Work Text:
"Hit me," Nicole demanded. She watched the dealer throw down another card in front of her--ten of spades.
Perfect
Nicole strummed her fingers on the edge of the Blackjack table as she watched the older woman next to her give the signal to the dealer that she was staying.
"Dealer bust, good work everyone!" The dealer gave everyone their respective amount of chips--Nicole just so happened to have bet half of what she had on that hand. To her, this wasn't a gamble--she knew exactly what kind of cards were getting drawn at every moment. She had been sitting at the table for the past two dealer rotations. Nicole had been counting cards all night. Her weekend getaway to Las Vegas wasn't really a getaway--it was a business trip if anything. Nicole had been making a living off of these casino visits. She was regarded as a high roller to every casino she entered--in reality, if they knew she was card counting, that title could easily be flipped to "thief" and "con artist" or maybe "swindler".
She didn't always work alone however, she used to have a partner----Xavier Dolls was the best right hand man that she could have ever asked for. They met back at Brown University in their Psychology II class. Their study group had decided to run off to Vegas as part of their end of the year project for the class and study gaming habits in low risk vs. high risk gambling. Dolls and Nicole ended up working the field to put their hypothesis to the test--and the rest--was history.
The duo had been going to Vegas every weekend they could--bringing back upwards of $50k each time. Nicole loved taking these trips not just because of the money, but because it was an escape from her own life. When in Vegas, Nicole was whatever she wanted to be--a model from upstate New York, a tech developer from Silicon Valley, maybe a doctor from Seattle, or a prized boxer from the Ukraine. It didn't matter, as long as Nicole didn't have to be herself, as long as she didn't have to talk about her actual life.
Dolls on the other hand, didn't feel the need to try so hard. Sometimes he'd throw on a fake beard as a disguise--but most of the time he kept such a low profile that he never felt as if he needed to change his appearance every run. Nicole's favorite character to play was Valerie Knight, a movie producer from Hollywood (of course). She told stories of nights she shared with the biggest names in Hollywood, how she threw parties at any one of her luxurious homes and properties. Her favorite line to give to people was, "mom always said I had a face for radio--which is why I decided to make movies instead of acting in them." Nicole is an amazing storyteller, and a better pick up artist to boot. She loved to "bend the rules" by revealing the plot of a movie that was never even going to hit production. She didn’t need to turn on the charm that much as Valerie--probably because of the fact that working in Hollywood was enough to interest just about anyone, let alone women that were attracted to Nicole’s looks to begin with. The nights would always end with Nicole taking someone to bed and she would be long gone come morning before the woman of that night woke up. Tonight, Nicole was Valerie once again, dressed to the nines in a navy blue suit, a crisp white dress shirt with brown oxfords--her silky blue tie was loosened just a bit for comfort.
Nicole scanned the floor as the dealer waited for his replacement. She figured she would call it a night while she was still doing well--there's been some nights where she pushed her luck and the end result was a walk of shame either up to her hotel room or to the nearest strip club so she could nurse her wounds with some whiskey and company.
Nicole couldn't take her eyes off of another table in particular--not because the table was hot--but because of its attendants. She watched a petite brunette gingerly sip her drink as the dealer at that table dealt out the cards. The woman signaled to the dealer to hit and she fiddled with her ring as her next card was dealt before her. Nicole couldn’t care less about how any other person acted while they gambled--but for some reason she was sitting on the edge of her seat as she watched this smaller woman play--like it was the most exciting event she’s ever witnessed.
Blackjack--The redhead arched an eyebrow and flashed a smirk at the smaller woman as they caught each other's eyes from across the room. The woman gave a warm smile and winked at Nicole before turning back to her table in time to tell the dealer she was staying--dealer bust.
Nicole turned her attention back to her table as the new dealer dealt cards. The redhead decided to play a few more hands at the table before turning in--she constantly stole looks at the chestnut-haired woman every chance she could get. Nicole was on a roll and had enough liquid courage in her to decide to put the moves on that cute brunette she had been making eyes at all night. Nicole took her chips and got up to make her way over to the petite woman when she noticed two gruff looking floor security guards also make their way over to the woman.
She's a rookie. Good thing she's cute and I'm drunk, here we go, Haught--show time. Nicole knew what was going to happen next--she had to act fast.
"Hey babe, what are you doing down here," the redhead cooed into the brunette's ear as she wrapped one arm around the woman's shoulder. The guards stopped just short of the furrowed their eyebrows at this new development. The woman looked up at her with wide eyes, Nicole leaned down and whispered in her ear as she gestured towards the bar in the middle of the floor.
"Those guards aren't too thrilled that you're trying to beat the house, follow my lead,” Nicole put an arm around the smaller woman and without missing a beat, the brunette smiled up at Nicole and laughed--she turned to kiss the redhead's hand on her shoulder and saw the guards glaring at her. She colored out and stood up from the table. The smaller woman's thoughts were racing, in every other situation where someone just randomly touched her and pretended to know her, she would have twisted their arm and made a run for it. But this gorgeous and tall woman that was hanging off of her shoulders didn't make her conscience scream "danger"--plus, she just saved her ass from getting thrown off of the casino floor.
"How do I know you're not with them? Or some serial killer that only preys on people in tight situations like this," the smaller woman nuzzled into Nicole's ear as she wrapped one arm around the taller woman’s waist. She was following Nicole's lead flawlessly, and couldn't quite put her finger on why she was so willing to in the first place.
"You wouldn't already be halfway across the casino floor with me if you genuinely believed any of that," Nicole looked over her shoulder to see if the guards were tailing the two--they were right where they left them, looking dumbfounded as ever. She looked over at the brunette who was leaning up against her as they made their way to her favorite bar. She wasn't sure if it was the adrenaline coursing through her body but her senses were heightened . Nicole could feel the outline of the woman’s body that was pressed up against hers, the velvet under her palm as Nicole grazed her back to reach for her hand. Her hair smelled intoxicating-ly sweet like orchids and vanilla and her hands were soft and delicate--still intertwined with Nicole's as they made their way inside the bar. They separated as they slipped into the booth.
"What are we having?" Nicole asked.
"Vodka soda."
"Sit tight--" Nicole got up and moved to the bar and only returned with a whiskey for herself.
"I told them to bring it to you--just in case you think I’m some kind of predator," Nicole said as she took a sip from her drink.
"I would have been out the door by now if I was really concerned about the kind of person you are--but thank you, I really appreciate that type of kindness especially here in Sin City." A waitress breezed by the table, leaving the drink in front of the petite woman. She raised her glass to Nicole and took a sip.
"Well, what kind of person do you think I am?" Nicole shot back, it was a loaded question, but she was particularly curious about what the woman had to say.
"I won't say, not without a few more drinks and some conversation. I know you're not a bad person though--I am a pretty good judge of character," Nicole arched an eyebrow but was secretly reveling in the confidence radiating off of the woman across from her.
"Uh--huh...well I can certainly do just that--as long as you let me know your thoughts before we part ways for the night. I'm Nicole by the way--pleased to meet you...given the circumstances," the redhead held out her hand and to her surprise, the petite brunette shook her hand with a firm grip.
"I'm Waverly," she took another sip from her drink, “and I’m guessing you’re a high roller that isn’t just good at counting cards.”
Nicole let out a laugh, “what gave you that impression? Is it the suit?" she questioned. Rolling the cool bourbon glass against her cheek to extinguish some of her blush.
"Partly--you also know how to approach a woman better than any man I've ever encountered."
"Have you ever had an encounter with a woman?"
"Not at all, I'm definitely into women...I’ve just never been with one because well, they're uh--intimidating," Waverly admitted and took a swig from her drink, not sure if the red on her cheeks was from blushing or from the alcohol kicking in. Nicole chuckled and slid further into her seat.
"I've been there, when I first came out I had no idea what I was doing," Nicole took a drink, "one time, I matched with this girl on a dating app--I must've been like 19--anyway she was in the military, and I decided to strike up a conversation with her. Being the smooth motherfucker I was, I said 'thank you for your service' and I shit you not, I deleted the app right after I sent that." Nicole cringed slightly at her adolescent self and chased her story with the remainder of her whiskey. Waverly was laughing--hard at the redhead's embarrassing story. It definitely eased some of the tension she was feeling for some reason. Nicole on the other hand was going into full panic mode after realizing she was 1) totally breaking character and 2) revealing true (and embarrassing) stories of her real self.
"I need another drink after that one, how about you?" Nicole let out an exasperated sigh.
"I'm good for now, thanks for the laugh though. I still find it hard to believe that you ever had any trouble with the ladies."
"I got better with practice, of course," Nicole slipped out of the booth and sauntered over to the bar--ordering a double this time. Waverly watched the redhead the entire time, she couldn't take her eyes off of her even if she wanted to. She was enticed by Nicole's looks, but her way with words made it impossible to not feel the magnetism surrounding Nicole.
"So where'd you learn to count cards?" Nicole sipped her whiskey while Waverly nervously tapped her fingers in response to the question.
"I self-taught, studied Google and YouTube a lot--apparently I should’ve also looked up how to not get caught," Waverly finished down to her ice at this point.
"It happens to the best of us," Nicole beamed. "It would be wise to get a partner for next time, someone you can trust. You'll take home a lot more and there's less chance that you'll get caught."
"Do you follow your own advice? About a partner? I mean a card counting kind of partner?" Waverly muddled through, she finished her drink just as a waitress showed up with another.
"Your friend looks like she needs another drink, Nicole--here, this one's on me," the waitress winked. Waverly sheepishly looked up at the woman, she was very tan with wavy, dark hair draped over her shoulders and pouty lips that could only belong to a model.
"Waverly, this is Rosita, she's a friend..."
"Most nights I am," Rosita purred next to Nicole's ear, the redhead gave a soft chuckle as she stirred in her seat from being a bit uncomfortable by this interaction.
"Let me know if you need anything else, you two--play nice Nicole," Rosita left as quickly as she came. Waverly furrowed her eyebrows at Nicole as she took a sip from her new drink.
"Hospitality is unmatched here," Nicole finally said, nervously tracing her fingertips along the rim of the whiskey glass.
"I'll say..."
"So what’s a woman like yourself doing in Vegas?”
"This was my test run...you saw how that played out."
"Right," the redhead laughed.
"I'm in graduate school," the brunette added, "Stanford...so it costs an arm and a leg to attend and I don’t come from money. It was either this or selling my organs on the black market..."
Nicole arched an eyebrow at the smaller woman, there was a long pause until Waverly began to laugh uncontrollably.
"I'm totally kidding, about the black market thing--everything else is true and--oh wow you should have seen your face," Waverly continued to laugh.
"Christ," Nicole muttered, "I was in your position a few years ago--I went to Brown and I didn't want my parents putting a dime towards my education--so I got into counting and well...let's just say I make more now than what I would with my degree."
"I have to ask, what's your degree in?"
"Criminal Justice," Nicole winked.
"I'm going for my doctorate in Ancient languages and a Master's in History. I'm the only one in my family who at least went to college. My oldest sister has been in prison since I started college and my other sister got lucky and is currently working for the FBI. Card counting in Vegas is about as exciting as it gets for me," Waverly took a long sip from her drink as the taller woman looked her over, paying close attention to the other woman's features.
Nicole laughed, she suddenly realized she was feeling the rush of alcohol, but she wasn't about to let the woman know she was in a bit of a vulnerable state herself. Nicole also couldn't explain why she was letting herself relax--usually she was on top of her game, but she felt like she didn't need to put up a front with Waverly.
"I got enough booze in me to ask you one question, ready for it?"
"Hit me."
"Why did you save my ass back on the casino floor?"
"I couldn't let that pretty face get bruised up--Lesson one: Vegas doesn't take too kindly to counters who get caught.""
"So what possessed you to tell me you also count?"
"I thought you only had one question for me,"
"I lied," Waverly quipped.
"Hmm, I dunno--there's something about you. I don't have a sixth sense like you do to back that up. I like to take a risk once in a while, despite my profession--"
"I didn't think a pro card counter like you would ever gamble anymore."
"I usually don't--but sometimes it’s worth it..." Nicole trailed off and finished her whiskey, this was typically her cut off, the part of the night where she and her latest endeavor would head back to her room. Nicole tried to avoid sleeping alone every chance she got. If there was one thing she feared more than getting caught counting--it was the dark. But there was something about the woman sitting in front of her that prompted Nicole to do everything in her power to keep from slipping into her womanizing ways. Her beauty was captivating, and the way she carried herself made Nicole believed for once that maybe there was a God, and this woman was her angel.
"I suppose it's getting late,” Nicole began, “you should be fine getting back to your room...floor security tends to give up after the first 30 minutes of looking for somebody."
"Thanks for the heads up, this was fun...maybe we could do it again on our own terms next time?"
Nicole couldn't help but flash a smile at the spur of confidence shown by Waverly. She was usually the one making such a proposition--never really meant it when she did. Nicole had not only mastered the art of card counting, she was also exceptionally skilled at making every woman she slept with feel like it was more than a one night stand. Though, their hopes were always replaced the next morning with a throbbing hangover and a half--hearted note left by Nicole letting them know she was long gone, and (insincerely) hoped that she would see them again next time she was in town.
For the first time in a very long time, Nicole wanted to see the same person again.
"I'd like that, though I won't be at this Casino again for a while--it helps keep a low profile by cycling through the other casinos on the strip."
"Huh, and here I thought I found a teacher."
Nicole shrugged, "next weekend I'll be at Caesar's Palace, maybe we'll run into each other?"
"Maybe," Waverly finished her drink, "there's only one way to find out."
Both women slid out of the booth, Nicole was possessed by some chivalrous spirit that forced her to hold her arm out for Waverly. The smaller woman took it with the softest touch, and the two walked out of the club--with one last parting glance shared across the casino floor.
----------------
Seattle: Thursday Night 9:03 pm
Nicole had booked her room and flight to Las Vegas--this week had seemed to crawl on and pass by in a blur all at once. Nicole kept thinking about Waverly, her face, her perfume, her story. She really did want to see Waverly again. An equally daunting feeling because the only things consistent about Nicole was her life in Seattle and her Vegas getaways. Nicole's circle of friends is small, but intimate. Dolls still kept in contact, he has to or else Nicole would most likely slip off the face of the planet and his kids would never cease to ask why they haven't heard from or seen "Auntie Cole". Nicole decided to give him a call and fill him in on her latest trip to Vegas.
"I fucked up, Dolls."
"You? Doubt it...unless..."
Here it comes...
"No, no you didn't...did you?"
"I think so..." Nicole groaned into the phone.
"Holy shit, you fell for one of your escapades didn’t you?" Nicole winced at Doll's smugness. “Christ, Nicole Haught has finally played a game that she possibly can’t win.”
"You want to know the best part?"
"What?"
"I didn't even have sex with her, I’d be lying to the both of us if I said I wasn’t upset about it."
"Oh, oh Nic--you poor bastard."
"I'm fucked, aren't I?"
"I would say so, did you get her number?"
"Nope, I just said I would be at Caesar's Palace this weekend and we left it on an ambiguous note as to whether or not we'll actually meet up."
"Jesus fuck you're useless, Haught."
"I'M AWARE DOLLS."
"Look, this could be a good thing for you. Just, don't let it cloud your time at the tables--I heard casinos are handling counters in a more...covert manner since the fines imposed by Sin City amount to basically chump change for any decent counter."
"The only time I got caught was the last time we hit the strip, Dolls. I haven't even had a slip up since."
"Are you calling me a bad luck charm?"
"I don't believe in luck, Dolls. But it didn't help that you wanted to go out with a bang--and by 'a bang' I mean hammering as many vodka red bulls you could get your hands on before I had to pry your sloppy drunk ass from casino security."
"Hey! The girls at Sugar Baby's LOVED me that night," Dolls retorted.
"Drunk Dolls is a fun Dolls," Nicole smiled.
"Keep me posted alright? I can't wait to hear about what happens."
"You'll be the first to know."
"I better be, here's to hoping you'll actually bring someone over this Thanksgiving."
"Now you're just being cruel."
"I'm being optimistic Haught, you should try it! I'll talk to you later--stay safe."
"Dick, you too." Nicole ended the phone call and slumped backwards onto her bed.
"For fucks sake," she muttered to herself.
----------------
Somewhere 30,000 feet in the air: 8:34 am
Nicole loved the fact that Fridays were her days off. By the time any other poor soul was waking up to trudge back to the 9--5 grind in Seattle, Nicole was already nestled in a reclining seat en route to Vegas. She was coming into town a little earlier than she typically would, but she planned to pass the time with a lap (or four) around the Miracle Mile. Maybe a show before she hit the casino floor. At Caesar's Palace, she was Sandra Barrett, a big time software developer who had a knack for picking the best startups to ever grace Silicon Valley. Nicole stepped out of the Uber with her weekend bag in hand. The concierge greeted her at the door of Caesar's Palace and gave her the room key to her preferred high roller suite--no need for a front desk check in.
It was a few hours once Nicole had finished settling in and finally decided to head out. She carefully scanned the casino floor as she made her way to the Uber out front. The redhead frowned slightly, partly because there was no sign of Waverly's arrival, but also because she was mad at herself for even trying to look for the brunette.
Come on Haught, get your shit together. We're not going to bed alone tonight, whether or not that's with Waverly is entirely out of your control.
Nicole sighed heavily as the car pulled away, down the strip towards Planet Hollywood. Nicole was relieved when she finally found herself among the crowds of Las Vegas. feeling the anonymity wash over her in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip. She strolled, taking her time through the Miracle Mile, doing everything to be in the moment but failing miserably. Waverly was stuck on her brain and Nicole had no idea how to get rid of her. Before she knew it she was dragging her feet to see Britney Spears, her favorite show on the strip. But even Britney could only distract Nicole for so long before thoughts of Waverly came flooding back to her. The redhead knew she needed to shake this feeling--whatever it was. She barely knew this woman and yet she was yearning to meet with her again. Maybe she really did fall for Waverly--but was this worth the risk?
Nicole kept playing a flurry of different scenarios in her head over and over again.
One ended with her bringing a completely different woman back to her room and leaving early in the morning to the Luxor and finishing her weekend strong just like how she usually would.
The other was her doing the same but with Waverly. Giving the woman a taste of her own medicine that she probably had no idea she even administered to Nicole.
No Haught, you 're here to just dent hearts--not break them.
She dwelled the most on another scenario--one that was the most outlandish, full on fictitious one to date. Nicole was imagining that tonight she was going to find Waverly--or maybe Waverly was going to her and they would spend the night and the next day before Nicole left for Seattle Sunday morning.
Keep dreaming, Haught. You're a charmer here on the strip--but we both know who you are back home--boring, a nobody and incapable of loving someone else other than yourself.
Nicole shook her head to relieve herself of the harsh thoughts and looked down at her phone--Dolls was calling.
"Hey Haught, are you cuffed yet?"
"There are so many entendres tied to that sentence, Dolls.”
"You're not wrong. But really, have you found the girl yet?"
"No, what makes you think I'm even looking for her?"
"Wow you did a complete 180 from when we last talked. Why the sudden change in feelings?"
"Your optimism infected me for a hot second before I got real with myself. Vegas is huge, Dolls--you and I both know that. The likelihood of finding her here again is slim to none--hence why I'm always keen on having sleep overs all the damn time because I know none of these women will ever find me again.
"Geez Haught, who hurt you?"
Nicole laughed, she couldn't really answer that question, for Dolls or herself.
"Look, if anything happens I will update you asap, I gotta go--I'm hitting the casino floor soon."
"Alright, you know it's okay to feel things right Haught? Feelings are a good thing!"
"Feelings are for losers,.
"Slots are for losers, feelings are for everyone, Haught. Take care okay? I'll be waiting for that update."
"You suck Dolls, but thanks."
Nicole tossed her phone to the bed as she made her way over to the closet. Her character tonight was a young happy go--lucky kind of woman so she went with a colorful patterned button down shirt leaving the first two buttons unbuttoned, with a pair of charcoal grey trousers and a pair of the hottest sneakers of the month. She donned a pair of sunglasses and gave herself a once over in the mirror before heading out the door to the casino floor.
Her first table was only inhabited by an older woman and a scrawny, scruffy man. Nicole ordered a whiskey as she kept the counts for her table. She nursed the drink while the table got hot and downed the rest of it once the table began to cool down and she moved on to the next one.
It was about 30 minutes or so when she felt someone standing behind her. She knew it couldn't be floor security (at least for now) so she figured it was another waitress asking for her drink order.
"Just a whiskey--neat, thank you," she said as she watched the dealer.
"You've been gone a week and you already forget who I am?" a familiar voice teased. The hair on the back of Nicole's neck stood up straight. She turned her head to find hazel eyes peering back at her.
"H--hey," Nicole wanted to kick herself for losing her cool in that moment, but she didn't care. It looked like the scenarios she was mulling over earlier that day were about to dwindle down to a handful of possible outcomes for tonight and hopefully, this weekend as a whole.
"Hey yourself," Waverly gently grazed the tips of her fingers over the redhead's left shoulder and scorched a trail down her back. Nicole swallowed hard, trying not to visibly shudder under Waverly's touch.
"So we meet again huh?"
"We certainly do," Waverly gave her a warm smile as Nicole did her best to concentrate on two things at once. The table wasn't getting hot and luckily Nicole was betting the absolute minimum.
"When did you get in?"
"This morning, what about yourself?"
"Last night, I have a four day weekend."
"You came out here alone?"
"Not exactly, my sister Wynonna took the rest of the week off to hang out with me before she left on a business trip for a few months."
"This is the FBI sister right?"
"Yup."
"So I'm guessing you'll be staying out of trouble while you're here?"
"We'll see, Wynonna isn't a stiff--she was the wild child growing up. I just so happened to be the late bloomer when it comes to letting loose and all that, believe or not."
"Sounds like a challenge," Nicole smirked.
"Does it now?" Waverly wasn't sure what Nicole was alluding to, but she was definitely more than willing to find out.
"Tell you what, I'm gonna color out and we'll talk somewhere a little more private?"
"You waste no time do you, Nicole?"
"Not when there's something worth my time, no," Nicole motioned at the dealer to color her out and she stood up from her chair and led Waverly through the crowded casino. They reach the entrance of Club Omnia and notice how packed it is. Nicole takes a few steps forward before holding out her hand--to which the brunette eagerly takes and lets the redhead pull her through the sweaty, drunk bodies around them. They reach a table with a red rope and are greeted by a man who unlocks the rope and invites them to sit.
"Wow these are some nice perks you get as a high roller."
"I won't argue that it's nice, but of course there's more to life than having a booth at some random club in Vegas."
The two are having to sit close and speak into one another's ears. Nicole can't figure out if it's the whiskey or Waverly's perfume--but something was intoxicating. She melts under Waverly's hot breath tickling the side of her face and wants nothing more than to take Waverly back to her room and play out one of those scenarios she was thinking about so damn much.
"Does Wynonna know you're here?"
"Kind of, she knows I'm out with a friend--I told her not to wait up, she mentioned something about hitting some bars and seeing how much sin she could possibly commit in Sin City."
"Good deal," Nicole was very tipsy at this point, which meant she was going to have the worst case of word vomit she would ever experience if she kept drinking.
"Listen, I was thinking--maybe we can try and take a casino this weekend and see if we can put you through grad school."
"W--what?"
"Yeah, it should only take the weekend--whatever we make you'll get the bulk if not all of it--depending on what the take is."
"Y--you'd do that for me?"
"Haha, I'd do a lot of things to you," Nicole was slurring her words just a bit, and it took a few seconds for her to register what she actually just said to the brunette.
Shit.
"F--for me?" Waverly was thoroughly amused with tipsy Nicole, she was cute and funny and still smooth as hell despite having a good amount of whiskey in her.
"Yeah--YUP--that too!" Nicole tossed back the rest of her drink and pretended to shudder from the whiskey and not her own stupidity.
"If we're really gonna do this--how about we go somewhere a little more quiet so we can plan?" Waverly was surprised at herself for making the first move. But there was a good amount of alcohol flowing through her veins and Nicole looked good (like really good)--plus...she's been looking forward to this all week.
"We can go to my room," Nicole had her arm draped over the back of the booth seat behind Waverly in an attempt to look cool but also to keep herself propped up since she was very much past tipsy at this point.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're just trying to get me in bed with you," Waverly teased in the redhead's ear.
"That's entirely up to you," Nicole slurred a bit and met eyes with the brunette whose face changed considerably. Waverly's eyes were now dark with desire. They held each other's gaze for quite some time before Waverly finally leaned in and pressed her lips to Nicole's. The kiss started out soft and slow, almost cautious since Waverly was experiencing this for the first time. But with each passing moment, the kiss grew more heated and desperate. Hands were fumbling over clothes and locks of hair and both women were so thankful for the pumping music drowning out their heavy breathing and periodic moans. Nicole was the first one to pull away, they locked eyes once more as both women were trying to catch their breath.
"Do you want to get out of here?" Nicole panted as her forehead was pressed against Waverly's. The smaller woman nodded and took Nicole's hand to lead her out of the booth and through the club. The scene was familiar to Nicole but she felt like she was experiencing it for the first time. She couldn't take her eyes off of the hand that was wrapped around her wrist--pulling her through the crowd.
The trip to Nicole's room was a drunken blur for the both of them. Waverly's jaw dropped as the two entered the high roller suite.
"We can brainstorm for the rest of tonight if you'd like." Nicole called out as she made her way to the bedroom to change. Planning was the last thing on Waverly's mind if she was being completely honest.
----------------
When Waverly woke up, it took her a few seconds to register where she was--she was tucked under the chin of the taller woman who had her arms wrapped around Waverly's waist and their legs were entangled with one another's. Waverly looked up at Nicole just as she began to stir. All of last night came flooding back into her mind. It was her first time with a woman and it was amazing, to say the least. Despite Nicole being pretty drunk, she was also incredibly tender and patient with the brunette. Waverly was in control the whole night and Nicole was at her disposal. Normally, Waverly would have woken up with a strong feeling of regret and would have scrambled to gather her clothes and leave last night's mistake undisturbed...but this time, she wanted to relive last night over and over again. However, In this moment--she could only conclude that the feeling probably wasn't mutual. Nicole only had eyes for Waverly last night, but there was no guarantee that she was going to feel the same way once she wakes up. The younger woman figured that there was probably a line of women waiting to replace Waverly for a shot with Nicole. Waverly carefully reached a hand up and lightly traced her fingertips along the redhead's jawline, mesmerized by how peaceful Nicole looked in her sleep. She continued tracing patterns over ivory skin even after Nicole's eyes began to flutter open
"Hey."
"Hey."
Shit, you're in trouble Haught.
"Sorry, I just woke up--I'll be up and out of here in a few minutes."
Not a chance.
"You're more than welcome to stay, we still have to hash out the details of tonight, anyway."
"Are you sure? You seem like the kind of person who appreciates their space and privacy."
"Sometimes,” Nicole pulled Waverly in close and gave the small woman a slow, passionate kiss, “but right now, I just want to be with you, more than anything.”
Waverly blushed slightly as she looked away from Nicole. The redhead did have a strict rule of not sleeping over but that was for herself. She purposely didn't set an alarm last night, she actually had managed to extend her stay in this very room for another night at some point in her drunken stupor. One side of Nicole had kicked into flight mode--trying to bring the other half of herself to comply and get the hell out of there before she inevitably drowned in her feelings for this woman that she barely met. The other half of Nicole was too entranced by the petite woman in bed to hear the screams and pleading from her other half.
Nicole knew some rules were made to be broken, even her own.
"You're just a little shorter than I am--but you're welcome to rummage through my clothes if you wanted a quick change--otherwise you could wear one of those robes...or just keep what you have on now," Nicole stretched and sat up in bed.
"I'm not wearing anything," Waverly chuckled.
"Exactly."
The two women shared a laugh and Waverly planted a chaste kiss on the redhead's lips. She meant to keep it short but she found herself straddling Nicole's hips with her own. Neither of them were wearing clothes at this point and it was all too tempting to continue last night's activities.
"I won't change if you don't," Waverly proposed.
"We wouldn't get anything done and you know that."
"I don't see the problem."
Nicole laughed, she didn't either, but she knew there was no guarantee that things would pick up where they left off come next weekend. Either because Nicole was going to force herself to play the field once more looking for anyone to replace Waverly--or she wasn't going to come back at all until she could tell herself that there was no way she would ever see the brunette again. Because why would someone like Waverly actually wait up for someone as closed off as Nicole? Sure she might have been a good lay, but past the charm and sex appeal was a sad soul who didn't dare face her problems head on and much preferred to run away from them.
"Nicole?"
"Hm--yeah?"
"Where did you go?"
"Nowhere important," Nicole kissed the Waverly’s knuckles and sighed.
"We can talk about tonight over brunch, or we can stay here and order room service--either way, if I don't eat soon I'll die from the impending hangover."
"You'll die huh? Hold the theatrics," Waverly teased, "I'm okay staying here--I will have to take you up on your offer and borrow some clothes, however."
"Be my guest," Nicole watched as Waverly slid out of the bed and sauntered over to the weekend bag. The older woman decided to give her a bit of privacy and slipped into the shower.
----------------
Brunch was full of good food and conversation. The two women had managed to come up with a solid plan for taking a casino later that night and were simply enjoying one another's company. Waverly only opted for one of Nicole's button downs and made it a point not to button the shirt at all.
Nicole did most of the talking, they were going to hit Treasure Island on the strip. Nicole was going to be the big player for the night. Waverly was going to spot her at the table and signal to Nicole when it was getting hot. If shit were to hit the fan, Nicole was going to distract the guards so Waverly could get away scott free. It was a noble gesture and Waverly promised Nicole that she wouldn't put her in that position no matter what. The planning didn't take terribly long--you could say it was a bit rushed since Nicole was very much distracted by Waverly's outfit--or rather lack thereof. The rest of the day, they spent in bed, uncertain if one another would still be here come morning.
"Hey Nicole?"
"Yeah."
"I had a really great time last night."
"But?"
"But what?"
"There's always a but--so let's hear it."
"No but, promise. I just realized I never thanked you, for everything. I can't believe you're willing to pull this off for me....for someone you barely met."
"You're a good person, Waverly," Nicole dragged a finger across the brunette's chin so she could look her in the eyes, "Money shouldn't be the thing that stops you from chasing your dreams. I know you'll go on to do something good--no matter what happens...I need you to know that I wanted to do this--I wanted to help you."
Waverly swallowed hard--trying to digest the words that just came out of the redhead's mouth. She was in disbelief that someone she had known for less than 24 hours could care so much about her.
"So what's the likelihood that I'll see you again after tonight?" Waverly blurted out--she immediately regretted it, not because she didn't like Nicole...but because she really liked Nicole.
"Depends..."
"Depends on what?" Waverly arched an eyebrow at the redhead.
"If you want to see me again after tonight..." Nicole turned to look at Waverly and the smaller woman could see the sincerity in her eyes. She felt the air leave her lungs and pulled Nicole into a passionate kiss, as if it was the only way she could breathe again. They pulled away and Waverly could see Nicole essentially turn into goo.
"Did that answer your question?" Waverly breathed.
"You know--I'm not entirely sure if I got all that, can you run that by me one more time?" Nicole had a devilish grin spread across her face as Waverly laughed and leaned in to oblige. The redhead was in fact still trying to figure out whether any of this was actually happening. She was so convinced that she wasn't going to see Waverly again when she flew in this weekend, yet here they were--laughing and laying around in a king sized bed as if this was something they did every weekend. If Nicole was being honest with herself, she wanted to do this every weekend with Waverly if she let her.
"Hey, I keep losing you--what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I promise," Nicole pressed her lips to Waverly's forehead and was thanked with a kiss on the lips. Everything that has happened between them thus far felt so natural, so right--but how could that be? Of all places, neither of the women figured that Sin City would be the place where they would fall (just a bit) for someone they barely knew.
"I better get going before we meet again tonight--Wynonna called me like five times already and I know she's about a minute away from rolling out a whole search party for me," Waverly reluctantly rolled out of bed as Nicole tried to hold onto her for as long as she could.
"I'll see you tonight."
"Yes, you will."
----------------
Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas -- 9:07 pm
Nicole stepped out of the elevator onto the casino floor. She was dressed head to toe in a black suit and scanned the casino floor through her club masters--she moved swiftly but slowly enough to get a good look at all the blackjack tables. There was a massive UFC event going on at the MGM so the Saturday night crowd was larger than usual.
Bingo.
She watched as a tan slender hand ran through beautiful, chestnut hair--that was her signal to come over to the table. She swaggered over since she was still in character and took an open seat. She put some money down and flashed Waverly a smile. The brunette returned the gesture and took a sip from her drink.
"Christ, this martini is bone dry--" Waverly takes another sip and sees Nicole shift in her seat a bit.
Dry, count is plus 17--let's do this Haught.
Nicole watches as everyone is dealt in, she knows Waverly is still keeping count just in case but by the time the cards hit the table Nicole already figured out the true count.
Plus 16 now, here we go.
Nicole beat the dealer right off the bat and changed her bet based on the true count. She made it a point to remind herself that this night was no different than any other night at the tables. Nicole was trying to keep as calm and calculating as possible so as to not make any mistakes.
No emotions, no mistakes Haught.
Nicole was working her magic and Waverly was following her lead brilliantly. She made note of how the younger woman was keeping cool and collected thus far. The table was hot, really hot and Nicole was doing exceptionally well. She didn't bother to keep track of the chips in front of her, she was merely focused on the cards, focused on the counts, focused on the task at hand. The casino was filled with drunk, loud and rowdy UFC fans. The main card must have ended, Nicole paid little attention to the bustling crowds behind her--she was in her zone and she was riding a high like no other. Nicole hadn't felt this way since the last time she hit the strip with Dolls. Nicole smiled at the thought of ending the successful night in Waverly's arms. She was eager to celebrate with Waverly. Before Nicole could stop herself--her thoughts were racing, picturing how tonight was going to play out, and maybe the next morning...maybe this would turn into something a little more than temporary....
Snap out of it Haught I swear to god don't be a fool--focus!
Nicole's eyes fluttered--a good forty minutes had passed and the true count was plus 18. This was her moment--she was going to win big. Nicole put down a sizable bet and watched the cards carefully.
Blackjack.
Nicole let out a sigh of relief--she didn't realize how tense she was up until that point. The redhead pumped a fist and ran a hand through her hair to quell her nerves. Waverly was still solid as a rock--not once did she give anyone any reason to believe the two knew each other.
We're in the home stretch...get out now while you're still on top.
Nicole turned to look at her exit route and noticed a few suited men were huddled by the exit, looking at her every now and then.
Shit, we gotta go.
"Color me out, Ben," Nicole kept an eye on the men as the dealer dealt her out. She calmly stood up and thanked the dealer before heading towards her plan b route--hoping to god she didn't have to go with plan c. She saw the men begin to move hastily in the corner of her eye and she picked up the pace--weaving in and out of the crowded casino. Nicole looked back at the table to make sure that Waverly was gone but--
Fuck, they're going after her too. Come on, Waves you know what to do.
Nicole noticed that one of the suited men in particular was hot on her tail--he was about to round a corner when two drunk UFC fans started throwing punches. Within seconds, a huge part of the casino looked like the beginning of a WWE Royal Rumble event. Nicole was thoroughly relieved that she caught a lucky break as she made a dash for the door where her uber was waiting.
Nicole was the first to arrive at the strip club. She was unbearably nervous, hoping that Waverly made it out amongst the chaos that ensued. It was about 30 minutes past when they should have met in the club and she was imagining every worst case scenario in her head. Maybe Waverly got caught by floor security. Or she got caught up in one of the fights and subsequently injured to the point where she couldn't get to Nicole.
Pull yourself together, Haught.
"Hey," a familiar voice called. Nicole looked and saw Rosita smiling at her with a whiskey in hand.
"Rosita, always a pleasure," Nicole smiled at the waitress.
"So who are you meeting now?" Rosita arched an eyebrow at her. Rosita always waited on Nicole and whatever woman she was with for the night. She was unofficially Nicole's wing woman, always playing up the redhead and flirting with her in front of the women so they could get a bit jealous and seal the deal that they were in fact sleeping with Nicole that night.
"Same woman from last weekend," Nicole rubbed the back of her neck.
"You're kidding. Nicole Haught is seeing the same woman twice in the span of a week? Who are you?"
"Relax," Nicole laughed, "we're just having some extra fun--I'm sure I'll be back to my old ways next weekend."
"Fat chance, Haught--I saw the way you looked at that girl. You may not know it yet, but there's something there between the two of you. It's a shame, I thought one of these days you were going to take me up on my offer and finally show me what the big fuss over you is about."
"Rosita," Nicole started.
"I'm just busting your butt, Nicole. But really, be careful and be nice to that girl. She's definitely feeling some type of way about you and I know enough about you to feel bad for her when you inevitably leave her come sunrise."
"Ouch, I'm gonna need to nurse that wound you just gave me with a double whiskey."
"Somebody beat you to it, here," Rosita put the drink down and Nicole had the most confused look on her face.
"What the--is this from you?" Nicole asked.
"You wish, your girl down at the end of the bar," Rosita tilted her head in the direction and Nicole's mouth gaped open when she realized that she was looking right at Waverly again. She was smiling and invited the redhead over by patting the seat next to her.
"You two set this up didn't you?"
"She caught me when she walked in about ten minutes ago. The look on your face just now was worth it."
"Damn you two--" Nicole slammed the now empty whiskey glass down on the table as she got up. She knew she was going to need a few more doubles to push down the anxiety that's been coursing through her body since she left the casino. She thanked Rosita and headed over to where Waverly was sitting.
"You minx," Nicole teased, she inspected the smaller woman’s face, making sure she was okay despite almost being caught by floor security.
"I couldn't help it--hey what's wrong?"
"I thought you were a goner back there. I saw some suits go off in your direction and my mind just kind of assumed the worst when you didn't show here."
"I had to head back to the room and change. I uh--I told Wynonna not to wait up...just in case."
"Just in case what?" Nicole cocked one eyebrow and smirked at the Waverly.
"That's up to you," Waverly locked eyes with the redhead--something was different. Her eyes were slightly dilated from how dim the club was sure--but Nicole was feeling a strong pull to the brunette. She felt like Waverly was really looking at her, trying to figure out who was really the person that was sitting next to her.
"Well, I booked another night in the suite--care to join me?"
"I'd thought you never ask," the two exited the club and took another Uber back to Caesar's Palace--hands intertwined for the duration of their ride. Nicole wrapped a protective arm around Waverly as the two made their way up to Nicole's suite. The door to the room had barely closed when their lips were pressing and gliding against one another's. Hands were either hanging off someone's neck, or combing through another's hair or just downright pulling at hems of shirts and buttons of pants, tugging relentlessly until clothes were strewn about the suite--like confetti in celebration of their recent winnings.
Nicole took her time and Waverly matched her pace. They were both thankful to be in one another's arms for another night, and they were trying to make this moment last for as long as they could before it was time to depart. It was especially difficult for Nicole to stay in present when her mind kept fast forwarding to the morning when she knew she had to leave-- not to mention the uncertainty of whether or not this would actually end kept creeping up on her. Waverly was so good, every time she realized she was losing Nicole she'd ground the redhead in the best way she could. A warm nuzzle, a soft kiss, a sultry whisper or even a nip on Nicole's jawline. She always brought her back without issue, and Nicole let herself melt--becoming putty in Waverly’s hands. She never was a religious person, but tonight--she believed in a god, she believed that heaven existed right there in her room, in Waverly’s arms. Nicole eventually snapped out of her trance when she found herself getting properly worked up and wanted to show Waverly what she was going to miss after tonight.
--------
Nicole woke up to the sound of the hotel phone next to her bed ringing. She groggily reached over and unhooked the phone and put it next to her ear.
"Mm'ello?"
"This is your wake up call you ordered, ma'am. The time is now 4:45 in the morning--thank you," She heard the phone click on the other side and she cautiously put the phone back.
When the fuck--
Nicole turned over and realized that Waverly wasn't next to her anymore. She lifted herself up onto one elbow and jumped as she heard a small voice call behind her.
“Nicole,” Waverly said from the doorway of the bedroom.
“Waverly, what--”
“You have to go.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I lied to you, Nicole--you’re in danger right now and you don’t have much time, pack your things.”
“Wait a minute,” Nicole jumped out of bed and cautiously approached Waverly. The smaller woman looked away from the redhead, not daring to meet her eyes out of...regret? Or maybe guilt?
“Waves, what did you do…” Nicole swallowed, she couldn’t think of anything off the top of her head that would explain why Waverly was telling her to leave...unless
“Nicole,” Waverly began, “I have had some of the best nights of my life with you, I can't thank you enough for doing what you did for me. I’m going to do some good in this world, starting now…”
“Waverly,” Nicole’s voice was shaking--she didn’t want to hear it. Was this a nightmare? Nicole hoped to god that she was going to wake up in the middle of the night and find herself wrapped around Waverly instead of whatever the hell was going on in this moment.
“I haven't been entirely honest with you,” Waverly crossed her arms, “My father runs the security detail for most of the strip--our first meeting wasn't exactly fate. He asked me to help catch you.”
“So, you weren’t actually counting and floor security was in on this too?”
“Yes, that first night we spent together wasn't planned--however. There was something about you that night that made me realize this was wrong to do. It was my idea to keep this going for another weekend, trying to buy you more time.”
“More time before you fucked me and then let your father’s men beat me senseless?” Nicole wasn’t sure what she was feeling...heartbreak? Disappointment? Whatever it was, she was pushing it down under her newfound rage.
“I know Nicole, I know,” instead of shying away from the angry voice Waverly stepped closer to Nicole and grabbed her arm and the redhead mentally kicked herself for being such a sap. “Listen, last night I felt something for you that I couldn't explain to myself in that moment. But it’s the reason why I’m telling you this now--in about an hour, my father's men will be busting down the door to get you. That's why I arranged the wake up call--I originally wasn’t going to be here when you woke up but I care about you too much. Please, get out of there before they get to you--I fear the worst might happen if you don't."
“Worse than this?” Nicole scoffed. She quickly realized what she had said and looked away from Waverly--who fell flush with guilt. She didn’t know that she was going to develop feelings for this woman she had to turn in to her father. The two stood in silence for some time before Nicole spoke up, “so all that money is just going to go back to daddy, huh?”
“No, it's more than enough to finally get me some freedom. I've been doing what everyone else wanted me to do for so long...thanks to you I can finally do whatever I want--whatever that may be.”
“Good to know I could still be of assistance to someone--after fucking myself over this hard. Thanks for the heads up, I guess--I’ll see myself out.”
“I'll never forget you, Nicole,” Waverly stopped the tense woman in her tracks with soft hands. She carefully slid both of her hands up to cup the redhead’s face and was relieved when Nicole didn’t pull away from her touch. “Maybe we'll see each other again,” Waverly whispered, “in the meantime, I'd say good luck--but I know you don't believe in that...so take care, Nicole.” Waverly pressed a soft kiss to the redhead’s cheek and left before Nicole could say or do anything--not that she would. She was in shock and she was...hurt. She fell for the wrong person and she got burned, bad.
"Way to go Haught, the one time you gamble and you fall into a trap," the redhead muttered to herself as she began to pack her things. She wasn’t angry anymore--she knew she wanted to see Waverly again despite everything that happened. She genuinely cared about Waverly, everything about them felt right up until Waverly walked out that door. She liked Nicole Haught, not Sandra Barrett, and not Valerie Knight. Nicole realized she didn’t have to hide behind a character for someone to like her, for someone like Waverly to like her. There was enough memories of the past two weekends to haunt Nicole for a while...and it’s not like she could come back to Vegas to clear her mind.
It took a cool twenty minutes and Nicole was out the door, dropping her key card in the express check out box on the way out. She was still pumping from the sudden rush of adrenaline to even care at that point. Nicole just needed to get home. She booked a ride to the airport and sat numbly in the terminal--waiting to board.
The plane had just taken off and Nicole was looking out at the strip shrinking from her view as the plane ascended higher.
Thank you, Waverly, believe it or not--this was worth the risk.