What Happens In Vegas...: His Wedding-Night Wager

She nodded.

He lifted her legs and paused at the entrance of her body. The tip of him slipped inside her. She was so wet and so ready. Her body tightened around him as he entered her. He cursed and pulled out. “Are you on the Pill?”

She shook her head. He didn’t want to use a condom; he knew he was free of any diseases and wanted to feel her wrapped around his erection, but he couldn’t chance pregnancy.

He pushed off the bed and went into the head and found the box of condoms he kept in the medicine cabinet. He grabbed one, sheathed himself before returning to the stateroom.

Shelby hadn’t moved. Her arms were still above her head, holding the headboard. She was so beautiful to him in that moment, caught up in the feelings he’d brought to her, that he paused to watch her.

“Baby,” he said between clenched teeth. He dropped to his knees near the bed. Starting at her neck, he nibbled his way down her body. Lingering over her pretty breasts, he circled the plump globes and left her nipples untouched.

She shifted her shoulders to try to move her nipple to his mouth. He allowed her to get closer, licking the tip before turning his head to her other breast and slowly exploring it.

He slid his hand down her body. Her earlier orgasm had left her body flushed and sensitive to his fingers. She was wet and creamy and he used her juice to coat his fingers, bringing them up to her nipples and rubbing her own moisture on them.

She craned her neck to watch him. He, too, was helplessly fascinated by the sight of his large fingers sliding between her thighs and entering her body.

“Hayden, I can’t wait much longer.”

“Yes, you can,” he said, levering himself on the bed and over her.

He settled between her open legs, taking his erection in his hand and rubbing it up and down her center. He pressed it to her little bud until she tightened her thighs around him and her hips jerked upward.

“Not yet, Shelby. Hold on, baby. Wait for me.”

She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, and he knew he’d pushed further than he’d intended to tonight. Putting his arms under her thighs, he lifted her legs, opened her fully to him and entered her. Slowly he filled her until he was seated hilt deep.

Her brilliant eyes opened and she watched him take her. For a moment he remembered the first time he’d taken Shelby. He’d been her first and it had been a surprise. She’d been as openly candid about her appreciation of him and his body then as she was tonight.

Her muscles tightened around him as he pulled back for a second thrust. Her hands gripped the headboard so tightly that he knew she was close. He wanted them to come together this time.

His own orgasm was almost on him. He hurried his pace, thrusting deeper and deeper into her. Finally he felt that telltale tingling at the base of his spine.

“Now, baby.”

She came at once, her body tightening around him like a wet, hot glove. He emptied himself into the condom, wishing he’d been able to empty himself into her womb. He wanted to claim her. To stake his claim and make sure that no one—man or woman—ever doubted that Shelby belonged to him.

He collapsed on top of her, spent from the powerful climax. He nestled closer to her breast, idly sucking on one nipple. Her arms wrapped around him and he shifted his weight to the side so that he didn’t crush her.

He felt as if he’d found his home. That disturbed him deep inside because he hadn’t realized that he’d been searching for one until this very moment.

Shelby didn’t want to wake up. She saw the sun shining across the bed, but the feel of Hayden’s arms around her was too good to give up. Even to the reality of morning. How many times had she dreamed of him holding her this way only to wake alone once again?

But she wasn’t one to hide from reality. And she knew this morning he was real, not a figment of her hungry soul. But this time she had to deal with her own guilty conscience. Deal with the fact that she had gone behind his back to seduce him with the things he loved.

Her thighs and breasts were pleasantly sore from last night. She was a little scared at the intensity of their lovemaking.

She’d enjoyed herself, no doubt about that, but he’d made her feel vulnerable. She didn’t like that. She was a business owner—not exactly an occupation for wimps. She was used to dealing with her fears head-on and would deal the same way with this one, too.

Rolling over and opening one eye, she found herself nose-to-nose with Hayden. His eyes were wide open and the most arrogant male grin split his face.

“What are you smiling about?”

“You, here with me,” he said. Leaning down, he kissed her.

It was the slow kind of kiss that didn’t put any pressures or demands for more. She felt precious to him. It made her realize how vulnerable she was once again to Hayden. Before, she hadn’t really loved him, but this time he was so much more to her than a wealthy man.

Now she was starting to know him, to know that he was constantly going. A moving ball of energy. And that he liked to bet on anything and everything.

She tunneled her fingers through his chest hair, caressing his warm, bare skin. She wanted to snuggle closer. To sink into him until they were just one person and then didn’t have to face the day apart.

He lifted his head. “We have to get back. I can’t believe I left the casino this long without checking in.”

He propped himself up on the headboard and she blushed as she remembered how he’d made her hold on to it until she came in his arms.

He saw her color and shook his head, tugging her into his arms. “Thank you.”

“For…?”

“Last night. It was…incredible, Shel. I wish our first time had been like that.”

“I don’t.”

“Really? I’ve always regretted that I took you too quickly that first time.”

“I don’t. You were perfect, Hayden. And I don’t think we could have handled last night before. We were both…”

“Both what?”

“I can’t speak for you but I was pretending to be someone else. Hoping you wouldn’t notice.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why were you pretending?”

“Because I wanted a rich boy to marry me and normally you wouldn’t have looked twice at the real me.”

“Yes, I would have,” he said.

“You might have looked but you wouldn’t have proposed. I know that firsthand.”

“Because of your mom?”

“Yeah. She’s never been married.”

“Where is she now?”