Vladimir Read online

  “Two.” The woman glanced at him. “I’m Rachel.”

  “Vladimir.”

  Her eyes narrowed slightly and she cocked her head. “Vladimir. Why do you look familiar?”

  He stared at her curiously. Now that he thought about it, she was familiar, too. Wait, she looked a lot like that girl on the vampire show he watched. It couldn’t be, could it? Shit. Didn’t Jamie Teller, a teammate that had been traded earlier this season, date her? Crap. Was this Rachel Kennedy, the TV star?

  “You are Jamie’s ex-girlfriend,” he said after a moment.

  She made a face. “You play for the Sidewinders.”

  “This is bad?”

  She shrugged. “Nah, no biggie. Come on, let’s do a birthday shot!” She turned to the waitress, who’d just brought their drinks, and held up the glass. “To birthdays. How old are you, Vlad?”

  “I am twenty-three. You?”

  “Twenty-five.” She paused. “Practically ancient by Hollywood standards.”

  “Practically perfect,” he murmured, downing the shot.

  She flashed him a smile. “Let’s gamble, Vladimir.” She handed her empty glass to the passing waitress.

  “Just Vlad,” he said softly.

  2

  They drank, laughed, and talked, playing blackjack until the casinos started to empty out and dawn was creeping over the horizon. At six thirty, Vlad finally had enough. He was $4,000 richer and probably drunker than he’d thought he would be, but it had been a lot of fun. Luckily, today was his day off or he’d be in a world of trouble with his coach. He gave the dealer a nice tip and glanced at Rachel.

  “Calling it a night?” she asked.

  “I think I have played enough,” he said. “You?”

  She hesitated. “Yeah, I’m up quite a bit—I guess I should stop before Uncle Sam gets involved.”

  “Who?” He looked confused.

  She laughed. “The government—taxes? Never mind. Hang on, let me leave a tip.” She handed the dealer some chips and got to her feet. “Hey Vlad, would you mind walking me to my room? Sometimes in Vegas I get hassled…” She trailed off, looking up at him hopefully.

  “Of course.” He nodded. He took her arm, guiding her through the casino towards the elevator bays.

  When they got to the lobby, a group of guys who were stumbling in from a night of partying took one look at Rachel and let out whoops of delight.

  “Holy shit, it’s Rachel Kennedy!” one of them yelled, heading towards her.

  “Crap,” she muttered, instinctively moving closer to Vlad.

  He slipped an arm around her waist, giving the young man holding out his phone a hard look. The young men eyed him with new respect now, putting their phones away as Vlad propelled Rachel forward.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  “No problem.” He pushed the button and the elevator doors slid open.

  She hit the button for the top floor, putting her key against the panel.

  “Penthouse?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Better security.”

  They rode up in silence and Vlad just stared at her. She was even more beautiful in person than she was on TV. Her skin was flawless and her legs were heavenly; he had to take a deep breath to keep himself from imagining them spread out before him. Her round little ass looked great, too, and he told himself to stop thinking about that. She had icy blue eyes that made her perfect for the part of a vampire, which was what she played on TV, and with her long dark lashes it was easy to imagine those eyes burning into his while he was buried deep inside of her. Damn. He had a few fantastic ideas about having her lips wrapped around his cock, too, and he closed his eyes to try to think about something else.

  She seemed like a nice girl, with an easy, infectious laugh and a sense of humor. She also knew how to play blackjack better than anyone he’d ever played with, and although he wasn’t a big gambler, he was impressed. For some reason, he wanted her to like him, not to think he was some sex-crazed athlete.

  When the elevator doors opened, a security guard stepped forward and smiled at Rachel. “Good morning, Miss Kennedy.”

  “Good morning, Ralph,” she smiled. “Hope you had a good night.”

  “Yes, ma’am, nice and quiet.”

  “I will say good-bye,” Vlad said quietly, standing in the elevator.

  “Do you have a ride?” she asked. “You’re not driving, are you?”

  He shook his head. “No, I have room in the 28th floor.”

  “Come hang out for a little while,” she said tentatively. “Let’s have breakfast.” She patted her purse and wiggled her eyebrows. “My treat since I won big.”

  He smiled though he was hesitant. “You are not tired?”

  She shrugged. “Not really.”

  “Okay.” He stepped out of the elevator, smiling at the friendly security guard, and followed her into her suite. There only appeared to be two suites on this floor and he wondered how expensive these rooms were. His had cost a fortune because it was New Year’s Eve, but it was nowhere near as nice as this one. There were lush furnishings and a view of the city that put his to shame. He liked to spend money on nice things, but this was pretty remarkable even for him.

  “Do you mind if I change?” she asked, kicking off her shoes.

  “No.” He watched her disappear into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. Was this a hook-up? She wasn’t acting like it, but she hadn’t seemed anxious for him to leave, either. He didn’t have a lot of experience with dating. Usually he met a girl and had sex with her, or he hung out with groups of friends. He’d probably been on five actual dates his whole life; two had been as a teenager and all three as an adult had been disasters. His friend, Zakk, told him he was too forward when it came to sex, but the women he met seemed to like that. He could sleep with a different woman every single night if he wanted to, so he didn’t understand why he had to pretend like sex wasn’t part of the deal.

  Rachel Kennedy wasn’t like any of his friends or the women he slept with, though. He had a couple of girls he hooked up with on a regular basis, girls who dated a lot of guys and slept around like he did. He had a lot of one-night stands, too, which was more his style. He had no idea what to do with a gorgeous movie star who didn’t seem to mind his terrible English and wanted to hang out and have breakfast.

  Panicked, he texted Toli; they both had the Russian alphabet on their phones and could type in their native tongue.

  Help! Met a girl, we gambled all night and now she invited me to breakfast. Don’t think she wants sex. What do I do?

  It was only seven a.m. on New Year’s Day, so there was every chance Toli was fast asleep next to his pregnant wife. However, since there was zero chance Toli had been out drinking while his pregnant wife could not, he might be up working out like he usually did. Vlad nearly cried with relief when his phone buzzed back immediately.

  Talk to her? Offer to pay the bill? Be nice?

  My English is terrible. How do I talk to her?

  Your English is fine. You can use your phone to translate if you can’t think of a word. Is this a groupie?

  No! She’s very nice. And beautiful.

  Just be yourself, but don’t try to get in her pants if you really like her.

  I’ve never been out on a date that didn’t end badly.

  Isn’t this your birthday?

  Yes.

  Start off the new year with something different—have fun. Be a gentleman. TALK. Can I go back to bed?

  Thanks.

  Vlad put his phone in his pocket just as Rachel came out of the bathroom. She wore a fluffy white robe and had put her hair in a ponytail. Somehow, she looked even hotter without her fancy clothes and perfectly coiffed hair. She still had makeup on, but she’d wiped off her lipstick and looked younger standing there smiling at him.

  “So, what do you want to eat?” she asked, pulling out the room service menu. “I was thinking about pancakes and bacon
.”

  He nodded. “Yes, this is good.”

  “Okay.” She picked up the phone and placed the order.

  Rachel sat on the couch, tucking her legs under her. She looked over at him and thought he was adorable, with his light brown hair and eyes so pale she couldn’t tell if they were blue, gray, or hazel. His dimples made him look about twelve when he smiled, and she nearly chuckled at the way he nervously fidgeted. “Why are you nervous?” she asked softly. “I’m just a girl.”

  “Very famous girl with men chasing through hotel.”

  “That’s not even a little bit fun,” she admitted. “It would be nice to go out once in a while without getting mobbed and spending half the night signing autographs.”

  “Not so bad for hockey player,” he said. “Only after games, but not so much attention other times.”

  She nodded. “I remember. Jamie could be pretty anonymous unless he was with me. It was hard on him sometimes.”

  “This is why you break up?”

  She shook her head. “Oh, no. We just… Well, he’d had a rough season and, to be honest, it always felt like something was missing no matter how close we were.”

  He frowned. “There are many rumors about him.”

  “Since he was traded?”

  “Yes, but not about hockey.” He paused. “He is involved with someone.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “His old roommate? I’d heard but… Well, I guess that makes sense then.”

  “This does not upset you?”

  She cocked her head. “Why would it? He didn’t treat me badly. We’re still friends, though I haven’t spoken to him lately.”

  He paused. “I do not always understand when there is gossip. My English…”

  “Your English is good.” She waved a hand. “But it’s probably better not to listen to a lot of that kind of gossip. Jamie’s a good person and I hate that there are these kinds of rumors. Whether it’s true or not doesn’t matter; he’s such a sensitive guy I’m sure it’s killing him knowing that people are talking.”

  “I just hear a little,” he admitted. “But if he is gay or bi makes no difference. I care only about friendship and hockey.”

  She smiled. “That’s nice to hear. So many guys, especially athletes, are really homophobic and it bothers me.”

  He nodded. “I like to judge friends by behavior, not…” He frowned, searching for the right word. “Not what happen in bedroom.”

  “Me, too.” She gave him a sweet smile. “So why were you alone on your birthday?”

  “Early I have friends. Then we find dates.” He shrugged. “My date was not so interesting.”

  “Did you take her home?”

  He frowned. “We met in casino, party in room, then…” He paused, a little embarrassed to admit what had happened.

  “You had sex with her?”

  He flushed. “No. Was not happening.”

  She cocked her head. “You mean you couldn’t get it up?”

  “For her!” he said quickly. “No spark.”

  “Could you get it up for me?” Her eyes met his with a twinkle.

  Vlad swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. He was obviously trying to be a gentleman, and she tried to hide her smile.

  3

  Rachel watched Vlad’s face as he processed what she’d just asked. He’d understood, but he was definitely conflicted about answering her, and she was torn between thinking it was because something was truly wrong with him and he couldn’t get it up or if it was because he was nervous now that he was alone with her. It couldn’t be because he was inexperienced in any way; the women in the casino made it clear they were interested and the way he smiled and carried himself told her he knew what he was doing. Something was making him hesitate now, though, making her wish she was some kind of mind-reader.

  “I could,” he said slowly. “But I do not believe this is why you invite me here.” He returned her gaze curiously.

  “I invited you here for breakfast,” she conceded. “I suppose I did wonder if you were interested.”

  “If I am not interested, I am not man.”

  She smiled faintly. “I guess I’m feeling a little old today.”

  “Because in Hollywood you are…” He seemed to be thinking hard to find the right word. “Ancient?”

  She laughed out loud. “Yes! Exactly.” She reached out a hand and waited until he took it. She toyed with his fingers, liking how rough and calloused they were. “Did you ever want to run away and be someone else?”

  He shook his head. “No. Hockey is all I ever want.”

  “All I ever wanted was to become an actress,” she said softly. “Then I got this lucky break and got the part on Vampire Legend. It’s amazing, even after five seasons. So much fun, a great cast, and so much money. Until everyone started to want a piece of me. I’m not even a person anymore; I’m a commodity.”

  “This means product, like item you buy in store?”

  She nodded. “I can’t eat anything because I might get fat. I can’t go out by myself because I might get kidnapped or raped or something. I shouldn’t date regular guys because they might be after my money. I can’t do anything normal. Ever. It’s exhausting.”

  “You are not happy?”

  He was probably wondering if she was teasing him or what kind of game was she playing, but something about him felt comfortable.

  “I’m tired,” she admitted. “I work crazy hours and then I have to make appearances, work out seven days a week and still find time to see a friend once in a while, go out on a date, talk to my family… That’s why I came to Vegas for New Year’s Eve. I just wanted to be anonymous in a town with a zillion people. Or maybe even meet a guy and go out on a date.” She met his eyes meaningfully.

  “You are beautiful,” he said gently, his fingers intertwined with hers. “I do not think you are ancient, and would have no problem getting it up for you, but maybe we could have date first? Like normal people, instead of movie star and professional athlete?”

  “Thank you. And yes, I would like very much to go out on another date with you since I think this technically qualifies as our first date.”

  “Yes.” He nodded.

  The brisk knock on the door announced the arrival of their breakfast and he got up to answer it, tipping the waiter and bringing the cart to the living room. “Here?” he asked.

  “Sure.” She smiled as he put out the plates, cups, and silverware. He was sweet and she liked him, even though she’d promised herself no more hockey players. Jamie had been sweet, too, but now that she’d heard rumors about him being bisexual, it made sense things had fizzled out between them. Of course, with Jamie on the road and her filming the show in Los Angeles, they didn’t have a lot of time together and that had been part of the problem; now she had to wonder why she was flirting with a guy who would bring some of the same issues to the table.

  They ate in relative silence, enjoying the food and each other’s company. It was odd that neither of them was falling asleep, considering it was almost eight in the morning and they’d spent all night drinking.

  “Aren’t you tired?” she asked, taking a bite of pancakes that tasted like heaven.

  “A little,” he admitted. “You?”

  “A little.” She smiled. “What are you doing the rest of today?”

  “Sleep a little, go home, and get ready for week.”

  “Do you have a game tomorrow?”

  He shook his head. “Practice tomorrow, game next day. Then travel to Vancouver.”

  “I miss going to the games,” she said lightly. “It used to be fun, hanging out with the girls and watching how excited the fans are for an expansion team.” This was only the Sidewinders’ third season, so they were still a relatively new organization.

  “You can come?” he asked. “You go back to work soon?”

  “Not for four more days,” she said.

  “You can be my guest at game?” He met her gaze.

  “I�
�d like that, but I probably shouldn’t,” she said slowly. “Last time I was at a game I was dating Jamie and now I’d be back dating you—makes me look like a puck bunny.”

  “Oh.” He paused. “So you will not go out with me?”

  “I will. I just don’t want to go to the game as your guest.”

  “You can sit somewhere else?”

  Her eyes widened as an idea took hold. “I have a wig… I could go to the game in disguise!”

  He grinned. “This makes you happy?”

  “Yes, but after Jamie and I broke up…” She sighed. “Anyway, tell me about you. Are you single?”

  “Very single.” He looked down at his dish. “I am not so good with dating. Last time, date pours drink on my head.”

  “What did you do?” she asked, trying not to giggle.

  “I ask if she is ready for sex.” He dipped his head as his cheeks got red. “But not disrespectful—she has foot in my crotch all during dinner. What else do I think?”

  Rachel nodded. “Absolutely, she was teasing you. Maybe it’s the way you said it?”

  “I do not know.” He shrugged. “So Vlad doesn’t date.”

  “You just asked me out on a date.” She met his eyes.

  “You ask me first,” he replied with a grin. “I only agree.”

  “Liar!”

  They laughed together, already comfortable after just a few hours.

  Pushing back his plate, Vlad yawned. “I am tired now. This is much fun, but tonight I must sleep normal time and tomorrow I work. I sleep a few hours but not so many that tonight I do not sleep.”

  “You could sleep here,” she said softly. “I’m not trying to be a tease—I swear I’m not—I just don’t want to be alone on my birthday. Please stay. I’ll stay fully dressed. I promise. And I won’t pour a drink on your head.”

  Her face was so sincere Vlad couldn’t think of a single reason to say no. She stood up and held out her hand. He hesitated. None of this made sense. Who was this woman and what did she want? Sex was easy. Even friendship was easy. But whatever this was had sexual undertones he didn’t understand at all.