Bounty (41 page)

T
he smell
of coffee tickles my nose until I feel awake enough to open my eyes. As cliché as it sounds, I almost expect the previous night to have been a dream and wake to see Harrison staring at me across the bed. Instead, all I see is a pillow encased in much nicer cloth than the one at our hotel.

"I didn't know what you normally eat for breakfast, so I ordered a few things."

Pushing up onto my elbows, I spy Chase standing near the closet, already dressed in smooth black slacks and a dark purple button down shirt. The top couple buttons are undone and I see the top of his hard chest. He was still as good looking as I remembered.

"You said your boyfriend's name was Harrison, right? Does he go by Harry?"

"Just to me," I nod slowly, letting the sleep fall away from my head before I correct him again. "And it's ex-boyfriend. Why?"

"He's been texting you all morning," Chase cocks his head toward a table next to the bed where I'd set my phone down last night.

I sigh heavily, reaching for it and scrolling through the messages from Harrison. He wrote that he is worried sick about me since I didn't come back to the hotel room last night. Typical of him not to realize how I was feeling. He probably thought I just stormed away in a fit of momentary anger and would be waiting for him back at the room when he returned. I throw my phone back onto the bed and turn back to Chase who is examining himself in the mirror.

He sees me in the reflection looking at him. "You should stay here today," he turns and looks at me with a smile. "I'd love for you to be here when I get back, although it might be a while."

"Where are you going?" I haven't forgotten the resolution I made last night about leaving, but the texts from Harrison have reminded me that I have nowhere to go. Nowhere that I want to be, anyway. I really don't want to see him today. I don't want to hear any of his excuses or pleas for another chance.

"I'm playing in a tournament. It starts at noon."

I glance at the clock and am surprised that it's already well past eleven. There is a cart next to the bed with a variety of breakfast food, as promised, even though it's almost lunchtime.

"Eat something," he motions. "Get up whenever you feel like it, make yourself at home. There's a laptop in the other room you can use. Have a shower, do whatever you want." He pauses, then adds. "You don't have to stay here, but don't go back to
him
."

The way he says
him
makes it sound like a bad word. Like he's an evil monster. Harry has his faults, and I'm through with him, but Chase doesn't know him and I have to bite my tongue to keep from defending him again. It doesn't matter anyway. Besides, it's kind of sweet that Chase is trying to protect me from someone he regards as bad news, even if it's based on a somewhat misguided first impression.

"Thank you," I finally say, although I'm still not sure whether I'm going to stay or not.

Chase gives me his little half grin and walks forward. His hand reaches down and cups my bare breast. I didn't even notice the covers had fallen away, exposing me. His hand is warm and he flicks my nipple with his thumb as he bends forward and kisses me. I still feel like it's bold of him, even after last night, but I kiss him back anyway. Partly as a reflex but just as much because I remember how good it feels.

"Stay," he whispers as he pulls back. He can tell I'm still unsure. "I have a break at two and I'll come back up." The way he says it makes it clear what he hopes to do on the break. To be honest, the idea is appealing to me as well.

I nod and smile, but his eyes tell me he knows I'm still not convinced. I may have broken a couple promises to myself last night, but leaving him behind as a one night stand was one I had really intended to keep.

Chase straightens, pulling his hand from my body. I instantly miss the warmth and intimacy of his touch but I push the feeling away. I barely know him, and he's already leaving for another poker game anyway. He's likely just as much of a degenerate gambler as Harrison. I have to stop getting mixed up in shit like this.

Before he leaves the room, he grabs his sunglasses from beside the bed and slips them over on.

He finally leaves with one more promise to return soon and I settle back against the pillows, picking up my phone and staring at the texts from Harrison. I spend some time formulating a reply that will explain how I feel

11:46 AM Lila: Fuck off.

It's a simple enough message, but I know with Harry I need to be more direct.

11:47 AM Lila: It's over.

He responds immediately, as if he's been sitting and waiting for me to get back to him.

11:48 AM Harrison: Lila, let's talk about this. Come back. Where r u?

11:50 AM Lila: There's nothing to talk about. It's over Harry.

He calls now but I don't pick it up. Harry hates texting and would much rather talk on the phone, but I won't give him that respite. If he wants to continue to bug me, he'll have to suffer through it. He finally gives up and goes back to text.

11:55 AM Harrison: This is silly. Please let's talk about it. What about your stuff?

11:57 AM Lila: Just leave it in the room. I don't want to see or talk to you. I'm turning off my phone.

I don't actually turn it off, but I toss it next to me on vibrate and listen to it buzz as he continues to plead his case. I just don't even want to read his excuses anymore. They're hollow and meaningless, and hearing them again just makes me angry and tense.

Turning my attention to the food on the tray, I pick up some strawberries and push myself out of bed, popping them into my mouth and then pouring a cup of coffee. I don't really want to put on last night's clothes, and since the blinds are still drawn and I'm alone, I walk naked into the other room to look for the laptop Chase had mentioned.

I find it on the coffee table, open and turned on.

"Okay Chase Anderson," I say aloud. "Let's see who you really are."

After five minutes on Google I'm back in the bedroom, dialing back to Canada on my cell phone.

"Lila? Hi, how's Vegas?"

"Evelyn," I say my roommate's name quickly, ignoring her question, "tell me everything you know about Chase Anderson."

"
O
h my god
, you are not!"

"I am, I'm in his room right now," I can't help but smile at Evelyn's reaction.

"Wait a second, what about Harrison?"

Evelyn just finished telling me that Chase Anderson was regarded as one of the best poker players in the world, and had apparently won millions playing it. He had a reputation as something of a ladies' man, although she wasn't sure how much of that was just rumor based on his good looks. He lives in Vegas, but flies around to play in some of the biggest games around the world. My roommate was a bit of a fan girl when it came to poker players a couple of years ago, and I know she still sort of follows them. She grew up with a father who was a semi pro himself, but living in Toronto with a family meant he never gave living the lifestyle a real shot. He taught the game to Evelyn when she was young and she was into it for a while, even earning enough to pay for some of her college tuition. But she was never really into it as much as her father, and as far as I knew she gave the hobby up completely a couple of years ago after graduating.

She actually met Harrison at a game and the two of them had been casual friends ever since. She was the one that initially introduced us, and consequently I wasn't too thrilled with having to tell her what happened.

"We broke up," I finally said, blowing out a long breath as I prepared for her response.

"What? What happened?"

"It doesn't matter," I say, embarrassed to admit to the actual circumstances of having my boyfriend using me as a poker chip. "It's been a long time coming. I mean, I knew it wasn't going to last Evelyn, I just didn't think it was going to blow up here."

"Oh Lila, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do? Maybe I can talk to him?" Although Evelyn and Harrison have remained friends while we've dated, they aren't that close. I'm hoping that means things won't be too awkward now. After all, Evelyn and I have been friends a lot longer than she's known Harry.

"No, definitely not. There's nothing for him to say. It's really over, Evelyn."

"Wow, okay. Wait... you're single now and you're in the hotel room of Chase Anderson? Spill, girl! I need details here."

I try to hold back a laugh at Evelyn's eagerness for details, but I don't want her to read too much into it. "Nothing. I just couldn't go back to the room with Harry last night-"

"Hold on, you spent the night there? With Chase?"

"It's not what it sounds like," I protest. Well, it is actually, but as I expect to end things with him today, I don't want my friend to get her hopes up. "Look, I'll tell you all about it when I get home on Monday, okay? I need to get showered and figure out what I'm going to do with myself for the next couple of days."

"You better. You don't just drop a bomb like you spent the night in Chase Anderson's hotel and then leave it at that..."

"I know, I'm sorry, but I really need to get out of here. We'll talk soon."

I feel a bit guilty about lying to Evelyn. She and I have been best friends since high school but I really did need to hurry. Chase was going to be back in a little over an hour and I really don't want to be here when he returns. It's time for me to get out of here and find another hotel. I remember seeing some cheap ones off of the main strip when we were looking to book our vacation, but Harrison had nixed them all because they were too far from the poker games he wanted to play. At least that means they'd probably be the last place he'd want to come looking for me.

I took a shower that ended up being longer than planned. Showers have always been my weakness, and are usually where I do a lot of my thinking. Something about the hot water pounding down across my head and shoulders as the sound of it hitting the walls and floor of the tub fills my ears just relaxes me. It lets my mind wander free.

In this case, my thoughts lead me to a plan where I wait until evening when Harrison is likely back at the poker tables and then call the room. If he answers I hang up, but if he doesn't then I go up and collect all of my stuff. Move everything out without having to see him again and before checkout time when who knows what will happen to it all.

Of course, I didn't spend the whole shower thinking about Harrison. I spent a lot of time thinking about Chase as well. From what I'd read on the web, confirmed with additional details from Evelyn, this guy was the real deal. Not at all like Harrison as I first suspected. Apparently this guy takes gambling to another level. Perhaps there is some truth after all to his argument about what he does being more about skill than gambling. On some level, I'm beginning to wish I had met him under different circumstances. Maybe we could have been more than just a one night stand. Then again, I can't imagine any other circumstances where our paths would ever cross.

I stop the shower and step out, wrapping a clean towel around my body. I'm not at all looking forward to wearing my dirty clothes from last night again, but at least I now have a plan to get the rest of my stuff back. I won't have to be in them for long.

My phone says that it's already after one, but I still figure I have enough time to clear out of here before Chase gets back. Which is why I let out a surprised yelp when I see him sitting on a chair in the bedroom waiting for me.

"I thought you weren't coming back until two?"

"My mind wasn't on the game, I'm out early," he says, standing and flashing a smile that explains what his mind had been on instead as his eyes rove over the towel I have wrapped around me.

"Chase," I begin, meaning to explain that I need to leave, that this whole thing can't continue as much as I'm now wishing it could.

A knock at the door stops me.

"I got you something," he says as he disappears into the other room. I hear the door open and some quiet voices before he returns holding a garment bag in one hand and pulling the zipper open with his other.

The bag falls open and I take a sharp breath at the beautiful black dress it reveals. "It's gorgeous."

"I saw it on my way back from the casino and knew you would look stunning in it. Let's go out to a club tonight. You can wear this, I know the rest of your stuff is still back at your hotel."

I'm still staring at the dress. I can tell it's a designer outfit that I would never be able to afford on my own. I open my mouth to protest, but he steps forward, pressing his fingers against my lips.

"Say yes, Lila. Just say yes."

His shockingly blue eyes are pressing into me, I can almost feel their weight and force of will. It's so hard to say no to those eyes. Besides, where else do I have to go? The plan I had to get my stuff back was mostly born from my desire to not have to put back on yesterday's outfit. Now I have something else to take its place. At least for later. Until then, I have a feeling I won't need any clothes anyway.

Besides, just because I stay one more night doesn't mean anything. My flight leaves Monday regardless.

"Yes." The word falls from my lips at the exact same moment that I let my towel hit the floor.

"
H
ow is
it that you have so many clothes here?" I'm staring at the inside of a closet that rivals the size of my bedroom back home, and it's filled with expensive clothes and shoes.

"What do you mean?" Chase is standing in front of the mirror adjusting his collared shirt.

"You said you live in Vegas, but not in this hotel room. Why do you stay here so often that you have your entire wardrobe here? Don't you ever go back home?"

"It's just easier to stay here," he shrugs, still focused in the mirror. "The games are here."

"Don't you ever miss your house? Your stuff?" I'm already homesick, but part of that has to do with feeling vulnerable after breaking up with Harry. I actually don't feel as bad when Chase is around. He's so confident in everything he does that I feel some of that confidence seeping into me just by being around him.

"I guess I'm used to it," he says, turning from the mirror to look at me. "I spend a lot of time on the road."

I walk over to him and put my hands on his collar, adjusting it a bit myself before looking into his cool blues. "Still, you must get tired of living in a hotel room. Even one as nice as this." I look around again, wondering how long it would take me to get sick of such lavishness. "I guess I'm just wondering what your place looks like." You can tell a lot about someone from seeing their home, and even after Googling him and talking to Evelyn I still feel like Chase is a mystery. Almost more so now, since it's hard to know where reality begins and the rumors end with someone even sort of famous.

"It's nothing special," he says, turning back to the mirror to inspect the adjustment I just made. "I don't spend a lot of time there. No room service." He flashes me a grin through the reflection.

I purse my lips at him. I might not make a living out of reading people like he does, but I can tell when someone is trying to change the subject.

"Come here." He holds out a hand and I step forward, letting him pull me closer. "I was right."

"About what?"

"You do look stunning in that dress." His lips are strong and my knees weaken as he presses them against mine. "Let's get going."

Minutes later we're riding along the brightly lit strip in a limo. Harry and I had walked this way during the day, but it was much more interesting at night. Especially within the cool air conditioning of the chauffeured car. "Where are we going?"

"XS."

"That could be anywhere in Vegas. Isn't that the foundation that all of these casinos are built around?"

"Not
excess
," Chase smiles. "X S. It's the club at the Wynn."

"Ah." It means nothing to me. I'd asked Harry to take me to a club, but he complained that they were all too expensive with long lines to get in and a waste of time. He'd rather just lose his money slowly at the poker table instead of actually trying to wring any enjoyment out of those same dollars. Of course, when I said that he argued that at a club, the money was gone for sure but when he played with it, he at least had the potential to win more. That potential rarely turned into reality though, and we'd had that argument over and over again over the months we were together. At any rate, I consequently have no idea what the club scene is like in Vegas and whether XS is anything special.

Before the car has even stopped, it is obvious that the club is packed. The lineup is huge, and I'm looking at Chase dubiously, wondering whether or not he has a plan B. He seems unconcerned, though, and helps me out of the car before briefly speaking to the driver and watching it take off.

"Come on," he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me along next to him.

"I think the line starts over there," I motion in the opposite direction to where he's leading.

I'm not sure if he heard me or not, because Chase only quickens his pace and I have to hurry to keep up with him. I'm thankful for the strong grip he has on my hand as there are so many people around us now I'm worried I could easily lose him.

"Chase!"

There's a big man standing by a separate entrance, smiling at the poker player as the two slap hands in some complicated greeting.

"Ace, my man, how's your game?"

"I think I need a few more pointers. Dropped a grand at the 2/5 at MGM last night."

"Ouch. You're still too curious, stop looking people up on the river."

"Shit yeah, I know."

"Well, give me a ring and we'll talk about it some more. You got space for two tonight?"

"Of course, you know I do."

All of sudden the man swings open the heavy doors and Chase's casual and confident hand is ushering me forward into a throng of beautiful people surrounded by loud, pulsing music.

My senses are overwhelmed with the sights and sounds around me. The club is dark, but multi colored lights beaming across a sweaty crowd light up the room as people bounce and sway to the music. Chase's hand closes tightly against mine as he weaves his way through the crowd, either finding a path or making one as he goes, I'm not sure which. He soon stops in front of a bar and orders us drinks.

"What do you think?" His lips are next to my ear but he's still talking very loudly so that I can hear him over the music. His hot breath causes a shiver to run up my spine and I wonder how long we have to stay here before we can go back to his hotel bedroom again.

"Intense," I yell back. He smiles, taking that as a positive as he presses a glass into my hand.

"Hi Chase!" Two gorgeous blond girls walk up to the poker player and hug him. He speaks briefly to them before they smile and one tries to grab his hand as she walks away. I look over at him questioningly.

"Fans," he shrugs, looking embarrassed. "Come on, let's dance."

He pulls me back into the crowd and I drop my drink back onto the bar before it's out of reach. All of a sudden our bodies are pressed together as gorgeous young people surround us, all of them dancing and sweating in unison to the electronic sounds coming from the massive speakers all around the club. It doesn't take long to forget everything and lose myself in a similar way. Chase is a great dancer, and I'm happy to let the crowd push and jostle us together so that our bodies are pressed tightly as we grind. His lips find my neck in the crowded low light and I laugh, raising my eyes to the sky. This is what I needed after all.

We dance for what seems like at least an hour before he grabs my hand and leads me from the floor again. I'm tired and hot but elated and buzzed at the same time. Leading me through the crowd, Chase brings me through an opening and all of sudden we're outside. Just like inside, beautiful people surround us, the only difference now is that there's a pool and the people milling about it are wearing even less than the ones inside. The desert air is warm, but still cooler than inside the center of the crowd so I welcome the break.

"What do you think?"

"It's fucking fantastic," I say, my face grinning wildly. "I need another drink though."

"Of course, wait right here."

I open my mouth to say I want to come with him, but before I can he's disappeared into a crowd of people. I shrug, deciding to take in the sights of this amazing club while I wait. There's simply nothing like this back home. The outdoor area is enormous, with a huge pool taking up a large part of it. I wonder how people managed to get a swimsuit in past the bouncers and the dress code rules, and how drunk I'd have to be to feel comfortable swimming amongst all of these gorgeous people. I watch them for a few minutes before I realize that it's taking Chase an awfully long time to get our drinks. There's a bar on the other side of the pool, which is where I thought he'd gone, so I pick my way through the crowd until I'm close. I spot his blond hair and chiseled jaw immediately, but he's not alone. He's talking to a strikingly beautiful brunette, whose hand is resting familiarly on his arm and he's making no attempt to remove it. As I watch, he leans close, speaking into her ear and then she throws her head back and laughs before leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek. She's clearly not just another fan.

I walk quickly up to interrupt them and she turns to me even before he does.

"Lila!" he says when he finally notices me. He sees me glaring at the girl next to him. "Lila, Let me introduce you two. This is Denise Parks. She's my..." he pauses for just an instant before her voice chimes in to finish his sentence.

"Girlfriend." I feel my eyes widen as I turn my glare away from her and slide it onto him.