Page 5 of Vegas Heat

“Twenty-one,” he says, and I let out a little whoop. “Hold your cheer until she shows her cards. If she’s got twenty-one, you tie.”

My brows dip. “What?” I nearly screech. “I might not win with twenty-one?”

He shrugs. “That’s the way the cookie crumbles, babe.”

Babe.

Oh my God.

Did he really just call mebabe?

Hottie McGorgeous just called mebabe?

I die again. Right there on the spot.

The dealer flips her card, and she has a six. She pays me my money with a little extra for the blackjack on top, and shefinishes the hand with Mia and the hottie. He wins, she loses, and we go again.

And again and again.

I’ve doubled my money after a half hour, and not only do I still not know this guy’s name, but I’m also supposed to be meeting my friends.

Mia, who hasnotdoubled her money, cashes in her chips. “It’s time to go meet everyone.”

“I think I want to play here a little longer,” I say. It’s my birthday, and I’m winning and having fun laughing and drinking with this sexy stranger at my table.

Maybe I want to get a little crazy tonight. Would that be so bad?

I’m in freaking Vegas. I’m twenty-one now. I want to live a little, and what better way to celebrate my birthday than flirting a little longer with Hottie McHandsome?

“I’ll tell them,” she says.

“Thanks, Mia.” I shoot her a furtive grin on her way by, and she lets out a little laugh.

“Your friend’s name is Mia?” the hot guy asks, and that little pang of jealousy darts through me again. Is he interested in her? “Should I call you Mia’s friend, birthday girl, babe…or something else?”

I laugh. “Birthday girl or babe would be fine, but my name’s Gabby.”

“Nice to meet you, Gabby,” he says, and the way my name rolls off his tongue sends a shiver right down my spine. “I’m Cooper.”

“Nice to meet you, Cooper.” And then, because I’m a huge dork apparently, I stick out my hand for him to shake. He chuckles and grabs it in his, and damn if I don’t feel the launching of a million butterflies flapping way down low in my belly as they ascend all the way into my chest.

“Thanks for teaching me how to play blackjack.”

“My pleasure.” He leans in close. “I can think of a few other things I could teach you.”

My eyes widen as I catch his innuendo, or maybe the champagne is playing tricks on me.

“You know, like roulette or craps,” he amends, and my cheeks flush at the gutter where I find my mind. I keep my eyes down on the table as I feel his gaze on my profile. “Wait a second. Were you thinking I was implying something else?”

I laugh a little nervously. “Baccarat?” I suggest, and he laughs.

“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking, too.” He winks at me, and I giggle. He reallyisflirting with me. It’s not just my imagination.

I spot the girls across the way as they all stare at Cooper, and he notices them, too.

“Are those your girls?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I say.

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