Chapter One

Two weeks later, Rick wondered if he’d made a mistake in making that call.

He tipped back his bottle of IPA and considered performing a Batman move and vanishing. The whole encounter seemed a bit too mysterious for him. When he dialed the number, he’d been connected immediately to an employee who seemed polished, nurturing, and thorough. He’d scanned back the contract and several intimate pages detailing everything he wanted in his encounter. Then he was promptly told if a match was found they’d contact him.

Rick got the call yesterday.

A name was sent to him, along with a short bio, and a meeting place. No further details.

He kind of wanted to kill Dan.

The new nightclub BLUE was the meeting place, and a main hot spot in Vegas, complete with laser blue lighting, pounding music, and a visual feast for the senses. The two level dance floor already held a rowdy group grinding away with some new dirty dancing and baring more flesh than glittery clothes. The music mixed with sprays of shooting water that occasionally drenched the crowd and brought up a roar of approval. His ears, which had long ago gone numb in Vegas, throbbed to the rhythm, reminding him he’d had a bitch of a day and made him wonder why he was here in the first place.

Rick bit back a groan and wondered again if he’d made a mistake. Dealing cards called to his soul, but a bunch of sore losers and drunks stomped out of the woodwork to torture him. He'd had to break up two fights, busted a card counter, and now he waited for a woman he'd never met in the trendiest club in Vegas, while he tried to ignore his blooming headache.

He curbed his impatience and took another sip of beer. Ever since he left Atlantic City for a change of scene, he'd been grateful. Vegas called to his sense of adventure and hard play. The past year proved he'd made the right decision, even though it was difficult leaving his brothers. A beautiful apartment, new job, and endless women stretched out before him in one glorious chorus line. He'd moved past his heartbreak and unleashed his single status on a number of very willing participants the first few months. Things were good.

Then why wasn't he happy?

He pushed the annoying thought away and tried to get a grip. OK, so Dan was right and it had been months since he last took a woman to bed. His choice. Hell, he'd thought Dan would applaud his selectiveness instead of urging him to accept a blind date through FANTA C.

Rick's lips twisted in mock humor as he set his empty bottle down on the trendy glass table. He wondered about the woman he was about to meet. Tara Denton. She’d obviously been through a brutal past and needed a tender hand. He was a natural Dominant, but used a gentle, firm touch. He was not into pain, and focused more on bondage for his submissive partners. After his encounters, though, he liked to keep his distance. Get in, and get out with his soul and heart intact. A little respect, a lot of pleasure, and no boundaries crossed. Of course, that's another reason he'd taken a break. Easier to wake up alone then face the empty feeling of meeting a woman's sleepy gaze and realize she'd never be the one. Or even the one for another evening.

Perhaps, Tara Denton was looking for the same type of thing. It would be so nice to enjoy a woman with no guilt, no expectations, and no letdown when the sun came up.

His phone vibrated. Muttering under his breath, he fished it out of his pocket and read the flashing text.

Tara Denton is in the Blue Lounge awaiting your arrival. Right corner table. Enjoy your evening.

His fingers paused on the keys. A slither of unease skated down his spine. His gut screamed once he agreed, his life would never be the same.

The screen went blank.

Rick shook his head to clear the strange fog and headed past the bar. The throbbing hip hop music dimmed as he made his way through a large tunnel of elaborate glass, displaying an impressive amount of golden statues in different forms of eroticism. He took a hard left, and entered the Blue room.

Aptly named, the quieter lounge area spilled an eerie blue light, reminding him of the Blue Grotto in Capri. The room shimmered from the floor to the ceiling with stunning crushed blue crystals embedded in every surface. A large aquarium tank took up one wall, displaying sea turtles, stingrays, and exotic fish in all sizes and colors. The sensual sounds of the flute and trickling water spilled from the background speakers, and gave the impression of another reality, just a few feet down from the main club. The exotic atmosphere impressed him every time he came into the themed room, even in Vegas.

He let his eyes adjust to the change of light and focused on the far right corner.

She sat with her legs crossed, neatly tucked under the glass table. A pink frothy drink rested in front of her, and she fiddled with the paper umbrella in nervous anticipation. She didn't look up, and Rick grabbed the moment to study her before she had the chance to put her guard up.

Her body was like nothing any tabloid magazine had tried to emulate with their extensive Photoshop and airbrush capabilities. This woman was the real deal. The plain photo that had been emailed to him didn't do her justice. Not even close.

He estimated Tara topped five foot, even with the three-inch heels she currently had wrapped around her sexy feet. She had obviously gone all out for their meeting, evident in the flashy silver top clinging to lush breasts, and the short black skirt she kept yanking down, revealing a good few inches of rounded thigh. She sported the perfect hourglass figure that pushed his lust buttons to an all time high, but never seemed fashionable for women nowadays.

Her hair was jammed up in a sophisticated chignon. Loose strawberry blonde strands popped out in an effort to be freed. She wore a bit too much makeup, but under the bright blue lights, Rick spotted the smattering of freckles and pure white skin that was a part of her Irish heritage. In a few seconds, he summed up one of her problems immediately. She was a gorgeous woman who didn't know it. She seemed uncomfortable in her flashy clothes, makeup, and heels. Rick bet she'd be ready to flee within minutes if he didn't walk over and close the deal.

He waited one beat. Two.

She looked up.

A foreign longing rose up and caught him in a chokehold. Aqua blue eyes widened as her gaze locked with his. The anxious worry he glimpsed deep in those depths caused a protectiveness to surge from within. His second thought centered on what she would look like when he thrust deep inside her and brought her to orgasm.

He hardened instantly. Son of a bitch. This was going to end up being an interesting night after all.

Rick held her gaze for a moment longer. Then strode over to the table.