What Happens in Vegas...After Dark (15 page)

The sight of her hugging the other man had remained burned into his brain, kept him from getting much sleep and agitated him even the next evening as he sat at his desk and pretended to work.

Damn it, what was up with the way he could not stop thinking about her? Even after a hot shower when he got home and another one before he came into work he still smelled her on his skin. As he sat at his desk, al he could remember was how she’d looked there on it while he’d been buried deep inside her.

A physical ache lodged in his gut as he remembered the feel of her body, the sound of her responses, the taste of her pussy, the salt of her skin. Craving. He craved her. Tossing his pen down, he scrubbed his hands over his face.

She drew his thoughts. Had done so since the moment he met her. Like the wisp of a voice here and there, always occupying part of his attention. Why? She wasn’t exceptionally beautiful, although those breasts were delicious. She wasn’t a sex kitten or a skil ed seducer. She seemed a bit hard, more so than his usual type, that’s for sure.

Whatever the reason she lay on his mind, he most definitely wanted to help her get Leah. That bitch had taken advantage of her last mark if he could help it.

He’d made some calls to old friends of his back home to see if they knew anything about what Leah might be up to these days and he was able to get a few names.

Something he felt ridiculously proud of, like he’d championed Nell in some way. The need to show off for her made him want to poke an eye out.

“You rang?”

He looked up. As if he’d conjured her, Nell stood in his doorway, back in her jeans, boots and a pretty, faded blue blouse. Her hair was pinned away from her face and she looked, well, wholesome. Or she would have if she didn’t give off some air of potential violence.

He sat up, interested in his own train of thought. Why did he think of violence? She didn’t seem physically aggressive although certainly sexually so.

“Why do you have that look on your face? Do I have catsup on my shirt?” She looked down and irritation slid through him that she’d charmed him.

“Sorry, you caught me when I was thinking about some thing else. Come in and shut the door.”

She laughed as she closed the door and entered the room fully. It was already nearly eleven so the show had started and the club was packed and loud.

“I don’t have time for a captivating quickie on your desk tonight. I have errands to run.

Also, I have a pen-shaped bruise on my ass.”

“Maybe next time I’ll spread you out on a bed. I think I’d like to have about four hours to spend on your body.”

She cocked her head, eyes glimmering with sexuality so raw he felt it, electric, riding up his spine. Her tongue darted out, sliding along her lips until he squirmed in his seat. “Is that why you called me, Mr. Emery?”

He took a sip of his mineral water and tried not to smile. “I took the liberty of asking a few friends back in Boston about those names you gave me last night.” He pushed the papers toward her and she took them, looking through them. “That may give you something. Not a whole lot, but hopefully a bit of help.”

She smiled. “Thanks, William. I appreciate it.” She stood and he followed, not wanting her to go yet. He reached her quickly, before she got to the door.

“Where are you headed?”

She stopped and he angled her body with his own, backing her against the door.

“Hmm, against this door, apparently. Déjà vu?”

He moved so close his body rested against hers. The sun-warmed scent of her skin rose to his nose and he breathed deep. Leaning in, he nuzzled her neck softly and she sighed, melting into his touch.

He skated his lips up, under her chin, his teeth nipping at her jaw. Her mouth was waiting for him when he got there, her lips parted, breath mingling with his as he slid into the kiss.

Her hands smoothed up the front of his shirt and he shivered when her nails scored over his nipples. Their tongues tangled, flirted, teased back and forth in an easy dance. It felt as if he’d kissed her a million times, her taste was so familiar and at the same time, like he’d never been kissed before. Their connection was so unexpectedly moving. He knew it would be, and yet found it surprising, too.

Need slammed into his gut, his cock, his heart. His fingers fumbled with the buttons on her shirt and she stayed him.

“You know you want this as much as I do,” he said as he struggled for breath.

“I do. But not here. Not now. I really do have to go. I’m expecting to meet someone and I can’t be late.”

He took a step back, feeling like a toddler who’d been told no. He wanted her, damn it!

Why did any woman have the ability to do this to him? This wasn’t who he was.

He gave her a smile, easing back, using his feigned nonchalance to build a moat between them before he did something stupid like beg.

“Okay, then. You know it’s not fair to give me a taste and then deny me. But fine. Call me before you leave Vegas. Maybe we’ll get together before you go home.”

Her lips tightened into a line for a brief moment, but instead she breathed out and then shrugged. “Okay, then. Have a good one and thanks for the help.” She hauled the door open and he was, yet again, watching her leave. That’s all she had to say? Okay, then?

Oh, no! With a muted growl of frustration, he stormed after her. One of his people saw her walk out and handed her a note.

“What’s that?” he nearly barked as she read.

“A piece of paper with words on it. Don’t you have, like, eleventyfourteen women to blow before you turn into a pumpkin at midnight?” She tucked the note into her bag and headed toward the door.

“Let me walk you to the elevators at least. You’re staying here, you said. It’s getting late.” He quickly told the bouncer he’d be back shortly and hustled to catch up with her.

Nell wanted to rap him over the head with her bag. Oh, he’d see her again before she left Vegas al right. He was an idiot and willfully blind to what they had between them. Or, wel , not so blind, which is why she knew he played it all cool after she’d called a halt to that kiss. She’d moved him, he wanted her and he didn’t like that he did. Well, tough shit.

He was hers, the stupid twit. She wasn’t going to engage and let him goad her, though.

“Hey, wait, those are the elevators to the parking garage,” he said, trying to steer her like she was an idiot. Her legs stil felt like rubber after that kiss. God, he’d felt so good there, his mouth on hers like it was made to be there. He had no idea how hard it had been to stop it. But she had to meet with Galen and Alex.

She rolled her eyes, exasperated. “I know. I need the elevators to the garage. I’m meeting someone down the Strip so I need my car. Thanks for walking me to the elevators. Have a good night.” She walked into the elevator, just waiting for the door to close so she could fume a bit, but he had the nerve to follow her in. Hmpf. He couldn’t bear to leave her. Ha!

“Why didn’t you say that? I’m going to walk you to your car.”

“This place is totally safe.” Not like she’d be worried if it wasn’t. She could handle herself quite ably against most threats.

“Of course it is, but I’m not letting a woman walk to her car alone this late. What sort of gentleman would I be?”

She refrained from answering that question and got out when the doors opened.

“You know, do you take these sorts of risks in…Where did you say you were from?”

William’s legs were as long as hers and he didn’t have heels on, so he kept up nicely.

“I didn’t, but I’ll give you a freebie. Seattle. We’ve both already said this hotel was safe.

And by risks do you mean fucking a near-stranger?”

He didn’t want to know. Oh, hell, of course he did. He wanted to know if she did this sort of thing regularly or whether it was special between them. It was stil a one-night stand though. Just a special one.

“Do you?”

“Walk to my car in hotel parking lots?”

“Are you sulking? Because I told you up front this wasn’t going anywhere.”

She stopped next to a deep green Mercedes and he approved mightily. Until she turned to the shiny black car next to it.

Her annoyed look, the one she’d tried to hide when he’d jabbed at her with his last comment, smoothed into amusement.

“What? Don’t tell me you expected the Mercedes?” She laughed, putting her bag, much larger and far less useless than the one she’d had the night before, on the seat.

Speech eluded him. The car was beautiful in its own way, but not sleek. Not new and elegant. It didn’t have air bags and heated seats. It was a muscle car.

“1969 Camaro. Beautiful, isn’t she?” She said it with pride.

He circled it. “Gotta admit, it’s fucking gorgeous. Someone really gifted did this work.”

He looked up to catch her surprised look. “Now I surprise you. My father loved classic cars. He passed that love on to me and my brother.” He wished she’d be around long enough for him to show her his collection.

She’d moved to join him at the blunt nose end. “I am not mechanical at all. I just knew I wanted one so I spent six years until I found her. There’s this guy in Oregon, way up in the mountains.”

“Pete Simpson. I just went up there last year to buy a Jag. A ’68. Drove her back here in the late summer and it was perfect.”

“Red, right?” At his nod she continued. “He’d just finished it when I went down on my way to San Francisco midsummer last year. He said he had a buyer. Congratulations.”

“So do you or not?” he burst out and she stopped, fisting her hands on her hips.

“We’re back to that, are we? Do I fuck near-strangers on a regular basis? That was the question, yes?” She paused. “Well, here’s the thing, bucko, you made sure to tell me several times since last night that this wasn’t going anywhere. You wore a condom, so I don’t think you have a right to ask that question.”

B efore Nell could smirk, she felt the sharp metallic bite of magic on the back of her tongue. Mage magic.

“Get down, now!” She shoved William down behind the shelter of her car and his mouth, opened to argue, snapped shut as a sizzle of offensive magic hit the ground nearby. Quickly, she spelled the security cameras in the area to a continuous loop. They couldn’t afford to be seen if they could avoid it.

Still crouched, she grabbed him by the shirtfront and hauled him close. “Stay your handsome ass right here. If you get in the way, we could both get hurt. Do not call the authorities.”

“Are you out of your fucking mind? Stay here!”

She shook him off even as she let the magic fill her, opened her othersight and hunted for the mage nearby. When she turned back to him, she knew her eyes reflected her power, knew he saw it in the way his own widened and the restraining hand he’d had on her ankle fell away.

She quickly reached inside the car, grabbing her bag and opening it. The reassuring cool of gunmetal touched her hand.

“A gun? What the hell?” William asked in a sharp whisper as she made sure the clip was full and the safety was off.

“You’re in over your head and I need you to deal. Now listen to me. Stay down. You can’t help me, but you can hurt. So shut the fuck up and keep out of harm’s way. I’ll be done in a few minutes. The door wil shield you.”

The gun was nice and al , but she’d do as much as possible with magic. Discharging weapons was a pain in the ass—the sound drew attention. Magic was cleaner and more easily hidden. Stil , she’d shoot that damned mage assassin in the head if need be.

She inched her way around the back end of the car, tracking the mage with her othersight. She used a simple diversion spell, one that would make sure the mage heard her from another direction, and stood.

There were two; a human also stood several feet away. He was well armed. She needed to take out the mage first. After that, the human would be easily dealt with. One-handed, she drew her magic and sent it toward the mage, knocking him down.

He writhed, screaming in pain and the human turned and a spray of automatic weapon fire peppered all around her. With a quick look at the expiring mage, she turned her attention to the human who continued to shoot.

She hissed when a bullet just barely missed her arm and reached out to slam him with her energy. She’d used a lot on the mage—when this was over she’d need to rest and recharge.

William watched the entire exchange, totally shocked and shaken by everything he saw.

The gun was one thing, although why anyone would be trying to kill them was bizarre enough. But her eyes. The subtle movement of her hands and the blurred wave of…

whatever the hell it was, as it had hit the other guy and knocked him down in obvious great pain. And now she did some stuff with her hand, her gun pointed down, as she walked to the other guy. He’d fired an automatic weapon at her and she didn’t look hurt.

What was going on? Was he being punked? Were there hidden cameras?

In a blinding flash, the two men were gone and she turned and stalked back toward him.

“You…you want to tell me what the hell is going on here?” He shook now that it was over, whatever it was.

She sighed, putting her gun away, and then loaded him into the low-slung passenger seat. She got into the driver’s side and closed the door.

“I’m not going anywhere with you right now.”

She turned to him and pressed a bottle of water into his hand. It was warm from being in the car, but it felt damned good as he drank it down in giant gulps.

“I’m not taking you anywhere without your permission. Why don’t you go back to the club? Or can I get you home?” Her voice was soft, calm.

“Tell. Me. What. Is. Happening!”

“I’m a witch.” She shrugged. “The one man was a mage, which is sort of like a witch, only they’re not bound by the same principles we are and they get their magic differently.”

She paused at his look and smiled sheepishly. “Not that you care much about that or need to know anyway. Your ex helped them steal a great deal of money for the Clan I serve.