When my older brother asked my younger sisters and me if we’d be interested in opening a wedding chapel inside the Lennox, the hottest resort on the Vegas Strip, I leapt at the chance. Knox knew we’d be a perfect fit for the business that his boss, Drew Lennox, wanted to add to the property. Ariel was a whiz with cakes, Belle lived for flowers, and I was the type A personality out of the bunch who kept everyone organized.
Running The Chapel of Dreams wasn’t just my job—it was a dream come true. I loved coming into work every day, knowing I was going to be a part of one of the most important days in a couple’s life. Giving them the perfect wedding gave me a sense of accomplishment that had me grinning whenever I was at work...except for those rare instances when I wished the couple in question had picked a different chapel because they were unworthy of that perfection. Like the bride and groom who were getting ready to walk down the aisle of my chapel right now.
“You two make a cute couple,” I lied, infusing my tone with as much sincerity as I could muster.
The guy was actually a douchebag. But it wasn't like I was going to say that in front of the bride. She must’ve seen something in him that she loved since she’d accepted his marriage proposal, after all. She’d made the arrangements with me, and all he’d done when he came in with her today for their ceremony was complain about the cost.
It wasn't like she’d even chosen anywhere close to our expensive packages, which were tailored to the rich and famous and had the price tag to match. She’d added some of our popular bells and whistles—like limousine service before and after the ceremony, live streaming of the service for friends and family to watch, and a few of our keepsakes—but she hadn’t gone overboard. And it was my understanding she was footing the entire bill—or at least her parents were. None of that had stopped him from bitching and moaning right up until they stood in front of our officiant, though.
I hurried to gather their marriage certificate, DVD of the ceremony, and keepsakes because I wanted them on their way before I said something I’d regret. As I was tucking everything into their bag, the groom—and I used that term loosely—turned to his new wife and joked, “Getting married in Vegas was smart, baby. If we wake up tomorrow morning and decide that we hate being married, we can always get a quickie divorce at that place we saw just around the corner.”
My head jerked up as the bride exclaimed, “What? How could you even say that?”
I waited for him to try to smooth things over with his wife before asking, “What divorce place?”
“Right before the limo dropped us off, there was an awning over a storefront around the corner for a lawyer who specializes in quickie divorces,” the bride answered, elbowing her hubby in the side. “I should’ve known better than to point it out to this one since he has the worst sense of humor ever.”
“You know I like to get you worked up, baby,” he muttered.
When she cooed back at him, all lovey-dovey, I handed her the bag and wished them well. As soon as the door closed behind them, I dropped down on my chair and narrowed my eyes. Powering up my computer, I decided to do a little digging before my next couple arrived.
Who in the hell would open a legal office specializing in divorce just around the corner from one of the most popular wedding chapels in town? It was so rude! The idea of my clients driving right past an awning like that really bothered me, but I couldn’t seem to find anything online before my last clients for the night walked in.
By the time they were finished—after a wedding where Ariel, Belle, and I had outdone ourselves—I was exhausted. It wasn’t until I was back home and in bed that I started to stew over that office specializing in divorces again. “If I ever meet that damn lawyer…” I grumbled as I punched my pillow and tried to get comfortable.
I spent most of the night tossing and turning, which I blamed on whatever jack-hole had decided to rain on my parade by opening a business so close to us that was the direct opposite of The Chapel of Dreams. But at least I’d dreamed up some inventive ways to make them pay by the time I had to get up and head out the door.
After stopping to grab my favorite coffee concoction and treating myself to a slice of pumpkin loaf and a cake pop for later, I was finally able to get myself into a semi-decent mood while I was on my way to work. Only it didn’t last long because I spotted the sign the douchebag from last night had mentioned. There it was, bold as brass, offering quickie divorces after quickie weddings. My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt like I was going to puke when I saw one of the couples who’d gotten married at my chapel yesterday walking inside.
“Oh, hell no!” I pounded my fist against my steering wheel before swerving to the right to nab a spot about fifty feet down the street and hopping out of my car. I was steaming mad when I stormed into the office only about a minute behind the two people who’d promised to love each other for the rest of their lives, right in front of my eyes, not even a full day ago.
Their eyes rounded in shock when they recognized me, before their heads dropped to stare at the floor. If I wasn’t so pissed off, I might’ve taken the time to enjoy the fact that they at least felt guilty for me seeing them there. But they weren’t the root of my problem.
Turning to the guy manning the front desk, I quickly dismissed him as the person I needed to vent at because he looked like he’d maybe graduated from college a minute ago. He definitely wasn’t old enough to have gone through law school, pass the bar, and open a law office of his own. “Where’s your boss?”
“He’ll be out in a second. Were you hoping to speak with him about getting a divorce?” the guy asked with a calm smile. Then he pointed over my shoulder toward the newlyweds who were already regretting their marriage. “Would you mind taking a seat? Because they’re up next. We’ll get to you as quickly as we can.” It was clear by his tone that he was attempting to calm me but nothing short of ripping his boss a new one was going to pacify me.
I held up my hand and wiggled my fingers to emphasize the absence of a ring. “No, I’d need to have a husband if I wanted to get divorced...which would never happen because I believe in marriage being forever. Unlike your boss, whose life’s work appears to be offering people an easy way out of their marriage.”
“I…um…” the poor guy sputtered, his soothing demeanor slipping away under the weight of my enraged glare.
“It’s okay, Chad. I’ve got this.”
My head whipped in the direction of that deep, masculine voice. In my anger, it took me a moment to recognize how shockingly handsome the man walking toward me was. He had golden blond hair that looked as though he’d just run his fingers through it, dark green eyes, and dimples that popped in his cheeks when he flashed me a charming grin. The pair of wire-rimmed glasses perched on his nose made him adorably nerdy. But he was also muscular. And hot as hell.
My long-dormant libido chose that moment to roar to life, but I wasn’t going to let my vagina make my decisions for me—not with this guy anyway. He was the enemy, no matter how attracted to him I was. And he was a bad choice, too. Because no way would a guy who specialized in divorces be interested in giving me a happily ever after. What a waste.
2
Will
Whoa.
I stopped in my tracks as I came around the corner from my office into the lobby. The most beautiful woman I’d ever seen was standing in front of the reception desk. She had long, wavy, golden hair that floated around slender shoulders and high, round tits. My mouth suddenly filled with saliva, and I swallowed hard, hoping I wouldn’t start drooling. The rest of her was lithe and willowy but curved in all the right places. Her bee-stung lips were painted bright red. If that alone hadn’t caused my dick to come roaring to life, it would have been the fire sparking in her deep blue eyes.
Fuck. I hadn’t reacted to woman like this in… well…ever. I’d never been so instantly drawn to someone or so completely consumed with lust. When she held up her hand and yelled about her lack of husband, my heart skipped a beat in reli
ef while my dick pulsed in appreciation.
My assistant Chad was shrinking back under her wrath, and I almost laughed. Couldn’t he see how magnificent she was? Actually, scratch that. I was glad he didn’t see her that way.
“It’s okay, Chad. I’ve got this.”
He bobbed his head and grabbed a clipboard with some paperwork. Then he scrambled over to the other side of the room where my next clients waited.
“How dare you!” she seethed. She was so fucking gorgeous all fired up like that. I surreptitiously stepped to the left in order to hide my hard-on behind the front desk.
“And you are?” I asked patiently.
“Aurora Dawson,” she grumbled. “I run The Chapel of Dreams at the Lennox, and you can’t just move in around the corner from a place where I make dreams come true and then try to ruin all my hard work!”
I cocked a brow and studied her but stayed silent, waiting to see if she was finished with her rant. Apparently, it was the wrong reaction because Aurora suddenly swung around to face the couple who immediately cowered in the corner. “And you! You should be ashamed of yourselves!”
It was definitely time to step in. I discreetly adjusted myself, then closed the distance between us and gently took hold of her arm. “Maybe we should discuss this in my office.” The skin under my fingertips was silky and warm, and when I felt her break out in goose bumps from my touch, I couldn’t help smiling. She might be pissed, but she certainly wasn’t immune to me.
Pivoting back, Aurora glared at me, and I quickly hid my smile under a frown. “I don’t need to discuss anything with you, Mr—” She looked around, clearly searching for my name.
“Scott,” I informed her. “Will Scott.”
“Well, Mr. Scott, I suggest you find somewhere else to rip people apart and stay away from my couples.” Her eyes narrowed, and she stepped forward, clearly trying to be intimidating. Considering she was at least five feet eleven, I imagined she succeeded with most people. However, I wasn’t most people, and I found it adorable. Plus, she didn’t belong to any of them. But she was going to belong to me.
Aurora waggled a finger in my face, and I fought the instinct to slip my tongue out and taste it. “I can make life very difficult for you, Mr. Scott”—why did I find it so fucking hot when she called me that?—“I know people. Dangerous people.”
I bit my lip and tried to look as though I was duly intimidated by her not-so-veiled threat. “I’ll keep that in mind.” My tone was as neutral as I could muster, but I obviously didn’t do as good a job as I thought because she narrowed her beautiful blue eyes and studied me suspiciously. “Can we speak in my office?” I requested again, giving her my most charming smile. I hadn’t released her arm, so I let my hand slide down to take hold of hers. I did a mental fist pump when she failed to suppress a little shiver.
However, before I could lead her to a more private space, she stepped back and tugged her hand away. I frowned and closed the distance between us. I wasn’t going to let her go so easily. But she glared at me with a renewed anger that seemed to be about more than her complaint over my job and location. So, I hesitated, not making a grab for her quite yet.
“Have dinner with me.” Shit. It had just popped out.
Aurora’s glare darkened into a scowl that would send a lesser man running in the opposite direction. “Not in a million years,” she seethed. Then she spun around and stormed out. Unfortunately, I was too distracted by her spectacular ass to keep her from leaving.
As tempted as I was to go after her, I had clients waiting, but at least I knew where to find her. When I faced the couple, I clocked the “groom’s” gaze glued to Aurora’s ass as she passed by the glass front of my office and disappeared around the corner.
My hands clenched into fists, and a growl escaped my lips. The fucker’s eyes swung back to me and widened in fear when he saw my expression. I wanted to put him in the ground, but years of martial arts training had given me the ability to control myself. I inhaled deeply, and on my exhale, I relaxed my hands and plastered a fake smile on my face.
“Please fill out those forms, then Chad will bring you back and we can get the paperwork signed and witnessed. Then we’ll file them with the courts, and you’ll receive a copy of the final decree in the mail.”
The couple nodded and bent their heads over their clipboards. I stalked back to my office and dropped heavily into my chair. Wiggling my mouse, I woke up my computer and found my way to the website for The Chapel of Dreams. Aurora managed the chapel and coordinated weddings. There was a photo of her and two other women listed as her sisters. I recognized one of them as the wife of rock god, Griffith Thorne, and the other was married to Maddox Holt, who owned a famous local tattoo parlor.
Staring at Aurora’s gorgeous face, I relived our moments together and got hard all over again. I promised myself that the first chance I got, I was going to track her sweet ass down and make her listen. I had reasons for doing what I did. I wasn’t in the business of ripping dreams apart; it was more like disaster prevention.
Just then, Chad escorted the couple from the front into my office. I was forced to focus on my job for the next few hours since I had back-to-back appointments. By the time my last client left, it was after five. I wondered if Aurora had a wedding that night. I was determined to track her down, and while my first instinct was to simply throw her over my shoulder and take her home, I didn’t think she would be okay with that. At least, she wouldn’t allow herself to be. I could tell she wanted to be swept off her feet, though, and let someone else be in control for a change. I was willing to bet that romancing her would be more effective than caveman tactics—outside the bedroom anyway—and I had no problem going down that route to a certain point. If Aurora was too stubborn to open her eyes to our future, I wouldn’t hesitate to give in to the Neanderthal and drag her back to my cave.
I needed to find some leverage, and to get that, I needed to know more about her. I was pretty sure I knew the right source for that. I picked up the phone on my desk and dialed a familiar number.
“Lennox,” the man on the other end answered.
“It’s Will,” I informed Drew Lennox, the owner of the hotel that leased out my office space and housed The Chapel of Dreams. We’d known each other from college and had stayed in touch. He’d been there for me at a dark time in my life. Then, one day, he offered me the chance to start over.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Aurora Dawson. What do you know about her?” With the exception of pulling her background, Drew was most likely my best bet for finding out more about my woman. Well, it was his wife who had the information, but I had to go through Drew to get to Autumn.
To my surprise, he burst out laughing. I sighed and waited for him to calm down. Eventually, he caught his breath and replied, “She was in your office for all of what? Ten minutes?” A female voice said something muffled in the background, and Drew chuckled again. “And yelling at you the entire time?”
“How do you know that?” I sputtered.
“A little birdie told me.”
I shook my head even though he couldn’t see it. “I don’t remember you being such a gossip in college.”
“I didn’t have a wife who tells me everything in college,” he said dryly.
“Touché,” I conceded. “But how did Autumn know?”
He sighed. “From what I’ve been told—I can’t believe I’m actually going to explain this like a fucking high school girl—Aurora went to her sister’s bakery to fume over your meeting. Ariel mentioned it to Becket’s wife Lia when they met for lunch. Then Lia bumped into Belle, Aurora and Ariel’s other sister, at the gym. Then Belle called Autumn to get the scoop on you. And of course, my wife told me.” Drew’s tone had been deadpan as he explained, and I could practically see him checking off each thing on his fingers.
“Impressive,” I heard Autumn murmur to him.
“Thanks, Sunshine. You going to reward me later?”
I cring
ed at his insinuation. Drew was like a brother to me, making Autumn like a sister. I did not need images of their sexcapades in my head.
“Yes, yes. You’ve honed your gossiping skills and will soon grow a pussy and turn into an old woman,” I grumbled.
“You want me to tell you about Aurora or not?”
“Fine, you’re practically Bruce Wayne; now tell me what I want to know.” My patience was at its end, and I snapped out the last words.
“If you promise to be nice, so I don’t have to kick your ass, I’ll let you talk to Autumn.”
I promised and waited for a minute until I heard Autumn’s voice over the line. “Hey, Will.”
“Autumn, lovely, will you please help me out?” I pleaded. “I need to convince Aurora to spend some time with me. To explain my past and current job and make her realize we belong together.” If it had been just about anyone else, I wouldn’t have added that last part, but Drew and Autumn had fallen in love the instant they met, so I knew she wouldn’t balk at me.
“You’re lucky I know you so well, Will. And I think you’d be really good together.”
I audibly sighed with relief. Now I was getting somewhere.
“First, I should warn you, her overprotective brother is our head of security. He’s likely to try to kick your ass if he knows you’re sniffing around his sister.”
I scoffed at her insinuation that I couldn’t handle this guy. I might look like a nerd, but my black belt in multiple disciplines, as well as the numerous MMA titles I held, said otherwise.
She went on to tell me more about Aurora, and I soaked up every word. By the time Autumn was done, if I hadn’t already been head over heels for my girl, I would’ve fallen right then. She was sweet and spicy, strong and independent, while still remaining a hopeless romantic.
Vegas, Baby: Volume 2 Page 8