All That Glitters: Glitz, Glam, and Billionaires

by Michele Hauf

  “I don’t think rubbing your shoulders will be a hardship for me.” He swallowed. Maybe that hadn’t been the best choice of words.

  He took the tube out of her hand and squeezed some of the thick, white cream into his palm, and rubbed his hands together to spread the cream evenly.

  “Lift up your braid.”

  She complied, her hand trembling slightly. He put one hand on each of her shoulders. Her skin felt warm beneath his palms, and she quivered slightly. He rubbed the cream in circles, and felt himself hardening. He thought of rubbing the rest of her body later and smothered a groan.

  He eased his hands over each shoulder and across her exposed back, and realized that Cleo not only blushed when she was embarrassed, her skin turned pink when she was aroused. From this angle, he could see her taut nipples jutting out. Unless you looked down on them, they’d be lost in the pattern of her top. He moved his hands to caress the skin above the front of her top as he had the back. The cream melted into her skin, and she moaned softly. He swallowed, aware of his own need as well as the fact Matt could open the cabin door at any moment.

  “That should do for now.” His voice was husky, filled with desire. He was rock hard again. God, he hoped no one noticed.

  Sam lifted Cleo down from the cabin and bent his head to kiss her. This kiss was gentle, and she responded quickly, barely able to maintain a semblance of control. He pulled away, the look on his face showing he regretted the fact as much as she did.

  “Keep my place. I haven’t finished yet, but we have an audience,” he whispered.

  Mortified, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. Sam laughed heartily. “It’s only Matt and Walter.”

  He pointed behind her. Cleo turned to follow his and looked up at more than two hundred and fifty pounds of Hualapai muscle.

  “Walter, meet Cleo Jones.”

  “Pleased to meet you, ma’am. Nice to see you again, Sam, Matt.” He nodded to each in turn. “Glad you were able to finally come visit our little engineering marvel.”

  Walter led them over to a Jeep. “Sorry about the change in vehicle. The SUV blew a tire yesterday. Will this be okay?”

  The man looked at Sam as if his opinion was the most important thing in the world. Sam looked at her, his eyebrow raised questioningly, clearly indicating this was her judgment call, not his. She liked that. It showed he was trying to include her in the decision making unlike the way he’d set up every aspect of the day so far, but she couldn’t complain. She was having a wonderful time

  She grinned and stepped over to the vehicle for a closer look. “This is fine. I’ll take a Jeep over an SUV anytime, especially on a beautiful day like this.”

  Sam got in the back seat with her while Matt sat in front with Walter. The ride from the airport to the Skywalk was a short one. The place was packed, and there appeared to be a long waiting line. She hoped they’d be able to stay long enough to take their turn. Sam had them on a tight schedule.

  “Follow me.” Walter led them around the back of the facility to a door marked Employees Only. “I’ve arranged for VIP tickets as you requested. I’ll get your shoe covers.”

  Walter opened the door, allowing them to step inside the air-conditioned building. Cleo looked out the window at the long line of people standing in the heat and frowned.

  “We should wait our turn like everyone else. I don’t feel right skipping ahead of those people. Some of them must have been waiting a long time.”

  “Don’t think of it as skipping ahead; we’ve got a reservation. We’re paying a premium to walk on the bridge at a specific time. The next time we come, you can wait in line as long as you like.” Sam chuckled. “Although you’d need a lot more sunscreen.”

  She turned away and pursed her lips. That comment reminded her of Dave’s attitude. It was condescending and smug. He’d said last night that he usually took what he wanted, and this was definitely another example of that. His “we get better treatment because we have more money” attitude didn’t sit well with her. She had a good mind to refuse to go out and instead get in line, but what purpose would it serve? He’d just get annoyed with her, and it would ruin their day. In the end, no one would win.

  “Hey,” he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I’m sorry. That didn’t come out right. I sounded like a jerk. Forgive me?” He leaned his forehead against hers.

  Was he really sorry, or was he just being patronizing because he knew she wasn’t pleased?

  She nodded. “Okay, but don’t do it again. I don’t like being noticed, and this VIP treatment will get us noticed.”

  “You would stand out from the crowd no matter what, but no more special treatment today.” He kissed the tip of her nose. He turned her around again, this time to look at the crowd in line. Two people were handing out bottles of water to those waiting.

  “See? I’m making it up to them. I try to do the right thing when I can. No more skipping ahead after this, I promise.”

  Cleo smiled, hoping her confusion and disappointment didn’t show. The water was a nice gesture, but it didn’t change the fact he was probably only doing it to placate her. This was the fourth time he’d made a comment that implied they’d have some sort of future together. Surely he must realize that anything between them couldn’t last? They came from different worlds—it was just the magic of the moment. When Monday came, everything would disappear, and reality would rear its ugly head.

  She would fly back to Carson City, and then drive home to Gordon’s Grove to await the final verdict on her transfer. If she could somehow convince Dad to start living again, she would help him pack for a few weeks of digging in the Yucatan or some Central American country, and then she would do what she did each summer: catch up on her reading, take an online mini-course, and clean house.

  Sam would go back to doing whatever he’d planned to do this weekend, and take his place on stage in September. He would be a Chippendale entertainer/architect amusing the ladies and making the world a more beautiful place. She would never return to the Rio. She couldn’t watch him perform. He was more than eye-candy to her—exactly what, she wasn’t sure, but she knew she could never share him with a roomful of women that way. He was all hers for today, and in her memories, he would stay that way.

  Walter came back and handed them shoe covers similar to the ones worn by surgeons in the OR. “These will keep you from slipping on the glass or scratching the surface.” He opened a locker. “All your personal items like cameras and cell phones, and your hat and purse, Ms. Jones, must go in here. We can’t risk anything falling into the canyon or damaging the glass. There’s a photographer who’ll take pictures of you while you’re out there.”

  Cleo handed Sam her loose items, and he placed them in the locker. He gave the key to Walter, who handed it to the locker clerk. After they donned their shoe covers, he led them through doors onto the Skywalk. The incredible vista took her breath away.

  “My people are very proud of this feat of engineering,” Walter said. “The Skywalk opened in 2007. It’s sixty-five feet long and extends seventy feet from the canyon wall. The deck is made of five layers of glass, while the walls are two layers thick. Although the structure is strong enough to support eight hundred and twenty-two people, we only allow one hundred and twenty on at a time.”

  “I don’t know what to say. It’s as if we’re standing in midair, hovering between heaven and earth.” Cleo reached for Sam’s hand, and he offered it willingly.

  “Are you scared?”

  “No, not scared,” she assured him. “I’m awed, breathless. I can’t imagine a more wonderful feeling. How did they build this?”

  “Wait until later, and I’ll see what I can do about leaving you breathless,” Sam whispered. Then he added for everyone to hear, “As to the Skywalk, my firm helped a little, but Walter can explain it best.”

  She noted the touch of pride when he’d said my firm. If he were so proud of his architectural accomplishments, why in the world di
d he waste his time entertaining women for a living? It made no sense.

  Sure it does. It’s no different than my photography, Dad’s digs, or Mitch’s Internet business. It’s the thrill of doing something different, something you enjoy. Everyone needs a hobby, and no one hobby is better than the next. Her memory echoed Mitch’s words from last month, but her heart didn’t believe them.

  10

  Cleo shook off the bleak thoughts and focused her attention on Walter, who continued with his tour guide spiel.

  “ … it was assembled in sections over there on the top of the ridge, and then we used a jack and roll rig to put it into place. It weighs about a million pounds. It took two days to attach it to the canyon wall. All the glass was made in Germany. A lot of people worked together to make this a successful, viable project, including the CEO at LJS Enterprises. He donated man hours and expertise to the tribe. He’s very highly thought of here.”

  “Is that why we got special treatment?”

  Walter laughed. “He’s also my boss, and when the boss asks you for a favor, you don’t argue.”

  He winked at Sam, who laughed too, and Cleo felt she’d missed the punch line.

  “He’s taking me to Wales to work on a castle,” Walter continued. “I’m really looking forward to that.”

  “Shall we?” Sam indicated the walkway.

  Cleo looked from one man to the other. It was as if Sam didn’t want Walter to say anything else. Their boss must be a really good employer, but obviously, when the man said jump, the employees did just that. She still felt as if she was missing something. She sighed. Why was she trying so hard to read between the lines when the damn page was blank? Would she ever stop assigning ulterior motives to everyone? Sam hadn’t requested the special treatment; his boss had. She should just shut up and be grateful for another thrill she would never have had on her own.

  “Are you going to Wales, too?” she asked him as they made their exit. She shouldn’t be so nosy, but she couldn’t help it.

  “I am. I’m working on the interior renovations. I leave Friday. I’ll be gone six weeks.”

  “Good thing you have the summer off. It would be awkward otherwise, wouldn’t it?” Walter and Matt looked at her strangely, as if she’d spouted another head. “So, you said you’ve never been here before. How could you resist?”

  “My sisters Liz and Jane were here for the grand opening.” He seemed relieved that she’d changed the subject. “All Liz could talk about was having her picture taken with Buzz Aldrin. She’s a bit of a space nut, and this convention is right up her alley. She brought a few of the whales with her, too.”

  “I know what casino whales are, but I don’t know why they call them that.”

  Sam laughed. She loved the sound of his laughter. It always sounded real, never forced.

  “Because, like whales, everything they do is big. They bet big, win big, but lose big, too. People follow them, and that’s where the casinos win. Every person who comes in to watch a whale play drops some of their own money at the tables or on the slots. So casinos compete for high rollers by offering freebies and other incentives. That used to be Liz’s job, but she got promoted to conventions. A few of her whales, like Lord Horvath, stayed with her. I believe the guy comes more to see her than to gamble. I think she likes him more than she’s letting on, but what woman wouldn’t like to be showered in riches?”

  “I wouldn’t.” Cleo answered probably a little more forcefully than necessary. “I’ve never been rich, but I’ve managed with what I had. I don’t think I could take advantage of someone’s generosity like that,” Cleo said. “I’m only letting you pay for all this because you insisted. I did offer to cover some of the expenses. Sorry, I’ll get down off the soapbox now.”

  “You’re a rare gem, Cleopatra Jones.”

  Guilt stabbed her at his use of the false surname. “Not really. I’m sure there are others who feel the same way.” Wanting to change the subject, she touched his arm. “Thanks for bringing me here. I’ll never forget my walk in the sky.”

  Despite everything, Cleo understood her greatest thrill had come not from walking along the floor itself but from doing it with Sam. It had been his arm through hers, holding her tightly to his side, that had made the walk pure magic. Sam wanted her to get a souvenir of her first Skywalk, and rather than make a scene, she selected a coffee mug with I walked in the sky written on it and a package of postcards. Not satisfied, Sam insisted on getting her a magnificent turquoise and silver earring and necklace set that she would cherish always. It would look great with the white eyelet dress she planned to wear tomorrow. This was another memory to save always. Too bad she could never collect the photograph taken at the center of the ring, but to do so, would mean contacting Sam again, something she could never do.

  “Ready for the next stop on the Sam Mason private tour?” he asked.

  She nodded, but a little voice asked, how many women had been given this same tour.

  Sam settled into his chair on the helicopter and smiled at Cleo. He loved the way he could see her enjoyment clearly written on her face. From time to time, he caught a glimpse of shadows there too, but they soon vanished. For the first time in a long time, someone he was growing to care about was genuinely happy doing the simple things he’d forgotten how much he enjoyed. She didn’t insist on the best all the time and didn’t take anything for granted. She’d been upset at pulling rank at the Skywalk, and he’d appeased her somewhat when he’d gotten water for all those waiting in line.

  Not once had she fiddled with her hair, checked her face, or tugged at her clothes. She’d retouched the lip gloss after he’d put the sunscreen on her and that was it. He admired the way her face lit up when she spoke about her dad, and he could see she was genuinely worried about him. The most amazing thing was the way she glowed when she had a camera in her hands. She was a beautiful woman, yet she didn’t like having her picture taken, something else that was new to him. Most of the women he’d dated were always smiling for the camera, not hiding behind its lens.

  Charlie’s warning about not finding his perfect woman in a sea of gold-diggers came back to him. He swallowed his unease and smiled. She hadn’t volunteered a lot about herself—in fact getting her to talk about herself was like pulling teeth. Just when things got interesting, she switched the topic, and while it might be modesty, could she be doing it on purpose to ensnare him—entice him as the mysterious woman? No, Cleo wasn’t playing him false. He refused to believe it. Reaching for the champagne spritzer he’d poured, he handed her the glass.

  “Not more champagne? I’ll be loaded by suppertime. Are you trying to get me drunk again? You did a pretty good job of it last night.”

  Too good, and he’d walked away unsatisfied. “Moi?” The look of surprise on her face made him chuckle.

  “Yes, toi. I took high school French too, but I suppose it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t twist my arm or anything. I just want to keep my wits about me today.”

  “Believe it or not, the mimosas were primarily orange juice, and the flutes barely held three ounces. The spritzers are ice and soda as well as wine. You had breakfast, so you’re not drinking on an empty stomach. You’ve had two glasses since the Hoover Dam. You probably burned off whatever alcohol was in it on the Skywalk. That was an adrenaline rush, wasn’t it?”

  “It certainly was. Dad would have liked it, too. Maybe I can talk him into coming here someday.”

  “You mentioned your dad had traveled as part of his job. Where did he go?”

  “Here and there. No place special. I didn’t go with him if that’s what you’re asking. Tell me, what does Walter do for the company? Is he an architect as well?”

  There it was—she’d changed the topic again. Why was she avoiding my question about her dad? He wanted to press her for answers, but responded to her question instead.

  “No. Walter’s an ironworker. His father’s Mohawk, but his mother is Hualapai. They met when his dad was working on the W
orld Trade Center. It seems among his people, being a sky walker, working the high scaffolding, is a mark of warrior pride. Walter feels the same way. The job in Wales involves renovating a castle. While I’ll be bringing the inside of the place into the twenty-first century, he’ll be doing pointing on the castle walls. One of them is on the edge of an ocean cliff. He’ll hang from the harness and fix the mortar between the stones.”

  “I’m not afraid of heights, but I’m not that fond of water. I don’t think I could do that.”

  “Few could. That’s why he makes the big bucks.”

  She chuckled. “Well, he’ll certainly earn them hanging off a castle wall.” She sipped her cocktail. “You’re spoiling me, you know. I’m having the time of my life. Flying around like this, looking down at the canyon, makes me realize how much of the world I haven’t seen. I’d planned to see the Grand Canyon today in a helicopter, that’s true, but never like this. I can’t thank your friend enough for his generosity.”

  He felt a twinge of guilt. This was a chance to tell her the truth. She’d made that comment about not using people for their money, and she seemed genuine. But was she? Or was this just an act? She had secrets she was keeping, too. He would let the day play out and tell her tonight.

  “Cleo, there are incredible places in the world for you to see and photograph. Today is just the tip of the iceberg. All it takes is a passport. You’ve got one, right?”

  She nodded. “I do. Mitch and I went to Baja last year.”

  “That’s great. There are some amazing places I would like to take you to see.”

  Cleo smiled, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. It was the second time today she’d given a halfhearted response. Rather than comment, Sam drew her attention back to the scenery. Once he told her the truth, she would see that what he was suggesting was possible. She would understand he could give her everything she could ever want. But would she want it? Her earlier comment came back to him. He reached for her and she came willingly onto his chair and into his arms. He relaxed.