Loni laughed, holding her stomach. Renae’s story about having the guys knock out the hangarounds before she had them dipped in green dye to remember not to touch her Mountain Dew was great, but the funniest part was when she had them hung naked from the fence outside the compound for people to see as they drove by.
Renae had a wicked sense of humor, and Loni adored hanging out with these women.
Halligan had come over toward the end of the story. He chuckled and promised Renae that she would have plenty of Mountain Dew while she was in Dodge City. He didn’t relish being turned green.
He leaned close to Loni, his mouth brushing her ear.
“I know you’re having fun with the girls, but I would love to dance with my wife,” he said, his breath sending a shiver down her spine. Pressed up against Halligan while music played and his arms were around her? Sign her up!
She nodded and took his hand. “Ladies, I’m heading to the dance floor,” she said.
Halligan led her through the tables until he turned and pulled her close. His hand held hers, and his other hand was low on her back, making her wonder if he wanted more than just sleeping beside her.
“It was good to see you smiling and laughing,” Halligan said. His lips grinned at her, framed by his beard. That same mouth and beard appeared in her memories between her legs, making her scream his name.
She listened to the music and, for a little while, pushed everything she was scared of away. She could deal with the threats tomorrow.
Halligan’s fresh scent carried the faint smell of the bar—not unpleasant at all. Halligan worked for his money and didn’t just send people to do his bidding.
He danced with her, his body brushing against hers as he moved them around the dance floor. She could see herself staying here—living in the apartment, being a part of this family. She loved designing but the main love she had for her job had been centered around how it allowed her and Gigi to interact and spend time together.
Even if the issue with Franco was resolved, she wasn’t sure her home was in Las Vegas anymore. She certainly didn’t have anywhere to live or any of her personal belongings left after the fires Franco had set.
In the back of her mind, she must have known that Franco destroying things could be a possibility because she’d mailed two boxes of keepsakes to her storage building after Gigi passed.There wasn’t much but she did have some items that held sentimental value to her.
“Heavy thoughts?” Halligan asked.
She took a deep breath, staring into his eyes. He made her want to share every thought in her head, not worrying that he’d think they weren’t worth being uttered.
“I was telling myself to enjoy the evening and not worry about tomorrow, but then my mind drifted to what tomorrow would bring. I feel adrift, as if there’s no place to call home anymore. Franco’s done that. He’s stolen the security I thought I had,” Loni shared, hoping that Halligan wouldn’t dismiss her worries.
Halligan’s arms tightened around her until they were flush against each other.
“He has. Even without knowing him personally, I know what kind of man he is—one that doesn’t care about anyone or anything. You are as safe as I can make it right now. You feeling adrift doesn’t surprise me because you’ve not only experienced the loss of your Gigi, but it’s been compounded by other losses. Franco is to blame for that, and he will be stopped,” Halligan said, leaning closer to brush a kiss against her lips.
“I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, wife, but we are going to face it together. I know our marriage was spur of the moment, but having you here, being here with you, feels so right. It’s like I’ve finally found the missing piece in my life,” Halligan chuckled, shaking his head. “Which is funny because before you showed up, I was trying to figure out how to divorce the woman I didn’t remember to keep the family’s money safe.”
Loni grinned at his tone. “I don’t need your money.”
He chuckled, sighing heavily. “Yeah, I’ve figured that out, Miss Smarty Pants. Let’s give this marriage a try and get to know each other because I think letting you walk out of my life might be the biggest mistake I would ever make.”
Oh my! Halligan’s words were swoonworthy, but despite knowing him for such a short time, she could hear the truth in his words.
She wanted the chance to see if this would work, and she wanted him. These last weeks, she’d missed the man who had shown her what sex was all about. Nothing she tried with her vibrator had even come close to what Halligan had given her that night.
“Take me home, Halligan. I want you too,” Loni said, leaning up to brush her lips against his.
At Loni’s words, Halligan wasted no time saying their goodbyes and hustling them across the street. Dillon was in charge of taking care of their visitors’ rooms.
Loni had said she wanted to freshen up in the bathroom before they were together, and it made him second-guess everything. Should he already be undressed? Should he be in his underwear? Would she want him to shower? He finally decided to strip down to his underwear. His cock was rock hard, waiting for Loni to come out.
The fact that they’d already had sex didn’t matter. That night, it had been about helping her, but this time it was about building something together. Loni’s dark hair, her husky laugh, and her brilliant mind made her more than his wife from a one-night stand. She was the woman that he could see building a life with. He wasn’t going to say he loved her yet because he was analytical, a planner, and didn’t ever just jump into a situation. Well, he hadn’t until that night in Las Vegas. He really liked her,and like he’d told her, his biggest mistake would be having her leave. He wanted to get to know her more before he examined his feelings.
The bathroom door opened, and Loni stood in the doorway. She took his breath away. She’d put on one of his chambray shirts, two little buttons holding the sides together over her breasts. The shirt gaped and gave him a view of her tummy leading down to her panties. He swallowed and walked toward the beauty he’d been gifted with.
“You are stunning,” he said. The flash of happiness in her eyes had him cupping her face to make sure she understood how special she was.
“I don’t know why I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time on the trip, but I’m going to work every day to make sure you know how amazing you are,” he said, claiming her lips, his hands sliding down her back to grasp her buttocks, lifting her against him.
