The Allure of Dean Harper (The Allure #2)(35)

The kid was trying to get my attention so he could explain the hotel policies, but I was watching Lily walk away with Zoe. Fucking Zoe. She was a bad influence.

Julian nudged me in the shoulder. “Can you sign the papers so we can go to our room already? I need to call Jo.”

I shook my head and turned back to the reception desk. Once the papers were signed and I had five room keys in hand, Hunter, Julian, and I set off to find the villas. Hunter took the lead with the hotel attendant, helping to ensure none of the bags fell off the cart.

“You want to tell me about last night?” Julian asked, blindsiding me.

I slid my gaze to him. “That was quick.”

Julian narrowed his eyes. “News travels. You realize how terribly this could end, right?”

“It won’t. Nothing will change.”

He chuckled in disbelief. “Those sound like some famous last words if I’ve ever heard them.”

I ignored him and checked my watch. My meeting was set to start in thirty minutes and I still needed to confirm the location. “I’m going to head back to the lobby. Could you make sure Lily’s bags get placed in the third bedroom? I’ll take the couch.”

Julian chuckled. “Wait, what’s that? Is Dean Harper actually putting someone else’s needs before his own?”

I glared at him. “Wait, what’s that? Did you just offer up your bed for me? What a good friend.”

He laughed and started walking backward to catch up with Hunter and the hotel attendant. “Sorry man, didn’t hear that last part. I’m sure that couch will be really comfy!”





Chapter Twenty-Eight


Lily





If I saw one more slot machine or frozen daiquiri, I was going to lose it. I’d been in Vegas for twenty-four hours, prepared to work, and instead, I’d lounged by the pool and worked on my tan lines. I should have been involved with the graphic design meeting the day before, but Dean was keeping me out of the loop on purpose. Fortunately, that was about to change.

“What time is your meeting with Antonio Acosta supposed to end?” Zoe asked from the bathroom door.

I paused with my mascara wand a few inches from my face and met her eyes in the mirror. “Probably around five.”

She nodded. “Okay cool. I think we’ll all get dinner and then the convention is hosting this meet and greet at The Bank later.”

“The bank?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

She laughed. “It’s a club inside the casino.”

I nodded.

“You’ll probably have time to change before that,” she said, scanning down my outfit. I was wearing a white button down tucked into a dark red pencil skirt. My nude heels were a sensible height and my makeup was minimal. All in all, I looked like I was running for Congress.

“You don’t like my outfit?” I asked.

She narrowed her eyes, pretending to study my prim and proper attire. “I mean, I think you could stand to unbutton that shirt a bit, but if you’re going for the Quaker look, that’s cool too.”

I laughed. I was going for the Quaker look. I wanted to look older than twenty-three. I needed Antonio and Dean to take me seriously at the meeting, especially after the way Dean had treated me the day before.

“Lily, are you almost ready?” Dean’s voice boomed through the villa. “We need to head out.”

Zoe puffed up and tapped her wrist as if she were wearing an imaginary watch. “Mr. Punctual is ready for you!”

I concealed my laugh. “Yes!” I yelled back. “Just two more seconds.”

I finished swiping on my mascara and then rubbed lip balm across my lips. Zoe did her best to distract me, but I ignored her reflection in the mirror.

“Don’t you have a meeting or something?” I asked as I adjusted my watch.

She grinned. “I had two this morning while you were getting your beauty sleep.”

Ah, yes. I had gotten beauty sleep—in a bed that should have been Dean’s. When Zoe and I had returned to our villa the night before, I’d found my bags inside the third bedroom. Julian insisted Dean wanted me to have it, but Dean hadn’t been around to ask. I’d laid down on the king size bed covered in soft linens and plush pillows, and figured Dean would come yank me out of it if he wanted me on the couch.

He hadn’t, and I was eternally grateful.

“Lily!” Dean yelled.

I rolled my eyes and yanked my tote bag over my shoulder. “I’m coming!”

I pushed past Zoe and found Dean standing in the foyer of the villa, staring down at his watch. He’d avoided me for the last twenty-four hours, but we were about to go to a meeting together so he’d have to at least acknowledge my presence.

He was wearing navy pants and a light blue shirt. The top few buttons were undone and his dark brown leather shoes matched his leather belt. The wave in his hair was tamed away from his face and his jaw was clean-shaven again. He looked as debonair as Cary Grant and for a moment I second-guessed my outfit.

He pulled open the door. “C’mon. The meeting is across the hotel.”

He was being impatient with me for no reason. We were thirty minutes ahead of schedule and I’d spent the morning going over the list of questions I had for Antonio. I was more than prepared.