I arrived behind her in line and found myself staring at the back of her head like a damn fool. Her hair was dazzling, and it reached her lower back to graze the waistband of her jeans. Now that I was looking down, I had to swallow. Her body was insane. She was incredibly fit, with lean muscle I could see beneath her shirt and jeans. I liked how plainly she was dressed, and a little voice in the back of my head started screaming at me to talk to her so I could see her face and see her eyes.
I cleared my throat, hoping it would be enough for her to turn around. It wasn’t. She remained still, looking slightly upward. I figured she was reading the menu board.
I cleared my throat again and leaned slightly forward, but not close enough to encroach on her personal space. “The yam rolls here are to die for,” I said. “And I recommend pairing them with a merlot.”
She looked over her shoulder at me, and something inside me started fluttering.
She was gorgeous. Her cheeks were flushed but bright, and her dazzling green eyes looked like two glittering emeralds beneath her bold black eyebrows. Her lips were full and pink and curved upward in a polite smile.
She looked me up and down in a way that didn’t seem judgmental, and then turned a bit more to face me more directly. “Yam rolls, huh?” she asked, still smiling. Her voice sounded like the sweetest melody I had ever heard.
I nodded. “Yep, delicious.”
“You look like more of a steak guy,” she said, showing me her teeth now in a more radiant smile. It almost took my knees out from under me.
I grinned. “You know, that’s not the first time someone’s said that to me.”
She shrugged one shoulder and began turning back to the menu board. Had I really lost her attention that quickly? I wasn’t used to this sort of thing. Usually when I spoke to a woman, I had her full attention within a couple of seconds. Usually, I had to try to wriggle away from the situation because I was the one who wasn’t interested. This was a chilling role reversal, and I felt like a fish out of water.
“How long are you here for?” I asked.
She turned back to me, still wearing that polite smile of hers. “A week. I just arrived this morning. Still trying to get my bearings. This place is massive.”
“You know, I could always give you a little tour.” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, so I added, “I work here, so I know my way around like I know the back of my hand. I could show you the best spots in the casino based on what drinks you like, and so forth. If you’re interested, of course.”
“That’s very kind of you,” she said, and I detected the “but” lingering at the tip of her tongue before she spoke it. “But I think I’m going to spend the night in my room. It’s been a long day of traveling, and I want to relax. Thank you, though. I appreciate it.”
“Of course,” I said, letting her turn away from me this time.
Clearly, she wasn’t interested in chatting anymore, and I wasn’t going to push. I tapped her shoulder lightly, and she turned back.
“Seriously,” I said. “Get the yam rolls. You won’t regret it. It was nice talking to you. Enjoy your evening.”
“You’re not ordering anything?” she asked, one dark eyebrow arching. Somehow, the other remained perfectly still.
“No,” I said. “Not today. Places to be.”
“Right,” she said with a wry smile. “It was nice talking to you, too.”
I gave her my best smile and left her where she was in line. I hoped she was watching my back as I left, but I didn’t turn around to find out. If I had, I was afraid I would walk back and make a complete ass of myself trying to impress her again.
I went to the staff exit to catch the freight elevator down to the underground parking. I was horrified to see Meek standing there, waiting for me. He was smiling like a younger brother who had just heard his older brother being chewed out by their mother. In this scenario, I was the older brother. I tried to avoid his humorous stare as long as I could, but once we were both on the elevator, his laughter couldn’t be contained, and he burst into a fit, clutching at his ribs as he doubled over in hysterics.
“It wasn’t that bad,” I said defensively, crossing my arms across my chest. The leather of my jacket groaned softly.
Meek slapped his knee before straightening. He shot me an amused glance before chuckling again. “She shot you down just like that? Over and done with. And after you spent all day thinking about her.”
“I didn’t think about her all day.”
“Really?”
I frowned and scratched the back of my neck.
“Exactly.” Meek laughed, shaking his head at me. “Oh man, that was the highlight of my day. A woman turning down Greyson Kline. Definitely doesn’t happen every day. Maybe you should have left the suit on.”
“Maybe the next time I see her, I’ll have it on.”
“Oh?” Meek teased.
“She’s here for a week. I don’t intend on giving up. She turned me down tonight, sure, but she had good reason. She spent all day traveling. She wants some downtime. I can understand that.”
Meek chuckled as the doors opened, and we both made our way through the staff parking lot. Meek stopped at his car, a sleek black Audi, and pulled his keys out of his pocket. “The poor girl. She has no clue what’s about to befall her.”
“Why do you make it sound like I’m a terrible person?” I asked.
Meek shrugged and gave me a crooked grin before sliding into the driver’s seat. “Because it’s fun,” he said before he closed the door behind him.
I made for my bike, parked in its usual spot at the back of the parking lot. The helmet was secured to the side by the chin strap. When I pulled it off to put it on, I spotted a note tucked inside. I unfolded the yellow paper and smiled as I read it.
Thank you for letting me ride her today, Mr. Kline. My father was thrilled when I showed up at his house on it. He took her for a spin down the Strip and on the highway. Said it was the best ride of his life! Now Mom is a little upset because he wants to buy one. Anyways. Thank you!
I tucked the note in the pocket of my jeans and geared up. If I hurried, I would be able to blow by Meek on his drive home while showing him a rude hand gesture. I always enjoyed rushing past his driver’s side window. He never saw me coming, and the roar of the engine as I went zooming by always startled him. His wide-eyed expression and tight grip on his steering wheel was more than satisfying for me.
Chapter 8
Skylar
When I rolled over to look at the clock on the nightstand the following morning, it was only seven. I stretched like a cat, arching my spine and pointing my toes, and rolled out of bed. I knew Renee and Nikki would be dead to the world until late morning or early afternoon, so I put on one of my new bikinis. Although it was something I never would have picked myself, I liked it. It was turquoise with gold chains hanging off the hips. The top gave me good coverage and support, and I felt comfortable wearing it in public.
I threw on one of the white robes in my room, grabbed my book and pool bag, and headed down to catch the early morning sun.
I was one of the only people at the pool. There were a few older couples lounging in chairs when I arrived, and I chose a seat that was poolside and facing the rising sun. I ordered a non-alcoholic smoothie from the bar that I was surprised was open so early, and sipped on it while I read my book.
The heat of the sun on my skin was delightful, and the cool smoothie kept me a perfect temperature.
I wasn’t sure how long I had been sitting and reading when suddenly, I was cast in shade.
I peered up, pulling down my sunglasses to get a good look at whoever was standing in front of my chair.
It was the man who had stood behind me in the sushi line the previous night. The one who had recommended the yam rolls, which, to his credit, were delicious and did in fact pair well with a nice merlot.
“Good morning,” he said cheerfully.
He looked different today than he had the night befor
e. He was wearing a pair of linen pants and a loose-fitting white shirt that was open at the collar to expose a bit of chest. He was fit, lean, and quite tall. His dark hair was messily pushed back off his forehead, and there was a bit of stubble on his jaw that hadn’t been there yesterday.
“Good morning,” I said, pushing my sunglasses back up my nose.
He stayed where he was, blocking my sun. “Mind if I join you?” he asked.
I book marked the page of my book and put it down in my lap, then nodded to the chair beside me. “Sure,” I said.
He lowered himself down on the chair and clasped his hands behind his head. His eyes were closed, and I took a moment to acknowledge how handsome he was. I had noticed last night as well, but here, under the sunlight, he looked like a god.
His cheekbones were sharp and high, and he had a square jaw and a strong chin. His brows were thick and dark, and I found myself wondering what color eyes hid behind those lids of his. I hadn’t paid attention last night, and now, my curiosity was killing me.
He peered at me out of the corner of his eye.
Blue. His eyes were quite blue.
I hoped I wasn’t blushing.
“What are you reading?” he asked.
For a moment, I thought that he seemed a little nervous. I told myself that I was imagining things. Why would a man who looked like him be nervous about talking to someone like me?
I showed him the cover. It was a horror novel. My favorite.
“Huh,” he said. “I did not expect that.”
“That’s not the first time someone’s said that to me,” I said, repeating the line he had said to me last night when I told him he seemed like more of a steak guy.
He laughed. The sound was delightful and contagious, and I couldn’t help but giggle right along with him.
“I’m Greyson, by the way.”
I shook the hand he extended to me. His grip was strong but careful.
“Skylar,” I said.
“Skylar? Never met anyone named Skylar before. It suits you.”
“Thank you,” I said, unsure of what the appropriate answer was to someone complimenting your name. He made me feel flustered and unsure, but not in a bad way. Somehow, with him, I was comfortable with being uncomfortable.
“So, you said you were here for a week?” Greyson asked, shifting in his chair.
“Yes, until Monday. I’m here with my sister and her friend. To be honest, I was hiding from them last night when you bumped into me.”
“Hiding from them?” Greyson asked, propping himself up on one elbow and turning so he was facing me. The long lines of his body on the chair under the sun were tempting to look at.
“Yes, I love my sister, and this was supposed to be a trip for just the two of us, but she brought along her best friend and the two of us… clash,” I said, trying to pick the right word.
“That sucks,” Greyson said, frowning in a way that made his lips look like something I wanted to stare at all day. “But hey, don’t let her ruin your vacation. What do you say you and I—”
“Sky! There you are!”
“We’ve been looking for you all morning!”
I looked away from Greyson to see my sister and Nikki hurrying along the pool’s edge to meet me. Nikki was wearing heels so high she could barely walk, and part of me prayed she would topple over and fall in the water.
When she arrived at the foot of my chair still dry, I had to hide my disappointment.
“Sorry,” I said. “I lost track of time. I just wanted to get in some reading time before you guys woke up.”
“That’s okay,” Renee said. “We weren’t looking all that long. Nikki’s feet just hurt, so she thinks it’s been ages.”
I smiled, and Nikki scowled at my sister. Then her eyes fell on Greyson, who was still facing me with the words he was about to say still rolling around in his mouth.
“And who are you?” Nikki asked, twirling a strand of bright blonde hair with one finger.
“This is Greyson,” I said. “We bumped into each other last night when I went to get something to eat. Greyson, this is Nikki, and my sister Renee.”
“Very nice to meet you, Greyson,” Nikki cooed.
His blue eyes flicked to me for the briefest moment before his expression softened, and he nodded at Nikki. “Likewise.”
That word felt like the first disingenuous thing I had heard him say since meeting him, and it made me like him a bit more. Somehow, I knew he found Nikki as annoying as I did.
Nikki perched herself down at the end of his pool chair. Renee shot me a worried glance, and I shrugged one shoulder, curious to see how the whole thing would play out.
As Nikki reached out to touch Greyson’s leg, he swung himself around and stood abruptly. He turned to me, his expression cool until our eyes met, and nodded. “I have to get going, but I’ll talk to you again soon, all right?”
I nodded, and he turned around, making his way around the pool chairs and disappearing through the doors to the hotel. I watched his back the entire way, admiring the broadness of his shoulders and his narrow waist.
Nikki stretched herself out on his now-vacant pool chair. “They don’t make them like that in Texas,” she said, pulling her cover up over her head to expose a beautiful body covered in a skimpy pink bikini.
Renee sat down on my other side. “They certainly don’t,” she said, locking eyes with me and wiggling her eyebrows up and down. “He seems nice, too.”
Nikki, oblivious as ever, thought Renee was talking to her. “Nice? Who cares? He’s handsome and looks like money. Am I right?”
I wanted to tell her how shallow she was. I wanted to tell her there were more important things in a person, like character, morals, and kindness. But it would fall upon deaf ears, and I didn’t want to waste my time.
Renee nudged me with her elbow. “You know, maybe it’s time you took that next step with a guy. Know what I mean?”
I shook my head and opened my book, hoping to end the conversation before it began. “I don’t think Vegas is the right place for that kind of pursuit.”
“Oh, come on,” Renee said. “Were you not looking at the same specimen we were? He’s clearly into you. Why not see what it’s all about?”
“Hold up a second,” Nikki said, sitting up and swinging her legs off the side of the chair. She leaned forward, her elbows on her knees, and stared at me with wide eyes. “Are we talking about what I think we’re talking about?”
“No,” I said sharply.
“Yes, we are!” Nikki squealed, pointing an accusatory finger at me. “You’re a virgin? Aren’t you, like, twenty-nine?”
“Twenty-seven,” I said.
“Whatevs.” Nikki waved her hand in the air like the two-year difference was only two months. “I can’t believe you haven’t had sex yet. And you’re such a babe!”
I was completely uncomfortable with talking about my virginity. “I would like to change the subject.”
“Are you waiting until marriage or something?” Nikki asked, disregarding my request to talk about something else.
“No,” I said sternly, closing my book again and putting it down in my lap with a sigh. “I just haven’t met the right person, okay? I’m not going to throw it away just because I can. Call me old fashioned, but I still think it means something.”
“It does,” Renee said, cutting in for the first time. “It means a lot. I wish I hadn’t lost mine so young.”
“Oh, come on, you prudes,” Nikki said, fishing around in her beach bag. She pulled out a bottle of tanning oil and pumped some into her palm. “Sex is great. Men are great. You don’t know what you’re missing, Sky. I bet Greyson could fuck you so good you’d forget your own name.”
“Okay,” I said, dropping my book into my bag and getting to my feet. “I’m going to take a shower.”
Renee tried to catch my wrist as I slipped out from between the chairs. “Sky, stay for a while, just until lunch? Then we’ll all go out together.”
“Just come to my room when you’re done here,” I said. “I want to get out of the sun.”
Renee let me leave, and as I walked back to the doors of the hotel, all I could hear was Nikki’s shrill voice as she launched into a story about her ex-boyfriend and how good he was in bed. I wasn’t even sitting with them, and my cheeks were starting to burn.
How she could be so crude, I had no idea. My virginity was none of her business, and it wasn’t something I liked to discuss in casual conversation. It was personal. It always had been personal.
I hadn’t been lying when I told her I just hadn’t met the right person yet. That was true. I had been in short relationships when I was young, but after I got into nursing, I just didn’t have the time to devote to someone. I took care of people all day and barely had enough energy to take care of myself when I got home. I also always worried about Renee, and took care of her, and made sure she was happy. A boyfriend was not a priority, and I didn’t regret that decision.
I was happy with my life the way it was.
Vegas was beginning to feel like a bigger mistake with every passing minute. I should have stayed home, where right about now I would be filling my fridge with fresh produce and would be prepping all my lunches for the week. I had my routine down to a science, and that was the way I liked it.
I didn’t need a man to feel fulfilled, and I certainly didn’t need sex, either. I could take care of myself on all fronts.
Chapter 9
Greyson
I was surprised to see Skylar coming back from the pool so soon after I had left her with her friends. She was wearing one of the white robes from her room and black flip flops. Her beach bag was slung over one shoulder, and her strides were long and determined. If I knew anything about women, I knew she was upset.
I hurried toward the elevators to head her off. She was moving quickly. I had to weave through bodies in the casino and make a dash for the elevators when she pushed the button.
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