Blossom Street Brides (Blossom Street #10)(62)

“Nope. Guess they don’t build these huge casinos by giving money away.”

“Would it be possible for you to come to the lobby?”

That was an unusual request. “Sure, but why?”

“There’s a surprise waiting for you there.”

Right away she withdrew the single dollar she had left in the machine and stood. “A surprise?” she asked. “What kind of surprise?”

“Wait and see,” he teased. “Stay on the phone, though, because I want to hear your reaction when you see it.”

“Okay.” She started toward the lobby, her steps lighter than they had been all day. Once she wove her way to the front of the casino, she paused and looked around. The first thing that caught her attention was a huge bouquet of flowers on top of the concierge’s desk.

“The flowers?” she asked. The bouquet was huge.

“Yes, but there’s more. Go to the desk and tell the man your name.”

“Rooster,” she said, laughing now, “what have you done?”

“Wait and see.”

She kept the phone pressed tightly against her ear. “Should I hang up first and then call you back?”

“No, stay on the line.”

“As you wish.”

Sure enough, the concierge seemed to be waiting for her. Lauren kept the phone against her ear. “Hello,” she greeted cheerfully. “I’m Lauren Elliott. I understand you have something for me here at the desk.”

“Ah, yes, Miss Elliott. If you’ll wait here, I’ll be right back.”

He left the desk momentarily, opened the door behind him, and held it open as Rooster Wayne walked out.

Lauren gasped and dropped her phone, and then before she had time to utter a single sound Rooster was around the desk and she literally flew into his arms.

Chapter Twenty-three

The moment Lauren was in his arms, Rooster closed his eyes and exhaled a deep sigh. This was what he’d been waiting for, been longing to do since the moment he’d left Seattle. He’d been in the air more than twenty-four hours, unable to sleep or read or get caught up in an in-flight movie for the simple reason that he knew at the end of this journey he’d be with Lauren again.

In an amazingly short amount of time the warm, generous woman in his arms had won his heart. Holding her close, he felt giddy with a deep sense of rightness. He was dead on his feet, and yet he felt like he could fly. When Max met Bethanne his friend’s life had taken a complete turn. Until this very moment, Rooster had never fully understood or appreciated what had happened to his friend. He continued to hold Lauren tightly against his chest, needing these first few moments to deal with the complex mix of emotions assaulting him. The first one he experienced was unmitigated joy, followed by a powerful surge of relief and excitement. Breathing in the light scent of her perfume, he resisted the urge to kiss her senseless right in the middle of the busy hotel lobby.

Lauren spoke first. “I don’t understand … I thought—”

He didn’t allow her to finish. Waiting a single instant longer to kiss her was beyond his control. He lowered his mouth to hers and was gratified to discover that she had tilted her head back, eagerly anticipating his kiss. After weeks of thinking of little else but seeing Lauren again, he lacked restraint. The kiss was urgent and hungry. For just an instant Rooster feared that he’d gone too far, taken too much, and then she grabbed hold of his neck and kissed him back as if she, too, had thought of little else in the weeks they’d been separated.

When the kiss ended, they stared desperately into each other’s eyes until Rooster could bear it no longer and squeezed her close. He could feel her heart pound against his chest, beating in unison with his own.

The concierge cleared his throat. Rooster had completely forgotten about the other man. Somewhat annoyed, he glanced over his shoulder.

“Would you like the flowers sent up to the young lady’s room?” the man asked.

“Please.” Rooster reached inside his pocket and peeled off a bill and handed it to him.

“How is it you’re here?” Lauren asked, her eyes delving into his.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, unwilling to be separated from her by more than a few inches. “My obligation was finished, and I couldn’t see staying away from you any longer than necessary.”

“But you said you’d been planning this vacation for months. How often do you get to New Zealand?”

“Not often,” he admitted, and because she tempted him beyond reason, he bent down and kissed her again. “Nothing I could see, no sight, no natural phenomenon was worth being away from you a minute longer.” One day he would return to the South Pacific, but when he did he’d make sure Lauren accompanied him.

“Oh, Rooster.”

She leaned into him, and he bent down and inhaled the light scent of her hair. He’d dreamed of this moment, held the vision in his mind during the long hours of his flights, and fully intended to savor every second.

“When did you fly back?”

“Today. I came straight here, after changing planes in San Francisco.”

“How did you know where I was?” she asked, looking both confused and happy all at once.

“You told me.”

“I did? It must have slipped my mind, but I’m so grateful I did.”