Page 44 of Vegas Heat

“When I see someone as hot as you, yeah. My brain turns to mush and the robots take over.”

She giggles. “Well glad I could help bang the robots out of there.”

“You think that’s what happened? Pfft,” I say. “Nah, it’s all mush up there since the moment I met you.” I turn the robot voice back on. “Call hot girl. Get hot girl to San Diego. Let hot girl know how much you miss her.”

“I miss you, too. I’ve honestly been a little bored this week, but Mia and I have gone to lunch a few times, and I’ve been enjoying that toddler dance class. Oh, and Mia is seeing this dude who rented a boat on Lake Mead tomorrow, so she invited me to that.”

“Sounds dangerous. You shouldn’t go,” I tease, mostly because I don’t want some college kids ogling my girl when I’m not there to ogle her myself.

“Yes, Father,” she mocks.

“That’s Daddy to you,” I say, my voice low and gravelly.

She lets out a soft gasp that might be part laughter, part surprise at my words. Honestly, I’m surprised, too. I always thought thedaddything was a little weird, and maybe even weirder since she’s twelve years younger than me. But it slipped out, and she gasped, and maybe it’s a thing now.

She clears her throat. “Whoa.”

“Yeah. Saturday needs to get here faster,” I groan.

“Agreed,” she says. “But you know, wecoulddo stuff, um…over the phone.”

I wish we were on a video call right now so I could see the color lighting up her cheeks at her own suggestion.

“Now there’s an idea I like,” I say. “I’m hanging up now.”

“What? You hated my suggestion?”

I laugh. “Fuck no. I’m hanging up so I can call you back on video.”

“Oh sweet Jesus, what can of worms have I opened,” she mutters, and then I disconnect the call.

CHAPTER 19: GABBY

“Hi,” I say a little tentatively as I look at the handsome face filling my screen. My chest races and my tummy flips.

“Hey.”

We just stare at each other a few beats, and I wonder why we haven’t done more video chatting since he’s been gone.

With his mom there, though, I don’t want to bother him.

“Are you outside?” I ask.

“On my patio.” He flips his phone around, and it’s mostly dark but I can see lights in some buildings and a view of total darkness. “That’s the water.” He flips it back around so I can see him again.

“I like this view better,” I admit.

“I like this one, too.”

“So…when I said that, I really thought we’d just, you know, do whatever to ourselves and listen to each other breathe heavily through the phone.”

He laughs. “I want to see your face when you come.” His voice is low and sexy with a little growl behind it. “Are you wet?”

I lift a shoulder. “I’m always wet when I’m with you. Or talking to you. Or thinking of you.” My cheeks burn with the admission.

He chuckles, and his eyes seem to glaze over with lust.

“Are you sure you want to do this outside?” I ask.

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