You did,” he said coolly. “But you were in such a damn hurry to throw me out that I forgot to collect my winnings. Yeah, I definitely see how it is.” He scowled at Corrine.
“How what is?” Derrick asked.
“The way I see it, buddy, I didn’t do anything wrong. My friends don’t think so either. This little lady on your arm? She’s just as guilty as I am, but now it makes perfect sense why you threw me out and not her.”
Derrick rolled his eyes, then smirked. “Let’s hear it then, your lame excuse.”
The man’s face spread with a satisfied smile. “You had to toss me out on my ass because your lady was coming on to me,” he said.
“She most certainly wasn’t,” Derrick snapped.
“I beg to differ, man. The broad even blew on my dice to wish me luck.”
Derrick cut his glance to Corrine and raised an eyebrow.
“That’s right, buddy,” the man said. “She even flashed me in the damn pool!”
Derrick pretended to be only casually interested, but Corrine felt his body stiffen. “Mister, you were thrown out because she had to struggle to get away from you, and you took her purse. That’s theft and assault. Possibly even sexual assault. At the very least, it was harassment. You’re lucky I didn’t have you arrested, and here I thought I was being a nice guy.”
“Or maybe you just didn’t want it to come out that you didn’t like me having a little fun with your old lady,” the guy replied smugly.
Derrick, no longer able to withstand the insults and accusations, lunged for the man, but then he quickly regained his composure. Corrine was cold with adrenaline as she watched him dial a number on his cell with trembling fingers.
“Who you callin’ now?” asked the guy.
“Security,” Derrick said. “Get what you came here to get and get the hell out. This will be your second and last escort. You’re officially barred from the Tresor, and I’m this close to having you arrested.”
“Well, if it’s my last hurrah, I’d better make it worth it,” said the guy before he took a swing at Derrick.
Corrine stepped between them, which threw the man’s aim off but also caused him to graze her face, knocking her back into Derrick’s arms.
“Security!” Derrick shouted.
Corrine, dazed and slightly hurt, was only concerned about Derrick. “Get out of here!” she ordered.
A squad of guards rushed the driveway and surrounded the man.
“Throw him out!” ordered Corrine. “He’s officially banned, so he’s trespassing.”
The security guards made quick work of grabbing the man and carrying him away, all while he spewed a rant of curses, threats, and complaints about the meager winnings he’d left behind.
“Thanks for doing my job fo
r me,” Derrick said, not a hint of flirting or joking in his voice. He stared straight ahead at his Porsche as it rolled through the arch of the driveway.
Corrine wasn’t sure what to say to him because she’d never seen him so angry before. He was actually shaking, his breathing labored as he walked over to hold the car door for her. He then rounded the front and climbed coolly into the driver’s seat.
He was quiet at first as they pulled into the tourist traffic. The two of them were solid, and Corrine trusted him and their relationship, but some element of not knowing seemed to rev up the sexual tension. She couldn’t quite deny what the man accused her of, though she also couldn’t admit it was true. Regardless, she wanted to know what Derrick was thinking.
As they reached the outskirts of Vegas and headed toward the stretch between Sin City and Paradise, he pressed the accelerator and sped up. When he finally cut his eyes over at her, there was a wicked glint sparkling in them. “Flashed him, huh?”
“It wasn’t like that. I sorta lost my bikini top for just a second, but he didn’t see—”
“You’ve been so much trouble today,” he said, his voice as smooth as honey.
“I know,” she said, grinning and batting her eyelashes at him. “I didn’t mean to be a bad girl. It was an accident.”
“Fell right into it, did ya?” he asked.
“Maybe, but so have you,” she countered feistily.
“Me?” he asked. His tone was playful, but there was tension beneath that. He had been on edge since before the incident with the evicted guest, and he was also tense at the gaming table.
“Well, yeah,” she said. “You stood me up.”
His hand slid over to her thigh. “We shall see.”
“See what?”
“What we shall see,” he said with a wink and a delicious threat in his voice, making the open road to her house a simple but wonderful pleasure.
