by Gina Kincade
“I’ll have to walk you past security,” the man said.
“Oh, thank you.”
She only saw one security guard, but he wasn’t giving her the evil eye anymore. Not with this man at her side.
“Hi Tom,” her helper said. “This young lady is headed to the guest suites.”
The formerly hostile guard nodded. “Any friend of yours, Mr. Tyler.”
“Actually, this is a friend of Dr. Tam’s,” the man said, as he ushered her into the elevator.
Catching a sight of her face in the mirrored interior of the elevator, she realized her mouth was open. “You don’t work here do you?”
He grinned and cocked his head to the side. “In a way I do. You can call me Trick. Everyone does.”
Still sleepy and confused, she shook her head. He laughed. “Well, at least give Eric hell for me.”
“You know Eric? Through Calen McLachlan?”
“I met him before he started working for Calen, at a poker tournament. And this is a little tit for tat for the rematch I’m never going to get…”
Oh. “Because he doesn’t gamble anymore…”
Trick grinned. “That’s right.”
The elevator door opened on the third floor and he waved her out, but he stayed in the elevator. “Room seven,” he said, still smiling irrepressibly.
“Thank you,” she said, just as the door closed hiding him from view. She turned to the door, finding seven easily. This floor only had five rooms.
Time to get my game face on. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
Chapter Twelve
Eric opened the door, expecting the burger he had ordered, only to find the love of his life standing there with her arms crossed. He didn’t need to be told she was furious.
“Andie! I went to Amber’s place, but you weren’t there. I really need your new phone number,” he said hurriedly, reaching out for her.
She held up a hand and walked inside, ignoring his question.
“What are you doing?”
Andie had walked over to his medkit and was rummaging through it.
“Do you need a band-aid?” he joked, wondering what she was looking for a split second before remembering what he kept in the inside pocket.
“Wait!” he called out to stop her, but it was too late.
Andie turned, with the picture of her he kept in the bag in her hand. She showed it to him and her face tightened. “What the hell, Eric? Why is this in here?”
“Because I love you,” he reminded her gently.
Shaking her head, Andie looked at the ceiling as if she was trying to stop herself from swearing. “If that was true you should have come home sooner!” she yelled before her face crumpled.
Tears welled up in her eyes and he rushed over and pulled her into his arms. “Don’t cry,” he crooned.
“This isn’t how this was supposed to go. I’m supposed to be kicking your ass.” She sniffled, trying to push him away.
Eric swore, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he tightened his grip. “And I deserve that. I should have told you the whole truth, but I was ashamed of myself. But I’m here now and I’m going to make this up to you, even if it takes me years.”
Andie hiccuped and stopped fighting him. She rested her head against his chest. “I…I should have answered your texts and calls back then.”
“You didn’t have a good reason to,” he admitted. “I should have left you with more. It’s just I was afraid you weren’t as serious about me as I was about you.”
An unexpected kick to shin made him wince. “You are an idiot.”
“Not anymore,” he said, smiling through the pain. Moving his hands to the side of her head, he pulled her in close to press a determined kiss to her luscious mouth.
She didn’t return the kiss at first, but eventually his persistence paid off. Her lips softened under his and parted when he pressed his tongue against them.
The kiss that followed started as an ember, a slow burn that grew all-consuming. Heat rushed through him and for a moment he contemplated dragging her to the king-sized bed, but it wasn’t going to be enough.
The little gasp of disappointment she gave when he leaned back was music to his ears. “I think we should get married. Now, tonight!”
Andie blinked and shook her head. “What?” Her voice was dazed.
He plunged his hands into her hair and pressed his forehead against hers. “For once in our lives let’s take advantage of the fact we are in Vegas. Let’s get married right now.”
She laughed and shook her head again. “That’s crazy.”
“That’s what this town is for,” he pointed out, pressing her tighter against him. “Be young and crazy for once. Marry me tonight.”
Frowning she looked down at her clothes. “No. I can’t. I came here after sitting in the police station for hours.”
He grinned. “I have a solution. The concierge here is amazing. He can get anything in under an hour. Meanwhile, you can jump in the shower.”
Letting go for a moment, Eric reached for the phone. “Hi, this is Dr. Tam in room seven. Can I get a wedding dress delivered to my room ASAP?” He broke off. “What’s your size baby? An eight?”
“Yes,” she said, her eyes wide.
“Eight it is. Yes, great idea, thank you. No, a sapphire solitaire I think. Yes, at least four karats.” He hung up the phone. “Done!”
Andie’s mouth was open. “You got a ring too?”
“If you don’t like it we can get a different one later. I would give you my mother’s ring, but it’s not very nice.”
“This is unreal,” she said. “I need to sit down.”
He led her to the bed, kissing and caressing her lightly until she took him up on the offer of a shower. After she was done there was a knock at the door.
The dress and ring had been delivered in forty-three minutes, which had to be some sort of record. It was, however, long enough for Andie to change her mind about marrying him three times—not including the time spent in the shower. He had to use every weapon at his disposal to change it back but she crumbled the instant he held up the beautiful gown they had delivered. It was a simple sheath of the finest satin, with a skirt that fell to the floor in a cascade of shimmering light.
Less than an hour later, they were married, courtesy of an excellent Elvis impersonator—Andie had wanted a traditional Vegas wedding. She giggled the whole way down the aisle, but grew serious when he promised to devote his life to making her happy.
“Everything that I am, everything that I ever will be, is for you,” he vowed. “I love you.”
Her smile lit up the room. “I never stopped loving you and I never will. God knows I tried.”
He laughed and pressed his forehead to hers, more grateful than he could say for the second chance he’d been given.
The rest of the ceremony was a blur. In fact, nothing was clear until they got back to the hotel, bursting into the room only to find it transformed.
There were flowers everywhere. Ornate arrangements rested on every surface, and a mix of rainbow petals littered the bed. Next to it was a bucket of champagne, a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries, and two champagne flutes.
“Oh my God, did you order this when I wasn’t looking?” Andie asked.
“No,” he said, barely noticing the décor as he went for the zipper of her gown. “It must be a gift from the hotel.”
Nibbling the soft skin of her neck, he tugged down the zipper of her gown. He peeled it down, aided with a shimmy of her hips. Too impatient to remove anything else, he picked her up and they landed on the bed.
Andie’s hands helped tug off his clothes and soon both of them were naked, crushing the delicate flower petals underneath them.
Eric scooped up handfuls of the satiny confetti. He piled them on her body, unsure which was softer—the petals or her skin. Andie sighed and picked up more, rubbing them against his bare chest and pulling him close, trapping the fragrant petals between
their bodies.
Time blurred as he explored the length of his new bride’s body. He kissed every inch clear of petals, and shifting the ones in his way when a particularly delicious spot was covered.
His hands moved a little roughly at first. It had been too long and he wanted her too badly. She didn’t complain, but he made an effort to check himself before he marked her creamy skin.
Touching Andie was like coming home. He knew her body almost as well as he knew his own. His hands remembered every line, every curve, and dimple. His tongue explored the hollow at the base of her neck, working his way down until he was licking the indentation of her hips before shifting to the side to delve deeper still.
Writhing underneath him, Andie’s whimpers turned to moans as he licked the hot flesh between her legs. Stroking and probing, he let his memory and instinct guide him. He pushed her harder and faster until she was straining, her hips pumping as she gave herself over to the pleasure.
He ate her with abandon, teasing her with his hands and mouth until she splintered, crying out and squeezing his head between her legs. Using his strength, he pushed himself up, stroking the sensitive skin on her inner thighs with his torso before positioning himself at the entrance of her pussy.
“I love you,” he said, taking himself in hand and teasing her, running his hard cock over her clit.
“Please, Eric,” she whispered, breathing hard and tugging on his shoulders to bring him closer.
Holding her hips, he entered her, forcing himself to go slowly, to savor the sensation. Pushing past her little opening, he slid inside, her hot clinging sheath enveloping him tighter than any glove.
A broken ragged sound escaped his chest. He bent to kiss her lips as he slid home, rocking into her, trying to cover all of her body with his. She rose to meet his body but he pinned her down until she couldn’t move. Instead she clung to him, accepting his thrusts with a series of little gasps, her whole body tensing as her orgasm washed over her.
Andie’s climax triggered his own. He held on a few more precious seconds, closing his eyes to savor each ripple and spasm, but he couldn’t stop or delay any longer. He rocked into her hard, grinding his hips as his cock jerked, spilling his seed into her waiting womb.
Eric collapsed, holding onto Andie’s hand until he recovered enough to shift to the side. “Don’t move,” she said reaching out for him.
He smiled and slipped his arms around her, pressing his face into her hair. “I didn’t want to crush you. That was literally the best thing I have ever felt in my entire life. And not just because I’ve been celibate for so long.”
Andie giggled before her mouth turned down and she frowned. “I’m sorry I can’t say the same. I should have waited for you–for this.”
Eric shook his head. “I didn’t ask you to. I didn’t have the right and you shouldn’t feel bad there was someone else. We were apart a long time. And it’s better that you got a chance to experience something of the world before we got married.”
That white lie eased Andie. Her frown evaporated and she pressed her cheek against his chest. “It was an empty relationship.”
“Most of them are. We’re lucky. And now you can tell me I’m the best lover you’ve ever had and I’ll believe you because you’ve been with someone other than me.”
Andie turned wide eyes to his. “You knew I was a virgin back then?”
“Of course I did. I am a doctor. Plus, I did a gynecology rotation.”
She hid her head under the pillow. “I am so embarrassed.”
“Why? It was sweet that you wanted me as your first. I knew then we had something special. I’m just sorry I was too much of a mess to make this work two years ago.”
He pulled the pillow off of her head. “Why don’t we have some champagne before all the ice melts?”
“Okay,” she agreed, giving him a weak smile.
He stood and reached for the bottle, noticing a note taped to it for the first time. He opened it and read it, laughing a little when he saw who it was from.
“What is it? Did the concierge make a shotgun wedding joke?”
“No. It’s actually from my friend Patrick. He must be here at the hotel and he’s the one who chose your dress and ring. Had a lot of fun doing it too apparently—although he had help from his sister and her best friend, Peyton. He sent them pictures and they voted, so you can thank them for the gown and ring later.”
Andie sat up and accepted a glass of champagne and one of the strawberries. Nibbling, her brows drew together. “Is Patrick called Trick sometimes?”
“Yes. Trick Tyler. Why?”
“I met him downstairs. He gave me a drink.”
“Did he?” Eric asked with a scowl.
“Not to flirt,” she assured him. “He knew I was waiting for you. Calen McLachlan pointed me out to him. Mr. Tyler thought you’d be better off if I had a few before I saw you.”
He laughed. “I will have to thank him later.”
“I thought it was weird until I realized he was your friend. I thought he was the concierge at first.”
“Actually, he owns the hotel. He and his brother Liam.”
The expression on her face was priceless. “What?”
“The Tyler brothers own the Caislean chain,” he explained. “They are good friends with Calen.”
She nodded. “So that’s how you know them.”
He sat on the bed. “Well, technically I met Patrick before when I was gambling. He’s a killer at the poker tables. I only got lucky once—the last time we played. To be honest I couldn’t call him a friend back then, but we’ve spent more time together since I went to work for Calen. Now I think we are pretty close. We even share the same birthday.”
“He did mention something about a rematch he’s never going to get. I hope he’s not pushing you to gamble again.”
“Oh no, he’s very supportive. Just likes to tease. He’s a pretty nice guy for a billionaire. You’ll like him.”
Andie tilted her head to one side. “He gave me two sidecars on the house, so I already do. You’ve acquired a nice set of friends since I saw you last.”
Eric leaned over her. “Nothing and no one made up for losing you.”
Tears glinted in the corner of her eyes. “You have me now.”
He nodded, a little too choked up to speak. “I do, don’t I?” he rasped.
One fine dark brow went up. “So what are you waiting for?” she asked, wrapping one leg around him.
He didn’t need a second invitation.
Chapter Thirteen
Andie had never had so much sex in her life. Two days had passed since she’d solemnly sworn to love, honor, and occasionally obey Eric Tam.
The “occasionally” had been his suggestion. He’d said marriage would be no fun if she obeyed all the time. That was the moment she knew marrying him was the right decision.
So far she had no regrets. Even when Eric left to work at the club, she stayed in the hotel room, relaxing with the various spa treatments he insisted she enjoy.
She also rested. There had been so many sleepless nights recently, it felt good to relax and regroup before facing the world again, this time as Mrs. Eric Tam.
So many things were still unresolved. She had texted Amber to let her know she was all right, but hadn’t gone to the apartment to pick up her things yet.
Andie would be moving to Boston as soon as Eric was free. He wasn’t sure when that was going to be, but she understood. He didn’t want to leave Calen or Mike in the lurch while the whole drug mess was still an issue.
Eric suggested she go ahead to Boston without him, giving her license to redecorate his apartment however she wished. As tempting as the offer was, she didn’t want to go anywhere without him. Plus, the cops would find it suspicious if she suddenly skipped town.
On the second evening, Andie decided to stop procrastinating and go pick up the rest of her clothes. She hadn’t needed them yet, but would if she ever intended to leave the hotel again. Th
ere was a huge list of things she had to get done before moving.
She also wanted stop by the apartment and clean it to thank Amber for everything she had done. Eric had given her a little stash of cash too, so she could leave some for her share of the utilities.
Andie hated borrowing money, but couldn’t refuse her own husband. She would pay him back every cent, although she suspected he would fight her on that. He was very much of a what’s-mine-is-yours mindset. Which was great, except she didn’t bring much to the relationship. It made her feel guilty.
That is all going to change. She had her priorities straightened out and was getting the rest of her life back in order. Once in Boston, she would convince Eric to hire her as his PA so they would never be apart again.
After her beloved groom left for the club she took a cab down to Amber’s building. She swore when she realized her phone was completely dead.
Of course, she thought as she arrived. Her phone charger was here at Amber’s. Well, if her friend had already left for her shift, at least she would come home to clean place.
Humming quietly, Andie was so busy admiring the sparkle of her engagement ring that she almost didn’t notice the door to the apartment was open a crack—something her paranoid roommate was careful never to do.
Pushing the door open with her hip she stopped short. The place was a mess. It had been ransacked. Pillows and random papers were strewn all over the floor. And it was getting worse because the person making the mess was still there.
She recognized him immediately, despite the fact his back was to her. Sensing her presence, Todd spun around to face her, a ripped sofa cushion in one hand and a knife in the other.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Andie asked, leaving the door open behind her in case she had to make a quick escape.
Todd turned around, surprise flashing across his face before it twisted. “You’re so smart you fucking figure it out!” he hissed at her.
He pivoted on his heel and started grabbing the cushions off the couch, squeezing them before tossing them to the ground, swearing under his breath the whole time.