Natasha

I haven’t bowled in years, and I can’t say I ever thought about doing it again, but I’m having fun. A lot of fun. And yes, it has everything to do with the man I’m with.

“Yeah, baby,” Haring yells as he bowls yet another strike. His score is more than double what mine is, but I’m still smiling.

Every woman—and some men—in this bowling alley is checking him out, but it’s me he kisses after every turn. I’m the one who gets to rub my hand over his faded U2 t-shirt, and sometimes, even under it. He looks perfect, while I look just okay today, yet here he is.

“I should’ve borrowed your blow dryer,” I sigh, as he pulls me onto his lap, and nuzzles my neck.

My hair is a riot of unruly curls, and it’s not the best look. I’m not particularly vain, or obsessed with how I look, but I do like to know I’m at my best when I’m on a date. Today, I can’t say that, because I’m a little bit of a mess.

“Who says I own one?”

“There is no way your hair looks so good most days without one.”

“You don’t think it looks good right now?”

Of course, it does, the bastard. It’s sticking up in places, and flopping in others, but it’s sexy as hell. I roll my eyes. “You know you’re hot. Half this place is eye-fucking you right now.”

“Only half? I must be losing my touch?”

“I’m not counting the kids.”

“I hope not. Just so you know, your curls are making me crazy.”

“Crazy, like ‘I can’t believe I’m in public with this woman and her wild hair’?”

“No. Crazy, like I want to wrap these curls around my hand, and pull your head back while I fuck you from behind. Right here, and now.”

“The children,” I remind him.

“They’re the only reason I’m not doing it.”

“Would you think less of me if I said I wouldn’t stop you if it was only adults here?”

“Fuck no. Damn, I meant it when I said you’re the perfect woman.”

“No one’s perfect, Haring.” Especially not me.

“Whatever. Now, you’ve got me wishing I hadn’t used the valet for my car. We could be making out in the garage once this game is finished.”

“We can make out at the next place.”

“Oh yeah. Go take your turn, Vixen, so we can get out of here.”

We finish the game, our kisses in between turns getting hotter, and needier. I don’t resist when he lifts me up, and carries me out. I wrap my legs around him, and suck on his neck while we make our way through the casino. We kiss while we wait for the car, and I know the edge of my panties are showing as he squeezes my ass, but I’m too far gone for this man to care.

We’re forced apart by the arrival of the car, and I fight the urge to climb on top of him as he drives us to our next destination. It should be illegal for a man to be this sexy. Actually, it probably is in some states.

“How far is it?”

“A few miles. I would just stop somewhere, and put my mouth back on you, but this job is important to me.”

“I’m not complaining. I mean, I am, but it’s only because just being near you makes me so damn horny.”

“You can’t say things like that to me while I’m trying to drive.”

“I’ll talk about your job, then. I’m excited to see everything you’re planning, and I love that you want me to go with you to check things out.”

“Are you sure? Sometimes I think I’m not being romantic enough.”

“Yes, and you are. Fun is underrated on dates.”

“I’m going to wine and dine you, too, in case you were wondering.”

“Good to know.”

I behave, and keep my mouth shut until we pull into the parking garage at another casino. Haring parks us in a spot away from most of the other cars, and shuts off the engine. I have my seat belt off, and I’m climbing onto him as he’s pushing his seat a little further back. He reaches down to recline it, but I stop him.

“I like it like this.”

“Whatever you want.”

I want it hot, sweaty, and out-of-control, and that’s exactly what I get. We kiss, caress, bite, grope, and suck on each other. Everything, and anything two people can do while their clothes stay on. When the security guard knocks on the fogged-up car window, my dress is unzipped, but still on, exposing nothing. My hand is down Haring’s unzipped jeans, while one of his has my hair twisted in it, like he said he wanted.

“We have rooms if you want to have sex, but you need to stop what you’re doing in here.”

I slide my hands from his jeans as subtly as possible, keeping him covered with the round skirt of my dress. Haring zips up my dress as he smiles at the guy on the bike.

“Sorry, man, we’re going inside to bowl, and we’ll behave.”

“We’ll be watching.”

“Gotcha.”

The guy waits while I climb off Haring, and pull the visor down to try and fix myself in the mirror. Haring zips up, and runs a hand through that damn hair of his, which still looks sexy. Once he’s satisfied we’re being “good”, the security guy rides off on his bike, and we burst out laughing.

“That was not nearly as embarrassing as I ever thought something like that would be.”

“How many guys in the security room do you think were getting off to you grinding on me?”

“Who cares?”

“Have you ever had sex with someone watching before?”

I turn my head away from him when I answer. “Yes.”

“Ah, so it is your kink.”

“Not really,” I tell him, twisting my curls into a bun, because there is no way to tame them at this point.

“I just want to know what you like.” He sounds a little petulant, so I make myself look at him.

“I didn’t like it before. With you today, I just don’t care if anyone sees us, because I want you so much.”

He smiles, and I know we’re okay. Once he jumps out, and jogs around the car to open my door, I get a chaste kiss on the mouth. This time, we hold hands like kids, eat greasy bowling alley food, and kiss each other sweetly. It’s different, but just as powerful, telling me what I already knew—I’m falling in love with Haring Kingston.

Haring

Natasha and I played indoor miniature golf last night, and I wasn’t in love with it. I get the weather thing here in Vegas, but after playing outside on fun and cheesy courses my whole life, I’m underwhelmed by playing in the dark. I’ve got ideas, but I’m not sure I can work them out.

“You look pensive,” Matt says, standing in my doorway with a raised eyebrow.

“Just working out a problem.”

“Need a sounding board?”

“Actually, yes.”

He takes a seat in one of the chairs across from me. “Go ahead, and tell me what’s got you thinking so hard.”

“I know it’s too hot for outdoor mini golf, but I want to recreate the outdoor experience, indoors. I was thinking of ringing the lobby and check-in desk area with a course. We’d have windows along the outside, and nets all around. There would be little hills, windmills, and all the other wonderfully cheesy stuff you’d find outside.”

“Where’s the problem? It sounds great.”

“I just didn’t know if we could do it.”

“We can do it. We can pretty much do anything you can think of. Tell me what else you’re thinking of.”

I outline my plans for the go-karts outside, the ice rink on a level below the lobby, the bowling alleys—one for families, and a sexier one, for adults only—and everything else I’ve been thinking of. I let him know I’ve contacted Gavin about having his students run the snack area, and what he thinks we should have on the menu.

“Perfect. This is all amazing. Ryan said he assigned Noah to help you.”

“Yep. He’ll be here any minute now to go over the initial plans, based on what I talked to him about last week.”

“Great. Everyone will be moved out of here in the next couple of days, and into the new building. We’ll demo this one on Monday, and start the re-build once everything’s cleared out.”

I shake my head. “I’m not used to all of this. Getting things done in days. It doesn’t seem real.”

“I may sound cavalier about things, but even though I’ve grown up around all this wealth and power, sometimes I can’t believe what I can do, either. I just try to do as much good as I can, and enjoy the perks I have, because I know I’ve worked for them.”

“The money isn’t your happiness.”

“Not a penny. As long as I have Reina, and my boy, I’d be happy in a shack somewhere. Honestly, there are days I wish we were off somewhere alone in a shack.”

“The world needs you—and her—too much,” I say, guessing at why they don’t just turn things over to other people, and disappear.

“Yes. I’m not complaining, but yes, we’ve given ourselves to the world, and it will be a long time before we can step back from that.”

Before he can say anything else, there’s a knock on my doorframe, and I look up to see Noah standing there, with a blueprint tube slung over one arm.

“Hey, am I interrupting?”

“Nope. Just checking in. I look forward to hearing about what you’ve got from us once Haring approves it.”

“Thanks,” I tell Matt, because having him give me total control over this makes it easier to get past what I foolishly lost. I shouldn’t need that, but I’m becoming self-aware enough to admit to myself that I do.

“You deserve this, Haring. Don’t ever think you don’t, because while I want to give everyone I can a chance, I’m still a businessman at the end of the day. That means I don’t just give blanket trust to people, unless I know they’re going to do the job right.”

“I appreciate your faith in me.”

Noah and I both watch him walk out, because it’s almost impossible not to. “You ready to knock this out?” Noah asks, once he’s out of sight.

“Let’s do this.”

Hours later, we’ve got everything nailed down. After designing a big part of the new C&C building, Noah already knows nothing is impossible, and doesn’t blink an eye at the craziest of my ideas.

“I’ll have the new plans for you by Monday. If you approve them, I’ll get the permits sorted, and we’ll start building.”

“Sounds great. Thanks, Noah.”

“You’re welcome.”

I look around my office when he leaves, making sure I didn’t miss packing anything up. I haven’t been here long, and I knew we were moving, so I didn’t bring much in here. My one box will be retrieved by the movers tonight, while the security team watches over them. Tomorrow, I’ll unpack it in my new office, and start to make that place my own.

Right now, I want to see my woman. We’ve had a whirlwind week of dates, sex, and fun. She’s working tonight at the bar, and there’s no place I’d rather be than where she is, so I make my way there.

I don’t see her when I walk in, but I’m not worried—she’s probably helping in the back. When a half-hour passes, and there’s still no sign of her, I walk to the other side of the bar. The older guy on this side is the one who refused to serve me the night things started for us, and he seems to be her second-in-command.

“Hey.”

He looks bored as he meets my eyes. “What can I get you?”

“I’m looking for Natasha.”

“Some guys came in, and she left with them.”

“What? Who was it?”

“No clue. All I know is they mentioned Washington, D.C. They looked like the kind of guys you wouldn’t want to mess with, if you get my drift.”

I have to grip the bar, so I don’t fall over. I get it. I more than get it. My past just reared its ugly head, and came for Natasha. I have to go back to the place I can’t safely go back to, in order to save her. There’s no other option. I love her, and I’ll die for her if I have to.