Page 33 of Gamble
“No, Reagan. It’s not. I meant it. You spending the day with me… letting me pamper you a little bit… that’s the best birthday present I can ask for.”
Should he add on what he really wanted to? It would be risky. He knew without a doubt Reagan Murphy was as vanilla as theycame. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her away. Still… maybe he could test the waters just a bit.
You’ve lived your life on the edge, Keaton. Go for it.
“This is the last time I’m going to remind you not to question how much money I’m spending this weekend. The next reminder will come with consequences.”
He softened his warning with his best grin, hoping Reagan would understand he was doing his best to flirt with her, not actually scare the bejesus out of her. It had been years since he’d been on a date—any date. Hell, it had been decades since he’d spent quality time with a woman not in the BDSM lifestyle, and he was positive he’d never been out with someone as beautiful as Reagan. Not even in his prime.
It had him feeling off base, but in an exciting ‘I’m still alive’ way he liked.
“Consequences? That sounds ominous.”
He liked how her eyes danced with mischief, grateful she was having fun.
“You have no idea how fun I could make it,” he countered, waving his arm in an invitation for her to hop in the back seat first.
The drive was short, not allowing for much conversation. It was only as they were pulling up in front of Madame Tussauds instead of the LINQ’s High Roller that Reagan turned to question him.
“I thought we were going on the observation wheel?”
“We are, but they don’t open until two this afternoon, and so I took a chance that you’d enjoy a stroll through Madame Tussauds’ first. Want to get a brush with some of the famous people inside?”
Elijah held off adding that he’d met more than a few of the real people who’d inspired the waxed replicas in the famous museum. Some celebrities he couldn’t talk about thanksto the NDA at Black Light, and while he wasn’t sure why it mattered so much, he was at least honest enough with himself to acknowledge that it was more important that Reagan was spending time with him for who he was and not who he knew.
Once inside, the rush of cool air welcomed them. Glancing at his watch, he saw they were a few minutes ahead of the opening time, but as he flashed the email the Bellagio’s concierge had sent with his VIP tickets attached at the woman taking tickets, she waved him in early.
“Have a good time,” she offered with a smile.
“Wow, isn’t that the line over there?” Reagan pointed in the ticket booth’s direction.
“Probably. I had the Bellagio call over to make sure we wouldn’t have any hiccups.”
Reaching for her hand, Elijah pulled Reagan into motion. He’d been to Vegas many times, but this was his first visit to the museum, so he didn’t know what to expect. So, when they entered the first exhibit, Club Tussauds, he was unprepared to be greeted by a sign announcing their newest exhibit.
Shane Covington and Piper Kole, Hollywood’s newest action couple, were in the same general vicinity of the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s ‘Mr. And Mrs. Smith’ scene. Four A-list actors, two of whom he was lucky enough to call close friends.
“Oh, my goodness! They look so real,” Reagan said, rushing forward to stand next to the waxed couple, dressed in costumes from their recent blockbuster movie from the summer before. “I wonder if Shane Covington is this tall in real life?”
Fuck. The last thing Elijah wanted to do was lie to Reagan, but there was no way he could explain just how well he knew the A-list actor without disclosing secrets—secrets that weren’t his to tell.
Stepping closer, Elijah gauged the figure’s height before answering. “I think Shane is a bit taller than this exhibit has him,and I know Piper is taller, although, since I never see her without those four-inch heels she likes to wear, maybe I could be off on her height.”
Spinning to pin him with an excited look, Reagan asked, “You’ve met them? Both of them?”
Doing his best to underplay just how well he knew both of them, Elijah chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve met them. Like I said, I’ve brushed elbows with a few actors over the years in my line of business.”
Being a dungeon master of the West Coast’s hottest BDSM club, that was… not as a stuntman as Reagan probably assumed.
“Wow, that must be so cool. Will you take my picture with them?”
“Absolutely,” he said, taking her smartphone as she leaned in close to the lifeless replicas.
“Now you!” she exclaimed, excited to take his photo too. It had him wondering how she would react if she ever got a chance to meet Shane or Piper in real life. But then that wouldn’t be happening since Reagan wouldn’t be visiting Black Light.
Then he remembered he would have the honor of walking Nalani down the aisle at her wedding to Shane in just a few short months. The wedding he’d always assumed he’d attend alone.
Elijah pushed the idea of taking Reagan as his date aside immediately. Spending the weekend in Vegas with her was one thing. Seeing her—a young, beautiful, very vanilla woman—once they returned to their real lives was too much to ask for.
