Free What Happens in Vegas by Marteeka Karland Page B

moment, she did want to fuck
    him. Fuck him to Hell and back, no matter how
    much she might regret it in the morning.
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    MARTEEKA KARLAND
    He continued to stare at her as she
    made her way to the elevator. She felt his eyes
    on her. Sure enough, when she looked back
    over her shoulder, he was staring at her with
    those dark eyes, stark possession shining in
    their depths. With her chin held high, she
    turned away again and waited, trying her best
    to ignore him.
    It was total bullshit, of course. She was
    more aware of him than she had been of
    anyone in her entire life. Had been since the
    day she met him. As she turned to punch her
    floor number, she caught his gaze again. He
    hadn’t moved an inch, and he still kept his eyes
    trained on her. A faint smile touched his
    sensual mouth, and he actually threw her a
    small salute as the doors closed. He was
    practically laughing at her!
    That was it. Li Zhu was going to have to
    die.

    ***

    “That was quite possibly not the smartest
    thing you’ve ever done, Li.” Connor Jackson
    chuckled as he extended his hand in greeting.
    Li took it with a warm smile. He’d been friends
    What Happens in Vegas…
    17
    with the Jackson brothers since he’d moved
    from China over two decades earlier. They’d
    attended the same college and had finished
    med school and residency together. The bond
    there was strong.
    “I’d have to agree with you, but it will be
    worth it later.”
    Connor shook his head. “Wow. I always
    knew you had it bad for the prickly vixen, but I
    had no idea you were into sadism. She’s liable
    to shred you to pieces.”
    “Believe it or not, I have thought of that.”
    Li chuckled. “Don’t worry about me. I know
    what I’m doing.”
    “I do too,” Connor shot back. “Going into
    the lion’s den.”
    “Just hide and watch, buddy. She’s mine.
    Might not be easy, but the best things never
    are.”
    Li glanced back at the elevator. It had
    long since closed, but he could still smell the
    light scent of her perfume. He knew he had it
    bad, but he didn’t care. The fierce need deep
    inside him only added to his resolve to win
    Nikki’s heart.
    Finishing up the last of his charting, Li
    headed out for the weekend. He’d overheard
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    MARTEEKA KARLAND
    plans Nikki had made while she talked with a
    couple of her friends. She was on her way to
    Vegas to relax and unwind with no one to bug
    her. She’d planned a blissful weekend alone full
    of sunbathing and spa visits during the day and
    casinos and heart-stopping shows at night.
    Well, Li was going to crash her party of one.
    Getting a plane ticket on such short notice took
    some doing, but he knew it would be worth it.
    Besides, it wasn’t as if he had a choice. There
    was no way he was passing up an opportunity
    to see the prickly Dr. Taylor let her hair down.
    With a little luck, after tonight, Nikki would
    know exactly whom she belonged with.
    Just the thought made him smile. She
    would fight, and that made him hotter than just
    about anything. There had to be harmony
    between them, sort of, but he was looking
    forward to the challenge. Even though he knew
    in his heart they were meant to be together, he
    also knew she’d provoke him every chance she
    got just so the sparks would fly. When they
    finally came together, the sex would be mind-
    blowing.
    Whipping his car into the airport
    extended-stay parking lot, Li retrieved his bag
    from the trunk and jogged to the gate with
    What Happens in Vegas…
    19
    boarding pass in hand. There was no way he
    could suppress the smile tugging at his lips as
    he checked his bag and boarded the plane. He’d
    seen Nikki boarding just before he had and
    knew this would be one explosive weekend.
    Although he’d seen her in casual dress
    before, he’d never seen her in hip-hugging
    jeans and a too-cute tee that barely skimmed
    the top of her pants. Enticing glimpses of bare,
    chocolate skin teased him with every move of
    her body as she walked down the