Loving the Odds (What Happens in Vegas) (13 page)

“I’m surprised you were able convince him to give it to you.” She turned it over in her hands looking for the scratch on the crown, the engraving on the back, and the ding in the shoulder where her grandfather had knocked it saving her from falling out of a swing. She loved the watch even more because of its marks. They were evidence of its history, its love.

“I told him politely that I would break his arm if that’s what it took.”

A smile twitched on her lips. “That doesn’t sound polite.”

“I said please.”

She slipped the watch back into the pouch and put it into her bag. No way was she ever letting it out of her sight again. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Have dinner with me.” His eyes were focused intently on her as though he could burn a hole into her brain to see what she was thinking.

“Dinner?”

“Or something more?” He took a step closer. “Because I want more. I want to start over with you, Bailey, and this time I won’t give you my ‘no promises’ speech.”

“Why?” Her heart wanted so badly to believe him.

“Being with you feels different,” he said, reaching out for her hand. The touch sent a shiver racing up her arm. “I know it’s completely crazy and it’s probably throwing all kinds of risky red flags up for you.”

She laughed. “Yeah, you’re a giant red flag.”

He led her to a bench facing the street and they sat. Heat radiated from him and, like a magnetic force was tugging at her, she wanted to press against him. She wanted to feel his arms around her—God, how she’d craved that every lonely night the past three weeks. There was something about him that felt so…right.

“That weekend we spent together affected me. You said something that got me thinking.” He interlaced his fingers with hers. “You told me to think about how women felt when I dated them. And the truth was I was so focused on setting boundaries that I never thought about how my words made others feel. Not until you.”

“I’m glad I’ve been able to teach you a life lesson.” She ran the pad of her thumb over his knuckles. Touching him brought alive every memory she had of how incredible she’d felt being with him…and how she desperately wanted to make more of those memories. “But this is crazy. We barely know each other.”

“Trust me. I’ve gone over it and I still can’t make sense of it. But I was meant to find you that afternoon.” His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. “I’m sure of it. And if you give me a chance, I promise that I’ll make you feel valued and cherished and important. I’ll treat you the way you deserve to be treated and I’ll spend every single day getting to know you better.”

“I’m scared,” she whispered. “I don’t want to be hurt again.”

He brought her hand up to his mouth and pressed his lips to the backs of her fingers. “What’s the best thing to do if you’re scared of something?”

“Hide under a blanket?” She stifled a smile when he shook his head.

“Let someone else share the burden.” The air crackled around them. They were both taking baby steps but there was a shared desire. A tension. A promise for more. “Bailey, I knew if I didn’t at least tell you how I felt I would regret it for the rest of my life.”

“You would have forgotten about me,” she said.

“Never. That’s one thing I can say with absolute honesty.”

“Thank you for bringing the watch back to me. I hardly deserved it after lying straight to your face.” She slipped her hand out of his grip and traced the edge of his smoothly-shaven jaw.

The sharp outline of his lips drew her touch, they were so perfectly shaped. Built for sinful kisses and whispered pleasures. But would they hurl hateful words at her one day? Would they call her dull and boring and bad in bed?

“Bailey.” Hearing her name in his rich, deep voice made a slow ball of desire unfurl in her stomach. “I would have waited in this exact spot rain, hail, or shine for a chance to see you again. The watch was an excuse. I’m here for us.”

“Us.” She rolled the word around on her tongue like a piece of candy. It was so sweetly tempting.

“Will you give us a chance?” he asked, his face full of light. “It’ll be one hell of a story for the grandkids.”

This was it, her giant fork in the road. Should she stay safe or go all in for a shot at true love? Chances were they’d crash and burn. She had no idea if they were compatible and the odds certainly weren’t in their favor. But just this once she didn’t care about that. Failure wasn’t the end, as her grandfather had once told her. It was simply a crack in the pavement. It might look ugly and trip you up, but it wouldn’t stop you from walking.

A small flame of hope lit inside her chest. “Yes.”

His hands came to her shoulders and smoothed up her neck until he cupped her jaw in his palms. “Really?”

“I’m going all in.”

As his mouth closed down on hers, Bailey allowed herself to take the biggest risk of her life and fall madly and deeply for Lance.

Epilogue

“You couldn’t have picked a different place?” Bailey teased as they dragged their suitcases into the foyer of the Masquerade Hotel. The familiar sight of retina-searing color and giant baubles hanging from the roof set off a warm and fuzzy feeling in her chest. “I’ve only been to Vegas once and now I’m staying in the exact same place.”

“I thought we could re-live the excitement of our first weekend together,” Lance replied.

“Oh God, please no.” She laughed as they walked up to the reception desks. “That trip had enough drama for a lifetime.”

As they checked into their room, Lance had his hand jammed down the back pocket of her jeans and was not so subtly groping her behind. He’d gotten handsy in the taxi and she’d almost had a heart attack when the driver looked into the rearview mirror and caught them kissing. But delayed gratification was the name of the game and she’d do her best to keep her boyfriend at bay until they got up to their room.

At that point though, all bets were off.

“Come on,” he said, nudging her in the direction of the elevators. “Time’s a-wasting.”

“I thought we were going to go sight-seeing?” she said innocently.

“It’s too late. We’ll have to do that tomorrow.”

Outside the hotel the sky was blue and the sun was shining like a perfect golden orb. “Too late, huh?”

“It’s practically bedtime.” He pulled her back against him while they waited for the elevator and planted a kiss on the curve of her neck. “We should go to bed straight away. You know, for health reasons and because of the…jet lag.”

“Sounds responsible.” She wriggled her bottom against his crotch and he moaned into her ear. “They do recommend at least eight hours of sleep a night.”

“I never said a damn thing about sleeping,” he growled, taking her earlobe between his teeth. “Don’t go getting any crazy ideas like that.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

By the time they’d made it up to their room—which was significantly fancier than the one they’d stayed in last time and had a giant Jacuzzi in it—Lance was already trying to undress her.

“Patience, oh horny one.” She slapped away his hands. “We have something to discuss.”

“Can I discuss it with my hands?” His fingers played across her hips and he knocked over one of the suitcases as he pushed her back toward the bed.

“I’m serious.” She folded her arms across her chest.

“All right, I’ll behave…for now.” He dropped onto the edge of the bed and tucked his hands under his thighs.

“I’m going to need those.” She reached for her bag and pulled out a small black box tied with a red ribbon.

Getting the gift into her bag without Lance seeing had been a difficult task; he was forever dumping his stuff there—like keys, phone, and his wallet. It was something that should have annoyed her but didn’t. He entrusted her with everything from the small physical things he needed to run his life to the larger more important things. Like his heart.

And now she wanted to return the favor.

They’d moved slowly at first, going on dates like any normal couple who didn’t know one another. Then they’d started sleeping over at each other’s place and last week he’d asked her to move in with him. Permanently. The “yes” that had launched out of her like a rocket had shocked them both. But she’d never been so happy and now she had enough data to know for certain that her risk had paid off.

“What’s this?” he asked as she put the box in his hands. “I didn’t know we were doing gifts.”

She swallowed against the emotional lump in her throat. “Don’t worry, it didn’t cost much.”

Raising a brow, he tugged at the bow and wrapping in his rough, manly way. She no longer bothered to carefully tape down the edge of the paper because she knew he’d open it with all the dexterity of a drunken llama. But the joy on his face that appeared no matter what she’d given him—whether it was a cupcake she’d picked up at the fancy bakery on the way home from work or something more meaningful—was worth any amount of messy, shredded paper.

He opened the plain white box and his face froze. “Why?”

“Put it on.” The gold of her grandfather’s watch glinted in the light. “I need to see if I have to take any links out.”

“I thought you weren’t going to let anyone touch this ever again?” He slipped the watch over his wrist and closed the clasp. It was a perfect fit.

“I love you, Lance.” Saying the words aloud made her feel like a buoy at sea, floating and weightless. “When I walked out after the convention I was convinced I would never find anyone who would be worth the risk of falling in love. But you’ve made me realize that it is worth the risk
. You
are worth the risk.”

“Does that mean you’re going to stop telling me how bad the odds are?” His lip quirked as he reached out for her.

“No, I always like to know what I’m getting into.” She ran her thumb over the watch face. “It looks good on you.”

“
You
look good on me.”

She stepped between his open legs and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I wholeheartedly agree.”

“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” He ran his hands around her hips and leaned back, pulling her onto the bed. “And not just because you’re the sexiest thing on two legs.”

She laughed as he rolled her beneath him. “You only want me for my body.”

“I want all of you, Bailey. Yes, I want your body but I also want that beautiful brain of yours. I want that sharp tongue and that big, big heart.” He squeezed her butt. “And I want this delicious ass.”

“You’re such a joker.”

“Maybe. But there’s one thing I’m dead serious about.” His eyes caught hers and they were silent for a moment, the air quiet except for the sound of her heart thundering in her chest. “I love you and I want to be with you forever.”

“Forever is a long time,” she whispered.

“It’s nowhere near long enough.”

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Acknowledgments

Thank you, as always, to my wonderful husband. I would be nowhere without your support. You’re the best partner and best friend I could ever have hoped for.

Thanks to my roomie and dear friend, Luke, for always respecting my need to be in the writing cave and for making me coffee when I’m glaring at my computer screen.

On that note, thank you to my coffee machine. You make each day possible.

I can’t ever seem to figure out a way to express this strongly enough, but thank you to all the readers and reviewers who take the time to read my books. It means the world to me and I value every single one of you. There was a time in my life when I wrote words only for myself. While I still write the stories of my heart, writing for you all is so much more rewarding. Thank you.

I have to call out a few readers in particular. An extra heartfelt thank you to Helen Sibbritt, Jan Van Engen, Lyn Morris, and Diana Tidlund. You ladies brighten my life with your reviews and your comments on Facebook. Your support keeps me going. Thank you.

About the Author

Growing up,
Stefanie
came from a family of women who loved to read. Her favorite activity was going shopping with her Nan during school holidays, where she would sit on the floor of the bookstore with her little sister and painstakingly select the books to spend her allowance on.

After leaving her hometown of Melbourne to explore the world, she’s settled in Toronto…for now. By day (and night!) she writes romance with humor, heat, and heart, and tries not to spend too much time shopping online and watching baby animal videos on YouTube. To find out more about her upcoming released be sure to sign up for her newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/bbhIsD

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