Falling Free: What happens in Vegas... (The Fall Series) (2 page)

“Mr. Blackwell? This is Susan from
Barry Stanton’s office. Alex, our associate from the Las Vegas office, will be
delivering Ms. St. John to your penthouse around seven o’clock.”

It was the answer I’d been waiting
for. She took the offer. Lo was on her way to Vegas.

I couldn’t wipe the sappy smile
off my face as I stuffed the phone back in my pocket. This was a new kind of
high, the feeling like starting today anything’s possible. Hell, just feeling
at all had me off-balance. I hadn’t slept in two nights, which is the exact
amount of time since I felt her skin on mine, and explored her body in ways I
only dreamed of since the time I was seventeen. Every second that ticked by all
I could think about was how to get her back in my arms again for good. She was
everything I never thought I could have and everything I was afraid to admit I
wanted. Everything that could make me whole and give me purpose. MY everything.
I was willing to do whatever it took to help her hold on to The Grand, and hopefully
bring her closer to me in the process. Even if it was against her will.

That may sound sick, I know.
Believe me, it’s not exactly what I had planned. My ego lead me to believe that
once she saw me again she’d fall madly in love, accept my help and come to
Vegas on her own free will. But playing the damsel in distress never was her
style, and I knew I had to think fast before her stubborn pride caused us both to
lose everything.

Then there was Jake Kennedy. Just
hearing his name felt like a direct punch to the gut. She was engaged to him,
because I abandoned her. I left her alone when she needed me most and might as
well have held the door wide open for him to ride in and save the day.
How
could I have been so fucking stupid?
Yeah, I was young. Marriage or even
commitment for that matter wasn’t even a blip on the radar, but even then I
knew how special she was. I shouldn’t have turned my back on her. Never again.

Now the only thing I could do was
find out if this Jake Kennedy really loved her, if he really knew her like I
did. If he proved he did then no matter how hard it would be I would step down,
take myself out of the race and accept that he was the man for her even if
everything inside me wanted to fight for her instead. She deserved the best,
and I had fallen short once already. If he didn’t then he would win.

The waiting was hell. The ball
was already in play, and now it was his move. Yeah, part of me felt guilty, but
come on! It’s not like I was setting the guy up to go to prison or something,
although I can’t say the thought never crossed my mind. I may be desperate, but
I’m not that cold hearted. So I made a few calls. I hired a private
investigator to check him out. Something about him didn’t feel quite right.
Maybe it was my own jealousy, but my gut told me it was something more. After
that I sent a few job offers his way. He didn’t have to take them. Nobody was
holding a gun to his head, and either way he stood to gain something. When this
was said and done he would either keep the girl of my dreams or start a career
that would change his life forever. It was his call.

My biggest concern was Lauren,
and the only thing that mattered now was in a few short hours she would be
right here with me. I would have the next five days to convince her that I
loved her and to make her realize she was in love with me. I knew it wouldn’t
be easy. She might spend the first three mad as hell over me forcing her into
this arrangement. Laughing and shaking my head at the thought, I knew I
couldn’t let my nerves get the best of me. I had to stay focused and draw on
the inner strength that helped me win countless tournaments. But inside, the
thought that I was about to play for the highest stakes of my life, worth far
more than the millions piled high on the tournament tables, had me more scared
to death.   

WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS

The flight was uneventful. No
problems or delays, but I was grateful to be back on solid ground. Inside the
airport I spotted Barry’s assistant right away. She was tall, blonde and wore a
black suit that revealed more cleavage than most offices would allow. When I
saw she was holding a sign with my name it caught me off guard at first, and I
did a double take, wondering if it was really meant for me. As soon as our eyes
met she walked over with a smile and extended an impeccably manicured hand.

“You must be Lauren. I’m Alex.”

“Hi, Alex. Nice to meet you.”

“Welcome to Las Vegas. We’ll have
to be quick. We have lots to do and not much time.”

“Oh, what about my bags?” She
didn’t waste any time picking up the pace, and I followed after her quickly.

“Don’t worry. I’ve sent someone
to pick them up,” she called back to me. I followed the sound of her clicking
heels across the lobby and directly to a sleek black limo parked along the
curb. As we approached the driver got out and held the door. Barry wasn’t
kidding. This was first class.

“Okay, let’s go over the agenda,”
Alex examined me as we pulled into the steady stream of traffic. In five
seconds flat she had taken a complete inventory. “Your hair looks great
actually, maybe a little trim. You’re getting a mani and pedi. Have you ever
had a Brazilian?”

“Ah, no,” was all I could manage.

“After the salon we’ll go see
Nancy at the Bellagio. I’m picturing you in Armani.” She ran a strand of my
hair through her fingers and smiled. “Mr. Blackwell will be very pleased when
he lays eyes on you.”

My evaluation seemingly finished,
I turned and looked out the window. The scene was incredible. The strip looked
so vivid, so glamorous. It was everything I’d imagined times one hundred, I
thought, sure that my jaw was hanging open. Alex seemed amused.

“So, Barry said you’re from
Michigan? Have you ever been to Vegas?”

“No. I’ve never been out of state
before.” I could feel my face blush with embarrassment.

Alex smiled mischievously, “You
know the saying,
what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?
You’ll see,
Lauren. You’re about to have the time of your life.”

For the next few hours I felt
like a pampered star in a block-buster movie. A team of people fussed over
every inch of me, starting with a facial, a massage and several other spa
treatments that I’d never even heard of before. At first I felt completely
naked and exposed in nothing but a white robe tied loosely around my waist. The
procedures were intimate, especially the Brazilian, but everyone was kind and
friendly. Although their fingers seemed to invade every part of my body, they
did it with a professionalism that made it easy to endure. When I looked in the
mirror my skin had never glowed so brightly. My make-up was a little more dramatic
than usual, but absolutely stunning, and my hair fell around my breasts in
curtains of smooth raw silk. I couldn’t help but stare at my reflection in the
limo window as we drove to the Bellagio for my new wardrobe. I barely
recognized myself.

This was much more than I had
bargained for, and I felt awkward in my simple cotton dress and summer sandals,
or maybe I felt awkward in my new movie star make-up and hair. Either way it
was a conflicting combination, and I hoped the new clothes would help me feel
complete. I was transforming into the person I would be for the next five days,
getting into character. It was just what I needed. This must be what Barry
meant when he said he had a surprise for me, and even though everything about
the man angered me, I was grateful. I couldn’t imagine being just a girl from
Northern Michigan with her messy ponytail and sundress in the midst of this this
over-the-top city, especially if I was to be seen on the arm of Parker
Blackwell the world poker star. I’m sure a man like him was used to nothing but
the best.

Nancy stood by the door waiting
for our arrival. “Follow me, ladies.” She spoke with authority. “I have several
things ready for you to try on. What size are you, honey, I’m guessing about a
five?”

“Yes, a five,” I answered as Alex
and I followed her to the back of the boutique. When she opened the door
several groups of neatly arranged ensembles hung from large shiny racks. My
eyes studied the colors and textures of the sexy evening dresses with bare
backs and plunging necklines, casual skirts with camisoles, bikinis, and lingerie.
There was too much to take in.

Nancy went directly to a rack and
removed a little black number that would change my definition of
the little
black dress
forever. “Shall we start with this one?” She smiled.

I felt like a princess as I
shimmied in and out of one designer label after another. The shoes were
amazing, too, although my feet hurt a little after trying on countless pairs and
walking across the room for each inspection. After the tenth pair I began
wondering how the hell I would ever wear a pair all day. By the time we were
finished I was pretty sure I could tell the Jimmy Choos from the Pradas, and I
was pretty sure I knew exactly how it felt to be a celebrity.

My stomach was growling as I walked
out of the dressing room wearing my ensemble for the day. “You look stunning,”
Alex gushed and motioned for me to turn around in a circle to give her the full
view. “Perfect. Mr. Blackwell is upstairs waiting for you to join him for
dinner.”

Mr. Blackwell was waiting.  I
swallowed hard at the thought. The moment of truth had arrived, and I was
finally on my way to meet Parker Blackwell on his turf, deep inside his Las
Vegas lair. Suddenly I didn’t feel so hungry after all.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

I watched as the little red light
blinked across the numbers marking each passing floor. As the elevator shot up,
so did my anxiety level. Alex stood quiet and composed, staring straight ahead.
I wanted to ask her a million questions. What should I do? Where would I be
staying? What if I changed my mind? But instead I stood quietly while my mind
imagined the possibilities.

When the doors opened she finally
spoke, “Mr. Blackwell stays in the penthouse suite when he’s in town. I think
you’ll find it very comfortable.” She handed me her card. “You may call me
anytime day or night, although I think Mr. Blackwell will take care of
everything you need. He’s very generous.” She stopped and grabbed me by the
shoulders lightly. “I know you’re nervous and probably wondering exactly what
to expect. Here’s what I can tell you, he’s competitive and always plays to
win. He likes to have things his way, but he’s also a gentleman, and will expect
you to behave accordingly. Do you understand what I’m saying? Remember, he’s
one of our best clients. I’ll be here to take you to the airport on Thursday.”

I stared at her blankly as she
described her highly revered client, obviously unaware that I already knew all
about “Mr. Blackwell”. Before I could reply she opened the door, and I followed
her inside. The place smelled of him, masculine and fresh like leather and
invigorating citrus, maybe bergamot. It was a smell I remembered from his car
and his clothes and his skin, and it was already having its way with me as my
thoughts became flooded with memories of our night on the beach. We passed
through a small foyer and before I realized it we were face-to-face.

“Mr. Blackwell, this is Lauren.
Lauren, Mr. Parker Blackwell.”

There he stood wearing only a
pair of loose fitting plaid pajama pants. His broad shoulders were squared to
us, his smooth chest chiseled and shirtless. I noticed his hair was slightly
tussled and still wet from the shower as the smell of him swirled around me when
he grabbed my hand. Mesmerized by the small drops of water still sliding down
his chest, I couldn’t look up.

“My pleasure.” His deep voice
poured over me thick as honey as he studied me with a knowing smile. I couldn’t
speak as I stood there taking him all in. From his piercing emerald eyes to those
deep dimples, everything about him seemed to draw me closer. Then I felt his
gaze tingle down my body as though he wasn’t at all concerned about checking
out the merchandise while Alex was still in our presence, but the mischievous
way his lips curled at the corners seemed to say that it was our little secret.
That’s when I felt something else. Something unexpected. Maybe this was going
to be easier than I thought, but I wouldn’t give in just yet. I was still mad
as hell.

His eyes stayed locked on mine as
he dismissed Alex, “Thank you, Alex.”

“I’ll show myself out,” she
replied.

Seconds passed, and I felt a
twinge of panic when I heard the door close behind her. We were alone. My
thoughts were running wild.
Why does this gorgeous man hire escorts? His the
smell of him is driving me crazy. What will he expect from me? What should I
say?
His voice startled me, bringing me back to the moment.

“Would you like a drink?” He
walked toward the bar without waiting for my answer. I remained frozen,
watching him move with confident strides across the room. He looked just as
good from behind. His back was broad, each muscle defined. He slowly poured two
drinks. His movements seemed deliberate and measured as though he knew I was
watching, and the atmosphere became tense. I swallowed nervously and reminded
myself how angry I was with him, but instead of fighting to control my temper I
found myself fending off the pheromones that seemed to radiate from every inch
of him.