Alluring Read online

  "I like watching you." At her expression he laughed. "Not in an alarming way. As in, when someone looks at a beautiful painting. They buy it, hang it on their wall so they can stare at it for hours. That's how I feel about you. I can't seem to stay away." He gave her a boyish grin. "I really like the view."

  Alexis knew how he felt, for while he watched her, she had watched him, knowing she would never get tried of doing so. Every night, when he left, she felt a pang in her chest.

  But she also knew this behavior was wrong. She had to put a stop to his surveillance. Nothing good would come of it. He was still that guy, looking for a good time, and she was still that girl, not looking for anything.

  "Can I see your phone?"

  He frowned at her random request but pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to her.

  She fiddled with the buttons, pulling up the camera, then snapped a picture of herself. She held out the phone. "Here, now you can look all you want, but please don't come back here."

  He took the phone from her hand, sending electricity shooting up her arm from where their fingers touched. He looked down at the picture and laughed. "You surprise me. That doesn't happen, often. But you're right, we're looking for two different things. I'll stay away."

  He turned to go, then stopped himself. "Can I have a name to go with my picture?"

  She thought for a moment but didn't see the harm. "Alexis."

  He gave her a nod. "Jack."

  She gave a slight nod back, turned on her heel, and walked away. She felt his eyes on her and forced herself not to look back.

  "What about this one?" Steph asked, holding up a scarlet-red dress with tiny rhinestones down the front and fringe at the hem.

  As promised, Steph had shown up at Alexis's door at nine the following Saturday morning, two vanilla lattes in her hands and a smile on her face, ready for a day of shopping.

  The week had gone by extraordinarily slow. Even though she had told Jack not to come back, her eyes couldn't help scanning the casino floor, looking for him. He had kept his word and stayed away. She didn't know why but that made her extremely sad. Well, maybe she did know why, she just didn't want to admit to herself that she was devastated he had given up. Not that she had expected anything less, after all, he had said it himself, they wanted two different things.

  But a girl could fantasize. And in her fantasies, Jack was the relentless suitor, breaking down her door, and whisking her away to live happily ever after. Alexis giggled to herself. Talk about an unrealistic fantasy.

  Alexis looked up from the sale rack she was browsing through. "It's too flashy. Can't you find something ... I don't know ... plainer?"

  Steph rolled her eyes. "You are such a bore."

  "You know," Alexis said, placing a finger on her chin, "that dress would look perfect on you."

  Steph held the dress up in front of her and looked down. "You think so? Maybe I'll try it on." She folded the dress over her arm and continued her search.

  Alexis had just about given up on the sale rack, when a black, jersey-knit dress with long sleeves, a low, scooped neck and a tight skirt caught her eye. Alexis looked at the price tag, saw it was fifty percent off, took it off the rack, and went in search of a dressing room.

  She had just put the dress on, and turned to look at herself in the mirror, when she heard Steph yelling for her. She opened the dressing-room door and poked her head out. "I'm over here. Quit yelling."

  Steph walked in, took one look at Alexis, and declared, "You are buying that dress."

  Alexis turned to look at her behind. "It doesn't make my butt look big?"

  "Girl, your ass looks perfect. That dress is sexy as hell."

  Alexis took one more look at herself in the dress. "Okay, I'll get it. "

  After a successful shopping trip (in which Steph did buy the red dress), they stopped for lunch before heading back to Alexis's to get ready for the party. She had a small one-bedroom/one-bath apartment that was about ten minutes from the strip. Everything in the apartment was from her old house. From the light brown, beat up, but comfortable couch to the dishes in the kitchen cabinets. Memories of her mom were everywhere.

  Alexis was anxious. She didn't do well in large crowds, and she had a feeling tonight was going to be a very large crowd. She attributed her social awkwardness to the way she grew up.

  At fifteen, when she was about to discover boys and participate in school activities, her mom got sick. At the first sign of her illness, her dad left, and she'd never heard from him since. Not one visit. Not one phone call. Nothing. She got a part time job after school to help pay the bills. Because she would get so tired, her mom could only manage to work part time and with her dad's paycheck gone, they needed the money. Alexis spent her nights cleaning the house, looking after her sister, and caring for her mother. She lived on virtually no sleep. Looking back, it was a wonder she survived it.

  As the years went by and the cancer spread, her mom became bedridden. After high school, Alexis turned her part-time waitressing job into a full-time waitressing job to pay the bills and keep a roof over their heads. Her mom held on for three more years. Just long enough to see her youngest daughter graduate from high school.

  With the sale of their house, Alexis paid part of her mother's medical bills. The amount left over was still staggering and with the addition of her sister's collage tuition, she felt she would be in debt for the rest of her life.

  Steph collected their bags, walked to the bedroom, and threw them on the bed. The bedroom was small with her king-sized bed and dresser filling most of the space, but her bathroom was a decent size. Steph took her make-up tote into the bathroom, and by the time Alexis walked in to get ready, it looked like a beauty supply store had thrown-up on her bathroom vanity. Make-up and hair products littered the counter top and Steph still pulled things from her bag.

  "I'll do your hair and make-up," Steph said, waving to the toilet. "You sit there."

  "What you don't trust me to do it?" Alexis asked, with an exaggerated pout.

  "I want you to be drop-dead gorgeous. I want all the men to fall at your feet as you walk by. I want them to salivate and beg for your attention. And as God as my witness, I will get you laid!" Steph ended her tirade with her left arm up in the air, curling iron held high, and her right hand over her heart.

  Alexis giggled at Steph's impassioned speech. Steph cracked a smile that caused Alexis's giggles to turn into laughter. Steph's laughter soon followed.

  Alexis gawked at the crowd waiting to get into the nightclub. Fortunately, they didn't have to wait in that ridiculously long line. Steph's romp with Brad from accounting had produced VIP tickets, enabling them to jump to the front of the line, causing dirty looks from the women and leering from the men, as they walked by.

  Alexis had to admit, Steph did a great job on her hair and make-up. They looked fabulous. The red dress and gold platform heels made Steph look tall and slim but still very curvy. Her blond hair fell in waves down her back, and her make-up screamed, drama.

  Alexis loved her new dress. The skirt fell to mid-thigh, was super tight (but stretchy), and hugged her hips and ass. The top was blousy with a low cowl-neck and skin-tight sleeves. Stephanie had tamed her wild curls, so they fell softly down her back with just the front pulled back away from her face and held in place with a red rhinestone clip. Steph gave her smoky eyes with her signature red lips. Red high-heeled sandals that tied at the back of her ankle with a black satin ribbon adorned her feet.

  Pulled was a treat for the senses. The music was loud but not so loud that you couldn't hear the person beside you talking. The lighting was muted with certain sections (like the bar, the dance floor, and the VIP sections) spotligh
ted. Everything in the place was either black, red or gold.

  Alexis started giggling. When Steph turned to her with a questioning frown marring her brow, she explained, "We match the decor."

  Steph looked around, then laughed, "Wow, we really do."

  They made their way to the VIP section and found a booth to sit at. Alexis put her small clutch (that held her phone, lipstick, credit card, and ID) on the table. As soon as they sat, a waiter appeared.

  "What can I get you ladies?" The very cute waiter asked, with a smile and a wink.

  Steph giggled (giggled!). "I'll have a Cosmo and your phone number."

  Alexis rolled her eyes and ordered a white wine. After the waiter walked away she hissed, "He's way to young for you."

  "I want to sleep with him, not marry him."

  Alexis wished she had the same casual regard about sex that Steph had. If she were more laid back, she could have gone home with Jack.

  Just thinking about him made her stomach flutter. What would it be like to have his lips and hands all over her body? What would the stubble on his cheeks feel like scraping across her skin? How soft would his hair feel, running through her fingers? Alexis squirmed in her seat. Thoughts of Jack were making certain private places tingle.

  "You okay over there?" Steph asked, with a lift of her brow.

  Alexis's face flushed. "Yes, these seats are a tad uncomfortable. Just trying to find a comfortable position."

  "Reverse cowgirl is a pretty comfortable position," she said, letting Alexis know she didn't get anything by her.

  "Ha, Ha, very funny. Let's finish these drinks then hit the dance floor."

  "Sounds like a plan," Steph said, picking up her glass and downing the contents in two long swallows.

  With wide eyes, Alexis followed suit. Only, it took her four swallows to finish her wine.

  An hour later, Alexis was done dancing. It was more work keeping the guys from getting too handsy than it was actually dancing. She was hot, thirsty, and in desperate need of some water.

  She signaled to Steph that she needed something to drink. Steph nodded and signaled back that she wanted to keep dancing.

  She made her way to the bar and stood a few minutes until a small opening appeared. She wedged herself in and waited for the bartender to make his way over to her.

  While she waited, the guy standing next to her asked, "Can I buy you a drink?"

  "No thanks, I'm only getting water." The bartender stepped in front of her and wiped a white towel over the bar. "Water please," she said. He gave her a nod, reached under the counter, and pulled out a bottled water. "Thank you." She slid the bartender her credit card.

  He shook his head. "Water's on the house."

  "Thanks again," she smiled, slipping the card back into her bag and uncapping the bottle.

  After taking a long drink, she heard the guy next to her say, "Don't I know you? You look familiar. Although I can't imagine I'd ever forget a face like yours."

  Alexis rolled her eyes. As a pickup line, it sucked. He could have at least tried to be a little more creative. She turned her head to look at him. He wasn't bad looking, a bit on the older side, late thirties maybe. He had light-brown hair, thinning at the top, and brown eyes. He wore a pair of dark jeans paired with a black blazer, and a white, button-down shirt. "No." She kept it short and sweet. Maybe he would take the hint and leave her alone.

  Nope, he was Mr. Never Say Die. "You sure I can't buy you a drink? You look really thirsty."

  "The lady said no."

  CHAPTER THREE

  Alexis jumped, startled by the voice coming from so close behind her. She set her bottle of water down on the bar-top and turned. Standing before her was Jack. He wore a form fitting (obviously custom-tailored), black suit with a dark gray, almost black shirt unbuttoned at the throat and no tie. His hair was slicked back away from his clean-shaven face. She stared, her eyes devouring his features. He was even more stunning than she remembered, and she remembered being pretty stunned.

  She looked into his eyes, but he was looking at the guy behind her.

  "I don't see how this is any of your business," the guy (stupidly Alexis thought) behind her said.

  Alexis watched Jack's jaw harden. "When a lady says no and some asshole doesn't take the hint, I make it my business."

  "Did you just call me an asshole?"

  Alexis had to stop this before things got out of hand. She placed her hand on Jack's chest to capture his attention.

  He looked down at her. "It's okay. I can take care of myself." His eyes got hard and his jaw locked again. Once more, his eyes moved to the guy behind her.

  "Whatever man, I'm leaving. No piece of ass, no mater how fine is worth this much trouble."

  Alexis turned her body toward the bar, but her head turned to watch the man walk off toward the dance floor.

  "He's wrong you know."

  Alexis turned her head back around. "About what?"

  "You're definitely worth the trouble." His green eyes scanned her from head to toe then back up again. "You look beautiful tonight. I think I might need an updated picture."

  Alexis sighed. "Look Jack, I appreciate you stepping in and taking care of that guy, but that still doesn't change that fact that I'm not interested in what your offering."

  Jack looked down at her with a grin. "Oh, I think you're very interested."

  He was right (the arrogant ass), not that she was ever going to admit that to him.

  Alexis was saved from replying when a tall, beautiful, curvy, blond in a tight gold dress, walked up, put her arm through Jack's, and curved her body around his. "Jack, honey, I was looking all over for you."

  Jack tried to extract himself from her, but the quarters were too tight, and she was having none of it. He looked down at her and gave her a very unhappy, very annoyed-looking look. "Sabrina, I'm in the middle of something."

  "With her?" Sabrina sneered. Once again, Alexis was given a head to toe scan, but by the look on Sabrina's face, this time she came up lacking. "Please tell me your joking."

  "Sabrina," Jack half-spoke half-growled.

  "No worries," Alexis said, grabbing her water from the bar and putting the cap back on it before picking up her bag, "we're done here." She looked once more at Jack. He tried to tell her something with his eyes. What? She didn't know, but she wasn't going to stick around to find out. She turned her back on them and started walking away.

  "Wait!" she heard Jack call from behind her, but she didn't stop. "Alexis, I need to talk to you."

  Yeah, like that was gonna happen. Not. What a jerk. Hitting on her while he already had a date for the evening. Although, she thought he didn't date. Maybe she was just his romp for the night. Still didn't make it right, hitting on her when he was out with someone else, even if they weren't an item. If Jack were hers for the evening, she would want his eyes only on her, not straying to any available female. Something she didn't think Jack was capable of. Alexis sighed, she was better off with Fantasy Jack. She had a feeling Real Jack would be a real disappointment.

  She took a swig of her water as she reached the edge of the dance floor. She looked over the sea of people, looking for Steph. She was ready to go home. Her eyes fell on the guy from the bar. He smiled at her but kept dancing. At least she didn't have to worry about him now.

  She decided to go back to their table in the VIP section. Maybe Steph waited for her there. She felt warm. She lifted a hand to her forehead, it came away damp. Too many bodies in one room raised the heat factor, no matter how large the room was. She took another long swallow of her water. Their table was empty, so she sat, pulled out
her cell, and texted Steph her location for when she was ready to leave.

  The waiter came by, and she ordered another water, still thirsty even though she finished the last one. She started feeling slightly dizzy. She pulled her phone out of her bag and checked the screen. Still no word from Steph.

  As she struggled with the cap on her new water bottle (which she thought was strange in a distant sort of way), a shadow fell across the table. She looked up and saw bar guy.

  "Are you okay?" His voice sounded distant as though talking through a tunnel.

  Alexis covered her cheeks with her hands. She was so hot.

  "Come on," bar guy said, pulling her up by the arm, "let's go outside and get some fresh air."

  Fresh air sounded good. She staggered as she reached for her bag. Then she giggled. For what? She had no idea but something was damn funny. Bar guy laughed with her has he put his arm around her waist and steered her toward the exit.

  * * * * *

  Jack downed a shot of whiskey before stepping away from the bar. He was pissed. Sabrina was getting on his last nerve. She had known the score before he fucked her. He'd made it perfectly clear. One time and one time only. He never went back for seconds.

  His eyes did a scan of the club, looking for Alexis. He couldn't believe it, when he saw her standing at the bar almost as if his thoughts had conjured her up. He'd been thinking about her all week. He didn't understand why he couldn't get her out of his head. He stayed away from the casino this past week but couldn't stop himself from setting her photo as the screen saver on his phone. He was constantly hitting the power button, so he could see her face. He knew his actions were boarder-line crazy. She was under his skin, and he needed to sleep with her to get her out of his system. Now, he just needed to convince Alexis, that fucking him was a good idea. He smiled at the prospect of that conversation.

  He did a scan of the club again, still looking for her. There she was, sitting in the VIP section. As he made his way to her, he saw that asshole from the bar approach her table. What the fuck? He had his hands on her, and she was laughing. Something wasn't right. She was staggering as if drunk, but she only drank water earlier and (his eyes scanned the table she was at) there was only a water bottle on her table now.