Lust (Vegas Nights 2)

“What? Is there something on my dress? Damn it, I knew white was a bad idea.” Perrie smoothed her hands over her hips, looking down at the fabric.

I gritted my teeth. “Go. Before I change my mind about letting you do this.”

She peered up, eyes wide. Understanding flashed right before I turned away, and the rustle of fabric as she replaced her coat made me look out of the corner of my eye.

She swallowed. “Um, will you be coming in soon?”

I nodded. Sharply. “Ten minutes. Sam is on his way. Don’t look for us—we’ll be closest to you. If you move from the bar, we’ll be moving with you.”

Slowly, her head bobbed in understanding. “Okay. I’ll do my best.”

“Won’t be hard in that dress,” I murmured.

“What?”

“Nothing. Go. Now.”

She half-snorted as she turned away. She might have found it fucking funny, but I sure as hell didn’t. We’d seen Daniel Duvall at work—how the fuck was I going to be able to cope with the sleazeball putting his hands all over her body?

A car slowed as it neared Perrie, and a catcall echoed through the parking lot. “How’s it hangin’, hot stuff?” Sam’s familiar tone called out.

Perrie jumped, turning back to his car. A half-smile curled her pink lips, and her shoulders trembled. “Shut up, idiot.” She spun, waiting for the elevator, clutching her purse to her like it was a lifeline.

Sam laughed as he drove over to me. He pulled up in the empty space two cars down from me and got out. “Now, I’m not gonna lie, but I’d have let her go from my car, too.”

I snorted. “You should see what’s under the dress.”

His eyebrows shot up. “She dressed like some kinky bondage chick or…?”

“A dress that puts her on the cusp of being illegal. Half-tempted to arrest her just so nobody else could see her in it.”

“Possessive.”

“Frustrated,” I countered, adjusting my pants.

He caught the movement and barked out another laugh. “Is the ice man breaking down?”

I shook my head and leaned against the car. The ice man wants to get laid by the blond driving him crazy. The ice man would have fucked her if his kid didn’t wake up.”

“Oosh. Kids. What assholes. I’m so glad I don’t have a little cockblocker. Hey—you ever think about how ironic that is? Your cock created its own blockade.”

“Sam? Shut up.”

He held his hands up. “When are we going down there?”

I glanced at my watch. “Now.”

I’d told her ten minutes, but that was before I’d thought it through. Plus—Sam would shut his mouth when he saw what she was wearing. He could take the piss all he liked, but he had no idea what she really looked like.

We stepped into the elevator, and Sam popped some gum into his mouth.

“How did the briefing go?”

“Pretty straightforward,” he replied, chewing. “We identified the other targets. We’ve done so good lately that we can focus on who instead of how many. Chief’s impressed. I think he’s going to get our funding upped.”

I nodded. “Good news. What are the goals you laid out?”

“Our team’s goal is obviously DD,” he said as the elevator doors opened. “Legg’s team is in the Bellagio doing some recon there. Wyatt’s team is at the Golden casino with the aim of one since it’s a new location, and both Newton and Smith’s teams have a goal of one each. All in all, we should bring in four tonight.”

“Good.” I scanned the area, immediately searching for Perrie. I honed in on her black trench coat almost instantly by the bar. She was perched on a stool, eyes wandering around. Her familiar, almost signature strawberry margarita was slid across the bar to her, and she handed the tender a bill.

Sam nudged me. “Over there.”

We went to the empty table he’d picked out and took our seats. Here, we had a direct line of sight to the bar where Perrie was, and we could see the other side where Daniel was sitting. He had his back to the wall, and he was surveying the casino in a way that, to anyone else, would look entirely natural.

To me, I knew it wasn’t.

Sam tapped at his phone and looked at Perrie. She pulled her cell out, and I frowned.

“Did you just text her?”

“Yep,” he said, looking at his screen. “I told her I wanted to see the dress that has you acting like a thirteen-year-old with a hard-on.”

I stared at him flatly.

He grinned. “Kidding. I told her to get on with it.”

Watching Perrie, it was obvious she was trying not to look over in our direction. The tender brought her change over to her, and when she’d tucked it into her purse, she stood and reached for her belt.

I groaned, knowing what was coming.

Slowly, with her body turned in the direction of Daniel Duvall, she undid her coat carefully and slid it down her shoulders to reveal the dress that would be the death of me tonight.