Love and Neckties - Lacey Black Page 0,15

behind her brother. “What the hell happened?” she whispers.

“Apparently, he has an issue with coconut.”

Harper’s eyes widen. “Shit, yes, he does. It makes him…ill.”

“Ill as in giving him the screaming shits about five minutes after it hits his gut.”

“No thanks to Freedom,” Samuel mumbles, handing his credit card over to the front desk.

“I didn’t know!” I reassure him. There’s no way I’d intentionally poison his belly with sweet coconut. The next line opens up and I move to the counter. I drop a bag on the floor as I try to juggle my big purse to retrieve my wallet.

“I’ll help,” Latham says, crouching down at my feet to pick up the dropped items.

I glance down just as he holds up the small box of condoms. “Planning on getting lucky in Vegas, Free?” he asks with a big grin on his face.

“Not me. Those are Sammy’s,” I announce in the middle of the hotel lobby.

Both Harper and Latham turn to look at the man beside me. He stutters and stumbles, and finally spits out, “Those aren’t mine!”

Before anyone can say anything further, Mary Ann comes into the lobby, her phone pressed to her ear. “There you are! I have the ticket agent on the phone. Who’s in for the David Copperfield show tonight? They have open tickets.”

“Definitely!” Harper exclaims without even consulting with Latham. But the smile on his face lets me know he doesn’t care. He’d go anywhere, as long as it’s with her.

“Me too,” I state, slipping my wallet back into my bag.

“I’m out. Magic is nothing more than a fake mind illusion anyway,” Samuel grumbles.

“What? No!” Harper exclaims, drawing more attention to our small group.

“Samuel, it’ll be fun. I insist you go with the rest of the family,” Mary Ann says, laying the guilt on thick. I love that woman. He grumbles a little, but doesn’t argue with his mom.

Mary Ann finishes ordering the tickets to the show, and we all agree to meet in the lobby in an hour. She heads up to tell the rest of the group the plan, while we slowly make our way to the elevators with our luggage. “What floors are you guys on?” Harper asks as we step onto the elevator.

“Fourteen,” Samuel and I both say at the exact same time. I flash him a wide grin, while the look he gives me is more of annoyance.

“We’re on thirty-five. Do you need help with anything?” Harper says as the doors open on our floor.

“No, I can manage,” I tell her, pulling my wheeled suitcase behind me off the elevator.

“We’ll see you guys in an hour,” Latham says. I turn to see him shove the small box of rubbers into Samuel’s suit jacket while his hands are occupied. He shrugs at his future brother-in-law and says, “Just wanted to make sure you’re prepared.” Then the door closes, cutting off Latham’s laughter and leaving us in the hallway alone.

I turn and start to head down the hall, glancing occasionally at the numbers on the doors. It would figure I’d be as far away from the elevator as possible. When I reach the end of the corridor, I turn to the left, only to realize Samuel is still behind me. “Following me?” I tease, glancing up at the numbers once more and realizing I’m finally getting close.

“Just looking for my room.”

I finally stop when I hit 1447. Glancing over my shoulder, I see he does the same. He looks at the number on his door, then back down at the card in his hand, and finally over to me. “Seriously?” he whispers, as he swipes his card over the sensor to the room right beside mine. The light flashes red, much like the tips of his ears.

He does it four more times before I finally take pity on his poor, uptight soul. Dropping my bags on the floor, I walk over and grab his card. He huffs and puffs a little, but doesn’t say a word as I slowly move the keycard over the sensor, the light immediately flashing green. “There ya go, Sammy. All set.”

I hand him back his card, his finger brushing against mine slightly. My entire body erupts with awareness. His scent, his touch, the little noises of annoyance he makes without realizing it. I’m suddenly hyperaware of the fact we’re standing very close, his finger grazing against mine. It’s not meant to be sexual, but that doesn’t stop my brain from conjuring up every dirty fantasy I’ve ever had, starring