Vixen in Vegas (Sinful Novellas) (9 page)

“So, when you and your shake are done having a moment, I’m ready to talk,” he said happily. He was lying on his side, his head propped up on his hand.

I very nearly choked. Instead, I sucked down the shake so fast that I suddenly suffered from the reversible yet highly painful condition known as…brain freeze. “Gah!” I cried, grabbing my head.

He rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Babe, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were scared of talking,” he said with a smirk.

“Seriously? I’m fearless. What do I have to be afraid of? I’m not tied down. I can move whenever I want. I have the best kind of job security ever, since I’m self-employed. Hell, I like me so much, I’ll never fire me!” My chin jutted out in defiance as I attempted to convince him how great my life was.

Sitting up slowly, he looked at me, the concern evident. “So, if you get hurt, you just move? If you get in a fight, you just move?” For the first time, he looked afraid. Then he shook his head. “It sounds lonely to me. It sounds like you go to great lengths to avoid dealing with feelings.” He edged closer to me, pushed my long dark hair out of my face. “Haven’t you ever had anything in your life worth sticking around for?” He cupped my face in his hand. I reached up and held it there for a moment with my eyes closed.

That was a lot to consider. That was a lot to analyze. “I left home after graduation because I wanted a change. I needed more excitement in my life. Jolie and I agreed to never live in the same state twice. There was no need, not with fifty states to choose from,” I said with a shy smile.

“And if you ran out of states?” He asked with a raised brow.

“There’s always the Caribbean then Europe,” I said with a shrug.

“Okay,” he began slowly. “This is a good start. This is what I want…to get to know you.”

Shaking my head in confusion, I asked, “What?”

“Renegotiating our terms. I want to get to know you. All the boring stuff…life by the typical stats: name, date of birth, occupation, last known address…phone number, email, that kind of thing. I want it all with you, Sin. I want the possibility of forever wrapped in a hundred million moments. I want us.” He stared at me intently, waiting for me to respond.

“Forever, huh?” I managed.

Shifting uncomfortably, he replied, “Yeah. You know. As much of a forever as any of us have.” He shrugged.

My eyes narrowed in response. “Sure. We’re already fake married. Let’s have a fake life to go along with it.” Then I smiled.

“This? What’s between us? It’s as real as it gets,” he said as he leaned in for a kiss.

I kissed him back, but then I paused. “So this renegotiating…we’re really just breaking all the rules, right?” I asked, more timidly than I intended.

“Right,” he agreed with a nod and a smile.

“What’s our time frame?” I questioned.

“Our time frame?” He sounded confused.

My eyes widened. “Yes. Last time, we had a week. How long this time? I should let Jolie know,” I said trying to come up with a rationale for the question. I was not some clingy girl, but it was nice to know how to prepare my heart.

“Oh, right. This is for Jolie,” he said, biting his cheek to keep from smiling. “Well, I don’t have a time limit. Do you? Is there somewhere you need to be?”

“I believe I mentioned it before…I can work
anywhere
. Now you…you have a winery to run,” I challenged.

“Yes, I do. And while it doesn’t run itself, I am fortunate to have a sister to run things while I’m away. Right now, I’m giving her loads of practice.” He winked at me.

My head tilted while I considered his words. “So now what? What do you suggest?” Sure there was more than a degree of apprehension here. I was getting closer to him, allowing him in. It felt dangerous and scary. It felt like a huge risk, but not being with him would be a huge mistake. I had to let this run its course. I had to see this through. I promised Jolie. I meant it. Maybe I meant it a little for me, too.

“Well, I suggest…we start sharing, we start playing the getting to know you game. I suggest we see if we’re as compatible outside of the bedroom as we are in. A cruise ship is no place to start a relationship,” he said seriously.

Something about that seemed really funny to me. I burst out laughing. “Oh, and Vegas is better? Geesh.”

“Okay. Good point. It is, however, on land.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

I couldn’t stop smiling. Seriously. My face hurt. Every time I was around this man, he brought out the happy in me. “So, Ben, when is your birthday?” It was his turn to laugh. “Come on. I thought that was way classier than the old ‘what’s your sign’ question.”

“Agreed. So, I’m a Sagittarius, sexy. I was born December 10
th
. I’m thirty-two years old. I was raised in southern California. My hobbies are reading and traveling. I also enjoy pairing wine with food. Do you cook?” He asked with interest.

Chuckling, I said sarcastically, “Sadly, no. There were not a lot of opportunities to cook growing up, and even fewer as an adult.” He looked almost disappointed. So, I perked up for a moment as I remembered. “Oh, but I bake incredible chocolate chip cookies and brownies!”

He laughed. “Well, I’m sure I have a dessert wine to pair with them.” He was quiet a moment. “I always wanted to learn to cook…” His voice trailed in such a way as to suggest he might be thinking.

“Well, you have plenty of time. Maybe we could take a cooking class together?” My jaw snapped shut at that. What the hell was I suggesting? Since when did I bother trying to be domesticated? I was a career woman, strong, independent, and self-employed. Crap. One day with him and I was offering to learn to cook? No man had ever managed to tame this chick. Crap. Just crap.

“You know, I’d like that,” he said quietly. “We’ll see…”

At least one of us had the sense to be somewhat non-committal. Why did it have to be him?

We played our game of getting to know each other into the night. It was close to 2am before we fell asleep. When we did, it wasn’t all snuggled in to the big comfy king sized bed. Instead, we fell asleep on the floor, right where we had enjoyed our picnic, cuddled together. That’s how we woke hours later.

As usual, I woke first. I took a moment then to study his features. He did rather look like a Ben to me all of a sudden. I ran my fingers through his dark hair and he didn’t even move. This man slept like the dead. Slowly, I stood and stretched. I was already too old to be sleeping on the floor. I was stiff and aching. Walking over to the bed, I picked up a pillow and dragged a blanket over. We had at least slept on the duvet. Before I bathed, I wanted to know he would be warm and comfortable. What can I say? The man brings out my softer side. Who knew I had nurturer tendencies?

In the bathroom, I took a quick shower, and then I threw on the hotel bathrobe and walked out to the main living area with my camera. I wanted to check out the sunrise over The Strip. It was time to get back to work, and though Vegas had been called an adult playground, I had to turn it into my new office.

When I first walked in, Jolie was lounging on the couch, drinking a coffee. Something about her pose in her robe, the way the sunlight was streaming in through the window creating this perfect effect, her look of sheer comfort and calm…I had to capture her. So, I did.

“Hey,” she said, looking up. “I thought we had agreed to no more photos without my permission
years
ago.” She smirked at me.

“I have a terrible memory,” I lied.

“You have the memory of an elephant. I’m sure you forgot,” she laughed.

Sitting down on the other end of the sectional, I asked casually, “So how do you like Vegas?”

“I love it. Of course, I’ve seen more of it than you have,” she said with a smirk.

“Have you now?” I asked. “And just what have you seen?”

Jolie started rattling off a list of places she had visited and ended with, “You have to go to The Bellagio. Between the fountains out front and the conservatory inside…it can’t be missed.”

I sat back with my legs stretched out and considered it. “We didn’t really talk about me working,” I said. “We didn’t talk about how long we were going to be in Vegas or stay in a hotel or anything.” I could feel the panic rising in my chest.

“You have time,” Jolie said quietly. “Last night was your first night back together. It’s no wonder that you didn’t get to discuss any of that. See how the next few days go.”

Sitting up and swinging my feet off the couch and back onto the floor, I leaned forward before speaking. “I don’t like this, Jolie. I don’t like who I am when he’s around. I feel weak and I hate that.” I looked up at her, knowing she would recognize the sadness in my eyes.

“It’s too soon to run, Sin. What would you be running from anyway? A man who treats you better than gold? A man who is open and honest about his feelings and not only professes his love, but proves it daily? Calm the fuck down. You’ve got this.” She took one final sip of her coffee, stood and then said, “Oh and here’s lover boy now.”

Whipping around, I saw him leaning in the doorway of the master bedroom. “Morning, Ben,” I managed. All the while I wondered how much of our conversation he had heard. His face was impossible to discern.

“Morning,” he said. “Let’s have breakfast and plan our day.” He studied me for a moment. “Oh, and for the record, Sin. You are the strongest woman I know.” With that, he turned and headed back into the room.

Melting into the couch with a hand across my face, I said, “Well, that answers that question.”

Jolie laughed.

“I’m sorry? Is something funny? Because if so, I have no freaking clue as to what it might be,” I growled at her.

“I love the way he handles you. I love the way he talks to you. Mostly, I love seeing you like this. It’s good for you,” she said. With that, she headed back to her bedroom.

Taking a few deep, fortifying breaths, I finally managed to pry myself off the couch. This could prove to be an incredibly long day. When I entered the master suite, I found him standing in front of the bathroom sink. Walking up behind him, I wrapped my arms around him. “I’m sorry,” I murmured into Ben’s back. I had buried my face there and was inhaling his scent. “I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to be all emotional. I don’t…”

At the moment, I had no idea what to say. When I was away from him, the doubts crept in. When I was near, there was no room, my heart was too full of love. I liked it better that way. I had a promise to keep and a future to build. I didn’t want to let anyone down, most of all me.

While he showered, I dressed and applied my makeup. It didn’t even occur to me how easily we shared a bathroom together. To me, that seemed like one of the biggest tells in a relationship. How comfortable were we together? Were we all apologies and bumbling and bumping into one another because I couldn’t be with someone who annoyed the crap out of me for the long haul.

Now, with Ben, he always seemed to know where to be and what to say. I marveled over that thought as I applied my lip gloss. He watched me do it, leaning over and kissing my neck and shoulder, tasting every bit of exposed skin. It felt wonderful and natural, like fifty years from now, he’d be doing the same thing if I let him. Only, I couldn’t picture him old.

Reaching behind me, I captured him, drew him closer, and looked at us in the mirror. Jolie spent little time with cameras, either in front of or behind them, but I might be able to convince her to take a few pictures of us. If I asked nicely. Better yet, I would have Ben ask. I smiled.

“What is it?” He asked with a grin as he nibbled my ear and placed his cheek beside mine.

Turning my face towards him to nuzzle his neck, I said simply, “We look good together.”

He shrugged away. “What? Are you kidding? We’re the most attractive couple here.”

Playing along, I laughed. “Oh are we now?”

“Absolutely.” He said with a nod, his hands still on my hips.

Then I murmured quietly. “Which part? The attractive or couple.”

Studying me intently in the mirror for a moment, he responded, “All of it.” He set his chin on the top of my head for but a moment, then he grabbed my hand. “Now let’s go eat.”