Chapter Three

~Nicole~

Of all the things I had expected to happen at the Casino, it was not a tall, devastatingly handsome man approaching me and buying my drink when the magnetic strip of my card gave out.

I couldn’t believe it, and I had to blink multiple times to be sure that what I thought was happening was indeed happening. But sure enough, the guy was taking care of my drink and getting one of his own.

At first, I thought he was going to proposition me, or tell me that I owed him or something, but instead he just turned to me with an understanding look and said that I looked like I could use one.

Who was I to look a gift horse in the mouth. I agreed, and hastily started drinking the beverage before he could try to change his mind and take it back.

“Huh, I didn’t know you needed it that badly,” he said, a wry smile on his face.

It was funny, his voice was low and borderline threatening, but his tone was jovial, and his expression was inviting. It was like when professional fighters or wrestlers were polite. You could see that they were being sweethearts, but their intense muscles and scars often spoke otherwise.

“It’s been that kind of day,” I said, slamming the glass onto the counter once I was done.

“I’ve had a few of those,” he laughed gently and looked to the bartender. “Her drinks are on me tonight. All of them.” He gave me a wink on the last part. “As long as you drink responsibly, that is.”

“You serious?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

“Almost always,” he shot back.

“Alright then,” I turned to the bartender and batted my eyelashes. “I’ll take your pink sapphire martini with all top shelf ingredients.” I quickly flicked my gaze back to him to see if he was regretting his decision, but he looked just as nonplussed as when he offered.

Huh, I thought that would have phased him. I was old enough where I’d encountered men who tried to impress me with how much money they were willing to spend on me only to balk when I ordered anything above six dollars. And the pink sapphire was somewhere around forty to a hundred dollars depending on which casino you were in.

“Good choice,” he said, sipping his own gin and tonic. I had to take in his whole aesthetic while he stood there.

He was tall, well over six foot, and his shoulders were quite broad. Even with the expensive suit he was wearing, I could tell that he was muscled for the gods. His face was quite handsome, angular and framed with blond hair, highlighting his angular, intense eyes.

All in all, he was the kind of guy that I would normally watch out for. There was a certain group of people who tended to say they were suffering from “yellow fever” to me, and they tended to be businessmen who were used to everyone kowtowing to them. But so far, he hadn’t even tried to hit on me. Was he trying to, dare I say it, have a real conversation?

Unheard of. And yet, he had definitely caught my interest.

“So, do you do this often?”

“There are a whole lot of variables in this situation for me to know what ‘this’ means.”

“Buy strange women fifty-dollar drinks in bars.”

“Oh, so you’re strange now? Do tell me how.”

I laughed at that. I was not used to someone bantering back with me, in fact I was pretty sure that this was the longest conversation I had had with someone since I had arrived in Vegas, but I definitely appreciated the change.

“Well, why don’t we start with names?” I asked, smiling wryly. “I’m Nicole.”

“James,” he responded, offering his hand.

I shook it, trying not to marvel at how my small, tanned hand completely disappeared within his pale, large one.

“So, what brings you here?” I asked.

“Celebrating a business milestone. You?”

“Trying to create a life milestone.”

“Sounds intense.”

“You’d be right again,” I said, taking the new drink that the bar tender automatically left in front of me and sipping at it. Man, it definitely made a difference to have money; the treatment was like night and day.

He chuckled lightly, and the conversation went on. I was surprised by how entertaining and respectful it was. Even as I was getting tipsy, he didn’t try to make a move or be a creep. It was so refreshing that I was disappointed when my phone alarm went off, telling me I needed to leave now if I wanted to catch the last bus.

“Are we having a Cinderella moment here?” He asked, laughing lightly.

“You could call it that,” I said, blushing ever so slightly. “I need to make sure I make it to the bus stop or I’ll be stranded here all night.”

I didn’t miss the disappointed look that crossed his face, but he straightened and gave the smallest of bows. “Then by all means, perhaps I can walk you to the door?”

“Really? You serious?” I knew it was the second time that I had asked him that, but it wasn’t my fault that he kept surprising me!

“Isn’t that the gentlemanly thing to do?”

“I suppose it is,” I said, wiggling out of my seat and putting my heel back on. “Well, if you are offering, I am more than happy to accept.”

“Perfect.” He turned to grab his drink from the counter and I just kept walking, figuring he would catch up to me in just a few small steps considering his long legs.

But I barely made it a couple of steps before a shadow suddenly loomed in front of me and I was looking into the red eyes of a clearly inebriated stranger.

“Hey there, beautiful! What are you doing tonight?”

Ugh, now this was what I was used to. I tried to step away, but they threw their arm over my shoulders and hung heavily from my frame.

“I have to go.” I said, attempting to push him off.

“What? Why! It’s Vegas baby! You should be having the time of your life!”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I’d-”

Out of nowhere, two large hands alighted on the man’s shoulders and forcibly removed him from my body. I looked behind me, completely gob smacked, to see none other than James standing behind me.

“Excuse you, but I believe the lady needed to leave.” He said, voice low and dangerous.

The drunkard cowered, his eyes wide, and he scuttled off, leaving me staring up at my savior with shock.

“Thank you,” I said breathlessly.

“It is no problem.” He looked at the expensive watch on his wrist. “Did you miss your window?”

I looked down at my phone and my stomach dropped. “Oh geeze… maybe. It’s gonna be close.”

“You know what?” he murmured, offering me his arm. “Why don’t we talk a little more, and I can hail you a cab?”

Wow, what a turn my luck had taken. “Why would you do that?”

“Because you’re beautiful and you make me laugh, so I’d enjoy your company a bit longer.”

Well, I certainly couldn’t fault him for being honest. Although it certainly wasn’t the first time that I had been called beautiful, there was certainly a matter of factness to his tone that tickled me in all the right ways.

How long had it been since I had connected with someone like this? Felt true, easy going chemistry and good conversation? Ages. And I couldn’t help but wonder if he was as thoughtful in between the sheets as he was out of them.

“I think I’ll take you up on that,” I answered, raising my chin to look up at him with half-lidded eyes. “Why don’t you show me to your room where we can talk without yelling over all the jackpot winners?”

“That sounds like a great idea,” he said, letting me loop my arm through his and leading me off towards the hotel half of the building.

Whatever happened, this was certainly going to be my first night to remember since I had moved here. I just hoped that they were good memories.