Sinning in Vegas (Vegas Morellis 2)

Marlena oozes discomfort.

Laurel’s breathing is actually starting to worry me. I think she’s near hyperventilation. Concern leaps when she pushes up out of the booth and hustles toward the door.

I sigh, standing up and following her. “Laurel.”

She ignores me and doesn’t stop until she’s outside the club. By the time I get to her, she is, in fact, bent over with her hands braced on her thighs, struggling to draw in breath.

Well, this is not how I saw tonight going. Fantasies of feeding her chocolate covered strawberries and making her come are dying swiftly as she hyperventilates over the sight of Sin on a date with someone else. I have sat right next to Laurel while out on a date with someone else, and she had maybe one or two fucks to give. For the most part, she was fine. Conversed pleasantly with Jayla, smiled and joked around with Sin, caressed his arm and his thigh. I assumed from that experience that Laurel could play it cool, but what I’m seeing right now is far from playing it cool.

I don’t really know how to respond to this. I’ve never seen a woman fall apart over someone else while out on a date with me. When she stands upright, I pull her into my chest, since that’s all I can think to do.

She accepts the comfort. I wonder if there’s any possible way to build on this. If she were falling apart over some random man, I might not consider this a lost cause yet, but I

don’t know what to do about it being Sin.

Once she settles down, Laurel surprises me by taking my hand and dragging me back in the direction of my car. “Let’s go to the hotel.”

“Okay,” I say, though I’m not entirely sure I’m following. “Are you all right?”

“I’m great,” she mutters. “Are any bakeries still open? I need some sweets.”

“This is Vegas. Of course there are bakeries still open.”

“Good. Let’s go buy all the dessert.”

20

Laurel

As I lie tummy-down on the bed, eating macaroons and watching TV, I decide I haven’t been giving Rafe enough credit. Despite not being one for sweets, and despite watching me break down over Sin being on a date with someone else, he took me to the bakery and bought me two boxes full of macaroons and two slices of fruit-covered cake. Knowing I was in pain over another man, he still hauled me back to this hotel room and promptly ordered an entire season of Smallville for me to watch while devouring all the desserts. Through all of it, he didn’t even act a bit resentful.

He comes out of the bathroom now, stripped down to a pair of pajama pants. I know this is not the date night he had in mind, but he doesn’t complain. I’m also pretty sure he didn’t want to spend tonight watching Smallville, but he climbs on the bed and folds his hands behind his head, turning his attention to the TV.

“What did I miss?”

Pushing up to my knees, I crawl up next to him and snuggle into his side. “Only everything. Clark looking dreamy as he looks out the barn window at Lana’s house, then he took the necklace back over there. She heard noise on her front porch and thought it was Whitney, so he left the necklace on her door for her to find and sped away.”

“He’s a swell guy, that Clark.”

I nod my agreement. “Too swell. I ship Lex and Lana hardcore, but with that jaw, I understand why she would be attracted to him even though he’s a major goody-goody.”

Rafe smirks, tugging me close. “Yeah, good guys are not your type.”

“So boring. I’ll probably marry one, but God, why?”

“Hey,” he says, offended. “Maybe you’ll marry me. I can save you from the good guy.”

“How twisted. I like it.” Tilting my head up to look at him, I say, “Tell me something. And don’t lie.”

“Okay,” he says, warily.

“What kind of marriage do you see yourself having? Are you like Gio, with a wife and kid, but a mistress on the side? Or are you faithful once inside a committed relationship?”

“I don’t cheat when I’m in a relationship,” he tells me. “If I didn’t want to be in the relationship, I wouldn’t. At least, that’s how it always was before. I guess the wiggle worm made this a little more complicated for me.”

I nod my understanding. “I get that. We have had a bizarre courtship.”

“We definitely haven’t had The Calling singing in the background during our tender moments,” he says, nodding at the TV.