Beauty and the Billionaire

"Let's talk about something else," Talia pouted and ran a hand high up the inside of my thigh. She started to knead my muscles there in slow circles. "What kind of fun are we going to have tonight?"

"First cocktails, then steak, then more cocktails, then we hit the town," Kev said.

"Did you sign a deal I don't know about?" I asked. "Where are all these funds coming from?"

My manager shrugged again. He waved at a man across the bar. "Bran cereal, breakfast of champions, that sort of thing. I told him I would hand you this. Pretend to read over it, keep it out on the table, and he's picking up the tab."

I took the product information packet and glanced back at the endorsement agent. He raised his glass then turned back to the bar. Trying the soft sell. It seemed wrong to take advantage of him, but my manager had already ordered two bottles of wine and steak dinners for all of us.

"What did Ms. Allen offer you, or was it all below the table?" Kev asked.

Talia's hand gripped hard before she redoubled her efforts to arouse me. With my manager salivating across the table at us, she had a better chance of getting me to endorse jock straps.

"She hasn't tried her business pitch on you?" I asked. "Most agents are like our friend at the bar, they go through the manager."

"Well, everyone in the industry knows she's different. Likes to go straight for what she wants," he said. "Come on, you're really not gonna give me any details about the other night?"

"No, I'm not. Find your own details," I said.

"I wish! Hey, maybe Miss Wriggler there has a friend?" he asked.

"Sure. I know some girls are heading over to the new club at the Tropicana," Talia said.

"The Tropicana?" I asked, remembering that was where I had dropped Kya off that morning.

"Yeah, it’s retro cool, good music. The bathrooms are great." Talia batted her eyelashes at me and slipped her hand higher up my leg.

I was glad when the food and wine arrived because Talia had something else to do with her hands. The sight of Kevin Casey eating a rare steak was enough to turn anyone off. Fortunately, the wine was good and my manager had a slew of entertaining stories.

"And that is why you never challenge Chris Rock to a game of baseball," Kev finished his story and poured out the last of the second bottle of wine.

Talia giggled and swayed as she got out of the booth. "Chris Rock performed in Vegas a few years ago. My friend and I sneaked backstage, but we never made it further than his bodyguards."

Knowing her preference for tough guys first hand, I did not bother to ask what happened with the bodyguards. She wrapped both arms around my bicep and whispered it in my ear anyway. It may have been the strong wine, but her dirty memory got my blood pumping.

It seemed ridiculous to take a town car to a casino we could see from outside the MGM Grand, but the enormous buildings were deceptively far apart. Plus, the town car gave Talia the chance to sit in my lap. I ran my hands all over her curves, but somehow, Kya kept coming between me and Talia's thin dress. It was wrong to compare the two women, but it was all I could do.

I only wanted Kya. The only answer to that was to drink more. We messed around at the Blackjack tables inside the Tropicana long enough to get served strong cocktails. Kev hit a hot streak and Talia had fun flirting with the dealer. I played conservatively and tried not to tally every loss against the free chips I was given for my minor celebrity.

Counting my savings in my head made me again think of Kya. I could understand how she did not want to let loose until she had a safety net. It made sense, and I operated the same way. That was why I needed to get Kya Allen out of my system. She was the only one in years that made me want to skip my personal parameters and start a relationship early.

Relationship – I shook my head. I have got to get her out of my head, I thought.

Too bad when I turned back to our Blackjack game, I spotted Kya Allen across the casino floor. She paced in front of a video poker game on the end of a long row. As her phone conversation stretched on, she played a few hands. It was easy to see from the flashing lights of her machine that she was casually winning. Only Kya would win offhand while talking on the phone.

Talia caught me watching Kya. She gave up her seat and stood next to me. Her bouncing breasts were even with my cheek as she leaned into my stool. "Let's go dance, F

enton. Or better yet, let's go swimming. I bet we could convince the front desk to let us into the pool."

"You go ahead and join your friends," I told her. "I'm going to stick around here."

Talia bent lower, sucking on my ear lobe. "The best way to get over someone is to sleep with someone else," she said.

"You're right," I agreed. The cocktails had confused my hearing. "I gotta sleep with her to get over her."

CHAPTER SEVEN

Kya