Page 11 of Hitting the Jackpot (Las Vegas Littles #4)

Jesse

His eyes were beginning to ache, and a low-grade headache was threatening to get worse.

Jesse knew it was just the numbers in the spreadsheet weren’t to blame for his foul mood or agitation.

After sending the text early that morning, Jesse wasn’t surprised when Eric showed up in his office.

He had been shocked that Ezra had been with his Daddy.

Jesse had wanted to protect Ezra now that his parents were back in town.

Apparently, Eric had promised the boy that he wouldn’t hide anything that had to do with the couple from Ezra again, so they both had shown up in Jesse’s office.

Jesse had to sit across the desk and watch the fear fill Ezra’s eyes as he explained that Ezra’s parents had started to ask about him inside the casino. Jesse's employees knew better than to talk to the couple—they took safety precautions regarding their employees.

He hated to be the one to share the news with Ezra, but it had to be done.

They needed to know that the older couple hadn’t given up.

His hands started to shake, and Jesse pushed away from his desk.

This was such bullshit! Jesse had the money and means to get rid of this couple once and for all. He could make all of Ezra’s troubles go away with just a few phone calls. Jesse wasn’t allowed to do that though. No, there were rules and laws, and a moral code.

He snorted. Jesse was a firm believer in doing what was right. His need to fix things was pushing Jesse to want to cross a line he would never have considered before. Did that make him a bad person?

His watch beeped and Lake’s name flashed on the screen as he heard the chime of the elevator arriving at his floor.

Was Lake there? Why was Lake there? Was something wrong?

Jesse started to walk around his desk when Lake appeared in his doorway.

“Lake?” Jesse said.

“Hi.” Lake shifted nervously from foot to foot. In his hands he held an old wicker basket and blanket.

“What are you doing here? Is something wrong?” Fear filled him. Had something happened with Ezra’s parents? Jesse had security watching them!

“Nothing’s wrong,” Lake said quietly. “I…I wanted to ask you something.”

Jesse had paused halfway across his office. “You can ask me anything.” He hoped that Lake knew that.

Lake took a big deep breath then blew it out. “I’m a brave boy,” he whispered.

Jesse wasn’t sure if he was supposed to have heard that or not. He decided to answer anyway. “You are a brave, kind, beautiful boy,” Jesse told him.

Lake glanced at him quickly. “Would you like to have dinner with me? Now?”

Jesse blinked at him. Lake had come all the way across town to invite him to dinner? “I would love that.”

Lake shuffled inside the room a couple steps.

Jesse looked down at what Lake was carrying. “Is that for us?”

“Yes.” Lake nodded. “I took care of everything. All I need is you.”

Jesse strode forward to cup Lake’s cheek. “You have me,” he vowed. “Always.”

“So, picnic?” Lake said. “Here?”

A picnic? That was so cute! But his office wasn’t the ideal place. Too many distractions. And Jesse didn’t ever want Lake to feel like he came second to Jesse’s work. Jesse had somewhere better in mind. He held up one finger. “One minute.”

Lake nodded.

“I have somewhere special to show you. You took care of everything we needed but let me do this?” Jesse requested.

“Okay!” Lake agreed quickly.

Jesse returned to his desk and exited out of the program that he’d been working in. He powered down his laptop then held out his hand. “Can I help carry something?” Lake was wearing a backpack that looked stuffed full plus holding the big basket and blanket.

“Thank you,” Lake said sweetly as he passed over the basket and blanket.

Jesse held everything in his right hand as he twined the fingers of his left with Lake’s hand. “Come with me, please.”

“Okay.”

The trust that Lake showed him still surprised him sometimes. Jesse didn’t know what he’d done to deserve such a sweet boy by his side. He led Lake back to the elevator. Using his watch, he opened the elevator and programmed it to go up to the penthouse.

“The penthouse?” Lake asked. “Fancy!”

Jesse laughed. “I’ve been staying there since I sold my last house.”

“You live here too?” Lake questioned.

“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Jesse told him. “I’ll eventually find a new house.”

Lake squeezed his fingers. “You should have a separation between work and home.”

“I know.” Jesse laughed. “I’ve been working on it. Or I have a reason to work on it now.”

The boy flushed.

“Yes.” Jesse leaned closer. “I’m talking about you.” He brushed his lips gently against Lake’s.

Lake sighed against his mouth as the elevator dinged.

With regret Jesse pulled away. “Come on.” He pulled Lake from the elevator.

Very few people had access to the penthouse with Jesse staying there and he was always alerted if someone did access the floor.

Lake gasped as he looked around with wide eyes filled with wonder. “It’s so big.”

Jesse was embarrassed. “It’s more room than I need, for sure.”

“Dining room?” Lake asked, pointing to the basket that Jesse had set on the counter.

“It looks like you packed for a picnic though.”

Lake shrugged. “I thought we would picnic on your office floor. I didn’t want to disturb your work but wanted to see you.”

“I am so glad that you did,” Jesse said sincerely. He loosened his tie before unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt. “But why don’t we still have a picnic?”

“Really?” Lake bounced a little.

“It’s romantic,” Jesse said. “And I think it's a great idea.”

“I thought it was romantic too!” Lake said.

Jesse rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. He’d left his suit jacket on the back of his chair in the office.

Lake had been looking around the open space but froze staring at him.

Jesse stopped what he was doing. “Lake?”

“You have tattoos?”

He looked down. Jesse had just exposed his forearms to Lake. That wasn’t something he ever did. Jesse hadn’t even thought about it. He was so comfortable around the other man. “I do. There are still a few things you don’t know about me.”

Instead of laughing like Jesse had planned, Lake’s eyes filled with tears.

“Baby!” Jesse rushed forward. “I was just kidding. Please don’t cry!” Did Lake hate tattoos or something? It wasn’t like Jesse could get rid of an entire body full.

Lake sniffed. “That’s the problem!”

Jesse ached for upsetting the boy. “What’s the problem? I can cover the tattoos if you hate them that much.” Although getting naked would be a definite problem.

Lake shook his head frantically. “Not the tattoos!” he sobbed. “I don’t know you!”

“Baby, you know me,” Jesse said gently.

“No, I don’t! That’s why I wanted to do this for you! To get to know you. To show you that I’m…I’m interested in you too.”

Jesse didn’t understand. “Come here, please.” He drew Lake across the room to the balcony door after grabbing the basket and blanket.

He slid the door open to the amazing intimate spot for the penthouse.

There was a private pool, a lounge area, and even a grassy lawn that would be perfect for a picnic.

The lights and view of the Las Vegas Strip were magnificent up this high.

Jesse brought Lake to the grass and squeezed his fingers before releasing him. He set the basket down then grabbed the blanket and snapped it open. He smoothed out the blanket before urging Lake down with him.

Lake had stopped crying, but his eyes were now red, and he looked miserable.

“You know me, Lake,” Jesse told him kindly. He grabbed Lake’s hand and placed it over his own chest. “You know me inside here. The tattoos are something different but isn’t it fun to be able to learn more about me as we become closer?”

Lake nodded. “Yes, I guess.”

“Can you tell me what brought this on?” Jesse requested.

“I was thinking about you earlier,” Lake said.

Well, that made Jesse happy. “What were you thinking about?”

“That I’m really happy that we are…dating?”

That sounded like a question. “I’d like to think we are dating,” Jesse assured him. “And how I hope for more in the future.”

“I want that too. I realized though that you have been showing me your interest and going out of your way to make me happy, but I haven’t been doing the same. I want you to know that I’m in this. I want to be with you.”

Jesse was beyond thrilled. This might be the best night of his life. “Thank you, baby. For telling me that.”

“I wanted to do something special for you and that was when I realized that I don’t know you.”

Jesse opened his mouth to argue.

Lake shook his head. “I know the boss you, the club owner you, and the friend you. I know that you’re protective, kind, and that you care about everyone around you.

But I want more than that. I want to know what makes you smile.

Do you like watching TV or movies? Are you a reader?

” He swallowed hard. “I want to know you better than anyone else.”

Jesse was struck speechless. No one had ever said those words to him.

“Is that okay?” Lake asked softly.

It was at that moment that Jesse realized that he was in love with Lake. He’d been attracted to him. Of course he was. Lake was beautiful, sweet, just a wonderful human being, but Jesse loved him. “It’s more than okay.”

Lake leaned in.

Jesse reached back and threaded his fingers in Lake’s hair as their lips brushed. Then Lake opened for him and Jesse slipped his tongue inside the boy’s mouth. Lake moaned into his mouth as Jesse coaxed Lake’s tongue to move with his.

With his free hand he grabbed the back of Lake’s shirt, holding the boy close.

They kissed slowly, exploring, and testing.

It was sweet and hot.

Jesse leaned over, urging Lake back.

He hovered over Lake’s body as he continued to kiss him.

Jesse’s entire body tingled with nerves and desire.

Lake moaned as he strained closer to Jesse.

As much as he hated it, Jesse pulled slowly away.

Lake’s eyes were glassy, and his face flushed.

Jesse smiled down at his boy. “I could kiss you forever.”