Endless Nights (Vegas Nights 2)

“Hi.” He took her hand, dwarfing it with his own, and gave it a soft squeeze. “How do you know James?”

“I picked her up at the Forum,” James said, sounding bored. “Brought her and her friends here tonight.”

Luke cocked a brow. He still hadn’t let go of her hand. His palm was wide and warm, his fingers long and the tips rough. Like he worked with his hands. He wore a soft-looking button-down black shirt and dark jeans, and he smelled incredible. “Picked her up at the Forum?”

Andrea withdrew her hand from his, her cheeks hot. “You make us sound like hookers you picked up off the street,” she muttered out of the side of her mouth, making James laugh.

“Oh, that’s rich. Yeah, I did, didn’t I? Sorry, baby doll. I’m just a little moody after Luke here called me by my least favorite nickname.” James leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before he turned his attention to Luke. “She’s a nurse. So are her friends. They’re sweet girls from L.A. looking for a weekend adventure. Maybe you can deliver.”

Now both of Luke’s brows went up. “I’m always up for an adventure.”

“I’m sure,” James drawled, reaching out to pat Luke’s arm. He frowned. “You do have the biggest muscles I’ve ever come across. Here, honey. Feel his biceps.”

Oh, good lord. Cheeks burning, she followed James’s lead and touched Luke’s upper arm. It was like pressing into a rock. Solid. It didn’t give, but it was warm. Firm.

Very, very firm. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was that hard everywhere…

“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted. I need another drink.” Before Andrea could protest, James was gone.

She watched his retreating back, feeling at a loss. She didn’t know how to act around gorgeous, made-of-stone men. Her throat dried up and her mind was a whirl with possibilities. None of them good. All of them bad. She might say something stupid. Worse? She might do something stupid. And ruin her chance at flirting with a really handsome guy. Like, the most handsome guy she’d ever been around before.

Okay. It was the champagne talking. It had to be. One glass and she was down? What sort of lightweight was she?

“So you’re really a nurse?” Luke asked, breaking through her all-over

-the-place thoughts.

“Um, yes.” She turned to face him. “I am.”

He smiled, revealing dazzling white teeth. “Do you like it?”

“Definitely. It’s hard work, but very rewarding.” She winced. How much more like a commercial could she sound? “What do you do?”

His smile faded. “Uh, I play football.”

Wait a minute. “You do?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “For the Seahawks. I’m a running back.”

“Oh.” Oh. The Seahawks. Like, professional football. Holy. Shit. “That’s Seattle, right?”

“Uh-huh. Though I’m a California native,” he said. That smile was back, softer this time. He looked really pleased with himself. She wondered why.

She wondered if it had anything to do with her.

Of course not. He’s a professional football player who you didn’t even recognize and he probably has scads of women falling at his feet at any given moment.

Where are all those women right now? Why weren’t they vying for his attention? Because he’s gorgeous. And he seems sweet. Oh, and he smells so good. She took a step toward him, inhaling as discreetly as possible, her eyelids wavering when his intoxicating scent hit her.

Wow. Citrus? Yes. Mixed with spice and something else. Something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. But he smelled rich and clean and so freaking delicious. She exhaled slowly, tucking a stray hair behind her ear and trying to play it cool.

“Did you just smell me?”

Whoops. Yeah. Guess she wasn’t so cool after all.

This girl, Andrea, in her skimpy dress with the barely contained breasts and her ass practically hanging out, was messing with his head. Didn’t help matters that she just inhaled him like he was some sort of drug and she was desperate for a hit.

Yeah. He kind of liked that. A lot.