Chapter One
Ashley Adams peered around the hotel lobby, watching the entrance while the sweat-dampened pages of a high-fashion magazine crinkled in her fisted hand. With legs crossed, she bounced her foot, a black four-inch stiletto pump dangling from her toes as she did her best to appear relaxed on a soft leather sofa. A special purchase just for the occasion, her wardrobe had needed to be sexed up a bit, and the shoes screamed sex.
Each time the door to the hotel slid open, her heart nearly palpitated as a guest or couple breezed past. She swallowed over the lump of nervousness lodged in her throat. God, this is too nerve wracking. On a whim, she’d booked a flight to Vegas after joining the dating service, 1NightStand. A close friend steamrolled her into it, insisting the business was on the up and up, even if for only one night of passion. Ashley had to admit a chance to feel sexy again with the super hot guy Madame Evangeline, the owner of 1NightStand, had found for her, would do wonders for the waning self-esteem she struggled with. She had yet to find a man who really did it for her. Some too tall, others too short, there was always something she could find wrong with the man or relationship for a huge letdown. It’d been months since her last date. She inhaled the scent of leather from the sofa as she tried to settle her nerves. Perhaps she’d be single the rest of her life.
Just around the corner, forty stared her down like a snorting bull. Coupled with the fact she worked at an upscale salon in Manhattan alongside twenty-somethings who’d labeled her Mom. Were her fine lines really that noticeable now?
She blew out a long, shuddering breath and checked her watch again. Twenty minutes past eight. Maybe he’d had a change of heart. Maybe he’d seen her picture and decided an old lady like her didn’t flip his switch. At twenty-six years old, tall, dark, and handsome Justin met the total babe criteria. If he walked into her New York salon, he’d certainly have his pick of women, and some men, too, if he swung that way. Ashley closed her eyes and shook her head free of the rash conclusions. Traffic would be heavy on Friday night in Vegas.
“Hi, are you Ashley?”
Her head jerked up, and she stared into the darkest, most soulful eyes she’d ever seen.
The man studied her face, a lopsided grin curling his lips. “I apologize; I got caught in traffic.”
Before her stood the gorgeous hunk in the photo she’d stashed in her suitcase. The same man she’d fantasized about the night before as she’d given her vibrator a good workout. Her face heated at the memory, and she darted a look at his feet, fearing he’d somehow read her wayward thoughts. Worn cowboy boots. Sexy….
“Yes, Justin. Hi.” Her voice squeaked and she winced. The magazine fell with a loud rustle to the floor when she made to stand, but as her foot came down, the loose pump twisted sideways and threw her off balance. His hands shot out, grasping her forearms before she toppled into a heap.
He flashed another dashing grin, shooting a jolt of awareness to her toes, but he remained mercifully quiet, though amusement twinkled in his eyes.
Her cheeks burned. Smooth move, you dork. She waved a hand and stretched her face into a smile to salvage what she could from her first impression. “I swear I haven’t been drinking—I’m naturally this graceful.”
Justin laughed, the rich baritone sending a warm rush over her flesh. It quelled the sudden urge to bolt from the lobby of the upscale Castillo Resorts Hotel. Why do I have to be such a klutz? He still held her, and his thumbs stroked the sensitive skin on the inside of her elbow. Her throat went dry, as her panties became wet. Who knew the crook of an arm could be such an erogenous zone?
His eyes, glittering in the soft lighting of the lobby, were the color of rich chocolate and tempted her sweet tooth. Thick, dark brows and glossy black hair, a little long at the collar, coupled with an olive complexion, gave him the appearance of a romance cover hunk.
Maybe he’s a crazy serial killer. The idea tumbled around her brain, and she shoved away the silly thought. Madame Evangeline did thorough screenings on each of her clients, and there was no reason for her to start finding fault now—as she did with all men.
“So, do you have a room, or do you want me to get one?” His voice had a southern twang; his profile stated he’d been raised in Kentucky. God, they know how to grow men in that state.
Lost in her own daydreaming, she blinked several times to clear her head. “Um, yeah.”
Seconds ticked by.
“So, which is it?” His perfect white teeth appeared as he smiled. She nearly swooned.
“Oh, uh, I already have the room. Sorry, I had a long flight.” She took a deep breath and collected herself. Justin picked up her suitcase, and she thanked him before grabbing her purse. “Just follow me.” She fumbled in her bag for the key.
“My pleasure.” The purr in his voice shot hot shivers down her spine. Oh, heaven help me if I do one more stupid thing tonight. They stepped into the elevator, and she punched the button for the fifth floor. Electric pinpricks of awareness raced down her left side at Justin’s nearness. She glanced into his face to find his own eyes intense as his gaze swept over her features. She shifted from one foot to the other beneath the scrutiny.
“You’re more beautiful than your picture.” He reached past her shoulder and hit the emergency stop. Her breath caught in her throat when the elevator jolted to a halt.
“What are you doing?” She darted a glance up at the security camera.
The way his mouth curved at the corners made her knees knock. “Your profile said you liked to be adventurous.” The tip of his tongue stroked over his bottom lip as he watched her through heavy-lidded eyes.
“I—I meant trekking through the wilds of Africa, sky diving, that sort of thing.” Her heart beat so loudly, surely he had to hear it. He stepped forward—his finger traced her jaw line before he tipped her chin up. She swallowed.
“Sky diving? Can’t say I’d have the guts to try that, though I’d love the chance to kiss a pretty girl in an elevator.”
A corny come-on line if she’d ever heard one, but spoken with a whiskey-smooth Kentucky drawl—damn, it works for me. That’s what she’d come for, to have an unforgettable night with a hot hunk to stir up her humdrum life. After all, she’d dished out the funds for the flight, half the price of the hotel room, and the 1NightStand fee.
He moved in close, and a wonderful, heady mix of musk and spice filled her nose. Her insides somersaulted in anticipation, wicked intent written all over his perfectly chiseled face. They could be kicked out of the hotel, or worse—arrested and appear on one of those dumbest criminals shows. The elevator wall pressed into her back, but when he leaned forward and touched his lips to hers, all the reasons they shouldn’t be doing this in the elevator evaporated.
***
Damn, she’s beautiful. Her fit figure curved in all the right places, absolutely perfect without a doctor’s tampering—something rare in Vegas. Since relocating to the city a year ago, he’d quickly become jaded by the women who called the Vegas strip home. He drew her tight to his pelvis and slanted his mouth over hers to coax her mouth open.
But Ashley is something special. He’d known it to the marrow of his bones the moment her wide blue eyes had peered at him from her photo. Not one to challenge instinct, he’d sought out this woman who now set fire to his senses. She groaned and clutched his biceps as her tongue tangled with his.
Granted, he didn’t like to move things this fast, even with a one-night stand, but he couldn’t help himself.
“Honey,” he whispered against her lips, “if we don’t get this elevator started now, I’m going to take you right here.”
Justin fumbled until he hit a button that sent the elevator humming back to life. With one hand beneath the hem of Ashley’s miniskirt, his mouth trailed down the side of her neck, savoring the sweet taste of her skin, inhaling her soft scent that reminded him of honeysuckle. His cock throbbed; it’d been too long since he’d known the lust that boiled within him now. Other women didn’t have this effect, and as arousal took over his body, bitterness settled in the back of his mind. The bell dinged and the door slid open. He glanced over to see the wide-eyed, slack-jawed gaze of an unexpected witness. Ashley gasped as the red-faced brunette woman backed out of the elevator and disappeared behind the closing doors. Glancing at the panel, he realized the elevator had returned to the lobby.
Ashley reached a shaky finger to punch the fifth floor button, right before laughter burst from her lips. “Well, I think we gave her a bit of a shock.”
The warmth of her laugh seeped into his skin as he studied the gold flecks mixed in the dark blue of her eyes. “I reckon so—let’s hope she’s here to have some fun tonight, as well. Maybe we gave her some ideas.”
He pulled Ashley to his side, and the second time the doors opened to an empty hallway. She teetered out to the fifth floor, gripping at the wall to keep steady. He studied her shapely legs encased in black stockings, her round butt, small waist, his gaze traveling up to her glossy, strawberry blonde hair. He preferred brunettes, but her unusual gold and sapphire eyes had caught his attention the moment he’d seen her photo. The thought of her in nothing but thigh highs and a smile sent longing through him that proved just about more than a man could stand. He grabbed her suitcase as well as his own bag and followed her to the room.
Ashley muttered approval as they stepped into the suite. Perhaps a little over the top for a simple one-nighter, but he’d made sure special accommodations were provided. There wouldn’t be much wining and dining, but he needed a bit of romance. Fresh cut flowers sat in crystal vases, their aroma filling the room, and a massive bed with an ornately carved headboard and luxurious cotton sheets dominated the space.
After tonight he hoped things would be different, that he’d have the chance to settle the ghosts that haunted him. With wide eyes, Ashley took in their surroundings, and his nerve endings sizzled with her nearness. Electric currents passed between them, though it seemed he was much more aware of it than she was. He closed his eyes and she was replaced by a woman from long ago, one with long, sable hair, but all too similar eyes.