Hard Luck (The Vegas Obsession Series, #1) (8 page)

“Are you serious?” I shifted in my chair. This was
not
happening. “I’m finally starting to get over it and you’re bringing it up again!”

“I didn’t come over here to upset you, Leslie. Will you just let me finish saying what I need to tell you?”

“Fine,” I answered in a huff.

He stood up and began to pace, like he was piecing together a pitch or something. As annoying as it was to watch him moving around like a wild animal, I couldn’t help but notice how good he looked. And that tight ass...

“Okay let me start over,” he said. “Look, if I didn’t get the job, I would never have met you, alright? So I don’t regret getting it, but I wish it wasn’t something you were also after. I know you’re angry with me, but I want to tell you...no, to ask you to give me a chance to be your friend. Well, more than friends, but friends too. Oh hell, this is not coming out the way I wanted it to. But I guess that’s the point.”

He looked so nervous. I had no idea why, and even less of an idea what he was trying to tell me.

“So you want to be my friend now, Drew?” I asked, standing up to face him. “What, it’ll make you feel better stealing my one shot at something I dreamed of doing, if I were your friend after the chips fell?”

“No...that’s not it...why can’t you just...”

“Why can’t I what Drew?” I pressed. “Why can’t I be like toga girl?”

“Toga girl...I mean...look, her name is Kimberley and she is not my girlfriend okay? She’s not even my friend.”

“What is she, then? A call girl? She was draped all over you, wearing a toga and kissing you on your neck, remember?”

“She’s in an acting class I’m taking,” he explained, like it was perfectly rational.

“Okay then, and I’m Cinderella!”

“I’m telling you the truth.”

“Then like Sam?”

“She was hitting on
me
!”

“Well I have a question for
you
, Drew. If you’re having such a problem talking to me, why can’t you get the hell out of here and knock on
their
doors, and tell
them
what you want to say?”

“Because they’re not you,” he answered, with that look in his eyes that took me right back to his kiss.

A part of me wanted to kick him out so I didn’t have to deal with it. But every cell in my body wanted him and refused to move away. He hesitated at first, but within moments he was in my personal space. He cupped my chin in his palm and lifted my face, searching my eyes like he could find his soul there somewhere. All I could see in his eyes was pure passion. Or maybe I was projecting what I felt coursing through my veins. The touch of his hand on my face sent sparks flying through me. I was so overcome with need, I let him know with my eyes.

At this proximity, his brown eyes were almost hazel, with gold and brown flecks that looked like they would sparkle in the sun. He let out a soft sigh and I wrinkled my nose at the feel of his breath against my skin. My heart pounded in my chest when his other hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. I began to pull away, but even if my brain wasn’t ready, my body was.

He pressed another soft kiss to my cheek and kept his face close. I think it melted all the lingering resistance I might have built up to defend myself.

“Leslie, I...” He pulled away and trailed off. His thumb stroked along my chin and up to my lips. “I would really love to kiss these lips again, Leslie.”

My breath caught and my stomach clenched, and oh God, I wanted to make the next move. But I was frozen in the fire of his eyes; and his touch. My gaze dropped to stare at his mouth, and my shoulders softened, and that’s when he seized the moment.

I had been fighting my attraction to him, but realized he was feeling it just as strongly. I didn’t think I had ever felt that way before. He tipped my head back with his hand and took my mouth quickly, giving me no more time to think. All I could do was feel. My blood boiled when his lips met mine. If he wanted to, he could undress me, touch me all over, and take me; my desire was so strong he could have his way with me and I would love every moment.

He groaned into our kiss and let out a few deep breaths through his nose. The sound vibrated through my body. It ignited a raging fire that needed to be fed before it could come back under control. He dropped his hands and tightened his grip around my waist, and now I’ve completely come apart, lifting one leg and wrapping it onto his for security.

My other knee buckled, bumping into his, and all of a sudden he picked me up and lowered me on the couch.

“Oh God,” I moaned.

He rested on top of me, his body pressed to mine. His hands came up to tangle in the hair at my temples, holding me in place as his tongue invaded its way into my mouth. That was it. He claimed me and I was owned. His fingers stroked the inner whorls of my ears, and my body let him know exactly how much I enjoyed it. I was bucking beneath him and my tongue suddenly dueled with his own.

He wrapped his tongue around mine, licking and tasting; savoring me in a way that drove me wild. I moaned and whimpered. He pulled away and kissed my face; everywhere but my mouth. I moved under him, as hungry as he was.

I grabbed his head and forced his down to mine. I pressed a kiss on his lips to all but tell him I wanted more. He looked genuinely surprised by it, and it took him a moment before he began reacting and responding. He opened his lips and took my mouth again, and for the second time of my life, I found myself wishing the world would end and this moment would stretch on eternally. If it never happened again, I would have the memory.

By then I was panting and gasping for air that wouldn’t come to quench my need. I was filing away the feelings intertwined with sensations, and I felt him shift his body down to deliver a trail of kisses down my neck and to my throat. I raised my hands to run my palms and fingers through his hair. It was wavy and smooth. I instantly loved feeling it against my skin and craved to feel it against my thighs.

His free hand wandered, slipping under my shirt and cupping my breasts through my bra. My nipples peaked in reaction and my hips rocked into him for more. He swooped lower and slipped a fingertip under my bra, just barely caressing it before he lifted my top, pushed my bra to the side, and his lips moved in to continue. My body shivered and my back arched, allowing him greater, easier, please-dear-God-don’t-let-it-stop access.

I moaned, head falling back, still begging the universe to let him continue, when he stopped.

“Leslie?”

“Um... yes.” I blinked at him, still awash in passion.

“Do you want this?”

“What?” I asked softly.

“Do you want me?” he asked, looking into my eyes like he would really stop if I said no.

I didn’t answer with words. I didn’t need to. My body said yes, and I nodded. He stood up, reached his hand out to help me up, and let me lead him to my bedroom.

***

Drew

L
eslie rested on the bed in her bra and panties, staring up at the ceiling. She had let me take off the rest of her clothes, and took mine off with an urgency that told me she wanted me.
She wanted me!
That was the best feeling in the world.

I wanted to take my time with her, and here I was, in her bedroom, standing over her and admiring every inch of her body. My gaze moved from her sweet face, down her neck, across her breasts and stomach, and along her long legs, right down to her feet. She was so beautiful.

When she noticed my eyes lingered at her hips, she instinctively opened her thighs. My eyes jumped back to hers and I could see a slight pink tint marked her cheeks before she brushed a hand across her face. She smiled softly and I took her signal to move in.

I got in bed beside her and leaned forward to kiss the place where her neck and shoulder met. She shivered as my lips moved. I had figured that spot was extra sensitive for her and it was good to focus on giving her the most pleasure I could give, starting there.

Turning into my embrace, she stared into my eyes. Her tongue absently licked her bottom lip and my hand reached under her to caress her back, and slide lower. In seconds, I slipped off her panties and turned to position myself between her thighs. She moaned when I lowered my head. I let out a breath and tickled her wet flesh, making her squirm as I whispered against her pussy.

“I want to please you until you come, Leslie.”

I pressed kisses up and down her slit, licking and nibbled the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, and as she moaned and begged for more, I latched onto her clit. Her hands stroked up and down through my hair and to my shoulders, pulling my head into her as she rocked her hips.

I slid two fingers along her folds and slipped inside. She was so wet and tight, and as I caressed her inner walls, she was bucking and thrashing on top of the sheets.

“Oh, God, Drew! This is...”

She trailed off as I clamped a heavy arm across her pelvis, stilling her wild undulating and she rocked on my digits, finding her own pleasure, and right then, I wanted to join her. I was so hard, and desperate to be inside her warm, wet pussy.

I shifted up along her body and moved my thighs to spread her legs apart. Kissing each breast tenderly, I trailed more kisses up to her lips and grabbed the condom I placed on her night table. It was on in no time. When she moaned her need, I thrust my tongue inside her mouth as my cock breached her folds.

“Oh God, Leslie. You’re so tight, and so wet.”

I felt her move slowly into it, easing down my shaft until I couldn’t wait to impale her to the core. Finally, she had me so deep inside, and she sighed and nipped at my ear.

I still took it slow but she felt like heaven. I matched her rhythm and slid a hand into the small of her back. She rocked on my cock and I slid in and out of her until she arched her back and let out the squeal that told me she had found her climax. I was holding on so she could orgasm so when she did, I came, spurting inside her and pressing her into me.

I held her tight, and kept her close the whole time. She snuggled into me when I moved beside her, and I couldn’t stop looking at her soft features when she slept.

That’s when I whispered in her ear, “I came to make peace, Leslie. To get to know you. And yes, to ask you out.”

Leslie

I
didn’t know what to do with myself after that mind-blowing night with Drew. I didn’t mean to kick him out after, but I felt so completely out of control; so off balance. He said I had an effect on him, but God, why did he have to have that mesmerizing effect on me too? I had to occupy my mind somehow, so I watched television between chores for almost the entire day. I couldn’t even stay in the bedroom. It reminded me of him. Of all the pleasure he delivered to my body. Oh
God, I’ve got to sleep on the couch tonight.

The day went by and I got myself ready for the week, busying myself with laundry and cleaning. While I was watching the late night news, the phone rang. At this time, it could only be Monica, and sure enough, it was her number displayed on the phone.

“Hey,” I said into the receiver, falling back against the couch.

“Hi Les, just checking in.”

“I didn’t jump off a bridge, if that’s what you mean.”

“Car running alright?”

I opened my eyes and stared at the television screen.

“Yep, still running. I know I should be thrilled that Drew bailed me out, but I don’t like having a debt hanging over me.”

“He said you didn’t have to pay him back,” Monica replied, pointing out the obvious.

“Yeah, I know, but even if it was you... I would still feel I owed you something. I don’t know. I guess I’ll figure something out. What are you doing?”

“Just sitting here and watching the news,” Monica answered between a  yawn.

“We lead such interesting lives. I’m doing the same. We should be sleeping right now. We both have to be up by three a.m.”

I kept glancing at the screen. I had been waiting for the lottery segment to come on, and it looked like it was just starting.

“Next weekend we should change that,” she coaxed. “Let’s get dressed up and go have some fun, instead of staying at home like two dried up hags.”

I laughed at the visual. It was bang on.

“Sounds fun,” I answered.

My full concentration wasn’t on Monica. I was trying to focus on the lottery numbers flashing across the TV. I looked them over, reading them slowly. One by one.

“Yes,” Monica shouted. “That’s just what we have to do. Instead of saying we’re going to do it, we just have to—“

“Wait a minute, Monica,” I cut her off.

11 14 22 25 31 39 46

“Oh my God!” I said, reading through the numbers again to be sure. I had played the same numbers for four years; I knew them, and those were the numbers!

“What?” Monica asked.

I could feel my heart racing.

“I...I...Monica, I won,” I whispered, my lungs barely able to supply enough air to say the words.

“You won? Won what?” Monica asked.

“I... I won. I won the Texas lottery.”

“You won. You won?” Monica’s words were a piercing scream in my ear. “Are you sure?” she asked, panting. “How many numbers did you get?”

I nodded dumbly into the phone.

“All of them,” I said in disbelief. “I’ve been playing these numbers for four years... fifty-two times a year. I am sure. I just won the lottery!”

“Eeeep!” I had to pull the phone away from my ear, as Monica’s shrill scream blared through the speaker.

“Look. I have to go. I’ll call you later,” I said, still breathless, still disbelieving.

“Goodbye? Wait...” Monica said, but I hung up before she could continue.

I jumped up and went to the kitchen, where my purse was on top of the table. I rummaged through it, frantically looking for the ticket.
Shit.
I dumped the purse out on the counter, and went through every piece of paper, searching every pocket and compartment. My heart skipped a beat. The ticket wasn’t there.

“Where did I...” I began, and then it dawned on me. I had put the ticket in my glove compartment!