Page 13 of Miss Understood

Nate leans back and playfully pushes Mateo away. “We’re all yours, love.”

“Good.” My eyes dart to Jesse and his date. She’s hanging on his shoulders and looking at him like he’s her guiding light. Poor thing. Too sweet to understand who she’s climbing into bed with.

Mateo leans in, and his gaze follows mine. “Where does he find these girls? It’s like he’s got an endless supply of Susie Sweethearts on speed dial.”

“Money and power, babe.” I nudge Mateo with my shoulder. “They think they’ll charm their way into his heart and he’ll give them everything they ever dreamed of. What they fail to realize is that would require him to have a heart in the first place.”

Mateo laughs, and Nate throws an arm around me.

“That’s why I love you, Lucey,” he says.

Jesse’s hand runs up the blonde’s thigh before landing on her ass and giving it a squeeze. She giggles and whispers something in his ear. The girl is laying it on thick. But then again, so is Jesse. She might read his grin as genuine, but I know him. He’s no doubt horny, but his interest ends there.

Jesse pulls the hair at the base of Jessica’s neck and brings her mouth to his.

“On that note, I’m going to grab a drink. Anything for you guys?”

“I’m good,” Mateo says.

“Another old-fashioned.” Nate holds up his glass.

Mateo tilts his head to the side and eyes him. “Somebody’s already partying hard. You going to make it to dinner?” He runs a hand over Nate’s firm chest. “Maybe we’ll put that tub to good use after all.”

Thirty minutes, tops.

That’s what I give myself until I’ll need to bail or stick my tongue in someone’s mouth to forget the fact that I’m the only one here alone.

As I weave my way through the crowd, I notice it’s busy for the middle of the afternoon. But I guess that’s Vegas. Time is irrelevant. There are no weekdays or weekends. It’s just one endless party on the strip. Bodies tightly packed together. Hands, sweat, and desire spilling out all over the room.

I have to admit, it’s a nice break from the stuffy uptown bars I frequent when entertaining business partners or clients. Here, I can let my hair down, literally. I could probably take my shirt off and no one would notice.

Vegas and all.

As I slide into a sliver of space at the bar, a buzz of electricity runs through the air. My head feels high on the smell of whiskey and the desperation for sex.

“An old-fashioned and a vodka soda,” I order when I finally catch the bartender’s attention.

He tosses his brown hair out of his eyes and shoots me a wink. “Sure thing, babe.”

“On me.” A fifty slides across the bar, and I turn to see Jesse staring at the bartender over my shoulder, which makes him shuffle away to get my drinks.

I’m tempted to decline his offer to pay out of pride, but he has the money. Why not let him spend it?

I look at Jesse, and damn if he doesn’t look irritatingly good this afternoon. He’s still in his slacks, but he’s ditched his jacket. His white shirt is rolled up at the sleeves, showing off his thick, muscular forearms. A couple buttons are popped at the top of his shirt, and I glimpse a hint of rock-solid chest underneath.

He’s rocking the casually hot-as-fuck look, and he knows it.

Clearly, too much time around Jesse is already messing with my head, making my mind wander off to dark and dirty places. I know better than to think twice about a man as exhausting as he is. But one look at the possibilities he hides beneath his three-piece suits, and I can’t ignore the throbbing between my legs.

If smiles could get you drunk, I’d be wasted looking at the current suggestion in his.

Dangerous.

Evocative.

Almost irresistible.

Almost.

---