by Nell Stark
Vesper closed her eyes as the dice bounced across the felt. The room held its breath, then roared. She smiled as Susannah clutched her shoulder, and opened her eyes to see that Priscilla had rolled a five and a three. As she watched, Priscilla spun triumphantly in a circle. Her elation was contagious.
“Hey, sexy.” Biz’s voice, accompanied by a heavy, moist hand on her shoulder, popped her good mood like a bubble. “Miss me?”
“Good evening, Mr. Deloreo.” Vesper put a foot of space in between them as she spoke. Unsurprisingly, he reeked of alcohol. Did he have anxiety about flying, or was he just a drunk? “How was your trip?”
“Who cares? I’m here now.” His hand stroked down her arm. “Let’s celebrate.”
“I can arrange for you to join the players, if you’d like.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw TJ look up with a scowl, but she couldn’t worry about him.
“I’d much rather play with you.”
The last thread of Vesper’s patience snapped. She linked her arm through his and pulled him toward the far corner of the room. Touching him at all made her nauseous, but she didn’t want to cause a scene. The wool of his Armani suit was soft beneath her palm, and beneath the cloying smell of whiskey she could detect the muskiness of a recent cigar. He might wear his wealth on his sleeve, but she had faced down powerful men before. And this time, she had no intention of running.
“I refuse to tolerate this behavior from you,” she said, turning her back to the crowd so he was the only one who could see her face. “We have a professional relationship. That is all. If you make another suggestive comment or try to touch me again, I’ll report you to security.”
“No. You won’t.” His mocking grin was insufferably arrogant. “If you do, I’ll take my business elsewhere, and I’ll spread the word that others should do the same.” He leaned in closer, stale breaths puffing against her face. “Teddy Bear Hamilton isn’t the only one with friends. By the time I’m done, no one will touch you with a ten-foot pole.” He laughed. “What a shame, too. You could use a good, hard ramming.”
Vesper felt her vision tunnel, until all she could see was his smug, oily face. Distantly, she was aware of her head throbbing in time with her heartbeat, but it almost felt as though the sensations were happening to someone else. Even as her pulse raced, an empty space seemed to open in her chest. Her mind had become oddly disconnected from her body. Was she in some kind of shock?
Biz took her silence for defeat. Leering down at her, he very deliberately cupped her cheek with one hand and rubbed a thumb across her lips. She could barely feel the touch. Had her face gone numb?
“I think I’ll join that game now, sweetheart.”
Some kind of instinctual autopilot took hold of her, then, guiding her back to the table at his side in just enough time to see Priscilla finally crap out. As Biz swaggered up to the dealer, Hazel grasped the same arm that had been linked with his.
“She just lost two hundred thousand dollars!”
“But she just made almost two million,” Susannah said, laughing. “What a crazy night!”
Vesper’s mouth smiled. Her lips formed congratulatory words. Her eyes watched the pit boss help Priscilla to gather up her winnings. Her hand signaled the bartender, and some part of her brain remembered that Priscilla was particularly fond of the piña colada. Vesper’s arms opened to embrace Priscilla when she was finally able to make her way to them, and her ears heard the excited chatter of their friends. But her mind was spinning in free fall, racing ineffectually like a hamster wheel. A chill constricted her lungs, curling its icy fingers around her rib cage.
She was trapped. Again.
“Vesper?” Priscilla was standing in front of her, cheeks still flushed with exhilaration. The inch-long string of diamonds hanging from her ears glittered in the overhead lights. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
In a way, it was true. Vesper blinked and shook her head slightly. “I’m sorry. I was just lost in thought.” She plastered a fresh smile on her face. “What a way for you to end this visit. I hope you’re thinking about coming back?”
“What I’m thinking about is not leaving.”
The words shocked Vesper out of her daze. Like rusty gears on a bicycle, her brain whirred and spun before finally settling into high gear. Priscilla’s suite was set to be claimed in two days by a banker from Hong Kong—a blackjack whale who enjoyed playing poker on the side. He was a big spender and a loyal customer, and she doubted Steve would allow him to be bumped.
“But Priscilla—” Hazel began.
“I know you three need to get back home. You’ll take the jet without me.” She looked to Vesper. “Right?”
“Of course. I’ll make the arrangements immediately.” Vesper had never felt so thankful for a reason to sit in front of her computer. She wanted to be as far from Biz as possible. “Is there anything else I can do for you tonight?”
“Get some rest,” Priscilla said. “You look exhausted.”
Vesper refused to acknowledge her fatigue in front of her biggest client. It was a sign of weakness, and the last thing she wanted was to give Priscilla that impression. “Congratulations again.” She turned and hurried toward the door, praying that some high roller had canceled their reservation within the last few hours.
TJ intercepted her a few feet from the exit. He loomed above her, frowning. “What did Biz say to you, V? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, TJ. It’s all fine.”
He frowned. “Are you sure? Are you feeling okay? Did he—”
“Yes. Just a little tired.” She hoped the admission would get him to give her some space. “How about you? Having fun tonight?”
“Winning’s always fun. Bet I’ll get smoked tomorrow, though. That five-K no limit hold ’em event must be popular, right?”
“Not for most of the professionals.” Vesper patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t be self-defeating. Go in confident and smart.”
“Is Nova entering that one?”
Nova. Vesper flashed to the hungry softness of their kisses, the possessive stroke of Nova’s hand along her spine, the needy noises she had made as the moment intensified. Desire flared, hot and bright, driving back the cold like a torch in the darkness. The relief was so intense she almost gasped.
TJ’s hand on her shoulder snapped her out of the memory. “I’m sorry. You’re tired. I’ll let you go.”
“I think she’s planning to be there, yes. And I’m sorry. I’m preoccupied.”
He looked at her as though he wanted to say something more—something serious—before apparently thinking better of it. “Sweet dreams.”
He stepped aside, and she hurried past him without a backward glance. Her mind was a blizzard of anxiety. Even as she tried to focus and consider the various permutations that ended with Priscilla Beauregard getting to keep her Celestial Palace, her thoughts spiraled out of control. Only when she pictured Nova’s face did her panic begin to recede. Vesper wanted to go home and find comfort in the circle of her arms. She wanted to lie down beside Nova in the dark and discover how their bodies fit. She wanted—
“Vesper!”
Jeremy’s voice brought her up just short of the opening elevator doors. She watched them close to reveal his reflection behind her. His brow was wrinkled and his movements inflected with a jerkiness that seemed like desperation. Had something happened?
“I’m glad I caught you,” he said. “Can we talk? Privately?”
There was no such thing as true privacy in a casino. “Let’s go outside.”
He didn’t say anything until they were well away from the front door, walking slowly down the Strip as though guided by the beam of the Luxor pyramid. “Biz asked me for drugs.”
Vesper wasn’t sure how many more adrenaline rushes she could handle tonight. This time, the surge of energy left her feeling a little dizzy and slightly nauseous. “What, exactly, did he say?”
Jeremy’s lip curled derisively. “It was something like, �
��Hey, boss. Do you know where I can score with Molly?’”
She almost laughed. “Molly” was a code name invented by the up-and-coming generation for MDMA, the pure form of Ecstasy. Biz was clearly trying to relive his college glory days by getting in with the cool kids.
“I had a hard time not laughing, too,” Jeremy said. “At first, anyway. But then he kept pestering me.”
“What did you tell him?” Vesper considered the implications. Biz asking around for drugs had the potential to be dangerous for both Jeremy and the casino. Las Vegas might be Sin City, but the casinos were notoriously strict about shutting down illegal drug use on their premises. If Biz did find Molly, and Vesper caught him at it, she might be able to use that as a pretext to kick him out of Valhalla.
“That I didn’t know anything.”
“Good.” When she reached for his arm to turn him back toward the casino, the satiny material of his suit jacket under her palm reminded her of touching Biz. Bile rose into her throat and she snatched her hand away.
“V? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Vesper struggled to keep her voice light. “Thanks for letting me know.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m not sure.” She breathed in deeply, willing the cool air to clear her head. She couldn’t process any of this right now. Thinking about Biz was making her crazy, and the only proven distraction was asleep in her sofa bed.
“I’ll figure something out. But right now, I need to go home.”
*
Nova watched the cable box’s red numbers mark the minutes. The mattress and pillow were comfortable enough, and the fan above her head kept the air reasonably cool, but she couldn’t sleep. Every time she was about to doze off, a fresh memory of that kiss with Vesper would set her heart to galloping. She had tried every one of her usual mental math exercises. She had tried rereading the section on early tournament rounds in Damon’s book. She had tried playing some fake poker on her phone. She had tried watching the reruns of last year’s final table that were being broadcast on ESPN.
Nothing worked. She was exhausted but couldn’t sleep. Vesper was haunting her. Worse, it was almost two o’clock in the morning, and Vesper had yet to return. For the thousandth time, Nova debated sending her a text before deciding against it. Vesper wasn’t in any danger. She was fine. A casino host would have to work late hours, of course. She must be so tired.
With a frustrated sigh, Nova flipped onto her stomach and buried her face in her pillow. A heartbeat later, the quiet snick of a key in the lock paralyzed every cell in her body. Finally. When she could breathe again, she turned onto her side and listened to the sounds of Vesper moving around the kitchen. As her footsteps drew closer to the living room, Nova sat up and took a deep breath. “Hey,” she called softly, reaching over to turn on the nearby lamp.
Its golden circle of light illuminated Vesper, frozen in mid-stride, one bare foot over the threshold and one hand poised above the bun holding up her hair. Her face was paler than it had been a few hours ago, and a thin band of shadows lurked beneath her eyes. She looked exhausted. She was also the most desirable woman Nova had ever seen.
“I was hoping you’d gone to sleep hours ago,” Vesper said, taking two more steps into the room.
“I tried. It didn’t work. How did you get home?”
“Jeremy drove me.” Another step. Vesper’s gaze was fixed on hers in a way that made Nova’s skin pebble.
“Are you okay?”
“Why can’t you sleep? Tournament on your mind?” The patterned dress swirled around her knees as she moved even closer.
Nova was mesmerized. “That, and other things.”
“Other things?” Vesper sat on the coverlet. The lamp cast a nimbus around her, throwing her features into darkness but making her hair glow like hot coals.
“You’re avoiding my question,” Nova managed to say. “And I can’t see your face.”
“Maybe I don’t want you to.” Vesper angled her body toward Nova and rested one hand on her stomach. “All night, I’ve been wondering what your skin feels like here.”
She tugged down the sheet, exposing the hem of Nova’s T-shirt. Helpless beneath this unexpected onslaught, Nova watched as Vesper’s hand slipped beneath the shirt and skimmed the skin above the waistband of her boxers. The caress felt like the brush of rose petals. And then it was gone.
“Vesper.” Nova’s throat was so dry she could only whisper. “I want you so much. But I need to know what happened. You’re not acting like yourself.”
“How do you know?” Vesper flicked the sheet aside and began to trace the contours of the muscles just above her left knee. Nova felt her quads spasm beneath that maddeningly gentle butterfly touch. “Maybe this is me, and the person you thought you knew was all an act.”
It took all of Nova’s willpower to trap Vesper’s hand against her leg. “Please.”
With her face still backlit, Nova couldn’t make out Vesper’s expression, but she knew Vesper could see her perfectly. She looked up, unblinking, at the dark pools where Vesper’s eyes were, trying to telegraph the sincerity of both her concern and her desire.
“Biz was an ass again tonight. Because of who he is, and who I am, he thinks he can touch me whenever he wants.”
Nova’s pulse spiked and a film of red hazed over her vision. “Vesper—”
“I’m not finished yet.” She laughed softly, but the sound carried no humor. “Here’s the definition of irony: I don’t want him to touch me, but he won’t stop. I do want you to touch me, and you won’t start.”
Nova’s heart was galloping in her chest like the wild animal she feared she’d become if she gave her desire free rein. “You’re not going to regret this? And you really will tell me to stop if that’s what you want?”
Vesper leaned in, releasing the light to illuminate her face. Her eyes were wide and dark, her cheeks flushed, her lips parted. “No,” she whispered. “And yes.”
When Vesper pressed their mouths together, Nova groaned and clutched at her waist. She managed to pull Vesper on top of her without their lips ever parting, and Vesper settled between her thighs as though she belonged there. A distant part of Nova’s brain couldn’t believe this was happening, but her body knew exactly what to do. She shifted one hand up to slide her fingers through Vesper’s hair and deepened the kiss.
It went on for what felt like hours, until the soft, needy sounds emerging from Vesper’s mouth made Nova desperate to feel her skin. With clumsy fingers, she sought out the zipper on the dress and fumbled with it. When Vesper suddenly pulled her head back, Nova went still as a stone, fearful she’d been moving too fast. But Vesper only smiled and rose to her knees before putting both hands behind her back. The movement thrust her breasts forward, and Nova’s mouth began to water.
“Hey,” she mumbled at the sound of the zipper’s descent. “I wanted to do that.”
“Next time.” Vesper peeled the dress from her shoulders, slowly revealing the flushed skin of her chest, crisscrossed by a simple back bra. Nova’s heart felt like a bird trapped in a cage. Dimly, her rational brain registered that Vesper had just implied this wouldn’t be the only time they would be together. But as quickly as the thought occurred, it went up in flames. Vesper was shimmying out of the remaining fabric, and the sway of her hips made Nova tremble in need.
With the fabric bunched to the waistline of her matching black underwear, Vesper paused and frowned. “Are you okay?”
“No.” Nova struggled to prop herself onto her elbows. She didn’t know how to express what she was feeling—how to put words to the hunger tying her belly into Gordian knots.
“No?” Vesper’s voice was laced with uncertainty, and Nova instantly hated herself.
“I’m afraid I’ll…” She focused in on Vesper’s eyes—clear and green, like polished sea-glass. “I’ll be too much. Want too much. From you.”
In answer, Vesper yanked off what was left of her dress. She leaned forward
and slid Nova’s shirt up, up over her abs, over her breasts, over her head. The friction of the fabric raised a moan from Nova’s throat. Within moments, her nipples were puckering in the cool air. As she watched, Vesper leaned forward to press her mouth to the skin above her navel.
“Oh, God.”
Slowly, Vesper began to trail her kisses up the centerline of Nova’s torso. “How does this feel?” she asked before shifting her head to lick delicately at the hollow spaces between Nova’s ribs.
Nova tried to speak but lacked the breath. “So good,” she managed to choke out. Lying quiescent while Vesper worshipped her skin was almost as excruciating as it was amazing. As Vesper’s lips moved higher, Nova’s fists clenched and reopened fitfully. Her need to feel the heat of Vesper’s mouth on her breasts warred with her desire to have Vesper beneath her, arching into her caresses.
As Vesper moved higher, she brought her hands into play, cupping Nova’s rib cage and stroking the crests and troughs with her thumbs. When Nova shivered and gasped, Vesper raised her head. Her smile was full of sensual promise.
“Ticklish?”
“A little.”
Vesper raised an eyebrow and pressed harder with her thumbs. “Just take it.”
Nova’s vision blurred and she felt herself get wet. Free of her inhibitions, Vesper was a whirlwind, and Nova was more than happy to be carried away. By the time Vesper’s tongue darted out to taste the sensitive underside of her right breast, Nova was panting.
Vesper raised her head and licked her lips. “Your skin is so hot. You are so hot.”
“Please, don’t stop now. You’re killing me.”
“Oh?” Vesper nipped lightly where she had just kissed. “Need something?”
Nova heard herself whimper at Vesper’s teasing. That was the last straw. She had to get a grip and stop acting like a submissive puppy. Clearly, Vesper knew what she wanted, and she didn’t seem uncertain in the slightest. Taking as deep a breath as she could manage, Nova met Vesper’s eyes.