Split the Aces Read online

  Now she was pure fire, heat pouring off her in waves, searing Cori with its intensity. She let her head fall back, opening the curve of her neck to Rae’s hot assault. She felt the flick of Rae’s tongue in the sweet spot where neck melts into shoulder, a gentle, curious lick, followed instantly by a low growl and the sharp edge of teeth. She felt the bite explode in the pit of her stomach and arched her body, begging for more.

  “God, you’re…” Rae pulled back, her blue eyes dark and probing. “Perfect.”

  Cori had been holding her breath, waiting for Rae’s judgment, and when it came, she melted and stretched, like a flower reaching for the sun. This wasn’t smart, falling into bed with a woman she’d just met, a woman who made her weak with desire, bringing her need for release screaming to the surface with a look and the slightest touch. Was it always like this in Vegas? Overwhelming, almost frantic? She didn’t care. All she wanted was for Rae to reach inside her, to know her.

  She gripped the edge of Rae’s shirt, a tight black tank that would look really good on the hotel room floor. Rae lowered the zipper on the back of Cori’s dress and pulled it off her shoulders, exposing her skin and leaving her top half almost naked and vulnerable in the neon light coming in through the window. Then, with an impatient tug, Rae’s tank was off and her body pressed against Cori’s.

  Cori was flooded with white-hot desire as their skin touched. “So good,” she groaned, desperate for more.

  Rae’s hands were everywhere at once, smoothing over her waist, scratching down her sides, fisted in her hair, tracing the line of her jaw, pushing insistently at her dress until it fell to the floor. Cori focused on the touch, her world reduced to the bowstring-tight response of her body. And then there was nothing but stark cold. She fought for control, her breath coming in heaving gasps as Rae pulled further away from her. She whimpered at the loss, then felt a gentle pressure on her hand. Rae’s fingers twined with hers, squeezing hard, guiding her away from the wall toward the first of two queen beds.

  “Not that one, it’s Julie’s. My friend, remember?”

  God, what if Julie came back to the room? Would they be able to stop? Or would she invite Julie to pull up a chair and watch?

  Rae switched directions, leading her to the bed closest to the window. She didn’t release Cori’s hand as she drew back the blankets and eased Cori down on her back. She stared at her, evaluating, assessing, her need obvious, simmering just below the surface.

  “I could get lost in you.”

  Cori watched the words form, touched by Rae’s brave vulnerability. She waited, laid out for Rae’s inspection, for her pleasure, not wanting to rush but barely able to hold back. And when Rae finally, slowly lowered her mouth to Cori’s, all the lights in Vegas exploded behind her eyelids and shot through her body. The kiss was exquisitely gentle and undemanding. Cori opened herself, letting Rae explore with her tongue. The whisper-soft touch grew into a pounding pulse and Cori couldn’t hold back. She gripped Rae’s body, overwhelmed by the thrill of the warm weight holding her down.

  She slid her hands lower, frustrated when she realized Rae hadn’t removed her jeans. “Off.” She tugged at the belt loops. “These come off now.”

  She wiggled her fingers around to the front. Button fly. She released one button and licked the sweat from Rae’s neck. Another button and she arched, pressing her thigh hard against Rae’s center. Another and she sucked and nipped Rae’s pulse point, excited to hear her breath catch and feel her heart pound harder.

  Rae jumped up and tore her jeans and underwear off, searing Cori with a gut-burning look. She brushed her hands up Cori’s legs and slid her fingers beneath the lace edge of her panties. She lowered them in slow degrees. Cori writhed, pressing her ass against the bed, anything for a little relief from the building pressure between her thighs.

  The hard, lean lines of Rae’s muscles were bathed in light from the street below. The sight made Cori’s hands itch with desire to touch, to penetrate. She sat up and removed her bra, not wanting to wait any longer for Rae to finish undressing her. A bolt of liquid fire gripped her low in her belly as Rae stared hungrily at her breasts. Cori cupped them, teasing the nipples, daring Rae to return to the bed, to claim what was offered.

  Rae gasped, muscles clenched, chest heaving. She stepped away, shoulders to the wall, and swayed against it, her eyes riveted on Cori’s hands, her breasts.

  “You like this?” Cori squeezed harder.

  “Yes.” It was a ragged gasp, barely audible.

  Cori slid one hand lower, caressing her belly, daring Rae, taunting her. She paused just below her navel, her hand flat, her fingers spread over her abdomen. This wasn’t exactly what she’d planned when she invited Rae up to her room. She’d imagined a hot, fast fuck. But watching Rae hold herself back, panting with desire, burned into her, penetrating far deeper than a touch. Cori spread her legs, shivering as the cool air touched her wet sex.

  “I want you, Rae.” She fingered her clit, sliding over the impossibly slick folds and dipping just inside. “Do you see how much?”

  Rae stared at her, eyes wide, her hands limp at her sides. “Yes.”

  Cori carved a glistening trail back up her body with the wet finger, circling first one, then the other nipple. Rae’s eyes followed. Cori brought her hand to her mouth, painting her lips before sucking her finger in. Rae’s self-control amazed her and she longed to break it. “Do you want a taste?”

  “God, yes.” Rae didn’t move.

  Frustration shook Cori, making her throb with need. She spread her legs wider. If this was the way Rae wanted her, trembling and ready to come under her own touch, then she would give it to her. She moved her hand back to her aching center, the teasing foreplay gone. No more shy exploration. She went straight for her clit with intense, practiced motions, circling, stroking, feeling herself grow pebble hard. She arched and strained, so close she could feel the beginning tremors gathering in her belly. Her legs shook and she wanted to close her eyes and give herself over to the moment, but she couldn’t. Rae’s glazed stare was filled with lust and longing, pushing Cori higher. She searched Rae’s face for permission, a sign that she wanted her to take herself over the edge.

  With a keening moan, Rae stumbled closer and dropped to her knees on the bed, her breath hot against Cori’s thighs. Still she didn’t touch her.

  “I’m going to come. Please, Rae.”

  “Yesss.” Rae dove into her, stretching her, filling her with molten heat. She withdrew and crawled up Cori’s body, punctuating her progress with another deep, hard thrust.

  Cori’s body exploded, coming apart and floating back together in a blinding white light as Rae reached her goal, invading her mouth, fucking her with her tongue and fingers. Relentless. Hard. Cori felt Rae shudder against her, groaning and twisting before collapsing in a boneless heap on top of her. Gathering Rae to her, she feathered kisses over her hair, her eyes, her ears, everywhere she could reach.

  “That was…” She let the sentence die, unsure how to finish it, how to explain everything that happened inside her, the beauty that led up to the orgasm and the peace that followed.

  “Yes, it most certainly was.” Rae breathed into Cori’s neck, sending tremors down her body. She rolled over with Cori in her arms, cradling her, making her feel safe.

  Cori exhaled and snuggled close, burying her face in Rae’s shoulder, breathing her in. She’d expected Rae to run before the languid afterglow settled over them. Instead, Cori felt warm and protected, enough to last through the night. The familiarity of their embrace left unanswered questions in her mind, questions she wasn’t prepared to think about. This was enough, for now. She’d worry about what it all meant tomorrow.

  Chapter Four

  Light streamed through the window. Daylight, not the manufactured neon that kept the city perpetually awake. Rae squeezed her eyes shut, the bright assault on her pupils adding to the pounding timpani behind her temples. She rolled over and moaned, trying to determine her l
ocation without looking. The too-firm mattress told her it was a hotel room. She searched her fuzzy mind for the reason she was here instead of sleeping in her own apartment.

  A hand settled on her waist, the fingers smoothing over her skin in light, rhythmic circles. She cracked open her eyes. Cori’s sleepy smile filled her with warmth, and the pain in her head receded to a dull pressure. She covered Cori’s hand with her own and held it flat against her stomach, stilling the movement. Then she brought the fingers to her mouth and kissed them gently.

  “Hi.” Cori brushed her fingers over Rae’s face. The touch was light yet searching, like Cori was trying to memorize every detail.

  The intense focus in her eyes made Rae’s body hum. She wanted to pounce on her, hungry and fast, but she closed her eyes and held herself still, surrendering to the moment and allowing Cori enough privacy to learn what she needed.

  They stayed like that for several long moments, stretched out side by side, not touching beyond Cori’s gentle exploration. Rae waited for her internal alarms to wake up, to scream that it was time to go, but the usual compulsion to leave never happened. Just like the night before, when she would normally walk out the door, she simply shifted closer and held Cori tight against her.

  This was uncharted territory. Rae didn’t do the morning after and had only a vague idea what was expected of her. She’d heard horror stories from friends who were either too drunk or too stupid to leave before morning. Hell, she even had some faded memories of her own, experiences that had taught her to get dressed and escape before the afterglow faded. Still, she had a feeling Cori’s expectations were different from most. Her touch lacked the clinging desperation of buyer’s remorse. Rae didn’t feel pressured. Cori seemed to want nothing beyond the moment.

  The unmistakable sound of the door being unlocked interrupted Rae’s introspection. She grabbed the edge of the blanket from below her hips and dragged it up. “Roommate?”

  “Afraid so.” The contentment drained from Cori’s face and was replaced with careful indifference.

  The woman who’d been with Cori by the pool yesterday tiptoed into the room, her strappy sandals dangling from one hand. They fell to the floor with a thunk-thunk. “Sorry.” Her startled gaze landed on Cori. “I didn’t realize you had company.”

  Rae offered a devil-may-care smile. “And that’s my cue to leave.”

  Her attempt to throw back the blanket was aborted when Cori held it firmly in place. She lowered her lashes. “You’re naked.”

  Rae smiled. She couldn’t help it. Last night Cori had been wanton and uninhibited. Her sudden shyness and modesty were unexpected, to say the least.

  The roommate shifted uncertainly from one foot to the other before moving toward the bathroom. “I’ll just be in here.”

  The door clicked shut behind her giving them a few minutes of privacy. Rae plucked at the edge of the comforter, not ready for her time with Cori to end. While she was thinking about how nice it had been to just lie with her, Cori leaned over and kissed her. Not a hard, demanding kiss like those that had driven Rae crazy the night before, but a gentle, sweet, and lingering press of lips. Rae luxuriated in the light caress, enjoying the tenderness of it, letting it fill her up.

  When the kiss ended, she rested her forehead against Cori’s. “I really do need to go.”

  “I know.” Cori’s dark eyes were sad but resolved.

  Rae slipped out of bed and dressed, her gaze never leaving Cori. She swallowed a request for them to see each other again. She rarely went back for seconds, and on those infrequent occasions the liaison was simply a matter of circumstance. Sometimes she ran into a woman more than once, but she never sought out additional contact. Now, without her usual indifference, her cool style crumbled into awkward silence. She offered Cori a careful smile and made her way to the door.

  “Rae?”

  “Yes?” Did she really sound as eager as she thought?

  “It was good to be with you.”

  Rae merely nodded, lost for words and disoriented by an urge to rush to the bed and kiss Cori again. Shaking off the unfamiliar feeling, she produced a sexy grin and escaped into the hall. Despite the cautionary voice in the back of her head, she moved easily down the thick carpet toward the elevators, the spring of hope in her steps. It wouldn’t be wise, she knew, to see Cori again, but she looked forward to the next time she spied her at the blackjack tables.

  *

  “Cori, do you think we should actually attend any of the seminars?”

  Julie didn’t sound the slightest bit sorry as she sipped her drink. Who could blame her? Sunlight glinted off the pool, a taunting reminder that they weren’t in Seattle and this rare time out was precious. Days like this shouldn’t be spent in stuffy conference rooms listening to boring lectures.

  Cori shrugged. “Maybe I’ll take in a session tomorrow.”

  “Where’s your new friend when we need her?” Julie held up her empty glass as though it might magically refill itself.

  Cori stared down at the ice cubes in her own glass and wondered if there was any rum residue she could lick from them. Did she just finish number three or four? She couldn’t remember, but another one seemed in order. She smiled weakly at the memory of Rae’s hand on her thigh as she casually introduced herself the first day.

  “I doubt we’ll see her today.”

  “Really? She seemed kind of into you this morning.”

  That was true. Rae had been into her that morning. Then she’d walked out the door without a backward glance. “I got the impression that two dates constitutes a long-term relationship for her.”

  “You guys went on a date? I thought you just fucked.”

  The poolside server arrived with a fresh drink for each of them. God bless Vegas. It was the only place in the world you could get a judgment-impairing, bright blue, frozen rum drink refilled poolside at one in the afternoon.

  “I definitely got fucked.” Cori considered Julie’s statement beyond just the teasing poke she’d intended. “But before that we went to a club and danced. She even introduced me to the band. Pretty sure it was a date. If it wasn’t, I need to reevaluate the way I say good night.”

  “You realize I’m totally jealous?” Julie didn’t sound jealous at all. “She’s unreasonably hot.”

  “Yes.” Cori needed to change the subject. Dwelling on what was sure to be a one-time-only event would only make her want to see Rae even more. And since she wasn’t likely to get another date, there was no point in thinking about it. “What about you? You were out all night.”

  “Believe it or not, I ran into a woman from high school. She lives here now.”

  “Small world.” Cori took a long pull on her drink. The buzz settled in her stomach and radiated outward. God only knew where her feet were because she couldn’t feel them anymore. All in all, it was a perfect way to spend the day, lying in the sun next to the pool with an endless supply of drinks. She was glad Julie was in Las Vegas to share the manufactured oasis with her.

  “She told me about a party tonight,” Julie continued. “I said we’d go.”

  “Sure, why not?” Cori could think of at least one reason not to go. Rae. If there was a chance to spend more time with her, she wanted to take it, and vanishing for the evening would do little for her prospects. She could go to parties in Seattle.

  Staring into her drink, she resolved to wait and see and what happened. Julie would understand if a better offer came up. They relaxed into an easy sun-baked quiet Cori hoped would continue. She needed the rest.

  “Tell me more about your night,” Julie asked after a few moments. “You said you got to meet the band. That sounds cool.”

  Cori tried to call the experience to mind. She’d been so captivated by Rae that the details about the women in the band were fuzzy. The room had been filled with smoke, the smell of sex, and the constant pounding of drumsticks on a five-gallon bucket. If she squeezed her mind hard enough, surely she could pick out a fact interesting enough to
share.

  “The lead singer is leaving,” she said. “Tomorrow night is her last show here.”

  “That explains all the signs.”

  “Signs?”

  Since Julie was a would-be astrologer, Cori didn’t know if the signs she was referring to were ethereal or literal.

  “Flyers. All over the place. They’re having open auditions today.”

  “I hadn’t noticed.” And that was the kind of thing that would normally grab Cori’s attention. There was still enough of the little girl singing into a hairbrush inside of her to keep her rock star fantasy alive and well. Even though she didn’t give the fantasy any credibility, she would usually have paid some attention to a flyer announcing auditions.

  “You should try out.”

  Cori snorted, barely able to keep blue ice from shooting out her nose.

  “Seriously, you should,” Julie persisted. “I’ve heard you sing.”

  “No, you’ve heard me karaoke. There’s a big difference.” Belting out eighties glam metal to a room full of people too drunk to realize when she was half a step too high was one thing. A working band in Vegas was quite another.

  “What about Mari’s wedding? You sounded great then.”

  “I forgot you were there.”

  Maricel, the oldest of Cori’s five siblings, was the same age as Julie. They were pretty good friends in school, but when Mari said “I do” she left behind her single life, including her friends, in favor of domestic bliss. Cori didn’t believe Mari had shunned her old friends intentionally. Omitting them from social events was just a natural separation born from not sharing common lifestyles. A few years later, Julie and Cori had both ended up at Eden Body Works and naturally gravitated to one another.