“Okay, but the offer stands. Stay close to yer phone cousin, I want to make sure I can talk to ya and make sure yer doing okay.”
I exhaled, okay she was nice. A nice woman, a nice cousin and perhaps a nice daughter. It was too much nice in one room and I needed to escape. Promising to check in later, I excused myself from the pair, laughing when UJ winked at me as I shut the door.
Four hours later I silently congratulated myself with a shot of patron in the upscale lounge of my hotel. Since leaving UJ in Cami’s capable and nurturing hands, I had made good on my word and got myself a room at the Bellagio Hotel. The Bellagio was a five-star hotel and casino resort right in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip. It had a dancing fountain show that started every hour that was remarkable, a beautiful atrium to walk through and Celine Dion performed nightly. It was the very picture of an Italian masterpiece, no detail omitted.
The price tag reflected this ambiance. Deciding I deserved one night before I figured out my next step I had pulled out my credit card and tried not to choke when the girl taking my reservation told me the total. I didn’t let that get me down, my next stop was Target. I bought three pairs of jeans, underwear, bras, toiletries, a light jacket, duffel bag and flashlight. I also bought a new baseball bat since my weapon of choice was in ashes. I knew I still had my gun, I had grabbed it with my purse when I had rushed to the hospital, but my bat was my go to weapon, I kinda liked the sound it made when it crunched against some guy’s hand that didn’t understand limits.
***********************
After my exorbitant shopping spree, I even called each employee and let them know the bar was down for at least six months. I then called the accountant and told him to give everyone, at least, two months pay in a check that he could mail to them. It wouldn’t help them out the entire time but it would help. I knew most of them would get new jobs and that kind of made me sad. I knew these people, they were familiar, I knew what to expect and now I was going to have to start over with a new crew.
Speaking of the crew, the only person I had to actually leave a message for was Rachel. I didn’t call her often and since I didn’t know what she did when she wasn’t at work, I had no idea where she was. Probably some football game, I mused. She was young and needed to be out there. Part of me worried about Rachel and all her optimism. But she wasn’t me, she didn’t have the same strikes against her that I did. She was smart, beautiful, from a great family and appeared to have brothers who watched over her, albeit in a smothering fashion. If I ever met them, I was going to have to tell them to back off a little. I understood the idea of wanting to protect Rachel but the way Rachel made it sound, she was in constant fear of being forced home to what sounded like a two cow farm in the middle of nowhere in Northern Nevada.
I had asked before if she was frightened of her brothers if she was worried they would hurt her? But she had dodged the question by laughing about how paranoid I was. I had let it drop, but if I found out one of them ever hurt that girl, I’d probably gut them like a fish.
Shaking my head, I resolved to get a hold of Rachel tomorrow, tonight I needed to blow off some steam. Since I had already gotten my ass handed to me earlier, I decided working out my aggression in a more lady like fashion was what I needed.
Hey, don’t judge me, I’d had a shitty day and if it was weak of me to want a little diversion, then so what, tonight I was going to be weak.
I skimmed the bar to see what was available. Mostly guys in suits. Some convention was apparently in town, there was generally some convention in Vegas at all times. Like a lioness looking for the weak gazelle to hunt, I zeroed in on two good looking guys in very nice, well-tailored suits. The taller of the two was blond with eyes so blue they were virtually clear. He had strong features and I could see by the way his suit hugged his arms that he worked out. I followed down the length of him, letting my hazel eyes soak all of him in. Nice Italian shoes rounded out the outfit. Okay yum.
The guy he was with was hunched over nursing a whiskey on ice. He didn’t look happy. Although equally attractive the sad guy just didn’t seem ready to have a good time. Just then, the sad guy looked up, his dark chestnut hair falling into his eyes. He had to be in his late twenties, his face seemed kinder, younger than the taller guy. Suddenly, he caught me staring at him and his whole face transformed. He went from sourpuss to a dazzling, white smile, with dimples to boot. Green eyes captured mine and for a moment I swear he looked familiar. Struck by how good looking these men were and how oddly familiar, the sad guy was, I just gawked at him, part of me struggling to place him, the other wanting see what it would be like to be the “cougar” woman.
After all, I was on the dark side of 35 and he couldn’t be more than 28 at most. His friend turned to see what he was grinning at and I was struck hard with the second-megawatt smile of the night. Jesus, was there a hot man convention in town? Without breaking eye contact with me, blue eyes sauntered toward me. Suddenly aware of my informal attire, I actually felt embarrassed. Normally my heeled boots, jeans and a tank top that said ‘Savage,' would not have made me feel odd. Not even the fact that my hair was in a ponytail and I had zero makeup on, nope, ordinarily I was in MY bar.
I mean, I knew the tank top stretched across my chest in all the right ways and the jeans made my butt look lifted and full. However, these guys were USDA grade choice and I probably looked like a freaking hooker. Shit Syn, I told myself. Pull it together, get in, get on, get off, get down, get him out…That was the rule, simple, easy. I needed to remember that.
“I’m Ridge.” Blue eyes held out his hand while he motioned behind him. “Sad face over there is Matt.” I placed my palm in his and watched while he brought my knuckles up to his lips. Smooth.
“Well, Ridge what brought you by?” I asked retrieving my hand from his grasp. He raised one perfectly groomed eyebrow and laughed. Okay, glad to know I was funny.
“Sweetheart, you looked like you were ready to eat me with a spoon from across the bar, I just thought it would be the gentlemanly thing to do to introduce myself first,” He told me smirking.
Okay, I thought. Smug, arrogant and cocky, basically an asshole who probably checked each mirror he walked past to see if his perfectly groomed hair was in place. I was about to reply when the guy he called Matt walked up and sat on the empty barstool next to me.
“Back off Ridge, not her.” He all but growled. I watched the two exchange looks. I didn’t know what the looks meant, but I felt like I was missing something here.
Always one to be contrary, I had to ask, “Why not me Matt, not enough diamonds on my wrist for your taste?” I hated guys who thought someone like me was under their class.
“No, you look unhappy, I know you’re sad cause I had the same expression on my face that you did when you walked in. Ridge is not the sort of trouble you want tonight miss…” He trailed off, waiting for me to fill in my name.
“The name is Syn, yes it’s my real name, and if you’re nice later Ridge, I’ll let you yell it while you pound me against the headboard of my bed in my nice hotel room upstairs,” I answered watching Ridge’s eyes darken with lust.
“No Syn, this is not what you need, trust me, go upstairs order room service and watch a movie.” Matt insisted. I had to look at the guy. Who the heck made him my brother? What did he have against Ridge? Weren’t they friends? These were all valid questions but Ridge was running his hand up my back and suddenly I just needed to get naked.
“Butt out Matt, we’ll meet up later. Don’t you have a meeting to go anyhow?” Ridge asked almost accusingly. Again, they looked at each other, practically glaring.
Matt finally looked away, muttering something I didn’t hear. He turned to go and then he turned back, his green eyes looked grim. “Go home Syn, better yet, go find a friend to hang out with, this is not what you want.”
He looked regretful, but for the life of me, I had no idea as to why. Still, he reminded me of someone. I was going to ask if we knew each other, I mea
n I knew he wasn’t one of my one and dones, I would surely remember him. Ridge nuzzling my neck pulled me from my thoughts. I glanced up and saw that Matt was already heading out of the bar. Deciding to let lust overtake good judgment, I leaned my head back giving ridge better access to my neck.
“Okay stud, let’s keep this simple. You want me and I need a distraction, so this is a win- win but I have a few rules.” That brought his head up. His blue eyes blazed into mine. They looked heavy with lust and a little amusement.
“Okay babe, you tell me the rules and I will play the game.” His gaze was intense and my lady parts took notice. Yet, in the sexy gaze was something else, I wasn’t quite sure of.
Motioning the bartender over, I called for two more shots of Patron and watched him, watch me as I downed them both. Now as a bar owner I can tell you that it’s a mistake to dabble in the booze. Much like a dope dealer who samples his own product, it’s never a good idea. I could tell my judgment was impaired because as I smiled at the man who was patiently waiting for me to tell him my rules, I suddenly didn’t give a crap about feeling wary about the guy.
“Okay, Ridge.” I put both my hands on his chest, it felt firm. I gave him my sexiest look, which for me probably looked like a duck gasping for air, I had never been one to try to be sexy, just couldn’t do it. “I choose the position, there is always a condom, I put your hands where I want them, and when we’re done you’re gone, no cuddling, no phone numbers, just the click of the hotel room door as you take off.”
Feeling slightly buzzed I put my warm forehead to his cool one. His cool blue eyes assessed me. He sat back and looked me over. I could tell he was weighing something out, I just wasn’t sure what. Right when I was about to tell him to forget it, he pulled me off the bar stool and stood with me in his arms. Shocked, I grasped his muscled arms for balance, placing his palms under my thighs I was forced to wrap my legs around his waist.
Before I could recover from that, he was kissing me. It wasn’t a panty wetting kiss, but that’s not what I was after. I had only had one person who could kiss me and make me wet at the same time and he was an asshole. Deciding I was all in, I kissed him back. His whiskey taste mixed with my tequila and it only proved to make me feel drunk.
“Room,” He mumbled as he nipped at my mouth. He started toward the elevators just outside the lounge. Holy shit, the guy was going to carry me to my room, I realized. It should have turned me on more than it did, being that I wasn’t a tiny girl by no stretch. Instead, I was just mildly amused.
“Floor 15 room 324,” I answered. I felt him feel the pockets of my jeans. He pulled out my keycard, and I watched him lean back and place it in his pants pocket.
I’m still not sure how we got in the elevator and to my room. I was drunk, he was kissing me like he was starving, and well… I was drunk. Once in the room, I took my key out of his hand and walked to the hotel safe, I took my ID and Credit card out of my pocket and locked it all inside. I may be drunk but I wasn’t stupid.
“No trust Angel?” He asked wrapping his arms around my waist, he began kissing my neck.
“None whatsoever, I answered back.” This was sex, and I wasn’t worried about hurting his feelings. I grabbed his hands and dragged them from my waist. I walked him backward until his legs hit the soft goose down comforter. Grinning, I pressed him back on the bed and crawled over him. I straddled him and yanked off my tank top and bra. I grabbed his hands that were by his sides and placed them on my breasts. He didn’t require any further instructions. He rolled my nipples between his thumb and forefingers until they were hard pebbles. I groaned at the sensation. Before I could even gasp, he took one nipple into his hot wet mouth. Pushing my hands into his silky hair, I tugged his head backward. He released my nipple with a loud pop. Smiling up at me he reached for the other nipple but my grasp on his head stopped him.
“Listen, Ridge, it’s been a rough day if you’re going to do any sucking, it’s not gonna be on my tits, we clear?” I demanded. “And lose the clothes, I don’t need a preshow teaser I just need the main event,” I growled. Hey, I was drunk, horny and kind of depressed, I wasn’t in the frame of mind to be dazzled.
Ridge didn’t disappoint, in one fluid movement he moved me from him to the bed. Before I could even blink, he had torn off his clothes and thrown them onto the floor. When he was finished, he crawled on the bed, grabbed my jeans, unbuttoned them and divested me of said jeans and blue thong.
Peering down at him, he suddenly grimaced. “What happened to your arms?” Was that actual concern? Damn what a mood killer.
“Occupational hazard.” I shrugged and reached up for him.
“Damn woman what the hell is your occupation?” He asked while tearing open a condom package with his teeth. Watching him slip it on his long, hard length, I grinned.
“Raging bitch,” I explained him grabbing his head in a searing kiss. The alcohol running through my system making me more restless than usual. He kissed me hungrily, his huge hands roaming all over my body, okay I hadn’t given him permission for that but I was already edgy so I went with it. I felt his cock at my entrance, I was already wet, spreading my legs further apart to allow him better access, I threw back my head and hoped Ridge could fuck the bad day right out of me.
******************************
Hangovers suck. When a bartender breaks a rule about drinking, there are always consequences. This point was evident when I woke up, naked and suffering from a pounding tequila headache. That wasn’t the bitch of it though, the bitch of it was watching Ridge try to crack the safe in my hotel suite in the pitch dark. I mean it was dark to me, Ridge, however, was wearing what looked like night vision goggles and had some electrical equipment attached to the face of the in-room safe. Rolling my eyes, I reached over the night stand to my right. Ridge was so busy with his 007 gadgetry that he didn’t even hear me open the nightstand to retrieve my handgun. What? This was Vegas after all. He did, however, hear me cock the gun, and when he turned he saw me point it straight at his head, the lower one.
Flipping on the light to my right I got out of the bed butt naked. It seemed while I was dozing off my exhaustion and alcohol, stud boy had gotten dressed in black on black sweats, and had gotten a bag full of toys. Safe cracking toys, I would guess. Normally, this would make me laugh. In Vegas, everyone had an angle, and if someone was telling me this tale and it was about a tourist, I would chuckle. But I wasn’t a freaking tourist, this was my story, and I wasn’t laughing. Nope, this was the cherry on my shit sundae of a week.
“I can explain,” He replied sheepishly putting his palms up in the air in surrender.
“You know, every time a man starts a sentence with ‘I can explain’ it generally means he’s done something so shitty that he probably warrants a bullet in his ass.”
I let my irritation show. The bastard tried his bewitching grin on me. He took in my naked form and grinned bigger.
“How about you put the gun down and I explain using my tongue?”
I almost gagged. He thought I was going to let him fuck me after I found him trying to rob me? Damn, he was a freaking gigolo and his friend and probably co-worker Matt had tried to warn me.
He was a good-looking guy that brought a woman upstairs and then robbed her when she was asleep. It was a known con, the hookers did it to tourists a lot. It was brilliant because prostitution was technically illegal, so what were you supposed to tell the cops when they showed up? The hooker I took upstairs to participate in unlawful activity stole my money? No, I hadn’t paid for the sex but he was going to try to rob me all the same.
Pissed I smirked and waved him away from the safe using the gun. I kept about a good 10 feet between us. If he lunged at me, I could get off a shot before he could get anywhere near me.
Watching me with his hands still in the air he shuffled toward the bathroom door to his left.
“While your tongue was adequate I want to get a look at that body one last time. Strip.” I ordered.
> He smiled, he really thought he was going to get out of this. Idiot.
He slowly peeled off his sweatshirt, then came his sweatpants and boxers.
When he was finally naked, he grinned at me smugly. His smile fell when I raised the gun to the level of his smaller head. I practically giggled when he placed his hands tentatively over his limp prick. I couldn’t believe I had found this guy attractive, what the hell was I thinking? Oh, that’s right, I wasn’t, and I’d had lusty tequila goggles on. Sigh, I was absolutely done with one-night stands, I was going to invest in the best vibrator on the market and be done with this crap.
“While impressive that you might be. You overlooked one of my rules.”
Yep, now he was concerned. I started walking him backward toward the hotel room door.
“Baby, come on what rule was that?” He chuckled nervously.
“You were supposed to leave when we were done fucking,” I retorted. I yanked open the door never letting the gun waver in my grip. Waving him in front of me, I shoved him out the door, naked as the day he was born.
Caught off guard, he stumbled into the wall across from my hotel suite door. When he twisted toward me, I could see the moment when he realized he was nude. “Oh and don’t call me baby.” I finished slamming the door in his startled face.
Throwing open the shower door I pushed all of Ridge’s equipment inside and turned on the hot water. It was a little dramatic but it made me feel better. The clock read 7 a.m., feeling the effects of the tequila and too many sleepless nights, I trudged back to bed and resolved to go back to sleep so I could start my day over.
After what only seemed like minutes, I heard my annoying alarm blasting on my phone. Normally after working in the bar till about 3 or 4 in the morning, I would sleep until about 2 p.m., clumsily grabbing for the ringing phone on the nightstand, I accidently knocked it to the ground.
Back to You: A Hudson Family Series- Book 1- Synclair and Reece Page 6