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by Alexa Riley
“Oh, not a thing, Daddy Warbucks. Just watching this guy pour up a small country into a glass.”
He smiles at my joke, leaning back in his chair and steepling his hands in front of him, just watching me. I absentmindedly lick my lips as the waiter puts the champagne flute in front of me.
“After you, Sweet Cream.”
I laugh at his nickname. It’s just as ridiculous as Peaches, and he knows it. It feels as if on one level we’re playing a game, and on another it feels as if we’re intertwining our souls. How can the two happen at the same time? How can I feel as if I’m falling in love with a total stranger who’s said ten words to me?
I pick up the flute and hold it up in a toast. Antonio does the same, and I lean in a little to whisper. The waiter has since left, but I like the idea of sharing a secret with Antonio.
“I only drink champagne on two occasions. When I’m in love and when I’m not.”
Antonio laughs, and shakes his head. “Wrong Coco Chanel quote, Sweet Cream. You should have used ‘The best things in life are free. The second best things are very, very expensive.’”
He softly clinks his flute to mine, and I can’t help the wicked smile I give him. This man knew my quote and bested me on it. I like a challenge.
I take a sip of the champagne and close my eyes, swallowing and tasting the cold bubbly.
“So? Worth a small country?”
Opening my eyes and looking at him, I set the glass down and sit back in my seat. I raise my eyebrow at him, and he smiles, shaking his head.
“It’s not bad,” I finally admit, having to give in a little. It tastes like good champagne, but I’m not sure I’d want to order another bottle.
“Can I say that I’m a little disappointed that diamonds didn’t pour out of the bottle?”
I can’t help the laugh that tumbles out of me. He’s too adorable, and my cheeks hurt from smiling at him so much.
“Tell me about you, Peaches.”
“How about you tell me why you want me to call you Antonio when everyone calls you Don?” I retort, trying to deflect. Men love to talk about themselves. Just ask the right questions and you never have to say a single word about yourself all night. Most of them don’t even remember your name. It works for someone like me, someone who needs to get what she wants, but also needs to blend in.
“Antonio Cortez is my real name. Everyone calls me Don. You’re not everyone. Now tell me why you’re counting cards around Vegas.”
I’m surprised at how quickly he turns the conversation back to me.
“Do you want me to leave your casino?” I take another sip of my champagne, hoping this isn’t his polite way of kicking me out.
“No. I don’t care if you take the house. I just want you close.”
I nearly choke on the bubbles when I hear his blunt statement. After I swallow, I laugh a little. “You’re okay with me bankrupting the Golden Peacock?”
“Tell me your real name.”
“Don’t change the subject,” I deflect again, not wanting to talk about me.
“I will tell you anything you ever want to know about me, but I want to talk to you as you. Not as someone you pretend to be. I’ve lived long enough and made enough money that it all means nothing. It’s only money. But you, you’re real. And that I would never want to lose.”
His words shock me and make me warm all over. There’s a heat between us that is unexplainable, and his honesty about his feeling are fast and scary. I can feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest, and I lick my lips as I try to find the words to deny him what he wants.
In the end, I can’t do it. “Georgia,” I whisper, wanting to give him everything he asks for.
Feeling his warm fingers on mine, I look down at my hands. He opens his hand, palm down on the table, and I slide mine into his, looking at his tanned skin against my soft white. He has calluses I didn't expect, and I feel them as his big palm wraps around mine, the muscles of his wrist flexing.
It’s completely insane that the feel of his skin on my skin should feel so perfect. That the small touch has my whole body alive with passion I’ve never felt. Looking down at where we’re connected, it’s as if I’ve done this a thousand times, our bodies holding memories we can’t recall.
When I look up into his bright blue eyes, I see the softness there. I want to fall into them and never come out. I want to trust him and let him hold me so that I can finally stop pretending to be something I’m not.
“Georgia, you can have anything in this casino you want. Including me.”
I lick my lips, trying to find words to respond to him, but I can’t.
“I don’t know what this is, but I’ve been around a long time, and I’ve never felt this uncontrollable pull to anything.” I feel his fingertip brush across my wrist, feeling my pulse. “Tell me you don’t feel it.”
Taking a breath, I feel myself about to take the leap. To tell him something honest and real.
“Dinner is served,” the waiter says, breaking the spell.
I pull my hand away from Antonio's. My fingers are suddenly very cold. I look anywhere but into his bright blue eyes, not able to do it yet. I need to square my shoulders and put my game face back on.
I can do this. Be charming, be polite, be his fantasy. Just don’t let him touch me again. I don’t know that I’m strong enough to survive it.
5
Don
I want to curse the waiter. I had her so close to admitting something. So close to giving me another taste of the real her. Her mask has slipped back into place, and no matter how hard I’ve tried throughout dinner, I can’t get her to open back up.
I’ll try anything to get her to come back out as the silence stretches between us.
“Ask me,” I say, taking another bite of my steak. She’s already eaten almost all of her rib-eye, and I can see my window is closing. Soon she’ll be done and have a reason to leave. She wants to turn the conversation back around to me. That’s fine if it will get her talking again.
“Do you always buy women two-million-dollar bottles of champagne and let them take what they want from your casino? I’d think that would’ve left you broke pretty damn quick. Not that I’m complaining.” She raises her champagne glass in a small teasing gesture before taking another sip.
“Can’t say I’ve ever let someone who robbed my casino walk out of here before.”
Her eyes come to mine, and she tilts her head, making those golden blonde curls bounce again. Goddamn, seeing her ride my cock as her tresses bounced all around her would be heaven.
“Did you just threaten me?” Her tone doesn’t sound worried. Good. I wasn’t trying to worry her. A lot of people fear me, and I don’t want her to be one of them.
“Don’t think I can say I’ve treated them to a two-million-dollar bottle of champagne before I got the skin owed to me after they took something that was mine.” I lean in a little, taking a deep breath, disappointed that all I can smell is the food on the table.
“But you said—”
“Oh, I’ll be taking some of your skin tonight. In my hands, mouth, and any other way I can come up with. As for the walking out of here, never said I was letting you leave.” I smile so she thinks I’m teasing, but not a word of what I just said was a joke. No one takes something that’s mine, and she’s that. I won’t allow even her to take herself from me.
He breathing picks up at my words, but no sassy remark leaves her mouth. I like that I shocked her, made her lose her step, but fuck, do I love when she comes back on something I’ve said. No one talks to me like she does. I think I could get off to nothing but her voice.
She’s leaned in a little, so we aren’t too far apart across the small table. This time I reach out and wrap one of her long blonde curls around my finger. As I lift just the edge to my nose, the smell of warm honey fills my lungs and makes my cock leak pre-cum.
“Come back to my room with me. I’ll put this champagne to use. Lick every drop of it off your body.
”
I can see the hesitation in her eyes, but she licks her lips.
I place my hand under her chin, drawing her eyes to mine.
“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. I don’t assume that you coming back to my room means we’re going to have sex. Unless you count my tongue fucking your pussy to see if you not only smell like honey but taste like it, too.”
Her lips part a little at my words, a small gasp leaving her. I steal the opening to pull her to me, closing the distance and taking her mouth. The taste of champagne hits my tongue, sweet and warm. I hold myself back from devouring her mouth, which is what I really want to do. I want to show her that this is all about pleasing her. Making her crave me. Showing her what I can give her if she’ll let me. She might be blunt and in your face, but I can tell she’s a runner, and I don’t want to give her a reason to.
My tongue lazily sweeps into her mouth, and she opens a little more to me. I deepen the kiss at her invitation, and she slowly starts to kiss me back. Pulling back, I try to read her expression, but her eyes remain closed, her fingers coming to her lips like she’s savoring the kiss, almost like she’s never felt lips on hers before.
The act is simple and so innocent. When her eyes finally open, I can see that mask is finally gone again.
“Take me to your room.”
She barely finishes the words before I’m rising from my chair. She grabs the bottle of champagne from the table, making me smile at her. I take it from her and grab her hand before making my way to the front of the restaurant.
It’s then I see Samantha sitting at a corner table. She rises from her chair and moves towards me. There aren’t many female power players in Vegas, but she’s definitely in that small window, and I have great respect for her. She’s cunning and seems to always be two steps ahead of everyone else. Luckily, she’s never had anything that I needed, something I’m sure drives her crazy. Money isn’t the only thing Sam likes to collect; she likes to collect favors as well.
Just like me, there aren’t many in this town who don’t owe her a few of those. But right now I don’t have time for whatever it is she wants to talk about.
“Don.” Her cool eyes lock on me before they move on to Peaches. A smirk breaks onto her lips when she sees my hand locked with Peaches’. Samantha is so put together you’d almost think she was a politician's wife’s at first glance, not a woman who auctions off Mistresses to the richest men in America.
Everything about her is always in place, and she never shows emotion. But everyone knows how well she treats the girls she auctions off. I often wonder how she is with them and if this facade is only directed at men.
“Sam.” I give her as little as possible, not wanting to engage in conversation. This only makes her study Peaches more intently. I pull her close in a possessive move and give Sam a hard look.
“Interesting. I didn’t think you’d be into curves with a taste of the south. I guess I always pictured you into the tall and quiet type. She doesn’t look quiet at all. Although I’ve never even seen you as much as look at a woman before.”
“What does—” Peaches starts to say, but I cut her off, not wanting to get into it with Sam. That’s just what she wants. To know what my type might be, thinking that she could find out what I like in a woman and get a Mistress I might be interested in. Not fucking happening. There’s only one woman I’ll ever have. Even if she won’t be mine, I’ll spend my time trying to make her mine. I’m not stashing a Mistress away, wanting her to be something she could never live up to.
“If you need to talk, call my assistant. I’m sure you have her number.”
“You might be hearing from me sooner than you think.”
Not likely, but I keep that to myself. She might call, but I won’t be answering. I don’t need what she’s selling. With that, I continue to lead Peaches out of the restaurant, but not before I glance over Sam’s shoulder and lock eyes with Leo Ramsey. Ramsey’s the biggest real estate dealer in Vegas and is not a man I often see out. If it doesn’t have to do with business, Ramsey isn’t there. I’ve never even seen him at any events before. It’s strange to see him here. Maybe Sam keeps him well supplied with Mistresses off in a love pad somewhere.
When we hit the elevators, I pull her inside, and I already know what’s coming.
“Who was that?”
I want to tell her it doesn’t matter, but I know she’ll push, and I did tell her I’d answer truthfully anything she ever asked me.
“Samantha is in the business of selling Mistresses to the highest bidders.”
I look down at Peaches to gauge her reaction. She goes to step back and tries to pull her hand from mine, but I just pull her closer.
“No, I’ve never used her services.” For some reason I want her to know that. I don’t like her thinking my interest is so easily swayed. I want to make her understand what she means to me. “But I know people who have. My two sons used her once and married the woman they bought. I’ve never used the service myself, but Sam is good at what she does. Everyone seems to get what they want.”
6
Don
She doesn’t say anything in response. She just looks up to me with her big, green eyes and nods slightly. I’m sure she understands, but it’s a lot to take in. And it wasn’t great timing as we were on our way out of the restaurant.
Sliding my fingers up her neck and around her jaw, I don’t break eye contact. “You feel this between us, don’t you?”
“Yes.” It’s a whisper, but it’s there.
“Let me love your body tonight. I might die if you don’t let me have you in some way.” Leaning in, I keep my lips just a breath away. “Please, Georgia. Just a taste.”
She closes the tiny distance between us and presses her mouth to mine. I wrap my arms around her, still holding the champagne bottle in one hand, my other going to her lush ass. Gripping it tightly, I lift her to me, and her legs wrap around my waist.
Before I know what I’m doing, I’m pushing her against the wall of the elevator, grinding my hard cock against her heat. Her light sundress is pushed up her thighs, and I can feel the burning warmth of her core through my slacks.
I start to grind my hips against her as the kiss gets wilder. I feel her fingers run through my hair, gripping it hard. Her thighs squeeze my hips, and a moan escapes my mouth. My body is taking over, and all I feel is a primal need to be inside her.
Ding.
I move my lips down her neck, biting and licking her there. Her honey smell is so sweet, I want to rub it all over my face.
Ding.
As I rub hard against her covered pussy, she moans my name, and I swear to Christ I cum a little in my suit slacks. A pulse runs up my cock, and I feel a wet spot form on my pants as I hold myself to her, trying to keep from cumming more.
Ding.
“Take me to your bed, Antonio,” she breathes as she tries to pull me closer to her.
“Whenever the elevator stops,” I mumble, moving my lips down her neck to her big breasts.
“I’m no elevator operator, but that damn door has been open for ten minutes, big guy.”
She laughs as I look up in a daze. I can see my reflection in the mirror. My hair is everywhere, and I look drunk.
Pulling her to me, I carry her out of the elevator and hit the button to close the doors. I carry her through the foyer to the main double doors that lead to my penthouse at the top of the casino.
I’ve lived in this building for a long time, but I’ve yet to bring a woman home. It’s been an embarrassingly long time since I even went on a date with a woman. I can’t remember the last time it was that I did more than that. Any thought of anyone else left my memory the second I first laid eyes on this little card counter.
It’s funny how three weeks ago, I was perfectly content with being alone. But since seeing Peaches, everything has changed.
I open the door and walk us in, kicking it closed behind us. Everything on this floor is open plan
with windows showing the Vegas skyline on either side.
“Jesus, take the wheel. This place is fancy.”
I laugh and kiss her neck as she looks around the place. I carry her to the bedroom, feeling her neck crane to see everything.
“Later, Sweet Cream. I’ve only got one room I need to show you.”
Feeling her thighs tighten around me, I smile against her skin. When we reach the bedroom, I set the champagne on the table by the bed and take her to the end of it, setting her down.
I go to stand back, but her arms wrap tighter around me. I look down into her eyes, and suddenly I see a bit of worry there.
Putting my hands on either side of her face, I try to figure out what’s going on. “Hey. Talk to me. What’s wrong?” She blinks a few times and tries to look away, but I don’t let her. “Georgia, I won’t hurt you.”
“I know.” Her answer is quick, and her hands come to rub on my chest. “I’ve—” She stops and bites her lips. “I just may not be as good as you’re used to, and I just didn’t want to disappoint you.”
I’m so baffled by her words, I go to my knees in front of her. She’s sitting on the edge of the bed, so she’s just slightly taller than me. I wrap my arms around her waist and look up into her eyes.
“You could never disappoint me. Just relax and let me do the work. All you have to do is lie back and enjoy what I do to you. That’s all I need to make this the single greatest night of my life.”
I see the blush creep across her cheeks, and she shyly nods at me.
Leaning up, I kiss her lips softly as I take off my suit jacket. I feel her tug at my tie as my lips move down her jaw to her collarbone. Reaching up, I push her jacket off her shoulders and down her arms. Once my tie is gone, her fingers go to the buttons of my shirt, and I reach around her back, unzipping her sundress.
Her long blonde curls brush against my face as I rub my hands down her naked back, and I close my eyes, enjoying the slight tickle.