Page 84 of Double or Nothing

Definitely not the answer I was hoping for, but I won’t complain about watching her prance around in a bikini.

“Your wish is my command.”

As though I haven’t seen her in all her glory before, she grabs her stuff and heads into the bathroom to change. When she emerges moments later, I’m standing in the middle of the room in my trunks, a towel tossed over my shoulder.

“Christ, Kitty Kat. I could look at you forever,” I exclaim as I take in every inch of her.

“Feeling’s mutual. I don’t quite remember your abs looking this damn good before,” she tells me as she runs her fingers over my stomach. “You work on them to impress all your admirers?”

“All my admirers, huh? You jealous?”

She hesitates for a moment but shakes it off.

“Not a bit. I have something no one else has ever had.”

“What’s that?”

“Your heart.”

“Damn right, you do.”

There’s nothing better than the sight of Kat smiling and happy. I have every intention of doing everything in my power to keep her that way.

“Come on, baby.” I put my arm around her, draping it over her shoulders. “Let’s go swimming.”

Just like at the casino and pretty much everywhere I go, people gravitate toward me. Fans or not, they ask for photos or autographs, all of which I am more than happy to provide. Just not now. Not today when all I want to do is drown myself in everything Kat.

“At least we get privacy in our room, right?” The question is followed by a laugh, though I don’t know that she’s finding much humor in this. In fact, she looks downright uncomfortable.

“Hey, sorry about that,” I tell her as I pull her against me. “I’m so used to it, I forget not everyone is.”

“It’s fine,” she tells me though I’m fairly certain it’s a lie. “Just going to take some getting used to.”

“Mac’s usually around to deflect some of it, but I wanted us to be alone. I didn’t really think—”

She presses her lips to mine to shut me up. In the silence our kiss brings, I hear here the sound of a camera clicking.

“Hope you don’t mind if we go public,” I say with a laugh as we pull apart.

“Do you?”

“Of course not. Why would I?” I’m confused and a little unsure what the driving force is behind her question.

“You’re the one with a reputation to uphold. Quite a reputation at that.”

“I’m well aware of my reputation, Kitty Kat, and we both damn well know it’s bullshit. All I want, all I’ve ever wanted… is you. Tell me you want that, too.”

“I’m still… processing.”

My arms circle around her waist.

“Can you… process, faster?”

“No.”

“Wrong answer.”

“Sutton,” she screams as I toss her over my shoulder. At full speed, I run straight toward the pool. “Don’t you dare throw me in.”