Cowboy Jackpot: Christmas (3 page)

Boone winked at her.

She bit her lip and blushed.

Damn, he wanted her.

"I also put five hundred dollars casino credit on the
suite. Eat at any of our restaurants, drink in the bars, dance in the
clubs." He smiled. "Get hitched at the wedding chapel."

Boone's heart double-beat as he pictured Gigi standing next
to him in front of a preacher. Then his stomach clenched and an icy wash of
panic slid through him. He had to wait until he had his business up and running
and profitable before he even got serious with a woman. It could take months.
Years. Why the hell was he having goddamn wedding fantasies?

Gigi laughed. "Everything but the wedding part sounds
lovely. Thank you."

Boone frowned at her. She didn't want to marry him? She
could at least give him a dreamy-eyed stare before she laughed it off.

He blinked. What the fuck was he thinking? No, they weren't
getting married. So why did her words nag at him? "Hell."

"Pardon?" The manager watched him.

"Uh, thank you. That'll be great."

He handed them each a couple papers and a pen. "Fill
these out and put your phone number at the top. I'll call you tomorrow when
we're ready to finalize the payout."

****

Married? Gieselle spent too many minutes thinking about it
as she and Boone walked hand in hand to the Roundup Bar. He led her to the
corner table where his brother, Kira, and Dallas sat. In front of each of the
men, glass mugs in the shape of cowboy boots sat half-empty. Between them, Kira
sat sipping from a straw in a margarita glass large enough to wash her hair in.

"Let's see the cash." Jayden slid closer to Kira,
making room for them.

"No cash." Gieselle slid in next to the cowboy and
Boone took the last spot on the end next to her. "We have to wait until
morning."

"What?" Kira pulled out her phone. "I'm
calling Daddy. His attorney will—"

"Put that away." Gieselle glanced at Dallas.
"How many of these has she had?" She tapped the margarita glass.

Dallas grinned. "Evidently not enough to mellow her
out."

Kira glared at him as she set her phone on the table.
"Only one." She shrugged. "But the shot of tequila we each did
got us kicked off."

The waitress took Gieselle's order of a small margarita, and
Boone's order of a beer and a shot of whiskey.

Boone set the folder with their key cards on the table.
"We've got a suite for two nights, and five hundo to spend in the
hotel."

Kira, Jayden, and Dallas hooted and toasted them.

Boone and Gieselle explained that they were going to split
the jackpot, and Dallas and Jayden shared a look before staring at Gieselle.

She met their gazes and saw appreciation in Jayden's, and
panic in Dallas's. What the heck did that mean?

After they'd finished their drinks, they got busy making
plans for the night.

Kira and Gieselle headed to their room to pack Gieselle's
clothes for her move to the suite.

Kira, Dallas, and Jayden refused to stay in the suite with
Gieselle and Boone, but promised to help them spend every penny of the casino
credit.

Gieselle zipped her bag and hefted it off the bed. "Are
you sure you feel safe alone?"

Kira walked out of the bathroom wearing fresh makeup and
perfume. "If things go the way I plan, I won't be alone." She dug in
her suitcase and moved a box of condoms to the drawer in the bedside table. She
paused and glanced at Gieselle. Opening the drawer once again, she pulled off
two packets and slid them into her purse. "Since it's Vegas, it's best to
be prepared for anything."

Gieselle laughed. "Dallas or Jayden?" She opened
the door to the hallway.

"Oh, please. Jayden? He's got to be eighteen." She
walked past Gieselle and swayed her tush as she sashayed toward the elevator.
"Dallas is all man." She pushed the up button to call the elevator.
"How about Boone? Is he going to be in his own bedroom tonight? Or in
yours?"

Gieselle could almost feel the touch of Boone's hands on her
body. Tweaking her nipples then licking and sucking. His mouth drawing wet
paths along her ribs and stomach, parting her bare pussy to taste her, lave
her, and suck until she shook with climax.

"Don't answer." Kira stepped into the open
elevator. "The look on your face tells me that poor bull rider is going to
be useless for anything but sleep after you get done with him."

Gieselle grinned. "I hope so."

Opening the door to the suite, both women sucked in startled
breaths.

Gieselle expected something Western, but it was sleek and
modern. A few cowboy paintings hung on the walls, and rustic accent pieces sat
on the heavy wooden tables. But the sleek, brown leather furniture and plush
tan and brown patterned carpet invited her to stay. Forever.

Floor to ceiling windows showed an incredible view of the
lights of the strip. A huge wood bar filled one corner. On top of it sat a
bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket of ice.

"Can I change my mind?" Kira walked into the room
and spun around on the acres of carpeting.

"No." Gieselle looked in the first bedroom, then
in the second, and chose it for its beautiful view and extra-large bed.
"And Kira…" She shouted from the bedroom. "When I give you the
sign, you take those other two cowboys and get the hell out of here."

Kira laughed. "Nice."

Gieselle chuckled as she unpacked. "As if you haven't
done that to me a couple dozen times." She hung up her dresses and slid
her underthings into a drawer.

When she carried her cosmetic bag into the attached
bathroom, her mouth dropped open. A walk-in shower with six sprinkler heads
took up a whole wall. A ridiculously huge bathtub with jets filled the other.
Big enough for two. She quickly turned off the light and walked out to the
bedroom before her girlfriend saw it and truly did decide to move in.

Kira came in and flopped backward onto the bed. "This
baby'll get a workout tonight."

"Uh huh." Gieselle tucked her own box of condoms
into the bedside table. She stashed her suitcase in the closet as the click of
the hallway door echoed.

"…and I swear to God…" Dallas's voice boomed
through the suite. "I'll hit you over the head and drag you out to the
truck if I see you getting attached."

Gieselle's eyes popped open wide as she looked at Kira,
whose eyes narrowed.

Her friend pressed a finger against her own lips to shush
Gieselle.

"Don't fucking worry about me, asshole." Boone's
voice came from the first bedroom. "I know what this is." His voice
grew closer. "I'm not going to get suckered into…" He stopped just
inside the bedroom door.

"Not going to get suckered into what?" Kira gave
him a glare.

"Oh, fuck." Dallas's voice came from the behind
Boone.

Jayden peeked his head into the room then disappeared.

A loud smack sounded and Jayden and Dallas's quiet, angry
voices moved off.

Boone smiled at Kira, then at Gieselle.

She saw a flash of something in his eyes, but it was quickly
replaced by excitement.

"Not going to give the casino back any of the
winnings." He tipped his head toward the living room. "These two
cowpokes think the only reason we've got the suite is to keep us here so we'll
spend all our money."

Kira glanced at her, a disbelieving look on her face. She
slid off the gold satin bedspread and walked past Boone. "Uh huh. Good
cover, cowboy." She shut the door behind her.

Boone flipped the lock.

Together, alone with Boone, with a big bed between them,
Gieselle's nerves kicked up into a whirl.

He set his duffle bag in the corner. "Are you ready for
this?"

Boone took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair,
lifting it into messy, sexy locks that she wanted to get a hold of. He stalked
toward her.

She didn't believe for a minute Dallas had been talking
about Boone losing his winnings at the casino. He'd been referring to her, to
how quickly their feelings for each other had developed. The way Boone had
responded to his buddy, Gieselle didn't know if she should believe the words
Boone had said to her about fate and luck, or if his honest thoughts included
the fear of getting "suckered in" by her.

Either way, she would be with him as much as she could over
the next two days. Something about him pulled her in, made her want to know
everything about him. The few guys she'd dated seriously in New York had never
made her this…nesty? Could that be it? Had finally meeting a true gentleman, an
all-American male, given her ideas of what she was missing in her life?

Gieselle swallowed and looked at the bed. "Ready for
what?"

He laughed and set his hat on the dresser. As he reached
her, he held out his hand. "For a wild night of…partying?"

Sliding into his arms, she smiled. "Is that what you
cowboys call it?" Her body melted against his, her arms wound tightly
around his neck.

His lips brushed her jaw and settled at the sensitive skin
near her ear. "Call it gettin' to know you, beautiful."

A knock sounded. "Hey you two, we're ordering booze
from room service and charging it to your room." Jayden sounded so much
like his brother.

"Go ahead," Boone shouted over his shoulder.

"We got beer, whiskey, tequila, and vodka and tonic for
Miss Kira. Anything else? Gigi?"

Boone raised his eyebrows. "What's your pleasure
tonight?" His hard shaft pressed against her belly.

She shifted her hips against him. "Besides this?"

He groaned and stepped his feet farther apart, hitting her
lower with the rise behind his fly. "You know this'll be pleasure for you.
As much as you want."

"I want…" You. She couldn't say the word. It
sounded too serious. "How about gin? I'd love a gin and tonic."

He nodded and shouted over his shoulder. "Gin. And make
it the good stuff, Jay."

"Right." His voice moved away from the door.

Boone ran his knuckles over her cheek. "Where were
we?" He tipped his head and moved closer.

"Hey." Jaden's voice came through the door.
"It'll be here in ten minutes." He laughed. "Just enough time
for you to get it done in there, huh, big brother?"

Boone's lips tightened. "Get away from that door."

Gieselle smiled. "Ten minutes, huh?"

"He's got to die." Boone pressed his lips to hers.

A pop sounded outside the door. It had to be the cork from
the champagne bottle.

"There he goes! Didn't even last ten minutes."
Jayden shouted.

Somewhere in the living room, Dallas laughed.

Gieselle smiled against Boone's lips. "This isn't going
to happen right now, is it."

"No." He stepped back. "But I'm gonna take a
great deal of pleasure in thumping my baby brother into that nice carpet out
there." He walked to the door and ripped it open.

"Oh, fuck." Jayden shot across the living room.

"You need to get some manners, boy." Boone's hands
fisted.

Gieselle walked up behind him. "It's okay, Boone."
She ran her hand over his forearm. Hard, corded muscles bulged under her
fingers.

"No, it ain't." He glared at his brother. "He
knows better."

"Let him be." Dallas took off his hat, got up from
the couch, and walked behind the bar. "It's close to his bedtime
anyway."

Jayden popped up from crouching behind the bar and pointed
the champagne bottle at Dallas. "I got a fake ID that says I can drink and
gamble all night if I want." Without his cowboy hat, he looked so young.

Setting five tumblers on the bar, Dallas chuckled.
"Fill up our glasses. We need to have a real toast to our big
winners."

Looking around the room, Gieselle didn't spot Kira.

Dallas nodded toward the closed door of the other bedroom.
"She got a call." He narrowed his eyes. "Does she have a man
back in New York?"

Boone hefted out a breath. "Dallas?"

Jayden poured champagne into the glasses. "Watch out.
He's doing that bonding thing again."

Dallas pounded a fist on the bar. "It's not like that.
I just want to make sure I'm not moving in on another man's woman."

Gieselle watched the cowboys' body language, weighing their
words. Evidently Dallas had some history with women he was trying to live down.

"No." She took Boone's hand and pulled him with
her out of the bedroom. "She doesn't have a man. She's free and
clear." Gieselle walked to the bar and slid onto a barstool.

Dallas handed her a glass. "Ma'am."

Boone stepped up behind her, his arm draping across the back
of the stool. He picked up a tumbler and touched it to hers. "To
tonight." His eyes darkened and his mouth curved slightly. "When we
can lock these clowns out of our suite."

She laughed. "The best toast I've ever heard." She
sipped her champagne.

"Hey." Jayden walked out from behind the bar and
jumped onto the barstool next to hers. "Mom said you were supposed to keep
an eye on me." He grabbed a glass and chugged it down.

"Just how young are you?" Gieselle took a closer
look at his cute face.

"Almost twenty-one." He glanced at his brother.
"He's twenty-three." He looked into her eyes. "How old are
you?"

Boone shook his head. "You don't ask a lady that."

"Jayden, damn." Dallas refilled their glasses.
"You have no class, dust eater."

"Hey, I landed on my feet today." Jayden's jaw
tightened.

"You didn't go more than two seconds on that crow
hopper." Dallas leaned on the bar. "You do better at practice than
you do at events. Why's that?"

Jayden blushed and shrugged.

Kira came out of the bedroom, pasting a smile on her face.
"What are we talking about?"

"How old Gigi is." Jayden grinned.

Gieselle met her girlfriend's gaze with an inquisitive look.
Was everything all right?