Call Me Sugar

by Sage Nyx

There’s nothing I can do at this point except try to distract Sugar long enough to get rid of him.

  I’m finding it hard to think straight when he’s so close that I can smell the sweet scent of his aftershave. Not to mention the shivers his fingertips are sending down my spine from the light touch on my shoulders.

  All I can think about is being wrapped up tight in his muscular arms. My head is swimming.

  “Sorry about tonight,” I turn to say to him with genuine regret. “Natasha is right. We’ve already made plans.”

  The plans which have now taken a sudden detour right off a cliff. We need to get back to Platinum and regroup. My mind is racing, hoping to find a way to salvage tonight’s operation.

  I’m coming up with nothing.

  It’s too risky to run the test at a different casino tonight. The run-in with Sugar rattled me. I’m off my game.

  We were so damn close too. I’ve let down everyone who put their confidence in me. I need to make this right.

  Sugar is wreaking havoc on my concentration.

  I’ve avoided meeting his eyes because he’ll see everything in mine I’m trying desperately to hide. As much as I want him to stay, I need to get rid of him.

  “How about a raincheck for another time?” I blurt out. “Since we already have firm plans for tonight.”

  Sugar’s warm hand tightens on my shoulder. “Sure,” he says. “What do you have in mind? Tell me your schedule while you’re in town. I’ll work around it.”

  My schedule? What schedule?

  What do I tell him? Oh, let’s see. I’ll be busy the next few days. On Christmas Eve, I’ll be pulling a whopper of a scam at several casinos; including the one where you live and work.

  What would Sugar think if he knew what I was up to?

  He would never speak to me again. That’s for certain. He also wouldn’t have a choice but to turn me in to his boss and casino security.

  I blink at him, frozen in confusion and unable to come up with a single good answer off the top of my head. Thinking on my feet in social situations is not a strong trait of mine. I’m not good at chit-chat.

  “Are you free mid-morning tomorrow?” he asks. “I have a fantastic idea for something you’ll love.”

  “Tomorrow? Hmm…yeah, I guess so.”

  At this point, I’m willing to say or do anything to get him to go. If he’ll turn around and leave, then I can deal with him tomorrow. I can only handle one problem at a time.

  “Then it’s a date!” he says, breaking into a wide grin. “Where do you want me to pick you up? What hotel are you staying at? You didn’t tell me before.”

  Natasha gives me a barely perceptible shake of her head.

  Don’t tell him.

  “I can meet you at the Imperial,” I say. “Since you’re already there. I’ll be out front, the same as last time.”

  “Perfect!” he says.

  I don’t mention the fact that I’m staying at the Imperial now too.

  Natasha eyes dart over at me. She’s wondering why I haven’t mentioned Sugar to her before. A legitimate question for her to have.

  I wasn’t hiding him on purpose. The truth is, it wasn’t something I wanted to talk about with women who I’ve just met.

  I still haven’t figured out my emotions toward Sugar yet myself. Until five minutes ago, I didn’t think we would ever cross paths again.

  Now here he is.

  Sexy and charming as ever.

  Seeing him has caused a flame of hope to spring up in me. As much as I’ve tried to forget about him, it’s impossible.

  The instant his fingers touched my neck everything about our date together came flooding back in technicolor.

  Every touch, every look, every smell.

  I want him.

  Now more than ever.

  There’s no denying it.

  “Kit, we’d better get you and your pussy cat back to where you belong,” Sugar says. “Your show starts soon.”

  “C’mon Puffin,” Kit says, reaching down to gently tug on the tiger’s leash. “We need to go.”

  The tiger yawns again and leans heavier against Natasha’s bare leg.

  “I’m sorry,” Kit says to Natasha. “I’ve never seen her act this way before. Usually she hates strangers. You must have a natural way with animals. Do you have pets?”

  An almost sad expression crosses Natasha’s face before she quickly hides it.

  “No,” she replies. “Not anymore. Not even a goldfish.”

  “Get up, Puffin, you’re embarrassing me here,” Kit says, trying again to coax the massive tiger up from the floor at Natasha’s feet. The large cat refuses to budge. “Okay, that’s it. I’ve had it with you. Time to go, big girl.”

  The tiger blinks at him and opens her mouth in another lazy yawn.

  “Unfortunately, at four hundred pounds she’s too heavy for me to pick up and throw over my shoulders,” he says. “When she was a young kitten, it wasn’t a problem. As you can see, now we work on her schedule, not mine.”

  “You bought her like a toy?” Natasha asks, her cool mask slipping for a second before she shutters her expression.

  “No!” Kit says, appearing horrified at the thought. “All of my animals are rescues. I would never support the exotic animal trade.”

  He squats down low and whispers something into the tiger’s ear. She quickly perks up, rolls onto her feet and stands beside him.

  “That’s my good girl,” he says, patting her sides. “I promised her a snack, so I’d better deliver it pronto, or she won’t trust me next time around. It’s been a pleasure meeting you ladies.”

  He turns and strides off through the crowded casino the way he came in with the white tiger happily slinking along beside him.

  “That’s my cue to leave too,” Sugar says. “Though I will say, Kit’s a tough act to follow. See you tomorrow, Jade.”

  “Goodnight,” I say.

  When they’re out of earshot, I turn to Natasha.

  “Now what?” I ask, fully expecting a furious outburst from her. I hold up the ticket showing our seven dollars in winnings. “I’m sorry about this. We were close. The plan would’ve worked.”

  “Then the night was a success.” She stands and flips her long hair back over her shoulders. “No worries. We will try again. This was only a test. Next time we will be perfect.”

  “You’re not mad?” I ask, both puzzled and relieved at her reaction.

  “Anger is a luxury we can’t afford. Tomorrow is a new day. We will try until we succeed.”

  Sugar

  The next morning, Leroy and I pull up promptly to the front entrance of the Imperial Hotel. When I spot Jade waiting for me by the front door, I’m relieved to see she’s in jeans, sneakers and a gray sweatshirt. Her faded backpack is slung over one shoulder. It’s chilly weather and we’ll be outside for most of the morning.

  Last night, I didn’t have a clue where I’d be taking her today. I ended up surfing the internet half the night trying to choose the perfect place.

  Asking her if she was free during the morning hours was an impulsive question that popped out before I thought it through. Finding fun things to do around Vegas in the daytime is harder than it sounds.

  The limo barely comes to a complete stop before I jump out and run over to greet her. She’s chatting with the doorman as if they’re old friends.

  How many people does she know in this town? For a shy person, she’s popular with the local Vegas crowd.

  “Good morning, sunshine.” I lean down to kiss her lightly on the lips. “Are you ready to go?”

  “You’re dressed casually for a change,” she says, pointing to my jeans and black sweater. “I’m glad I didn’t wear a dress this time.”

  “I’m trying for a rugged mountain man image,” I joke. “How well is it working?”

  She reaches up and grazes my beard lightly with her fingertips. I grab her hand, turn it over and press my lips to her palm.

  “If you let your bear
d grow longer, you might pass for a real mountain man,” she teases. “I love the length the way it is now. Mountain men aren’t my style.”

  “Whew…” I say, letting out a relieved breath. “That’s good to know because I’m a city boy. I wouldn’t be able to survive a day in the wild. I enjoy my creature comforts too much…penthouse suites, hot tubs, French champagne and limos.”

  “If that’s the case, why are you dressed for a trek in the woods?”

  “It’s a surprise. One that I hope you’ll enjoy.”

  Leroy steps out of the limo and comes around to open the door for us.

  “Good morning, Jade,” he tells her. “It’s good to see you again. Are you hungry?”

  Oh no, not that again.

  “No! She’s not hungry,” I snap, interrupting him before he talks her into stopping by one of Vegas’s famous breakfast buffets.

  “Good to see you too, Leroy,” Jade replies with a quick smile in his direction. She ducks her head down and slides into the back of the limo.

  “I should have asked you before speaking up. Are you hungry?” I settle down on the plush leather seat next to her. “I’m sure Leroy keeps snacks back here somewhere.” I lean forward to peek inside the cabinets on either side of the bar. Finding a big bag of potato chips, I hold them out to her. “Want some chips?” I offer. “There might be something better in here. I’ll keep searching. I’m sure there’s nothing healthy though. Only junk food.”

  “No, I’m fine,” she assures me. “Trust me, if I get hungry, I’ll tell you. I had a protein bar for breakfast.” She points to the empty champagne bucket sitting on the table in front of us. “No bottle of chilled French champagne today? You’re slipping down on the job.”

  “There’s no champagne…yet.” I hold up a finger. “Should we stop along the way and pick up a bottle to drink on the way? There’s a twenty-four-hour wine shop two blocks away.”

  I’m falling all over myself trying to please her. Even I don’t drink this early in the morning.

  What the fuck is this girl doing to me?

  “I was making a joke,” she says, laughing at me. “I’m easy to please. I’m a simple girl with plain tastes. I don’t need expensive champagne to make me happy.”

  I scoot closer and drape an arm around her shoulders. Her body fits perfectly in my arms.

  “Tell me what makes you happy,” I ask. “I would love to hear.”

  “Chocolate,” she replies, smiling up at me. “In anything, it doesn’t matter what. Candy, cookies, cakes and even drinks. I’m not picky. Peanut butter makes me warm and fuzzy on the inside too. I told you, I’m easy to please.”

  “Then I will build you a grand chocolate factory with a river flowing with hot chocolate sauce. Stick with me and you will never have to endure a single day without your favorite flavor again. Luckily, I saw Willy Wonka a million times as a kid. I’ll never run out of chocolate ideas.”

  “That might be the sexiest proposition I’ve ever heard,” she says, moving slightly closer. Or is it only my imagination that she’s leaning in toward me instead of away? “Keep on with your sweet talking about chocolate. It’s a real turn on.”

  “If you insist.” I draw her closer against my side. “Though I need to warn you. My mind is already traveling to places it shouldn’t. Now I can’t stop thinking about drizzling warm, chocolate sauce on your naked body and slowly licking it off. Maybe I’ll start here first.” Leaning down, I push her hair back over her shoulders and kiss the sensitive spot on her neck. “Or maybe here.” I nuzzle lower to a spot below her collarbone. “Or since you’re the one who loves the taste of chocolate so much, maybe you can lick it off me.” I glance up at her with a mischievous grin to see her reaction. “Whatever floats your chocolate boat.”

  “I was wondering how long it would take you to suggest something along that line,” she says, rolling her eyes.

  “You started it,” I remind her. “Don’t blame me if my mind goes straight into the gutter.”

  Her eyes meet mine and we both abruptly stop talking. The air is charged with the sexual chemistry crackling between us. We both know there were many things left unsaid from the other night.

  Reaching over, I cup the side of her face with my hand. Gently, I touch her bottom lip with my thumb.

  “Why did you run out on me without a word?”

  My question catches her off guard. Breaking my gaze, she glances out the window. She wasn’t expecting me to be blunt, to come straight out and ask her. The question slipped out because it’s been on my mind constantly.

  “I don’t know what to say,” she whispers in a voice so low that I can barely hear her.

  “You can tell me why you didn’t leave me a phone number or a way to contact you. I searched all over Vegas for days trying to find you. Ask Leroy. He was helping me hunt for you.”

  “But why?” she asks, her big green eyes turning to stare up at me. “Why were you trying to find me? Why did it matter if I didn’t leave you a number?”

  “What do you mean?” I give her an incredulous look. “I wanted to see you again. To get to know you. Is that so hard to believe?”

  “Honestly, yes,” she answers. “In a way, it is.”

  I don’t respond or try to argue with her. Instead, I try to understand where she’s coming from. Jade doesn’t know about Dad, my hustler past and my poverty-stricken childhood.

  All she sees is the playboy image I project now. No wonder she didn’t want to hang around longer.

  What decent woman would?

  “I’d like for you to get to know me better,” I say. “The real me. Not this bullshit.” I wave a hand at the limo we’re riding in. “What’s inside here.” Taking her hand, I place it palm down against my chest, where my heartbeat is steadily thumping. “I want you to know who I am, not the character I play up on stage.”

  “Are you saying you’re not who you appear to be?” she asks, lifting her eyebrows.

  “That would all depend on how I appear to be,” I reply with a shrug. “Appearances can be deceiving, and I’ve worked damn hard to maintain a certain appearance in my public life. I want to learn more about you. The problem is, I have a gut feeling you won’t let me do that until you know more about me. You don’t trust people easily.”

  “Neither do you,” she points out.

  True.

  “How about this for starters?” I say. “I’ll tell you one big secret about me and you tell me why you ran out without saying goodbye. It’s a fair trade in my opinion.”

  She studies me carefully, wondering if I’m trying to trick her. The doubts about my sincerity float across her face.

  “Okay,” she finally relents. “I’ll play along. Tell me one thing about you. It needs to be something big though. One thing that I wouldn’t suspect.”

  I remove my arm from around her shoulders and reach down to take her hand in mine. Now that she’s willing to listen, I don’t know what to say or how to begin.

  I can’t tell her everything about me.

  Not yet.

  She might jump out at the next traffic light and run away again. Who could blame her if she did?

  Telling Jade the truth about me will be the same as pulling back the curtain on my illusionist tricks. Revealing myself to her will show I’m nothing except smoke and mirrors.

  Her fingers tighten around mine. “What is it?” she asks, her eyes narrowing. “You’re nervous. I can see it. Why? You can tell me anything. If it’s confidential, I would never share what you tell me.”

  “Not even with your new friend?”

  “Natasha?” Jade pulls back slightly and shakes her head. “No, I won’t tell her. You can trust me.”

  “My dad is in prison,” I blurt out suddenly.

  Jade’s eyes widen in surprise. I expect her to pull away from me, but she doesn’t.

  “Are you close with him?”

  “Very close. He’s the most important person in my life.”

  “What about your mom a
nd the rest of your family?” she asks. “I remember you mentioning how you showed them magic tricks until they begged you to stop. Where are they?”

  Damn!

  She remembers all the lies I told her the night at the Pink Elephant.

  “There is no family,” I admit quietly. “Only me and my dad. That’s it. My mom left us when I was a little kid. We waited a few weeks for her to come back because she’d taken off before. My parents fought a lot, mostly about my dad’s lack of steady work or her drinking. She’d leave and then eventually come back. For a while, things would be okay again until the cycle repeated itself. This time she didn’t return.”

  “What did you do then?”

  “We packed up a few things. Then we hit the road in an old truck with a little camper on the back. What we couldn’t pack into the truck, we left behind. We traveled around the country for years until we finally landed in Vegas on a hot, summer day. The moment we drove into town and saw the bright, sparkling lights, Dad said we’d found heaven on earth. I’ve lived here ever since.”

  “It wasn’t true about you getting a magic kit for Christmas as a child?”

  “No,” I say, shaking my head slowly. “None of it was true. I’m sorry for lying. The story is a press release that my public relations team came up with. It sounds much better than the truth.”

  “What is the truth?”

  “That my life is nothing, but a carefully crafted illusion.”

  Jade

  If Sugar’s life is an illusion, then I can’t imagine what he would call mine.

  “What do you mean your life is an illusion?” I ask him. “You’re a famous magician with sold out shows in a huge theater. It would be hard to fake your life. You’re on stage every day, front and center in the public eye.”

  “Faking a life isn’t hard,” I reply. “Not really. All you need to do is reveal what you want people to know and hide the rest. Now it’s your turn. I told you my big secret, now let’s hear yours. Why didn’t you tell me goodbye or leave me your phone number? I’m a big boy. I can handle the truth, whatever it is.”

  My mind whirls while I wonder how much to share with him.