A few hours later, when dawn breaks, I spend an unusual amount of time thinking about what to wear. I don’t know whether Laura will show up for our brunch. I haven’t been able to get her off my mind since our amazing night of passionate sex.

I hadn’t planned to hook up with anyone. I certainly hadn’t planned to have more than a one-night-stand, but I find Laura’s company addictive. Not only is she unbelievably sexy, but she’s funny, too. Brunch will be an opportunity to get to know her better.

If she shows up.

In the end, I dress in a pair of tan slacks and a white designer polo shirt. It’s a hot summer day in Vegas, so I don’t take a jacket with me.

I head down to the patio bar on the ground floor and select a table under a large parasol. It’s at the edge of the patio by a large fountain which shoots water theatrically into the air. The air is filled with the smell of fresh pastries and sausages, but it’s surprisingly quiet. I guess Vegas-goers aren’t early risers. It’s before the rush of gamblers into the casino. Only the hotel guests who’ve made it downstairs are present.

It’s ten to eleven when I sit down and order a pitcher of orange juice and a platter of assorted pastries and French toast. I also ask for a mixed fruit salad.

It’s a lot of food for one person. I’m surprised I feel nervous as I wait for Laura. You weren’t expecting to like her this much. All the reasons I shouldn’t be chasing a woman dance around in the back of my mind. I push them aside.

For any other attractive woman, a one-night-stand would have been enough. But after spending the night with Laura, I’m left craving more. I’m in Vegas for two weeks. I have time to get to know her better.

Why can’t a one-night-stand become a simple Vegas fling?

As the minutes tick by, I begin to suspect Laura isn’t coming. I’m left with a pile of croissants and French toast, and a whole pitcher of orange juice. I sigh and drum my fingers against the glass tabletop.

You struck out, Adam.

“Adam?”

I turn around to see Laura behind me. She looks refreshed, wearing a short floral tea-dress and a pair of simple strappy sandal flats. Her auburn hair is brushed back from her head and held in place with large, fashionable sunglasses. She has a small satchel-style purse slung over one shoulder.

“Sorry I’m late. I was with the girls.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I say. “Were they all right with you coming here?”

She nods. “They’re all hanging pretty badly. Amy said they probably wouldn’t be moving until after lunch anyway. They told me I should come.”

“Your friends are smart.”

I stand up and pull out a chair for Laura. She takes a seat with a flattered smile and looks at the food with delight.

“Wow. You really did order croissants and French toast.”

“I specifically asked for a platter.” I try not to look embarrassed. “I don’t know you well enough to predict how much you can eat.”

“I’m actually a bit of a health freak,” she confesses. “Organic, low-sugar, superfoods. I’m the first person to jump on the bandwagon when a new food trend comes along. I try to stay on top of what’s meant to be healthy these days.”

I push the fruit salad toward her with a smile. “There’s fruit, too.”

She laughs and reaches for a croissant. “Are you kidding me? I’m on vacation.” She holds my gaze as she pointedly unhinges her jaw like a boa constrictor and shoves half a croissant in her mouth.

I knew she had a fun side, and I’m pleased my gut instinct was correct. Even when we’re both fully dressed and sex is off the table, we can’t keep our eyes off each other. The conversation flows easily.

“I didn’t get the chance to ask much about you last night,” I say. “I don’t even know what you do.”

Laura takes a sip of orange juice. She smiles humbly, then answers. “I run a wedding supplies company.”

“What kind of supplies?”

“Decorations, invites, favors—that kind of thing. I’m a graphic designer. I can personalize almost anything. I can create custom fonts, graphics, and incorporate different colors and themes. Everything we produce is original.”

“That’s awesome,” I say. I mean it, too. I don’t care whether Laura’s company is a grassroots start-up or a world-dominating super organization. She’s created something from scratch. “I wanted to start my own company when I was younger, but it was a lot of work. I couldn’t get my head around the taxes. It was easier to work for someone else.”

“You said you did sales?”

“That’s right. Medical machinery. Scanners, ultrasounds, and operating technology.”

“Wow. That sounds like unique knowledge.”

I nod. “I’ve learned a crazy amount about medicine in this job. I know the specifications for every machine in operation in hospitals across the state. I have a PPO so I can make sure if I ever get sick, I can get scanned in the MRI machine I trust the most.”

“That all sounds quite serious,” Laura says. “That surprises me. Maybe I had the wrong impression of you.”

“Like everyone, I wear lots of hats. I take my work very seriously, but it’s all about balance. I work hard. I play hard.”

“I’m jealous,” Laura says. “I don’t have any kind of work-life balance. Honestly, I’m obsessed. This is the first vacation I’ve had in six years.”

“Are you kidding me?” I look across at her and offer a playful smile. “I guess you’re going to have to make the most of this one. Do everything you can to enjoy yourself.”

“What about you?” she asks. “Do you get a lot of time off?”

“I don’t need it. My work involves a lot of travel. When I do my sales tours, I’m away for months at a time. It’s hotels and expensive dinners all the way. I try to fit as many pitches into a day as possible so I can take days off in between and get to enjoy the time away from home. Two birds, one stone.”

“Where have you been?”

“Different places in America. I do tours at least once a year. When I’m lucky, I get to take trips abroad, too. I’ve been to Britain, Australia, and Japan.”

“That sounds exciting.”

“It can be. What about your work? Do you get to travel around at all?”

She shakes her head. “I mostly work from behind a computer screen doing graphic design. I go to the odd trade fair and networking event. I love sourcing new products to work with and customize.”

“Do you do it all on your own?”

“I work with one of my best friends, Hannah. Once the company started taking off, I needed an extra pair of hands. I do the creative side of things, like sourcing the products and customizing them. Hannah deals with administration and accounting. I’m a bit of a control-freak, though. She probably feels like I’m always looking over her shoulder!”

“I bet you have fun working together.”

A sentimental look comes over Laura’s face. She nods. “It is. I love my girls. We’ve been best friends since the first year of college, and Hannah’s absolutely wonderful. She knows how to make me laugh.”

As I’m listening to her, my phone starts ringing. I ignore it, but Laura insists I take it.

“Go ahead,” she says. “I’ve got a platter of pastries to work with. I think I can keep myself entertained for two minutes.”

I don’t want to take the call in case it’s Alice, but I don’t want to explain anything to Laura. I decide to compromise. I’ll accept the call but try to keep it brief. I’m relieved when I look at the caller ID and see it’s not Alice calling again. I hold the phone to my ear and can’t keep a smile from spreading across my face. It’s someone placing an order for one of the machines I pitched yesterday morning.

Another eighty grand in the bank.

“That’s fantastic, Dr. Rickson. I’ll sort it with the office and have them send you an invoice. Rebecca will call you to confirm everything and make arrangements for delivery. Thank you again. It was a pleasure to meet you, too, sir. All the best with the new machine. You won’t regret your decision. It’s proven to pick up on metastatic diseases ten percent earlier than the competition. It’s a long-term investment.”

I hang up and find Laura looking at me with one eyebrow raised and an amused expression on her face. “Work?”

“Closed a sale.” I slip the phone back into the pocket of my slacks and tilt my head back to let the sun shine on my face. Today’s going to be a good day.

“Was it a big sale?”

“They’re all big sales.”

Laura smiles and lifts her glass of orange juice. “I guess congratulations are in order.”

“Thanks.”

She closes her eyes and basks in the sun. I take the opportunity to drink in the sight of her. She’s beautiful in the sunlight, her hair glowing like embers, and her pale skin turning pink.

“Have you ever been to Vegas before?” I ask her.

“Never.”

“Where are you from originally?”

“Illinois. You?”

“Michigan.”

“We’re pretty far apart from each other.”

“Not right now.” I refill her glass of juice and catch her eye. “We’re staying in the very same hotel, right under each other’s noses for at least another five nights.”

Laura laughs lightly. “I still don’t know what got into me. Believe it or not, I’m not the sort of girl who usually sleeps with guys right off the bat like that.”

“I’m not usually that type, either.”

That’s because you’ve been in a relationship for twelve years.

“I guess it’s the magic of Vegas.”

“It definitely does cast a spell over you, Laura. The excitement is catching.”

“Especially after a windfall like last night. It makes you feel like you’re invincible.”

“What time do you think your friends will be ready for you again today?”

Laura takes her phone out her purse and looks at the screen. “Amy said she’d text me when they started to get ready. Nothing yet. I guess they’re still passed out. It’s not surprising after the state they were in last night.”

“Do you think you have time to spend another couple of hours with me?”

Her face lights up. “I might if you insist.”

“They have a spectacular mini-golf course around here.”

She throws her head back in laughter. “I’m absolutely god-awful at it, but that sounds like fun. Sure. Let’s go play some golf.”

We finish up our brunch and walk together out of the hotel. I hold out my arm to her when we’re on the sidewalk. She threads her arm through mine and then beams up at me.

“Isn’t it a gorgeous day?”

“It is now.”

I watch Laura as she looks around at all the sights of Las Vegas, but I’ve seen them all before. All I want to do is look at her. I’m addicted to the way she moves. I see other men turning to look at her as we walk toward our destination. She isn’t aware of the effect she’s having on the male population.

“I love this place,” she says out loud. “It has such an energy to it. I don’t think you could ever get bored here.”

“I know what you mean. It’s like the home of the thrill-seekers.”

“I didn’t realize I was one of them until I got here. Now all I can think about is what’s going to get my heart racing next. First that big win on the roulette wheel, then on the craps table, then going up to your room.” She looks up at me with a flicker of mischief in her eyes. “I’m acting like I’m nineteen again.”

“When I was nineteen, I was selling vacuums. I had to wait until I was a little bit older to have my fun. I try not to waste a single opportunity to enjoy life.”

“Did you go to college?”

“Not exactly, unless you think a degree from the school of hard knocks counts.” I bow my head. “I lost my mother when I was very young. My father passed away when I was eighteen. The combination threw me into the deep end. I took the first job I could find, and I was damned lucky it turned out I was pretty good at it. I went from one sales job to the next until I arrived here. I plugged away until I was indispensable and raised my commission rate.”

Laura’s brows draw together in sympathy. “I’m sorry to hear that. About your parents, I mean.”

“Thanks. It’s all right, though. It happened a long time ago. I’ve come to terms with my grief.”

It was only six months after I lost my father that I met Alice. I push the thought of her to the back of my mind and focus on Laura.

We make it to golf after a twenty-minute stroll, and I pay the entry fee. We pick up our putters and make our way to the first hole. The entire golf course is modeled after the famous sights of Las Vegas. The first hole looks like the Eiffel Tower restaurant, the last like the High Roller. The other holes represent other attractions across the strip and beyond.

Arriving at the first hole, Laura lines herself up. She looks back over her shoulder at me and winks.

“You know, I’m pretty sure I know how to swing a club for miniature golf, but I think it is golf-date etiquette for the man to pretend to teach the girl.”

I laugh and step toward her. I trace my palms down her arms until they settle on the back of her hands. She feels incredibly small when I’m holding her, but I love the way she fits so snugly within my embrace. I sway with her from side to side.

“The basic golf swing is from left to right.”

“Should I stand facing the hole, or side-on?”

“I have no idea.”

Laura bursts into laughter and looks up at me. “I thought you were an expert.”

“I’ve never played a game of golf in my life.”

She grins. “I like your spontaneity.”

“You were quick to accept a crazy golf date yourself.”

“I guess we bring out the fun in each other.”

“Exactly.” I stand close behind her so my body is pressed against hers. “Maybe you could bring out the fun in me again tonight.”

She giggles. “I can’t keep sneaking away with you, Adam. I’m here with friends.”

“That’s what you keep telling me.”

I hold onto her as we pull back the club together and swing it in unison, missing the hole by a mile and sending the ball ricocheting off one of the tower’s legs and disappearing somewhere behind us.

“There’s one thing I can’t figure out,” I say.

“What’s that?”

“You still haven’t returned my keycard. I’m getting the feeling you’re holding onto it for a reason.”

Laura flashes me a smile. “I’m keeping it for a while. Just in case.”