The Risk: A Billionaire Romance (Wagered Hearts Series, Book 2) by Calista Kyle Page B
Authors: Calista Kyle
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empty seat to Ryan’s left and next to one of the new guys I didn’t know.
Lily rolled her eyes at me. “Oh, is that what they call it these days? Convincing? Where I come from it’s called kidnapping,” she said.
“Well, let’s just move past that, shall we? We’re all here now and tonight will be fun!” I said, brushing her comment aside.
“Yes, I agree,” Ryan added. “Let’s have a toast! To an unforgettable night,” he said raising up his glass.
I took a sip of my champagne and looked around the table. Lily had taken the seat next to Roman, of course, and Rob sat to her other side. Next to him was Candace. Sitting on my side of the table was Stella, who was sandwiched between the two new guys.
“I hope you found everything to your liking,” Ryan said turning towards me.
“Yes, the room is amazing. We’ve even got our own on-call butler!” I gushed.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“You guys look nice. It’s almost like looking at a modern day version of the rat pack,” I said, looking him over.
Ryan flashed me a brilliant smile and chuckled. “Let’s hope we don’t get into as much trouble,” he said.
“Now, where’s the fun in that?” I teased. “You know what they say about Vegas.”
His expression suddenly changed and I noticed a gleam of something in his eyes. It made me catch my breath, but the moment was short lived. He smiled at me blandly before taking a sip of his drink. I wondered what that was all about. It was so fleeting, I almost thought I had imagined it, but my racing heart told me otherwise.
Soon the food arrived and Ryan turned to Candace and engaged her in conversation, almost as if he were trying to ignore me. I swallowed the little pang of disappointment and instead focused my attention on the man sitting next to me. It was stupid to put so much meaning and importance on Ryan’s every little gesture or word. I was acting like a fool again when it was obvious he was just trying to remain friendly. Nothing more.
I learned the new guy sitting next to me was Nick, another one of Roman’s cousins from his father’s side. He was a droll companion who had the most entertaining stories about his travels throughout the world. It surprised me that he and Roman were even related. They seemed to come from opposite ends of the spectrum. While Roman was always smooth, polished and every bit the captain of industry, Nick was ruggedly handsome with a down to earth quality about him. He gave off the impression of a young Jack London or Ernest Hemingway, ready to jet off to the remotest corners of the world at the drop of a hat.
“How is it that you and Roman are so different?” I asked.
He shrugged his shoulders carelessly, lifting his lip in a lazy grin. “We’re not that different. Well…maybe on the outside, but deep down Roman is an adventurer at heart,” he said, leaning and whispering the last part.
I looked at him skeptically. “Oh, I can just picture Roman camping out in some dingy little tent out in the middle of nowhere,” I said sarcastically.
“I have stories you’d never believe. He and Ryan used to be quite wild,” he said.
I glanced over at Ryan, who was still in conversation with Candace and seemed not to have heard what Nick said. I tried to imagine what he was like when he was in his twenties and shook my head.
“I can’t believe it,” I said. “I don’t think Ryan has ever been anything other than he is now. You’re making this up.”
Nick grinned impishly at me and leaned in close to whisper in my ear. “Two words: hippie trail.”
I looked at him with a furrow on my brow. “What’s that?” I asked.
“Ask him about it,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “I’m sure he’d love the chance to revisit old memories.”
“You make it sound so mysterious. What did he do? Get high and go on a bender?” I asked tilting my head in Ryan’s direction.
“I did no such thing,” I heard Ryan’s silky voice pronounce.
I
Lily rolled her eyes at me. “Oh, is that what they call it these days? Convincing? Where I come from it’s called kidnapping,” she said.
“Well, let’s just move past that, shall we? We’re all here now and tonight will be fun!” I said, brushing her comment aside.
“Yes, I agree,” Ryan added. “Let’s have a toast! To an unforgettable night,” he said raising up his glass.
I took a sip of my champagne and looked around the table. Lily had taken the seat next to Roman, of course, and Rob sat to her other side. Next to him was Candace. Sitting on my side of the table was Stella, who was sandwiched between the two new guys.
“I hope you found everything to your liking,” Ryan said turning towards me.
“Yes, the room is amazing. We’ve even got our own on-call butler!” I gushed.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“You guys look nice. It’s almost like looking at a modern day version of the rat pack,” I said, looking him over.
Ryan flashed me a brilliant smile and chuckled. “Let’s hope we don’t get into as much trouble,” he said.
“Now, where’s the fun in that?” I teased. “You know what they say about Vegas.”
His expression suddenly changed and I noticed a gleam of something in his eyes. It made me catch my breath, but the moment was short lived. He smiled at me blandly before taking a sip of his drink. I wondered what that was all about. It was so fleeting, I almost thought I had imagined it, but my racing heart told me otherwise.
Soon the food arrived and Ryan turned to Candace and engaged her in conversation, almost as if he were trying to ignore me. I swallowed the little pang of disappointment and instead focused my attention on the man sitting next to me. It was stupid to put so much meaning and importance on Ryan’s every little gesture or word. I was acting like a fool again when it was obvious he was just trying to remain friendly. Nothing more.
I learned the new guy sitting next to me was Nick, another one of Roman’s cousins from his father’s side. He was a droll companion who had the most entertaining stories about his travels throughout the world. It surprised me that he and Roman were even related. They seemed to come from opposite ends of the spectrum. While Roman was always smooth, polished and every bit the captain of industry, Nick was ruggedly handsome with a down to earth quality about him. He gave off the impression of a young Jack London or Ernest Hemingway, ready to jet off to the remotest corners of the world at the drop of a hat.
“How is it that you and Roman are so different?” I asked.
He shrugged his shoulders carelessly, lifting his lip in a lazy grin. “We’re not that different. Well…maybe on the outside, but deep down Roman is an adventurer at heart,” he said, leaning and whispering the last part.
I looked at him skeptically. “Oh, I can just picture Roman camping out in some dingy little tent out in the middle of nowhere,” I said sarcastically.
“I have stories you’d never believe. He and Ryan used to be quite wild,” he said.
I glanced over at Ryan, who was still in conversation with Candace and seemed not to have heard what Nick said. I tried to imagine what he was like when he was in his twenties and shook my head.
“I can’t believe it,” I said. “I don’t think Ryan has ever been anything other than he is now. You’re making this up.”
Nick grinned impishly at me and leaned in close to whisper in my ear. “Two words: hippie trail.”
I looked at him with a furrow on my brow. “What’s that?” I asked.
“Ask him about it,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “I’m sure he’d love the chance to revisit old memories.”
“You make it sound so mysterious. What did he do? Get high and go on a bender?” I asked tilting my head in Ryan’s direction.
“I did no such thing,” I heard Ryan’s silky voice pronounce.
I
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