Chapter 1
Grace’s heels clicked against the marble floor of the Serafina Casino and Hotel. A huge, glittering chandelier hung high above the lobby, the crystal reflecting prettily over the lush setting. The lights cast a soft glow, making the place feel almost magical. Likely smart staging so that people would want to come here to spend their time and money.
She would be doing exactly that, but she wouldn’t be gambling. Tonight she was meeting up with a group of her friends and she’d dressed to the nines. As a guidance counselor, she normally wore comfy shoes, pants and cute tops. She was busy at school, and when working with kids, comfort was key.
In general, everything about her was “cute.” She was never going to be voted most beautiful or be the kind of woman that men did double takes for. But tonight she actually felt kind of stunning. And after the year she’d had, she needed the ego boost.
Since this was Thanksgiving week she had the whole week off and she was taking complete advantage of it. Nights out with friends, a couple art classes, maybe she’d even catch a movie.
And if she was lucky she would get to spend time with her friend Logan MacNeil, who got her all sorts of hot and bothered. Of course they were just friends, and that wouldn’t be changing anytime soon—or ever. But a girl could still fantasize.
Which she did. A lot.
“Grace?”
Her daydreams of what Logan might taste like turned to ice at the sound of a very familiar, very unwelcome male voice beside her. Noooooooo. This could not be happening. She’d left her past behind. Far, far behind and run all the way from California to Vegas to start over. So what the hell was he doing here? Maybe this was some weird waking nightmare?
Pasting on a fake-ass smile, she turned to her right to see Kevin, her ex-fiancé and also the man who had left her at the altar, standing there with his arm wrapped around his new wife, Sabrina. Pretty, blonde, tanned, toned Sabrina with the sculpted arms. She wasn’t even the woman he’d been cheating on her with. No, she was someone new.
Grace wasn’t sure how she kept her smile in place, but somehow she did. Looking her best tonight sure helped. Her dress was a sparkly, wild thing completely out of character for her, but it made her feel good. “Kevin? What are you doing here?” Okay, she could be civil-ish, but she wasn’t going to say it was good to see him. Because she simply couldn’t give that much of a bald-faced lie without choking on it.
“We’re taking a vacation since it’s Thanksgiving week. Figured we’d hit up the casinos and have a good time.” God, had he always looked so freaking smarmy? Kevin was good-looking for sure, his dark hair always styled just so, and he was a runner so he was in good shape. But he was also obsessive about his looks, and as she stared up at him now, she realized…she did not miss him. She didn’t miss feeling as if she’d never measure up to his bizarre standards, as if she was never put-together enough to please him.
Okay, then. She really didn’t want to stand here having this conversation, especially when his gaze dipped to the V of her sparkly little dress. Seriously? He had the balls to check her out after what he’d done—and while he was standing there with his new wife? It was a dick move and now she was fantasizing about punching him in his balls. Or his throat.
“Well it’s a fun city,” she said neutrally. There, that was polite enough.
“Yeah, I thought I’d heard that you moved to Vegas. What are you doing here tonight?”
Before she could respond, Logan strode across the lobby looking good enough to eat in dark slacks, a button-down white shirt, and a black jacket that did nothing to hide his muscular form. Yep, there were the fantasies again. How many times had she dreamed about running her fingers over his broad shoulders as if she had every right? This was a man worth fantasizing about.
She shut that thought down as he approached and gave him a real smile. Even though she hated that he was going to meet her ex, she loved that he was here. Was relieved, even. “Logan!”
He approached the three of them, his eyes slightly narrowing on the couple as he wrapped a muscular arm around Grace’s shoulders, pulling her close.
Grace was too stunned by the shockingly possessive display to step back, but why would she? She liked having his arm wrapped around her. She leaned into his hold, wrapping her arm around his waist. Oh yeah, she could easily give in to the fantasy now, pretend they were a couple. She’d imagined it often enough.
“I’m Logan,” he said in a cool tone, holding out a hand for both of them.
Grace had a perverse sort of satisfaction when Sabrina’s eyes widened slightly at the sight of him.
It wasn’t like Grace could blame her. The man was walking, talking sex appeal. With reddish-brown hair, a killer Hollywood smile and adorable dimples, not to mention that edgy, lethal aura that just seemed to surround him, he drew female gazes wherever he went. Hell, male gazes as well. His body was pure, rock-hard perfection and she just knew he had to be incredible in bed.
“Kevin?” Logan said after they’d introduced themselves, a hard-to-read glint in his eyes.
Oh no… One night Grace had drunk just a teeny bit too much and told Logan about Kevin so he definitely recognized the name. She tensed slightly, embarrassed that Logan was meeting this loser at all.
“I owe you, man,” Logan said, surprising Grace and apparently Kevin as well, because her ex-fiancé frowned even as Logan continued. “If you hadn’t been such a dumbass, I never would have scooped up this gorgeous, smart woman and convinced her to marry me. See you guys later.” Without waiting for a response, he practically dragged Grace in the direction of Cloud 9 restaurant. Or “the Cloud,” as everyone who worked there called the place.
“I can’t believe…you just did that,” Grace whispered as they stepped into the noisy restaurant. Logan just waved the hostess away as he continued steering Grace, who was basically on autopilot right now as she digested what he’d just done.
“I saw your expression when you were talking to him. You looked like you were in pain.”
Her gaze snapped up to his. Dang it, she thought she’d covered her disgust well. “Really?”
He shrugged, winking at her, his playful grin in place. And that grin? No sane woman could resist. Her panties had probably just combusted. “No. I just recognized that asshole’s face.”
She blinked, ignoring the rush of people and noise around them. “Wait, how do you even know what he looks like?”
Instead of responding, Logan shrugged again, giving her a smile with more than a hint of wicked in it. Good God, no wonder women threw themselves at this man. She wanted to count herself among them.
“Why did you do that?” she continued.
“I wanted him to think you were taken. And let’s face it, I’m awesome. Of course he’s going to be jealous now that he thinks you’re with me.” His voice was as teasing as his expression, though there was a glint of…something else she couldn’t even begin to define.
She burst out laughing as they reached the bar where a few of their friends were already waiting. “You’re ridiculous.”
“True. But still awesome.” His grip around her tightened as he continued maneuvering his way through the place, avoiding tables, people and waiters.