Page 59 of All Bets Are Off

There’s a knock on my door, and I flinch. I wasn’t expecting him to arrive this quickly. I’m not even dressed yet! I’m still floating around my room in the complimentary bath robe with wet hair, not quite looking my best. Jameson has yet to see me without any mascara.

“Evie?” his voice reverberates through the door, and I can’t leave him hanging any longer.

Crossing the room, I unlock and crack the door open a few inches, sticking my head out with a smile. “Hi—oh my God.”

“Hi again,” Jameson says, his smile mirroring mine, but at this very minute, I couldn’t care less about him, because he is holding a bag of food from In-N-Out Burger and a tray of drinks. “I figured maybe you’d be hungry. You said a double-double burger was your favorite, right?”

“Come in. Right now,” I blurt out, throwing the door open wide, as Jameson chuckles.

Hands full, he walks into the room, wearing a pair of designer jeans that fit his hips perfectly and a polo shirt with the top button undone. The gorgeous scent of a musky cologne follows him, and I’ve not felt more attracted to him this whole weekend than I do in this very moment as he enters my room with my favorite fast food. Food is such an easy way to my heart.

“Sorry if I caught you at a bad time,” he says, gesturing with the drinks toward me.

Sheepishly, I tighten my robe and touch the wet ends of my hair. “It’s my fault for enjoying a twenty-minute shower. Let’s sit outside to eat?”

“Perfect.”

We step outside onto the terrace and are immediately hit with a blast of heat. It’s after eight and the sun has just dipped beneath the horizon for the day, the sky darkening as the neon lights of Las Vegas come to life. Even from all the way up here on the forty-ninth floor of the Cosmopolitan, we can hear the buzz of noise from Las Vegas Boulevard below. The crowds, the music, the Bellagio fountains dancing next door. It’s the most stunning view.

We settle down into the rattan chairs, a glass table between us. Jameson lays out the food and even pokes a straw into my drink for me while I sit there gleefully, cross-legged on the chair, barefoot. Is this princess treatment? Because I really think this may be princess treatment.

“Thanks for this,” I say earnestly, reaching for my double-double burger. It’s so sweet that not only was he listening to me earlier at the pool party, but he decided to surprise me. I am starving. The first bite of my burger is like heaven. I even close my eyes and release a quiet moan of approval, savoring the taste of a future heart attack. So fucking delicious.

“You’re welcome. I was feeling flush with cash after our big win downstairs at the casino, so I decided to treat you to a luxury seven-dollar burger,” Jameson says with a smirk.

He’s watching me as we eat, and we don’t even talk that much. It’s nice just enjoying the vibes. It’s so warm out here that I’m pretty sure my hair is starting to air-dry at rapid speed, and I’m perfectly content simply sitting in my fluffy robe, watching the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas below with an attractive man by my side.

“This is heaven,” I murmur through a mouthful of fries. “I had to sit through the most expensive steak dinner of my life last night. This is more my style.”

Jameson wipes the corner of his mouth with a napkin, then stretches back on the chair. “I’m glad you’re happy. All fed and cleared of debt, Evelyn!”

“Honestly!” I say, grinning. “This is the best night ever. This weekend itself was doing a number on my credit card, but I can relax now, knowing I’m going to be just fine.”

“You were always going to be just fine, Evie,” Jameson says, and I look over at him with a curious gaze. His eyes meet mine with bold confidence. “If you didn’t win in that casino tonight, I was going to give you the money you needed myself.”

My face falls. “What? Why?”

When I first met Jameson yesterday on the casino floor, I saw him as my ticket out of the hole I’d dug myself into. Whether it was trading in his Rolex at the nearest pawn shop or luring him into a false sense of romance, I knew he’d save me, one way or another. I opted for the thieving route. Who knew my charming personality would have worked, after all?

Jameson remains perfectly calm and collected as he says simply, “Because I like you.”

And even though I kind of already figured that out for myself, hearing him admit it out loud sets off fireworks inside of me. It takes every ounce of strength to maintain my composure in front of him. I’m dying to giddily clap my hands together with a smug grin, because he likes me.

“Even though we got off on the wrong foot?”

“I like you especially because we got off on the wrong foot,” he confirms, head tilting slightly as his gaze remains unwavering. “I think you’re beautiful, Evie. Without a doubt the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen, but you’re not some stuck-up prissy. You’re kind of crass, and I think you’re unpredictable and a little reckless, and you definitely keep me on my toes. And yeah, sure, you tried to rob me, but you certainly caught my attention. I was pissed at first, but I very quickly realized just how harmless you actually are.”

“Hey!”

“Harmless does not equal weak, baby girl, so don’t look at me like that,” he scolds, wagging a finger at me. “You aren’t a malicious person, is what I mean, and I’m enjoying being around you. You’re making a tough time in my life a little bit easier this weekend, and for that, I’d have given you however much money you needed come Monday morning. No chance in hell I’d leave you in the trouble I found you in.”

“Thank you,” I say, and for the first time I feel a little shy and speechless around him. I toy with the ends of the tie of the bath robe, trying to keep my anxious hands busy. “I’m glad you sat down at the slot machine next to mine, because I’m enjoying your company, too. And fine, I guess you’re not too bad to look at, either.” I playfully roll my eyes like it’s painful for me to admit it, but I would gladly tell Jameson that he is the sexiest man I have ever laid eyes on. He’s an absolute hunk, and I know just how sensational it feels to kiss him, and I would really like to feel his mouth against mine again sooner rather than later. “Is this the part where we ravish each other now that we’ve cut the bullshit and admitted we’re both interested?”

Jameson’s soft laugh fills the hot evening air. “Right here on this balcony?”

“Right here on this balcony,” I confirm, narrowing my eyes daringly.

He sits up and says, “Come here then.”