“My father might be something of an optimist,” Drew conceded, taking another swallow of wine, quietly savoring the warm glow it brought.
“Mine was a dreamer, too.” Maisie’s smile was tinged with sadness. It was the second time she’d spoken of her father in the past tense, and this time Drew couldn’t let it go.
“I don’t mean to pry,” Drew said gently, “but when did he pass?”
“Longer ago than I can believe.” Maisie drew in a breath like the extra air would give her strength. “It was my last year of college, so nine years now.”
“I’m sorry.” Drew took a few bites of her steak in silence. “You said he had big dreams?”
Maisie finished chewing and swallowed before she replied, but when she did, the sadness in her voice had been replaced by the fondness of reminiscence. “Mostly for me. He was convinced I was going to be a CEO someday.”
“You’re well on your way from what I can see.” Drew couldn’t help noticing the sadness returning to dim the brilliant sparkle of Maisie’s eyes. “What do you dream of?”
“Making him proud.” The raw emotion in Maisie’s words tore at Drew’s heart. “What about you? What is it you dream about?”
Drew was struck speechless for a moment. It wasn’t often people asked about her dreams. In fact, she wasn’t sure it had happened before, at least not with such earnestness from someone she’d only recently met.
“So many things.” For a moment, Drew felt pressed down by the weight of it all. Unlike her father, she knew it took a lot more than wanting to succeed to make it happen. But that type of comment was hardly in keeping with the confident cowgirl Maisie found so charming, so she added, “World domination, mostly.”
“Naturally.” Maisie let out one of those laughs Drew had quickly come to love, and the melancholy began to ease from her features. She was so beautiful, and even though it was terrifying on many levels, Drew knew she had to take a chance.
“I know what I want tonight.” Drew slid closer until their shoulders touched. Her voice was low, and she tilted her head slightly so she was almost whispering in Maisie’s ear.
“What’s that?” The tremor in Maisie’s words gave Drew the impression she was shivering, though it was comfortable in the restaurant, so it probably wasn’t from cold.
That was a promising sign.
“I would like to finish dinner, and then…” The plan was forming in Drew’s head in real time, spurred on by the sudden realization that she was sharing an economy room several miles off the strip with a grizzled ranch hand who snored like a rusty buzz saw. “I would like to ask the hotel for their finest room that overlooks that amazing fountain and take you there for the night.”
“Andthenwhat?” Mirth danced in Maisie’s eyes, no doubt because, though she knew exactly what Drew had in mind for what would happen next, she was getting immense satisfaction from trying to make her spell it out.
“That, darlin’, is entirely up to you,” Drew replied with all the proper manners she’d been taught.
“I see.” A half smile teased Maisie’s lips. Her eyes slid to the mostly finished plates on the table. “It’s not a bad plan, but—”
“But?” Drew’s stomach plummeted to the soles of her boots.
Maisie moved her gaze back to Drew’s face, her eyes like a magnet that caught hold and wouldn’t let go. “Can we order dessert first?”
Drew flung her head back with laughter, even while a voice inside her head warned,Drew Campbell, you’re a goner. But what did it matter? She was in Las Vegas and having the luckiest streak of her life. Maybe all work and no play wasn’t the best motto after all.
CHAPTERNINE
What has gotten into you,Maisie?
This question had been on a loop in Maisie’s brain since she and Drew had left the table, crossed through the opulent lobby that looked like something straight out of old Europe, and headed to the front desk to secure a room for the night. It was getting more insistent by the second, probably because Maisie refused to give an answer. For the simple reason she didn’t know. As the shiny brass elevator whizzed toward the top of the hotel’s tower and the red wine rushed through her veins, all she was certain of was that she couldn’t remember ever having felt so exquisitely alive.
Drew’s body pressed against hers in the empty elevator, a hot mouth against Maisie’s earlobe sending tremors through her with a promise of more to come. Maisie gave herself over to the sensation entirely, blocking out a whole slew of practical concerns vying for her attention.
For example, since when was she the type to go to bed with a stranger? Or a woman, for that matter? She’d never even thought about having sex with a woman before. Except that wasn’t true. Maisie had been up most of last night fantasizing about Drew. So what if she’d never done so before? It wasn’t illegal to try something new.
The truth was, if she stopped to think, or overthink as she so often did, she’d find a hundred reasons to put the brakes on. But Maisie didn’t want to stop. It’d been too long since someone had treated her like Drew did, like she was the sexiest and most interesting person on the planet. If her life so far had taught her anything, it was how seldom good things came along.
Maisie turned her head, giving Drew’s mouth access to her lips. Soft fingers brushed against the bare skin of Maisie’s arm, raising goose bumps across every inch. She parted her lips, and Drew’s tongue teased the opening, slowly and gently. Had any of the men Maisie had kissed—not that there were all that many of them—shown such patience? Never had she imagined the act of kissing could be reverent and sensual at the same time.
The elevator dinged, and the door opened. They spilled out into the hallway, which Maisie was thankful to note was empty, though she doubted two women kissing and groping each other in an elevator came close to cracking the top one hundred list of craziest things that had happened in a Vegas hotel.
Their destination was at the end of the hall. It was a suite, and instead of a room number, it had been named after a French king. Drew waved the keycard to unlock the door, barely paying attention to the task at hand, so lost was she in kissing Maisie. But when the door had shut behind them, Maisie opened her eyes long enough to catch a glimpse of their new surroundings