She pulled a face. “The dreaded talk.”
“Followed by lots of amazing kissing,” he promised.
She smiled. “Oh? I guess talking might be worth it then.” She clasped his hand, and he pulled her up. They walked together over to the section of couches that looked out over the Vegas strip. “I hate this city,” she murmured, settling into the couch next to Isaac.
“Because of Vance?” he asked, leaning against the cushion to face her.
She turned to look at him as well, wishing he was simply holding her. “Mostly, but also …” She gestured out. “It’s all fake. Fake New York, fake pyramid, fake Eiffel Tower … Did you know they even have a fake beach?”
“You have an issue with fake. Noted.” Isaac smiled gently.
She placed her hand in his, marveling at how right it felt. Could he truly just leave her?
“I want to tell you something, Cozy.”
“Shoot,” she said.
He looked straight into her eyes and said, “Lansky is an idiot. You never told me details, but I can gather from the few demeaning things he said this morning that he belittled and berated you.”
Cosette might’ve preferred talking about how Isaac was leaving her. She nodded. “When we first met in Italy, it was all romance and roses. Then we both returned to the States and our relationship was mostly FaceTime and text and email, which was fine by me, as I was busy with work. He came to San Francisco for Christmas and proposed and was still as fake and sweet as ever. Of course, I bought it. When he flew me to Vegas to be with him …” Her voice trailed off and she looked out the window, then said in a harsh whisper, “I never slept with him. You believe me, right?”
“Oh, Cozy.” Isaac drew her close and kissed her softly. “There’s no way someone with the innocent light in your eyes could’ve slept with a loser like that. I definitely believe you.”
“Thanks.” She studied their clasped hands as she rushed out the rest of the stupid story. She didn’t need to worry about Vance anymore, but she wanted to trust and share with Isaac. “When I came here at first, it was like Italy again, all romantic as he made all kinds of inflated promises. Then he started finding fault with everything I said, wore, did, how I kissed …” She cringed at the murderous look on Isaac’s face. “After less than a week, I’d had enough. I don’t have much experience or confidence with men, but I knew I deserved better than that. Mar thinks he was trying to tear me down so he could manipulate me into moving here and steal my money.” She shook her head.
“Anyway,” she started again, “I was going to tell him we were through. I had a key to his suite, so I just let myself in. That’s when I saw him torturing that man. The guy was screaming loud enough—” She cringed. “—I was able to escape before anyone saw me. Then the belittlement just got worse through texts when he realized I was gone, until I blocked him. You’re right: he’s an idiot. He thought tearing me down would make me think I wasn’t worthy of anything more and I’d come back to him.”
Isaac tilted up her chin with his palm. “You need to know that he lied about all of it.”
“What do you mean?”
“The way you dress is beautiful and refreshing, the way you talk is hilarious and intriguing, and the way you kiss …” He blew out a breath and gave her a smoldering look that she felt down to her toes. “Kissing you is the best time of my life.”
Cosette wanted to cry at his sweet words. Instead, she lifted herself onto his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him. He pulled her in tight and proceeded to back up his beautiful statements with a desire and love for her that blew away all of Vance’s belittlement like sand in a windstorm.
As the kisses slowed down, he held her close. “Are you tired?” he asked.
“Yes,” she admitted, but she didn’t want this night to end.
“Can I … hold you tonight?”
Cosette stared at him. Did he think that she would compromise her values because he was leaving? That didn’t seem like the Isaac she knew, or like his background and family.
“Cozy,” he said, and there was laughter in his voice. “Just hold you. I promise I’ll keep your virtue safe.”
She smiled. “It’s all on you, then. If I attack you in the night, you’ll have to resist me.”
“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”
She pushed herself to her feet. “I won’t attack you, wussy military man.”
“Did you just call me a wuss?”
“Yes, I did.” She tossed her hair.
Isaac jumped to his feet and scooped her off the ground, tossing her over his shoulder. Cosette squealed and laughed as he ran for the master bedroom and she bounced on his shoulder. He dumped her onto the bed, then proceeded to tickle her.
“Stop,” she begged, pushing at his hands but unable to budge him one inch. “Stop!”