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“No social media.”
“Excellent,” I agree.
“Just one fun night in Vegas.”
I hesitate. “Okay, just one thing. If I’m leaving with you, you’re sending my friend a picture of your driver’s license. You don’t have to show it to me, but you have to show her. And she won’t tell me who you are.”
I’ve known him for less than an hour. I’m not running around Vegas with a stranger, and no one knows who I’m with. I can’t tell Tucker because he doesn’t like anyone I date. He’d probably show up and crash our party like the guy from The Hangover. He’d put a tiger in our bathroom and everything. Tucker’s my little brother, who can be such an asshole. A fun asshole, but still an asshole. He’s never liked the idea of me dating anyone and told me he prefers I join a convent.
Beau’s expression softens. “Okay, that’s fair. What’s her number?”
I rattle off Cami’s cell and text her myself, telling her not to tell anyone, just to know I’m about to spend the evening with him on a date, and that I just wanted someone to know who I’m with. Just in case. But not to tell me who he is. We’re playing a game and I’ll fill her in tomorrow when I get there.
Cami
Okay, got the text. He looks nice. Have fun! OMG, TELL ME EVERYTHING TOMORROW!
“Just one night of fun,” I confirm with him as we finish sending the texts.
He slides his license back into his wallet, and then his fingers close around mine. “Just one night, Jolene.”
I take a breath. He feels warm, steady, and electric. Something I can’t remember ever feeling with anyone. A strange surge shoots through me. This attraction feels exhilarating. And something tells me this moment matters. That years from now I’ll remember exactly how this felt. Maybe even this night.
He lays a few bills down on the tab. “I got us.”
“Thank you, I’ll get the next one,” I promise.
He just tilts his head as if he’s already decided he’ll never let that happen, and the sexy grin returns. “Ready?”
Is this a date? Oh my God. This is like a date. I feel myself start to sweat. This is really happening.
“What are we doing first?” I ask, glancing out toward the casino.
He points toward the casino doors and the glowing city beyond, with the endless stretch of neon lighting up the desert night. “First, we’re having dinner. And we’ll get our phones out and find all the cheesy tourist stuff to do and pick them off one by one.”
I smile and stand. “Okay, let’s do it.”
“After you,” he says. “To the greatest night of our lives.”
I laugh. “That’s a lot of pressure for one night.”
“Good. I like pressure,” he says, and something about that sends heat straight to my core. “Challenge accepted.”
Then he tugs me toward the doors. And before I can talk myself out of it, I follow him straight into the Vegas night.
4
jenna
There She Is
The second we step outside, the city’s neon lights glow overhead, music spills from every direction, and people crowd the sidewalks, carrying giant frozen drinks, shopping bags, and we’re almost swallowed up in the crowd.
Without thinking, I slide my hand into his, so we don’t lose each other. He squeezes them together gently and tucks me into his side. He’s about six inches taller than my five-foot four, and he’s fit and lean. Not super tall, and not super muscular. But he’s fit.
We both take in our surroundings, and I feel his overwhelm with mine. For some reason, that makes me smile. Maybe because he’s looking around exactly the way I am. Like someone discovering it with me.
Ten minutes later, we’re standing in line beneath thousands of twinkling lights, waiting to enter a restaurant decorated for the holidays. Normally this would annoy me, but for some reason...I like it. I look at the menu that’s framed out front, and my mouth begins to water. I’m so hungry, and everything on this menu sounds great.
