by Shana Gray
“Ava—I…” Bonni wasn’t exactly sure what she was going to say, but this uncharacteristic bitterness was so unlike her friend.
Ava held up her hand. “No, let me finish. Despite all that, I do want to find someone. Someone that gets me, and thinks I’m amazing, and holy hell!, wants to build a life together. So I’m holding on to hope! Even if I’m a silver-haired bride, I will keep looking and not let the right man slip out of my fingers again.”
“Maybe it’s not too late, maybe you could track him down—I could help—”
Ava shook her head. “It was five years ago and I’ve moved on…alone. Besides, I tell myself that if we’d really been meant to be we would have fought for each other. We would have made any sacrifice to be with each other. But like I said, we simply…fell apart.”
Bonni had always considered herself a fighter. Some people rolled with the punches and adapted to life, but not Bonni. Whether it was a perceived injustice or simply a goal she had set for herself, she always left the gate swinging. So, was Quinn worth fighting for?
Ava tilted her head sideways. “Bonni, I’d never tell you what to do, unless you ask me for advice, but I wanted to give you food for thought.” She leaned forward and pulled Bonni into a bear hug. “We girls have to look out for each other.”
After a long hug they both sorely needed, they stood up. Ava’s voice brightened. “Anyway, I’m on Team Boing—”
“Boing? Do I even want to know?” Bonni braced herself for more of her friends’ craziness.
“It’s your couple name! Bo for you and In for Quinn, and a G to make it pop. Fredi and Celia came up with it.” Bonni was glad to hear the humor in Ava’s tone.
They laughed quietly.
“Remember our junior year, we got that two-bedroom suite and we used to do this in the mornings?” Bonni recalled. “Celia and Fredi would be passed out from the night before and you and I would go to the common room and eat cereal and talk?”
“Of course I remember. They were some of the best times of my life. I feel so fortunate we’ve formed these lasting friendships”
“Me, too.”
Bonni yawned, and Ava did, too. Bonni bent over and retrieved her boots from the floor. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. Gotta close my eyes for a while.”
“Me, too. You know those two will be up early and ready to hit the town.”
“Ugh, I can’t even… Give me a few hours. Night, hun.”
“Sweet dreams of your hunky man,” Ava whispered, and padded off to her bed.
Bonni stumbled through the darkened room to her bedroom. Removing her clothes, she dropped them on the floor and face-planted into the bed and pillows. She thought for sure she’d be out like a light, but Quinn invaded her mind. And so did Ava’s heartbreaking admission.
There was still so much to know about him. The private stuff, like who he was, where he came from, what he did for a living—aside from poker—and where he called home and how, if possible, they could fit it all together. Lying in the dark, her eyes growing heavier, Bonni made a decision that allowed her to begin drifting off to sleep. Her chaotic brain finally shut down.
I have to take a leap of faith. It was unknown territory she’d be jumping into. But something told her she could trust Quinn to catch her.
Chapter Seventeen
Sun streamed through the window and Bonni listened to see if the others were awake. All quiet.
She’d slept for a while but had finally turned on the TV and got sucked into one of her favorite movies: Terminator. She thought one of the most romantic lines ever was when Kyle Reese tells Sarah Connor that he came across time for her.
It made Bonni realize she did want that, too. She wanted romance, love, and devotion. She was antsy and leapt out of bed. After a hot shower and fresh clothes, she decided she desperately needed coffee. Checking the time, her belly did a little flip as she thought about Quinn. This time yesterday she had been naked in his bed. Immediately, she replayed their lovemaking from last night. She shivered, unable to believe she’d been so bold next to the window. It had been amazingly erotic and she found herself growing warm inside at the memory. Quinn was right, after whispering in her ear during one of their private moments, that it was important to create memories. It was something she would take to heart. And the more time she spent thinking of him, the more she believed that she wanted to create memories with him.
She wondered what he’d thought when he woke up to find her gone. She hoped he’d found the note so he didn’t think she’d taken off on him.
Bonni quietly opened the bedroom door and listened again, before breathing a sigh of relief that she’d be able to get her morning started without being questioned by her friends. But she did make sure there was no one lurking in chairs, ready to scare the shit out of her again.
Quinn would probably already be in his first game. She grabbed her flat white coffee drink and a biscotti from Starbucks in the lobby. She munched and drank as she swiftly made her way out of the hotel to the Bellagio.
The streets were relatively quiet, with not many people on them this early, and Bonni realized it was the first time she’d actually been outside during the day since they’d arrived in Vegas. She looked at all the buildings, the brand-new hotels, at the conference center. It certainly had changed in ten years.
The pedestrian bridges were saviors. Even if they did add extra steps to your walk, she could imagine the number of people that avoided getting hit by the crazy traffic as they tried to run across the street. Maybe she’d take the elevator instead of the escalator. It was closer. She picked up her pace, wanting to get to the hotel.
In the ballroom, she read the standings by the players’ registration and information area. Bonni couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She saw Quinn’s name, and he was in the top three. Her jaw fell open at the winnings listed beside the players’ names. Bonni’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. Quinn was cleaning up.
She wandered around, keeping to the back of the room and skirting the tables and crowds, watching from a distance. The tables were broken up into areas behind hip-high divider curtains. She stopped close to one table and watched the game. She’d seen a sign earlier that it was a Texas Hold ’Em tournament.
She scanned the crowd for Quinn. He wouldn’t be easy to spot, that was for sure. A lot of the players seemed to have a certain way of dressing: hoodies with ball caps and sunglasses. She’d chased more hoodie wearers than she cared to remember, but these people likely had more money than she could shake a stick at.
Bonni milled around a bit more, pondering the difference between drug dealers and embezzlers. White-collar criminals steal from pensions, siphon off savings, ruin people’s livelihood, while drug cartels peddle their products for millions of dollars and start people down paths that could destroy their lives. But at least drug addicts knew what they were getting into. White-collar victims were merely sacrificial lambs, at the mercy of the wealthy who wanted to get wealthier. Where did professional gamblers fall on the spectrum? An addiction to gambling could be as damaging as an addiction to drugs, and these players willingly signed up to potentially lose money. All for the slim chance of being a big winner. She drew in a deep sigh and tried not to let herself be mind-boggled about the decisions people made. She found a seat in the shadow of a pillar. Perfect.
She sat and wished she had her own baseball cap to hide beneath. She watched the tables in front of her. At this one, to her untrained eye, it looked like there was a ton of money in chips floating around. She carefully inspected each player’s face, except the two of them who had their backs to her. Bonni decided she’d stay for a few more minutes and then move on to another table. She hadn’t thought to look and see if there was a seating chart. Then one of the players moved in a way that made her heart jump. The dude wore a purple LA Kings cap and had made a movement that reminded her of Quinn.
He tilted his head and stretched his shoulders. Something that Quinn did. Now all her focus was on
him. She looked at the monitors—many were placed around the room, offering a better viewing angle of the players—waiting for a clear camera angle so she could see his face and double-check that she was right. It took about five minutes before the camera got him, and it was because he had won the hand. He raked in about $275,000. Bonni nearly choked on her now cold flat white.
“Excuse me, is that typical winnings?” she asked the older gentleman sitting next to her. He seemed very intent on watching the players and she hoped he didn’t mind her interruption.
“This was a rich pot. And they’re only going to get higher from here. My money is on the guy in the purple hat to win.”
Bonni felt a surge of emotion for Quinn, and it shocked the shit out of her. The man was talking about Quinn. Her Quinn…well, not technically, but suddenly the thought of him being her Quinn was what she wanted. “That guy with his back to us? You think he’s going to win?”
“Unless he royally screws up. He’s dominating that table, and so he’s a lock to advance to the next round.”
Bonni watched the table and then turned to the man. He was still watching the game. “I don’t know much about this tournament. Or poker, for that matter.”
He glanced at her and smiled. “Well, don’t be too hard on yourself. A lot of people here have no clue what it’s all about. They just like to watch. The money intrigues them.”
“I imagine it would. Have you been in a tournament before?”
“No, no. I’m not good enough, plus, my wife would kill me. We just happened to be here at the same time as this tournament. I like to watch them on television.”
“Thanks for the info.” Bonni crossed her legs and rested her arms on her knee. She was fascinated by this whole thing. Especially after her neighbor started explaining what was happening. She sensed he was quite focused on what was going on, and it made her wonder if you could bet on the outcome. Anything was possible in Vegas.
It was about an hour later and the final hand was played. Quinn won.
“See? I told you he would if he didn’t screw something up.” The man gathered up his things and stood. “He’s got a talent, that man.” He checked his watch. “Perfect timing, too. My wife’s spa treatment will be just about finished and she won’t even know I was here. You keep your eye on him. He’ll go far.” The man pointed at Quinn.
Bonni smiled at him. “Thanks again for explaining everything. You were very helpful. And I will keep an eye on that player.” If only he knew just how close an eye she’d be keeping on Quinn.
The people at the table stood to do a round of hand-shaking and Bonni held her breath. She was on eggshells, waiting for Quinn to turn and see her in the crowd. She wanted to stay and wait for him, and knew her friends would be preoccupied with their own stuff. They had texted her when they finally woke up. Celia said she had some writing to do, while Fredi and Ava had decided to go to the hot tub and pool. Bonni knew she had some time.
He stretched his back and turned around. Bonni watched him, realizing Ava was right. She was breathless around Quinn. He certainly was magnificent looking. But under his perfection was a passionate and sensitive and, oh yes, a demanding man who had made love to her all night long, two nights in a row. A man that brought her to heights of pleasure she’d never before experienced. But he was also a man who was more than just a lover and a poker player. He was a man that had sparked a curiosity in her that was becoming all-consuming.
And she wanted more of him. The thought of them going their separate ways at the end of their Vegas trip pained her. That in itself was a huge admission. She couldn’t refute their swift, tumultuous, and indescribable connection.
He searched the audience as if he was looking for someone, and she got a thrill of pleasure thinking that he might be looking for her. Or perhaps he was looking for Landon? Of course, she hadn’t thought about him. She didn’t like that as much. Bonni stayed where she was and continued to watch, leaning forward to look around the pillar. If Landon was here, then she would slip quietly away without any fuss. No point in creating a hullabaloo by being present when she wasn’t expected. The crush of people didn’t allow her to see anything beyond the immediate area, so she stood up to look back at Quinn’s table and discovered he’d found her in the crowd. He had a big smile on his face. Bonni’s heart jumped, and she returned his smile, feeling it stretch her cheeks wide. It was involuntary. She wouldn’t have been able to control it if she had tried. Since meeting Quinn, she’d turned into a grinning fool and, as she wove her way through the seats toward him, Bonni accepted that she didn’t mind the least little bit.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” Quinn reached over and grasped her shoulders, drawing her in for a kiss. “Could you be my lucky charm?”
She loved that he didn’t have a fear of PDA, kissing her in the midst of all the people here, at a poker tournament with television cameras everywhere. It gave her another insight into his character. He was his own man.
Bonni pointed at the table. “I don’t think you need any kind of luck. That’s quite a haul.”
“Hmm, oh, yes, it was a strong table, but I’m looking forward to tomorrow. That’s where the real competition lies. How long have you been here?”
“A little while.” A seed of unease planted itself in her belly at how cavalierly he treated the money.
“Come.” He took her hand and they walked side by side, the divider curtain between them, until they rounded to the entryway.
“So what did you think?” he asked her.
“I don’t know how you do it. It takes a lot of guts to play cards like that. And the money, I simply can’t get over the money.” She shook her head in wonder.
Bonni briefly thought about texting her partner to ask him to do a background check on Quinn, but she didn’t, fully aware of the can of worms she could be opening. It was unethical, since he was not under any kind of investigation, and, really, it was none of her business where he got the money. At least at this point in their blossoming…what? Relationship? If they were going to have a shot at making this work, she had to trust him, not snoop around in his world. If she went behind his back, it wouldn’t be something she could ever come back from. She had to trust that he would open up to her when the time was right.
Although time was something they were running out of.
“You get used to it. Winning keeps me in the game. Building points makes sponsors happy and means I get to keep moving on. It’s fluid, and I’m always ready to go where the game is.”
Okay, so he sorta told me. He plays off his winnings. She bit her lip, as the seed of unease just sprouted a little stem. Would he ever be able to put down roots or would he continue to travel around the world, always chasing the next game?
They had to sidestep around a crowd of people, so separated, but came back together.
“Have you had breakfast or anything to eat?” Bonni asked him.
“Yes, I had something earlier. I’m going to be tied up here pretty much most of the day.” He looked at his watch. “But I do have a bit of time before they call for the next round.”
“I have no idea how you can just keep going from one to the next.”
“This one is organized a little differently. It’s over just three days, and it’s an invitational tournament. Most tournaments run for a week.”
“So for an invitational tournament, you have to be really good, eh?”
He looked down at her. “Yes.” There was thrill shining in his eyes, driven by something that was so far from her wheelhouse she wondered if she’d ever be able to understand. “Have you eaten?” Quinn asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. “I had a coffee and a biscotti on the walk over.”
“Well, I could use a coffee. Let’s go grab one over there.” He took her hand, and he kept her close this time when they had to dodge between people lingering around the ring of tables near the refreshment station. “Landon texted me—he’s nursing quite a hangover. Apparently, Celia drank hi
m under the table.”
Bonni laughed. “I told you he’d have his hands full. Celia can pack ’em back for a little thing.”
Quinn chuckled, and Bonni shivered with delight when he put his hand on her waist.
“Let’s sit over there.” Quinn slid his hand up her back, his fingers strong and totally reminding her of their magic touch. He guided her to a small table in a bustling café. His presence had a powerful effect on her. She absorbed the sensations he roused in her, the thrill of his touch and the delightful seductive quiver that flowed through her body. The sense of security she had around him…and…something else had her in a state. She eyed him, watching how he fussed with the chair, before motioning for her to sit, and realized it was his attention to her. He cared? Bonni smiled to herself and was glad she’d come to the tournament now. She’d never really been treated like a lady before. Her line of work made it hard to be feminine; she’d always been just one of the guys, both at work and growing up. Bonni had figured the girlie gene had never made its way into her DNA. Yet, here, in the presence of this man, she was feeling everything womanly.
And she liked it.
“I was surprised you were gone this morning. I didn’t hear you leave.”
She gazed at him and saw that he wasn’t accusing her, he wasn’t judging, yet the look in his eyes was something she hadn’t seen before. Soft, calm, and with an almost-yearning in them. The layers were peeling back and Bonni tried to see deeper. Just what did the expression in his gaze mean?
She cleared her throat, suddenly thrown off kilter. “I tried to be quiet so I didn’t wake you. I don’t sleep well. When I wake up, it’s hard to get back to sleep. Plus, I knew you had to be up early today for this tournament. I didn’t want to be an unnecessary distraction for you.”
She dropped her gaze and caught her breath, trying to steady her pounding heart. Something that had become oh so common since meeting Quinn.