“Greattttt...thanks, I’m just going to carry on then,” I say, “And have a good night with my friend. Will you be OK if we’re out?”
“You don’t have to worry about me,” he laughs, “I plan to have Sam by my side until I’m sure that this thing is going to blow over. It’s all—”
“Knock knock?” I hear Kelly call from the bedroom door. Declan and I bolt out of the weapons locker, closing the door tightly behind us. A locker full of guns and ammo is not what I want Kelly’s first glimpse of my life here to be.
“What’s up?” I ask my friend, as she peers into the bedroom.
“Hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” she says, looking back and forth between our guilty faces, “I think there’s someone at your door.”
“That’ll be Sam,” Declan says, going to let his best friend in.
“So this is where the magic happens?” Kelly says, wiggling her perfect eyebrows at Declan’s bed.
“You perv,” I laugh, leading her back into the suite, away from the gun closet.
Sam and Declan are talking in hushed voices as Kelly and I approach. Our bearded friend glances up sharply at Kelly—and his eyes stick there. I watch him register the fact that an incredibly attractive, ostensibly approachable woman has entered the room. And I watch her register that a ruggedly handsome bad boy is checking her out.
“Well hello,” Kelly smiles, flicking her black curls over her shoulder.
“Hey there,” Sam replies, a grin twisting the corner of his lips, “I didn’t realize you guys had company.”
“This is Kelly,” I say, nudging my best friend forward, “Kelly, this is Sam.”
“Sam,” Kelly says, holding out her hand for him to shake, “Solid name.”
“Why thanks,” he laughs, giving her hand a lingering shake, “Kelly...is that Irish?”
“Absolutely,” she says, “Why?”
“I tend to get along very well with Irish women,” he says, crossing his inked arms, “At least for a night or two.”
“You two settle down,” Declan says, shaking his head.
“We were just on our way out,” I say, “We’ll give you boys some time to talk. I’m sure we’ll be back before the evening really gets going.”
“I hope so,” Sam says, his eyes riveted to Kelly.
Somehow, I manage to drag my friend out of the apartment. But the second the elevator doors slide shut, she rounds on me.
“I want him,” he says, “Can I, Kassie?”
“As if I could ever stop you,” I laugh.
“Hey, we’ve always done everything together,” she points out, “So why should getting in on some sexy biker action be any different?”
“You have a point,” I allow, “But before I hand you over to Sam, you and I have some serious catching up to do.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Kelly and I amble around Vegas like two little kids in a candy store. With Declan’s blessing, we pull out all the stops. We bounce between boutiques, picking up our favorite items, treating ourselves to a long overdue gab session. I walk her through everything that’s been going on lately, spilling all of the intimate details about my sexual awakening. The only things I leave out are the secret club matters that Declan’s shared with me. When it comes to all of that, the less Kelly knows the better.
“Man. And Cinderella thought she had it good,” Kelly says, spraying her wrists with some fine perfume in yet another shop.
“Hopefully the clock doesn’t strike twelve anytime soon,” I reply, “I’d like my carriage to stay a carriage, not go turning into a pumpkin.”
“You want to stay here, don’t you?” she asks.
“I guess I do,” I tell her, fingering some freshwater pearls displayed before us. “Is that totally deluded of me?”
“I don’t think so,” she says, “If you feel at home here, why rip yourself away? This has clearly become more than a job to you, Kassie. And obviously Declan is more than just an employer now.”
“But that’s the thing,” I sigh, “I don’t know what he is to me. Or what I am to him.”
“Have you asked him?”
“Sure. But this is Mr. Don’t-Fall-in-Love-With-Me, remember?”
“Have you?” she asks, eyes twinkling, “Fallen in love with him, I mean.”
“I...don’t know,” I say, diverting my eyes.
“You totally have!” she gasps, grabbing me by the hands, “You’re in love with Declan Tiberi, Kassie!”
“I’m...very happy here with him,” I admit, “I love sleeping with him. And talking to him. And...everything about him.”
“This is incredible,” Kelly beams, “Your first lay, your first love. And he just happens to be rich, and stunningly handsome—”
“And potentially a criminal,” I mutter.
“What’s that?” Kelly asks.
“Nothing,” I reply, “Why don’t we go home for a costume change, yeah? It’s about to get dark out, after all.”
We swing back to the apartment to slip into new duds for the evening. Declan and Sam are nowhere to be found, but I imagine they’re probably at the Forty-Five Club. I bite back a twinge of longing. Of course I want to be wherever Declan is, but I’ve got to enjoy my night out with Kelly, not pine for him the whole time.
I wiggle into a sinfully scarlet dress with a low back and short shirt while Kelly pulls on a navy wrap skirt and cropped white top, showing off her toned midsection. When we step back out on the town, I’m fairly certain poor Franklin has a miniature heart attack as we pass. I forget how empowering Kelly’s presence is. With her by my side, I feel like I can take over the world.
We set off to do more or less just that. I bring her to one of my favorite clubs, just off the casino that Declan and I frequent most often. It’s a dim, smooth sort of place—nothing like the raves and frat parties that we got used to during school. Bodies still writhe on the dance floor, grinding to the stylings of the sexy jazz singer onstage. But here, the dancing is sleek and seductive, effortlessly cool.
“This. Is. Awesome,” Kelly hisses, as we slide into a velvety booth in a dark corner of the night club.
“Wait until you try their cocktails,” I tell her, flagging down a waitress and ordering two martinis for us.