What she wouldn’t give for it to be different! Imagine coming home each night to a man who made her feel the way Sam did—making love throughout the night, cuddling in the early morning hours. Her few forays into the hot, steamy world of sex had been less than wonderful, which was why she’d chosen not to repeat the experience randomly. The phone in the cabin rang, startling her.
“Hello?”
“Hey, beautiful. We’ll be landing in about twenty minutes. I’ve made arrangements for someone to meet you at the airport and take you back to my suite at the hotel. I’d like you to wait for me there. As soon as the men are safe, I’ll come get you and show you some of Vegas’s nightlife. Or we can go back to the convention if you prefer.”
Cleo grasped at the lifeline he offered. She’d convinced herself there wasn’t a future for them, but she still had another twenty-four hours or so, and once everyone was safe, she could indulge herself in her fantasy again.
“Okay. I’d like that. Have you heard any more about those men?”
“Not much, but the water is moving swiftly and rising.” She heard the concern in his voice. Maybe he wasn’t entirely like Dave. He was genuinely concerned for those men.
“I hope you get there in time.”
“We will. Those guys are friends of mine. They’ve never let me down, and I won’t let them down either. I’ll talk to you shortly. I’ve got another call to make.”
Cleo hung up and looked to see the urban sprawl of Henderson and Vegas in the distance. She also saw the storm clouds gathering on the horizon. She’d seen flash floods in the past and had witnessed the destruction they left behind. The swift moving water claimed almost two hundred lives a year in the United States. She prayed Sam and his coworkers wouldn’t be among them.
Familiar with the helicopter’s movement now, she felt the chopper touch down, and before the rotors even stopped, Sam came through the door from the cockpit. He picked up his brown bag and hers, and opened the cabin door. As soon as they were out, six men entered the cabin and began unscrewing the chairs, replacing them with benches and stretchers.
Sam led her across the tarmac to a black limo.
“This is Roy. He’ll take you back to the hotel and escort you to my suite. I’ll call you there as soon as I know anything.”
He pulled her into his arms and captured her mouth in a long, drugging kiss. When he pulled away, she saw sadness in his eyes.
“Are you going with them?” Her voice trembled.
“Yes. Those guys need me, but don’t worry. We’ll all be fine. This isn’t the first time I’ve been involved in a rescue mission like this one, and while I wish I could say it’ll be my last, I know that would be a lie. Knowing you’ll be waiting for me will be all the incentive I need not to take any stupid risks.”
“Come back to me,” she whispered, her voice edged with the fear and despair she felt. What he was doing was incredibly dangerous. Those clouds denoted a vicious thunderstorm with rain, wind, and killer lightning. How had she come to care for this man so quickly? She was sexually attracted to him, that was a given, and even though what she knew about him should make any further relationship between them impossible, she knew she wanted more.
“Always.” He kissed her and hurried back to the helicopter. She could see the others aboard, and as soon as Sam jumped in, the aircraft rose into the sky. She watched it fly off to the northwest, toward Ely and the deadly black clouds on the horizon.
• • •
The helicopter was a speck in the sky. Cleo swiped at the tears dribbling down her cheek. She turned to the driver, doing her best to stop the waterworks and trying to look brave, even though she was terrified something awful might happen to Sam and those men. God, it’s got to be the booze.
“Roy, is it? I guess I’m ready to go.” She cast one last look into the distance.
“He’ll be okay. He’s a lot tougher than he looks. I’ve driven for Mr. Mason for a long time. He’s a good bloke. He’ll bring those men home safe and sound.”
The man’s Australian accent made her smile. It seemed out of place in the Nevada desert outside a casino venue. She imagined rich Australians came to Vegas to gamble. She wondered how one had come to be a chauffeur.
“How long have you been in the United States?”
Roy laughed. “My accent gave me away, did it? I’ve been with LJS Enterprises more than five years now.”
She frowned. Roy had said he’d driven for Mr. Mason. Obviously Sam used the limo frequently. It must be a hell of a friendship he had with his boss—the vintage car, the helicopter, and the limo. Whoever owned LJS Enterprises didn’t mind sharing his toys, and was far more broadminded about Sam’s hobby than she was. His employees apparently had a lot of respect and affection for their employer. What a contrast to her most recent principal. No one loved that old battle-ax.
She smiled at Roy, returning to the question she’d asked and his answer. “Just a little. What made you leave Australia? You must miss your homeland.”
“I fell in love.” He chuckled. “I’ve never regretted the move. I’m from a place called Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. The landscape and temperature aren’t so different from home, but my sand’s red. I get to go back now and then, but my missus is American, so Las Vegas is home now. Mary’s a geologist. She was doing land surveys in the Simpson Desert for LJS Enterprises. She shouldn’t have gone out there alone, but my Mary’s as stubborn as they come.”
Cleo heard the love in his voice. Listening to Roy was calming her, and she was grateful for driver’s diverting conversation. She urged him to continue.
“The Australian deserts are just as dangerous as yours. It was almost dark, and she hadn’t returned, so the boss asked me to go and look for her. I found her, not ten clicks away. She’d bingled and hit a full-grown red outside of town, near the old telegraph station. She was upset because the animal was suffering. The Jeep was damaged, and I was gobsmacked. I’d never met a woman like her—me a truckie and her a scientist no less, but she treated me as an equal, and I fell for her like a ton of bricks as you say. I put the kangaroo out of its misery and took them both into town. The rest is history. We tied the knot, and when her project was over, the company brought us both back to the States. Sam got me a job and helped me with my green card. We’re expecting our first in the fall, around the same time his sister Jane’s little one is due.”
Cleo hadn’t understood every word he’d said—some of the more colorful idioms were beyond her, but she’d gotten the gist of it.
“Congratulations. Not everyone gets to have a happily ever after like yours.”
Roy bent down and picked up the bags Sam had dropped on the tarmac and put them in the trunk. He opened the door for her.
“I’ve poured you a glass of champagne. There are snacks in the basket if you’re hungry. We should be back at the hotel in fifteen or twenty minutes depending on the traffic. Is there anything else I can get you, Ms. Jones?”
“Call me Cleo. This is fine, thank you. Do you know the sex of the baby?”
Roy glowed with pride. “It’s a little girl. We’ll name her Alice Beth, after home and my mum.”
Visions of a beautiful baby girl with Sam’s dark brown eyes and her curly hair flitted through her mind, and she immediately dismissed them.
“That’s a beautiful name.”
He nodded. “Are you ready?”
She allowed him to help her into the car. She reached for the champagne, hoping the alcohol would give her the backbone she needed to control herself. She sipped her champagne aware of its wonderful flavor, but its alcohol didn’t seem to faze her now.
Am I drunk already and just don’t know it?
She was emotional—all weepy and sad. Roy’s explanation for coming to America added to her melancholy. A truck driver and a scientist—if they could make it work, why couldn’t a teacher and an architect?
Because I’m omitting his hobby, and it’s the kicker. Dad would have a hard time ac
cepting him, and I’d want him to like and appreciate the man in my life—and even if Dad tolerated him for my sake, would the narrow-minded members of the school board? Gordon’s Grove is very conservative, and I’ll bet despite the town’s penchant for aliens, Alamo’s school board’s moral compass is pointed in the same direction. If I get suspended, it’ll be impossible to find a teaching position anywhere. The kids might have driven me nuts this year, but I love my job. Sam’s part of a dream weekend, and he has to stay that way.
She sighed, and took another sip of wine. There was no way she’d ever return to Vegas, see the Hoover Dam, or visit the Skywalk again. The danger of running into Sam would be too great, and her heart wouldn’t be able to endure the pain of seeing him with another woman. No. This was a stolen moment in time. Sam had to be okay, and so did the others. The thought of never seeing him again stabbed her. There was no way she could let the weekend end without being in his arms, in his bed, at least once. She’d need the memory to sustain her through the long, lonely years to come. She cared for him far more than she should.
Roy got in behind the wheel and pulled away from the airfield, heading toward Las Vegas.
Cleo allowed the soothing motion of the limo to relax her. The next few hours would be long ones, and until Sam was safely back with her, she’d worry. She contemplated going to her own room and packing her things to leave Monday morning. She didn’t intend to leave his side a single minute of the time they had left. She also knew she’d need to make a hasty exit. She’d never survive saying goodbye, and if he asked her to stay …
Sam had asked her to wait in his suite, and she would. Going back to her own room right now might mean facing Mitch’s inquisition, and she worried her far-too-perceptive friend would discover the truth, a truth Cleo wasn’t ready to face: she might be falling in love.
When the limo pulled up at the main entrance, a concierge opened the vehicle door.
“I’ll take it from here,” he said to Roy. “The boss says you’re free for at least the next six hours. He may need you later. Liz will need you to run her to the airport around half-past ten tomorrow morning.” The man turned to her.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Jones. Ms. Mason is waiting for you in the I-Bar. If you’ll follow me.”
Surprised the concierge knew her name, Cleo thanked Roy, who was removing the bags from the trunk. He handed them to a bellboy.
“Just remember what I said.” He smiled confidently. “Sam will be fine.”
She nodded and followed the concierge into the casino. She was curious to meet Sam’s sister.
Chapter Thirteen
Cleo tried not to notice the men staring at her as she entered the I-Bar situated at the heart of the resort. Mitch had told her about the modern one-of-a-kind technological wonder, but they hadn’t had a chance to visit it. The lounge was filled with people watching videos and playing games on their tabletops. The concierge indicated a woman seated a few tables away.
As Cleo had expected, the woman was the brunette who’d joined Sam on Thursday night. She was completing an electronic crossword puzzle and shut it off when she saw Cleo coming toward her.
The brunette was a couple of inches taller than Cleo with a figure a supermodel would envy. Her chestnut hair, a shade darker than Cleo’s, was shoulder length and pushed behind her ears. She wore a short, black and white dress that left her shoulders bare. Her jewelry consisted of several strands of metal beads with matching earrings. She looked at Cleo with shadowed eyes almost identical to Sam’s. Cleo envied the ease with which she moved. She had to know every man in the room was staring at her, and yet, it didn’t seem to bother her one damn bit. I need to be more like that. Liz resembled Sam, and it amazed Cleo she hadn’t noticed it Thursday night. Because I saw what I expected to see, thanks to Dave.
“Hi!” The brunette held out her hand, the smile on her face friendly if not more than a little appraising. “I know we haven’t met, but Sam called and asked me to look after you until he gets back. I think my big brother is afraid you’ll disappear. I’m Liz.”
Cleo immediately liked the young woman’s honest, open manner, although she doubted Sam was worried about her vanishing. Where could she go? He had her room number.
“Hello.” She extended her hand to shake the one Liz offered. “It’s nice to meet you. You look fantastic. What a gorgeous dress. This must be an incredible place to work.”
“Thanks. The job has its moments, but I’m almost ready to move on with my life. Seeing Jane happily married has put the bug in my ear, too. Maybe I’ll get Sam to help me find a normal job at LJS. I’m sorry about the trouble you had last night. We thought we had everything under control. I’ve doubled security tonight. Are you guys going back down to the convention after Sam gets back?”
“No, I don’t think so. Sam said something about dinner and Las Vegas nightlife.”
“I’m sorry your day was cut short. That storm came up very quickly. Are you sure you’re okay? You look a little down in the mouth.”
Sam’s sister was as perceptive as he was.
“I’m fine. I’m concerned about Sam and the men trapped out there. It must be so hard on their families. I can always take another sightseeing helicopter ride, but if they can’t get to them in time …”
“Sam will make sure that doesn’t happen,” Liz cut in quickly. “I’m sure he’ll want to finish your tour of the desert the first chance he can. He works crazy hours, but for you, I think he’ll find the time. It’s nice. I haven’t seen him take a break in ages. Come on. I’ll take you upstairs, and we can get to know one another while I rest my feet. These Jimmy Choo’s may look great, but after six hours, my toes are killing me. I’ll have to get back down to the convention floor in an hour or so, but for the moment, I’m free.”
Cleo looked down at the strappy black and white, five-inch heels on Liz’s feet. The shoes probably cost at least a week’s salary. Casino hostesses seemed to be paid as well as male entertainers. Cleo doubted a secretary’s salary at LJS would even come close. It would be hard to give up that kind of money. Was that why Sam kept entertaining? He clearly had a taste for the finer things in life.
Cleo followed Liz to the elevator and up to the thirty-eighth floor. Liz used her keycard to enter the suite, and Cleo’s jaw almost hit the floor when she entered the foyer.
The small apartment was magnificent. The living room, with two full-sized, cream-colored sofas facing one another in front of a gas fireplace above which hung a forty-inch flat screen television, had a built-in bar. A glass-topped table surrounded by six chairs occupied the other side of the room. There was a vase of green and white roses on the table. She reached for the card with her name on it and slipped it in the pocket of her pants. She’d open it later.
“How did he manage to get these here?” Cleo indicated the roses.
“People like Sam. Even when he’s being bossy and dictatorial, they’ll do anything for him. He has that effect on people. You wouldn’t want to see the way some women throw themselves at him. It’s just sad. Some of them have no pride.”
Liz’s words brought back the fact that Sam lived in a different world from Cleo’s. She could just imagine the women salivating over him as he performed. Jealousy stabbed at her.
“Come on. I’ll give you the fifty-cent tour.” Liz opened a set of imposing folding doors to reveal an impressive master bedroom with a walk-in closet where Sam’s clothing hung. There were a few suits, a tuxedo, several shirts, and a variety of more casual clothes. Was this where he lived?
The bed was a massive king covered by a pristine white quilt and topped with enough rainbow-colored pillows to open a pillow store. There was a whirlpool tub and a large double multi-jet shower in the bathroom.
Liz led the way back to the living room, and grabbed a bottle of water from the bar fridge. She handed a bottle to Cleo.
“Wow. I thought our room was something. This place must cost a fortune.”
Liz laughed. “Nothing’s too good
for my big brother.”
She removed her shoes and let her feet sink into the plush carpet. “Ahh! That feels better. It’s a corner suite, so the view’s really something.”
From the bedroom windows, Cleo had seen the black storm clouds in the distance, but in this room she could see all of the Vegas Strip lit up below her. She wondered how much he was really paying for this, or if it was just another perk because of his hobby and his sister’s position. She wanted to ask Liz more about the Chippendales, but before she could, Liz’s cell phone buzzed.
“Damn! I’ve got to get back to work—another crisis to solve. Make yourself at home. Try not to worry too much about Sam. He’s an old hand at this. He’ll be fine. I’m off to a polo match in L.A. tomorrow, so I probably won’t see you again before you leave Monday, but I’m sure we’ll all get together when Sam gets back. He’ll only be gone six weeks.”
Liz kissed her on both cheeks as if she were a good friend, or perhaps European royalty, stepped back into her impossibly expensive shoes, and left. Cleo shook her head as she watched the suite door close.
Whether Sam was leaving for six weeks, six months, or six years didn’t really matter. Once Monday came, she’d be gone for good. Risking his life to save others made it too easy to fall in love with him. Even if she did renege on her promise to herself and agreed to see him again, nothing but pain would come of this. How would he feel when he realized she’d lied to him about who she was and where she lived? Even if his job wasn’t an issue, good relationships couldn’t be built on a foundation of lies.
Cleo was staring out the window and jumped at a knock at the door.
“Who is it?”
“Room service, Ms. Jones.”
She opened the door and allowed the server to push the cart into the apartment. He set up the table near the sofa and uncovered the dishes. Along with a glass of what she recognized was the VooDoo Lounge’s fruity Witch Doctor cocktail, there was a platter of hors d’oeuvres including lobster and shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon with capers, and a few other foods she didn’t recognize. There was another green and white rose.
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