Real Vampires: Glory Does Vegas by Bartlett, Gerry (white hot kiss TXT) 📕

You are a blessing in my life.” I kissed a path down his body, savoring the unique taste and feel of him that I knew so well.

“Hmm. Am I getting a special reward for good behavior, my love?” He rolled onto his back, his eyes closing.

“Perhaps.” I ran my fingers through his soft body hair and then squeezed his sacs. He was eager, his sigh when I took him in my mouth a gust of pure pleasure.

Our love play could not last long, not with the sun about to rise, but he found his release and turned me so that I soon found mine. He was always careful to give me the kind of soul-shattering completion that made me call his name. Which name? Who cared when my body tingled and I trembled from ears to toes?

“You know I really like it when you call me your boyfriend.” Jerry smiled against my hair. “It is what I hear the young people who stay in my hotels say. Boyfriend, girlfriend.”

“I like calling you my lover. It sounds more mature.” I stroked his chest, the dawn so close I could barely keep my eyes open. “We are certainly not teenagers.”

“You make me feel as randy as one.” He kissed my cheek. “I’ll miss you. Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?”

I paused just long enough for him to stir, groaning as he managed to prop himself up on one elbow to look into my eyes.

“Gloriana?”

“You tempt me. You do.” I kissed him one more time. “But no. I have to do this. Be patient, my love. I’ll see you in October.”

“Damn.” He fell back and closed his eyes. “I thought I had you.”

“You do have me. Always. Just not with you this time.” I whispered it as the darkness took me. I already regretted my answer. Anything could happen between now and then. He could find another woman. There were dangers in our world too. I pressed against him, my forever lover. I wish I truly believed in that forever.

15

Jerry was gone and I had no one to blame but myself. At least I had plenty of projects to keep me busy. I discovered that Misty and Donna were hitting the casinos together on our nights off. When Misty came strutting in with a pack of cash late one night, I decided to find out more about it.

“How much did you win?” I couldn’t stop staring at the neat stacks of hundreds, banded by the casino.

“Ten thousand dollars, Glory!” Misty was flushed. She and Donna had celebrated with champagne after the big win. “The casino has a guy from the IRS right on the premises so the tax man kept their cut but I walked away with seventy-five hundred.” She ran her fingernail through the stack again. “Can you believe it?”

“How did Donna do?” I had avoided the casinos so far. I’d played poker during the Gold Rush days in California but I was sure to be rusty. Misty told me it was done now on electronic slot machines. I couldn’t imagine it.

“Her luck runs hot and cold.” Misty fluffed Valdez’s fur, to his delight. “I’m way ahead this month. You ought to come with us.”

I made a decision. What would it hurt to risk a few bucks? My savings wasn’t growing fast enough. The summer was slipping by and my bank balance had stayed in the three digits. My own fault. Word had gotten around that I bought vintage clothing. Misty was first to bring me things. Her great grandmother had kept some fabulous cocktail dresses from the fifties. She’d worn one tonight.

“I think wearing Granny’s dresses is bringing me luck.” Misty smiled through her tears. “She loved to go dancing. The family didn’t move to Vegas until the fifties. Granny was in the chorus at one of the first casinos on the strip. I have pictures!” Misty pulled out the photos. Her mother had actually been a dealer in a casino. Apparently, men didn’t play a big part in her family. They seemed to be in the pictures for weddings then disappeared. I didn’t ask for details.

“You need to bring me some handbags, jewelry, or scarves.” I was thrilled with what Misty had been digging out of her family’s attic.

“I will. Now I’m hitting the shower, then going to bed.” Misty waved and headed to the bathroom.

“Seriously? You want to buy more old shit? How are your savings coming?” Valdez had noticed we weren’t stopping at the bank very often. “You keep buying things and stuffing them in that storage unit. You can’t start a business without rent money and plenty of cash on hand.”

“Listen to you. What do you know about it?” I had enough trouble with my own conscience. It was September and I imagined Jerry would be asking for a progress report when he showed up at the end of October. Progress? I was getting desperate and trying my luck at a casino might be my next move.

He stared at me. “Those business classes you bought on CDs. I’m stuck listening to them too. It’s got me thinking about my own future. Maybe someday I’ll quit the bodyguarding gig and open my own business. You never know.”

“No kidding. What kind of business?” I was sitting in line for yet another fast-food meal for Valdez. You’d think he’d get tired of it but he never turned down a run through a MacDonald’s.

“I want to own a club, with music, a bar, a dance floor. Live music. As much as I enjoy watching them, I don’t want to deal with topless dancers. Too much drama.” He inhaled as I grabbed his dinner. “Mmm. Grease and meat. I’m in heaven.”

“You’re in heaven and I’m in hell. What exactly does a French fry taste like? And ketchup? This is torture.” I pulled in at a parking spot.

“I know what you mean about drama. Now Tiffany’s old boyfriend has shown up. He’s threatening to send