Or so confused.

Chapter Seven

He’d bought her clothes. Declan was so sweet, so thoughtful. She’d woken up late in the morning, sad that she was leaving Las Vegas in a matter of hours, and she’d come out into the living room of the suite to find Declan sitting on the couch, reading a script, a bag from one of the hotel boutiques sitting on the coffee table.

“For you,” he said when he lifted his gaze from his script to look at her, wearing a tiny smile and looking mighty pleased with himself.

A pair of jeans priced way too much and a cute blue and white striped T-shirt that had no business being close to one hundred dollars sat nestled within the bag, wrapped in tissue and both exactly her size. How he knew, she wasn’t sure, but she was so thankful. She hugged and kissed him, then took a shower, in which he joined her for and proceeded to drive her out of her mind with pleasure by pressing her upper body against the glass while he took her from behind.

He brought new meaning to orgasms. The man flat-out rocked her world. And for whatever wild and crazy reason, she seemed to rock his world too.

It was awesome.

Now she was getting ready to go back to her hotel room where she could grab her luggage and they could head on to the airport.

She was sad, so incredibly sad that the weekend was coming to an end.

Slowly she prepared, putting on her clothes—including a new bra that was stashed in the very bottom of the bag, made of beautiful silk and lace with matching panties. She twisted her hair into a bun and secured it to the top of her head. Staring at herself in the mirror, she tried to see what Declan saw.

There was nothing special about her. While he was a spectacular human being with some of the most perfect features she’d ever had the pleasure to stare at, she, on the other hand, was average. Almost boring. Yet he looked at her as if she hung the moon and the stars. Touched her as if she were the most beautiful, revered thing in his life. And when he brought her such delicious pleasure, kissed and fucked her until she was transcended to another place and time, for the love of God…wow.

She wasn’t sure she deserved to have this man in her life, even for such a brief time.

Shoving the beautiful red dress that changed everything into the shopping bag her new clothes came in, she grabbed it and her small purse and headed out into the living room where he waited patiently for her. He wore a snug black T-shirt that lovingly clung to his muscled chest and jeans that showcased his most excellent legs. Worn Converses on his feet completed the casual but perfectly styled ensemble. She wanted to jump him.

Of course. When did she not want to jump him?

“Thank you for the presents,” she said yet again, hoping she wasn’t overdoing it with the compliments, but she couldn’t help herself. She was so incredibly grateful for everything he’d done for her this weekend.

Everything.

“You look better than I ever could in those clothes,” he joked, dropping a kiss on the tip of her nose. “And you’re welcome.”

“Did you mean what you said earlier?” She winced the minute the words fell from her lips, but she had to know if he was serious. The conversation they had earlier about their seeing each other again once he was done filming his movie wouldn’t leave her. They’d been in the tub, Declan holding her close and telling her how he didn’t want her out of his life.

He wanted her more in it.

“About seeing you again? Yes. Definitely.” He smoothed his hand over her hair, his fingers tangling in the strands and she clung to him, giving him a hug, pressing her head to his chest and listening to the steady beat of his heart. The sound reassured her, soothed her.

Could she believe him? She wanted to. But she’ll go back home in her life and he’ll go back home to his. He’ll start working on his movie, twelve- to sixteen-hour days of intensive filming for the next six weeks. And she’ll go back to the emergency room working her twelve- to sixteen-hour days, five days a week, for the rest of her life.

He’d forget about her and she’d never, ever forget about him. But soon he’d become a fond memory. A thought of what if.

No regrets, she told herself. Enjoy the moment. What happens in Vegas…

She didn’t want to leave in Vegas. She wanted to bring it home and make it real.

Stupid.

“The car is ready for you,” he said. He’d arranged a car to take her back to her hotel. It would then wait for her until she and her friends needed to go to the airport.

“Thank you,” she murmured, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat. She closed her eyes, telling herself to get a grip, and he squeezed hold of her shoulders, his grip tight and reassuring.

Slowly she withdrew from him, offering him a smile as she pulled out of his arms. “I don’t know what to say,” she admitted, earning a soft chuckle from him.

He touched her cheek. “I don’t either. And I’m an actor. We’re taught how to ad lib in any situation.”

Reagan leaned into his palm and then turned her head, dropping a quick kiss to his skin. “You’ll call me?”

“When I can.” He took a deep breath. “This movie role…it’s going to consume me. And I’ll need to stay in the moment, you know?”

She did know. This role was more important to him than any other in his career. It was a dark and gritty character, and he didn’t want to be distracted. She got it. She was a distraction.

“Six weeks,” he continued. “Wait for me for six weeks. And then I’ll be knocking on your front door, begging you to let me in.”

Her smile felt false. And so did his words. Or maybe that was her insecurities taking over and making her think he sounded untrue. Whatever the case, she wasn’t going to pin all her hopes on that happening.

“Six weeks,” she said in agreement, gasping when he grasped hold of her and hugged her so tight she almost couldn’t breathe. “I’ll be counting down the days.”

“Me too, baby. Me too,” he whispered fiercely into her hair.

The mood was somber in the car over to the airport. Three very quiet, almost immobile women sat in the back of a sleek Lincoln Town Car, shoulder to shoulder, their gazes fixed on absolutely nothing.

“You know, Noah had a car arranged for us to go to the airport,” Natalie suddenly said, startling Reagan.

“Who’s Noah?” Reagan asked.

Natalie rolled her eyes. “You weren’t the only one who got some this weekend.”

Andrea laughed and shook her head. “Luke arranged for a car too. But when you texted letting us know that you already had arrangements, he cancelled.”

Reagan sent Andrea a questioning look. “Luke? Don’t tell me…”

Andrea blushed to the roots of her hair and nodded, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. “Luke Nelson. Football player.”

“Wait a minute. I recognize that name. He’s a pro football player?” Reagan asked incredulously.

“Yeah, the Seattle Seahawks,” Andrea said, a tiny smile appearing, her eyes filling with a dreamy haze that Reagan recognized.

She’d worn that dreamy haze herself all weekend long.

Reagan reached over and shoved her friend in the shoulder. “Get the hell out.”

“Well, my hot weekend date was Noah Wilde,” Natalie said casually, examining her fingernails the entire time she said it.

“What?” Andrea shrieked. “Wilde and Wicked used to be, like, my favorite band!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Natalie rolled her eyes. “That was a total one-shot deal, though. We had fun. Lots of fun. But…he’s not serious.”

“Neither is Luke,” Andrea said sadly.

“Neither is Declan,” Reagan added.

They remained quiet for a moment, lamenting their gains…and their losses. Vegas was a gamble, and where people usually came to lose their money, Reagan realized she and her friends all seemed to have lost their hearts.