Autumn looked fucking adorable in her casual clothes and flip-flops that showed off cute, pink tipped toes. Unexpected possession flared up again and I actually hated that anyone was seeing those toes but me. When I saw her approach the cashier earlier, I’d been ready to kick Juan’s ass at the way he’d ogled Autumn. I didn’t know what he was saying to her, but I was confident that if I’d been able to hear it, he would be sporting a broken nose. My expression turned ugly as I stepped into his line of sight and stared him down.

Then the idiot had almost alerted Autumn to her “special status,” having obviously seen that the credit had been issued with my personal code and that she was currently staying in the Silver Suite, which had only ever been used by my close friends and family. Luckily, she hadn’t caught on to his dumbfounded attitude.

I stood at the entrance of the casino and simply watched her for a while. Then she seemed to sense my attention and looked around curiously. When she found me on the casino floor, I considered looking away so that I didn’t freak her out with my intensity. But, her eyes, which I now saw were a dark coffee brown, did their own survey of my body and gleamed with approval.

Our gazes locked as I stalked towards her and though she looked confused at my notice, there was a spark of heated interest. I smiled as I reached her and dropped down onto the stool of the slot machine next to her.

“I considered using a pickup line on you, but I couldn’t think of one that wasn’t cheesy and didn’t reek of desperation. So, I’ve decided to go with the bold and honest approach”—I held out my hand—"I’m Andrew. Drew. And, you are fucking gorgeous.”

Her cheeks flushed prettily but she didn’t shy away. She stuck her hand in mine and her glossy lips—damn, I wanted to kiss those—tipped up. “Autumn. And, you’re not so bad yourself, blue eyes.” I grinned and brought her hand to my lips, brushing them over the back before reluctantly releasing it.

“Out of curiosity,” she started in a playful tone. “If you’d gone with a line, what would you have settled on?”

“Hmmm.” I scratched my beard as I thought for a minute, then winked at her. “If nothing lasts forever, will you be my nothing?” Autumn laughed and the musical sound sent shockwaves of desire pulsing through me.

“Not bad. I might have gone with the one about stars in your eyes.”

“That’s a good one. But, why not go for the true reward right off the bat? ‘Kiss me if I’m wrong, but Dinosaurs still exist, right’?”

This time, Autumn threw back her head as peals of laughter rang out. Her midnight curls hung to her shoulder blades and they bounced merrily, calling out to my fingers. I wanted to feel those soft strands in my fist as I devoured her sexy mouth.

I didn’t want to seem to creepy-stalkerish, so I tore my eyes away from her to look at the machine she’d been playing. “Nickel slots? I think you can do better, sunshine,” I joked.

She shrugged with a grin and gestured to the screen, showing three cherries on a line of five fruit. “I don’t want to lose too much money, just have a little fun. Besides, it says right there that this machine pays out 97%!”

“Don’t you know? Slots have the worst odds.” I looked around before leaning in conspiratorially and stage whispered, “I’ll let you in on a little secret.” Autumn giggled and moved closer so our foreheads were almost touching. “Technically, yes, this machine pays out 97% over the course of play. But, we have no way of knowing the odds of this slot machine. The program assigns each symbol a certain number of stops. Without knowing that information, the odds of hitting three symbols in a row or the jackpot can vary from .16% to 0.001%. Instead, it pays out small amounts at a time, just enough to keep you playing and hoping you’ll eventually win a larger amount and losing more in the long run.” I tipped my head to the side and gave her a wry smile. “House edge.”

Autumn’s eyes had widened a little during my explanation. “Well, that doesn’t seem fair.”

“Right?” I agreed in a teasing tone, then shook my head like I was so disappointed. “Those casino owners, a bunch of motherfucking bastards.”

I was rewarded with her laughter once again, causing warmth to bloom in my chest. “You’d be better off at the tables. If you’re new to gambling, I’d suggest Blackjack.” I pointed toward the back cluster of tables. “It’s one of the easiest games to play, you’re just looking for a number that beats the dealer’s without going over twenty-one. Plus, it has the best odds of winning since the house edge is usually only about one percent. And, you’re playing the dealer, not a bunch of seasoned gamblers like you would in poker.”

Autumn looked duly impressed and I had to physically stop myself from preening like a fucking peacock. “Wow. You know a lot about this stuff.”

I opened my mouth to tell her I owned the hotel but for some reason, the words got stuck in my throat. I’d tell her eventually, but for the night, I just wanted to be a regular guy. “I work here. Plus, I’m from Vegas, born and raised,” I answered. “It’s kind of inevitable that you know a lot about gambling and casinos.”

Autumn nodded in understanding as she sat back up on her stool. “Like being from L.A. and knowing all about the movie industry.”

“Exactly.” I openly perused her from head to toe, making her blush again. How far down did that blush go, I wondered? “I guess sunshine is a fitting nickname for a surfer girl from L.A.”

She raised a black brow and looked down her nose at me, her eyes narrowing impishly. “What makes you think I surf?”

I let my smile turn a little wolfish as I responded. “The long-toned legs in those tiny fucking shorts might have had something to do with it. Or maybe it’s just because you’re so easy-going.”

Autumn chuckled before putting her hands up in a surrender pose. “Guilty as charged. Though I haven’t had much time to hit the waves the last few years.”

“Breaking the heart of every guy who missed out on seeing you in a bikini,” I teased. “What kept you away?”

“Med school and then residency.”

I whistled with appreciation. “Dr. Autumn, huh?” I could only imagine the wicked expression on my face when I said, “If you only knew how many dirty fantasies that just conjured up…”

“Hmmm.” She licked her lips and leaned in closer. “You want to play doctor?”

I almost fell off my fucking stool as blood drained from my brain and shot south. My cock was hard as stone and my body practically vibrated with desire.

“I most definitely want to be your patient, sunshine” I croaked. “But, how about we start with dinner?”

Her face fell and my breath froze in my lungs. After the easy, flirty banter, it hadn’t occurred to me that she would turn down my invitation.

“I wish I could, I really do,” she said with genuine regret, which eased some of the tension in my body. “But, my conference starts at seven in the morning and it’s already”—she glanced at a slim, silver watch on her slender wrist—"damn, almost eleven.”

Feeling like a scrawny teenager asking out the hot, older girl, I tried again. “Tomorrow night?” I suggested hopefully.

She beamed at me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Absolutely.” Then she stood, and since I was still sitting, it brought our chests to an even height. She bent her head and brushed a light kiss over my cheekbone. I felt it down to my bones, a deep awareness of our chemistry and the close proximity of our bodies. My hands balled into fists where they rested on my thighs. It took every ounce of my restraint I could muster not to grab her and kiss the motherfucking hell out of her.

“I’ll meet you in the lobby at six?” she offered.

I nodded, unable to speak, for fear that she would hear the raging lust in my voice.

With one last sweet smile and a saucy wink—so fucking adorable—she turned, and I watched her delectable ass sway as she sashayed out of the casino.

For several seconds, I just sat there in a daze, lost in Autumn’s spell. Eventually, the ringing bells and loud voices finally broke through the fog and I stood up. My first instinct was to follow Autumn to her room and seduce her, but I searched deep and found some of the patience I usually had in spades.

Determined to get my mind off of her, I made my way back to my office and attempted to bury myself in work. I wasn’t successful since my mind kept drifting to the gorgeous woman I couldn’t stop thinking about.

I didn’t know what it was about Autumn, but I’d never felt this kind of deep need and overwhelming desire for a woman. I briefly wondered if all I needed was to fuck her out of my system, but my mind and heart instantly rejected the idea. No, it was clear that Autumn was different, special. And, our story was just beginning.