And I want nothing more than to tell her how beautiful she looks.
“Thank you for this,” she murmurs. “I really appreciate it.”
“You deserve a night out.” Before I can say anything more, the associate returns with my card and the receipt. I take it from her and extend my arm to Georgia. “Shall we?”
She blushes and takes my arm. “We shall.”
I lead her out of the store and down the street. The nightlife crowd has already emerged, and they’re filling the space quickly. I keep a protective eye out around us, determined not to let anyone bump into Georgia.
“Here we are,” I gesture to the dark glass doors. “Let’s go have some fun. Emmett and Miles are here somewhere.”
She nods, though I see the distinct look of unease in her eyes. “Okay, but just for the record, I have no idea what I’m doing.”
I squeeze her arm in mine gently. “You don’t have to know what you’re doing, Georgie. The goal is to just have fun.”
“Right,” she breathes out, as we step through the doors. “I mean, I’ve been to a casino before, just not like this.” I watch as she takes in the rows of tables and machines, wealthy men and women in cocktail attire laughing, drinking, and gambling.
“Ah,” I spot Miles and Emmett at a Blackjack table. “There they are.”
My heart is in my throat as we approach, and I force myself to drop Georgia’s arm. I don’t want anyonetothink this is more than what it is—especially not close friends of her father’s. That would be bad.
Really fucking bad.
“Well, look who the cat dragged in,” Emmett looks at me and then to Georgia, his eyes darkening in a way that makes me feel a pang of jealousy in my chest. “You look stunning, m’lady.”
“Thank you.” She blushes, and I suddenly wish my arm were still draped around her.
“Is this your usual style?” Miles chimes in. “If it is, I like it.”
“I mean, maybe on my Pinterest board,” she laughs dryly. “I rarely have a reason to dress like this in real life.”
“Well, here’s real life,” Emmett drawls, offering her his hand. “Let me teach you how to play some Blackjack while Brody gets you something to drink?” He eyes me, and I shrug.
It’s probably for the best I keep my distance.
“What would you like?” I ask Georgia, tempted to melt into her ocean blue eyes as she bats her lashes at me.
“Um…” she takes Emmett’s hand, sits down beside him, and then shrugs her shoulders. “I could go for a vodka cran?”
“Got it,” I give her the most awkward thumbs up, and then disappear to the bar, angling my body so I can get a good view of Georgia and the guys.
I don’t know what it is about the men doting on her, but the sight of Emmett’s hand on her upper back sends a shockwave of lustandjealousy through me.
This is bad. I need to get a hold on this.
I turn to the bartender and order her drink, forcing myself to focus on the guy making the cocktail rather than my best friends fawning over Georgia. I can’t blame them—she’s got this innocent, sexy aura about her.
And I can’t stop thinking about it.
“Here you go,” the bartender slides her drink and my bourbon across the bar top, and I pick them both up, swallowing the raging lust I feel toward Georgia. I’m a forty-seven-year-old man for Christ’s sake.
“For you,” I hold out her drink to her. “Hopefully up to par.”
Her red lips turn upward into a smile. “Thank you. It’s so nice of you to bring me along. I’m learning a lot.” She gazes over at Emmett, who meets her expression with a wicked grin.
“I think she’s going to be a hell of a Blackjack player.”
She bursts into giggles, while Miles rolls his eyes at the exchange.
