She reined inher errant thoughts and took a deep breath. This was what shealways did: over-analysed everything until the moment was gone andshe lived with the regret. This time, she’d focus on here and now.This time, she could ask her herself: what did she want?
She would nevermeet anyone if she didn’t give herself a chance. Yes, she’d beenhurt in the past but so had Lachlan. She could do this. She couldgive herself this chance at happiness. All her questions about herparentage could wait until she got home.
She glanced atLachlan and saw the quiet hope in his gentle brown eyes, and anythought of taking the smart route dissolved like a mirage in thedesert.
“I like thesound of spending some time with you.” Breathless she might be, butshe meant every word.
His handcovered hers before linking their fingers. His lips curved into asmile that warmed every part of her.
He leanedcloser, giving her every opportunity to move away.
She didn’t.Couldn’t.
He was soclose. He smelled like delectable spiciness and she made the fatalmistake of lifting her eyes to his.
She sucked in abreath. His gaze, hot and heavy, sent delicious shivers all throughher body. She couldn’t breathe as he lifted one hand and brushedthe hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear.
“Lachlan—” Hisname caught in her throat.
When his lipsbrushed hers, the gentle pressure was new but instantly familiar.Her hand moved of its own accord, first to that wonderful, firmchest, and then to his cheek. He’d shaved this morning but shecould feel a light stubble regrowing.
Pulling back,Emma gasped for air. “Oh!”
His gaze burnedinto her and his voice was husky. “Yeah. That.”
The waitermaterialised at their table and they sprang apart as he collectedtheir empty cups. Sharing a glance, they grinned at each other.
“Anything else,sir?”
“No, thanks,just the check.”
“You sound likea local.” Emma whispered, leaning toward him, as the waiter walkedaway. “I still can’t tip the bartender the right way.”
“You’ve got aweek to practice.” He leaned closer too, his eyes on her.
It had been along time since a man had looked at her the way Lachlan did, andshe relished the zing that rushed through her as his gaze droppedto her mouth.
“There’ssomething I should tell you.” She stroked his cheek again becauseshe just had to touch him.
“Mmm?”
“I like you,too.” She shivered as his pupils dilated until she was drowning inhis gaze.
“Ahem.”
Emma jerked herhead around as the waiter placed a small black folder on the table.Lachlan pulled out some cash, placed it in the folder and thenclosed, leaving it on the table. He rose, pulling out Emma’s chair.“Let’s get out of here.”
After Emmachecked-out, and they stood in front of the hotel waiting for thevalet, Lachlan brushed her shoulder with his. She glanced at himand her heart fluttered at the small smile playing on his lips.
“Your car,sir.” The valet held out the keys.
Lachlan tookthem and wheeled Emma’s suitcase to the shiny, black jeep in thedriveway.
“You hired ajeep?”
He flashed hera grin as he opened her door and settled her in the seat, leaningin to kiss her before closing the door. He rounded the jeep, got inand started the engine.
“So, what areyour navigation skills like?” His voice was deeper than she’d everheard it.
“Excellent.What are your driving skills like?”
“On the wrongside of the road? We’re about to find out.” He shot her a grin andpulled into the queue of taxis and limousines heading down thehotel drive to join Las Vegas Boulevard.
“You know, itfeels so weird sitting on this side of the car when there’s nosteering wheel in front of me.” She held her hands up to where thewheel would have been if she’d been driving at home. But everythingwas back to front over here and it was disconcerting, to say theleast. She dropped her hands into her lap.
She shivered atthe thought of the week ahead. She was doing it. She was taking achance on herself; on Lachlan; on the possibility of thisfriendship becoming something more.
Lachlan pulledup for a red light at the end of the hotel’s long drive. He leanedacross to the glovebox and pulled out a spiral booklet. “A road mapof Nevada, courtesy of the car hire company.” He handed it to herbut also tapped a screen in the dashboard. “And we’ve got a SatNavsystem so we can’t get lost in the desert.”
The lightchanged and Lachlan pulled out into the flow of traffic.
Emma flickedthrough the map until she found a street map of Las Vegas. Shepinpointed their location, then glanced at the passing casinos andhotels. Soon, they’d have nothing but the open road in front ofthem.
“What wouldyour daughter say if she knew you and the fruit cake lady weredriving off into the sunset?”
Lachlan glancedover at her and his lips curved into a carefree smile. “She’dremind me that fruit cake has always been my favourite kind ofcake.”
The End
###
Thank you for readingVacation in Vegas. I hope you enjoyed it. If you left a review atyour favourite retailer or on Goodreads, please know it’sappreciated.
Other titles by RowenaCandlish:
Minnie’s Year of Living
How You Love Me
Worth the Wait
