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Seth shoved him away. “I just want to make sure she’s comfortable. She hasn’t been with anyone since her husband. I want to move at her pace, to do what she wants.”
Finally, Zack’s face sobered. He clapped Seth on the back. “That’s noble of you, man. Really. Courtney’s a nice girl. Ashley thinks the freaking world of her. I can’t imagine what losing the person you loved, that you thought you’d spend the rest of your life with, would feel like.”
Seth couldn’t either. He’d never loved anyone enough to marry them. He didn’t know what it was like to love that deeply, so he sure as hell didn’t know how it felt to have that love, that life, ripped away. Would Courtney ever be able to make herself vulnerable to that kind of love again? Because he thought maybe, with her, he could find that special something that had kept him from committing to his other lovers. But what good would that do him if the woman he wanted couldn’t return his commitment?
* * *
“Here comes your future lovah,” Ashley stage-whispered next to Courtney’s ear.
Rolling her eyes, Courtney shoved her friend. Seth was only a few feet away and she didn’t want him to hear. Not that Ashley said anything untrue. At least she hoped not. Her stomach was in knots. Over the past few days, she’d become used to the tiny butterfly tingles whenever she thought of Seth, but now, anticipating that tonight she’d actually sleep with him, a herd of elephants seemed to be traipsing through her stomach.
Ashley laughed. “I think I’m going to take this as my cue to find Zack and see who won our bet.” She gave Courtney a saucy wink, then slipped through the crowd.
Seth smiled when she turned around and caught him watching her. No more traipsing elephants, they were in full stampede mode now. The man was so yummy with his dark hair, killer dimples, and muscles for days. She couldn’t believe that in mere minutes she’d be at his mercy.
When he stopped in front of her, none of the nerves racing through her seemed present in his confident demeanor. He grinned. “Hey there.”
She pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Hi.” She should probably say something more profound, but most of her energy was focused on remaining calm.
Seth stepped closer. “It looks like your roommate left you all alone.” They both looked to where Ashley and Zack were slipping through the casino doors.
Nodding, she replied, “It would appear that way.”
“I think they’re heading to the club. Do you want to join them?”
No, she wanted to head back to her room with Seth. But didhewant to go to the club? If he won, would that be what he chose to do? Suddenly, she wished she’d tried a little harder to win the game.
“Or I could walk you back to your cabin,” he offered.
Yes, she liked that suggestion much better. Her cabin was just the place she needed him.
“Th…that sounds great.” She shoved the wayward piece of hair behind her ear again, but it immediately slipped free.
Chuckling, Seth gently slipped it back into place. His fingers trailed over the shell of her ear and down her neck. Goosebumps bloomed over her skin. Seth’s smile turned wicked. The heat that had been coursing through her body at his nearness, pooled in her belly. His wandering fingers reached her hand, slipping between her fingers and twining their hands together.
“Let’s go,” he whispered.
Courtney could only follow. Letting Seth win was the smartest thing she’d done in a long time. Now, she could go back to her room with him and soak up the pleasure he’d show her.
“So,” he started as they walked down the hall toward her room. “Did you clean out the casino?”
She swallowed. “I wasn’t very lucky.”
His dark brow rose. “Really? Somehow, I find that hard to believe.”
“How’d you do?” Surely, he’d ended up with more than the twenty dollars they’d each started with.
He lifted a strong shoulder. “I guess it depends on how you look at it?”
“How is there to look at it? You either won or you lost.”
Another grin split his face. This time, when his dimples popped, the warmth in her belly slipped right between her thighs. She shivered.
“Cold?” Seth dropped her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, sharing the warmth from his big body.
No, she wasn’t cold, but goosebumps dotted her skin. And although his touch was incendiary, the more he touched her, the more goosebumps appeared. Even her nipples had tightened.
They reached her cabin. As she tapped her bracelet against the lock, her hands trembled. She slid a sideways glance toward Seth to see if he’d noticed. If he had, he gave no indication as his blue eyes roamed over her face, then down her body. She felt each pass of his gaze over her like a fresh lick against her sensitive skin.
