Roll the Dice: Part Two. A Second Chance Romance Novella. (Between the Rescued Series Book 2)

by Lyndsay Marie

  She stared down at her drink before looking up at me. “I don’t know what I want anymore. But you know damned well I don’t mind at least hooking up while I’m here…or at least trying. That’s all I ever wanted to do from the beginning.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck. I guessed hooking up was a start and not necessarily a bad one. “I can respect that, and I appreciate your honesty. But if we’re being brutally honest here—” I leaned over to whisper in her ear “—if it makes you feel any better, I still have the unrelenting urge to bend you over, snatch that tight little skirt over your ass, and claim you as mine from behind. Maybe we’ll make that our start.”

  She shivered from head to toe. That’s my girl.

  “Where would we go if I were any other girl you’d picked here and taken to bed? Back to your place?”

  Reluctantly, I let go of her hand as I sat up and took a sip of my beer. “No, actually. I’ve never taken anyone back to my place. Not in a long time. Usually we go to their place or somewhere close by.”

  “I’d offer up a solution, but I got none. Plus, I can’t get away from Kat long enough for her to not notice, much less leave her alone.”

  I leaned back in my barstool and craned my neck to peek behind the wall blocking my view. “Something tells me your friend would be just fine without you, and I hardly think she’d notice you were gone.”

  “What do you mean?” She gripped my thighs for support and leaned across me to get a look at what I’d been talking about. I wrapped my arms around her waist to hold her up. Then, without warning, I pulled her back, practically mouth to mouth with me.

  “Hi.”

  “Hey,” she whispered back. “Can I, um, help you with something?”

  I smiled at her. “Oh, you have no idea.” I skimmed my lips across hers. As soon as she closed her eyes, Katie’s voice cracked through the air.

  “Break it up. We gotta go.”

  Chloe jolted upright. “What the—? Why? What’s wrong?”

  “It’s Rowan,” Warren said, standing close behind Katie. “I just got a text from Wes; he’s taking her to the hospital.”

  “What? The hospital? Why?”

  “We don’t know. He just said he needed to take her in but for us not to worry.”

  Chloe grabbed her purse, I threw some cash on the counter to cover our tab, and we all made our way outside.

  “How far is the hospital from here?” Chloe asked no one in particular.

  I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into a hug from behind, hoping to reassure her everything would be okay, even though I had no idea what the hell was going on. “Ten minutes? I already sent for an Uber.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHLOE

  The first longest week of my life was waiting for Mother Nature to pay me her monthly visit. Second was this past week waiting for Rowan’s wedding.

  Ever since Rowan’s unexpected hospital visit, Kat and I had decided we were not going to leave her side until we had to physically get on a plane and fly back home…or at least until her wedding night. Thankfully, she only had to spend one night in the hospital for observation and some IV fluids. Turned out she wasn’t giving us some bullshit excuse about being on antibiotics so she wouldn’t have to drink with us. Unfortunately, the meds just weren’t strong enough. But we were glad to have her home, safe, and back to feeling like herself.

  Once Rowan had all of us convinced she was fine and Wesley let her off bed rest a few days later, we were finally able to get out and go get our dresses. As promised, the shop had everything we’d needed. We helped Rowan pick out her dress, and holy shit. When I saw the price tag, I knew exactly why that dress shop had everything she needed at her fingertips. I could have bought a new car for the price of her dress.

  Now here we were, Friday night before my best friend’s big day, her last few hours as a bachelorette, and as that unwanted pang of jealousy crept up, I squashed it down just as fast because I was genuinely happy for her. She was going to be a stunning bride and make an even better wife. She deserved happiness just as much as anyone else.

  “Where’s Camilla at tonight?” Katie asked Rowan as we sat in our pj’s, curled up on different areas of Wesley’s massive sectional, drinking wine. “I figured she’d be here tonight.”

  Rowan gave a slight eye roll—that did not go unnoticed—and chugged back some of her bottled water. “I invited her, but she didn’t sound interested. I just told her since we had pretty much ironed out all the details earlier this week, and she got her dress, she didn’t need to feel obligated to hang out with boring old us.”

  Thank fuck. “Honestly, I’m glad she isn’t here,” I said. “Something about her doesn’t sit right with me.” Okay, so nothing about her sat right with me, and most of it had to do with Daniel—maybe all of it had to do with him. I was just glad to know he wasn’t out and about doing his regular thing. He was with Wesley, Shane, and Warren at Warren’s place, which just happened to be a few floors below us. So, as far as I knew, everyone had stayed in and behaved themselves. Plus, Daniel had been sending me some highly inappropriate and very much welcomed saucy text messages. All we had to do was somehow make each one of his dirty promises come to fruition…in less than thirty-six hours.

  Wishful thinking at this point.

  “I like her okay,” Katie said, perking up. “But I haven’t had much to do with her in the past two weeks. She kind of just makes her presence known, stays for a bit, then leaves. I guess as long as she shows up for the wedding tomorrow, that’s all that matters.”

  “I hope so too. I don’t think she’d bail, though. I mean, she’ll have to see Wesley and Daniel at the hospital at some point. I can’t imagine she wouldn’t not show up to be in our wedding and then come into work Monday like nothing happened.”

  I absolutely could see her doing that. From what little I did know about her, she seemed shady enough and just gave me that feeling.

  “What’s your beef with her, Chlo? You’ve spent just as little time with her as I have…or am I missing something.”

  “You’re missing something,” Rowan said to Katie.

  I looked at Rowan. “No she’s not. What are you talking about?”

  “Other than you and Daniel almost kissing at the bar last week, what did I miss?”

  “Almost kissing?” Rowan practically spit out her water. “What in the hell did I miss? Spill it, Chloe.”

  Shit, Katie. “Okaaay. Apparently I’m the one missing something here. We did not almost kiss. And—.”

  “Oh, yes, you did. You two would have had your tongues down each other’s throats if I hadn’t walked up on you.”

  “Fine. We almost kissed. Almost doesn’t count for a whole lotta nothing. And that’s all we are—nothing.”

  “Well, by the way y’all have been looking at each other every time y’all are together, you can’t tell me there’s nothing going on there.”

  “Oh, I can and there’s not.”

  “Hell, why not? He’s fine as hell. I’d do him myself,” Katie said. “But I just get the feeling he’s all about him some Chloe. Plus, you need a good lay after that Tanner disaster.”

  She wasn’t wrong. I did need a good lay. Hard and fast would win the race at this point. “I don’t disagree with that, but I can assure you, there’s nothing going on between me and Daniel.” I wish. Oh, how I wished. Some days I wished even more that I’d just tell them about our history and get it out of the way.

  “So what do you know, Rowan? You’re the one who started this.”

  I wasn’t entirely sure I even wanted to know what inside information Rowan had. For all I knew, Daniel had already told Wesley everything and he’d told Rowan. Holy crap. What if she already knew? Ohmigod. It never even crossed my mind that Daniel might have told someone already.

  Rowan’s eyes darted between me and Kat. “Sorry, Chloe. Cat’s about to be out of the bag.”

  Well, so much for my big secret. So, me being my don’t think before you spea
k self just blurted it out. “It’s not like we were legally married.”

  Rowan dropped her open bottle of water on the floor; Katie choked on her wine.

  “Do what?” they both shouted.

  Well, shit.

  After being grilled by the two of them for alllll the details, I’d finally confessed to my best friends everything from that night of the marathon that they’d left me to my own devices, up until now.

  “Holy fucking shit. It all makes sense now,” Rowan said.

  “It does?” Katie asked, still obviously in shock at my admission to Daniel’s and my fake shotgun wedding.

  “Yeah. Well, most of it. Daniel has been acting…different. Ever since Chloe showed up. I knew something was up, but I never would have guessed it was that. I just thought he had a thing for you, and he and Camilla had a thing that he didn’t know what to do with.”

  I took in a deep breath and blew it out. “They don’t. Well, they did. Supposedly it was a long time ago, but she hasn’t let him go since. He’s promised me there’s nothing there, and I want to believe him.”

  “Well, I told him last week at rehearsal lunch that whatever he had going on with her, he needed to end it before messing with you or I was going to kick his ass if he hurt you.”

  “Thanks for looking out, but I’m good. We’re just talking. That’s all. Trying to navigate things from here…I guess.”

  Rowan got up from the cozy nest of pillows and throw blankets she’d made for herself and hugged me. “Well, either way, whether it’s Daniel or someone else, I know there’s someone perfect for you out there. Y’all are gonna find each other one way or the other.”

  “Yeah,” Kat said, plopping herself down next to me. “Look at Rowan. She had to damn near killed her future husband. Then she moved halfway across the country to be with him.”

  Rowan tossed a throw pillow at Katie. “Give it time. Your prince will come.”

  Oh, he needed to come all right, and so did I.

  ***

  “Well, guys, it’s go-time. Y’all ready?” Rowan said, smoothing her hands down the front of her princess wedding dress.

  “Oh, we’re ready, and you make a perfect bride,” Kat said to Rowan, who stood solo waiting to walk down the aisle. “The question is, are you ready?”

  Once I’d finished airing out all my dirty laundry to them, we spent the rest of the night girl-talking about people back at home, all our other crazy times we’d had together, and Rowan’s big day. Now, seeing Rowan all decked out in her bridal gear, I couldn’t help but for a quick moment think back on my own wedding night, if I could even call if that anymore. Maybe she was right, that my someone was out there. I just hadn’t found him yet.

  She clutched her bouquet of calla lilies and orchids in a death grip. “Never been more ready for anything in my life.”

  We were all finally standing place, waiting to walk down the aisle. Warren and Katie stood tall in front of me, pretty much blocking out my entire view of the rooftop. Shane and I were linked arm in arm behind them. I couldn’t see Daniel or Camilla, but I could hear her, and I could smell him just behind me. Rowan waited behind a silk curtain backdrop just beyond them.

  Instrumental music played as the usher drew back the white sheer curtains that separated us from the guests. Right before Kat and Warren were given the signal to walk, Daniel said something to Shane, and Shane let go of my arm and moved away. What the—? I didn’t have time to ask what in the hell was going on before I realized that he and Daniel had swapped places. Daniel took my arm in his.

  I pushed up on my tippy toes and whispered under my breath. “What are you doing?”

  He smiled down at me. “Want me to go back?”

  I gripped his arm tighter. “No. But Rowan is going to kill us.”

  He glanced back over his shoulder, probably looking in her direction. “Something tells me she won’t mind.” Then he leaned down and planted a kiss on my cheek.

  We made it through the wedding without a hitch. Rowan and Wesley exchanged vows, said “I do,” and danced their way back down the aisle to go live out their happily ever after.

  The reception was just as over-the-top as anything I’d ever seen. I made a mental note to get the name and number of their decorator…just in case. Throughout the night, Daniel and I talked more openly and enjoyed each other’s company. As the end of the night approached and the party died down, Katie, who had indulged herself in the open bar, had to literally be carried out by Warren. I somehow got volunteered to escort them back to his place.

  A soft ping sounded as the elevator arrived and the doors slid open. I let Warren in first with Katie hanging in his arms. I stepped in behind them.

  “Shit,” I said as the doors started to close. “I forgot my clutch. It’s got my wallet in it.”

  “Where is it?” Warren asked.

  “I shoved it in the corner behind a bunch of totes we stashed away earlier. Do you think it’ll be safe until morning?” The door started to close again, and I stuck my hand out, catching it.

  “I’m sure it will, but go get it just to be safe. They’ll have a crew here half the night cleaning up. Want us to wait?”

  I stepped off the elevator. “No. I’ll catch up with y’all.”

  “Don’t take too long. Rowan will cut my balls off if I lose either of you. You remember where I live?”

  I stuck my hand back inside the elevator and punched the button for his floor. “Yup. I’ll be right there.”

  “I’ll leave the door unlocked.”

  The doors closed, and I made my way back down the long, carpeted hallway toward the reception area. I found my clutch and started making a beeline for the elevator.

  “Leaving so soon?”

  The sound of his voice stopped me dead in my tracks. Soft footsteps approached me from behind, and I felt the brush of warm fingertips across the back of my neck, pushing my hair to the side.

  I swallowed hard. “I—I’m—Katie.”

  “Hmm. You’re Chloe—” he pressed his lips to my bare shoulder, trailing kisses along my skin up to my neck “—but what about her?”

  “Nothing.” He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling my back flush into his front. “Shit, Daniel.”

  “Katie is with Warren,” he said, his breath warm against my skin. “She’ll be just fine. He’s harmless.” His grip tightened across my waist, allowing me to feel the entire length of his hard dick in my back. “I’ll text him and let him know you’re in safe hands. And I promise I won’t bite…hard,” he said as he gently, but firmly bit into the side of my neck.

  Instant. Turn. On.

  As if I hadn’t already been turned on and up to maximum capacity all week, his touch cranked my horniness level beyond anything I’d ever felt.

  “Where exactly do you want to go?” I asked him, trying to catch my breath. “Everyone’s place is full, including yours.”

  “Ah. You underestimate me, sweetheart. I made a promise to you, and I fully intend to keep it.”

  I reached my hand behind me and grabbed on to his thigh. “So…where are we going?”

  “Back to my condo.” He spun me around to face him. “Shane left with Camilla. We’ll have the whole place all to ourselves. No more excuses, and no more interruptions.” He put his hand under my chin, tilted my head up, and tenderly pressed his lips to mine. “Just you—” Kiss. “—and me—” Kiss. “—and nothing but the air between us.”

  I smiled at him, then reached between us, grabbed his dick, and gave it a firm squeeze. “Since I gave you the nine you claimed you’d earned at the pool, I think it’s your turn to give me mine.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  DANIEL

  It was Vegas all over again.

  We made it back to my place in record time, even though we almost didn’t make it out of the parking garage to get here or out of my car after we’d parked.

  This was finally fucking it. The shit we’d started over a year ago and fought for to happen for the las
t two weeks was about to go down.

  I scooped Chloe up off her feet as we stepped off the elevator. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I carried her down the hall and into my condo. I flicked on the entryway light and kicked the door closed behind us.

  As soon as we were in the foyer, I set her down. “I know I’ve told you before, but you are so fucking beautiful.” I cupped her face in my hands, pulled her into me, and kissed her. She relaxed as she gave in and met my lips, movement for movement, our tongues sweeping across one another.

  “This dress,” I said as I traced my finger across her shoulder and down her arm, “this shade of blue, whatever it is, is really your color. But it would look so much better in a heap on the floor.”

  She bit her bottom lip. “Yeah? You think so?”

  I leaned down and gently pulled her lip between my teeth, gently biting it. “Oh, I know.” Then I spun her around to face the mirror hanging above the console table. “I’ll prove it.”

  I slowly unzipped her dress, grazing my fingers along her spine, all the way down her back to the top of her ass. The satin dress fell like water to the floor.

  She stepped out of it, pushing it to the side.

  I sucked in a deep breath. “Fuck.” I wanted to ravage her body and savor every inch of her at the same time.

  “Like what you see?”

  Considering she hadn’t been wearing a bra or panties all damned night, apparently, there was no way in hell I could not like what I had in front of me. “You already know I do.”

  I locked eyes with her in the mirror as I loosened the tie around my neck and slipped it off. She licked her lips and gripped the console table as she bent forward and gave her luscious bare ass a shake.

  “Tease.” My dick strained against my pants. I needed to get them off, but first thing’s first. I rested my palm on her lower back, holding her in place. Then with my free hand, I smacked her ass. “Hope you don’t mind being spanked.”