Closing The Gap (Dangerous Pasts, #1) (20 page)

“Lake, look at me.”  His voice turned soft, yet demanding.  He would settle for nothing less than seeing her eyes and expression during this moment.  He felt as if he’d been waiting his entire life for it.  Maybe, he had.  Her green eyes popped open and she still had a languorous look on her face.  He wanted to send that look straight to euphoria. 

“I can’t believe how much I want you.  I’ve never felt like this, ever.  Lake, don’t take your eyes off my face, even for one second.”

Later, Josh would reflect on the moment he lost his heart for what would turn out to be the very first time.  Nothing previous had ever compared.  His marriage to Shelly hadn’t possessed the kind of bone numbing, soul encompassing love like this.  She’d been a high school crush, that had turned into a habit, which had turned into a safety net.  As he sunk deep in to Lake’s body and felt her white hot heat surround him, he realized he was gone.  Looking into her eyes while he stroked inside her body in the most intimate way possible, it just couldn’t be described.  Josh used his hands to mold her breasts and nipples until they were hard and straining. 

“Oh my, God, you feel so incredible.  So tight and hot.  I’m not sure how much longer I can last.  I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to do this.  Lake, please tell me you’re close.”

“I don’t know.  It’s never happened to me like this.”

“Well, that is just plain unacceptable and it ends now.”  Josh reached down and thumbed her in light circles while he stroked so he could hit her G-Spot in just the right place.  Shit, it worked.  He could feel her inner muscles clench around him which made the vacuum sensation even keener.  The tightness felt exquisite.  He just couldn’t last anymore.  He’d have to make it up to her tomorrow.  Just when he thought he couldn’t hold back another second, he felt her surrender, his name flying from her lips.  The waves of her orgasm felt like they were milking him dry.  He let go and experienced the most intense climax of his life, the bliss indescribable.  After it was over, he leaned in and slid his hands up either side of her face as he kissed her lightly on the lips.  In spite of the intensity of that experience, she hadn’t broken his gaze once.  That became the most important moment of the evening, the one where he knew for sure he had fallen in love with her.

L
ake was on a heater.  As she glanced at the green felt of the table, she saw that she must have five thousand in chips.  Everyone who played Blackjack knew, you rode it to the end.  You
never
walked away from a heater.  While she sat at first base and played perfect basic strategy, she chatted with the other people at her table.  The whole group was doing well and the atmosphere became more electric with each flip of the card.  They’d started to attract attention from the other casino guests.

To her left sat a little cutie pie named Mark on a long weekend from California who would be a senior in college at San Diego State in the fall.  Next to him, Asa, a Texas rancher wasting time while his wife ‘bled him dry’ with her credit card.  Even though he teased, Lake could tell he adored his wife, Mary.  Their dealer, Jenna, increased the fun factor with her witty sense of humor.  The incredible night she’d just had also contributed to her winning vibe.  Lake was having the time of her life as she molted more and more of her protective armor to reveal her true self.

She’d started the day with only five hundred at this twenty five dollar table.  She glanced at her watch and found she’d played five hours as her back protested.  Encamped in his broadcasting seminar entitled “How to Make the Camera Love You”, Josh would be tied up until evening.  As if he needed it, what a joke.  If the camera loved him anymore, it would implode.  She noticed mild discomfort between her legs and was grateful for the respite before tonight’s lovemaking session.  She looked forward to another soak in the huge marble tub.  Adamant with herself that she needed to tip the scales in his direction, she planned on taking her time with him later.  She wanted him flat on his back until he begged for mercy or an EMT.  He probably had his phone off but she still sent him a text.  Maybe he’d see it on a break.

I’m thinking about ...

She didn’t have to wait long for a reply.

What r u thinking about? I hope it’s my hands all over your body.

Not quite.  I want to put my mouth all over your body.

OMG

Lake grinned and set her phone off to the side to concentrate on the cards.  The piped in music had a pounding beat.  It helped to raise the energy level of their winning table even higher.  She currently enjoyed the song “Timber” by Pitbull and her sandaled foot tapped along to the drums on the rungs of her stool as she hummed along with the words about screaming timber as the log falls to the ground
. 
A possible preview of what was going to happen later?  Something or someone would definitely be going down.

Good grief, she wanted to head back up to the room to get ready for dinner but just never lost four hands in a row so she could justify walking away.  Besides, with this money, she’d make another donation to HFH when she returned home.  The rest could go towards Lily’s vet bill which had climbed into the thousands.  Due to Lily’s age, insurance wasn’t an option.  Her phone lit up with an incoming text.  Josh must be at it again as his dirty mind pushed ahead full throttle.  When she recognized the name on the text, her face lit up like a kid at Christmas.

Pitbull is telling me to twirl my partner round and round.  Could it be u?  Look around.

How on earth did he know what song played on the Bellagio casino floor when he lived in Florida?  There had to be a video camera trained on her.  Lake looked around the table.

“Thank God, I have you alone.”  Hard arms slipped around her waist from behind and warm breath tickled her right ear.

“RSquared!  I can’t believe you’re here in person!”  Lake spun around and pulled him in to a huge bear hug, one half of the only pair that could distract her from the game.

“Chuck let it slip about this romantic rendezvous and I felt compelled to crash the party.  You’re lucky I gave you and Trash one night alone and didn’t bring my drunk ass up to your room at two in the morning while I knocked and yelled to make it a threesome.  Of course, I was more pleasantly occupied.  Where is that dumb ass anyway, and why did he leave you alone?”  He looked at her huge pile of chips and smirked.  “Impressive.  Obviously, you don’t need him to keep you entertained, but then, I’ve been saying
that
all along.  Although, you do have some color in your cheeks today.  Has he learned how to raise his game in his old age?”  He laid that question down with a salacious wink.

“He’s in a seminar about how to make the camera love him.”

“You’re fucking kidding me?  The camera has to be replaced every time he looks into it.  He’s so ugly Chuck had to feed him with a sling shot.  Seriously, Lake, you’re with him just because you saw him first.  Why, oh why, didn’t you choose me?  You couldn’t have waited five more minutes before raising your paddle with the winning bid?”

“RSquared, I could never handle you.  Besides, the heart wants what the heart wants.  Maybe someday you will experience that and start singing a different tune.  We might have to yell ‘Timber’ as we watch you fall like a log at some woman’s feet.”  As much as she loved hanging out with him, Lake had to wonder why Ryan didn’t want to settle down at his age.  Maybe he hadn’t yet met his match.  She still wanted to introduce him to Summer.  “Josh, Kevin and I have dinner reservations for seven at the Prime.  Should we see if they can make it for one more?”

“Absolutely!  Jenna, my sweet, color this lovely young lady up so we can get going.  I’m going to take matters into my own hands and declare this session completed.  When the fork’s in the pork, it’s time to set the table.”  After goodbye hugs and good luck wishes to Mark and Asa, as well as a huge tip for Jenna, Ryan and Lake took the elevator up to their respective rooms.  Located on the seventeenth floor, Ryan also had a fountain room but not a suite.  He admitted he’d booked it for seduction purposes.  She had to just let that one go.  Lake didn’t want to encourage his devious ways.  She wanted him to settle down.  He deserved love too.

After making arrangements to meet at Prime Steakhouse a few minutes before seven, Ryan stepped off the elevator.  He wanted to shower and change and left Lake behind to her quiet musings about which underwear ensemble she should wear with her black bandage dress and silver platform heels.  It had to be the red one, taking a tip from her sister.  She planned on meeting Josh and Kevin at the restaurant as well.  They had a cocktail hour from five to seven with the other seminar attendees as a networking event.

She took extra time with her hair and make-up.  Bolder evening eye shadow colors complemented her hair which she’d placed half up and half down. The style showcased her face but still left long cascading curls flow towards the middle of her back.  She’d never met Josh’s partner and friend, Kevin Winters, so she wanted to make a good impression.  Josh adored Kevin and considered him a very important person in his life.  She hooked a diamond pendant around her neck to contrast the black of her dress.  After giving herself one final inspection, she grabbed her silver evening clutch and slipped through the door making sure it clicked shut behind her.

Three handsome men waited for her outside the doors of the steakhouse, but Lake only had eyes for one.  She caught his gaze, held it and never broke eye contact as she turned her mouth up in a smile and sauntered towards him.  He looked hot tonight in his suit and tie from the conference.  The man was always so put together.  She wanted him to know how grateful she was to be with him and how happy he made her.

****

H
is heart became stuck somewhere in the vicinity of his dry throat as he felt the rumblings of life in his underwear.  Josh watched in complete stillness as Lake approached him like a runway model out of a Victoria’s Secret fashion show.  The black dress clung as though it were a second skin and her hair tempted him to run his fingers straight through it.  If he could just get his hands on her, he’d let his hands follow the sexy curls straight to their tips.  Only a few more inches more and they’d land firmly on her backside.  Damn this public place.  If not for Roberts and his mere existence destroying the moment, he’d beg off from Kevin and drag Lake back up to the suite to pick up where they had left off that morning.  He counted himself one lucky bastard.  He could get through one dinner.  If he had to.

“I can’t believe you get to tap that, old man.  As my wonderful mama used to say daily back at the Florida homestead, life is just not fair.”

“Trash, she’s gorgeous.  I can see why you’re so crazy about her.”  Josh noticed Kevin’s appreciative gaze as Lake neared the spot where they waited.  Kevin had been married for over twenty five years and often mentioned his dismay over Roberts and his constant lip.  Thank God his wife, Amy, hadn’t accompanied him on this trip.  Not her favorite person, Roberts was simply too much for a housewife in her fifties.  Amy avoided him.  Like the plague.

As soon as she got within reaching distance, Josh grabbed her into the crook of his arm and kissed her on the cheek.  Roberts was not allowed to get his grubby little hands on his woman tonight even for a platonic hug so he clutched Lake close to his body.  Let him go seduce some whores, get loaded and sleep it off.  Elsewhere.

Josh loved how Lake could roll with any situation, even this one where she was the only woman present.  He was proud to have her on his arm.  She and Kevin were hitting it off and that fact wasn’t surprising.  Kevin possessed class and calmness, the reason Josh and he had become such good friends over the years.  Kevin’s personality mirrored his dad’s and he kept Josh down to earth and honest, in spite of the trappings of fame.  Even Roberts rolled out his best behavior like a red carpet.  He kept it mostly clean as he tried to make Lake laugh at his antics.  Now, as he sipped his after dinner drink, Josh’s mind became obsessed.  He wanted to peel Lake’s black dress off of her body, inch by inch.  Especially, after her first suggestive text this afternoon which he hoped would be the first of many.  He’d saved it since it was so unexpected. 

“Trash, your woman sat on a major heater this afternoon when I rudely interrupted her with my irresistible presence.”

“Really,” Josh hadn’t known that Lake played blackjack even though his dad had said she liked to visit Vegas a few times a year.  “How much did you win?”

Lake smiled.  “Five thousand, or so.  Enough to let me make another donation to HFH.  It’s been a long time since I’ve sat that long at one table.  I’d been there five hours when Ryan appeared.  He gave me a great reason to get up.  Otherwise, I’d have probably rode it out until the bitter end.”

Kevin looked intrigued.  A prolific gambler, Josh knew he loved hitting the casinos back home in Illinois every few months.  “I’m a Craps man myself.  Have you ever played?”

“No, I haven’t, but the people at the tables seem to always be having so much fun, judging by the noise level.  I’ve heard great things about it.”

“Trash, you have to let me borrow her for an hour or so before you go back up to the suite.  There is nothing luckier than a virgin shooter.”

Josh thought Roberts would snort his cognac up his nose, he inhaled so deeply at the innocent comment.  “Well, we couldn’t possibly let the opportunity of observing a virgin shooter pass us by, now can we?”