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  Noelle blinked, and lifted her glasses to look at Quinn. Quinn’s sunglasses were also on top of her head, and she gave Noelle a stern look.

  “I didn’t say anything!” Noelle exclaimed.

  “You didn’t have to. It’s all over your face.” Quinn sighed. “Isn’t a small part of you relieved that you learned what an epic douchebag Todd was before you got engaged and married him?”

  Noelle frowned. She hadn’t thought of it that way.

  “Yes, I guess so,” she said finally. “That doesn’t make it any easier.”

  “No one said it would be easy. But I feel bad for that poor girl he’s taken to Aruba. Does she really think that Todd won’t do it again? You were just spared a hell of a lot of heartache and trouble, even if you don’t see it now.”

  Noelle slid her sunglasses back down her nose. “I suppose so.”

  Quinn exchanged looks with Liz, and then let the subject drop.

  “I’m going for a dip! Who’s coming with me?” Liz asked, changing the subject and popping up.

  Noelle looked over to see that she'd already drained her glass. Typical Liz.

  “Me!” Quinn chimed in, sitting up.

  Quinn and Liz looked expectantly at Noelle.

  “I think I’ll hang for a few minutes first. I’ll join you ladies in a bit.”

  Noelle watched as her two friends sauntered away in their tiny bikinis, catching the stares of many people nearby. Noelle chuckled to herself. The three of them made quite the trio.

  First, there was Quinn with her long chestnut hair and caramel-colored skin; striking in that dark and beautiful kind of way. Then there was Liz who looked like she stepped off a Malibu beach with her honey-kissed blonde hair and blue eyes. And then there was Noelle with her strawberry blonde locks, heart-shaped face and bright green eyes.

  When Noelle first went to college in the sleepy town of Aston, Pennsylvania, she'd wanted to be an elementary school teacher. She had envisioned herself creating meaningful lesson plans for bright-eyed first graders, and teaching the little ones how to read and spell their names. Liz and Quinn were in her first class, one that fortunately placed the college freshmen in elementary classrooms so they could observe and get a feel for the career. And thank goodness for that, because Noelle quickly learned that teaching small children was not for her. Of course, the kids were adorable, but the neediness and runny noses, and the sheer task of trying to get twenty-some children to listen to you was more than enough to make Noelle change career choices by her sophomore year.

  But the friendship she had established with Quinn and Liz held fast all four years of school, even as Noelle pursued the grueling career of nursing. She still wanted to help children, but nursing seemed better suited for her. There was more structure, more hard science, and in some strange way, Noelle saw herself in the sick children who came through her unit.

  While Quinn and Liz became teachers in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia, Noelle became a pediatric nurse at a prominent children’s hospital nearby. She loved her job, and she was happy to have something that no one—not Todd, not her parents—could ever take from her.

  “Screw Todd,” she muttered to herself, tossing her magazine on the ground and sitting up. She carefully adjusted her black bikini, and then stood up to find her friends. After a few seconds of searching, she located Quinn and Liz floating in one end of the pool and joined them.

  “Hey!” Quinn cried, waving to her. Noelle slipped into the refreshingly cool waters and moved towards her friends.

  “We were just talking about tonight,” Liz explained, dipping her head back to wet her hair. “We thought we’d have a little fun and go gambling!” Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

  Noelle groaned. “I suck at gambling...”

  “Whatever.” Quinn waved her off, “It will be fun! Then tomorrow we can go see a show or check out all the hotels on the strip. We should keep it simple tonight since we just got in today.” She grinned, twirling her ponytail. “Besides, you get free drinks if you gamble.”

  Noelle laughed, feeling almost like herself for a brief moment. “Well, I will definitely need alcohol on this trip, so count me in if the drinks are free.”

  “Perfect,” Liz slipped under water, than emerged a few feet away near a group of guys who were smiling appreciatively at her. Liz merely winked at them before paddling back to the women.

  “There are plenty of hot guys here...” she whispered.

  “Mmm-hmm,” Quinn agreed, tilting her sunglasses down to check out a tall, tanned man passing by one of the cabanas.

  “That’s the last thing I need,” Noelle moaned.

  “Oh no, sweetie,” Liz corrected. “That is exactly what you need.”

  Chapter Four

  Later that evening, Noelle found herself dressed to perfection and ready to hit the casino with her friends. Quinn, the most fashion forward of the women, had made sure that everyone was dressed appropriately. Hence, the tight black and magenta color block dress that Noelle was now wearing. Noelle had to admit that it showed off her great figure and hugged her curves in all the right places. Her hair was shiny and sleek, swinging smoothly around her shoulders and her makeup was skillfully dramatic.

  Quinn looked stunning in a short white peplum dress, and a sleek ponytail high on her head, while Liz showed off her mile-long legs in teeny black shorts and a sleeveless silver blouse. All three of them rocked high, strappy heels.

  “Damn, we look good!” Quinn grinned as she looked over at the other women.

  “This is ridiculous,” Noelle grumbled, though she had to admit that they all looked amazing.

  “So,” Quinn said happily, ignoring Noelle’s comment, “since we can gamble at Caesar’s any night I thought it would be more fun to head next door to the Mirage.”

  “Fine by me,” piped Liz. “And let’s take a cab because I am not walking over there in these three inch heels.”

  The cab ride was quick and inexpensive, and Noelle looked around in wonder as they entered the casino. She had never been to Vegas before, and honestly, she had never considered going to Vegas. She knew Quinn and Liz had gone before, and she remembered a lot of people in college going when they turned twenty-one, but once Noelle became involved with Todd, she was perfectly content to settle down with him and live a quiet, domestic life. It was something she had always craved as a child growing up in a dysfunctional home.

  Something about the pulsing energy of Vegas invigorated Noelle, while frightening her at the same time. Something about its undercurrent reminded her of her tumultuous childhood in Hoboken.

  Well, those days were behind her now.

  She was thinking far too much about her childhood, and she blamed Todd for that, too. Clearly, Todd's leaving had dredged up some memories from her past that she had no wish to revisit.

  Instead, she focused on Liz’s voice.

  “What should we do first?”

  “Let’s do a lap,” Quinn said matter-of-factly, “We can check out the scene, see what games are going on, and admire the eye candy.”

  Noelle snorted. Only someone as beautiful as Quinn could get away with such ridiculous language. Nonetheless, Liz and Noelle followed Quinn, checking out the slots and ringing machines, and then cruising by the table games conducted by gorgeous dealers.

  Liz spoke up first. “I think we should start with slots. Actually, I think we should start with a drink, then with slots. We can work our way over to the table games.”

  “I don’t think I can do table games,” Noelle said fearfully, “I’m clueless.”

  “They’re really not that bad,” Quinn assured her. “You’ll see once you get the hang of it. And you can sit back at first and watch Liz and me. If we can do it, you can do it.”

  “Yeah, but you guys are teachers. You know math.”

  Liz burst out laughing. “Yeah, first grade math has really prepared me for blackjack odds.”

  Noelle bit her lip and smiled. “Okay, you might have a point.�
�

  Quinn grabbed the women by their elbows, and led them toward the bar. Once they all had drinks in their hands, they made their way to the slots.

  Noelle was much more comfortable here, and after she finished her cranberry and vodka, she felt slightly better. However, she definitely needed more alcohol. Not just to help her relax, but also to forget about why she was in Vegas in the first place.

  The second cranberry and vodka went down even more smoothly than the first, and Noelle didn’t even put up a fight when Liz led them towards the table games. Of course, Noelle wanted to stop for another drink.

  “Once we get to the tables, we’ll get free drinks,” Liz whispered, guiding her forward. Noelle hung back and watched as Liz and Quinn played craps and roulette.

  “Come on!” Quinn cried, “Let’s find the blackjack tables!”

  “You can totally do this one,” Liz promised Noelle, who nodded quietly, hanging back and watching her friends play a few rounds. Once she felt comfortable enough, she took a seat next to Liz when it opened up.

  She was hesitant at first, but then the cocktail waitresses began coming around, and two more vodka and cranberries later, she was feeling pretty confident.

  “Don’t drink too much,” Liz whispered, “You’ll lose more money that way.”

  Noelle nodded, thinking it was too late for that. Surprisingly, she was doing pretty well for a novice, and she was beginning to think that maybe gambling was more fun than she’d first believed.

  Noelle became so immersed in the game that she didn’t notice the seat open up next to her and was oblivious to the new man who filled it.

  “You’re doing well,” a deep, rich voice said next to her.

  Surprised, Noelle looked up and found herself face to face with the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Slowly, she took in the man who was now seated next to her, and she felt a warm sensation surge through her body.

  Desire like she'd never experienced before.

  The man next to her looked to be no older than thirty, and she thought he was the sexiest man she had ever laid eyes on. Aside from his gorgeous baby blue eyes, he had thick, dark, cropped hair and full lips. There was an undeniable air of mystery about him, and as she continued to check him out, she was impressed by his impeccable—and undoubtedly expensive—dark suit. That suit alone looked like it probably cost more than Noelle’s mortgage payment.

  As Noelle unabashedly ogled the stranger, she realized he was doing the same thing to her. Her mouth went dry and she reached for her drink, quenching her thirst as her eyes peered over the edge of her glass at the mysterious man.

  The man laughed a soft throaty laugh as his eyes met Noelle's. Coming to her senses and completely mortified by her rude gaping, Noelle quickly put her drink down and averted her eyes.

  “It’s too late,” he whispered huskily, “I already saw you checking me out.”

  Noelle’s eyes widened with shock at his forward comment, and then her face flushed bright crimson.

  “Now, don’t be embarrassed,” he said kindly, “though you’re even sexier when you blush.”

  “Oh my god,” Noelle whispered, mostly to herself. Liz and Quinn were so engrossed in the game that they were oblivious to what was unfolding right next to them.

  “Too forward?” he teased, and Noelle looked up at him to see he was smiling with just a hint of cockiness. Normally, Noelle never went for the guys who knew they were smooth and good looking, but something about this man was too appealing to ignore.

  “I’m Blaze,” he said in his deep voice, holding her gaze.

  What kind of name is Blaze? She thought. It took her a moment to regain her composure, but she finally spoke up.

  “Noelle.”

  “That’s a beautiful name.”

  “Thank you. And your name is very—unique.”

  Blaze laughed at himself. “That’s a polite way to say it. My parents had a thing for dangerous names,” he explained, as a flash of something dark quickly moved across his face, then faded.

  “So it's a family name?” Noelle joked boldly, surprised at herself. The alcohol was clearly having its effect.

  “Well, not exactly. My dad's name was Bob.”

  “Well I think Blaze suits you well.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “You should.”

  “Now tell me, Noelle. How often do you play blackjack?”

  Noelle let out a small giggle, and then took a sip of her drink before meeting his gaze. “Honestly? This is my first time. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

  Blaze looked at her pile of chips. “It certainly doesn’t seem that way.”

  “Well, it must be beginner’s luck because I promise you, I have no clue.”

  Blaze looked at her again, as if he were seeing her in a whole new light. “Have you been to Vegas before?”

  Noelle took another sip of her drink, and shook her head. “This is my first trip. Actually, this is my first night!”

  “Really?” Blaze’s eyes seemed to burn into her, and she had to look away finally, unable to hold his gaze.

  Noelle shifted in her seat, bringing her focus back to the game, although she could still feel Blaze’s eyes on her. And even though she wasn’t looking at him, she felt exposed in a way that she’d never felt before.

  Her time with Todd had thrown off her ability to talk to other men or pick up on flirty cues. She couldn’t tell if Blaze had been flirting with her, or just making small talk. Of course, the alcohol wasn’t helping either.

  “Hot damn! Who’s that sitting next to you?” Liz suddenly whispered in her ear.

  Noelle turned to look at her friend, raising her eyebrows. But before she could respond, Blaze leaned over, dazzling them all with his smile.

  “Hello ladies. We haven’t met yet. I’m Blaze. Noelle here was just telling me that she has never played blackjack before, which I find hard to believe.”

  Quinn, the consummate flirt, batted her eyelashes at Blaze and smiled. “Oh, it’s true. This is Noelle’s first trip to Vegas, and her first night in a casino. In fact,” she said, a devilish smile spreading across her face, “This is actually Noelle’s first night out as a single woman in three years.”

  “Quinn!” Noelle cried, but Blaze seemed to perk up at this revelation.

  “Really? Then maybe we need to make this night memorable.” He raised his hand and a cocktail waitress was at his side instantly. He whispered something to her, and she nodded before quickly scampering away. “She’s going to bring us something better,” he explained.

  The game continued, and a few minutes later the waitress returned with four clear drinks.

  “Try it,” Blaze said, passing glasses around, “I promise you’ll like it.”

  “Will there be anything else, sir?” the waitress asked breathlessly.

  “No, that’s all for now, thank you.”

  The waitress looked wistfully at the three women and then walked away.

  Noelle sipped at the drink, and found it surprisingly delicious. It was both sweet and strong, and it had a hint of something tropical.

  “What is it?” Noelle asked curiously.

  Blaze grinned. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

  The game began to pick up from there, and Noelle quickly realized that Blaze was a high roller. He was dropping two and three hundred dollars a hand as if it were nothing, and when he broke his bankroll, he simply smiled and pulled out more cash from his bottomless pocket.

  “Well, you certainly came prepared tonight,” Noelle commented, the alcohol making her feel more loose and relaxed than she’d felt in a long time.

  Blaze shrugged. “I like to go big or go home.”

  “I can see that.”

  “So, why don't you tell me how this came to be your first single night out in three years?”

  A look of sadness crossed Noelle’s face momentarily, and then it was gone. She rolled her eyes. “It’s not really a fun story.”

&nb
sp; “Fun is boring.” He winked at her.

  “Here’s the abridged version...my live-in ex-boyfriend and I were planning on spending a week in Aruba starting today. And I foolishly thought he was going to propose on the trip. However, last night he told me that he was moving out, that he was seeing someone else, and by the way, he was taking the other woman to Aruba in my place.”

  Blaze’s eyes widened, and he sat back in his chair and let out a low whistle.

  “Well, fuck. You need another drink.” He raised his hand to signal the cocktail waitress, and she nodded before hurrying off.

  Noelle gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”

  “What a douche bag. I hate to say this, but it sounds like you’re better off.”

  “So I'm realizing. I’m just stressing out now because our condo is in my name only, and I don’t know how I’m going to pay the mortgage by myself every month.” She groaned. “Not to mention my ridiculous student loans.”

  Blaze laughed. “Something will work out, you seem like a smart girl.”

  Noelle shook her head bitterly. “That’s something that people who have never had to struggle say.”

  Blaze gave her a piercing look. “I’ve had to struggle plenty, but I can tell you're not a quitter.”

  The way he said it was so dark, that Noelle was taken back at first. Blaze with his pocketful of cash, and expensive suit certainly didn’t strike her as someone whose life had been a struggle, but she shrugged.

  “So tell me then,” Blaze said, leaning towards her, and Noelle felt pulled in by his deep gaze. “Tell me about your struggles.”

  Noelle laughed again. “There isn’t enough alcohol in Vegas for that.”

  “Of course there is,” Blaze teased, raising his hand to signal the waitress, but Noelle reached out and yanked his hand down.

  “I’ve had enough for now,” she giggled. “No one wants to hear my sob story. I shouldn’t have mentioned my money problems either. That was silly of me.”

  “Don’t you have any family who can help you out?”

  Noelle shook her head. “No. No family. Well, I do have a sister,” she corrected, “but she doesn’t have the money to help me out, and even if she did, I couldn’t take a dime from her.”