“There’s no way she’s going to do it,” one of the bridesmaids mumbled.
“Probably not,” Maria agreed before lifting the bottle of the one hundred and ninety-two proof Polish vodka she’d snagged at the ice bar we’d hit up before calling it a night. “But I’m cool with that too because then she’ll have to take a shot in a forfeit. That will be almost as funny because Amelia isn’t much of a drinker, and this stuff is like jet fuel.”
I grimaced, reminding myself that my cousin really did love me even if she wasn’t showing it in the best way at the moment. She’d had more than her fair share of that vodka, along with several other drinks tonight. Blaming her teasing on the alcohol, I was almost ready to call off her harebrained dare and take a swig from the bottle when I spotted him—the only man I could picture myself kissing tonight...or any night, for that matter.
He strode out of the hotel and casino directly next door to the one where we were staying. He was wearing a black suit that looked as though it had been tailored to fit his tall body. His dark hair was overdue for a cut, and my fingers itched to run through it, and I could practically feel the scruff on his face scraping against my soft skin. Something about this man had my dormant libido roaring to life.
As his head turned in our direction and his dark eyes met mine, I whispered, “I’m not going to need the vodka.”
“Huh? What’d you say?” Maria asked, her brow wrinkling in confusion.
“You’re not going to get the chance to see me drinking that jet fuel.” I sped up my pace, stepping as carefully as I could in the shoes that were bound to land me in the emergency room if she made me wear them again. Glancing over my shoulder, I added, “I accepted the dare, and I’m going to go through with it.”
Maria came to a sudden halt, her jaw going slack in shock at my announcement. Her friends stopped with her, and they all watched as I approached the man I planned to kiss. His gaze swept down my body, and as I got closer, I was able to see the male appreciation in his dark eyes. Knowing the attraction was reciprocated helped settle most of my nerves at doing something so out of character.
My newly discovered confidence took a nosedive when I stumbled and crashed into his chest, but I wasn’t going to allow that to stop me. With his strong hands wrapped around my upper arms—conveniently holding me steady—I rose as high as I could go on my toes and pressed my lips against his. I felt his fingers tighten as a deep groan rumbled up his chest. Emboldened by his response, I gently stroked my tongue across his bottom lip. I figured that would be enough to satisfy the dare, but when his lips parted, I took the kiss further. My heart raced as my tongue swept inside his mouth to tangle with his. When I heard my cousin and her friends hooting and hollering, I reluctantly pulled away from my mystery man.
We stared at each other for a long moment, but as soon as I felt the awkwardness creeping in, I pivoted on my heel and started back to the girls. He didn’t let me go far, though. I’d barely taken a step when he curled a finger through one of my belt loops and tugged me back, spinning me around and hauling me against his chest. Then one of his arms wrapped around my lower back to anchor me there. “Not so fast, beautiful.”
That was all the warning I got before his lips crashed against mine, and his tongue swept inside. Where I’d been tentative with my exploration of his mouth, he was bold. It felt as though he was devouring me as his hand tangled in the back of my hair to tilt my head exactly where he wanted it to deepen the kiss. I whimpered into his mouth when he flattened his other palm against my back and ground his hips against me. His hard length was pressed against my belly, and I felt every single hot inch of him—and there were a lot of them.
“It’s okay, beautiful. I’ve got you,” he soothed in a deep murmur against my lips.
I was about to press my mouth against his again when I heard a whistle and a masculine voice yelled, “Get a room!”
My cheeks heated with a deep blush, and my mystery man twisted around to glare at someone over his shoulder. While he was distracted, I jerked out of his hold and mumbled, “I’m sorry.”
His focus returned to me as I stumbled away, getting just far enough out of his reach that his hand missed when he reached out for me. Feeling an overwhelming mixture of desire, confusion, and embarrassment, I was willing to risk the chance of breaking my neck as I raced into the hotel. The girls rushed after me, crowding around after we made it into the lobby.
“Holy crap, Amelia!” Maria cried, her eyes wide in shock as she stared at me. “When I dared you to kiss a guy, I didn’t expect it to turn into a full-on make-out session on the sidewalk. What was that?”
“I don’t know,” I whispered before pressing my fingers against my slightly swollen lips. I’d never experienced anything like it before, but spotting my mystery man through the glass doors of the hotel, I felt a twinge of regret that our moment was over. It was too bad that what happened in Vegas stayed here because I doubted I’d ever have the chance to experience anything like that kiss again. Especially since I’d probably never see him again.
2
Zack
Stunned, I stood there like a fucking idiot while the woman of my dreams disappeared inside the Lennox Hotel and Casino. My tongue darted out to run along my bottom lip, hoping to find her taste lingering. I’d never been knocked so off-balance before.
The whole situation must have been orchestrated by fate because under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have been there. I’d just pulled out of the parking garage to head home from my hotel, which was directly next to the Lennox, when I received a call from my security manager. So I’d driven to the front of the hotel and left my car with the valet so I could run in. I was on my way back to my car when my eyes had locked onto the most beautiful brown eyes I’d ever seen. Her long, curly black hair floated around her in the slight breeze, and her silky-looking sparkly top showed off smooth, tan skin. I was about to charge through the crowd to get to her when I realized she was headed straight for me.
Her touch flooded my body with warmth, and beyond the electricity and blazing lust, I felt an overwhelming sense of contentment. Kissing her was like coming home, and I knew this beauty was meant to be mine.
But before I could act on my newfound clarity, she was gone, stumbling into the hotel with a group of tipsy girls. After my stupor cleared, I considered running after her, but I was afraid to scare her. Instead, I’d use my connections to learn as much as I could about her and make a plan.
The valet had my car idling in front of the hotel, so I jumped inside and started for home. A lot of hotel owners lived on-site, but when Becket and I inherited our trust funds and The Artemis at twenty-one, I decided that I didn’t want to raise her at the hotel, so I bought a house fifteen minutes from the Strip. I kept the penthouse apartment in case I needed to grab a nap or crash after a late night. Although now that Delia was seventeen and about to leave for college, I’d been considering moving into the penthouse permanently. That idea blew away the moment my lips touched my mystery woman.
I’d had my daughter at twenty, the result of a youthful indiscretion. Since her mom had no desire to be a part of her life, I’d raised Delia on my own. I was thirty-seven, with an almost college-age daughter, so while I’d been open to finding someone to spend the rest of my life with, I was done with the diapers, late-night feedings, dance recitals, coaching softball, etc. I had no desire for more children. Once again, my beauty had changed my world in an instant. Suddenly, I saw us filling our house with little ones, raising our family, and growing old together.
I hit a button on my steering wheel and said, “Call Knox.”
The sound of dialing filled the car, then a few rings, before Knox picked up.
“Parker,” he greeted. “What can I do for you?”
“I need some information on a guest,” I informed him.
“Don’t you have your own head of security?
“She’s a guest at your hotel, not mine.”
Knox made a tsking noise, an
d I could practically see him shaking his head and giving me his steely-eyed stare. “You’re asking me to violate the privacy of a guest? I would never do that.”
I snorted and rolled my eyes. “You think I don’t know about everything you’ve done in the past five years? Drew and my brother try to deny it, but they gossip almost as much as their wives.”
“True.”
I laughed at his exasperated tone. Knox was a hard-ass and impossible to crack unless he was willing or it had to do with his wife. Which gave me the perfect weapon so I didn’t have to beg.
“She’s it, man. I need to know how to find her.”
Knox sighed and grumbled something under his breath. “Give me some specifics.”
I gave him a description, the time she entered, and told him she was with a group of women. Then I waited silently, listening to the click-click of the keyboard. Finally, as I was passing through the gate to my driveway, he spoke up.
“Amelia Flores. Twenty-five. License says she’s from Mesa, Arizona. Here until Sunday. And she has one of our event rooms booked for a bachelorette party tomorrow night.”
My breath caught in my throat, and I was grateful I’d already pulled into my garage and put the car in park. The thought that she might be engaged put a sour taste in my mouth and made me want to find her fiancé and bury him somewhere no one would ever find the body. It would mean she was off-limits. Then the thought that she wasn’t married yet crept into my mind, and I knew I’d fight for her.
Knox must have picked up on my train of thought by my silence. “I don’t think she’s the bride. Most of the activities they have planned are booked in her name.”
“How do you figure?” I asked, confused at his conclusion from the evidence at hand.
There was some murmuring and rustling on the other end of the phone before a female voice came over the line. “The bride doesn’t plan her own bachelorette party, Zack,” Knox’s wife, Addilyn, explained. “That’s usually the job of the maid of honor.”
Relief eased the tension in my body, and I exhaled slowly. “Thanks, Addilyn.”
“Sure!” she chirped.
A second later, Knox was back. “You serious about this girl?” he queried.
“Absolutely. Never been more certain of anything in my life.” Now I just had to figure out a way to find her and get her alone so I could convince her that we belonged together.
“Have the VIP party room at your restaurant open tomorrow night,” he instructed, reading my mind again. “I’ll talk to Drew, and we’ll find an excuse to have her event moved to The Crescent Moon.”
I grinned stupidly and was glad he couldn’t see my expression because I’d never hear the end of it. “I owe you,” I told him sincerely.
“Yes, you do.”
It didn’t matter what he wanted. I would give him anything for the chance to get my girl.
Satisfied with the plan, I got out of my Maserati and entered the mudroom at the back of the house. I inhaled the rich aroma of meatloaf, and my mouth watered. I never took for granted how fucking lucky I was that my daughter loved to cook and was great at it.
Delia was at the sink, washing a dish when I walked in, and I went right over to kiss the top of her head. “Hey, jellybean,” I greeted.
She looked up at me with a bright smile that never ceased to make my world a happier place. “Hi, Daddy.”
“How was your day?” I asked as I shuffled over to the stove and practically drooled at the delicious food cooling there. My hand stretched toward the mashed potatoes, intending to scoop some with my finger for a taste when a spatula came down on top of it. “Ouch,” I yelped as I snatched back my stinging hand.
“Were you raised in a barn?” Delia snapped, her eyes dancing with humor. “Now, go set the table.”
I laughed and gave her a quick hug. “Yes, ma’am!” Then I did as she asked.
While we were seated at the table, digging into our meal, we chatted about our day. I always looked forward to this part of the day. Though our schedules didn’t allow us to sit down together every night, we did it as often as we could. It had always been just the two of us, and we had no secrets from each other.
This reminder had me broaching a subject with Delia that I’d managed to avoid in her life, so far... The dating talk. I hadn’t really been on a date since she was born, and casual sex wasn’t appealing to me, so there’d been no one even to consider bringing home. Despite my jellybean’s sweet and sunny personality—other than when she was being a diva teenager, which wasn’t often—I wasn’t sure how she’d take having another woman around to share my attention with. It was almost enough to keep my mouth shut. However, I wouldn’t jeopardize our relationship by keeping secrets now.
“How would you feel if I started dating?” I asked nonchalantly.
Delia sat ramrod straight and stared at me in disbelief. My heart sank. “Seriously, Dad? It’s about time! I was freaking out about going off to college and leaving you all by yourself. I was starting to think you were going to die all alone as a crotchety old man!”
My mouth opened and closed a few times as I processed her response. “First of all, why would you think I’d be a crotchety old man?” I groused. “Second, why are you already planning my death, and where the hell will you be when I take my last breath?” I glared at her, and she pointed her fork at me.
“See? Crotchety.” She winked at me, and I pursed my lips to keep from smiling. “And, of course, I’ll be there when you kick the bucket.” I raised a brow, and she just smiled innocently. “I was referring to your lack of companionship in your old age.”
Delia’s expression turned serious, and she reached across the table to take my hand. “Really, Daddy. I just want you to be happy, and you need someone besides your daughter to share your life with. You’re amazing. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve loved having you all to myself for seventeen years, but sometimes, I felt guilty wondering if you weren’t dating just because of me.”
I shook my head and was about to interrupt when she waved me off and kept talking. “Over the years, I noticed how your eyes never looked at women with any interest”—she grinned and tilted her head to the side—“or guys. And I did wonder.” I laughed, and she shrugged. “It was a logical assumption, considering your lack of enthusiasm for female companionship.”
I couldn’t fault her logic.
“Anyway, I eventually accepted I wasn’t holding you back, and that you just hadn’t found anyone worthy of your attention.” I nodded at her correct assessment of the situation. Then thoughts of my mystery woman filtered in and how she’d immediately brought to life feelings and physical needs that I’d thought were dead. Delia’s lips slid into a sly smile as she studied me. “Does this mean someone’s caught your eye?”
I grinned and released her hand to sit back in my seat and resume eating. “Possibly.”
Delia squealed with delight and bounced in her seat, making me chuckle. “Is she hot? Is this a relationship kind of thing or just sex?” She mock-gasped, “Have you slept with her already? You seem awfully chipper today.”
I shifted uncomfortably. No secrets were one thing, but I wasn’t a progressive enough dad to discuss my sex life with my teenage daughter. So I cleared my throat and gave her a basic answer. “Yes, it’s serious.”
“That’s awesome, Daddy,” she gushed. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
The thought of my two girls meeting and growing close brought a smile to my face. For a moment, I did wonder if my beauty would have an issue with my being a single dad of a teenage daughter. But I’d cross that bridge when I came to it. First, I had to get my hands on her and convince her that we belonged together. Once I made her fall in love with me, she wouldn’t care that I came as a packaged deal. She’d be too busy screaming from the persuasive tactics of my mouth, fingers, and cock.
3
Amelia
“Hello, Miss Flores. This is Drew Lennox.”
I couldn’t think of a single reason the
billionaire owner of the Lennox Hotel & Casino would need to call me. Our group had splurged on a big suite and a party tonight at one of the on-site restaurants, but there was no way that what we were paying warranted his attention. Not when there were bigger spenders on the floors above us and the private gambling room we’d passed a few times.
The headache I’d been dealing with all day—after getting virtually no sleep because I’d tossed and turned throughout the night as dreams about my mystery man plagued me—ratcheted up another notch. My voice was weak as I croaked out, “How can I help you, Mr. Lennox?”
“Call me Drew,” he smoothly instructed.
“O-okay,” I sputtered. “And I’m Amelia.”
“I’m afraid I have some bad news, Amelia. There was a bit of a mishap with your group’s reservation this evening.”
“Oh.” My gaze darted over to where Maria and her friends were gathered at the wet bar, pregaming for tonight’s celebration before we started getting ready. The hangovers they’d struggled with this morning hadn’t stopped them from gulping down mimosas with breakfast and sipping frozen cocktails at the pool all day long. I dreaded having to tell her that the dinner she’d been looking forward to was canceled. “You’re right; that’s not good.”
“Mistakes like this rarely happen at the Lennox,” he assured me. “When they do, we work hard to make it up to our guests. I was hoping you’d be willing to move your party to a private VIP room at The Crescent Moon, next door at The Artemis. Everything will be on the house, including an open bar.”
Vegas, Baby: Volume 3 Page 8