It was a cool night in Las Vegas and I was just coming back from dinner with a few customers. The conversation had been friendly and the steak was excellent. But my mind was elsewhere. I enjoy playing blackjack with strangers. This time I was staying at the Palazzo. I do my best to make every hand fun even when we all lose to the dealer. I have some tricks, like betting on other peoples hands and betting for the dealer just to mix it up a little. Any opportunity to celebrate a small win I over exaggerate a bit with some whooping and fist bumps. Often there will be a group of guys from other countries like Spain or Germany and they tend to enjoy the experience even more than the Americans. Once we share where everyone is from I try to make up nicknames for everyone. I know everyone is having fun when they are using the nicknames I gave them.

This night had been fun with 3 couples who had attended a wedding. The couples were in their mid to late 20's and very flirty. All three men were in great shape, strong and very well dressed having come straight from the wedding. The women were beautiful in their formal dresses with a lot of skin showing. One of the women sat next to me had long brown wavy hair that was partly up but with a strain that hung down her face. She had the air of an up and coming business woman. She was flirty, but confident, with a hint of still being young and curious. Her smile was amazing and she didn't shy from showing it. Her husband didn't give her a lot of attention so we ended up partnering up in the game. I would share how to play each hand "by the book", but I always tell the women that they have woman's intuition which was lucky. She ate that up and was doing really well. We all had a few of the free drinks by then, and she kept putting her hand on my knee and back every chance she got. Her husband clearly saw this and didn't react so I went with it. After a while they had to go, but before leaving she gave me a kiss on the cheek. She had won a few hundred dollars and I guess that was my tip for helping her.

By this time it was getting late, I had an 8AM meeting and I knew I had to get up extra early to prepare. I was on my 3rd or 4th Old Fashion so I was loose and still feeling pretty social. Just then a very interesting and odd group of three showed up at the table. There was an older man that went by John. He was probably in his 60s with the typical silver fox hair. He clearly had a lot of money based on the way he dressed and he didn't hesitate to buy in at $5k. Thats pretty high for a $20 table. That was my first clue that something other than blackjack brought him and the girls to this table.

He brought two beautiful young college looking girls. No older than 23 or 24. The first one came around to my chair and introduced herself as Lauren. She stood tall, but I'm pretty sure it was the high heels. She wore a light tan cowgirl hat with blond hair that gave her that wholesome, confident, Texas, look that said I would enjoy kicking your ass but would rather ride you cowboy style. She made my heart race. Then Theresa introduced herself. She was not as tall as Lauren. She wore a dark cowboy hat and had dark hair. She had a very young face but also carried herself with confidence. Her green eyes stood out to me. Both ladies were properly dressed in their Texas button up shirts, jeans and high healed boots. Lauren has the first 3 or 4 buttons undone showing her breasts. They were perky and full just like I liked them.

I asked them where they were from. Lauren spoke and explained that the girls were both in town from San Diego to hangout with their "friend" John. John said he was from Texas. I imagined John a oil tycoon or something crazy like that. Maybe it was the alcohol, but who brings two college girls from San Diego to meet them in Las Vegas?

After I introduced myself we joked a little and I started calling John, Texas. That stuck the rest of the night. Lauren became "surfer girl" and Theresa became "star", because of a big gold star that was on her shirt.

I knew I wanted to hang around for a while with this group. They were going to be fun. There was something that they hadn't said, but was clear to myself, the dealer and everyone watching. These girls were there to pleasure Texas. There was no mention of it and no one pretended otherwise. The girls played the perfect act by asking me or Texas how to play each hand and what drinks to order etc... Texas was a little more drunk than me so he usually deferred to me on each hand. He even started asking me how he should bet. That's unusual for someone with so much money to throw around. After one hand, Texas who had been sitting next to me, moved over to the left and told surfer girl to sit next to me. Then he made sure we both had fresh drinks. Surfer girl had something about her that made feel like she had deep interest in me and also made me think that I was somehow there to save her from Texas. I'm not saying she was afraid of Texas but she would rather be talking with me. By the way, I'm in my late 40's but look younger. Texas was a good looking guy "for his age".

We played for a while and I was absolutely enjoying myself but it was really late and I knew I had to get up early. I started to excuse myself, thanking everyone for such a great time. Surfer girl grabbed my hand and pulled me in for a kiss that landed on the cheek but also a little lip. Maybe it was the alcohol, but I was stunned.

Texas looked over at me and in a tone of half asking and half commanding said, "Sit down and stay with us, it'll be fun."

My mind raced and everything in me wanted to stay but I had to get to that meeting in the morning. Texas again said, "Surfer girl is going to be very disappointed if you leave."

Everything in this story up until this point is 100% true. Those were the words Texas used and as if time stopped I took a moment to consider what was being said and what wasn't. The truth is I left and went back to my room, got up the next morning and kicked myself for not staying. Worse was that the meeting got canceled. I could have played the night out with Texas, Surfer girl and Star and probably had a story that I would never forget. So part 2 is going to be what I think or wish might have happened had I stayed.