The Consequence of Seduction (Consequence 3)

Becca started kissing him, they danced, and I was sure Max forgot all about his weird offer to help.

“It’s kind of cute,” I said once Max was out of earshot.

“What?” Reid tilted back his drink. Even the man’s throat was sexy as he took a large gulp and turned those aqua eyes in my direction.

“Max’s protectiveness, his plans, his schemes. I mean, it’s cute in small doses.”

“And yet, he does nothing in small doses. You should have seen him pre-Becca.”

I gaped. “He used to be worse?”

“You have. No. Idea.” Reid chuckled. “Now finish your drink. More dancing and then . . . who knows what?”

The rest of the evening was fuzzy . . . I remember a few more drinks, and I remember Jason icing his face because he ran into a door. Milo and Colt called it early, leaving me alone with Reid, Max, and Becca.

Somehow we all ended up at some rooftop bar where scantily clad women were dancing.

Max started chucking dollar bills into the air. I believe his words were, “Make it rain.”

Becca smacked him.

And then I ended up with a few dollar bills after I jokingly did a little dance in front of Reid.

He stuffed them down my dress, then yelled, “Another!”

Two hours later we were still dancing, but my heels were officially off. I was walking barefoot down the street—until Reid gave me a piggyback to our hotel.

We’d lost Becca and Max somewhere between Planet Hollywood and the Hard Rock.

“Wow!” I gasped. “Look at the fountain!”

“The Bellagio?” Reid yelled back at me, my body slamming against his back as we picked up speed, then stopped in front of the fountain. “I forgot, you’re a Vegas newbie. Pretty cool, huh?”

He talked as if he hadn’t been drinking all night.

While I was seeing, like, ten fountains, a unicorn, and Danny Ocean after pulling off the con of the century. Hey, George!

“Something funny?” Reid slowly let me down to my feet.

I kept giggling. “Nothing, just thinking about Ocean’s Eleven.”

“Hot men who masquerade as jewel thieves make you laugh?”

“It’s weird you called them hot.”

“Quoting every woman alive.” Reid held up his hands. “Just being honest.”

“We should swim.” I nodded, slowly making my way closer to the fountain.

“Oh, no.” Reid grabbed my arm and tugged me back. “Not in the fountain, they frown upon things like that.”

“But I want to swim!” I laughed. “Naked.”

People glanced over at me.

Reid grinned. “We have a huge tub in our room. I promise I’ll even turn the lights off and then give you a flashlight so that it looks like the Bellagio.”

“But what about the music?”

“I’ll hum.”

“Really?”

“Yup.”

“Phantom of the Opera music?” I crawled up his body, landing in his arms as my legs straddled him. He hefted me up and kissed my mouth.

“Why, Sebastian, I didn’t know you were a fan.”

“He wears a cape. Who isn’t a fan of the Phantom?”

“He’s also psychologically unstable.”

“Again.” I laughed. “He wears a cape.”

“You know, for a shrew you sure laugh a lot.” Reid’s forehead touched mine. “Jordan, I’m happy to announce I think the taming is finished.”

“How’d I do?” I joked.

“Well, I think I have one more thing I need to check.”

“What’s that?” I whispered.

“Come back to the room and I’ll show you.”

“Where else would I go?”

He sobered. “I hope that’s always your answer.” Reid set me back on my feet. “Now, crawl on my back like the crab you are and I’ll walk us back.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

REID

“I don’t really hate roses,” Jordan said once we were in the elevator. “I mean, I’ve never been sent roses, so . . .”

I gripped her hand tighter. “That’s a shame.”

One of her heels fell out of her hand. She bent over to pick it up, then apparently decided standing was too much and just sat on the floor.

“I think that bath may have to wait,” I said in a soft voice. “Don’t want you drowning or anything.”

“I’m not even tired.” She yawned, her eyes watering as she gazed up at me with such innocence, such trust that it felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. I felt that look, really felt it, in my soul. I wanted to be deserving of that look.

And I wanted it directed at me every day.

Every freaking day.

The gut-wrenching feeling from earlier suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a revelation.

I was falling in love with her.

Jordan laughed and leaned back against the elevator door. “If you sent me flowers, I’d forgive you for anything . . . well maybe not anything, but close. Isn’t that pathetic? All it takes is stupid flowers. But they’re so pretty . . . and thoughtful. I didn’t mean it. A real girl. A special girl would appreciate flowers on a first date.”

Hell.

I was already there.

Mascara was smeared underneath her eyes, and her hair was still growing, pointing in every direction, the crazy waves making me want to dive my hands into the length and just pull.