Full House (The Gamblers Book 3)
Table of Contents
FULL HOUSE
Dedications
Table of Contents
Other books by Sarah Curtis
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
EPILOGUE
Author’s Note
Where to Find Me
FULL HOUSE
THE GAMBLERS 3
By Sarah Curtis
Copyright © 2018 by Jeanine Grasso. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be replicated, redistributed, or given away in any form without the prior written consent of the author/publisher. This is a work of fiction. The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to any real persons alive or dead and events are coincidental and not intended by the author.
Cover image curtesy of Deposit Photo copyright 4pmphoto@gmail.com
Cover design by Redbird Designs @ www.redbird-designs.net
Dedications
To everyone reading this. I’ve been living my dream for three years now. Thank you for helping to make that happen.
To my hubby. You are my rock that holds me up by holding my hand. I love you.
Table of Contents
FULL HOUSE
Dedications
Table of Contents
Other books by Sarah Curtis
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
EPILOGUE
Author’s Note
Where to Find Me
Other books by Sarah Curtis
Alluring Series
Alluring
Engaging
Pursuing
Enchanting
Gamblers Series
All-In
Bad Beat
* * * * *
Freight Trained
Seven Year Itch (A KW Novella)
Find all my books HERE
PROLOGUE
Victoria took the last turn onto her street, glad to finally be home. She was exhausted. In mind and body. The drive from Vegas to LA took a lot out of her, but it had been better than the alternative—LAX. Traffic in and around Los Angeles International Airport was never fun, and she avoided it at all costs.
Her trip to Vegas had been worth her fatigue, a calm oasis compared to the whirlwind her life had become the past six months. The visit had been just what she needed, spending time with the people she loved—her parents and her best friend, Alec. She especially enjoyed meeting Alec’s new girlfriend, River. Though, with the way those two had acted, girlfriend wouldn’t be River’s title for long. She had a feeling Alec would be putting a ring on her finger soon. Victoria sighed and felt a dreamy smile lift her lips. True love. The emotion looked good on Alec, and she couldn’t be happier for her friend.
Thinking of relationships had Victoria’s smile slipping as she laid a protective hand over her stomach. Sadly, her own love life was a complete mess and the reason she’d needed her mini vacation. With her emotions too tumultuous to sort through, in the cradle of her family had been where she’d wanted to be.
But like all good things, her reprieve had come to an end. She’d needed to get back to her life in LA. She had obligations to attend to and people who depended on her. Unfortunately, those same obligations would put her in contact with the one person she’d fled LA to avoid.
Nate.
Nathan Reed.
America’s Heartthrob.
Sexiest Man Alive.
Most Beautiful Man in America.
Most Eligible Bachelor.
One of the Top Ten Highest Paid Actors in Hollywood.
If she had known then what she knew now, she would have stayed far away from any romance with Nathan Reed. She had thought by the age of twenty-eight she’d be too smart to fall for a pretty face, some seductive moves, and a handful of heartfelt promises, but she’d been wrong.
So very wrong.
She’d fallen faster than the ratings for a bombing B-movie, and he’d gotten in her panties faster than a director could shout action.
She pulled into her parking spot and glanced around the deserted lot. Her eyes fell to the clock on her dashboard. It was late, well past ten on a Sunday night and not a soul was around. She should’ve left Vegas earlier, but she’d dilly-dallied—stretching out her goodbyes until she’d known she couldn’t procrastinate any longer. She had a meeting the next morning, and her attendance was mandatory.
With a tired sigh, she grabbed her heels off the passenger seat and slipped them on before stepping out onto the cold, dirty asphalt. Popping the trunk, she walked around the back and raised the lid to retrieve her suitcase. Her fatigue made it heavier than it had been when she’d placed it in the trunk, and she struggled with it on her way to her front door.
Key in hand, she slipped it in the deadbolt, unlocking it, before twisting the knob. She froze in the entry not hearing the beep of her alarm. Before she could freak out or panic, the lamp on the living room table clicked on, illuminating Nathan Reed lounging in an overstuffed armchair.
She blinked, taking in his appearance. Hair disheveled, bloodshot eyes, and more than a day’s worth of stubble, he looked as exhausted as she felt. His dress shirt was untucked from his slacks and unbuttoned down the front, the gap drawing her eyes to the defined ridges of his abs. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows, and his forearms rested on the arms of the chair with his hands, bent at the wrist, dangling casually off the ends.
They stared at each other for several beats. Her body, completely still until he spoke, jerked as his words—so unexpected from his relaxed pose—angrily cracked through the silence of the room like a whip. Her eyes flew to his as his accusation shot out of his mouth like a bullet, piercing her heart.
“Where the fuck have you been, and why the hell haven’t you been answering my texts?”
CHAPTER ONE
Six months earlier…
God, she was nervous.
Palms sweaty, Victoria gripped the steering wheel tighter as she pulled up to what she hoped was the correct studio gate. There were a lot of them, and she’d already stopped at two. Thank goodness, she’d been running ahead of schedule. The last thing she wanted was to be late for her first day of filming.
After a restless night’s sleep and waking before her alarm, she had time on her hands no matter how much she’d procrastinated while getting ready that morning. She’d even debated a full twenty minutes selecting the right outfit—something she usually never wasted time doing. Not wanting to appear too dressy or casual, she settled on a pair of black skinny jeans and a lightweight, V-neck, cashmere sweater for a mix of both. With nothing left to do and too anxious to sit around, she’d left early, and thankfully so, because she’d wasted valuable time looking for her correct destination.
A security guard stepped out of the booth, a smile on his face as he waited for her to roll down her window.
“Ma’am.” He tipped his head. “Name and ID.”
“Victoria Lee.” Her fingers fumbled through her purse, searching for her wallet.
He took her ID, scanning his clipboard. He gave her another smile when he handed her license back. “You’re in sound studio thirty-nine. Straight ahead then to the right.”
“Thank you.”
He pushed a button, and the gated bar rose, gaining her access. She drove slowly, watching the buildings, keeping her eye out for thirty-nine. She saw it up ahead, the large number stamped at the top of a big, boxy structure. A small, half-filled parking area to the right of the sound studio seemed the right place to park. At least, she hoped it was.
She hated first days—not knowing where to go and what to do. Surprisingly, for the career path she’d chosen, she was a bit shy and being in unknown situations and not knowing what to expect increased her anxiety. Which was why she liked being well prepared and the reason she had all her lines memorized. She might not always know what the heck she was doing in real life, but she had her roles down pat.
She was ready to live her dream. After countless debates with her parents on her career choice and a few bit parts here and there, she’d finally landed a role she could sink her teeth into. The female lead in the new romantic comedy starring alongside Nathan Reed.
She’d been over the moon when her manager had called with the news that the movie’s director, Simon Murphy, wanted her to come in for a screen test. Then an emotional mess when only a day later he’d called back to tell her she’d landed the part. And now, after almost two months of excited anticipation, she was more than ready to start filming.
Victoria walked through the large double doors of the hangar-like building, then stood in the entrance, looking around. There was a buzz of activity. People scurried to-and-fro, dodging equipment and random shouts could be heard over the drone of voices.
A young woman jogged up to her, blond ponytail bobbing. She was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt and a photo ID badge attached to a lanyard draped around her neck like a necklace.
She stopped a few feet away, greeting Victoria with an excited smile. “Hi, I’m Chrissy. You’re Victoria Lee, right? I was supposed to keep an eye out for you.” Victoria only had time for a quick nod as Chrissy hooked her arm with hers and started talking again. “There’s really not much you need to know right now. I’ll show you around, but filming won’t start ‘til this afternoon.”
Chrissy led Victoria to a small group of people who stood chatting. She instantly recognized Nathan Reed even though he had a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes and more than a five o’clock amount of scruff on his jaw. He was talking with Simon, their director, and they seemed in deep conversation, maybe even arguing, but Victoria couldn’t hear what was being said, to be sure. She halted out of earshot not wanting to intrude.
Though her intention was to give the men some privacy, Victoria couldn’t seem to pry her eyes from Nathan Reed. An unfamiliar tingle tickled the base of her neck and raced down her spine. Her reaction intrigued her. Having a famous actress for a mother, Victoria had been introduced to many movie stars while growing up, so she wasn’t one to fangirl. But something about Nathan Reed captured her attention, and she didn’t think it was the fact he was the most popular, in-demand movie star at the moment.
And she didn’t think it was his looks. Though she had to admit, he was even more beautiful in person than on screen or in photos. She knew his hair—though now mostly hidden by his cap—was a dark brown, as were his eyes. His features stood out—sharp cheekbones, long, straight nose, strong jaw—but somehow all blended well together. He was taller than she’d imagined—a good head taller than Simon, who she knew was a few inches taller than her own five-seven—and more muscular—with hidden muscles filling out his t-shirt and ones she could see, bulging on his crossed arms. His lower half, encased in worn blue jeans, was just as impressive.
No, it wasn’t his fame or his looks. Something about his presence drew her in. The way he held himself, the sharp glint in his eye, and the way his jaw flexed in agitation as he listened to whatever Simon was saying. The rapt command he had over everyone that surrounded him—including herself—even though he paid them no attention. Yes, Nathan Reed intrigued her, and she found that, in of itself, intriguing.
Nathan stopped mid-sentence when he caught her staring. Embarrassed, she was finally able to look away, landing her eyes on the back of Simon’s head.
Noticing he’d lost Nathan’s attention, Simon turned her direction, his eyes alighting when he realized who Nathan was staring at. “Ah, Victoria. Good, you’ve arrived. Come, let me introduce you to your fellow co-star.”
Victoria smiled, taking a step forward, and Simon took her hand, pulling her to his side. Her eyes flashed to Nathan and saw he still watched her. The tingle down her spine morphed into a shiver.
“I’m sure I don’t need to introduce you to Nathan Reed.” Simon turned back to Nathan. “Nate, Victoria Lee.”
Nate. Nathan Reed went by Nate.
Nate held out a hand, and she placed hers in it. His hand was warm, his grip firm but not to the point of pain. Calluses lined his palm and Victoria wondered what he did to create them.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Victoria.” His voice was the same deep, rich baritone as on the screen. Familiar. And, again, she felt that same shiver, but this time it was accompanied with a dusting of goose bumps trailing up her arms.
She parted her lips to reply but made the mistake of looking into his eyes. So close now, she could see under the brim of his cap, his dark orbs held her spellbound. She blinked, repeatedly, her mouth went dry, and her greeting lodged in her throat. Finding herself embarrassingly tongue-tied, she had no choice but to nod instead.
His grip on her hand tightened, and his lips parted as if he were about to fill her silence—save her from her embarrassment—but no further words came from him either.
Someone cleared their throat, and it took a moment for her to realize it was Simon. “Guess I don’t have to worry about on-screen chemistry.”
Victoria felt her face flame, and she took a step back, extracting her hand from Nate’s grip. She noticed he was reluctant to let it go, his fingers trailing along her palm as their hands disconnected. She shot him another glance, but while he still stared at her, his expression was masked, hiding his emotions.
Ignoring the awkward tension between his two co-stars, Simon glanced at his watch. “Okay, let’s get this show on the road. I want to start filming in two hours.”
Victoria felt a tug at her elbow. Chrissy returning to her side. “Come on. I’ll show you to your trailer then take you over to makeup.”
Working with a new director and cast of people, Victoria hadn’t been sure what to expect on her first day, but she definitely hadn’t been prepared for the easy camaraderie between her and Nate. Simon had been right; their chemistry was off the charts, and Victoria soon found herself relaxed and joking in Nate’s presence—something that usually to
ok her weeks to achieve with people she’d just met.
The day flew by, progressing into night, and she soon found herself, bone-weary, in her trailer, washing layers of makeup from her face and shampooing the ton of hair products out of her hair. Stepping from the shower, she dried herself then slipped back into the clothes she’d started the day in.
As tired as she was, she could see herself crashing there for the night. On par with a single-wide mobile home, it had all the comforts of home but on a smaller scale—living space, kitchenette, bedroom. Even the bathroom had been fully stocked with shampoo, body wash, and a toothbrush. The only thing missing were some clothes. And while she could sleep in the nude—something she didn’t care to do in a strange place—she needed fresh clothes for the morning, even if she wouldn’t be in them for very long.
Resigned to go home but with a mental note to pack a bag for future use, she locked her trailer and headed to her car.
≈≈≈
It was late, almost midnight and most of the crew had packed up and left, so they’d be ready to start again early the next day. Nate stretched his arms over his head, releasing a yawn as he spied Simon making his way over to him from across the studio.
“It was a good day. Got a lot done. Put us ahead of schedule,” Simon said when he reached Nate.
Nate slipped his hands into the front pockets of his slacks. He was still in costume and makeup. Something he hoped to rectify shortly which meant he needed to make this conversation short—an art he’d perfected over the years.
He gave Simon a curt nod, agreeing but not adding more to the exchange.
Simon was observant—one of the reasons he was so good at his job—and Nate could tell by his next words that Simon picked up on his eagerness to wrap shit up. “I won’t keep you, but I did want to ask, after working with Victoria all day, what do you think of her?”
Nate wasn’t expecting the jolt that hit him at the mention of Victoria’s name. His previously tired brain jump-started into action, flashing images of his day through his head. Victoria was in every one.