The penthouse feels empty without Laura.

The bed feels empty without Laura.

I don’t know why she’s had such an effect on me. I’ve traveled solo for years. I’ve always enjoyed the freedom and time alone.

Something’s different this time.

I was sharing a vibrant city with a charming companion. All the routine and dullness of life on the road was thrown out the window. Instead, I was living out a fantasy, seeing Vegas in a whole new light in the company of a sensational woman. Excitement and adrenaline were fueling me, unlike anything I’ve felt in years.

When I close my eyes, I can still picture how she moves.

I exhale slowly and go to the mirror to finish working on my tie. I wrestle the knot into a neat position, shrug on the jacket that’s been freshly pressed by the hotel staff, and slip on my luxury leather shoes. I pick up my Italian briefcase by the door and exit the penthouse.

At least I have work to focus on.

I get into the elevator and travel to the lobby on the ground floor. The doors open into a vast foyer held up by elaborate white columns, bright from the lights shining on polished marble floors.

As I walk toward the revolving door to the outside, I notice a familiar group of women. Two blondes, a brunette, and a redhead. They look a lot less excitable than when I first saw them winning the jackpot on the roulette wheel. They’re dressed for travel in lounge pants, shorts, and loose t-shirts.

I fix my eyes on Laura. She’s changed from her sequined dress from the night before into a denim overall-style mini dress with a blue-and-white striped shirt underneath. A pair of blue pumps are on her feet. She looks youthful and vibrant.

The sight of her purple case and large holdall bag makes me feel deflated. She’s headed back to Illinois, and this might be the last time I’ll ever see her. I almost want to say goodbye again, but I remember how awkward our final kiss was. I decide not to make things uncomfortable in front of her friends.

I turn away, but, as I do, I hear someone calling my name.

“Adam?”

I look back over my shoulder. It’s Laura. She leaves her case with her friends and jogs over to me. I’m feeling disappointed and sorry to see her go, but she’s beaming. When she catches up with me, she bites her lip and looks down at her feet, twisting her hands behind her back. “I’ve been talking to my friends.”

“And?”

“And—” She looks back over her shoulder at her girlfriends, then back to me. She takes a deep breath. “If the offer still stands, I’d like to stay with you after all.”

“Are you sure?”

“Call me crazy, but the girls might be right. It’s not often life gives you a chance to do something completely out of the ordinary.” She reaches for my hand and gives it a squeeze. “If the last couple of times we were together is anything to go by, I’m expecting to have the time of my life.”

I place my hands on either side of her waist. She gasps at how quickly I pull her toward me, and then I press my lips down over hers and kiss her. I can feel her cheeks flaming when our faces are close.

When I pull back, she’s blushing uncontrollably, and a giggle escapes her throat. She looks back over her shoulder at her girlfriends who are all beaming at her. Laura tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, and then clears her throat.

“I’d better say my goodbyes.” She tugs at my hand. “Come with me.”

I follow Laura to where the group is standing. I’ve watched them from a distance before, but now I’m face-to-face with Laura’s best friends. They grin at me like a pack of hyenas.

“I guess this is it,” Laura says. She rises up onto her tiptoes as she takes in a deep breath and drops back down onto her heels. She holds out her arms to hug the girls, giving each one a quick squeeze in turn. “Have a safe flight home. Text me when you’ve landed.”

“We will,” one of the blonde girls promises. “I’ll take care of everything while you’re away. I’ll call you if there’s anything I can’t handle.”

Laura squeezes her arm. “You’ll be fine.”

She turns next to the woman who’d worn the bride sash the first day I saw them. She must be Amy.

“Send me the pictures,” Laura says.

The brunette steps forward for her hug, squeezing Laura tightly. “Let your hair down. Don’t spend too much time on the laptop, okay?”

Before the girls finally go their separate ways, Laura’s business partner shoots me a sideways glance and then turns her attention to Laura. “Call me if you need anything. Let me know when you decide to fly back and if you need a ride home.”

With that, the trio of women walk away, leaving Laura behind. I can almost feel her shrinking with nerves beside me.

After the girls are out the lobby and out of sight, she turns to me with a nervous laugh. “Is this absolutely crazy?”

“The best kind of crazy.”

Looking down at my watch, I see I can spare twenty minutes before I absolutely need to leave for the first hospital of the day.

“I’ve got time for a quick coffee before I head out.”

Laura smiles. “That sounds good.”

We make our way to the hotel terrace and order some coffee. Separated from her group, Laura doesn’t seem to know what to do with herself. She fidgets and looks around. Every time she glances at me, I see a flicker of panic in her eyes. I can almost hear her inner voice screaming, “What the hell am I doing?”

“I’m glad you decided to stay,” I tell her when we’re both sitting down, coffee in hand. “When you left this morning, I didn’t think I’d be seeing you again.”

She glances up at me. “I didn’t want to go.”

“Vegas is a hard place to walk away from.”

Laura fixes me with an intense gaze. “I’m not talking about the city.”

Almost as soon as she says the words, she blushes and looks away. “It’s just like me to lay all my cards on the table. I know you don’t want to hear that I feel like there’s a spark, or we have chemistry or anything like that.”

“Why not?”

I feel it, too.

“Because in two weeks, we’ll both have to leave.”

I reach across the table and take hold of Laura’s hand. “All the more reason to make the most of the time we have. When I feel a spark, I like to let it burn a while.”

“For two weeks,” Laura reiterates. She wets her lips and swallows. “This is only a fling, right?”

“A temporary romance.”

I understand her caution. A one-night-stand is one thing, but two weeks sharing a bed might make it hard for what’s already a spark not to ignite beyond our control.

And what about Alice?

I push the thought of Alice to the back of my mind and focus on Laura. In front of me sits a captivating, beautiful woman who has promised me two weeks of her time.

“Do you usually have women stay with you while you’re traveling?” Laura asks me. She looks like she’s not sure she wants to hear my reply.

“Generally, I like my own company.”

“Then why did you invite me to stay?”

I pause and look at her. I drink in her wide, almond eyes, feisty red hair, and full lips, slightly parted as they wait for my reply. Her petite figure leans across the table to better hear me. The answer is simple.

“You’re captivating.”

Laura tilts her head back and laughs. “Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“I barely know the meaning of the word.”

“It’s true. I can’t take my eyes off of you. Has anyone ever told you there’s something enchanting about the way you move?”

Her eyes sparkle. “No. Never.”

“I could watch you for hours.” I lean back and take a sip of my coffee. “It doesn’t hurt that you’ve got a sense of humor, either. What can I say? I enjoy your company, Laura.”

Laura smiles widely and lifts her cup in my direction. “To good company.”

“No regrets, then?” I lean forward with my arms folded across the table and watch her closely. “There’s still time to catch your girlfriends at the airport.”

“You’re thinking I might have second thoughts?” Laura says slowly, her voice playful and teasing. “Just because this whole situation is impulsive, illogical, and completely out of character?” She sits back and folds her arms across her chest, offering a shake of her head. “No way.”

I nod. “Good. In that case, I guess I better help you take your luggage up to my room.”

“You’re sure you can handle me for two whole weeks?”

I raise my eyebrows suggestively. “I’m looking forward to handling you.”

Laura laughs loudly. The sound echoes across the patio. She drinks down the last of her coffee and stands as I grab her suitcase. “Let’s go.”

We head back into the hotel and up to the penthouse. When the door closes behind us, there’s nothing more I want to do than rip the denim from Laura’s skin and throw her down on the bed. It would be the perfect way to start our naughty adventure.

Unfortunately, I don’t have time for that right now. I do a quick, informal tour of the penthouse.

“Kitchenette this way. Feel free to order anything you want on room service on my tab. You’ve seen the bedroom already.”

“And the bathroom, too.”

“And the living area. There’s not much more to it, really. Feel free to use the desk. Push my stuff onto the floor if you have to.”

Laura stands on tiptoes in front of me. She threads her fingers playfully through mine and looks up at me from under her lashes.

“How long will you be gone?”

“Most of the day, I’m afraid.”

She looks disappointed. “That’s okay. I’ve got work to catch up on anyway.”

I lean forward, kissing her on the temple. I softly bite down on her earlobe, then whisper into her ear. “Tonight, we’ll celebrate your decision to stay.”

She smiles knowingly. “How are we going to do that?”

I say nothing, but she reads my wicked smile and licks her own lips hungrily.

“I’ll look forward to it.”