Page 54 of The Husband Contract

“I'm glad you think so," he says, grabbing my hand. "Let's go inside and grab something to eat."

"Sounds good," I nod, though I'm not really hungry. I'm too self-conscious and worried to eat.

"What are you craving?" he asks as we step inside.

"Nothing really. What about you?"

"Oh, I think you know what I'm hungry for." He licks his lips like a hungry wolf. “I suppose I have the next couple of days to feast upon what I really want.”

"You're going to make me blush, Sebastian." I giggle again and look around to make sure no one has heard what he said.

"Oh, well, I love making you blush." He winks at me. “Though most times I like it when it's in the bedroom.” I smile at him and just shake my head.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Laurence." A man in a black suit hurries over to us and holds his hand out.

"Good afternoon, Dmitri. Good to see you again. This is—" he pauses, "my girlfriend, Willow." Dmitri looks surprised but nods and smiles at me.

"Nice to meet you, Willow."

"It's nice to meet you, as well." My heart flutters at the introduction, and I look over at Sebastian in surprise. When Dmitri finally walks off, I poke him in the stomach.

"I'm your girlfriend?"

"I know. I should have asked you first. I'm sorry. I'm not trying to rush anything. I just felt it at that moment." He looks as if he feels nervous and worried, and I quickly touch him on the side of his arm.

"I like the term," I say. "I’ve never been called a girlfriend so quickly before in my life."

"I guess I’ve never been someone’s boyfriend so quickly before either." He chuckles. “This feels like it’s going really fast between us, but this is a really special trip, and I wanted you to know that it’s not just about sex. I wanted you to know that there’s a deeper, more real emotion. I just like spending time with you, and while I do love being with you and sleeping with you, I don’t want you to think that you’re my plaything. I don’t want you to think that I brought you to Vegas just for some kinky fun. I wanted you to know this is more than just that for me.”

“It’s more than just hot sex for me, as well," I say with a wink, and he shakes his head and chuckles.

"Oh look, there’s an ATM," he says. "You want to get some money?"

"Sure," I say, walking slowly, my heart sinking.

I put in my card and type in my PIN, quickly checking my balance so that he can’t see the number on the screen. My heart sinks when I see that I have a little over three hundred dollars. I really shouldn’t be taking out any money to gamble, but maybe—if I get really lucky—I’ll quadruple it, and then it will have been worth it.

I decide to withdraw one hundred and forty dollars, even though my subconscious tells me that I’m taking out far too much money. But I know I can’t take out twenty dollars; Sebastian would laugh at me.

I grab the twenty-dollar notes and hold them up to him.

"I got my money. I’m ready to gamble."

"Awesome," he says. "Do you want to play a couple of games before we check into the room, or would you like to go to the room first?"

"I don’t mind. You choose."

"Let’s play some blackjack and then we can head up. If you didn’t know, I absolutely love gambling."

"I didn’t know that, but I’m glad I do now."

"Yeah, I think it’s the adrenaline rush. There’s nothing like winning a couple of hundred thousand dollars."

"A couple of hundred thousand dollars? Wow."

He chuckles. "Well, I play high tables."

"Let’s not play at any high tables today," I say, smiling. "I don’t think my money’s going to stretch that far."