“Stop pouting.” I sighed as we stepped off the elevator onto our floor. Drew hadn’t uttered a word since we left the reception.

“I’m not pouting. I’m…being introspective.” His chin jutted out defensively.

I shook my head. “Not all talks are bad. This one isn’t.”

“It isn’t?” Drew eyed me suspiciously as he opened the door.

I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. “Not this time.” I was smiling as the door opened and I stepped inside. I’d made it all of two feet when I realized there was a huge gift bag on the bed and a cake on the nightstand. “Hey, what’s that?”

He nudged me in the back. “Go see. I’m only responsible for the gift bag, and I’d forgotten all about it. You check out the bag, I’m all over this cake.”

I quickly turned and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Oh, thank you, Drew.”

“You don’t even know what it is yet,” he protested. “Maybe you should check it out first to see if you’re thankful or not.” The way he smiled down at me, I could tell he felt pretty confident.

“You’re really sneaky,” I murmured as I made my way to the bed. I hiked up the skirt of my dress so I could sit cross-legged on the duvet. Taking a deep breath, I pulled the tissue paper out of the way to reveal the contents, and squealed. Without further hesitation, I yanked out the tote I’d been ogling in the shop. “How did you know I liked it?”

Drew leaned against the wall and smiled lazily. “I watched you. I rather enjoy it. Getting to know you, spending time with you, it’s the most fun I’ve had in a ridiculously long time.” He strolled over to the nightstand, picked up the card and announced, “This is for you.” He chuckled as he sat beside me on the bed. “Looks like Ty made good on the special dessert he promised you.” He grabbed one of the forks from beside the plate on the nightstand. “Cake makes everything better. Want a bite?” I shook my head. “Dammit. You’re stronger than I am. I about forgot I’d promised to keep you away from calories after the wedding cake,” Drew grumbled before he took a bite, chewed, and swallowed. “Oh, my word, this is insanely good. So, now I’m ready to be brave and we’ll get this talk out of the way.” He set the fork back down.

For several seconds, I wondered how to start the conversation while I hugged the tote to my chest. This was the most thoughtful gift anyone had ever given me. He paid attention. He cared. And this made what I had to say all the more painful. “Well, I’ve been thinking about this going back to L.A. bit.”

“Let me interrupt you.” Drew chewed on his cheek for a moment before continuing. “See, I know earlier, I was mostly teasing about not going back to L.A., but now, I’m serious.”

I nodded. “It’s the drug dealer, huh?”

“You heard him, right? As they hauled him away, he kept threatening me. He knows where I live. I either have to move in L.A., or since I’m moving anyway, I could move here.” Drew shrugged, but when I touched him, I felt a slight tremor under my hand.

“I get it. I think it’s a smart decision.” I pursed my lips for a moment. “I’d love to have you around, spend more time together, if you want.”

His mouth dropped open before he shook his head and recovered enough to speak. “If I want? If? Really, Talia?” He groaned. “My game must be way off. I thought I’d made it incredibly obvious how I felt about you.” Drew took me by the shoulders and stared into my eyes. “I’m crazy about you, Talia. And before you ask, I don’t do this. I’ve never done this, but there’s something about you.” He leaned in and kissed me gently. “I like us together.”

My heart raced. “I want this, really I do…”

Drew flopped back onto the bed. “There’s a ‘but.’ Why?”

“Listen, I’m afraid of getting attached to you, afraid of you getting attached to me.” He started to object, but I laid a finger over his lips. “You have to understand, I’m saying this to protect you. My brother texted me earlier, while you were in the bathroom. He confirmed Dominik was being held by ICE. It reminded me that I could be deported. And then what?”

He pulled my hand away from his mouth. “And then I move to Poland. I’m rich. They’ll love me there.” Drew grinned.

“You’re such an ass. Do you not understand what a gamble this is? How can you ignore the risk?” I felt desperate to make him understand. “Hurting you would kill me,” I whispered.

His brows shot up. “You don’t seem to mind hurting me now.”

I frowned and started to open my mouth to explain my rationale, but he pressed his finger to my lips.

* * *

“My turn,” I murmured as I closed the distance between us. “I understand your fear.” I wrapped my arms around her body and hugged her close for a moment while I waited for her heart to slow. “Calm down, pussy cat.” I reached up and pulled the hair tie out of her bun and let the raven tresses spill down her back before I massaged her head and finger combed her hair. “Better yet?” I rubbed the side of my face against hers.

“Getting there.” She moaned. “What are you doing to me, Drew? Did you not hear a word I said?”

“I’m making you forget the bad stuff. I’m helping you focus on the good stuff.” I laughed quietly in her ear. As I’d hoped, she responded and turned her head for a kiss. Then I slowly tugged down the slider on her zipper.

When she pulled back, Talia narrowed her eyes. “You have a lot more convincing to do before any of this goes much further.

“Okay.” I held up my hands in surrender. “Look, we’re in Vegas.”

“I’m aware,” she grumbled. “I’ve lived here as long as I can remember.”

“Great! Then you can show me around.” I chuckled. When she failed to react, I blew out a breath. “Got it. Not funny.” I swallowed and ran a hand down her side. “If there’s anything I’ve learned in the last few months, it’s that life’s a gamble. Everything is a goddamn gamble.” I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. “Life is pure chance and the house always wins. Only this time, I’m clean and sober. I’m feeling better than I have in years. And honestly, I know I have you to thank for this.”

“Don’t put this on me. It’s you. It has to be you. If it’s not, then it’ll all crumble if something happens.” Her lower lip trembled.

“You’re not getting deported,” I announced.

“How can you possibly know that? I don’t even know that!” The frustration was evident in her tone. She tried to look away and I suspected it was because she was about to cry.

“What does that mean? Do you have an ICE appointment?” I studied her carefully.

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

“You do or you don’t. Stop playing coy with me. I’m trying to help you,” I grumbled.

Without saying a word, Talia stalked over to her old purse sitting on the shelf in the closet. She snatched it and grumbled under her breath the whole way back to the bed. “Fine. You want proof. Here.” She reached inside the purse, pulled out an envelope and dropped it in my lap.

My lips twitched while I tried not to laugh. This wasn’t funny, but she was so damn cute, I could hardly stand it. So, I picked up the envelope, ready to read it, when I realized a key point. “Pussy cat, this is still sealed shut. You never opened it.” I inhaled deeply. “This is your proof?”

She bit her lip and I watched as the whites of her eyes turned pink. I wrapped an arm around her and drew her close. Finally, she spoke. “I was afraid. Now, after hearing about Dominik, I’m terrified. Franco may be older, but I feel like I’m the one who has to save both of us. It’s a lot of pressure.”

“I bet it is.” I nodded, then pressed my lips to her forehead. “What if we open this together so we know what we’re dealing with?” I passed the envelope back to her.

“Why do I have to open it?” she whimpered.

“Because it’s a federal offense for me to tamper with it.” I squeezed her more tightly. “I’m here for you. We’re in this together. You don’t have to be afraid.”

Talia stared up at me, a scowl on her face. “Your liberal use of the word ‘we’ hasn’t escaped me, Drew.”

I chuckled. “The fact that you still haven’t given me a pet name hasn’t escaped me, Talia.”

“Well, you seemed morally opposed to ‘asshole.’ Would ‘dumbass’ be better?” She glared at me.

“I think you’re missing the subtle distinction between pet names and name-calling.” My brow shot up in challenge. “Now stop deflecting and start opening.” I jerked my head toward the official paperwork she refused to read.

“You’re pushy as hell.” She sighed.

“And you’re feisty when you’re scared.” I shrugged. “I can deal with that.”

She growled before finally breaking down and peeling back the flap on the envelope. After taking a deep breath, she slowly pulled out the letter. When she finished unfolding it, she covered her eyes and shoved the paper at me, crinkling it against my chest. “You read it. I can’t.”

“Damn. If this is the only way for us to find, I’ll do it.” I started to scan it and read it in my head, but she jabbed me in the ribs. “What?”

“Out loud,” she urged.

“Dearest Talia Bartek,” I began jokingly. “Hey, I didn’t know your last name was Bartek. Fascinating. Look! I’m getting to know you better already!” I grinned as she rolled her eyes. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement requests the honor of your presence..”

“It does not say that,” she groaned.

“It might. And if you’d have read it yourself, you’d know for sure. Instead, you get to hear my version,” I replied indignantly. Then I cleared my throat. “Where was I?”

“Honor of my presence,” she grumbled.

“Let me cut to the chase. Your appointment is two months away. That’s plenty of time.” I grinned confidently.

Rubbing her temples, she rocked back and forth. “Okay, so I take the money I was paid to date you, then I get a lawyer on retainer.” She glanced up at me. “Is the retainer double for two people? I can’t leave Franco to his own devices or we’ll be Skyping to celebrate Christmas together.” She blew out a breath. “Doesn’t matter. No matter how much the lawyer requests, we’ll blow through it in our first meeting. I know how these things work.”

“Talia, relax. You won’t be spending a penny of that money. Believe me, whatever they offered you for this weekend, you earned it.” I laughed. “On Monday, I can hire lawyers to help you. And once you stop fighting me, I plan to marry you.” I opened my mouth to relay my entire plan for how to help, but she shook her head.

“Thanks, but no thanks.” She crossed her arms over her body.

I frowned. “No thanks to the lawyers, or the marriage?”

“The marriage,” she blurted out. “The lawyers. Okay, both!”

“I understand you hate when I spend money on you. Get used to it. I plan to do it forever.” I pressed my lips to her temple. “Help me understand your objection to the marriage.”

“I can picture it. One day you’ll wake up and realize you made the worst mistake of your life in tying yourself to someone you barely knew.” She released a hollow laugh. “No, thank you. I’ll pass.”

I smirked. “You think I’d do that? You don’t even know me.”

“That’s my point,” she growled. “I don’t know you. You don’t know me.”

“My point is, if you’d spend more time with me, you’d understand these feelings aren’t going to change.” I took her hand in both of mine and grazed her knuckles with my lips. “I don’t get crushes. I’ve never had a true attraction to anyone.”

“I don’t know if that makes this better or worse,” Talia muttered.

“Better.” I chuckled. “So much better. See, now I get to experience all this clean and sober. I’ll remember every minute detail, like the way the whites of your eyes go pink when you’re trying not to cry, and the way your body responds when I kiss you here.” I buried my face in her neck and sucked and nibbled my way to her earlobe. Instead of the moan I had anticipated, my efforts were met with another groan, but I refused to give up. “Talia, aside from this stint in rehab, I’ve never done a single solitary thing I haven’t wanted to do in my whole life. I’m not just offering to marry you. I’m hoping, soon enough, I can truly convince you to marry me.”

She inhaled sharply. “Why me? You could have any woman in the world. You think you’re going to find long-term happiness with a sometimes waitress, sometimes blackjack dealer, and reluctant social worker?”

“Yes, I do,” I responded calmly. “Have you considered what you truly want to do with your life, pussy cat? You just admitted you have a degree you don’t want to use.”

“I wanted to help people,” she whispered.

“There are plenty of ways to help others without losing yourself. How do you want to spend your time? Where’s your passion?” I studied her a moment. From the look on her face, I could tell she was considering some occupation, but refused to speak it aloud, as if it might be absurd or shameful. “Real estate.” I guessed.

Her brows shot up. “It’s so unpredictable, so unstable, and I’d feel like I was in it for the money. I wasn’t raised to chase a paycheck.”

“But you love it, right? What is it?” I grinned. We were finally getting somewhere.

“I’ve never lived in a house, but I’ve always wanted to. I gave up on having a family, but I’d love to help others find the perfect place to grow theirs. I guess I could look at it as another way of helping.” Talia shrugged.

“You could. You could start with me, with us. Help us find the perfect place.” I ran my hand through her hair and smiled at her. “I’ll help you get your real estate license. You’ll help me stay sane and sober, because that’s what couples do. They help each other.”

She bit her lower lip and nodded at me. “They do, don’t they?”

“You know how blackjack works, right?” I waited for her to nod before continuing. “The thing is, you have to be able to see everything on the table, you have to pay attention to your cards and everyone else’s. You have to know when to hit and when to fold.”

“I get it. Where’s this going?” She frowned.

“I was a lousy gambler. Too much drinking. Only now everything makes sense.” I pressed my forehead to hers. “I’m betting on you. You’re the safest, smartest move I’ve ever made.” Then I kissed her with everything in me. I held nothing back because I might not ever have the chance again if I messed this up. Her lips parted for me and my tongue stroked hers, stoking a fire and announcing my desire. When I finally pulled back, we were both panting.

“You win,” Talia whispered.

“It’s about damn time,” I joked as I crushed her to my body. “Get used to this. I’m going to keep you this close forever.”

“Then I guess we both win.” She sighed happily as she pressed her ear to my heart.

“We definitely do.” I moved us so my head was on the pillows. Feeling more calm and confident than before, I let my eyelids shut.

“Wait,” Talia whispered loudly.

“What?” I moaned. “No more doubts. Not tonight.”

“What about tomorrow?” she murmured.

“Not then either.” I chuckled.

“No, what happens tomorrow?” Her chin moved against my body and I knew she was staring up at me.

I lazily opened my eyes. “Tomorrow, we talk to Harry and Ty over brunch. We explain I’m not going back to L.A.”

“Think they’ll be mad?” Her eyes widened.

“Not anymore.” I shook my head. “Now, they’ll be glad. We’ll be the three married musketeers.” I snickered. “Then you talk to your brother and explain you’re not coming home.”

Talia bit her bottom lip. “I don’t know how to leave him alone. He needs me.”

“Fine. We get a place and your brother moves in. Problem solved.” I grinned.

She sat up. “And tonight?”

“Tonight, we get comfortable and you get used to sleeping in my arms.” I moved until we were eye-to-eye on the mattress. “We’re taking our time, Talia. We don’t need to rush forever.”

“Damn, you really are marriage material,” she murmured.

I kissed the tip of her nose and cupped her cheek briefly. “I am now. And I’ll wait as long as It takes to make it official.”