by K. C. Crowne
“What?” he called out after me. “Something I said?”
I found the nearest bedroom, slamming the door behind me and not even taking a moment to soak up the luxury before plopping onto the king-sized bed and letting out a frustrated grunt into the pillow.
Prick. Total prick. And I was stuck with the guy for the next day and a half. But the worst part? My mind was my own worst enemy. The moment I closed my eyes, I conjured up an image of what it would be like if I were to take Gavin up on his offer.
I pictured him striding into the bedroom, as usual not giving a damn what I said or did. He’d stand over the bed, that cocky-as-eff smirk on his face as he drank in the sight of my body before him. Then he’d pull his shirt off and toss it into the corner, his sculpted body on full display.
“What the hell are you doing?” I’d ask, trying to ignore the fact that my panties were getting more and more soaked by the second.
“Giving you exactly what you want,” he’d say, stepping to the edge of the bed.
I’d rub my thighs together, trying to take my mind off the arousal building in me. “What I want is for you to get the fuck out of here.”
But he wouldn’t pay my words any heed. Instead, he’d move onto the bed with surprising agility, putting his hand on the small of my back, his other on my breast. “Tell me again what you want,” he’d say.
“I want…I want…you.” Then his lips would seal onto mine.
I let out another grunt into the pillow, annoyed with myself.
What a fucking mess. And I was right in the middle of it.
Gavin
“Yo! You alright in there?”
I was in front of the closed door to the bedroom Gia had stormed into. Part of me wanted to check to see if she’d locked it, but I didn’t want to push my luck. I was in enough hot water with her as it was.
“Fine! Go away!”
I knew, knew, I should’ve kept the smartass-ness to a minimum. But I couldn’t help myself. “Uh, so I couldn’t help but notice you took the master bedroom. Just thinking that’s kind of bold, you know? Mind coming out here so we can at least draw straws?”
“Go away, Gavin.” Her tone made it clear as the gorgeous Vegas day outside that she hadn’t found the slightest bit of humor in what I’d said.
I could get why she was upset at me for saying what I had. Things had been more than a little fucked back in the day, but it wasn’t like she’d been the only one who’d gotten hurt. I’d left her broken-hearted, wondering what the hell had gone wrong between us. But I’d been going through my own drama at the time dealing with Mariah and her insanity.
It wasn’t like I’d walked away unscathed. “Gia?”
She didn’t answer, and I decided it was the time to cut my losses and let her sulk. I’d gotten into trouble with my words, and the odds of digging myself deeper into my little pit were strong if I kept pushing her. So I went back down to the main living room, grabbed my bag, and headed to the bedroom on the opposite side of Gia’s. I set the bag on my bed, took out a change of clothes and my toiletry kit.
Minutes later I was dressed in a white button-up and navy slacks, a pair of black, Italian leather penny loafers on my feet. My Patek Philippe on my wrist completed the look. I stepped out onto the balcony, slipping my Ray Ban Wayfarers over my eyes as I took in the sight of the Vegas Strip.
The city was ready to be conquered. And I was more than ready to do it.
After adding a spritz of cologne, I decided to make speaking to Gia the first test of my day’s luck. Once at her still-closed bedroom door, I gave it a light knuckle rap.
“Hey, Gia. Not sure what you’ve got planned, but I’m going to head downstairs and do a little gambling. Want to come with? Maybe grab some lunch?”
No reply. Was she really going to give me the freaking silent treatment?
“What do you—”
“No!” she called out, her voice muffled through the door. “I’m napping! Do whatever you want!”
A breath of annoyance blew out of my mouth. I shook my head, frustrated that she was pulling the sleepy gambit. Back in the day, saying she was tired had been her way of dealing with situations she felt overwhelmed by. Whenever Gia said she needed to get home to take a nap, I knew that meant she was in a bad mood.
And I knew her well enough to get that there was no talking her out of it – not unless I wanted her to get more pissed at me than she already was. Best thing to do would be to let her chill and come out on her own time. And since getting tossed off a penthouse balcony wasn’t how I’d imagined our Vegas trip to go, I was fine giving her some space.
I took the elevator down to the main floor. When the doors opened and I stepped out, the sights and sounds of the casino jolted me with a blast of energy. I was ready for some fun.
Caesar’s Palace was like no place in Vegas. It had an amazing mixture of old-school cool and modern fun, the Roman aesthetic cheesy in all the right ways. I slipped through the crowd, weaving through the tourists and staff as they hurried around me.
There was really no place like the floor of a Vegas casino. People from all over the world were there, from Chinese tourist groups to middle-Americans to wealthy Europeans sauntering around in their finery like they owned the place.
I stopped off at the bar, ordering a finger of some good whiskey as I took in the scene, soaking up the energy. But damned if my thoughts didn’t go right back to Gia.
I’d made a joke out of the whole thing, busting her chops about sleeping with her. But it hadn’t actually been a joke. She’d seen through that, of course – Gia was many things, but dumb certainly wasn’t one of them. Really, she was one of the sharpest people I’ve ever known. No surprise she’d been able to go right into a tough industry like hers and carve out a good living.
How much I wanted to sleep with her again? That was no joke at all. From the moment I’d laid eyes on her after all these years I’d known without a single doubt in my mind that I wanted her. And I was a man who got what I wanted.
But how to do it? I sipped my drink, watching the controlled chaos of the casino floor, my eyes settling on a middle-aged man with a bright green golf polo stretched over his big belly. He was seated at a blackjack table, taking cards and pushing chips onto the green felt. A smile broke out across his face as one of the cards was flipped, and I could tell he’d won big.
It put me in the mood for some gambling. After finishing my drink and buying some chips, I made my way over to one of the Texas Hold ‘Em tables, dropping into an open seat and tossing a few chips on to the table.
“This is a two thousand buy-in, sir.” The voice of the dealer snapped me into the moment.
“Huh?”
The reedy, older man nodded down at my chips. “This table’s a two thousand dollar buy-in. That’s thirty worth of chips.”
“Oh, sure.” I sorted through my chips, fishing out a couple thousand and tossing them onto the table. I’d wanted to gamble, but from the moment I’d actually sat down at the table my mind returned to Gia. I found myself thinking about what it would’ve been like if she’d had said yes to my little proposal.
The thought of being in bed with her was enough to make me half-hard right there at the table. I imagined slowly pulling her panties down her bare, shapely legs before reaching up and squeezing her full, perfect tits. Then I’d move up, my cock grazing her thigh as I positioned myself between her legs. She’d nod, letting me know she wanted exactly what I had in mind. I’d put my head at her entrance, pushing into her, Gia’s tight warmth warping around me as I—
“The flop.” The dealer spoke as he laid out the three cards to start the hand. I shook my head, coming back to the moment.
I’d played Texas Hold ‘E m in med school more than a few times and sizing up hands and knowing how to bluff came second-nature to me. I tossed another thousand onto the table, the ante enough to knock one of the players, a young guy in a Polo baseball cap, out of the hand.
The river was next, t
he dealer putting one more card onto the table. I sized it up then held, wanting the other players to be uncertain about what I was holding.
Gia, Gia, Gia. My eyes drifted, landing on a group of twenty-something women as they stepped out of a long hallway. It wasn’t their looks I was concerned with, but what they were wearing over their short-shorts and tank tops – big, fluffy white robes with gold lettering on the chest.
They’d just had a spa day.
I grinned, knowing exactly I had in mind.
“And the turn,” the dealer said, placing the last card on the table.
“All in,” I announced.
That knocked out a few more. One guy left – a wealthy man who seemed to take my lack of attention as lack of skill. He grinned, pushing his chips onto the table, a shark smile on his lips. A little over twelve thousand was on the table. But I was ready.
We flipped over our cards, gasps sounding from the small crowd that had gathered around the table. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted an expression of total shock and disappointment on Mr. Fancy-Pant’s face.
“Two pair,” the dealer spoke, referring to my opponent’s hand. “And a straight flush.”
Applause broke out in the little crowd, the dealer pushing over ten thousand dollars in chips in front of me. I had more important things on my mind than winnings. I quickly slipped one of the thousand dollar chips over to the dealer before grabbing my winnings and hurrying to the exchange booth. Once I had my cash, my next stop was to the front desk for the Qua Spa – the official spa of Caesar’s Palace.
“Okay,” I said, excitement rushing through me as I rolled up the desk. “You have any appointments for right now?”
The pretty, well-groomed woman behind the counter raised her eyebrows in muted surprise. “Of course, sir. Last minute appointments are a premium, however.”
“Not a problem. I’d like to book an appointment for thirty minutes from now. And I want the best package you’ve got.”
She smiled, pleased to hear it. “Well, our full package consists of hot stone treatment, Thai massage, and a full chakra-realignment.”
“Perfect. One package for Gia Stone.”
She rang me up, and the moment I had the card in hand I slipped my phone out and called Gia. It rang a few times, and for a moment I worried she might still be pissed and wouldn’t answer.
“Yes?” she said when she finally picked up, a tinge of impatience to her voice.
“Gia,” I said, all smiles. “Need you to meet me down in the lobby.”
“Can’t,” she responded, her tone sharp. “In the middle of something.”
“What’re you in the middle of?” I asked, trying to hide my exasperation at her legendary stubbornness.
“Work. Taking care of some stuff for the next couple weeks’ events. I’ll probably be pretty busy most of the afternoon, so do whatever you want down there.”
“Wrong answer. You’re going to close your computer and get that fine booty of yours down to the lobby.”
“Gavin, I told you I’m busy.”
“G, you’re in Vegas. I don’t care how much work you have, it’s a damn crime to spend this weekend in the hotel room working on spreadsheets or whatever. Let your hair down; have some fun.”
“You can do the letting the hair down for the both of us.”
Time for my ace up the sleeve. “How about this – someone, not going to say who, might’ve booked a spa day for you.”
“What?” Her voice was surprised, and I detected a hint of pleasure.
“Okay, it was me, of course.”
She sighed. “Gavin, you didn’t have to do that.”
It was time to swallow my pride. “I know I didn’t have to – I wanted to. I’ve been a little out of line since we got here, and I don’t want you to not have fun because I can’t keep my big mouth shut.”
She was quiet for a moment, then quietly asked, “Did you seriously book me a spa day?”
“I seriously did. And it’s just for you. You’ll have the next few hours to chill, not worry about a thing. And when you’re done and your chakras are, um, re-chakra’d or whatever, we can grab some dinner and see the show.”
Another beat of silence. “I don’t know, Gavin. Seems like too much.”
“Here’s the deal,” I said with a grin. “You get your butt down here and get pampered like you’ve never been pampered before or I’ll come up there and throw you over my shoulder like I used to do back in the day.”
She laughed. “When is it?”
“Come down now. They’ll provide the fluffy robe, so you don’t need to worry about getting dressed.”
“Alright, alright. Meet you down in the lobby in five.”
“Perfect.”
The line went dead. It was going to take a hell of a lot of work to get back on good terms with Gia, but I was up to the challenge.
Either way, I had a feeling this trip would be one to remember.
Gia
The moment I was off the phone with Gavin, I shut my laptop with an annoyed sigh.
I wasn’t mad at him – and that was the problem. I was annoyed with myself for being charmed by the guy. Memories from high school flooded back the more time I spent with him – specifically times I’d been pissed off like crazy for him only to talk his way back into my heart.
I let my head hang back, letting out one more sigh. I’d been so damn certain of my plan, which was to work through the day, get some dinner with him later, and be back in Colorado as soon as possible, ready to put this whole weird-as-hell weekend behind me.
Of course, Gavin wouldn’t make things that simple.
A spa day did sound pretty damn good, however. And hadn’t he said it’d just be for me? I could relax and get a massage, and he could do whatever the hell he wanted to do.
I pulled off my oversized college sweatshirt, quickly swapping my T-shirt for a top that was a little more form-fitting. I gave myself a once-over in the mirror, undoing my ponytail and letting my hair hang down over my shoulders and deciding makeup would be a waste of time.
When I was ready, I grabbed my purse and phone and stepped into the elevator. When the doors opened moments later, there he was, a single rose in his hand.
Gavin stood leaning against the wall across from the elevator, looking effortlessly sharp in his white button-up and polished shoes. Our eyes locked, and if he was still worried I was pissed at him, he sure as hell didn’t show it.
“Ready for the most relaxing afternoon of your life?” He pushed himself off the wall, sauntering over and handing me the rose.
“Did you seriously get me a flower?” I asked.
He grinned. “I know you’ve never been one for sentimental stuff like that, but there’s a little floral shop on the casino floor and I couldn’t resist.”
I glanced down at the rose, shaking my head. “Well, I don’t think they’re going to let me take this into the spa.”
Gavin gracefully slipped it out of my hand, my eyes lingering on the gorgeous, blood-red bulb. “It’ll be waiting for you back in the room. Now get over there and start relaxing. We’ve got a big night ahead of us, and I want you to be good and ready.”
He winked one more time before moving around me, the doors to the elevator shutting as he stepped inside, the devilish wink on his face the last thing I saw before they closed.
Well, shit.
I stepped out of the spa hours later so loose and limber and refreshed that I felt as if I might melt into a puddle on the way back to the room. A big, broad smile was on my face, and my feet seemed to barely touch the ground.
Gavin might be a cocky little shit, and I still might want to punch him right in that smug, stupidly handsome face for what he did to me all those years ago, but the spa day had been so freaking nice that I was almost willing to put it all behind me.
I walked slowly, taking in the sights and sounds of the casino floor. It was odd – casinos had never been my thing. The only appeal of Vegas had been the warm weath
er and sun. But being in that place, corny as it was, I couldn’t help but get caught up in the magic of the city.
After checking my watch and seeing that I was good on time, I decided to head out onto the Strip. The moment I left Caesar’s Place, the sun hitting my face as the fountains ahead sprayed up into the air, I couldn’t help but grin like a crazy person.
There really was something about this town. Or maybe it was only the afterglow from the best massage I’d ever had in my life. My phone buzzed in my back pocket, a wave of tension running through me at the idea of it being Gavin. But it wasn’t him – it was Kenna making a Facetime call. I slipped my Air pods into my ear and answered, holding the phone out in front of me.
“Hey!” she said, her voice chipper as could be. She was in her apartment, the white wall behind her a total contrast to the blue sky and grand façade of Caesar’s Palace on my end. “Wow…that’s quite something.”
I glanced over my shoulder at the casino, turning my attention back to Kenna. “I know. It’s kind of gaudy but kind of amazing at the same time. And Gavin’s been splurging like crazy.”
“Wait, splurging? Like how?”
“The plane wasn’t good enough, so he rented a private one. Then he upgraded to a bigger suite. And then he booked me a four-hour spa day.”
Kenna raised her eyebrows, a crafty smile appearing on her lips. But she didn’t say a word. She didn’t need to.
“And no, to answer your question, I haven’t done anything with him. And I won’t.”
“Well, he’s pulling out the stops. Guys don’t do stuff like that unless they’ve got big ideas in mind.”
I sighed, shaking my head. “I mean, he said something to that effect.”
Her eyes lit up. “Are you serious? Just came out and said it?”
“More or less. But there’s not a chance in hell I’m going to hook up with him or whatever else he’s expecting. The guy has his moments, but he can be too cocky for his own good sometimes.”
“Well, what would be so bad about that?”