“Is that supposed to be sexy?” She pretended his lame joke hadn’talmostmade her laugh, a smile tugging at her glossy lips.
He shrugged. “Those hoses are big and hard and tough to handle.”
“Speaking of tough to handle, I want to show you something.” She stepped out of the view of the open door, Eric helpless to do anything but follow.
Then she lifted the gown to reveal …
No panties.
“Holy shit.” The breath left his lungs, blood rushing straight to his groin.
How in God’s name was he supposed to survive the next few hours?
* * *
Austin raisedhis champagne glass as the limousine started to roll. “To good friends and good times.”
Most of the time when people made toasts, the words just felt like a formality, but Vic felt these words in her heart. “Good friends and good times!”
She was so lucky to be here, to be a part of this, the darkness of months of fear and isolation fading a little more each day. Austin was right. She needed to live her life to the fullest and forget about that bastard. She couldn’t let what he’d done to her steal her happiness any longer.
She sipped the champagne, the bright taste and bubbles making her smile.
“How does the champagne rate, city girl?”
“Mmm. It’s wonderful.” It wasn’t comparable to a true champagne from Reims, France, but it was still tasty.
They sipped champagne, talking and joking with one another, Vic only too aware of the beautiful man who sat beside her, holding her hand, his thumb caressing her knuckles. He looked like a movie star, the bright white of his tuxedo jacket a delicious contrast to his tanned skin and dark hair. He even smelled good, something dark and spicy mixing with the clean scent of his skin and driving her crazy.
She squirmed in her seat, an ache between her thighs that wouldn’t go away. If only they’d had ten minutes alone together before it had been time to go. The heat in his eyes when he’d seen she wasn’t wearing panties had aroused her so much she’d wanted to fuck him right there.
The idea to go all out on the hair and leave off her panties had come to her the moment she’d decided to go. She’d felt almost giddy getting dressed, excited by the idea of surprising him. This was something that the old Victoria, the pre-Stewart Victoria, might have done. The look on his face when she’d stepped out of the elevator had made it more than worth the effort, but the real payoff would come tonight.
She couldn’t wait.
They followed a winding two-lane highway through the mountains, the breathtaking scenery offering some distraction from her hormones. “You never run out of beauty in this state, do you?”
He kissed her temple. “Not when you’re around.”
After what must have been a half-hour drive, they arrived at a little town that looked like it had escaped from the set of a Hollywood western. Historic buildings with false fronts stood along narrow, winding streets, interspersed with buildings of rough-cut, quarried stone.
“There’s the Central City Opera House.” Lexi pointed out the window. “And that’s the Teller House, famous for the Face on the Barroom Floor.”
“Face on the Barroom Floor?”
“A guy painted a woman’s face on the barroom floor.” Eric shrugged. “That’s it.”
“Oh.” It sounded kind of cool, really.
A few minutes later, the limousine pulled up in front of the Grand Palace Casino. Though it was obvious the place had been built relatively recently, the architect had tried to make it blend in with the rest of the town, an old-fashioned façade sitting in front of a newish five-story brick building.
The driver opened the door, and one by one they climbed out, Eric and Vic last.
Eric whispered in her ear. “Try not to flash anyone—except me.”
She took advantage of the moment alone with him to lift her dress once more, her legs slightly spread this time. “That’s all you get till we’re home.”
His brows drew together, and he gave a pained little moan. “You are cruel.”