***
After Trent had registered for the conference, they explored the hotel. Everywhere they looked people were enjoying the sights and sounds of a temperature controlled Venetian evening. From shorts and T-shirts, to diamonds and fur, all types of tourists were walking along the boulevards and canals, looking at the attractions or looking to be seen.
Leaning over one of the bridges spanning the Grand Canal, Gracie stared into the water. "Look how blue and clear the water is."
Gondolas meandered up and down the waterway. The sound of Italian songs filled the boulevards as gondoliers sung to their passengers. Trent moved closer to Gracie. If she leaned any further over the bridge, she'd tip head first into the water she'd been admiring.
"Have you ever been to Venice, Gracie?"
She looked over her shoulder. "No, but I bet this little slice of Italy is just about as good." She waved to some laughing tourists as they floated toward her. "Let's go for a gondola ride."
"How about food first? I'm starving."
"Okay, but it's my shout. No arguing."
Trent frowned at her. "Shout? You have some of the most confusing ways of speaking, Gracie Donnelly. I take it a 'shout' means you want to pay?"
"The man is positively brilliant. Let's find some food."
They eventually came across the Canaletto, a beautiful Italian restaurant overlooking St. Marks Square.
They ordered pizza and Trent pulled a chair out for Gracie. "A glass of prosecco for madam?"
"Now look who's talking in riddles."
"Italian champagne. Would you like a glass?"
"Yes, please. How come you know about prosecco?"
Trent nodded at a waiter circling the tables. "I had a four-month vacation in Italy a few years ago." He grinned at her expression. "Even cowboys get to leave the ranch occasionally."
"It must have been a bit more up-market than my backpacking adventures around Europe. Going to the Beerfest in Munich was about as classy as I managed to get." A quartet of musicians started playing a mini concert in the Square. Gracie nodded at the crowd listening to the music. "That's the third bridal couple I've seen since we've been sitting here. Do you think they're trying to tell you something?"
"Like maybe we should get married and live happily-ever-after?"
"Dreams are free, cowboy." Gracie bit into a slice of pizza. "Yum, this tastes amazing."
He grunted. She'd already turned his offer down once. The chances of Gracie changing her mind were almost zilch, but he'd bet on worse odds before. He swirled the wine in his glass.
"So what have you been doing to find Ms. Right?"
"Nothing, Ms. Wrong. I figure at this stage in the game either fate will take a leading hand and throw someone at my feet or I'll have to pay someone to do the deed with me."
Gracie eloquently raised her eyebrows. Mozzarella cheese dripped down her chin. "Well, you've come to the right city. Imagine the possibilities if you'd come alone. You could have brought a blushing bride back to the Triple L and introduced her to the family as Mrs. McKenzie."
"There's still time, honey." The little frown on her forehead told him his comment hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Well, while you're contemplating the next Mrs. Trent McKenzie, I'm going to have a look at the dessert menu. The pizza was far too healthy for my first night in Venice."
***
By midnight, Gracie was ready to call it quits. They'd toured the shops of the Grand Canal until their feet were sore. They'd licked sorbet and gelato from sugar cones in the marketplace and enjoyed mugs of hot chocolate in the Tintoretto Bakery.
On their way back to the hotel, she'd bought some beautiful Venetian glass jewelry boxes. Clutching them carefully in her hands, she listened to the music filling the elevator as they rode up to the twenty-first floor. "I've had a great night. What time do you want to meet for breakfast?"
"I've got to be at the conference by eight thirty, so how about we meet at seven? Whoever's ready first can bang on the other person's door."
The elevator doors pinged open and Gracie headed toward her room. "I've got a hot date with the bathtub all lined up, complete with every smelly potion I can find."
Trent gazed at her, a wicked smile slipping across his face. "If you need a hand to wash your back, just holler."
"Don't wait up," she grinned. "I like my baths deep, hot, and on my own."
"Spoilsport."
Opening her door, she turned to Trent. "Sweet dreams. I'll see you at seven." She blew him a kiss as the door shut in his face.
***
Trent glanced down at his watch. Seven o'clock and he'd heard nothing from the room next door. He put his key card in his pocket and knocked on Gracie's door. "Are you ready?"
A muffled voice came from the other side of the door. "I'll be ten seconds."
Yep, he thought. Caught having a snooze. The door opened. Gracie stood dripping in the doorway, a black towel pulled tight around her body and a sheepish look in her eyes. "Sorry. I'm not quite ready."
He cleared his throat. His breathing almost stopped as he followed a water droplet dripping down the side of her face, disappearing between her breasts. Jamming his hands in his pockets, he held onto the lining for dear life in case he was tempted to do more than look.
It was just as well Gracie had no idea of the thoughts racing through his brain, and other more obvious places. She'd run a mile if she came close to guessing what he'd like to do with all five-foot-one of her, standing almost naked in front of him.
A family came out of the room opposite, staring with open mouths at Gracie. She pulled him through her door. "Wait here. I won't be long."
He looked around her room, sucking in a few deep breaths. At some stage she'd attempted to unpack. Two empty suitcases were piled on top of a table and the other one sat open on the end of her bed. It looked like a squirrel had ransacked its contents, sending clothes flying in all directions.
"Ready."
He glanced up. Gracie wore an orange dress with a deep blue sweater thrown over the top. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, the damp ends of her hair making something twist deep in his gut. "That was quick. I thought I'd be here half the morning waiting for you."
"No way, handsome. Vegas awaits. I've already been to the gym this morning. You should see it; all the latest whiz-bang exercise equipment you could imagine is up there." She ran back to her bed, hunting in her suitcase for something. A pair of sandals appeared in her hand. "I can't wait to start exploring the streets."
He grinned at her enthusiasm. "Let's go and get breakfast. While I'm sitting listening to the latest news on environmental stewardship, you can be kicking up a storm in Vegas."
***
Gracie groaned in pure bliss. She'd booked a massage and full makeover at the Canyon Ranch Spa. At the end of a hot day spent walking from casino to casino, she'd needed the gentle kneading to soothe her tired muscles and re-energize her body for the night ahead.
After the massage, she floated through to another room and sank into a luxurious sofa. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander. This was so much better than feeding animals and digging fence posts. An image of Trent with his shirt off and sweat running between his shoulder blades filled her mind. Fixing fences had major side benefits as long as it wasn't her on the end of a post digger.
Biting her bottom lip, Gracie remembered the way Trent's eyes had crinkled at the corners when she'd thrown his shirt at him. The next time she'd looked into those eyes, she'd seen a heat so raw blazing from their depths that she almost forgot she wasn't the woman Trent needed in his life. And that he wasn't the man for her.
Gracie knew there was only so much muscle a woman could stand before she did something she'd regret. So she'd run. Straight into Daisy, who'd snuck up behind her to munch some grass. Trent had given her a lopsided grin and taken his sweet time clicking the snaps of his shirt together.
She'd learned one very important lesson from her post digging exercise. Trent
McKenzie had muscles galore. Muscles that would get her into trouble if she wasn't careful.
After a couple of glasses of ice-cold mineral water, a woman called Gina took her through to the makeup studio. Gracie immediately felt at home among the creams and lotions stacked with an eye to sales around the room. She sat back, ready to enjoy a girly session guaranteed to banish a certain male from her mind.
After an hour of pampering, she looked in the mirror at a different person. You couldn't mistake her for a cowgirl on trainer wheels now. In the blink of an eye she'd graduated to a city slicker knock-out.
***
At half past five Gracie knocked on Trent's door.
"You managed to find your?" His jaw went slack and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Gracie grinned at his stunned expression. "What do you think?" She twirled in the corridor. "Do I pass muster?"
Trent swallowed. "You look amazing."
"Thank you, sir. You look pretty fine yourself." Her eyes traveled the length of his body. She had to swallow the sigh hovering on her lips.
A man on the lookout for a bride might get the wrong impression if she started drooling at the sight of a navy blue pin-stripe suit and tie. Gracie smelled his musky aftershave and went weak at the knees. Stepping forward, she touched the lapel of his jacket. "I've never seen you in a suit before. You should wear one more often."
His eyes turned slate gray. Moving a step closer, he lifted his hand to her face, whispering in her ear, "You haven't seen anything yet."
His breath tickled the side of her face, but it wasn't his breath she was worried about. It was the lips running along her jaw, sending hot and needy signals to other parts of her body that caused her the most concern. And the biggest problem was that she liked those feelings way too much.
Gracie moved her head, trying to stop Trent's lips from doing even more damage to her fragile resolve. As soon as she moved her head, she came face to face with his mouth. A mouth that tempted and teased and left her hungry for more.
She leaned into Trent. She didn't care about the consequences. She'd live for the moment and worry about tomorrow when it came.
She nipped Trent's bottom lip. He groaned, and desire streaked down her spine.
He pulled her inside his room, nudging her against the back of the door. Gracie felt every nerve ending scream in pleasure as he sunk deep into her mouth. His hands moved from her back to her chest, gently rubbing her breasts until she felt as though she was on fire.
Yanking the bottom of his shirt clear of his trousers, she ran her hands along his ribcage. Hard muscles flexed under the gentle pressure of her fingertips.
"Honey, I don't know if I can stop."
"I don't want you to." Leaning back, she slowly undid each button of his shirt, her lips following the path of her fingers.
Heat radiated off Trent's skin and his breath fanned her body in short, raw bursts. He moved his hand down her back, lifting the hem of her dress until she felt his hands gliding over her bottom. His fingers traced a hot path to the edge of her panties, teasing her until she was desperate to feel him inside her.
"Don't stop," she panted.
"Hold onto my shoulders."
Gracie reached up, clinging to his shirt like a lifeline. Trent took a step forward, pressing her into the wall. Pressing his fingers right where they needed to be. Gracie groaned as an orgasm tore through her body. Every time her muscles clenched, Trent rubbed a little deeper, a little different, until she didn't know where one climax finished and another began.
Her arms dropped to his waist. She leaned her head against his chest, trying to remember to breathe. Trying to remember when she'd last felt so loved.
She groaned.
"It's okay," Trent murmured, holding her gently. "Did I hurt you?"
She shook her head. "That was?I mean?you were?"
Trent bent down and caught her lips in a soft kiss.
"?Amazing," Gracie sighed. She felt his chest move, caught the chuckle drifting over her head. She felt him relax. Well?parts of him relax. Gracie nudged his bare chest with her nose. Her fingers danced over his hot skin.
He wasn't so relaxed now.
"Your turn," Gracie whispered. She reached for the button at the top of his trousers, nearly ripping it off when it wouldn't budge. Trent pulled back, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He undid the button, and Gracie pushed his trousers down his legs. He stepped out of them, nearly falling flat on his face when they caught the top of his boots.
A wicked gleam lit his eyes. "You nearly had me on my back in two seconds flat."
Gracie purred in anticipation. Two seconds seemed like a good timeline to her. "Promises, promises," she whispered.
A grin spread across Trent's face. Kicking his boots off, he stepped free of his trousers. "I want to see you, Gracie. All of you."
Taking a deep breath, she reached behind her, slowly unzipping her dress. Trent's face tightened. One strap slipped off her shoulder. His pupils dilated to fill his eyes with a desire so deep, so total, that she nearly melted on the spot.
She heard Trent's sharp intake of breath as her dress slithered down her body, landing in a blue sequined puddle on the floor.
He leaned forward to unhook her bra.
Gracie stepped back. "Watch, cowboy." She unclasped her bra, dropping the wisp of black lace to the floor. She took a step forward, kneading his overheated skin and stroking him until they were both breathless and panting. She laced her fingers through his and pulled him across the room.
They landed on his bed in a jumble of arms and legs.
She moved restlessly as he left hot and hungry kisses on her skin, teasing her until she couldn't think beyond the need clawing between them. He pushed her panties off and moved back to explore the rest of her body.
Gracie grabbed Trent by the hair when he nudged the side of her thigh with his head. "I haven't done that before."
He moved up toward her face and smiled. "Trust me."
She swallowed and nodded.
He kissed her mouth with infinite tenderness then moved down her body. Gripping the sheets in her hands, she braced herself as the first gentle lick of his tongue sent unbelievable waves of sensation through her body. "Oh God, Trent. More, I want more."
Gracie writhed on the bed as she spun out of control. "Now, Trent. I need you inside me."
"I just need to?" He reached for his jacket.
Gracie sat up, needing his heat against her, needing more than she'd ever wanted from anyone. She nipped the side of his neck with her teeth and felt him tremble.
Trent turned toward her, his eyes glowing with desire and something more. Something that made a different kind of heat spiral between them. He caught her mouth in a hungry kiss, melting every bone in her body. Pushing back into the bed, Gracie lifted her hips, wrapping her legs around his waist. She shuddered as he teased her, moving in slow deliberate strokes that left her panting for more.
"Now," she whimpered. He surged forward and she bucked under him. They came hard and fast, pushing each other over the edge and into supernova status.
When their heartbeats slowed down, Trent slowly rolled off her, pulling her tight against his side.
"I can't believe we just did that." She gently rubbed her nose across his chest. Trent's skin was slick with sweat, his heart beat fast beneath her cheek.
He laughed. "Sure beats happy hour in the cocktail lounge."
A horrible thought crossed her mind. Wiggling into a sitting position, she pulled the cotton sheet under her armpits. "You do realize that this, this?interlude doesn't mean I'm going to marry you."
"Ma'am, the way I'm feeling right at this moment, I could stay unmarried to you for the rest of my life if you'd be happy to share my bed."
Gracie frowned. Then huffed. "Well. I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or not, but this?thing that happens between us, it can't happen again."
"Honey, you might as well tell th
e wind to stop blowing if you think what happens between us can be flicked off at your bidding. It's not going to happen." Trent pulled the sheet and Gracie landed flat on her back. "And for the record, short-stuff, what happens between us is no summer breeze. It's a full blown tornado."
He leaned forward and gently caressed her lips. She sighed as her body rippled into life. Her mouth opened and Trent slid in, hot, hungry, and needy.
Gracie groaned as a slither of sanity edged its way into her brain. Lying buck naked under Trent wasn't how she'd imagined spending her time in Las Vegas. And if she didn't move soon, they'd be spending even more time curled around each other. She pulled her mouth away, gasping for breath. "I'm going to have a shower." His cheeky grin made her smile. "In my own room."
"Are you sure? We could try some bubble bath in my tub."
"Nice try." She grinned. "But I'm leaving." Slipping out the side of the bed, she grabbed the duvet and wrapped it around her body.
"You look like a snowman."
Gracie glanced up. Trent had a goofy grin plastered across his face. "Don't look too smug, Trent McKenzie. We've still got the conference dinner and show to go to. Unless you get out of bed quick smart, we'll be walking in late. And guess what everyone will think?"
"That we've been dicing with danger in the casino?"
"Nope." Gracie moved across to the door with her clothes in one hand, and the extra miles of duvet slung over her shoulder. "Think again, cowboy. These are ranch men we're talking about, not inner city paper pushers."
Gracie put her ear to the door and listened for footsteps. Getting caught in the corridor with a duvet wrapped around her body would finish the evening off nicely. She poked her head out the door. All she saw was beige-on-beige carpet. No tourists, no housekeepers, and no families waiting to see an almost naked woman streak between rooms. As she stepped under the hard spray of the shower, she could still hear Trent's laughter following her out the door.
Heaven help her now.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Trent hooked his arm around Gracie's shoulders. After the conference dinner and the Cirque du Soleil show at the Venetian, they'd escaped with three other couples on a tour of the night lights of Las Vegas. Halfway through the night, Gracie discovered frozen raspberry margaritas. As they'd moved in and out of the shuttle bus, she'd become less steady on her feet, purring like a pussycat against his body.
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