She accepts my invitation.

Brad has watched the whole thing. Finally, he shakes his head in disbelief.

“Are you James Bond?” he asks. “A casual millionaire who effortlessly gets gorgeous women to abandon their friends and join him?”

He pats me on the back and takes a step away from the table. “I’ll leave you to it, man. Good luck with the rest of your night. Not that you need any luck from me.”

The redhead from across the casino sweeps across the room toward me with an incredible allure. The way she moves herself is captivating. She has a fluidity to all her movements that makes her seem more female than any woman I’ve seen before. She holds her head high, and her hips have a natural sway. Even in her staggeringly high heels, she strides like a goddess. I don't see the slightest hesitation or stumble in her step.

She stands beside me at the craps table. Although she’s walked over here like she has all the confidence in the world, she doesn’t know what to say now that she’s here.

Up close, she’s even more beautiful than from a distance. Her face is flawless. She has pale skin, full and soft lips, and a small nose. Her eyes are large and round. The almond-colored orbs have a flicker of mischief in them. She wears minimal makeup, but her eyes have been brushed with a palette of browns and lined with dark eyeliner. Her eyelashes are long and thick. Every little glance from her is packed full of seduction, and I don’t think she knows it.

I think she’s about five-foot-one. I’m six-foot-two, so most of her glances come when she's looking up from under her heavy lashes. She stands as tall as possible, with perfect posture and her head held high. It gives her the appearance of being refined and graceful.

She places her clutch purse on the table in front of her and looks up at me with a smile. “It seems we caught each other’s eye.”

“Naturally. We’re both on a roll.”

The table is so tightly packed that we’re pushed together and have to lean into each other to be heard. When I bow my head down to her ear, I can smell her shampoo and sweet perfume. Her cleavage is small but leaves something to the imagination.

“I like your sash,” I say.

She laughs, and fiddles with the pink silk. “I’m on a bachelorette party.”

I nod over toward the three girls who were with her. They’ve moved from the roulette wheel to a slot machine at the end of a row. They’re doing their best to pretend they’re not watching us.

“Your friends?”

She looks over her shoulder and grins. “They love nothing more than a bit of gossip.”

I flash her smile. “I guess we’ll have to give them something to talk about.”

Someone jostles me from behind. I circle my arm around the waist of my new companion and pull her closer, away from the pushing crowd. She catches her breath as I sweep her against my body.

“What’s your name?” she asks.

“Adam.”

“I’m Laura.”

“You look pretty sexy in that little green dress, Laura. I couldn’t help but stare. I like your dance.”

Laura’s cheeks redden, and she laughs at herself. “That’s my wiggle. It’s my signature move.”

“It’s the best signature move I’ve ever seen. Are you a dancer?”

She laughs loudly, raising one eyebrow. “No. Was that a line?”

I grin. “Maybe.”

She nods toward the table. “I think it’s your turn to roll.”

I pick up two dice from the five. From the corner of my eye, I can see Laura looking at my mounting pile of chips. It amounts to over sixty thousand dollars by this point. She takes in a sharp breath between her teeth but says nothing.

“You know,” I say, “I’ve got a feeling my lucky streak’s about to come to an end. It looks like your lucky streak is just starting. Fancy sharing a little of that magic?”

I lift the two dice in my palm toward her. She slowly draws her lips together into a kissing position and sweeps her hair back behind her ear as she leans forward to blow. I feel her breath dancing across my hand.

“I’ve got a good feeling about this roll.”

I pull my arm back and then chuck the dice across the table. They bounce a few times and then settle on seven. The cheers from the table have died down to disbelieving murmurs. I’m on the roll of a lifetime.

“Did you win?” Laura asks me.

“I did.”

“A lot?”

I simply smile. “This has been a lucky night. Do you want to place the next bet?”

Laura’s eyes scan the tabletop. She holds up two chips to me. Each one is worth five hundred dollars. “I won these on the roulette.”

The dealer addresses her. “Would you like to exchange those for some smaller chips, ma’am?”

She looks from the dealer to me, down to the chips in her hand, and then grins wickedly. “No, thanks. I’m in Vegas. Let’s go crazy.”

She looks up to me. “Where should I put the chip?”

I point to the square on the table. “There.”

She slides it across the table. I wonder for a moment if she’s going to change her mind, but then she takes a deep breath and nods determinedly.

The dealer holds out five dice to her.

“You have to pick two,” I explain.

She picks out two dice, then looks up to me questioningly. “Now do I roll?”

“That’s right.”

She squeezes the two red dice tightly in her palm, closes her eyes tightly shut, and bites down on her lip. “Give me seven!”

Laura releases the dice onto the table. Sure enough, she gets a seven. She screams in excitement, takes holds of my arm and jumps up and down in amazement. “Did I win? How much did I win?”

The dealer smiles at her excitement and pushes four chips across to her. “Two thousand dollars, ma’am.”

She picks up the chips and looks at them in amazement. “Are you telling me I just won two grand?”

“It looks like this is your lucky night.”

“Oh, my God.”

The crowd starts heaving again. The night is picking up. Everyone is pushing to see the tables and take their place in line. Someone pushes me with enough force to tear me away from the table.

Laura instinctively grabs me by the hand. She turns back over her shoulder and smiles up at me. “Where are you going? You’re my good luck charm.”

“I thought you were mine.”

She pulls me back close to her. I stand behind her, my arms either side of her, palms resting on the edge of the craps table. Her body is pressed close against mine. I feel my cock swelling between my legs, and I know she feels it, too. She looks back up at me over her shoulder, and her lips curve into a knowing smile.

She doesn’t move away.

Laura’s hair tickles against my neck and under my chin. The scent of her hair and perfume is intoxicating.

I lean down to speak into her ear. “Are you going to roll again?”

She looks up at me with a grin. “I try to quit when I’m ahead.”

I nod at the dealer to indicate I’m ready to play again. “I always go all in.”

“You’re a risk-taker?”

“A thrill-seeker.”

The look in her eyes drives me wild. I can see her attraction for me burning behind her stare. Every now and then she bites down on her lip when she thinks I’m not looking. I imagine I can feel her body growing hot.

I bow my head down again to whisper in her ear. “Are you looking for a thrill, Laura?”

She doesn’t reply. She looks back down at the table.

I pick up my dice and roll. A two and a one look back up at me as they land.

Laura frowns. “It looks like your lucky streak has finally come to an end.”

I let my fingertips run across her hip for a moment. “Do you know something? I think my lucky streak is just beginning. Look around — I’m standing with the most beautiful woman in Las Vegas.”

“Really? To me, you look like someone who just lost a thousand dollars.”

“I’m still up.”

She grins. “I know. I felt it.”

Her pun takes me by surprise, and I laugh loudly. “I’ve found a little minx here. Are you staying in the hotel?”

She nods. “How about you?”

“I’m here for two weeks.”

“I could only afford one.”

“One week, then?” I say the words slowly. I can’t help thinking about what I could do to her in seven days. “That’s going to give you just enough time to have some real fun.”

“That’s what I’m hoping for.”

I reach for my third Rob Roy and take a deep swig. Laura picks up her cocktail and follows suit.

“What are your plans while you’re in Vegas?” I ask.

“Drink, gamble, and sunbathe. Get into trouble.” She sighs. “Whatever Amy wants, really.”

“Amy’s the bride?”

“That’s right.”

“Are you married?”

Laura laughs and holds up her hand to show me a bare ring finger.

“Is there a boyfriend?”

She shakes her head.

“I see.”

“What about you?”

I take another swig of my cocktail. “I’m not going to be the subject of girl gossip.”

Laura laughs and downs the last of her cocktail. “Speaking of which, I promised them I’d only have one drink. I’ve got to get back to them now.”

“That’s a shame. I thought we were making a good team.”

“Maybe we’ll bump into each other again.”

“I’d like to make sure of it.” I reach into my pocket and pull out one of two keycards I was given at check-in. I hand one to her. “I’m in room 800. I’ll be in all night.”

Laura’s lips part slightly in surprise, and for a moment, her arms stay by her side. Then, slowly, she lifts her hand, her fingers closing around the smooth plastic of the card.

I raise an eyebrow. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

“Maybe.”

Laura turns, and I watch her leave. My eyes travel down to watch her hips sway in those high heels. The thought of her coming to my room later makes my blood run hot.

You idiot, Adam. You shouldn’t be picking up women in Vegas, no matter what happened before the trip began.

I collect my winnings and move away from the table. As I head back toward the elevator, I feel a hand on my arm. I turn to find Brad behind me, grinning eagerly.

“How’d the rest of your game go?”

I nod knowingly. “Pretty well. I stayed lucky.” I reach into my pocket and pull out a ten-grand chip, which is what I started with before I won another fifty. I toss it at Brad. “You’ll be back on your feet in no time,” I tell him. “Get some sales knowledge under your belt for the interview. Remember what I said — don’t gamble with money you can’t afford to lose.”