“It’s too much,” she protested. “What if this Vance person hates my style and—”

  “Then you have a romantic getaway with a hot guy and have some fun.”

  It sounded simple. Too simple. And Leah wasn’t used to simple. She was used to being taken for a fool when it came to mixing relationships and her career. And she had no proof that this would turn out any different.

  “I can’t do it,” she said. “The last time I trusted a man with my career it almost destroyed me. I’m not sure I could take another disappointment.”

  “Do you really think Sean would take advantage of you the way Gary or Xavier did?” Ellie asked earnestly. “I mean, he seems like a straight up, honest kind of guy.”

  “But how do I know?”

  Ellie squeezed her arm. “I guess you don’t. But everyone is a risk, Leah. It’s simply a matter of how much risk you’re willing to take.”

  “That’s just it,” she said and sighed heavily. “I don’t know if it’s worth it.”

  “If Sean’s worth it, you mean?” Ellie asked and smiled. “Well, isn’t this your chance to find out?”

  Sure it was. But she still didn’t know if she had the courage.

  Because she had so much to lose.

  Chapter Eleven

  Leah had never been to Vegas before. But she had to admit, the lights, the strip, the noise, the energy that seemed to throb like a pulse was somehow mesmerizing. Sean, she suspected, had been there many times, because while she couldn’t take her eyes off everything that whizzed by even in the daylight, he was sitting in the backseat of the rented limo, clicking keys on a laptop and not appearing even remotely interested in their surroundings. But he looked good, dressed in a gray suit, with a pale blue shirt and darker blue tie. Leah had dressed up, too, in a black pantsuit she knew flattered her figure, which she teamed with a crisp, white, wide-collared shirt and dressy boots.

  “How many times have you been here?” she asked as she grabbed his arm to get his attention.

  “A few,” he replied. “Vance throws a good party.”

  “I guess you’ve met a lot of famous people?”

  His mouth flattened for a second, and then he grinned. “A few.”

  “Like who?”

  He exhaled and then rattled off the names of several celebrities, and it was an impressive list that made her feel stupidly insignificant.

  “Are famous people as self-absorbed as the tabloids insinuate?”

  “Some are,” he replied. “But then, I’ve met some not so famous people who are equally as self-absorbed. I think it’s the character, not the career.”

  It was Tuesday. She hadn’t seen him since he’d made her dinner on Saturday night—where he hadn’t repeated his invitation to meet Vance Beaumont. And she knew his play. He was allowing her to make her own decision in her own time. Because as she was discovering, Sean O’Sullivan was very good at getting people to do what he wanted. She talked the idea over with Ivan, and after some serious soul-searching, had decided to take a chance. She didn’t stay Saturday night and he hadn’t insisted. He’d picked her up that morning, and they had driven to Rapid City and caught their flight.

  The Beaumont Hotel and casino was huge and imposing, and as she walked through the foyer about twenty minutes later, Leah’s mind ticked over with possibilities. They met with Vance around two o’clock, and he gave them a tour. He was a tall, good-looking man in his late thirties, and she learned he’d inherited the hotel from his uncle. She did notice how Sean held on to her hand as they walked, and it was obvious that they were more than simple friends, although that was how he’d introduced her to the other man. They had a light lunch afterward in Vance’s private rooms, and he suggested she work up a few ideas. He said the commission was hers and threw out a number that was way more than she’d expected.

  “Not enough,” Sean said as he placed his fork on the plate. “It’s at least a three-month investment for Leah. Try adding about thirty percent onto that figure.”

  Leah almost kneed him under the table.

  Vance did so without batting an eyelid. “Better?”

  Sean nodded and looked at Leah. “You happy with that, Leah?”

  “Ah...yeah.”

  “You’ll get a contract drawn up?” Sean asked.

  Vance nodded, and the negotiations were soon over. They left not long after and checked in to their suite. The huge king-size bed was hard to miss in the bedroom, and the view from the balcony was sublime.

  “Wait until tonight,” he said and moved up behind her by the balcony door. “The lights look incredible.”

  Leah turned around to face him. “How much does this suite cost? And the airplane tickets? And the limo? I’m only asking because I intend to pay you back.”

  “Stop worrying about money.”

  “That’s easy to say when you have loads of it,” she retorted. “And exactly what I would expect from an O’Sullivan.”

  Sean reached out and cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry I’m rich.”

  Leah saw the amusement in his eyes. “No, you’re not. And I don’t resent you your success, by the way, because I know you worked hard to get it. And since when did you set yourself up as my financial negotiator?”

  “Since I’m better at it than you,” he replied and urged her closer, nuzzling the sensitive spot below her jaw. “By the way, how much did my brother pay you for that piece you did for the hotel?”

  She stated the price and then heard him curse. “I thought it was generous at the time.”

  He cursed again, still kissing her. “Liam’s generous when it suits him, particularly when it comes to charity, but not so much when it comes to business. That’s why he’s the richest man in town, I guess.” She heard him smile against her skin. “Well, second richest.”

  Leah grasped his shoulders and pulled back, meeting his gaze. “You do know I’m not your friend because of your money, right?”

  “Of course I know. You’re about the most scrupulous person I have ever met.”

  It was a lovely compliment. “What is it about money that makes people act so badly? I mean, Xavier stole my savings without it being even a blip on his conscience. I’ll never understand that behavior.”

  “Me, either,” he said and led her inside the room. “It’s something of a paradox—people with money often behave badly, just as people without it do the same. There’s no magic fix for badness, Leah. It’s a learned behavior. But when money is valued above everything else, either the best or the worst of ourselves comes out.”

  “How did you do it?” she asked as they sat down. “How did you retain your ethics and sense of what was right and wrong.”

  “You mean, in big bad Hollywood?” He shrugged. “I guess, despite my resistance, I’m my father’s son. Whatever J.D.’s flaws, he always insisted that a man was only ever as good as his word. Of course, at the time I didn’t know he had a secret family tucked away in Portland,” he said and shrugged again. “But you get what I mean.”

  She nodded. “I think your dad made the best of a hard situation. Like your mom is doing now, you know, staying civil, being generous with herself, even though it must hurt her to see J.D. and Kathleen married and clearly very much in love.”

  “I really want to hate Jonah,” he admitted, swallowing hard.

  Leah squeezed his hand, feeling so much love for him she could barely draw breath. “I know.”

  “But it’s hard to hate someone who is...”

  “So much like you?” she said, finishing his sentence. “And his father’s son,” she added, repeating the words he’d used only moments before. “As you are. I think you find it hard because hating someone isn’t in your DNA. You have parents who raised you to be a good person. So be that best version of yourself and forgive your dad for being...human. For having weakness. For falling in love. And forgive Jonah, too...because he didn’t ask to be born into your family. But he is your brother, he is family, and family should be treasured. Besides, you and Jonah are practically the same age, so he could be your friend as well as your sibling. Don’t let your disappointment with your father cloud what could be a rewarding relationship.”

  He chuckled humorlessly. “It’s terrifying how well you know me.”

  “Is it?” she countered, meeting his suddenly unsteady gaze.

  He nodded soberly and drew her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “How about we take a shower, get dressed and I’ll show you my favorite places in town? Or if you like, we could spend some time downstairs playing blackjack?”

  “I’m not much of a gambler,” she admitted. “Seems like a waste of money to me.”

  “It might be fun,” he said her and dragged her to her feet. “We can stick to a one-hundred-dollar kitty, so your frugal sensibilities aren’t challenged too much.”

  “I’m not frugal,” she declared.

  He laughed softly. “Honey, you turn scrap metal into pieces of artwork and sew patches on the worn-out places of your jeans.”

  “That’s being fashion forward,” she retorted.

  “Although I must say,” he added, running his hands down her back and bottom, “you look like the picture of professionalism in that suit. And as sexy as hell.”

  She giggled, feeling foolishly wonderful and free. They were away from Cedar River. Away from prying eyes. Away from the all the things that put their relationship in the too hard basket. And even though it was only for twenty-four hours, she could be with him and love him and pretend that they lived in a couple bubble.

  Over the next few hours, Leah had so much fun she couldn’t recall a time when she’d laughed so much, been kissed so often and wasted so much money. Well, she actually won a little at the roulette table, and Sean was amazingly generous. He stayed by her side while she played and then afterward they had dinner in one of the restaurants. He ordered champagne, Leah ate the most decadent lobster ravioli and once their empty dessert plates were taken away, they headed back to their suite and Sean made love to her. It was sweeter, more intense than any she’d ever known. It was touch that transcended the physical, and she couldn’t stop the tears that burned her eyes, or the way her pulses raced, or the way her heart ached. And the words she’d kept inside came rushing out, bulldozing over protests, finding a voice even though she knew she was setting herself up for heartbreak.

  “I love you, Sean.”

  He didn’t reply. Didn’t say a word, and she wondered if he’d heard her. But he kissed her, long and slow and deep, and for a while everything else was forgotten except the blinding passion that existed between them.

  When Leah rolled out of bed the next morning, it was a little before eight o’clock. The space beside her was empty, the sheets cool, and she sat up and slipped on a robe, looking at the discarded clothes on the floor—his suit, her little black dress, the high heels she’d only worn once before. She padded out into the main room and saw a breakfast cart. But no Sean.

  Maybe he’s left.

  It wouldn’t surprise her, considering she’d broken all the rules and admitted she loved him. So much for friends with benefits. She was such a fraud. And now he knew as much.

  She spotted him on the balcony, sitting at the small table, a cup of coffee in front of him. She approached, saying his name as she moved beside him, and he turned his head to meet her gaze.

  “You let me sleep.”

  He was fully dressed, in dark jeans, a pale gray shirt and boots. “You seemed to need it.”

  Leah moved around and faced him. “Everything okay?”

  He nodded and then dropped his gaze. “Ah—there’s breakfast on the cart, and once you’re ready we should check out and head to the airport.”

  He looked like he wanted to bolt. “Sean, I know I—”

  “Coffee?” he asked and got to his feet, cutting off her words.

  So he didn’t want to talk about it. Maybe he was right. Perhaps now wasn’t the time. “That would be great.”

  As much as she didn’t want to admit it, the air between them was thick with tension and there could be only one reason why. He was clearly uncomfortable. Once they’d eaten, she showered swiftly and dressed, and was packed within the hour. Once they checked out, they took a limo to the airport and caught their flight. They were back in Rapid City by the afternoon, and he pulled up outside her father’s house about forty minutes later. They had barely exchanged more than a few dozen words in the past few hours.

  She turned in the seat and spoke. “Thank you...for everything. For the fun we had last night, for the lovely food and dinner, and for getting me to dress up and enjoy myself. But mostly,” she said and touched his shaven jaw, “thank you for making me believe in myself. And for the opportunity. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”

  He nodded. “No problem. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  He got out and extracted her bag from the back, handing it to her. He didn’t walk her to the door, didn’t kiss her goodbye; in fact, he didn’t even wait until she was inside before he drove off. She was halfway down the hallway when she heard her father’s voice and quickly joined him in the living room.

  “How did it go?” Ivan asked, looking at her over the book he was reading.

  She nodded and quickly explained about the contract with Vance Beaumont’s hotel. “It’s a big undertaking, as the space is huge and the piece will need to be big. But I can’t wait to get into it.”

  “Looks like things are falling into place for you.”

  She shrugged slightly. “I hope so.”

  “And Sean?”

  “I think...” Her words trailed off and she sighed. “I think it may have run its course.”

  Leah didn’t need it spelled out for him. She’d told Sean she loved him, and he closed off like the proverbial clam. It was obviously over. And she was perfectly fine with that.

  Positively fine.

  Better than fine.

  She was happy. They were over and done with, and now she could get on with what was really important. Her career. She’d had her heart broken before and she pulled through. This wouldn’t be any different.

  But she knew, deep down, in that place that she never let anyone see, that it was different. As different as night and day.

  * * *

  “For someone who said he wanted some company and a drink,” Will said and shook his head, “you’re a big disappointment. You’ve hardly touched that beer.”

  Sean stared at the bottle of amber liquid sitting in front of him. Despite insisting he wanted to get out from under the weight of his own company, he really wasn’t in the mood to drink. Or socialize. He was simply tired of being alone. His friend had stopped by the house after he sent a text asking if he wanted to catch up and Sean was initially glad for the company. But now, not so much. And he refused to admit that his mood had anything to do with Leah.

  Or her unexpected declaration.

  I love you...

  It had shocked the hell out of him.

  So much so he didn’t know what to do with it. What to think. And worse, what to say to her. He wasn’t generally lost for words or unable to articulate his thoughts. But she’d thrown him. He wasn’t ready for it. Wasn’t prepared. Didn’t know what to do with the sudden urge he’d had to say it back. Because it muddled his thoughts. And it polarized him. Making him vulnerable. Weak.

  “I screwed up.”

  Will didn’t look surprised. “What did you do? Get her pregnant?”

  Jesus, he hoped not. “No,” he said quickly. “Nothing like that. But she’s...you know, invested.”

  “And you’re not?”

  Will was a good and trusted friend, but he wasn’t in the mood to spill his guts and talk about his feelings for Leah.

  “I don’t really know.”

  “Well, how about we head into town for a while,” Will remarked. “Play a round of pool at Rusty’s?”

  Sean shook his head. “No, thanks.”

  His friend laughed. “Man, this girl has really screwed with your brain, hasn’t she? I’ve never seen you like this.”

  Because I’ve never been like this.

  After Will left, Sean spent most of the night staring at the ceiling, missing Leah more than he would dare admit.

  He hadn’t seen her for four days. He’d texted a couple of times, keeping the tone light and always about her upcoming show, and her replies were the same. He’d received several RSVPs for the showing and anticipated that it would be a successful event. He knew he needed to see her though, to work through the inventory of her pieces and plan the placement at the gallery.

  He rolled up at her studio at two o’clock Sunday afternoon. She wore bright orange overalls, heavy work boots and a plaid shirt, and protective glasses shielded her eyes. Sean watched her for a while, appreciating how she worked, choosing materials, creating dimensions, stepping back and then moving around the piece, her hands smoothing out the metal, her skill seducing the shape into a life of its own.

  She must have sensed his intrusion, because she put down the mallet in her hand and turned, flipping up her glasses. “Oh, hi.”

  He walked through the doorway and moved toward her. Her hair was in a ponytail, her face free of makeup, and he thought she’d never looked more beautiful, more vibrant, more quintessentially Leah than she did in that moment.

  “I thought we should catch up about the showing,” he said easily, watching her expression narrow. “I suggest the pieces get set up on Friday.”

  “Actually,” she said, “I’ve been thinking that maybe it’s not such a good idea.”

  Sean rocked back on his heels. “You want to cancel?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t want to risk people not turning up like last time.”

  “Last time it was badly managed,” he said tightly. “This time, it isn’t.”