by Marie Carnay
Where Hank was all tough and brooding with those blue eyes and short beard, Trenton was all sun and light. Brown hair just long enough to run her hands through. Eyes the color of sun tea in June. And that smile. Lord have mercy, one grin from Trenton and Willa caught herself dreaming of his body suspended above hers in a king-sized bed.
Combined, they pumped out enough testosterone to render her the spitting image of cliché women everywhere—lightheaded and weak in the knees.
It was complete and utter insanity. No one went on a date with two guys on the same night. Sure, plenty of single ladies tried out the bar scene. Bree even dragged her on one of those speed-dating nights before Mark.
But Willa had always been the steady, long-term type. Even when the end was spray-painted on the wall in neon pink.
She’d stayed with Mark not because she loved him, but because he was safe. Predictable. It was only when he asked the unthinkable that she’d left him.
Hadn’t she come to Vegas to get out of that rut? She’d planned to shake things loose and try something crazy. Dating two guys fit that bill. If only she could find something to wear.
A knock on the dressing room door snapped Willa out of it. “Is everything all right in there? I’ve been hearing a lot of cursing.”
With an exhale, Willa unlocked the door. She smiled and poked her head out. “I’m having trouble finding a dress for a first date.” She paused. “Make that two first dates.”
The woman nodded in understanding. “I’m Jane and I’m happy to help you this afternoon.” With brown hair graying at the temples and black-rimmed glasses, she reminded Willa of her aunt the librarian. The one with four cats and crocheted doilies and more books lining the walls than paint.
Not promising.
Willa slipped back into her own dress and pulled open the door. “Any ideas? I think I’ve tried on half the dresses in here.”
“First dates are always tough. What’s the venue? Restaurant on the strip? A show?”
Willa winced. “I have no idea. They just said to surprise them.”
The saleswoman’s eyebrows shot up over her glasses. “Them? As in plural?”
Hell. She hadn’t meant to share that tidbit. With an embarrassing shrug, she nodded.
“How did that happen?”
“I don’t know. Before I could say anything, they’d both asked me out and what could I do, say no?” She grabbed a discarded dress and shoved it back on the hanger to keep from seeing Jane’s reaction. “It’s terrible, right? Who goes out on a date with two guys one after the other?”
The brother part she was keeping close to the vest. No one needed to know that detail but Willa.
“Nonsense.” Jane reached past her and grabbed a clump of dresses. “It’s lucky, not dreadful.” She helped hang them back up until all of the rejects were safely stowed on the restock rack. “One guy, two guys, a whole roomful of guys. Who cares as long as you’re having fun.” She tilted her head and eyed Willa over her glasses. “It is fun, right?”
“I hope so?”
Jane laughed. “Let’s make it a definitely.” She eyed the rack full of discards before turning back to Willa. “Do you want to knock them dead or leave them guessing?”
Willa thought about it for a moment. “Both?”
“Good choice. I know just the dress. I’ll be right back.”
As the woman disappeared, Willa shook her head in amazement. It had to be Vegas. Something about the city made everyone lose their minds. Agreeing to a date with two strangers she’d just met and not even knowing where they were headed was a recipe for a disaster. One the sensible Willa never made.
There was still time to back out. She could change her mind, not show. She didn’t owe them a damn thing. She could go back to her room and never see Hank or Trenton again.
The thought made her frown. Just remembering Hank’s lips hot on her ear, his whispered words sounding like sex and sin, made her pause. One date. That’s all it had to be.
A rush of midnight blue silk flashed in front of her face as Jane reappeared. “Classy, sexy, but not over the top. Perfect for anything from dinner to a show to a spot at the baccarat table.”
Willa eyed the dress. “I don’t know. It seems pretty fancy.”
“Try it on.”
She wrinkled up her nose, but took the dress. “All right, but no promises.” She shut the dressing room door before tugging off her dress and slipping the new one on.
The buttery fabric slid over her arms and fell to her knees in a whoosh. Willa zipped the dress up the back and turned to the mirror. Oh, wow.
The saleswoman couldn’t have made a better choice. Not too flashy or frumpy. Elegant without being snobby. She could wear it anywhere. And the price… She checked the tag with her fingers crossed. Not even out of her budget.
“How is it?”
Willa opened the door with a smile. “What do you think?”
Jane clapped her hands. “It’s gorgeous!”
“You’re sure I’m not crazy?”
“About the dress?”
“The date.”
“Are they good looking?”
Willa nodded.
“Polite?”
“Chivalrous, even.”
“Then you’re not crazy at all. Life’s too short to worry about what other people think. This is Vegas. If you can’t do it here, you can’t do it anywhere.”
After paying for the dress, Willa rushed upstairs. With only half an hour to spare, she hustled through her makeup routine, tugged the new dress on, and hopped into the same red heels from before.
Walking off the elevator at seven on the dot, she headed toward the concierge desk, confidence flowing through her veins. Perfect dress, cute hair, great shoes. She would own both dates and everything that went along with them.
So what if Bree would think she’d lost her mind. Willa had five more days in Vegas. Forget Los Angeles and her friends back home. She was there to jump start a new chapter in her life, and Willa was going to make the most of it.
The concierge desk came into view and she scanned the waiting groups of people.
Not a single dashing man to be seen. He must be late, that’s all. But her bravado flagged the closer she came to the desk. Where is he? Hank couldn’t have stood her up.
At last, she walked up to the concierge with a frown.
“Can I help you, miss?”
“I’m supposed to meet someone here, but I don’t see him. It’s a Mr. Hank Beauch—”
The concierge cut her off with a clap of his hands before rushing around the side of the desk. “Of course. You must be Ms. Gordon. It’s so nice to meet you.” He reached out and grabbed Willa’s hand as she stood there, mouth hanging open, the rest of his name still poised to roll off her tongue.
He pumped her limp arm up and down before gesticulating outside. “Your car is waiting for you.”
“I’m sorry?”
He motioned toward the glass doors. “Right over there. It’s been here for a while. I was beginning to wonder if I’d missed you. I know that would never do.” He flashed a puppy dog smile. “Is there anything I can get you before you leave? A bottle of water, maybe?”
What the hell is going on? Things had gone from disappointing to bizarre in the blink of an eye. Had he gotten her confused with a high roller? A celebrity? She snorted at the thought.
“I’m sorry, I think there’s some mistake. I’m supposed to meet—”
“Yes, miss. Mr. Beauchamp requested that I escort you to the vehicle.” With another smile, the concierge placed his hand on the small of her back and steered her toward the entrance of the hotel. “Please give Mr. Beauchamp my apologies on the delay. I never meant to keep him.”
The automatic doors opened and the concierge ushered her outside. “Here we are. It’s been a pleasure. Enjoy your night.”
Willa raised her arm to stop him, but the man bounded away before she could say a word. She stood on the sidewalk, dumbstruck until a voice c
aught her attention.
“Ms. Gordon? Are you ready to depart?”
Willa turned. A chauffeur stood next to a sleek black limo, back door open, engine rumbling. “The car is ready whenever you are, miss.”
I must have hit my head. Right now I’m probably passed out in the dressing room and poor Jane is standing over me, fanning my face. This can’t be real.
She shook her head. “You have the wrong person. I’m here to meet someone.”
“You are Willa Gordon, correct?”
She nodded.
“Then please, get in the car.”
Willa glanced at the open door. From her view, she couldn’t see inside at all. And this stranger wanted her to get in and do what? Relax?
When Hank invited her to dinner, she’d assumed he meant inside the casino or down the street. Not somewhere off-strip with a driver and a fancy car.
She nibbled on the inside of her cheek, unsure what to do.
Part of her screamed, get in the car! The whole point of her trip was to let go of the past and have some fun and be herself for a change.
But in her mind, she’d imagined anonymous make-out sessions on the dance floor and naughty flirting at a casino bar. Not sliding into the tinted back of a limo, far away from the glitz and lights of the casinos.
She glanced behind her at the entrance to the hotel. People milled about, laughing and talking, drinks in their hands. If she changed her mind, she could turn around and find a spot at a table and gamble the night away.
No. Hank and Trenton were two of the sexiest men she’d ever met. So they both wanted to date her, so what? She’d come to Vegas to reboot her life. No reason she couldn’t do that on a date with two men, even if it started in the back of a car.
At last, she smiled up at the patient driver. “Thank you.”
She bent down and clambered into the car as the driver shut the door behind her.
“It’s about time. Champagne is only good for so long, you know.”
Chapter 5
HANK
Willa fell into the seat as Hank slid over to make room. He’d been watching her out the window, hesitation written all over that gorgeous face. Would she bail on them and run back to her hotel room and pretend they didn’t exist?
For a moment, she’d considered it. But then it was all blue silk and legs for days and Hank could relax. Willa didn’t change her mind.
The limo door shut as she turned to him, cheeks heating. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting. I didn’t realize you were inside.”
After pulling a champagne bottle out of a built-in ice bucket, Hank poured her a glass. “No apologies necessary. It gave me plenty of time to ogle your dress.” He leaned closer and placed it in her hand. “And the knockout body beneath it.”
He picked up his own glass and clinked it against hers. “To tonight and wherever it leads.”
She sipped before giving him the once over. “Please tell me you have a plan and we’re not just driving around Vegas all night.”
“You don’t want to be stuck in here with me for hours?” Hank patted the seat. “It’s cozy.”
Willa’s lips quirked as she glanced at her watch. “It’s past seven and I haven’t eaten dinner. Unless you plan on hitting a drive-thru, you won’t want to be back here with me for much longer.” She pointed at him with her half-empty glass. “I’m no fun hungry.”
Hank grinned. The more he got to know her, the more he liked her. So laid back and down-to-earth. It had been years since he’d been just Hank, a guy out on a date, and not the heir to the Beauchamp casino legacy.
He leaned back on the seat as Willa did the same. So close and yet so far. He wanted to reach out and snatch her glass, pin her to the black leather, and make her scream his name.
But there was plenty of time for that later. Now was his chance to learn more about her. Who she was, where she came from. Her hopes. Dreams. Find out if she could really be more than a weekend fling.
As Willa drank the champagne, her hair slid over her shoulder, exposing the curve of her neck. So kissable. He slid closer. “Tell me about yourself.”
The skin between Willa’s eyebrows crinkled. “Not much to say, really. I live in LA, make jewelry.” She shrugged. “Pretty boring, I suppose.”
“Not to me. The things you make are stunning. That bracelet? All the intricate enamel had to take forever.”
“A few weeks.”
“Your dedication to the craft is impressive.”
She ran her fingers through her hair and focused on the empty seat across from them. “It beats waitressing.”
“Don’t lie. You love it.”
Willa smiled. “I wouldn’t want to do anything else, how’s that?”
“Fair enough.” As Hank turned to the window, the limo pulled into the drive of a casino. It parked at the entrance as he leaned toward Willa. “I hope you like French food.”
“Never had it.”
Hank smiled. “First time for everything.”
The driver opened the door and Willa stepped out, Hank on her heels. Their footfalls echoed across the marble entry and Hank slid his arm around her waist. So soft and warm. Sexy as hell.
I could get used to this.
He steered them through the casino floor toward the restaurant in the back corner. Halfway there, a voice called out.
“Mr. Beauchamp, sir! What a surprise!” A young man bounded up to Hank with his hand held out. Damn it. He clenched his jaw to keep from frowning.
“It’s Billy Harris, from the Young Enterprisers competition. I submitted the idea for the new chip counters, remember?”
Hank stared at him for a moment. With multiple casinos and thousands of employees, Hank met so many people every day. But he remembered Billy. “Yes. I remember. Quite inventive if you ask me.”
The young man fell in step beside him. “Have you had a chance to review my proposal, sir?”
Hank smiled at him. He couldn’t have been more than nineteen. “You’ll need to inquire at the acquisitions department. They handle all front-line decisions.”
“Oh, right. I forgot.” Billy tapped his forehead. “But if I may, sir—”
Hank cut him off. “If you don’t mind Mr. Harris, it’s late and I’m off the clock.”
“Oh.” The young man’s gaze drifted over to Willa. “Of course. I’m sorry.”
Hank hated to see the disappointment cross Billy’s face. He patted him on the shoulder. “Ms. Rellon in acquisitions would be happy to help you in the morning. Do you have her number?”
“Um… maybe?”
“Call the main number for Avira and ask for her first thing tomorrow. I’ll make sure she gives you an update.”
“Thank you, sir!” The kid pumped Hank’s hand a million times before letting go and racing down the hall.
“Who was that?”
Hank glanced at Willa. Running into someone like Billy wasn’t the way he’d wanted her to find out about their business interests. He tried to blow it off. “Just a person hoping I can give him a job.”
“Does that happen often?”
Hank shrugged. No sense in lying. “Unfortunately, yes.”
Willa shook her head. “How do you ever get anywhere?”
Hank laughed. He wished more people downplayed their accomplishments like her instead of shoving every little accolade or achievement in front of his face. Together he and Trenton might run one of the biggest casino empires in the world, but they weren’t constantly on the lookout for the next thing to buy. Sometimes he just wanted to take a walk with a beautiful woman on his arm.
He slipped his hand through the crook in her elbow and smiled. “How about we ditch the fancy dinner and go somewhere a little more, low-key?”
Willa smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”
WILLA
“When you said low-key, you meant it.”
Hank nodded, his mouth full of French fries.
Willa didn’t want to admit it, but getting all dressed up
and going to a restaurant where she couldn’t read the menu wasn’t her idea of a good time. Now this, she could enjoy.
As soon as she’d agreed to go somewhere else, Hank had turned around and ducked into the deli near the casino entrance. She’d assumed they’d just grab a sandwich and chat. But then he’d dragged her and a sack full of burgers and fries into a hidden service elevator and taken it all the way up to the roof.
When the doors opened and he led them out onto a private little balcony, Willa had been awestruck. From their vantage point at the top of the hotel, all of the Vegas Strip spread out below them like a buzzing hive of lights. The city buzzed and hummed below them, but gone was the pomp and circumstance, the glitz and glamour. It was just Willa and Hank and the remains of their dinner.
“How did you know this place was up here?”
Hank shrugged. “I’m a local. I know all the best spots to get away from it all.”
“Well this is incredible. I bet people pay a fortune to rent out the penthouse just to get this view.”
He nodded.
“Then lucky for me I ran into you. Otherwise I’d never get a chance to see it.”
Hank stared at her for a moment before answering. “Never say never, Willa.” He pushed up his shirtsleeves before scooting closer.
The wool of his suit jacket crinkled beneath her bare toes as Willa shifted closer to Hank. With the lights of Vegas casting his face in a warm glow and the cool breeze of the night air on her skin, all Willa could think about was getting lost in Hank’s world.
His strong arms. Full lips. Body she couldn’t wait to uncover. This was a million times better than sloppy kisses in a packed dance club or bad pick up lines at a casino bar. Hank knew just what to do and say and where to go to make her weak in the knees.
With steady hands, he reached for her. She melted. The first brush of his lips against hers launched an avalanche of need Willa hadn’t realized she’d held onto. After Mark, she’d been alone and fine. But it had been so long.
Long enough for a single press of Hank’s lips to make her whole body shudder and a swipe of his tongue to rip a moan from her throat. His hands slid up behind her back and he took the kiss deeper. Harder.