Holding Aces Read online

  “Lottie, you’re an absolute pro. Where did you learn to do makeup like this?” I turn to face her and find an unusually shy Lottie nibbling at her nails. “Seriously, you should get a job doing makeup for photo shoots or film sets.”

  “Don’t say stupid shit, Ari. It’s just a bit of fun. You don’t get to look like this...” she circles her face with her finger, “...without a lot of practice. Now, let’s get you in that awesome dress of yours and go knock those boys dead.”

  The sharp tongue and bravado is a mask, a protective layer. I hate how she changes the conversation so quickly and I also hate how deep down she second guesses everything she does, even though she appears to have an endless amount of confidence

  “You can cut out all that deep thinking crap tonight too. We’re going to have some fun,” she quips before filling our glasses with the remainder of the champagne. She raises her glass. “To having my best friend back, and to moving forward.” Her glass chinks against mine and I toast, “To new beginnings.”

  I step into my new favorite dress—a midnight-blue, knee-length, figure-hugging dress. It has long sleeves and a plunging back, so Lottie has dusted a shimmer powder across my shoulders and down my spine. I love her attention to detail and make a note to see if Beth knows anyone who would like to take her under their wing. Even though she’s had no professional training, she would be great behind the scenes of a photo shoot or something similar.

  I step into gold jeweled heels and wrap the long straps around my ankles. I’m good to go. Lottie has disappeared into the bathroom and emerges not ten minutes later, completely transformed. She has on a sleeveless, emerald-green dress which sits above her knees; skater style with peep toe ankle boots. Her makeup is a heavy smoky eye with bright-red plump lips. It compliments her cropped fiery hair which she has ruffled into an orderly mess. I love her quirky, unapologetic style.

  “Lottie, you look hot! How do you even do that in ten minutes flat?”

  She shrugs, “Practice, I guess.”

  “Are you ready to hit the town?” I ask.

  “Arianna, is the town ready for us? That’s the real question.”

  We exit the bedroom and I stop in the lounge to gather my phone and some cash to put in my purse. Just as I am dropping my phone in, it dings.

  Denham - You look beautiful x

  Me - How do you know? Do you have a secret camera watching me? ;)

  Denham - No, but that’s a good idea. I know you look beautiful. You always do x

  I smile down at the screen. He says the sweetest things.

  “Let me guess … lover boy?” Lottie quips. She checks her cell too. “Nope, nothing,” she mumbles, looking disappointed.

  “Come on,” I encourage. “They’ll be waiting for us downstairs.” I have butterflies in my stomach as we ride the elevator down to the foyer, and I try to resist from picking at my fingernails as Lottie has taken so much time in painting them. I’m excited. I’ve never had excited type of butterflies before.

  “Ari ...” Lottie nudges. “Step out.” She gestures to the open door of the elevator with a huge grin on her face.

  I step out blindly and hit that familiar wall before I have a chance to look up. I know who it is. I can smell him. The length of his index finger comes to rest under my chin and tilts my head up slowly until his golden flecked eyes meet mine. His other hand rests on the swell of my hip and his fingers tighten to hold me in place.

  He looks at me intensely. “How long did it take you to get ready?” he asks.

  “Long enough, why?” I question, confused by his question.

  “Because I want to suck off your lip gloss and tangle my hands in your curls” he says, his voice breaking with huskiness. He watches my reaction and gently twists a lone curl around his finger. Lottie clearing her throat behind us at the same time that Spike stifles a snort. “But I have a feeling Lottie will kill me if I do that.” He chuckles.

  “Fuck me, you guys are too damn cute, but for Christ’s sake, get a room!” Lottie interrupts.

  “We have a room. Several actually,” Denham retorts before leaning into me and whispering in my ear, “and I plan to make use of every available surface very soon.”

  He doesn’t let me linger on that thought as he drapes an arm around my shoulder, tucking me into him. We follow Lottie and Spike out of the hotel and into a waiting Limousine.

  “What’s this for?” I ask curiously.

  “Transport for the evening. After you, Stunner.”

  He gestures for me to enter. It’s not easy to get into a car gracefully in such a tight dress, and certainly not when I can feel him watching my every move. Of course, Lottie and Spike are already in and Lottie is pouring more champagne by the time I get seated. Denham slides in next to me, taking the first full glass from Lottie and placing it in my hands. I try to take it from him with a smile, but he doesn’t let go. Instead, he pulls our hands to the side, being careful not to spill the champagne and moves in to kiss me. He brushes his nose up my neck and along my jaw, and I can hear him gently inhaling as his free hand comes to rest at the nape of my neck. He grips firmly, pulling me in closer to him and hovering his lips over mine, taunting me, barely touching me, but causing every nerve in my body to react.

  “One day soon we’ll have a Limo to ourselves.” He speaks in hushed tones so Lottie and Spike can’t hear. “Then I’m going to show you exactly what’s happening in my head right now.” He smiles wickedly and licks my top lip, taking with him some of my gloss. My tongue darts out to meet his, but I’m too slow. “Nuh uh.” He shakes his head gently from side to side with a sexy grin on his face and flashing that killer dimple. “I don’t want an audience, and I especially don’t want my brother to be that audience. Now, I’m going to have to think of something nasty before we exit the car or I’ll be giving everyone a show.”

  My eyes can’t help but move south. When I look back up, I’m being treated to the same smile as before but this time with a quirked brow. My cheeks flush; I’ve been caught blatantly checking out the impressive bulge in his crotch. I start to fidget and pull the champagne glass toward me, this time he lets go.

  “I’ve told you before, “he says confidently, “look all you like because next time we’re in here, we’ll be doing more than looking.” He shifts in the seat until he’s facing the others. Lottie hands him a full glass and he rests his free hand just above my knee, drawing lazy circles with his thumb.

  “Where are we going then, boys?” Lottie asks excitedly. I watch as a grin spreads across Spike’s face. “We’re not? Really?” Lottie hoots before launching herself at Spike and kissing him passionately.

  “That doesn’t really answer the question,” I say, puzzled. “I’m still none the wiser.”

  “It’s Lottie’s favorite place, and I believe you’ll like it too,” he answers cryptically. Something tells me he doesn’t want to give too much away so I don’t pry. I actually like the fact that it’s a surprise.

  “Is it far away?” I ask, wondering how long we’ll be in the Limo.

  “It’s just down the strip but we’ll circle until we’ve finished our drinks.” He speaks matter of factly, not looking in my direction, keeping his gaze fixed out of the window.

  “Are you okay?” I probe gently.

  “I’m thinking about visiting with my elderly grandmother,” he says as if talking to the pane of glass in front of him, “because if I look or think about you right now, Ari, all that effort will be wasted and I’ll be back to square one again.”

  “Denham,” I whisper, and I watch as the shiver works its way down his neck and settles in the base of his spine. “You can’t not look at me all night.”

  “Well, that’s just gone and done it. It seems I only have to hear your voice to get hard,” he says under his breath but loud enough for me to hear. The thought of him being hard at the sound of my voice sending shivers of pleasure through me. It also gives me an air of confidence I’ve never had before.

  I lean
forward and whisper over his shoulder and into his ear.“You want me to do something about that for you?” I say in the sweetest, most innocent voice I can manage. Denham and the alcohol are making me brave, but not quite brave enough that I don’t feel a little embarrassed at being so brazen.

  Denham snaps his head around to me in total shock, then sits up straight and announces, “Turn the fucking car around.”

  Lottie stops looking into Spike’s eyes and snaps, “Oh no you don’t, D. For fuck’s sake ...” she mutters as she gets up out of her seat, and making her way over to me. She swats Denham’s shoulder. “Go sit over there and calm your raging hard-on, will you?” She doesn’t give him a lot of choice before she wiggles her bottom in next to me and makes Denham shuffle around until he’s next to Spike.

  “There ...” Lottie says smugly. “That should do it!” I still can’t believe how direct this girl is. I love her. “And you!” Lottie points one of her long talons at me. “You little tease, try not to raise his main sail all night. The poor boy will explode before you get your hands on him,” she chastises before knocking back what’s left in her glass. “Now drink up, you lightweights. I wanna go party!”

  The Limo circles the strip one more time as we finish off the champagne and settle into friendly banter. Luckily, the sexual tension diminishes somewhat and it makes it more comfortable for Denham to relax and have a good time. It doesn’t vanish completely, and I’m feeling sassy enough to have some fun with him a little later, but for now we’re all out to have a good time.

  We finally pull up outside a very plain looking building. I glance at Lottie for an indication that we have stopped at the wrong place, but she grins and holds out a hand to help me out. When I stand, I straighten out my dress and shake my hair out a little. There is no signage, just a roped area with a queue as long as the road. I inwardly groan. Even though the evening is warm, I don’t want to stand here for what will probably take the best part of an hour to get in.

  Denham and Spike exit the Limo. Denham takes my hand and kisses my cheek before steaming ahead and jumping the queue. I half walk half jog to keep up until we get to the front of the very long line of people. He greets the bouncer with a slap on the back and we walk straight in. I shouldn’t have expected anything less. Denham knows everyone, everywhere.

  He walks us to the back of a long hall, dipping through a door to the left and down another shorter hallway. When we reach the end, there’s an elevator and he presses the button. We wait for the doors to open and he squeezes my hand while we wait, prompting me to look to him. He still looks ahead, but a sexy grin plays on his lips as he knows I’m smiling at him.

  We step in when the doors open and it immediately strikes me that it’s made of glass. I can see the steel and brickwork surrounding it which is bizarre when we start to move. There is no indication of how many floors we travel, but some time passes and I know that we’re not traveling a couple of levels. As it starts to slow, a blue glow starts to get stronger. We emerge from the brick tunnel and the image we are presented with is fabulous.

  We’re on the roof. The elevator has taken us to the open air, and the doors open wide onto a spectacular platform situated six foot above the main area. I’m pleased that we went all out with the outfits this evening as it looks like the dress code is ‘dress to impress’.

  This isn’t LA posh, this is Vegas posh.

  In LA, the people dress to make a statement. Who can wear the best designer? Who paid more for their dress or shoes? In Vegas, the people seem to want to look good regardless of the price. Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure there are plenty of “moneyed” people here, but the atmosphere tells me they are all here to have a good time rather than to see who they can impress. Everyone looks awesome—quirky and unique. It’s my kind of look and I love it immediately. There’s a huge bar, a dance floor which is pumping out sultry R&B tunes, many tables and a couple of roped off areas around the perimeter.

  Lottie comes up behind me as she exits the elevator. “Welcome to Sky lounge. Get your ass to the bar, babe!”

  We weave our way through the crowds of people, Denham nods in acknowledgement to many patrons as we walk on by. They all look like they want to stop and talk, but a tight nod is all he gives and we keep moving.

  “What would you like to drink, Stunner?” Denham asks, his sole focus on me.

  I feel a tug on my arm and look to my left at Lottie’s excited expression. She’s practically bouncing. I grin back at her and we both blurt out at the same time, “Dirty martinis!”

  Denham shakes his head affectionately at us and turns his voice to the bartender. “You heard the girls. Gimme the best dirty martinis you’ve ever made and keep them coming until I say so, understand?” His authoritative voice is not to be messed with and the bartender gets to it instantly.

  Hearing him be so bossy when I know how soft he can be, just makes me want him even more. I feel my core twinge and I know that I have to have him sooner rather than later, before I combust with lust. This is how it should be, all of it. Wanting someone, and having them want me equally. Friends, fun and family. Living life to the fullest and having a future to look to, not living each day just to get through it. This is what being happy feels like.

  Before the drinks are made, we’re shown to a table in one of the elevated private areas by a very long-legged, stick thin waitress. She runs her eyes over Denham’s body, and I understand why she can’t look away because in his gray slacks and fitted white shirt he looks edible. With the top few buttons of his shirt undone, the definition of his chest is almost visible and she has a hard job even looking him in the eye. When she does look up, past his body, she locks her eyes to his and bats her lashes like a hooker waiting for her next lay and clearly has no shame about it. Denham is seemingly oblivious and takes no notice whatsoever, but I can’t help myself.

  I clear my throat rather loudly. “You seem to have a problem with your eyes? Did one of your fake lashes come unstuck?” My tone is threateningly sweet, just the way I meant for it to be. The waitress flares red and opens her mouth, presumably to come back with something smart to say, but catches my ‘I wouldn’t if I were you, missy’ look and struts back in the direction of the bar. I sit down to find everyone looking in my direction with very amused expressions on their faces. “What?”

  “You just marked your territory, babe, that’s what,” Lottie announces.

  “I did not! I just … she had …” What did I just do? Did I really mark my territory? The waitress looking at Denham like she wants him makes me jealous and that’s something I’ve never felt before. Even when I was at my happiest with Aaron, I was never jealous of anyone who flirted with him. He didn’t matter to me enough.

  “Get out of that head of yours, babe. That was fucking hot.”

  Denham is leaning into me, but his lips aren’t touching me at all. His words travel up my shoulder, along my neckline and settle in my ear where the hairs stand on end and jolt my body into a chemical reaction. The whole world falls away and it’s just us there for a minute. I’m looking into the depths of his eyes and I see so much passion, I don’t know what to do with it and I can’t tear myself away. It’s so freakin’ intense and powerful that I’m consumed.

  Lottie’s sharp elbow to my upper arm brings me back to the present. “Ow! What was that for?” I grumble, rubbing what I’m sure will now become a bruise.

  “Will you two stop eye-fucking each other. You’re not the only ones here, ya know. Jeez.”

  “I’m sorry, Lotts,” I say, patting her knee.

  As if on cue, the drinks arrive at the table. Lottie’s eyes light up and I know what she’s thinking. We’ve never gone out together and not downed the first drink. It’s tradition. Lottie swears that it gets you warmed up, ready for the night ahead. I swear that it gets you drunk quickly so you don’t remember much. I haven’t done a lot of drinking in the last few years so I’m sure I’m a lightweight and I have no intention of getting wasted. Just fuzzy enough a
round the edges to let go and have some fun.

  “Ready?” Lottie asks.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I mutter, not entirely looking forward to the burn I know will come from downing the drink, but it’s balanced out by the excitement of recreating happier times with my best friend.

  I can feel Denham looking at me, but I don’t want to risk a pointy elbow in my arm again, so I pick up my glass, chink it with Lottie’s and we grin at each other before knocking it back. It takes her a very skilled four mouthfuls before it’s all gone and she’s banging her glass down on the table. I take a deep breath and gulp down as much as I possibly can in one mouthful. I screw my eyes shut while the liquid burns my throat and I force it to stay down.

  Denham whispers huskily in my ear, “I hope you enjoyed that one, Stunner. I’m not gonna let you do any more like that.” My head snaps round to meet his hooded stare. “I want you compliant, not comatose when we leave tonight.”

  I have mixed feelings about his statement. I don’t want him to tell me what I can and can’t do, but I also want what I think he’s offering and I want it more than losing the use of my legs and a blinding hangover. If I’m honest, I don’t think he would actually stop me if that was what he thought I wanted to do. If I thought for one minute he would dictate to me, he would be kicked to the curb in a blink. I feel a sharp stab in my chest at the thought, and I brush it off because …well, because I just don’t want to even venture to those thoughts.

  “Man, that was a good warm-up,” Lottie gasps. “Let’s order another. Waiter!”

  “I’m not downing another one, Lottie. I want to taste it this time,” I grumble, still feeling the burn in the back of my throat.

  “Whatever makes you happy, babe,” she answers me with a dismissive wave of her hand and proceeds to try and catch the eye of the waiter.

  When the waiter doesn’t seem to take any notice of Lottie yelling and clicking her fingers at him, Spike calls him over with a quick wave of his hand.