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“Why are you in such a bad mood?” she asked as she slipped next to me at the bar.
“I’m not. Not really.” Other than I had no clue what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, and I was one month shy of obtaining my diploma. Or maybe it was that my brother, the man who’d raised me, insisted I come back to LA to live. That was the last thing I wanted to do.
“Yes, you are. You’ve been a cranky bitch for weeks. One night with a chiseled guy will do you some good.”
Maybe she was right. When I didn’t say anything, instead scanning the casino floor, she squealed.
“That’s the spirit. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are. You need to live a little.”
“And what will you do if I decide to indulge in a deep, dark fantasy?” I asked, knowing it would never happen.
“Don’t worry, girlfriend. I make friends easily. Remember?”
“That’s what I’m worried about.” As the bartender brought the wine, I toyed with the sinful idea, trying to convince myself that maybe she was right. I wasn’t a one-night stand kind of girl, not in the least, but I hadn’t so much as allowed myself to go out on a date in a long time, the last time something I’d consider disastrous.
As Jenny went on describing the perfect man for me, that was the moment I sensed I was being watched. Stiffening, I casually glanced over my shoulder, trying to locate the source. Only seconds later, I locked eyes with a man standing toward the other end of the bar in a group, close enough I was instantly attracted. Suddenly, I could no longer concentrate on the sound of her voice. While the stranger was wearing a crudely designed black cloth mask covering a portion of his face, it couldn’t hide the sharp luminescence of his dazzling green eyes.
Lucky for me, the cowboy outfit he wore highlighted his delicious muscular physique, his tight jeans accentuating all the juicy goodies God had given him. He had to be at least six foot three, although it was difficult to tell from where I was sitting. His tousled hair was long and thick, the dirty blond suiting his rugged appearance. I suddenly had the urge to run my fingers through it, tangling them in the waves.
Even though I couldn’t see every inch of his face, the chiseled jaw and slight stubble was sexy as hell. He had an aura about him that screamed of power and dominance, which sent a small shiver down my spine.
I took a sip of wine, doing my best to act calm and collected when my stomach was doing flipflops. There was no doubt by the way his eyes roamed my body that he was peeling away the costume, envisioning the prize underneath.
My mouth was suddenly dry, my pulse racing. I refused to back down, studying him all over again until the corners of his lips lifted, the sexy smirk one of knowing. As if he’d already made the decision that I would belong to him for the night. I gave him a sexy smile of my own, laughing softly. While he couldn’t hear the sound, I’d made it obvious I was checking him out as well.
Jenny lifted her eyebrows, following my heated gaze. “Whew. Now, that’s a look. Oh, my God. He’s gorgeous.”
“He’s wearing a costume. How can you tell?”
“Look at it this way. This could be a secret tryst even from the two of you. False names. Keep part of the costume on. What do you have to lose?”
I shifted my gaze toward her, lifting my wineglass in appreciation. “There are times you have very good ideas.”
“Who are you kidding, girlfriend. My ideas are always fantastic. Go for it. Just talk to him. You don’t need to do anything more than that.”
She was right. What was the harm in talking to him? Not a thing. I was a grown woman who had every ability to make choices herself. I took a gulp of wine, returning it to the cocktail napkin with purpose. When I stood, I thought for certain Jenny was going to clap.
“You go, girl. I’m proud of you.”
My stomach was in knots, but after smoothing down my dress I tipped my head toward the mystery man once again.
He was gone.
The butterflies ceased to exist, disappointment creeping in. I should have known it was too good to be true. “He left.”
She snapped her head toward the end of the bar. “I’m sorry, girl. Why don’t you go and look for him?”
“I’m not desperate. As you said, there are tons of gorgeous men here.” Which actually wasn’t true from what I’d seen. For the most part, the men were all fifty or older, acting like teenagers because no one would recognize them or chastise their behavior. Wasn’t that exactly what my intentions had been by agreeing to this trip? “But I am going to find a restroom.”
“Okay, girl. I still say you should look for him.”
I walked away from the bar, heading toward the lobby of the hotel. Maybe it was for the best after all. As I weaved my way through the crowds, I told myself it was for the best. The crowd was getting thicker and I had difficulty breathing given my claustrophobia. As several drunk assholes bumped into me, I almost lost my balance because of the shoes. Then someone grabbed my arm, pulling me to the side.
“Hey, baby. Why don’t you and I get busy?” Whoever the dude was in the officer of the law costume, I wasn’t impressed. No one could grab me like that and expect me to comply easily.
“Not interested but thank you for the generous offer.” I offered a smile while I tried to yank my arm from his clutches. He was having none of it.
“Hey, I saw you flirting with every man in the casino. I’m just taking you up on the offer.” Before I had a chance to object, he managed to drag me inside the men’s bathroom.
