Their Ex's Redrock Two by Shirl Anders Page B

for wanting Steven over him.
Vincent wore a black cowboy hat, tip back on his brow. The hat tamed his
shoulder length hair down around his neck like an inky black fall. He wore
faded jeans and a long sleeved, black tee that had “Redrock” printed across his
chest in red lettering with slashes of silver behind it. He had on a big,
silver belt buckle and when he got closer she saw a flying hawk embossed in the
silver.
    His
black boots brought him towering over her with his gaze intense. It licked fire
through her the moment their eyes met.
    “Boss,”
the valet attendant said beside her. Tess scrunched her nose wondering what
that meant as she watched Vincent nod to him. “Keep her car close, Daniel.”
    “Okay,
boss,” Daniel, the valet attendant replied, then he scooted around and got into
her car.
    “Hey,”
Vincent said, looking down on her as his hand settled on her waist as though it
belonged there. 
    “Hey,”
she replied tipping her gaze up to him, too confused to come up with more to
say.
    But
internally, her concentration was latched to his wide, really warm hand curling
over the indent of her waist. It was as if he had to touch her when they were
this close and she immediately felt their connection. His dark eyes spoke of
intimate things between them ... sexy, naughty, and wild things and she
blushed, thrilled to see him. Too thrilled, because soon they’d have to force
themselves apart again.
    When she
blushed, his hand squeezed her waist as if he knew she was thinking about them
having wild sex together. “Too fucking sweet,” his voice rumbled, and he said
it like a curse, moving her forward. “Come on.”
    She
automatically followed him as if she couldn’t disobey him. Ever. But then she realized
… “Um, I have a job to do here...” she started to say.
    He
interrupted her, “I know.” Then he pulled one of the casino’s large front doors
open. She walked past and he followed, keeping his hand on her waist as he
opened the next set of doors for her. “You know?” she questioned.
    Casino
sounds filled the air and the lighting was dim like in all casinos. She slowed
to a stop looking up at him. His hat came off but his hand didn’t move from her
waist, while his gaze swept her face.
    “Hey,
boss.” Tess looked over Vincent's broad shoulder at a young, cashier runner,
smiling at Vincent, who looked over his shoulder at her.
    “Hey,
Becky. Keep it tight.”
    “Right
boss.” Becky nodded and moved away.
    “Evening,
Mr. Whitehorse.” This came from behind Tess.
    Vincent
nodded to a security guard, who passed by.
    Tess
turned back, and grabbed a fistful of Vincent tee by his waist, feeling the
ripple of his six-pack abs beneath. “Boss? You’re the boss.” It was not
a question, it was a demand.
    “Kinda,”
he said, then he used his hand on her waist to move her forward and she lost
her grip on his tee. Oh, he so was the boss. That meant her impromptu
job was very suspect.
    “This is
not staying away from each other,” she accused.
    He moved
her through rows of slot machines with people pushing buttons and some looking
as if they were hugging their machines. She was not a gambler so the rows of
machines looked like rows of tricked-out arcade games to her.
    “Redrock
can get flowers done by anyone. Why not you?” Vincent’s voice was close to her
ear, where he’d leaned down to be heard. The rumble of his voice stroked her in
places she’d have to appease later with her lonely vibrator. Damn him.
    She
caught his tee again as they walked, keeping his mouth close as she turned her
head slightly. “Because we shouldn’t be together,” she whispered fiercely.
Because any second she was going to veer him off their path and mouth lock him.
“Playing with fire,” she blurted.
    “Just
trying to help you, beautiful,” he replied.
    But then
their entire conversation was disrupted by a high-pitched exclamation. “Vin,
baby!”
    “Fuck.”
Vincent growled the curse right in her ear.