“It’s gonna be a hot one today,” he advised me, eyeing my jacket.
“I can take it off,” I informed him.
“I hope you do.”
“Oh, I bet you do,” I said, forgetting that I was trying not to flirt with him.
“I really, really do.” He grinned.
That grin would be my undoing.
He placed his hand on me again and squeezed my leg. I wanted to pull away but was frozen as if we were the only two people in the room. Face to face, he was close enough to kiss me.
“How did you find me?” I asked him.
“Wasn’t hard. Your hair kind of stands out. Plus, I was on a mission. I’d have roamed around this whole damn room to find you,” he said, and my heart stuttered in my chest.
I was grateful when the next speaker took the stage. Otherwise, I might have suggested we go do something really stupid.
* * *
“How about lunch? On me.” Harley turned to me when the lunch break came. I hesitated, but his eyes commanded me to say yes. I was helpless, and I was starving.
“I’m hungry,” I admitted. “I didn’t have time for breakfast.”
“No time for breakfast?” he looked at me as if I were nuts. “I never miss it. My favorite meal of the day.”
“Is that why you were late?”
“I had trouble sleeping after we parted. I woke up late and needed a workout.” He eyed me, waiting for my reaction.
My mouth formed an O, drawing his eyes to my rounded lips. I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I didn’t.
He smiled and said, “Let’s go.”
We left our seats and headed up the aisle. Wide but crowded, we were stuck behind minglers. We paused for a second, but Harley’s impatience showed. He took my hand and started forward, navigating through the crowd. His presence was dominating, and he easily cleared a path, leading me through.
Heads turned to watch us walk by. We made it outside, and Harley held onto my hand, not giving me a chance to snatch it away. By then, I’d given up. He was determined to be close to me.
“You like burgers?” he asked me.
“Yes, love them.”
“Cool. That place we met yesterday had an awesome burger. I’m a creature of habit when I find something I like.” He winked at me.
I allowed a smile in response to his compliment. We strolled hand in hand down the block to the restaurant and selected a patio table. I could see why he liked this burger joint. It wasn’t over the top as many of the other restaurants in Vegas were.
A young waitress whose nametag read Heather came out to greet us. Her eyes widened when she saw Harley. “Hi, there! Back for more?” she crooned, focused on him.
He gave the girl, who looked as if she was fifteen, a curt nod. He avoided her eyes like the plague, and I put my hand to my lips to stifle a giggle. Harley glanced at me and smiled. He must be used to that sort of thing.
“A beer?” Heather asked Harley, batting her eyelashes. My smile widened.
“Sure, and get my girlfriend a” –he paused to look at me— “what would you like, my love?” He grinned slyly.
I went along for the ride. “I’ll have a beer, as well, Babe.” I made sure to play it up.
Harley licked his bottom lip, enjoying our little role play. “She’ll have a beer, too,” he told Heather, his eyes glued to mine. I gave him a wicked smirk, and Harley grinned ear to ear.
Heather finally looked at me, back to Harley, then me. Our stares never wavered. She smiled a knowing smile. “There’s a wedding chapel up the road, ya know. You two should take advantage of it while you’re in town,” she advised before strutting off to get our beers.
“A wedding chapel...sounds interesting,” Harley teased.
“Nope. No wedding chapel for this girl.” I could just see my parents’ faces if I showed up at home with a stranger for a husband.
“Why? You got a boyfriend?”
“No. But we can’t get married,” I said sternly.
“Why not? This is Vegas,” he said mischievously.
I gave him a sideways look. Shaking my head, I looked at my menu. The waitress came back to save the day, and I ordered a burger with ricotta salata and pickled zucchini with a side of parsnip fries.
Harley made a “what the hell” look as I ordered. I smiled and gestured for him to order.
“I’ll have the BBQ bacon cheddar burger with fries,” he told the waitress. “Regular fries,” he reminded her, still giving me that look. “Ricotta salata and pickled zucchini? Parsnip fries?” he questioned me, scrunching up his face once she’d walked away.
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked. “I like to eat healthy when I can.”
“Okay, weirdo,” Harley replied.
A laugh barked out of my mouth. “Weirdo?”
He winked at me. “You know it’s disgusting.”
“You might like it if you tried it,” I told him.
“It’s possible. I’ve tried lots of strange combinations, things I wouldn’t even know existed if it weren’t for Michael.”
“Michael?” I asked.
“Our chef,” he said, as he sipped his beer as if that explained it all.
“What do you mean by your chef? You have a personal chef?” I asked Harley.
He grinned. “Well, kind of. But Michael works for my family’s restaurant. He’s a five-star chef, hence the strange combinations I mentioned. I’m happy with a burger and fries, but our guests like gourmet food when they come to our place.”
I wasn’t exactly shocked by his reply about his family’s restaurant. He obviously had experienced some success, hence his well-to-do stature. “Your family owns a restaurant?” I repeated. “And you mentioned last night a gym? How many businesses do you have?”
Our burgers came, and Harley dumped a pile of ketchup on his fries. “I’m part owner of a mountain resort with my three brothers. The gym and restaurant come along with the package,” he said nonchalantly.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You own a resort?”
He nodded his head yes, shoving his burger into his mouth. I hadn’t even touched mine yet, and his was half gone. “Eat,” he told me. “We have to get back for the afternoon Expo. Unless you want to skip it and go do something else?” he suggested with a wink and flirtatious grin.
I picked up my burger and began to eat, though I had about another hundred questions for him.
“What do you do?” he asked me.
“I’m a massage therapist.”
His eyes widened almost comically with surprise. “Really? That’s interesting. You looking to open up your own practice?”
“That’s the plan,” I told him. “Why are you here?” I asked him even though I’d heard some of it the prior evening.
“I’m in charge of the ski events, and I run the gym at the resort. I want to expand the gym so I can offer private training and more classes.” He paused and looked at me. “And add a spa. I think we need it. Most resorts have a spa service and a nice gym. Not that our gym isn’t nice, it’s just small.”
“Why can’t you just expand?” I asked. “Sounds like you already have the setup to do it?”
“My brothers. Too set in their ways. We’ve never tried anything new like this before, so I thought I’d come here to get some pointers on how to make it successful. I’m hoping to go home with some good tips that’ll help persuade them that I’m right about this.”
“Makes sense,” I replied, nibbling on my fries.
Harley nodded, taking a drink before asking, “Are you close to starting your practice?”
I shook my head. “Unfortunately, not,” I answered without making eye contact.
“Why not?” he asked. When I didn’t answer right away, he added, “I don’t mean to pry.”
“It’s okay. I don’t have the funding yet. But...”
“But what?”
I sighed. “My parents are well off, but they won’t help me. My brother, Kellan, wants to help, but I hat
e to take his hard-earned money. So it’s a work in progress,” I quietly alleged.
“Ah.”
I could see the wheels in his mind turning. I’d heard what he’d told Ms. Bachman the night before that he needed someone to run his spa. Even if he asked me, it was impossible for me to move, with Chloe and all.
Harley nodded. “It’ll work out if you’re determined. Which I can see you are.”
I nodded in appreciation for his comment. We finished eating and drinking our beers. It was time to get back to the convention center. That afternoon, an Expo had been set up with booths of CEOs and other entrepreneurs so we could talk with them in person.
The day was a warm one. On the way back, I had to stop to take off my jacket and didn’t miss Harley’s coy grin. “Want to stop at the hotel so you can drop your jacket off?”
“Okay,” I agreed.
Harley nodded and took my hand to lead the way. At the hotel, we headed up to my floor. I was consciously aware that Harley Hunter was walking me up to my room. I would have to keep my distance.
I inserted the keycard and opened the door to my temporary home. “Welcome to my room,” I invited Harley inside.
“My room is on the opposite side,” he remarked, heading directly over to the window. “What a view! These city views always amaze me.” I eyed him. “I was born and raised in the mountains. The closest town has a population of 800, give or take.”
He chuckled, and I smirked at him. I thought Olympia was a rural area, but his area had mine beat by a mile. “I still can’t see you as a mountain man,” I confessed, ogling his body.
That earned an ear to ear grin. Shaking my head, I hung up my jacket and went to the restroom to freshen up. “There’s a mini bar in the fridge if you want a drink. Sorry, no beer,” I called out to him.
When I emerged, Harley had two drinks poured for us in the provided tumblers. “Sorry, you don’t have any ice, but the whiskey’s cold.” He handed me a glass.
“Whiskey!” I remarked. Harley sipped his, his eyes smiling at me over the rim of his glass. A dare. I shrugged and took a sip, prepared to grimace, but was pleasantly surprised at the smoothness. I smiled and took another sip.
“It’s good whiskey,” Harley agreed, sipping his. We stood by the big picture window, enjoying the view as we sipped on our drinks. Harley put his arm around my waist and pulled me to him. I let him.
The whiskey warmed my insides; Harley warmed my outsides. I wanted to put my hand on his chest, touch his hard body. I restrained myself and sipped. We stood like that for a good while, watching the city lights, people, and traffic far below. I was comfortable, and it oddly felt right.
“We should be getting to the Expo,” Harley suggested, not taking his eyes from the view. But he didn’t mean it. Truthfully, I was content, as well. But we were here for the convention, not a weekend fling.
“We should go,” I agreed, taking my last sip. Harley put his empty glass on the windowsill and followed with mine. Our eyes met. He put his other hand on my waist and pulled me to him, so we were face to face.
My heart hammered painfully in my chest; I could only stare at him mutely. For a second, Harley regarded me, then he bent his head, and his mouth claimed mine. A jolt of fire swept through my veins as Harley’s lips pressed ardently against mine.
I was conscious of the warmth emanating from his body, so close to mine. I smelled the light scent of his cologne, the heat of whiskey on his breath. But most of all, I was moved by the hungry longing that his touch evoked deep within me.
Harley’s soft lips commanded mine. I was aware of the pleasurable tingle in the pit of my stomach, of the tightening of my nipples, and an insane urge to press myself closer to his rock-hard body.
My arms circled his neck and clung to him. Harley pulled me closer. Desire engulfed my body, and I trembled with fierce urgency.
As much as I needed it, I felt instinctive danger in feeling the way I did. I reluctantly pulled away from him. A rueful grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. I was dazed by his kiss and gazed at him blankly for a moment as the world slowly come back into focus.
“Let’s go,” Harley whispered huskily.
I nodded, but he didn’t let me go. He put his lips to mine, softly this time, and kissed me lightly. Then he abruptly moved his hands from my waist. My arms slid off his broad shoulders and moved down his chest. I took a step back.
Harley took my hand and held it the entire way to the Expo.
* * *
After visiting countless booths and being introduced to at least a hundred entrepreneurs, my feet started to throb in my heels. I need to get these shoes off, I thought. Harley noticed my discomfort and asked if I was ready to leave.
“Yes, I think so,” I answered, grimacing at the pain in my feet.
Harley frowned at me. “Are we still going to meet Billy and Victoria at nine?” he asked.
“I’d like to go if you would,” I told him, glancing at him. “I’ve never been here before. Be nice to get in some sights while I’m here.”
“Me neither,” Harley nodded in agreement. “Let’s meet in the lobby at a quarter to, and we’ll walk over to their condo,” he suggested.
“Sounds like a plan.” I smirked at him. His sexy mouth twitched in pleasure. He offered me his arm, and I gladly accepted.
It hurt to take each step, but with Harley’s help, I pushed through it to make it to the elevator. We rode up, stopping at my floor. With a quick peck, Harley let me go.
As the doors closed, he said, “See you in a bit.”
“You can count on it,” I smiled playfully. He grinned. The sliding doors parted us for the moment.
Back in my room, I jumped in the shower for the second time that day. I was excited about my outing with Harley and looked forward to seeing him again. I hummed as I showered and dressed. I chose a mid-length, short-sleeve, boho maxi dress with a V neck, high-split front. I twirled in front of the mirror. The black base with red and blue floral prints swooshed around my legs. I loved it. For my hair, I blew dry it long, allowing the ends to curl. I applied my signature eyeliner, mascara, and red lipstick, and I was ready.
I slipped into a more comfortable pair of black sandals that strapped up my ankles, grabbed my evening bag, and left to meet Harley. Stepping out of the elevator on the main floor, I instantly saw him. He was flipping through a newspaper someone had left in the common area.
I paused when I saw how handsome he looked. He was dressed in a grey, slim, leisure blazer over a white dress shirt with black buttons. The top buttons, as usual, were unbuttoned, and his sleeves were rolled up to expose his forearms. He had on black jeans, a black belt with a silver buckle, and a large, black-banded, fancy watch.
He looked up and saw me gazing at him and grinned the sexiest smile yet. I melted on the spot. He hesitated only a second and bent to kiss my lips. His lips warmed mine. I kissed him back until he pulled away and offered me his arm.
“You look as beautiful as ever,” he said, glancing over and giving a look. Not seductive, but sincere.
I blushed. “And you look handsome.”
Cheerfully, Harley led me around the block to the Triple-A Condos. We made our way to the courtyard where the outdoor pool and lounge were.
“Emily! Harley! We’re so glad you came!” Victoria yelled as soon as she saw us. She put her arms out for a hug, embracing me tightly. She’d already had a few, obviously.
Billy nodded at me and held out his hand to Harley, who accepted it. They shook briskly. “Have a drink on us. Then we’ll get going,” Billy offered. We accepted, and I decided to have the tasty Apple Sangria I’d had the night before. Harley stuck to his beer.
The atmosphere was light and fun. The bar was packed since it was a Saturday night. Patrons were even in the heated pool, which vented steam into the cool, spring air. Before we knew it, shots of something Victoria called “Tootsie Rolls” appeared before us.
I shook my head. “Uh-uh. I don’t do shots.”
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“Oh, come on, Emily!” she squealed. “It’s just one-part vodka, coffee liqueur, and OJ. Not even a full shot of liquor! And it tastes just like a tootsie roll!”
She was pretty convincing. I looked at Harley, eyebrows raised, and he shrugged and tilted his glass to mine. “Yay,” Victoria sang, and we all clinked glasses. “To Vegas!”
Damn, it does taste just like a tootsie roll.
After a few fun pictures and selfies, we decided to hit the Vegas Strip and casino hop. We checked out a couple of shows, a magic act and acrobat couple. We played a few slot machines, and I ended up winning fifty bucks.
Billy and Victoria must have hit big because once again, shots ended up in our hands. This time, they were doubles.
“I’m going to pay for this tomorrow,” I giggled to Harley. My head was spinning just enough to be fun.
“Me too,” he smirked as he downed his double.
Moving along, we ended up at Treasure Island. It was the best place I’d seen yet. The theme was, of course, Treasure Island, and there was a large moat, drawbridge walkways, and a pirate ship. The place was lit up with neon pastel lights. We ordered more drinks and more shots.
I was getting tipsy and glad to have Harley’s arm to lean on. Tipsy himself, he was eating up every moment of it. Somehow, I ended up on his lap at the outdoor bar while we downed even more drinks. I didn’t care. I’d never had so much fun with a man. It felt right.
After the bar, we spent some time exploring the pirate ship and mat before Victoria spotted it. Treasure Island Wedding Chapel.
“Ooooh, a wedding chapel,” Victoria chanted to Billy.
Billy beamed at her. “Should I propose first?” he asked. I thought he was kidding, but apparently, Victoria had other ideas.
“Yes, please,” she prodded him. Billy got down on one knee and asked her to marry him while Harley and I looked on.
“Yes!” she screamed and jumped up and down before she threw herself into his arms. Harley and I giggled. Then Victoria was telling Harley it was his turn.
“Oh, no,” I said, waving my hands back and forth. “We just met,” I informed Victoria, pointing from Harley to me.
Take a Mountain Man Home for Christmas: A Mountain Man Romance Christmas Collection Page 63