by Amelia Wilde
“I can’t wait to see the casino,” Zelda says, taking my arm and breaking the moment. “I looked it up online, and it’s gorgeous! So historic.”
“It was built more than a century ago.” We walk slowly to the door, and I do my best to fight my irritation when Cal takes Ava’s arm. “It was one of our great-great grandmothers’ ideas.”
“The family was in financial ruin, and she saved us all by starting this massive enterprise,” Cal says.
Zelda tenses at his voice, and I glance down to catch a hint of pink in her cheeks. “It’s enormous.”
“That’s what she said,” my brother mutters behind us, and Ava laughs.
Zee doesn’t respond, but her cheeks redden more. “You said you like to play Baccarat? Is that like poker?”
“More like blackjack.” I pause at the hotel entrance. “I’m afraid we’ve attracted the paparazzi. We’ll have to dash to the car, but I’ll shield you from them.”
“It’s like running the gauntlet.” Zee mutters looking out at them.
As soon as we leave the building, the shouting begins. They call my name, they call Cal’s. They ask who the women are. One bastard makes a shitty crack about me getting a hummer.
Hajib is efficient as always getting the doors open and closed and leaving the premises without killing anyone. We’re all quiet inside, recovering. I’m infuriated by the blowjob remark in front of our guests, particularly Ava.
“Is that something you deal with a lot?” Zelda’s eyes meet mine, and a touch of compassion is in them. “It must be miserable.”
“It goes with the territory.”
“Escorting beautiful women makes it worse,” Cal adds quietly.
“So it’s Ava’s fault?” Zee laughs.
For a moment I study her. She’s serious, and I confess, her humility softens me. “Don’t be so quick to let yourself off the hook.”
She shakes her head, and we’ve arrived at the casino. We’re as close to the entrance as possible, as several of the photographers have followed us. We’ll be safe enough once we’re inside.
Another brisk run, and we’re pushing through the entrance of the palatial casino, the screaming paparazzi blocked outside. Again, we pause to catch our breath and straighten our clothes.
Zelda runs her hands over her pale blonde hair and lifts her chin to look all around the grand salon. “It’s enormous!” She walks across the Persian carpets to gaze at a larger than life oil painting in an ornate golden frame.
The three of us follow a few steps behind her, and while I’ve been in the building more times than I can remember, it’s like seeing the thick, red-velvet drapes and sparkling gold leaf Corinthian accents anew.
“I love this one,” Ava says.
She’s looking up at a huge portrait of a woman in a field of heather that’s being swept forward by the wind.
“Most of these have been here for centuries,” I say. “I’m not sure who painted that one.”
She looks up at me. “It’s very fine. All of it is so… noble.”
“Have you been to many casinos?” I know I should be with Zee, but I notice Cal is with her. They appear to be having a lively conversation, and I’ll steal my moments with this beautiful lady when I can.
“I-I’ve been inside a few,” she says hesitantly, “but only out of curiosity. I’m not allowed to gamble.”
“Not allowed?” I smile, and she blinks away from my eyes.
“I don’t have a poker face.”
“Ah,” I reach for her hand, pulling it into the crook of my arm. “That is a liability.”
“So I’ve been told.”
We start to walk, and in this position, her luscious body is very close to mine. I feel her heat, and I have to fight my primitive desire to take her. Everything in me aches for her.
“Tell me about growing up in Florida,” I say in an effort to redirect. “Were you close to the coast?”
“Yes! We practically lived in the ocean, sometimes we even slept on the beach at night.” Her enthusiasm is adorable.
“We?” My brow lines, and she looks startled.
“Oh…” She looks away, over her shoulder, before turning back. “My older sister… and me.”
“You have a sister? What is her name?” She laughs in a way that sounds a little strangled. I stop and look at her. “Are you feeling ill?”
“Would it be possible to get a drink?” Her hand tightens on my arm, and I cover it with my hand.
“What would you like? Champagne? A cocktail?”
“Whiskey sour?”
“Whiskey?” I grin, and she looks embarrassed. “No, I’m impressed by the contradiction.”
“What do you mean?” She flashes me a look, and I notice something I missed before. Ava Wilder is secretly feisty. I’m intrigued.
Stepping to her, I touch her chin with my thumb. “I’d like to know this side of you better.”
Her full lips part, and my dick stirs. I have to grab the reins on my lust. We’re in a public place for god’s sake.
“Come,” I take her hand and escort her to the elaborate bar. Like everything else, it’s adorned in oil paintings, sculptures, and heavy golden accents.
The bartender is with me at once, and I place our orders. Ava stands beside me looking at the frescos on the ceiling. I take the opportunity to look at her beautiful throat and shoulders.
“Your grace.” The bartender places a tall, slender whiskey sour, accented with a cherry and an orange wedge in front of me.
She nods to my plain tumbler of scotch. “It’s so fancy compared to yours.”
I lift it and give her a toast. “To garnish.”
“You don’t have to pay?” she whispers. Her lips lightly touch my ear, and fuck me.
“We have a tab,” I say as I lead her through the salons, through the French doors, and out to the patio. She lifts the cherry out of her glass and slips it between her full lips. Everything this woman does is pure sex.
“If you’re hungry, there are several restaurants…”
“I’m not.” She smiles, turning to scan the garden. “I hope we can see the fountain. Do you think the photographers will be there screaming at us again?”
“I’ll be sure you see the fountain in peace.”
She glances over my shoulder at my omnipresent bodyguards. “I noticed we have company. Can’t they do anything about the paparazzi?”
“Engaging with them only makes it worse, I’m afraid. We do our best to ignore them.”
“In America they hide behind ‘freedom of the press’ laws.” Her voice is angry. “Freedom of the press means we’re prisoners of print.”
“You’re very smart.” She leans against the stone archway of the balcony, and I slide the backs of my fingers down the soft skin of her arm. A gratifying sprinkle of tiny bumps appears in its wake.
“So I’ve been told.”
“And you have no poker face.” I’m reading her hand. Her soft breasts are flushed, and her breathing fast. Leaning closer, I touch her chin. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since we were at the aquarium.”
“I know.” Her eyes are focused on my shirtfront.
“Look at me,” I order.
She obeys, and when I see the heat in her eyes, it’s all the encouragement I need. I cover her mouth with mine, sliding my hands over her exposed back. With a soft moan, her gorgeous body melts into mine. Her shoulders rise, and the tips of her fingers touch my face. I push her lips apart, tasting her sweet mouth. She’s mint laced with cherries, and every touch, every stroke of our tongues curling together fuels the fire in me.
“I want to make love to you.” My voice is rough and hungry.
“Rowan,” she gasps. “We need to stop. We should talk more.”
I’m chasing her mouth, capturing her full lips, threading my fingers in her silky hair. I’m a junkie, and I’m finally getting the hit I’ve been craving for days. “We can talk later,” I say, claiming her mouth again.
She moans a respon
se, and I know she can feel my arousal. I don’t care. I feel hers in every kiss, every touch. I would take her right here against this stone archway if it weren’t for those fucking bodyguards.
“Let’s go across the street.” I glance up at the guards on duty, pretending not to watch.
“What’s across the street?” she pants, one hand on my neck, the other holding my arm tightly, as if for balance.
My palm is flat against her lower back, holding her securely to me. “The Paris Hotel.”
“Mm,” she struggles, and I allow her to move.
She steps to the side, smoothing her hands over her dress, touching her lips lightly. I watch in frustration. I don’t want her pulling away from me.
“I only meant it would give us more privacy,” I say. “The guards don’t have to be with us there.”
Her eyes widen and she looks around. At once her cheeks flame red, and she covers them with her hands. “Oh my god, I forgot about the guards.”
Stepping forward, I take her in my arms. “Please don’t pull away. They’re an unfortunate byproduct of who I am, but I want to know you better.”
“What about Cal… and Zee? We should find them. We can’t just leave without a word.”
I hate that she has a point. “Cal will look out for your friend. She seems to enjoy his company better anyway.”
Emerald eyes flash to mine, so beautiful. “She thought she was coming here with you tonight. I’m ruining your plans.”
“The only plan I had for tonight was you.”
Pushing away, she shakes her dark head as she walks across the patio to the heavy stone rail. Her black skirt swirls around her legs, and the lines in her torso deepen as she walks. She’s so fucking gorgeous.
“I thought Cal was the playboy prince.” It’s a sharp accusation, and I’m taken aback.
“What does that mean?”
“It seems you get hummers from anonymous women, last night you kissed my sister, and tonight you want me to go to bed with you?”
I’m at a loss. My brain swiftly catalogs her complaints, searching for a rebuttal. “Your sister?”
“I… I mean… Yes!” She’s momentarily flustered. “Zee is like a sister to me. Sometimes we even call each other sister. Is that all you got from what I said?”
“No, I’m sorry, I just wasn’t following you for a moment.” I look away. The top of the enormous fountain is just visible over the hedges. “I don’t know what to say. Yes, I kissed Zelda last night. She had hurt her ankle, and I carried her to the house. It was a thank you kiss, nothing more.”
Her back is to me, and I want to break down these barriers. I want to have her. Perhaps that does make me a playboy prince, but I don’t think in those terms.
I touch her soft shoulder. “The first night I saw you, you quoted Robert Frost. Passionate preference; love at first sight. Why did you say those lines?”
Shanking her head, she does a little shrug. “It came into my mind. I don’t know why.” She walks away, crossing the space to the stone arch.
I’m right behind her, making her face me. “I’m not playing games, Ava. I want to know your mind. We can go back inside and find your friend, but after this night, I want to know you in every way. I don’t want anyone else.”
Her eyes move to my lips, and I know she isn’t offended by my words. I know she wants the same thing as me. I can feel it in her kiss.
“I should say no,” she answers. “I don’t want to be just a nameless face to you, another random woman who satisfies your needs and is later forgotten.”
“You’re so much more than that. Let me show you.”
She only hesitates a moment before surrendering to my request.
12
Focus
Zelda
Cal steps between me and looking for Ava. “You walked out on me last night.” His full lips narrow into that sexy grin. “I want to be angry, but… Damn. Look at you.”
Not going there with him. “I like your coat,” I deflect, flicking a finger over his black sleeve. “Interesting detail. Is that paisley?”
“Who gives a fuck?” He lifts his arm, and in the bright light, the faintest design appears in the fabric. “It’s Ming dynasty, I think. Pretty basic for Balmain.”
“Is he the royal designer?”
“If he is, he wouldn’t work with me. I picked this out at a show last spring.”
“Wearing a year-old tux? Shocking! No wonder he skipped you,” I tease, walking slowly across the polished marble floor. An enormous black star is in the center. “You know, they have a replica of this place in Vegas? They have replicas of all the great casinos there.”
“Have you been?”
I shake my head. “Now I never will. It would be too depressing.”
“No arrogant princes following you around?”
Glancing to the side, I smile. “You’re not so arrogant.”
“I must be. I’m convinced you should choose me over him.”
The tone in his voice is serious, and a little charge moves through my stomach. It makes me miserable. I’ve already chosen him over Rowan, but I can’t let it happen. As much as I prefer spending time with him, I can’t blow this opportunity for Ava and me.
“Speaking of him, where is his royal majesty?”
“Probably playing Baccarat. Are you asking me to take you there?”
I can’t tell if he’s angry or not. He has an impeccable poker face. “You can get me a drink.”
“Your wish is my command. Champagne?”
“I think I had enough champagne last night. Gin and tonic.”
“Shit. I was hoping to cloud your judgment again.” He gives me a wink and saunters off to the elaborate bar.
I look down at my fingers twisting together. I’ve got to find Rowan. I’ve got to get my head out of the clouds and my ass with the crown prince. I wore this dress, these heels, all of it to entice him. Here I am reveling in the attentions of the wrong man.
Only a few moments pass, and he’s back. “Speaking of Balmain, you should go with me to the spring show. They’re one of the few houses that uses live orchestration.”
“I’ve never been to a fashion show.”
“That settles it, then.” He leans forward and whispers, “I’ll get that cherry.”
My heart beats faster. “Were you expecting to get another one?”
“No.” He stops and catches my chin, stealing a brief kiss along with my breath. “I’m not such a sexist prig to think if you’re not my first, I should be yours.”
“You’re the very model of a modern playboy prince.”
“Pirates of Penzance?”
Exhaling a laugh, I shake my head. “I’ve never seen it. I got that from that god-awful Pirate Movie.”
We’ve been walking since we got our drinks, and now we’re at the back entrance to the casino. He leads me out the ornate doors onto a long terrace overlooking the sea. The moon is just rising, touching the water with silvery tips. It’s gorgeous.
“You hate every movie,” he says.
“I do not. I just have a low tolerance for crap.”
Cal sits on the stone railing in front of me, and his warm hands cover the exposed skin on my hips as he pulls me close to his body.
“Where did you acquire such a refined taste in film?” He leans forward to kiss the side of my neck, and that little fish in my middle is flipping all over the place.
“Cal…” Setting my drink down, I push against his shoulders.
He only tightens his hold. “I’m not letting you go, so stop struggling. Now answer my question.”
My entire body is on fire. “My parents loved classic films. It’s where Ava…” Shit! “I mean, um… It’s why Ava and I became friends.”
“You have parents in common?” Another burning kiss.
“Our parents were a lot alike.”
“Interesting,” he murmurs, moving higher into my hair. My knees go liquid, and I almost collapse. “You smell delicious.”
His kisses travel to my jaw. Somehow I manage to bend my elbows and push myself out of his arms.
“Seriously, Cal, we’re not doing this.”
“Why the devil not? We did a damn good job of it last night.”
“I’d had too much champagne last night.”
His hazel eyes flash. “I’m calling bullshit on that, Miss Benedict, you were not drunk last night.”
I start to walk away, but he’s right behind me, catching my arm. “Wait. I’m sorry. Don’t go. Let’s talk some more.”
It’s a mistake. I know it with every fiber of my being, but I don’t leave. “It’s really beautiful here. I love the water.”
“We can walk down to the shore and look for ghost crabs,” he says, sliding my hair off my cheek with his finger. “If you twist your ankle, I’ll carry you this time.”
“Cal—” My argument is lost in his mouth covering mine.
He kisses me the way he always does, passionate and consuming. Our lips part, his tongue finds mine, and heat floods my core. Warm hands slide over my bare back, dipping lower, into the back of my dress. I push my fingers into his hair and pull him closer to me. Oh, god, I should stop this, but I want it so much.
“I love this dress,” he murmurs against my cheek, and pleasure snakes up my thighs along with his fingers.
He’s lifting my skirt, making his way to the center. I hold my breath, waiting for him to discover…
“Fuck me,” he hisses, and our eyes lock. That naughty grin splits his cheeks. “Somebody forgot her panties tonight.”
Laughter explodes from my lips, and I drop my forehead against his shoulder. “Oh my god,” I groan as his finger slides over my clit, making me jump. “Oh, god, Cal.” I’m not arguing anymore, I’m begging.
“You don’t have to beg, beautiful, I’ll make you come.” Husky words, lost in our mouths as he kisses me again, deeper, taking what he wants. It’s what we both want.
Instinctively, my knee rises, allowing my skirt to go higher on my legs. Cal never stops touching me, sliding his fingers rapidly over that rigid little button until my thighs begin to tremble.