“Tomorrow then.”
I nod although I have no idea why I agreed to go out with him. All he wants is another chance to fuck me. I don’t plan on giving him that pleasure, but as his eyes travel over my body, stopping at my chest, I don’t know if I’ll be able to resist his temptation.
Killian is late, thirty minutes late. He hasn’t called. He hasn’t texted. Nothing.
I pace back and forth in the living room of my new room that feels more like an apartment than a hotel room. It’s the presidential room. It’s the room Dad and I would stay in when we stayed at the hotel.
I just had most of my stuff moved into the hotel this morning. I couldn’t live in the family house any longer. I like living by myself. And I like that hotel rooms feel more like home than my own house ever will. It will also help to be closer to the offices below. If I’m still committed to figuring out how to convince my grandfather that I can do this job, then I need to learn from everyone in the casino—from the maids to the card dealers to the managers. I need all the help I can get to learn this business.
And if I’m being honest with myself, I didn’t want Killian picking me up from my parents’ house. I wanted a place of my own, however temporary.
I pace again. I should have had Scarlett stay. She would have known what to do when he didn’t show up. I should call her and tell her to come back, that we should just have a girls’ night instead.
I hear a knock on the door. I open the door, and my jaw drops. Killian is standing there. That, I expected. What I didn’t expect to see was him dressed so casually. He’s in dark jeans and a T-shirt. His hair isn’t gelled like usual. Actually, it looks a little unkempt. And a five o’clock shadow completes his look.
He grins at me when he sees my expression. I look down at how I’m dressed. Shit! I’m in a dress, a nice dress. I was expecting formal Killian. All I’ve ever seen him in is suits. I thought that’s what he would wear since he came straight from work to pick me up. He’s not.
“What’s wrong, princess?” he asks smugly.
“I need to change,” I say. I turn to run back into my bedroom to change.
He grabs my arm. “No time.”
He pulls me into the hallway, and I hear the hotel door shut behind me before I can protest. We enter the elevator, and he presses the button for the ground floor. I can’t look at him. I’m too embarrassed.
Scarlett helped me decide what to wear. She told me to wear this black lace dress that is slightly see-through, so I did. I shouldn’t have.
“I like your hair like this.” His thumb caresses my exposed neck due to my hair being styled on top of my head.
I quickly forget why I’m supposed to be embarrassed when he is looking at me like this. I lick my bottom lip, preparing for the kiss that always follows that look.
“I like that it gives me better access to your neck.” He softly kisses me on my neck but doesn’t do anything further.
Instead, he grabs my hand, and when the doors open, we walk out of the elevator and onto the casino floor. I let go of his hand as we walk through the casino. Several employees nod their heads at us in re
cognition—except they don’t recognize me. They are acknowledging Killian. I’m surprised to see a smile on most of their faces when they see him. They seem to like him. He’s probably a good boss, firm yet fair. I might be making a huge mistake, trying to take that away from the company, but I’m not trying to take it away. I’m just trying to improve upon that—whether that’s with me or someone else.
We exit the casino into the warm Vegas air. Killian comes to an abrupt stop. I expect him to have changed his mind. I expect him to decide we should spend the whole date back in my hotel room or go to his place, wherever that is.
“I should have let you change. Can you walk in those?” He points to my black high heels.
“Yes, I can walk just fine in these.” I’m surprised that he didn’t order a car.
He raises his eyebrow. “You couldn’t walk in them the other night.”
“I had too much to drink that night. Trust me, I’ll be fine. I’ve walked enough catwalks with heels twice as high and tighter dresses than this, all while being blasted with flashing lights. I’ll be fine.” The first part isn’t true. I didn’t have too much to drink that night. My body was just reacting to Killian’s stare as he walked me to his hotel room that night.
It’s the same stare he has on his face again as his eyes travel over my body before landing on my black bra that is visible beneath my dress.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to imagine you with less clothes or tighter clothes. I can’t imagine it. I’m going to need a show later.”
“This was a mistake.”
I turn to go back to my room, but he stops me.
“I’m kidding. Relax, princess.” He breathes slowly in and out, trying to get me to imitate him.