What Happens Here: Vegas

By Piper Lauren

Escape to Vegas and Experience a Passionate Romance with 'What Happens Here'. Jasmine and Ethan's chance encounter in Sin City leads to a whirlwind romance that neither of them expected. As they explore the city together, they discover an intense connection that changes both of their lives forever. However, their happiness is threatened by a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows. Will their love survive the challenges that lay ahead? This captivating novel will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Don't miss out on this unforgettable tale of love and adventure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9781667896373

Book preview

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© 2023 Piper Lauren All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

ISBN 978-1-66789-636-6 eBook 978-1-66789-637-3

Just when you thought you would never find love…it finds you.

Note from the author.....

First...let me say THANK YOU for your support with buying my books. It has been a true labor of love for me, and I have enjoyed bringing all of these wonderful characters to life for you!

My books are written from the perspective of the characters involved. In other words, as you read the chapters of my books, you will come to realize that each event is being experienced as the characters themselves experiences it. The characters will express their feelings in their own words as the story progresses and unfolds. The characters will often share the same experience, but the moment will be told from their own individual points of view. You will be able to share in the experience with the characters as they express their hopes, fears, and deepest desires with you. I really hope that you enjoy reading about these characters, because I have truly enjoyed writing about them!

This book is dedicated to my family, and everyone that supported, encouraged, and inspired me to pursue my dreams of being an author. I love you, and I appreciate having you in my life!

Now for the disclaimer…. If you are not 18 years of age or older....please do not read this book, or any of the books in this series. It contains very strong sexual scenes, and language, so please get your parent’s permission before you read any of the books in this series.

This book is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to situations and persons that are either living or deceased is purely coincidental. No parts of this book may be copied, or reproduced in any format without the expressed permission from the author in writing.

Thank you...and happy reading!

Contents

Prologue

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Jasmine

Chapter 1

Ethan

Chapter 2

Jasmine

Chapter 3

Ethan

Chapter 4

Jasmine

Chapter 5

Ethan

Chapter 6

Jasmine

Chapter 7

Ethan

Chapter 8

Jasmine

Chapter 9

Ethan

Chapter 10

Jasmine

Chapter 11

Ethan

Chapter 12

Ethan

Chapter 13

Jasmine

Chapter 14

Ethan

Chapter 15

Valentina

Chapter 16

Ethan

Chapter 17

Valentina

Chapter 18

Jasmine

Chapter 19

Ethan

Chapter 20

Jasmine

Chapter 21

Ethan

Chapter 22

Jasmine

Chapter 23

Ethan

Chapter 24

Jasmine

Chapter 25

Ethan

Chapter 26

Jasmine

Chapter 27

Ethan

Chapter 28

Valentina

Chapter 29

Jasmine

Chapter 30

Ethan

Chapter 31

Ethan

Chapter 32

Jasmine

Chapter 33

Ethan

Chapter 34

Jasmine

Chapter 35

Ethan

Chapter 36

Jasmine

Chapter 37

Valentina

Chapter 38

Ethan

Chapter 39

Valentina

Chapter 40

Jasmine

Chapter 41

Mackenzie

Chapter 42

Ethan

Chapter 43

Jasmine

Chapter 44

Shane

Chapter 45

Mackenzie

Chapter 46

Ethan

Chapter 47

Jasmine

Chapter 48

Prologue

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

For the past five years, Jasmine and her three best friends, Candace, Mackenzie, and Savannah have taken an annual girl’s trip to a random destination, either domestic or international, using that time as a way to reconnect and catch up on each other’s lives. These trips were for the ladies only, and that meant, no children, spouses, or significant others were invited.

This year’s trip was special for Jasmine because they would be celebrating her 30th birthday. Due to the significance of the trip, her friends allowed her to pick the destination, which for Jasmine, was a no-brainer. There was only one place that Jasmine wanted to celebrate turning the BIG 3-0…and that was LAS VEGAS!

On the day of the trip, the ladies planned to meet up at a restaurant in the airport before heading to the Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino, where they would be staying for the weekend. Since Jasmine and Mackenzie both live in Charlotte, North Carolina, they decided to fly to Vegas together, while Candace & Savannah flew in from Atlanta and Denver.

Jasmine was extremely excited about the trip, and with it being her birthday, she planned to cut loose, and enjoy herself. That plan included lots of dancing and tons of gambling. After all, no one came to Vegas and didn’t hit at least one roulette table.

It was summer, and as a kindergarten teacher, Jasmine was looking forward to some relaxation, and fun. Both she and Mackenzie worked for the same elementary school in Charlotte, and while Jasmine was a kindergarten teacher there, her best friend Mackenzie worked with the 3rd graders. Although she loved her babies, Jasmine really looked forward to these annual trips with her friends, and after the year she’d had, she needed it more than she cared to admit.

Once their flight had landed, Jasmine and Mackenzie made their way to the restaurant where they would be meeting up with Candace and Van. The flight had been almost five hours, and her bladder was about to burst. After inquiring about the location of the restrooms, she excused herself and headed to the back of the restaurant where the server had indicated.

At the same time….

Ethan’s best friend, business partner, and brother from another mother, Daryl, was getting married that weekend, and being the Best Man, Ethan had flown in from Chicago to Las Vegas for Daryl’s destination wedding to his fiancée, Layla Moretti. The wedding was scheduled to take place at the Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino that weekend, and while Ethan waited for Shane’s flight to arrive from Miami, he sat in an airport restaurant having a beer. Ethan and Shane had grown up together, and while they weren’t blood-related, the bond they shared was just as strong, or stronger than any blood ties could ever be.

Daryl and Layla had flown in from Chicago to Las Vegas a few days earlier to meet with their wedding planner, and to ensure that everything would go according to plan. They had arranged for Daryl to meet Ethan and Shane at the airport’s baggage claim area and drive them to the hotel, so they could relax before the rehearsal dinner that night.

After taking another long drink from his beer, Ethan sat the bottle on the table, and lowered his head, so that he could massage the tight muscles at the back of his neck. After working twelve-to-fourteen-hour days at his landscaping company, E & D Landscaping, Ethan was exhausted. Once the weekend was over, he planned to take some much-needed time off, so that he could relax. Although this trip was as close to a vacation as he’d had in four years, he knew there would be a great deal to do, which wouldn’t leave him much down time.

Closing his eyes, he raised his head on an inhale, and caught a whiff of one of the most intoxicating scents that he had ever smelled. Slowly inhaling, Ethan noticed the scent wasn’t strong or overbearing, but instead it was soft, alluring and very feminine. Although the restaurant was busy with patrons, and the aroma of warring scents filled the air, this scent, with its sweet sugary scent filled his nose, taking dominance over the others. Ethan frowned as he turned his head, scanning the room to see if a server had passed by with a dessert tray.

Seeing nothing, but patrons enjoying their meals while engrossed in conversation, Ethan turned more fully in his chair, attempting to locate the source of the alluring scent. His eyes caught the movement of a mocha skinned woman with long dark hair, and a pair of shapely, toned legs as she moved away from him, and towards the back of the restaurant. He caught a brief glimpse of her round ass as it jiggled slightly in the yellow sundress that she wore, but just as he caught sight of her, she was quickly swallowed up by the throng of patrons.

Could it have been her?

Before he could put thought to action, his body was moving of its own accord into the direction that he had last seen the young woman. Ethan made his way through the crowd but was hit with a pang of disappointment when he scanned the area and realized that he had lost sight of her. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he released an agitated breath. His agitation was quickly replaced with hope when he caught the lingering traces of the scent once again. Ethan couldn’t help but feel like his grandfather’s old hound dog, Duke, as he lifted his nose, and inhaled deeply, almost locking onto the scent trail.

Ethan was on the hunt...

Moments before….

After telling Mackenzie that she needed to freshen up, Jasmine excused herself before heading to the restroom. Her steps paused briefly as she approached a table that was located by the large window near the front of the restaurant. It was the sight of the very attractive man, sitting alone, that had caught her eye. The man was gorgeous and would have caught the eye of any woman, or man in the room, but it was the look of exhaustion in his handsome features that pulled her up short. She wasn’t sure what had made her notice that about him, but he had the look of a man that was in desperate need of a break. Her heart went out to him when he lowered his head and began to massage his neck.

He had appeared deep in thought, and if the bowed head, and need for a neck massage was any indication of what was on his mind, it appeared to be weighing heavy on him. Shaking her head and dismissing her thoughts about a man that she didn’t know, and about things that weren’t any of her concern, Jasmine gave the man one final glance before she moved past his table as she headed towards the restroom.

After using the facilities, Jasmine washed and dried her hands, before applying more lip balm to her lips. She sighed as she checked her reflection in the mirror, and uselessly ran a hand through her mass of naturally curly hair that seemed to always have a mind of its own, no matter how much she tried to tame it. A little over a year ago, and after ending a six-year relationship, Jasmine had decided to grow it long again. The feeling of the weight of it at the middle of her back, caused her to smirk as she thought of how her ex-douchebag of a fiancée, Marcus, would have, as her Nanna would say, a shitting cow fit if he saw how long it had grown. Jasmine laughed to herself, as she turned to the side to admire the length of her hair in the mirror.

Jasmine had once heard that most men loved long hair, but that hadn’t been the case during her six-year relationship with Marcus. Apparently, Marcus preferred her hair short, so she had kept it shorter than she would have liked just to prevent any arguments. Jasmine felt that Marcus had always been overly critical of her. Hell, he had complained about everything! From how she’d worn her hair, her style of clothing, and towards the end of their relationship, he had even complained about how she ate her food, folded her towels and even how she had placed the roll of tissue on the damn spool. Mimicking his voice, she said, Jasmine, the tissue paper should be rolled over the top, instead of under. Blah. Blah…fucking blah. Tucking a long section of curly hair behind her ear, she shrugged, and added those items to the long list of things that made Marcus an asshole. Oh yes…did she happen to mention that he had cheated with a woman that had…you guessed it… long hair! Bastard.

Jasmine closed her eyes, inhaling a calming breath, before slowly releasing it as she attempted to mentally shake off those frustrating thoughts. She had ended things with Marcus over a year ago, and she refused to allow him, or thoughts of him to ruin her trip to Vegas. She was finally able to check off an item from the bucket list that she had created after ending things with him, and she was determined to enjoy her birthday weekend.

Knowing that Candace and Van would be arriving soon, Jasmine straightened her spine, and gave herself a mental shake before she plastered a smile on her face and left the restroom. She was slipping her lip balm back into her purse, momentarily oblivious to her surroundings when she collided into a hard, muscled chest….

The life altering collision….

Oh … I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Jasmine said, as she looked up into a pair of the most beautiful hazel green eyes that she had ever seen. The breath caught in her lungs, as she realized that her hands were gripping a very hard, and very firm chest. The softness of the shirt only accentuated the firmness of the chest that lay beneath the surface. A gasp left her lips as chills raced up her arms when a pair of large, calloused hands gently gripped her elbows, helping her to catch her balance. The feeling of warm hands on her skin sent tiny shocks up her arms, causing her nipples to harden, as her knees weakened. If not for the stranger’s hands helping her to remain vertical, she would have been a melted puddle at his feet.

Recognition dawned on her, and she realized that the beautiful hazel eyes belonged to the attractive man that had been sitting alone at the table by the window that she had passed only moments before. Looking up into his handsome face, she noticed that he searched hers with a mixture of confusion and was that…awe? No. Jasmine must have been mistaken by what she’d seen in the handsome stranger’s eyes.

"It is you." Those were the only words that Ethan could manage to say as he looked down into the face of the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen in his life. If he’d thought the scent that had distracted him for the past five minutes was amazing, the woman that it belonged to was indescribable. He knew that he was staring, and muttering like a crazy man, but hell if he could form a complete sentence in that moment.

In the small, confined space, her sweet scent surrounded them, and Ethan’s eyes searched hers as she held him spellbound. The color of her eyes were mesmerizing and reminded him of a glass of cognac, with flecks of amber mixed in. As he inhaled her scent, a slow smile crossed his face, because there was no doubt…. this was the woman that he had been looking for, and not just for the past five minutes, but possibly for his entire life.

When she nervously bit her bottom lip, his eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to the plump flesh that was caught between her teeth. Thoughts of what he’d like to do with those full lips raced through his mind, and he felt the stiffening reminder of his attraction to her twitch in his pants as he forced his eyes to meet hers. When he heard her release a breath, and then attempted to put some space between them, he reluctantly dropped his hands to his sides. The last thing Ethan wanted to do was to make her feel uncomfortable.

Ethan noticed that the top of her head came to his shoulders, and while she may have been short in stature, she was packing some serious curves. Earlier, Ethan had gotten a glimpse of her from behind and he was more than pleased to see that the view from the front was even more beautiful. Ethan stood at over six feet, and over the years, he discovered that he was usually attracted to shorter women, and definitely ones with curves…. much like the beautiful mocha-skinned woman standing directly in front of him.

When the sexy stranger finally released her, Jasmine watched the Adam’s apple in his throat bob up and down as he swallowed. Was he nervous? And why the hell did she find his throat sexy? She had never cared one way or the other about a man’s throat, but she was discovering that she was very aware of everything about this particular man.

What? Jasmine was surprised to hear the breathy sound of her own voice, and her eyes jerked up to meet the sexy stranger’s when she heard him clear his throat as he said, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to … Did I hurt you? The deep baritones of his voice washed over Jasmine like a warm breeze, and she fought the urge to moan.

Damnit! This man was causing all kinds of chaos inside of her, and she realized that she’d almost forgotten how to speak. Seeing that he was waiting for her response, Jasmine pulled herself together, attempting to shake off the tingles that were coursing through her as she said, Oh … No, I’m fine. It was my fault. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. I apologize. She felt like an idiot as she fumbled through her words.

When he gave her a reassuring smile, Jasmine felt butterflies began to flutter in her stomach. He had dimples. Fucking dimples. TWO OF THEM! And seeing them on a face as beautiful and as perfect as his should be a crime. Although he had the makings of a beard growing, the indentions in his cheeks were pretty prominent, and she fought the urge to reach up and lick them.

OMG…what in the hell was she thinking? Had it been that long since she’d had sex? Jasmine knew that she was acting like a crazy loon, and she needed to stop, but hell…she wanted to pull this man back into the bathroom, lock the door, and ride him like a rodeo bull.

The feelings that she was currently experiencing were strange for Jasmine, and it was mainly due to the fact that she had rarely allowed herself to interact with men since her disastrous breakup over a year ago. Although her family, friends and co-workers had tried to encourage her to date, even going so far as to attempt to set her up on blind dates, she’d never had the desire to meet anyone new. After having her world shattered by a man that she thought would be her husband, Jasmine had become somewhat of a recluse, only venturing out to work, and to shop for groceries.

Now, as she stood in front of this Adonis of a man, she found herself feeling things that she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in a very long time. The silence stretched between them, and knowing that she should say something, Jasmine released a nervous breath as she smiled and said, My name is Jasmine, by the way. Jasmine Ellis. And you are?

Her heart damn near stopped beating when his smiled spread wide enough to show a set of straight, white teeth, and those damn dimples again. The smile even caused his eyes to crinkle at the corners, and she found herself smiling as well, because his smile totally transformed his face, making it even more attractive, if that were possible. His eyes softened as he said, "Hi. I’m Ethan Daniels. It’s nice to meet you… Jasmine Ellis." He seemed to accentuate her name in a deep, seductive tone, which had a rush of heat flooding her core, and she reflexively pressed her thighs together, as she shifted from one foot to the other.

They simply stood staring into one another’s eyes, as if locked in a trance, until Ethan’s phone vibrated in his pocket, breaking the spell, and tossing them back into the reality that they had momentarily escaped from. He released a frustrated sigh, frowning as he pulled his phone from his pocket, before giving her an apologetic look.

Jasmine groaned internally when she realized that the universe was conspiring to destroy the mood completely, because she watched as Mackenzie turned the corner, stopping when she noticed then standing alone in the small hallway. Jasmine recognized the questioning look on Mackenzie’s face at seeing that she and Ethan were standing closer than two strangers should be in such a small space. Her friend’s look of confusion quickly morphed into a look of realization as a knowing smile slowly spread across her face.

The atmosphere in the small hallway was undeniably electric, and filled with sexual tension, and Jasmine wanted to completely melt into the floor as she watched a smirk play at the corners of her best friend’s lips. Mackenzie had been very vocal about Jasmine’s need to get back into the dating world, so the smirk that she now saw on Mackenzie’s face caused Jasmine to roll her eyes and shake her head.

Jasmine knew that she would be subjected to what could only be compared to as the Spanish Inquisition once Mackenzie shared this incident with Candace and Van. Jasmine’s head dropped back on her shoulders as she rolled her head in Mackenzie’s direction before releasing a small sigh of resignation. Lips pursed, Jasmine wanted to close her eyes, and completely disappear when Mackenzie cleared her throat, as a wide smile spread across her face. Shit. She would never hear the end of this, and she groaned inwardly at the knowledge.

Discovering that they were no longer alone, Ethan looked from Jasmine to the young woman that was currently standing at the entrance of the hallway with a smile on her face. Based on the silent way that the two were interacting, Ethan assumed the two women must know one another. His assumption was confirmed when the young woman said, I’m sorry to interrupt...but Jazz … um … Van and Candace are here, and we’re heading to the hotel now. You ready? Ethan watched as Jasmine narrowed her eyes, giving the young woman a tight-lipped smile before saying, "Okay…Mackenzie. I will be right there."

Smiling, he said, Excuse me for a moment. I need to reply to this text. When Jasmine gave him a nod of understanding, and returned his smile, he held up one finger, asking her to give him a moment, before he stepped away. Ethan didn’t want Jasmine to leave while he was checking his messages, so after quickly swiping the screen, he saw that he had a missed call from Shane, and a text from Daryl. Opening the message from Daryl, he quickly scanned it before he sent a reply.

Hey Ethan! I’m with Shane at baggage claim. We’ve been standing here for like 10 minutes! Where are you man!!??

After sending a quick response to let his friends know that he was on the way, Ethan slid his phone back into his pocket. Turning, he paused when he noticed that Jasmine had moved towards the entrance of the hallway and was speaking in a hushed voice to the young woman that had entered the hallway moments before. Not wanting to interrupt, he stood quietly as he watched the exchange.

When Mackenzie’s gaze drifted past her to stare over her shoulder, Jasmine turned to see Ethan patiently watching them. Turning, Jasmine walked over to where Ethan stood, and in a regretful tone said, "My friends are here, so I better get going. It was nice bumping into you, Mr. Daniels." Understanding the double meaning, Ethan smiled, and the two shared a brief laugh. Mackenzie mumbled something under her breath that Jasmine couldn’t understand before she turned and walked away, leaving Jasmine alone with Ethan once again.

Looking into Jasmine’s eyes, Ethan had to force himself not to pull her into his arms and kiss her. The sound of her laughter had sent chills down his spine, and the reality of that struck him, because he had never had such a visceral reaction to a woman before…until now. I was just thinking the same thing.

Jasmine knew that she needed to go, but she felt as if her mind had given her heart control over her body, because it seemed to have cemented her feet to the floor. She glanced towards the empty hallway where Mackenzie had previously stood, and turning back to face Ethan, she tried to regain control over her reluctant body as she said, Well … I better go, before my friends leave without me. She paused for a moment, debating if she should exchange numbers with him, but she hesitated when her thoughts flashed to the text that Ethan had received. She found herself wondering if he were married, or currently in a relationship, and she frowned at the thought of him being with another woman. Pushing those thoughts and how they made her feel to the side, Jasmine decided that their meeting was just a chance encounter, and that it should stay that way. She released a resigned sigh before she gave him a small wave as she turned to walk away.

Jasmine felt the physical resistance of her doubts at walking away from Ethan, and she mentally forced them to the back of her mind, because the last thing that she needed in her life was another cheating man. The disappointment at the possibility of Ethan sharing the same dirtbag trait as Marcus caused her heart to ache, and Jasmine closed her eyes briefly to mask the pain.

Ethan’s heart rate sped up as he watched Jasmine pause as if she were going to say something, but it quickly dropped to the pit of his stomach when she frowned, and a look of resignation crossed her beautiful features. His heart stopped beating completely when she raised her hand, giving him a small wave, before she turned to walk away. Was she just going to leave? Hadn’t she felt the same spark between them that he had? He had hoped that she would want to at least exchange numbers so that they could keep in touch, but as her steps took her further away from him, the thought of never seeing her again caused an ache in his chest.

Maybe she had a husband waiting for her, and she was flying back home to be with him? If that were the case, that would mean the two of them meeting in this cramped restroom hallway would simply be a case of pure happenstance.

Fuck. That. Shit.

Ethan suddenly felt a surge of adrenaline flow through his limbs, pushing him into motion. The sense that he would miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime if he allowed her to walk away was so strong that he found himself calling after her. Jasmine. Jasmine paused before turning to face him as she gave him a questioning look. Yes?

Clearing his throat, Ethan asked, Are you staying in Vegas long, or catching another flight somewhere? His body moved towards hers as if he were being pulled by a magnet, and when he was close enough to see the spray of freckles that danced over the bridge of her nose that he had not noticed before, he stopped, and stared down into her eyes as he waited for her response.

His eyes were drawn to her hand as she pushed a section of her long, curly hair behind her ear, before she said, Actually, it’s my birthday weekend, so my girls and I are staying here in Vegas. We’re having a girl’s trip to celebrate, but I will be heading back home to Charlotte on Sunday. Breaking eye contact with him briefly before she hesitantly met his eyes again, she asked, How about you? Are you and your family here for the weekend?

Ethan noticed that her gaze had dropped to his hand, and he frowned. Understanding hit him like a ton of bricks when he realized the hand that she quickly scanned, would have been sporting a wedding band on his ring finger if he were married. It was in that moment that he understood her hesitancy from moments before. He had been correct in his assumption that Jasmine had contemplated saying something, before she’d thought better of it, choosing to walk away instead. It appeared that she had been under the impression that he was either married, or in a relationship, and the text that he had gotten from Daryl hadn’t helped with her assumption.

The thought that Jasmine would believe him to be the sort of man that would pursue outside relations while being in a committed relationship truly bothered Ethan, but he pushed his disappointment aside, and tried to view the situation from her perspective. Looking at things from her point of view, he had to admit that he could see how she would come to the conclusion that she had. Not to mention the fact that she didn’t know him from Adam, and that was a fact that Ethan decided right then and there to rectify.

Deciding full disclosure was required to ensure that he completely dissuaded her incorrect assumptions about his relationship status, Ethan said, My best friend is getting married this weekend and I’m the Best Man. I will be in Vegas all weekend for the wedding. Taking another step closer to her, he locked eyes with hers, needing her to not only hear, but also to see his sincerity as he said, Jasmine…. I’m not married, nor am I currently seeing anyone. When her eyes widened at this declaration, Ethan knew he had been right about her assumption, and he was glad that he’d made the right decision to squash it. When her sexy lips pulled into a slow smile, Ethan kept his gaze on her mouth, as he said, Maybe we can get together if you’re not too busy and I can buy you dinner to celebrate your birthday? His eyes slowly rose to meet hers, as he waited for her response. When her smile widened, he shook his head at the realization that the combination of her beautiful brown eyes, and that devastating smile of hers would be the death of him.

A sense of relief washed through Jasmine at hearing Ethan say he wasn’t married or currently seeing anyone. She was surprised at just how much hearing that pleased her, because she had gone from denouncing the entire male species and declaring them all as the evil spawn of Satan, to finding herself reconsidering her initial male-bashing rants because of her encounter with Ethan. Releasing the breath that she had unknowingly been holding, she said, I would like that Ethan. I would like that very much.

It was in that moment that Jasmine was starting to feel as if forces were still conspiring to ruin the moment, because the universe tossed her cousin Candace into the mix. Rolling her eyes as the groan that she had held in at Mackenzie’s interruption, finally escaped her, Jasmine watched as her cousin purposefully headed towards them with narrowed eyes. Jasmine knew that look, and she sent up a silent prayer that Candace’s lips would magically seal shut, preventing her from being able to say anything crazy that would embarrass her in front of Ethan. Jasmine turned to face her cousin, cocking her head to the side as she subtly gave her the universal wide-eyed stare, which said, Go away!

Jasmine narrowed her eyes at her cousin when Candace stopped a couple of feet in front of them and raised one perfectly arched brow before crossing her arms as she craned her neck to see Ethan. Jasmine knew the exact moment when Candace acknowledged, and then completely ignored Jasmine’s subtleties, because she rolled her eyes at Jasmine before saying, Jazz, are you ready? Or do you need more time with Mr. Handsome over there?

So…there was no chance that Jasmine’s silent prayer of Candace’s lips magically sealing shut would be granted…. huh?

Jasmine shook her head, forcing her words through gritted teeth. "Yes…I just need a minute Candace. I will be right there." Jasmine watched as Candace simply smirked, peering over Jasmine’s shoulder, and giving Ethan a once over, before winking at Jasmine before she turned and walked away.

Hearing Ethan’s deep chuckle behind her, Jasmine turned and gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. That was my cousin Candace, and she can be a bit much. Shaking her head, she continued. I apologize, but I better get going. For real, this time."

Ethan raised his hands in a placating manner as he said, Please, don’t apologize. It was my fault. I didn’t mean to hold you up. I actually need to be heading out as well or my friends will send a search party for me. They shared another brief laugh before falling into step as they left the small hallway and headed towards the front of the restaurant where Jasmine’s friends stood waiting for her.

Before they reached the main entrance, and went their separate ways, Ethan placed a hand on Jasmine’s arm, pausing her steps as he said, "I don’t have a way to reach you, so would it be okay if I gave you my number? I’m sure you ladies have a lot going on, but if you find that you have some time this weekend, and would like to get together, maybe you can give me a call."

Ethan smiled as he watched Jasmine reach into her purse, and pulled out her phone before handing it to him without hesitation. After entering in his contact information, Ethan handed Jasmine back her phone, and their eyes locked as a surge of electricity passed between them at the brief contact of their fingers. It was almost like the shock that you got from a buildup of static electricity, but a lot more pleasant. Just as quickly as the surge came, it passed, but the effects still lingered between them.

At the brief touch of Ethan’s fingers, Jasmine felt goosebumps trail up her arms. "I will definitely be in touch Mr. Daniels."

Allowing his eyes to drop down to stare at her lips before meeting her eyes again, a lazy smile crossed Ethan’s face as he said, "And I will definitely hold you to that Miss Ellis."

After sharing a lingering glance, Jasmine turned and walked away with her friends, as Ethan headed in the opposite direction towards baggage claim.

Jasmine

Chapter 1

After she reluctantly walked away from Ethan, Jasmine couldn’t help but replay the events of the past 10 minutes in her mind. Ethan Daniels was someone she definitely wanted to get to know better. There was something about him that she couldn’t quite put her finger on, but it almost felt like deja’vu? She had this sense that she had met him before, and although they had just met, it felt as if they had known one another for a lot longer than ten minutes. The level of comfort and familiarity that she felt with Ethan made her feel somewhat disconcerted, because she had never felt such a strong magnetic pull towards any man at first meeting them, and that included her ex-fiancée Marcus.

Closing her eyes, she pulled up a mental image of Ethan’s face, and she smiled. Images of the men from that movie 300 flowed through her mind. Those sexy as hell men with their chiseled jawlines, carved from stone abs, and muscular arms and thighs, had starred in many of Jasmine’s late-night fantasies over the past months. But after literally bumping into Ethan, and subconsciously stroking his hard chest and feeling the sculptured muscles beneath the soft material of his shirt, she had no doubts that Ethan would soon star in many of her fantasies from that point on.

When they were standing together in the small hallway, she couldn’t help but take notice of their height difference. He was possibly a good foot taller than her 5-foot 3-inch frame, which would put him at possibly 6’2, or maybe 6’3. Jasmine loved her height and always appeared to be drawn to tall men because of the safety that their height represented. Being held by Ethan, even for the brief time that she had been pressed against him, had definitely evoked feelings of safety within her… amongst other feelings.

She recalled his hair being sandy brown, intertwined with golden flecks, as if the sun had lovingly kissed each strand. The length had curled just past the collar, and right below his ear, causing her to itch to run her fingers through the strands to see if they were as soft as they had appeared. The length had been longer than she would have expected, because he appeared to be a businessman, but the collar-length hair, and two-day old scruff on his chin, had given him more of an out-doorsy vibe. Also, the tan that he was sporting had helped with that image as well, and Jasmine couldn’t help but wonder if he had any tan lines below the belt.

The color of his eyes had been mesmerizing. Jasmine had seen hazel eyes before, but what made Ethan’s unique eyes so striking was the subtle hint of blue that was mixed in with the hints of green and brown, which had caused them to stand out against his tanned skin. When she had glanced down at his hands as they helped her to regain her balance, Jasmine noticed that his tanned coloring had only been a shade lighter than her own mocha color. Mackenzie had once told Jasmine that the color of her skin reminded her of the color of hot chocolate and had jokingly taken to calling her CoCo on occasion.

As she thought more of her encounter with Ethan, she allowed his smile to form in her mind. His eyes, although incredible, had also been kind, and the tiny laugh lines at the corners hinted to the fact that he smiled and laughed often. Jasmine loved a man that had a great sense of humor and didn’t take himself too seriously. Laughter had been one of the main things that had been lacking in her relationship with Marcus. Sure, they had laughed a great deal at the beginning, but as the comfort level within the relationship had increased, the effort to maintain the relationship had decreased. At least it had on his part.

Forcing her thoughts back to Ethan, she smiled as she recalled how his deep voice had made her knees weak. Hearing the way that he had said her name, had caused Jasmine to imagine how his voice would sound first thing in the morning. Even the thought of whether his phone voice would be anywhere close to how sexy his in-person voice had been, made her wonder if she could orgasm just by talking to him on the phone. Jasmine smiled as she added phone sex with Ethan at the top of her to-do-list for that weekend. She laughed aloud, totally forgetting that she was riding in a taxi with her best friends, and instantly regretted the action.

At her sudden outburst, Candace looked over at her with one raised brow as she said, Well Missy …. are you going to share what’s so funny? And while you are at it … can you tell us who that gorgeous hunk of man meat was that you were talking to?

Jasmine rolled her eyes and smiled as she attempted to wave off the question. Chuckling, she said, Whatever! Can I not have a private moment to myself? Isn’t this the what happens here town? Jasmine laughed as she made air quotes.

Sucking her teeth, Candace said, That only applies once you leave, not while you’re still here! Mackenzie and Van laughed at Candace’s statement, and turned, giving Jasmine their full attention as they waited for her response. Candace cocked one brow as she continued. "Jazz, that man was fine as hell, and you know that we will support whatever you want to do this weekend. Hell, girl it’s your birthday, and we wholeheartedly endorse you getting your freak on!"

Jasmine couldn’t help but laugh at her cousin as she said, "Thank you for the support you guys, but I doubt that I’ll be getting my freak on this weekend. I’m not sure that I’ll even get to see Ethan again while I’m here. Jasmine was surprised when the thought of not seeing Ethan caused a tightness in her chest. Van frowned as she said, Even if you don’t see him while you’re here, you exchanged numbers, so