Quickie

“I promise I don’t bite,” he says, that perfect honey voice so close. His hands wrap around my waist, and he lifts me closer so that I’m actually settled across his lap. We’re still squeezed tight, and I can feel my shoulder brushing Naomi’s behind me, but he’s right, this is actually pretty comfortable. I look up and realize that our faces are just inches apart. My heart shoots into high gear and my breath is completely gone. Wilcox smirks again as if he knows. “Better?”

“Much.”

“Good.” Wilcox reaches toward the table with the arm that isn’t snugly around my waist and picks up a glass. “As instructed, I brought you and your friends drinks.”

I take it from him and sip. A burst of sweet fruit splashes across my tongue, and it only gets deeper. “That’s really good.” I’m already a few drinks in, and I’m not sure how much more I should have. But then again, I’m aiming to have fun, right? I look back up into his eyes, and at this close distance, I can see that they’re a rich brown. “What kind of name is Wilcox, anyway?”

He chuckles, and I feel it vibrate through his chest. Which makes me notice his chest and exactly how close to it I am. “A family one,” he says. “Grandfather. But most people call me Will.”

“Okay, Will,” I say, taking another sip of my drink. “What brings you to Las Vegas?”

“I think probably the same reason as you—to have a bit of fun.”

A laugh bursts out of me, louder than expected. “Sure, I came to have fun, but I certainly hope you didn’t come for the same reason.”

“Why not?” His question is sincere, and I know that I probably shouldn’t tell something so personal to a complete stranger, but my filter is breaking down. And frankly, it feels good to be able to say it out loud. To say that it happened without being consumed by grief and rage. “Well,” I say, “if you came for the same reason as me, then your girlfriend of two years and finance of six months would have run off with your younger sibling. So I hope that didn’t happen to you too.” I take another swig of my drink, and Will catches my hand.

“He left you for your sister?”

Naomi’s voice comes from behind me. “Sure did, the asshole.”

I’m close enough to see his jaw tighten, and there’s an anger that appears in his eyes. “I’m sorry that happened to you. He didn’t deserve you.”

Taking another drink, I look away. “Thanks.”

“I saw you the moment you walked in and I haven’t been able to look away,” he says so softly to me so that only I can hear. “I’ve never met this man, but he was a fool to let you go.” His hand tightens on my hip, and my body thrills to his touch.

“We just met,” I say. “How can you say that?”

“Have you ever met someone and known immediately that they would be in your life? That they would affect you?”

I can’t look away from his eyes and I’m mesmerized by both him and his words. I nod.

“There you go. We’ve just met, but I know that you could never deserve anything like that.”

Heat is flowing through my body, and I’m suddenly acutely aware of all the places that we’re touching. The question bubbles up on my lips, and I’m pressing myself closer to him. “What do I deserve?”

Will’s eyes flick down to my lips and back up to my eyes. The tug in my gut tells me that he’s going to kiss me, and the butterflies tell me that I want him to. “Something more,” he says, and then his lips come down on mine. Somewhere I can hear the cheering of my friends, but I’m lost, drowning in sensation. Will’s lips are soft and firm, pressing against mine and coaxing them open. His hand slides up my back to cup my neck, and he pulls me closer. I can’t ever remember being kissed like this before. It’s opened up a wildfire inside me, and I want more. More.

We break apart, both gasping for breath. “Maybe we could go somewhere more private?”

Naomi hears and I feel her hands on my back, pressing me, telling me to go. My mind is still swimming with the kiss, and I can’t look away from him. “Yes.”

2

Anna tosses me my purse with a smirk. “We won’t wait up.”

I smile at her as Will sets me on my feet and takes my hand, and I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. But that kiss…yeah, I think that this is going to be a fun night. Fuck Wyatt and his jealousy. Fuck him and the fact that he’s sucked the fun out of my life for the last two years while I barely noticed. Tonight I’ll be with Mr. Delicious, and it will be glorious. I thought that we’d go back to his booth across the club, but we don’t. Will pulls me through the club towards the back, where a bouncer that’s at least twice my size lurks in front of a curtain. He doesn’t even bat an eye as Will pushes through and brings me with him.