“Yep. You said you wanted to go again.” A short time later, he pulled into the Mandalay Bay Resort parking lot. “It’s a quarter to six now, and we have just enough time to check in and change.”

  Check in? He planned for them to stay overnight? In the same room?

  “Siobhan?”

  His voice shattered her reverie. “Huh? Oh.” He stood at her open door with his hand extended. He helped her out of the car, and she reached back inside to grab her jacket while he removed their bags from the trunk. It didn’t take long to check in, and she was left speechless by the suite’s elegance—king-size bed, living room and a wall of windows overlooking the Strip. The bathroom had double sinks, a large glass shower and a soaking tub large enough for two. Siobhan startled slightly when Justin came up behind her.

  “Is this okay?”

  “It’s beautiful, but I didn’t expect to be gone overnight or the whole weekend.”

  “I booked the room for one night, and like I told you earlier, I’ll take you back whenever you’re ready.”

  This suite wasn’t cheap, but he was willing to lose his money for her comfort. There went another notch. “No, it’s fine.” She didn’t want him to waste his money, she rationalized.

  “You can change first.”

  She nodded, picked up her bag and went into the bathroom. Emotions bubbled up within her, and she braced her hands on the sink and bowed her head. This man made it almost impossible to remain unmoved.

  * * *

  As soon as he heard the shower running, Justin made a quick trip downstairs to pick up tickets for the show. He rushed back upstairs, stretched out on the bed and waited for Siobhan to change. He couldn’t believe the transformation. The straitlaced, restrained businesswoman whom he’d met that first night—and just about every time they’d gone out—had been replaced with a fun-loving siren who turned him on even more. He still sensed some hesitancy on her part, however, and he wanted to do everything in his power to give her a weekend she would never forget.

  “Your turn.”

  He sat up at the sound of her voice and did a slow appraisal. She wore a pair of white slacks, a green top and matching low-heeled green pumps. She had applied minimal makeup that accentuated her light brown eyes and had slicked her ear-length curly hair back on one side. Justin slowly rose from the bed and approached her. He kissed her cheek, being careful not to smudge her makeup. “You are absolutely gorgeous.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’ll be right back.” Justin smiled the whole time while showering and dressing. Fifteen minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom.

  “Don’t you look handsome,” Siobhan said, sauntering his way and draping her arms around his neck.

  “What, this old outfit?” he teased, glancing down at the black slacks and pale purple dress shirt.

  She laughed. “I’m really enjoying this trip. So, where to next?”

  “Ah, so you’re finally getting the hang of this fun stuff. See, I told you being kidnapped isn’t so bad.”

  “Nope. I might have to let you kidnap me more often.”

  “Don’t tempt me, woman. Keep talking like that and I may never let you go.” Where had that come from?

  Her eyebrows shot up, and he heard her sharp intake of breath.

  The atmosphere went from playful to serious in an instant. “We should get going.” They took the elevator down and walked through the casino, passing various shops. Several other people were headed in the same direction. Justin stopped. “You said you missed out on a show the last time you came to Vegas, and I know how much you like Michael Jackson, so I figured this would be the best of both worlds.” He handed her the tickets.

  Siobhan’s eyes lit up and she let out a squeal. “Oh. My. God! I can’t believe it.”

  She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss that left him gasping for breath and drew the attention of some passersby.

  One older man chuckled and said, “Your wife must love Michael Jackson.”

  Not bothering to correct the assumption, Justin said, “She does.”

  Siobhan was too excited to notice and grabbed Justin’s hand, tugging him in the direction of the theater. “Where are we sitting?”

  “You have the tickets.”

  She giggled and waved them in the air. “Oh, yeah.” She studied the tickets and then whipped her head around. “Row D?”

  He nodded and laughed.

  Once they reached their seats and she realized they were in the center section, she did a little shimmy in her seat. “This is fantastic. I still can’t believe it.” She reached up and cupped his jaw. “Thank you, Justin. I will never, ever forget this night.”

  Those strange emotions surfaced again. “You’re welcome.”

  He was falling for this woman and wasn’t sure whether a casual, no-strings-attached relationship was really what he wanted anymore.

  * * *

  Siobhan bounced in her seat, waiting for the show to begin. Their seats were in the fourth row, so close that she could see everything. Moments later the lights went down and the music began. Between the aerial performances, acrobatics and amazing dance choreography going on simultaneously, she didn’t know where to settle her gaze first. She and Justin clapped and sang along to their favorite songs, and were held spellbound by a woman on a rope, hanging from the ceiling dancing to “Dirty Diana.” Siobhan leaned over and whispered, “She has phenomenal body strength.”

  Justin chuckled.

  The highlight of the performance, in her mind, had to be the hologram of Michael performing on the stage with the dancers. They performed so precisely, she would have sworn Michael was on the stage for real.

  Siobhan was still humming and smiling after the show, and Justin bought her a T-shirt for a souvenir. “I don’t know if I want to wear it or frame it.”

  “I can solve that problem. Stay right here.” He disappeared in the crowd and came back minutes later with a second shirt. “Now one to frame and one to wear.”

  “I can’t let you do this. You already bought one.” She opened her purse, and he put a hand on her arm.

  “This weekend is my treat, sweetheart. Now dinner.”

  “Dare I ask where?”

  “You can ask...”

  She tilted her chin and strutted past him. “That’s okay. I don’t need to know. I’m fine.”

  Justin shook his head and laughed. “You’re learning.”

  They walked clear across the other side of the resort and ended up at the House of Blues. This night kept getting better and better. She ordered a shrimp po’boy with French fries and a margarita, while he opted for jambalaya and a Long Island Iced Tea. With the way she had eaten today, Siobhan would need to hit the gym every day next week to work it all off, but she didn’t regret one second. Over dinner, they discussed their favorite parts of the show and what they wished had been included. This had been the best date she’d ever had, and she was a little sad that it would be over tomorrow. And she hadn’t even thought about turning on her cell phone once. “What’s next?” she asked eagerly.

  Justin took a sip of his drink before responding. “You decide.”

  She brought her hand to her heart. “What? I get to be in control?” she said teasingly.

  A wide grin split his face. “I’m quite content to share every once in a while.”

  “All right, then. Let’s go to The Venetian and take a gondola ride, then go for a walk on the Strip.”

  He paid the bill and found out the indoor portion of the ride closed at midnight, which gave them two hours. Rather than walk, Justin drove in case there was a long wait. It turned out to be a wise decision because the earliest available time was an hour later. The line had thinned out considerably by their scheduled time, and they were fortunate enough to have a private ride. Justin draped his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

  Siobhan didn’t know if it was the romantic atmosphere of the ride, the feel of Justin’s arm around her or the entire day, but all she wanted was to go back to the room. “Justin.”

  “Yeah, baby.”

  “Can we go back to the room after the ride?”

  “Sure. Are you tired?”

  She lifted her head, and their eyes met. “No.”

  She wasn’t tired at all. In fact, she felt more energized than she had in a long while.

  Chapter 10

  Justin slanted his mouth over Siobhan’s in an urgent kiss as soon as the hotel door closed. He removed her jacket and dropped it on the floor, and without breaking the seal of their mouths, he walked her backward until the backs of her legs hit the bed. He lowered her onto it and stretched his toned body on top of hers. Siobhan moaned, loving the feel of his weight.

  “You don’t know how many nights I fantasized about being here with you like this,” Justin whispered against her lips as his hand snaked between their bodies to cup her full breast. He feathered kisses along her jaw, the column of her neck and the exposed portion of her chest.

  A flurry of sensations rushed through Siobhan. “Justin.” She had envisioned this moment, as well.

  “I want to explore every part of your body.” He came to his knees, brought her to a sitting position and pulled her shirt over her head. “Mmm, nice,” he said of her apple-green lace bra, before dipping his head to gently bite her nipple through the fabric.

  Electricity shot through her, and she moaned loudly. “I want you, too.” She unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hand over the muscled wall of his chest. Siobhan darted her tongue out and swiped it across his nipple. His sharp intake of breath pierced the silence, and she repeated the action with its twin, eliciting a low moan from his throat.

  “We have on way too many clothes,” Justin murmured. He paused to pull the comforter back. “Lie back, baby.” He lifted first one foot, then the other, and slipped her shoes off. Then he unfastened her slacks and slid them down and off to reveal matching panties. He caressed each leg, starting at her foot and working his way to her hips, then followed with his mouth.

  Justin lifted his head briefly. “I gotta tell you, you are sexy as hell, and what you’re wearing... I could look at you all night long. But I want to see it all.” He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her panties and slowly removed them. He reached behind her and, with one flick of his wrist, undid her bra. Siobhan’s breasts sprang free, and he latched on to a hardened bud.

  Every place on her body tingled. Justin mastered her body like someone who had been schooled in the art of pleasure. “What about your clothes?” Siobhan said breathlessly. She reached up and pushed his shirt off his shoulders. He rose and kicked off his shoes, then tossed the shirt aside and went to work on his pants, removing them and his briefs in one fluid motion. She thought his upper body impressive, but his strong thighs and tight buttocks, not to mention his engorged manhood, had her close to drooling.

  He dug in his bag and retrieved condoms, tore one off and tossed the others on the nightstand. Justin rolled it over his length and came back to the bed. “Now, where was I? Ahh, I think I was here,” he said, swirling his tongue around her breasts and kneading them.

  Siobhan wanted him inside her now. “Justin, I can’t wait.” She rotated her hips and closed her hand around his erection, but he shifted out of her reach.

  “Relax, sweetheart, and just feel. We have all night.”

  He continued to torture and tease her breasts with his mouth while one hand feathered over her belly and lower still until he reached her center. He pushed her legs apart, parted her folds and slipped first one finger, then another one, inside her. She grew wetter and wetter with each bold stroke and arched into his hand. His fingers moved faster and faster, and when he added a third finger, Siobhan gripped the sheets and moaned loudly as a blinding orgasm tore through her.

  Justin withdrew his fingers and kissed his way back up to her mouth. The kiss was seductive with a slow, drugging intimacy that had warning bells screaming in her head. She sensed something different in the way he kissed her, something that said this was more than just sex. She tensed.

  “What is it, Siobhan?”

  She shook her head quickly. “Nothing.” How could she tell him that the emotions he roused in her frightened her? She could do sex, but with her track record, she didn’t want to make the same mistake as before.

  His expression turned serious. “If you’ve changed your mind, it’s—”

  “No.” She swept her tongue into his mouth and captured his, conveying just what she wanted.

  He groaned, positioned his body over hers, pushed at her entrance and buried himself to the hilt. Justin eased out to the tip and thrust again, establishing an easy rhythm. “So good,” he murmured.

  Each rhythmic thrust drew Siobhan further into his web of passion until she lost all sense of time and space. He kept up the pace for several minutes, and she whimpered when he withdrew.

  He chuckled softly. “Don’t worry. I got you, baby.” He turned Siobhan on her side, came up to a high kneel, placed one thigh between hers and slid back in. “Tell me if you like this.”

  She cried out at the sweet invasion. In this position, he could go deeper and hit her G-spot with every stroke. He quickened his movements. Her cries grew louder, and her breathing came in short gasps. A spiraling sensation began low in her belly and swept her up like a tornado. Siobhan cried out as another orgasm ripped through her.

  Justin threw his head back and let out a guttural groan as he found his own climax. “Siobhan.” His body shuddered, and he called her name on a ragged moan. His head hung limp for a moment, and then he pulled out and collapsed on the bed beside her, his front to her back, draping an arm over her middle and snuggling close. “As soon as I catch my breath, I’ll run some bathwater and we can soak in that huge tub.”

  “Mmm.” That was the only word she could manage. Her heart thudded in her chest, and tremors still raced through her. The man not only could kiss, but also knew his way around a woman’s body. She must have dozed off because she never heard Justin leave the bed or run the water. She wasn’t the smallest person, but Justin lifted her in his strong arms as if she weighed nothing.

  “How’s the water?” he asked, lowering her into the tub.

  “Fine.”

  He sat beside her, gathered her in his arms and pressed his lips against hers. “I like holding you in my arms.”

  “And I like you holding me in your arms.” They relaxed for several minutes. Then he reached for one of the washcloths lying on the edge of the tub, wet it and let the water drizzle over her shoulders and back.

  “I hope you don’t mind me using the hotel’s shower gel.”

  “No,” she murmured, enjoying his ministrations.

  Afterward, Justin led her back to the bed, hit the lights and snuggled behind her, his hand lightly caressing her hip and thigh. No other man had taken such an inordinate amount of time to please her, not even the man she was supposed to marry. She smiled. Maybe being with him wasn’t all bad.

  * * *

  The shard of light peeking through the heavy curtains awakened Justin. He glanced over his shoulder at the clock, then back at the woman curled into his side. They had another three hours before checkout. He left the bed silently and went to the bathroom. He returned and crawled back into bed, being careful not to disturb Siobhan. It had been a long time since he’d had a morning after—he made a practice to avoid them—but for the first time, he didn’t feel the restlessness that usually had him bolting for the door. In fact, he was stunned by how right it felt waking up next to Siobhan. His groin stirred with the memory of the previous night, and a smile spread across his lips.

  Then he frowned. The sex had been great, and despite what she said about wanting him, he knew Siobhan still hadn’t allowed herself to enjoy it fully. Justin didn’t know whether it was because she’d been hurt badly in a previous relationship, or if it was just like she said—she never let go of her control. But now that he’d got a glimpse of her fire, he wished for nothing more than to unlock the passion she kept so tightly bound.

  Siobhan shifted. Her eyes fluttered then opened, and she smiled.

  Justin’s heart did a little flip. “Good morning, beautiful.”

  “Good morning.”

  He kissed her lightly.

  “Excuse me. I need to go to the bathroom.”

  He watched her naked curvaceous body as she passed, and he hardened immediately. He’d planned for them to have breakfast and then get on the road, but breakfast and the road would have to wait.

  “What time are we heading back?” Siobhan asked as she climbed into bed again.

  “After I get another taste of your sexy body,” he answered, kissing her until she lay flat. His hand traveled over her smoother-than-silk skin, from her face to her neck, and finally settled on her breasts. Justin massaged the full mounds, then left her mouth, captured a pebbled nipple between his teeth and tugged gently, drawing a sharp cry from her. “You like that, baby?”

  “Ooooh, yes.” Her head dropped back, and her eyelids closed.

  “That’s good because today I’m going to make you scream.” He slid down her body, hooked her left leg over his shoulder and placed a kiss on her knee. He trailed his tongue along her inner thigh to her warm, moist center, then mirrored his actions on her right leg. Justin repeated the action until she trembled and writhed beneath him, then plunged his tongue into her slick, wet heat.

  “Justin,” she chanted as his tongue moved faster and deeper.

  He felt the moment she started to lock down her emotions and tried to scoot away, but he wasn’t having it, not today. “Let it go, sweetheart.”