Loving the Odds (What Happens in Vegas) (7 page)

“Well, aren’t you two the perfect little lovebirds,” Janet said. Her voice held a slight edge to it, a note of suspicion that caused him to drag his eyes away from Bailey.

“Janet, I know you’re pissed at me for what happened with Elsa. I get it.” Lance steeled himself. If this new image he’d created was going to stick, he had to commit. “But when I met Bailey, I knew there was something different about her. She’s it, for me. I’m tapping out of the dating scene.”

Janet was a romantic at heart, despite her icy demeanor. She loved coming to this convention every year and often left with a stack of signed books. On occasion, he caught sight of the colorful covers when she opened her handbag.

Hopefully that meant playing the love struck fool would appeal to her.

“I never thought I’d see the day,” she said, sipping her coffee.

“Me neither.” He glanced over to where Bailey stood at the counter, chatting to the server as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “My dad always said that when the right girl came along, she’d be everything I didn’t think I wanted.”

Janet’s face softened. “Doesn’t mean you had to break my Elsa’s heart in process.”

God, what
had
she been telling her mother?

Elsa was a lovely girl but she had it in her head that she was a Queen Bee who could bend everyone to her will. Not some innocent little maiden who’d fallen in love with him. Perhaps that’s why he found Bailey so refreshing.

“I never meant to hurt her.” At least that much he could say with his hand on his heart. “Truly.”

Janet pulled her tablet out and just like that it was business as usual. He wasn’t sure he’d gotten his boss completely on his side, but progress had certainly been made.

When Bailey returned with breakfast, she sat quietly and observed as he talked through his strategy for improving the Take Two brand partnerships. He knew the content back to front. Not to mention the fact that he’d presented to the CEO on countless occasions. But now, with her eyes on him, a nervous thrill raced up his spine and it was as if he’d stepped into the spotlight for the very first time.

Realization washed over Lance like cold water; he liked performing for Bailey. Which didn’t make any sense at all since they were virtual strangers. But he’d grown affectionate toward her, enough to care about impressing her anyway.

“You should mention some of this to Bert when we’re at the ball,” Janet said and then she turned to Bailey. “Bert is our business development manager. He’s a great guy but he’s always more open to ideas after he’s had a few drinks.”

Bailey laughed. “Sounds like you’ve used that trick before.”

“Absolutely. I’ll be sure to introduce you tonight.”

“Oh, I don’t think I’m going to come tonight.” She shook her head and tried to regain the smile that had slipped from her lips. “I’m okay to crash breakfast but not something fancy like a ball.”

“Nonsense.” Janet patted the back of her hand. “Lance seems quiet smitten with you and I’m sure the other Take Two employees will be dying to meet the woman who tamed our resident bachelor.”

Lance curled his fists in his lap but didn’t say anything. He was finally making headway after months of being given the cold shoulder. He couldn’t blow it now by getting pissed over an unwanted reputation.

“I didn’t even bring a dress,” Bailey said, fidgeting in her seat. “I’m not a party kind of person.”

“I’m sure Lance won’t mind taking you shopping.”

Was it his imagination or was there a mischievous glint in his boss’s eye? Perhaps this was her way of testing him to see if he really was in love. Well, he wouldn’t back down from a challenge. If Janet wanted him to prove what he was made of by taking Bailey to the ball, then he would do it.

“We’ll find you a dress,” he replied, reaching out and clasping Bailey’s hand. “My treat.”

She looked at him pleadingly. “I don’t think—”

“Excellent.” Janet clapped her hands together. “Now, I have to go. Mark and the others should have arrived by now, so I’m going to catch up with them and make sure we’re all set for tonight. Have you got your client meetings set for this afternoon?”

He nodded. “They’re all confirmed.”

“Well, it was lovely to see you again, my dear,” Janet said to Bailey before she gathered up her things. “Have fun looking for a dress.”

He kept a smile plastered on his face until his boss left, but it melted away the second he turned back to Bailey and saw the daggers she was shooting him. Something told him that this particular Cinderella wasn’t too pleased about going to the ball.

Chapter Seven

“This isn’t what I signed up for,” Bailey muttered as she looked at the rows of glittering dresses in every color of the rainbow. “We’re wasting time when we should be trying to find Julian.”

“He knows you’re looking for him now,” Lance pointed out as he hung back, hands shoved into his pockets, while she looked for a dress to try on. “But he will be there tonight.”

“And you think if I doll myself up he won’t recognize me?” Her fingers trailed across the long, flared dress of a gown the exact color of the ocean. So
not
something she would wear. “Because I’m such a sasquatch normally?”

“Have you forgotten what I said this morning?”

“No.” A ripple of excitement ran through her. “But actions speak louder than words.”

He rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything as a sales assistant came over to help them. When Bailey tried to tell the woman she didn’t need any help, Lance jumped in and mentioned the ball.

“Oh, you’re here for the Romance Lovers Convention.” The sales assistant clapped her hands together like an excited schoolgirl. “How fun!”

“I’m overjoyed,” Bailey retorted with a deadpan tone and Lance shot her a reproachful look.

“And your boyfriend is buying you a dress?” She tilted her head in a way that reminded Bailey of a Cocker Spaniel.

“My
boyfriend
is very generous. But I don’t want to look like Showgirl Barbie.” She grimaced at a mannequin wearing a frou-frou dress with pink sequins and a purple tulle skirt.

“I have just the thing.” The assistant held up her hand and disappeared into another row of dresses.

“How about Pole Dancing Barbie?” Lance said with a wink holding up a dress that looked more like a glorified tank top. “Or Private Lap Dance Barbie?”

“Sure. And you can be Super Pimp Ken.” She planted a hand on her hip. “I’ll get you a glittery cane that matches my bedazzled thong.”

“You’re such a tease.”

The sales assistant returned with a dress folded over one arm and ushered Bailey toward the change room. “This should fit you, but if we need to add a belt to bring in the waist we can.”

The assistant hung the dress on the back of the door and gave Bailey a gentle shove forward. She turned, wincing at all the mirrors and bright lights. Hell, she was certain, would be a woman’s fitting room. No one needed to see their flaws from so many angles.

She stripped quickly, focusing her eyes onto the patterned wallpaper, determined not to look at her reflection. Not that it mattered, she already knew how lanky and boy-like she would look. Bailey No Boobs, they’d called her in high school. Sadly, not much had changed.

Ditching everything but her panties, she piled the clothes into a neat stack and set them on the bench before reaching for the dress. Black fabric poofed out from what appeared to be a bodice-style top. The skirt was embroidered with gold thread to create a boldly opulent pattern that looked like something you’d find on an ancient Greek vase. It was unusual and yet totally glamorous in a kind of 1950s Gracie Kelly way.

A hidden zip split the dress at the side of the top, and Bailey stepped into the puddle of fabric. It fit like a dream. Glancing at the mirror for the first time, she gasped. The woman standing before her was a stranger.

“I’ll take that as a good sign,” the sales assistant said from the other side of the door.

Her fingers flared over her stomach where the bodice nipped in at the waist, giving her curves that hadn’t existed a few moments ago. Her breasts pressed against the top, curving from the tight fit, forced outward in a way that made her look womanly and lush. The full skirt fell to her knees and provided a modest balance to the more daring top-half, but the entire effect was simply perfect.

“I’ll take it,” she said, a plan hatching in her mind. A fluttering sensation built in her stomach.

She’d come to Vegas to get her grandfather’s watch back, but now she was going to find her mojo as well. After all, Sin City was the perfect place to let down your hair, right? No one knew her here—well, except for her jerk-face ex—so she didn’t
have
to be Boring Bailey. She could be Sexy Bailey, Adventurous Bailey.

Seductive, tempt-a-man-into-bed Bailey.

If it all turned pear-shaped she could hop on a plane and be home the same day, leaving her mistake to be blown away on the desert wind.

Yes, this weekend was going to give her more than a chance to get an heirloom back. Bailey was going to live out a fantasy.

A few hours later Bailey wandered the hotel alone. She’d bundled up the dress and paid for it herself because she was already mooching off Lance’s generosity by staying in his room. Besides, you couldn’t put a price on personal healing, could you?

While he was meeting with clients, she was left to her own devices. He’d given her a guest pass to the convention and she’d attended a panel about finding your inner sexy. Two months ago she would have scoffed at such a silly, frivolous topic, but now she was starting to see the value in a little self-appreciation.

What had Lance said to her that morning? Appreciate yourself and others will follow suit.

He had a point. She’d never been the kind of girl to spend much time on hair or makeup or fashion. Hell, she barely even had time to cook herself a decent meal because she was too busy working herself to the bone.

But today that was all going to change. In the session she’d attended, they’d said that a bubble bath was a good way to pamper yourself in preparation for getting your sexy on and she
had
spied a tub in the bathroom.

Lance wouldn’t know what hit him. They’d agreed to meet back at the room at five p.m. right as the ball was starting. No sense in being the first to arrive. But she’d be in her dress by then—and the new pair of gold, lace panties she’d bought to match—ready to test the “finding your inner sexy” tips from the handout.

“Embrace good posture,” she said, reading off the list as she waited for the elevator. Drawing her shoulders back, she noticed how it made her breasts thrust forward and her chin lift up. “Focus on what you like about yourself.”

She glanced at her reflection in the gold paneling of the elevator bay. Although distorted, her fair skin and dark hair were well contrasted, but her small shoulders and less-than-impressive bust were a bit of a letdown. At least her new dress would help her fake an hourglass figure since God hadn’t exactly created her in Sophia Loren’s likeness.

“Touch your body. Learn how it feels and what it likes,” she read. Well, that wasn’t totally appropriate behavior for an elevator bay but she made a mental note to do that more often. “Play some soothing music to get you into the mood.”

“Are those the notes from the Find Your Inner Sexy panel?” A voice caught Bailey’s attention.

“Yeah, it was…” she trailed off as she found herself looking at the perfectly made-up face of Selena Lockhart. “It was great.”

“I wanted to go to that one but my agent has me totally booked. I’m hiding away for the next half an hour to catch my breath.” She smiled and Bailey found herself warming to the other woman, in spite of herself. “I think we could all stand to find our inner sexy a little more often.”

“Doesn’t look like you have much problem with that,” Bailey replied, eyeing the black leather dress and spikey heels that Selena wore. “You look great.”

“Smoke and mirrors.” Selena gave a conspiratorial wink. “Took me a long time to get comfortable being sexy. I used to blush like crazy whenever I wrote a sex scene and I wouldn’t let anyone read my work. For years.”

The elevator dinged and they stepped in. “Really?”

“Absolutely. Being sexy takes work; it doesn’t come naturally to a lot of people. You have to keep at it and build your confidence.”

Bailey nodded. “Thanks for the advice.”

“And don’t let any men push you around, you hear? You have to show them who’s boss.”

Bailey’s lips tugged into a smile. “Right.”

“Here.” Selena reached into her bag and pulled out a book with a bright red cover.

A picture of a silk ribbon danced across the front, curling around an antique key. The name, Selena Jade Lockhart, was written in bold lettering across the bottom and the title—
Never Without Me
—was written in looping cursive at the top.

“Read this and you won’t have any problem finding your inner sexy.” She handed the book over. “Trust me.”

“That’s very kind.”

“My pleasure.” The elevator dinged and they stepped out and walked toward their rooms. “Remember Amazon reviews are an author’s best friend.”

“Duly noted.”

…

If Lance didn’t get his head back in the game, he was going to do more damage to his career than sleeping with the boss’s daughter. Bailey might have saved his ass this morning, but it would all be for nothing if he couldn’t convince his client to cooperate.

The famous cover model was touted to be the next Fabio but had recently been caught leaving a brothel. Not a great look for a guy who was supposed to be a sex symbol.

“Jace, I know you don’t think this is a big deal but publishers aren’t going to want to hire the guy who paid for sex.” Lance sighed. “It doesn’t exactly add to your appeal when you’re supposed to be the guy who could have anyone he wants.”

“I can. I wanted
that
particular hooker.” Jace’s surfer dude hair fell around his face, not quite obscuring a lazy, entitled grin. “Make it go away. Isn’t that what I pay you for?”

“I come up with the solutions but you have to be willing to participate in them.” He glanced around the open-area bar. Everyone who walked past seemed to point and smile at Jace. “I can’t do it on my own.”

“I’m not planting trees with a bunch of fucking hippies. Do you have any idea what that would do to my hands?”

Count to three and breathe. Do
not
punch this guy in the face.

“What about visiting a children’s hospital? You could read them stories.”

Jace’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, I bet there would be some yummy mommies there, too. Or hot nurses.”

“You do understand how the whole public perception thing works, right?” Lance gritted his teeth. Normally, he could convince anyone to do what he wanted but he was off his game today.

Too busy thinking about Bailey and how you told her you wanted to fuck her six ways from Sunday like a goddamn idiot.

“Earth to Lance,” Jace said, waving a hand in front of his face. “I said I don’t care about public perception.”

“You will when some other pretty boy comes along and you’re no longer the industry golden child.” Lance pushed up from his chair, the last of his patience snapping like a rubber band pulled too tight. “Start caring, or else you’ll be stacking supermarket shelves like a high school student.”

He left Jace staring open-mouthed at him. Tough love would work as this particular client needed a little rough handling. Otherwise he’d push the boundaries until someone told him to stop. And Lance didn’t have the headspace to deal with a spoiled man-child today.

Checking his watch, he strode across the bar. It was early, only four p.m. but he’d had enough. There would be more networking and elbow-rubbing tonight, not to mention helping Bailey get back at her ex. Maybe he could catch a few winks before the ball.

Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Bud. You just want to spend more time with her.

He walked past one of the hotel’s gift stores and caught sight of a display with elaborate masks as colorful and varied as Skittles. The ball was masquerade-themed and Janet had given everyone in the team something to wear, lest they embarrass her by not dressing up to the theme. But Bailey probably wasn’t aware of it.

A black mask glinted at him and he could already see how perfect it would look curved around her gorgeous face, dark against her fair skin so her blue eyes looked even more sultry. Since he’d only seen a flash of the dress as the sales assistant had whisked Bailey off to the change rooms, he didn’t know what it looked like exactly. But it was black so that couldn’t be too hard to match.

He turned the mask over in his hands. The intricate design looked like black lace but was made of a fine, pliable metal. A ribbon hung from either side. The thought of tying the silk into a knot behind her head sent a soul-deep tremor through him.

He was as horny and nervous as a teenage boy buying a corsage for his prom date. Pathetic.

By the time he’d paid for the mask and made it up to the hotel room floor, he’d calmed down a little and managed to force the blood back to his head and his mind onto work. Everyone went through phases where they were stuck in their career. That’s exactly why Lance needed to land Braxton St. John as a client. No more playing with the small fish, like Jace. He needed a big tasty bass.

Every year, Take Two held a luncheon on the Sunday after the general festivities of the convention were done and dusted. In addition to their biggest clients, they also invited prospective clients to wine and dine—and hopefully sign—their company. Janet organized the event and, like a good gatekeeper, had full control of who was in and who was out. That luncheon would be his chance to wow Braxton and get his reputation back on track.

He stopped at the hotel room door and gave a brisk knock before swiping his room key, but when he entered it was silent. And empty.

“Bailey?” Nothing was out of place and the beds had been remade. Bailey’s outfit from yesterday was in a neat pile where she’d left it but her new dress hung inside a suit bag on the outside of the small wardrobe.

She had his spare key, so perhaps she’d dropped the dress off and gone out for a drink or a bite to eat. A tendril of disappointment unfurled in his stomach, but he shoved it aside. A hot shower and some crappy television would get him ready for the night ahead, and hopefully keep him distracted long enough not to think about everything he wanted to do to Bailey. Stripping down to his jocks, he walked over to the bathroom door, halting when he realized she was inside.

The door was cracked open. She lay in the bath, a pair of cordless headphones over her ears and a book in her hand. The water was still as the frozen surface of a lake while she read, her teeth clamped down on her bottom lip. A warm flush had spread over her cheeks. Down her neck. Though whether it was from the steam spiraling up from the tub or what she was reading, he didn’t know.