by Stacy Hoff
“That was nice of you,” Cat remarked. “But you didn’t get a bag of nuts for yourself.”
“Why would I? They’re so attractive in your hands, I thought I’d share yours.”
“What if I won’t share?” Cat teased. She clutched the bag protectively against her chest. “They’re mine. Mine, mine, mine.”
Ty laughed. “Possessive, aren’t you? Trust me, I’d be doing you a favor. It’ll save you room for dinner.”
“I’m pretty sure I can eat this whole bag and still have room for dinner.”
“I’d be impressed if you could.”
“Where are you taking me?” Then it dawned on her. They were in Vegas, home of the endless buffet. Duh. “We’re going to a buffet, aren’t we? They’re famous out here. I’ve never been to a Vegas buffet. It’ll be fun to see how much damage I can do.” Reminder note to self, get bigger credit line to buy bigger skirts.
“How a little thing like you will be able to do any kind of damage, I don’t know,” he said.
Little? She was definitely going to write a thank-you note to his DNA for making him blind.
“It’ll be fun eating with a woman who actually eats. I hate the self-conscious kind. The type who nibble on salads, tasting four lettuce leaves before pushing the plate away. Kills all the enjoyment of having a good meal.”
“I promise I’ve got no problem eating, so I’m your woman. Let’s go. Which restaurant is it?” she asked, now tugging him along despite not knowing the direction.
“It’s not a restaurant. We’re going to a hotel a block away from here, right off the Strip. Tonight is my company’s big charity event and we’re holding it there. Ever gamble?”
“If you mean with men, no.”
He laughed. “Funny. Tonight you should take a risk. Me, too. Let’s test fate. Put ourselves out there. Who knows what we can win.” He gave her a wink though his eyes gazed at her with utter sincerity. “So how ’bout it,” he asked. “You still game?”
Cat hesitated a moment while she contemplated. Was she game for all this? Taking a risk with this man seemed to be a bigger danger than joining him at the roulette wheel.
“Game on,” Cat finally answered with a firmness that reflected her new resolve.
A man who liked holding charity events. Was it possible, here in Vegas, she’d finally lucked out?
Chapter 5
The row of fabulous hotels was spread out before her, a buffet of different adventures to choose from. Too many to pick only one, so Cat was relieved to have heard Ty’s plan.
“There’ll be food. Dancing. We can buy stuff at the silent auction,” Ty coaxed unnecessarily.
Cat did her best to stifle her urge to bounce from excitement. She never did cool things like this. Have an adventurous night. Blow off work to have a good time. Go off with a man she barely knew. Even crazier, a short while ago she wanted to strangle him. Now she hoped she’d be wrapping her arms around him for a different reason.
Her introverted nature remained, but she was doing her best to shake it off. He obviously liked whatever flirtations she managed to muster. She’d work even harder at coming out of her shell. She could do it for a single night. Right?
Last time she had an offer like this was, well, she couldn’t remember. Years, most likely. Working was so all-encompassing she hadn’t even thought of having personal plans in ages. Sure, she held holiday parties for her employees and took trips back home to see her parents, but not much more socializing than that. “I’m in. Point the way,” she said, barely biting back a grin.
“I don’t need to pitch too hard. Awesome.”
“Do you do this often?” Cat wondered.
“Do I need to go to great lengths to persuade women? No.”
Cat laughed. “I meant do you frequently ask the person who turned down your business deal out for a fabulous night?”
“Again, no.”
“Well then, I’m flattered. It’s a sweet thing to do, although counterintuitive. Shouldn’t you be taking out someone who actually signs your deals?”
“Yes, so either I’m really taken by you or I’m losing my business edge.”
Cat laughed. “I hope for your sake it’s the former.”
“Me too.” His smile faded a little when he added, “Although it could be the latter. Not that I should be admitting this. To you, especially.”
“Why me especially?” she asked.
“I don’t like to admit my weaknesses to opponents.”
“My land’s not for sale, so I’m no longer your opponent.”
He didn’t answer. His mouth was tight-lipped and stretched thin. Was he stressed? Upset? It was impossible to ever know what men were thinking. Maybe he was just frustrated by her refusal to sell. Suddenly she felt sympathy for him. Sure, she had a right to do with her land as she wished, but if her stance was putting him in a bad business position, then she felt bad for him.
“Look,” she said, “I’m sorry if business got in the way of things between us. I’m really flattered you still want to go out with me. Let’s forget all that, forget everything we’ve got going on and just enjoy the evening. Tonight we’re going to be friends, okay?” She placed her hand on his arm in her sudden urge to make him feel better. Like he had an ally, someone who wanted to listen to his problems.
Funny, only a few hours ago, she’d seen him as only a more genteel version of Morsik, the jerk from the bar. The kind that would, business-wise, grab your arm and pin you down until you agreed to give him what he wanted. Even if it wasn’t his and he didn’t really need it. But Ty was the man who stopped Morsik. Ty was also the man who stopped himself from haranguing her.
Did she know Ty as a person? Not yet of course, but she felt like she was starting to. He was a man who obviously had as much going on in his head as he had going on in business.
“Men usually aren’t crazy to talk about work anyway, but if you want to talk about anything else, I’ll be happy to listen.” She gave him a warm smile.
“Not needed, but thank you. I’m already half numb from all the speaking I had to do today. I love helping out the Association, but it’s a lot of work. I’ve got my own business to run, and that’s the equivalent of three full-time jobs. To be honest, it gets to be a bit much. When I saw you at the bar, I stopped thinking about how burnt out I’ve been and only thought about meeting you.”
“Wow,” was all Cat could muster. Her eyes fluttered in surprise.
“Of course, seeing you open the door was a shock.”
“For you and me both.” She laughed.
“At this moment, I don’t even want to think about it. I’m going to focus on you as a person. It’ll be nice to have someone who seems to be on my wavelength. For a change.”
Cat didn’t say anything, wondering if they really were on the same wavelength. He couldn’t really know her, either. But she felt like somehow he did. Was it possible? She’d never emotionally connected with a man before, and it took her until ten years ago to even feel any true connection to her family.
People didn’t seem to “get” her very often. Her mindset. Her way of doing things. She was driven, yet had her own, almost meandering way, of doing business. She wanted relationships but feared them at the same time. Wanted to be independent, yet feel protected. She knew she was a bundle of contradictions. Could any man handle all that? Probably not. So if one came along who could, she knew he’d have her heart forever.
So was her reaction to Ty simply her body’s response to a very handsome man? She didn’t think so. He made her laugh. And although her libido had many physical manifestations, laughter wasn’t one of them. She’d laughed more with him in sixty minutes than she had during the last week. Month. Year. Decade. It felt good. Like a rusty part of her was squeaking to life after having been discarded. A hi
bernating bear greeting springtime after the longest frost.
Ty was funny, playful, and from what she’d seen of him, kind. Gentlemanly. And now he wanted to take her to his charity event. She was so in. Full speed. Damn the torpedoes. What could possibly be the risk in allowing herself a few perfect hours with a man who seemed to be, well, perfect?
“You know, maybe I shouldn’t go with you,” she joked. “You really could be a serial killer. It’s the ones who portray themselves as pillars of the community you have to really watch out for.”
“A serial killer. Hardly. I hate cereal. Why eat dried up grains when God gave us French pastries?” he deadpanned.
“Uh-huh, very funny breakfast boy.”
Ty hooted with laughter. “Okay, I’m not a serial killer, but I can aspire to be one. I’ll need a catchy name. You know, to whip up a media frenzy. Make the populace nervous I’ll come knocking on their door. Should I go with a breakfast theme or a business theme? Hmmm, the latter might work. How about ‘The Hostile Hotelier?’”
“Yes, a food theme wouldn’t be too scary would it? A moniker like ‘The Creepy Crepe’ wouldn’t scare anybody over five years old.”
“You obviously have an evil streak to even think of scaring the pre-school crowd. But I’ll join you in your devilish ways. Tell the kids I hide out in my ‘Éclair Lair.’”
Now they were both howling with laughter.
“Okay, okay,” Cat conceded. “You’re not a serial killer. You can’t even pick a frightening name. But you could be a stalker. Have you been secretly watching me for weeks, waiting for this moment to come? In fact, maybe you didn’t even want my land. Maybe you wanted me. Then, once you get me alone—bam——you tie me up to your bedpost and I become your slave.”
Instead of generating laughter, Cat saw a different reaction in Ty. He looked a little turned on. He arched an eyebrow at her and gave her a sly smile. “I swear I have never seen you before tonight. As for the rest of it, it depends on how receptive you are to becoming my captive. And whether I play my cards right.”
Cat rolled her eyes at him in jest, but inwardly trembled. Her mouth went suddenly dry. At this point, Ty would have to play his cards real badly to screw things up with her because she was getting very receptive, very quickly.
The weakest hand, a pair of twos, would deal him a winning hand. He’d need a deck entirely of jokers to bomb. The odds were definitely in his favor.
“I’m receptive to a night out with you,” Cat replied, clamping down on her eagerness. “But a girl can never be too careful. I’m texting Vanessa, my GM, to let her know I’m going out with you. This way, if I turn up dead, someone will be able to tell the police the last person I was with.” Cat whipped out her smartphone, her thumbs flying.
“Out of curiosity, why would I want you dead?”
“I don’t know. Part of your sick, twisted plot to get my land.” She laughed. For someone talking about their own potential demise she felt extremely lighthearted.
“I’m impressed. You think of everything. Except how your death would help my business deal. Are you saying your estate would be much more reasonable for me to deal with?” He arched an eyebrow at her.
“Nope. Probably worse.” Cat returned her attention to her smartphone and hit the send button. “Done,” she declared with satisfaction.
Ready to drop her phone back into her oversized purse, it suddenly buzzed. “Already?” Vanessa was good. No, better than good. She deserved a raise. Cat felt her stomach muscles tighten, wondering whether she could afford to do it.
The phone let out another short, sharp buzzing sound. Glancing at the tiny screen, she read Vanessa’s response: Back home already. Looks like both of us move fast. Whatever it is you’ve got going on with Orland, go for it!!!
Cat did her best to stifle a grin before shoving the phone away yet again.
“Ready?” Ty’s voice reflected an interesting mixture of amusement and polite formality.
“Don’t you know it.” Snaking her arm through his, she let him lead the way.
~ ~ ~
Ty was finding Cat’s enthusiasm and effervescence utterly delightful. In fact, her excitement was contagious. She didn’t try to put on airs, act aloof, or vie for his affections. Instead, she seemed to genuinely want to have fun with him. An amazing outcome, considering what a bastard he’d been over her land. Was she the forgiving sort? The carefree sort? The sort of woman who cared about people for who they were? And not what people could do for her?
You mean, the sort of person who is not like you, his conscience screamed. Ty fought off the urge to cringe. It wasn’t his fault he was a callous bastard. Well, maybe a little. But not entirely. Anyone who had his upbringing would have grown up the same way. Whether they wanted to or not.
Maybe that’s why he wasn’t close to anybody except Rudy. Ty’s hardened shell got in the way. The rest of his family was fighting all the time. Especially his parents against Rudy’s parents. That situation alone would be enough to do anybody in.
It was amazing he and his cousin were actually close to each other, personally as well as professionally. Given the rift between their parents, he and Rudy became close only after college. It was Rudy who had given him the seed money for Orland Premier Properties, Inc., two years after college graduation. Despite the fact Rudy’s father was dead set against it. The financial help was a favor Ty would not forget. Especially since it caused yet another family rift—one between Rudy and his own parents. Something Ty still felt a twinge of guilt over.
It was too bad that growing up they had few chances to be together. Ty, for one, held on to those cherished memories. An only child, Ty had felt so isolated. He had longed as a young boy for Rudy to be a surrogate brother.
He still felt bad he hadn’t been in the U.S. the night of Rudy’s engagement party. Instead, Ty had been in Switzerland interning at a prestigious hotel chain. He would have liked to meet the woman who cheated on his cousin and tell her exactly what he thought of her. Her ears would have burned . . .
Ty glanced over to beautiful Cat Warner. She was peering into a store window filled with cheesy Vegas souvenirs. How anyone could be giddy with excitement over the crap on display, he had no idea. Her enthusiasm for life itself was off-the-charts. Her easygoing attitude, a refreshing cool breeze. Unlike her, he always felt a bit of anger simmering away under the surface.
She must have grown up with a lot of people caring about her to be so carefree and lusty-for-life. If he wasn’t too careful with his emotions, he could wind up caring about her, too. Damn, Orland, snap out of it!
“I’m buying that for you, as soon as the store opens tomorrow,” Cat declared, pointing to something in the window.
Wasn’t this supposed to happen the other way around? The women he typically dated pointed to something in the window and demanded he buy it for them. Usually it was a jewelry store. Maybe Cat actually was the caring sort of person.
“What are you pointing at?” he asked, squinting through the darkened glass. “I can’t tell.”
“Over there,” she said, pointing again. “The tee shirt that reads: ‘I’m the boss. Obey me.’”
My God, is the woman giggling? “But if you get me the shirt, doesn’t that mean you’ll have to obey me?”
“Nah. I’ll buy the one next to it as a buffer.”
Ty squinted again as he read the other shirt’s slogan. ‘Here in Vegas, I did it my way.’ It had a picture of Frank Sinatra’s face singing against a backdrop of the Bellagio’s famous fountains.
He bit back a laugh. “I’ll admit, you certainly do things your own way.”
“Thanks,” she said, grinning up at him.
“Come on, we’ve got someplace to go.”
Chapter 6
“Le Grande Belle Casino,” Cat cooed. “I’m impressed.
”
“Where we’re going is a private room.”
“Then I’m even more impressed.”
Ty smiled. Yeah, most women were impressed when he took them out. Then again, he only settled on the best. With Cat, however, her actual enjoyment seemed sincere. He may not have her land deed in his pocket, but he did have her arm wrapped around his.
“Do you gamble at casinos a lot?” Her words tumbled forth with enthusiasm, reminding him of a child. Excited for the journey without even knowing the destination. And yet there was a sexiness factor that was in no way childish. He felt an involuntary tightening in his pants and forced his mind to focus on the conversation.
“I never gamble.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “Not at all?” she pressed. “You’re telling me you qualify for royal treatment at Le Grande Belle, yet you don’t gamble a bit?”
“Right.”
“Umm-hmmm.” She murmured the sounds so seductively they slid out of her mouth. Wrapped around his body. Tortured his mind. Yep. She was definitely toying with him.
Well, he could string her along, too. “You’ll see,” he replied cryptically. That’s right, make her wonder what’s in store. Hell, he was wondering himself.
He was pleased her response was silence, though he could practically hear the wheels spinning in her mind. Placing his hand at the small of her back, he guided her around the lobby and up a short flight of stairs leading to a set of large French doors. They now were standing in a ten-foot marble atrium. Marble tile and flowers framed another set of French doors.
He was sorry to get here so soon, he would have liked to keep his hand on her a little longer.
The largest of his bodyguards waved them in. Thankfully, Charles was wearing a suit, it helped downplay the thug-bouncer look Charles usually donned. Not that security’s usual rough-and-tumble appearance was necessarily a bad thing. People who wound up underestimating Charles always regretted their false first impression. His head bodyguard managed to catch on to bad guys’ intent pretty quick.