Raising the Stakes

“But, you don’t date guests.” Gray smiled. “No problem. I understand.”

“Good. I’m glad you do. I wouldn’t want you to think it was anything personal.”

“Recommend a hotel, then.”

“Sorry?”

“I’m going to check out of the Desert Song and into some other place. I figured you’d be able to give me the name of a hotel I’d like.”

“But why…?” Her cheeks colored. “Don’t be silly!”

“I’m not. I’m being practical. Until a few minutes ago, I figured the only way I’d get to see more of you would be to drop a bundle at the tables tonight and get myself designated a VIP. That way I’d at least run into you from time to time, but now it turns out I can stay at another hotel and you’ll go out with me for an evening.”

She sat back and stared at him. “I never said that!”

“Didn’t you?”

“No. Absolutely not. You’ve twisted things all around.”

“Yeah, well, I told you, I’m a lawyer. We’re not just tenacious, twisting things around is what we do for a living. Look, I’m not asking for much. Dinner, anywhere you like. Just think of it as a memorial to those horses of yours, their bones bleaching in the dust of Las Vegas Boulevard.”

He saw her mouth twitch and then she gave a low, throaty laugh. “You really don’t know how to take no for an answer, do you?”

“No,” he said simply, “not when I see something I want. Say you’ll have dinner with me tonight.”

He said it so easily, as if things like this happened every day

. And they did happen every day; she knew that. Men asked women out; women said yes and went. It was simple, really, and it didn’t have to lead to anything but a pleasant evening, a couple of hours of laughter and good food, and when was the last time she’d done anything like that?

Never. Not ever. She’d never dated a man, never sat across a table from one and smiled and joked, just relaxed and enjoyed his company.

Cassie was right. Gray was handsome. And nice. He’d helped her yesterday and he hadn’t asked anything in return, hadn’t tried anything, hadn’t made an oily bubble of fear rise in her throat the way it sometimes did when a man looked at her or touched her or—

“Dawn?” She looked up. He was smiling, waiting for her answer. “If not dinner, how about a drink? That’s all, I promise. Just tell me where to pick you up and when.”

The sounds of the hotel, the ever-present electronic songs of the slot machines, faded to silence. She could feel her heart hammering, wasn’t that ridiculous? Almost as ridiculous as the idea of agreeing to meet him tonight…

Just do it, she thought, and the words burst from her throat.

“Seven o’clock. I’ll meet you just outside the front door.”

She stood up. Gray rose, too, but she shook her head and he stayed where he was, watching her until she disappeared in a river of tourists flowing down the corridor. Then he sat down, picked up the cup that held the last of his espresso and wondered why his hand seemed to be shaking.

CHAPTER TEN

DAWN looked at the dress that lay across her bed, at the jeans and T-shirts tossed beside it, and decided she’d lost her mind.

One of them had, either she or Cassie, who was standing inside the closet and pawing madly through the few things still dangling from the rod—but it wasn’t Cassie who had agreed to meet a stranger for dinner.

“Stop!” Cassie didn’t so much as turn her head. Dawn scooped up the dress, put it on a hanger and marched to the closet. “There’s no point in playing deaf, Cass. I know you heard me. “

“I cannot believe this,” Cassie muttered. “Don’t you own anything except work stuff and jeans? Honestly, Dawn—”

“Honestly, Cassie,” Dawn said as she put the dress away, “you can stop taking my closet apart.”

“Suits. Dresses my mother wouldn’t wear. For Pete’s sake—”

“Cassie.” Dawn grabbed her friend’s hands and held on until she looked at her. “Cut it out.”