What Happens in Vegas

It was something I hadn’t thought about at all in the past few days. That as much as the guys were giving me every last second of their free time and attention, there were still flyers out there. Still women pulling them down, like I did, and in a rush of sudden bravery, dialing the number.

A moment of uncomfortable silence settled over the table. Then Brody smiled… and pushed his phone my way.

“Here, honey. Look.”

I glanced down at the open text-message conversation on the screen. It was between Brody and a name I quickly recognized: Floyd.

My whole body relaxed with a rush of instant relief… followed by guilt.

“That’s not the number you’re thinking of,” said Corey. He pulled out another phone — one of those cheaper flip-phones — and held it up. “This is the phone we use exclusively for… well, you know.”

I stared at the little grey phone, feeling embarrassed and somewhat ashamed. I had no right to be jealous. They had every right to continue doing what they were doing, without worrying about my approval. After all, there w

ere no commitments. None of us owed each other anything.

“It’s been turned off by the way,” said Corey, shaking it for effect. “Ever since we met up with you.”

I didn’t know whether to feel honored or feel like shit. Before I could decide, Corey reached out for me.

“Listen,” he said, laying his hand over mine. “It’s all good. This is what we wanted, Lauren — all of us. You’re our girlfriend while you’re here, remember?”

I nodded slowly. Eventually I smiled. “Okay.”

“This message from Floyd is a good thing,” he continued, smiling back at me. “Unfortunately though, it means I’m gonna have to cut my LA trip short. I have to get back, and meet with someone about a loan.”

“Too bad,” sighed Mason. “My roommate’s out of town and we’d have my whole apartment tonight.”

“No, no,” said Brody, shaking his head. “You guys still do that. Stay here. Enjoy your time in LA. No use in all of us rushing back at once.”

“But what about—”

“I’ll head to LAX, jump on a shuttle flight,” said Brody. “They leave for Vegas practically every hour.”

“Want me to come with?” asked Corey.

“Nah, I got this. It’s a preliminary meeting anyway. Banker bullshit. When we’re ready to pull the trigger, you’ll be there.”

“I’d better be,” Corey winked.

Brody used his phone to call an Uber, which took all of ten seconds. Five minutes later we were streetside, ushering him into a white Lincoln.

“See you back in the desert,” he grinned, pulling me against his body. I hugged him tight, feeling the muscles of his big chest flexing beneath my cheek. For a few seconds I enjoyed the closeness of him. The safety and security that came with having those two corded arms, wrapped around me.

“You’ll take care of her tonight?” Brody asked the others.

“Oh yeah,” Corey winked. “Really good care.”

The suggestion put a new flutter in my belly. A whole host of wicked thoughts raced through my brain, as Brody’s hands slipped lower, over the globes of my ass.

“See you tomorrow baby,” he said, lowering his lips to mine. He squeezed, and a bolt of lightning rocketed through my body.

Forty

LAUREN

“So you guys are really going for it?” I asked, reaching for the dice. “The two of you are going in on Floyd’s place?”

Corey nodded from where he was lounged out on the floor beside me. He looked incredibly sexy, lying there in his boxers. I couldn’t tell if his too-tight T-shirt was for my benefit or if he’d just packed the wrong one.