Socialite's Gamble

Ellery scoffed. ‘Well, enjoy your winning streak. It won’t last.’

‘They never do,’ Aidan drawled as if he felt sorry for the fact.

Cara swallowed. He was a formidable adversary and instinctively she knew that to go up against him would be dangerous. Not that she was intending to if she could avoid it. She hated conflict, much preferring to pull a pillow over her head and hide than have an out-and-out stoush with someone.

Cowardly of her, perhaps, but between the desire to find out how his beautiful mouth would feel on hers and the urge to run for her life, Cara would choose the latter any time. Because, she suspected, if she ever did kiss Aidan Kelly, she’d come out of the experience changed for ever.

Oh, but now that her mind had wandered down that particular track it was hard to pull it back. She wondered what he would do if she asked him to just stand still while she kissed him and then forget it had ever happened.

And where exactly did you leave your brain tonight, you idiot girl? she berated herself. Because it’s certainly not inside your sorry head.

As if reading her thoughts, Aidan cut his gaze to hers and then let it drop to her lips. They tingled and she felt the strongest urge to part them.

Suddenly she felt very much like the meat in an overcooked sandwich as she stood between the two men.

‘Maybe it would be best if we all returned indoors,’ she said, knowing it was her job to dispel the sudden hostility that emanated between them.

Unfortunately neither one of them paid her any attention.

‘You’re out of your depth, boy. Just like your father.’

Cara felt the bite in the air and sucked in a quick breath. She had no idea what the trouble was between the two men but Martin Ellery had just raised the bar if the sudden tension in the man behind her was anything to go by.

Slowly turning around Cara half expected Aidan to have a knife at the ready but instead he smiled benignly at the man who had clearly tried to insult him. Watching him she wondered if she’d imagined the tension she had, moments ago, felt pulsing out of him. Perhaps it had just been her own.

‘Gentlemen—’

‘You want to be careful, Kelly.’ Ellery surprised her by putting his hand back on her waist. ‘You might lose more than you bargained for.’

Oh, no. Cara stiffened in mortification at the thought of what Ellery was about to reveal.

‘Stop worrying so much, Martin,’ Aidan said amiably. ‘You’re starting to sound paranoid.’

Ellery’s hand shook slightly before it tightened on her and Cara did a quick sidestep. If they wanted to butt heads with each other, they didn’t need her around to watch.

Before she could make her escape, though, Ellery blocked her way. ‘See you at the table, Kelly.’

‘I look forward to it,’ Aidan drawled.

Ellery glared at him on his way past and completely ignored Cara, leaving her standing on the balcony in a pool of coloured lights with a man who threw off enough testosterone to power the Strip for a year at least.

‘So, that was interesting?’ she murmured in an attempt to fill the awkward silence.

‘Only if you like dirty old men.’

Okay …

‘I don’t know what the problem is between you, but … maybe you should go easy on Mr Ellery,’ Cara felt compelled to say softly. ‘I think he’s really scared of you.’

Aidan Kelly didn’t move a muscle. ‘He should be.’

And so should I, she thought a little desperately.

‘Do you like dirty old men, Miss Chatsfield?’ he asked mockingly.

Try as she might Cara couldn’t stop her eyes from taking him in. With his sleeves rolled to his elbows and his formidable shoulders he was possibly the most virile man she had ever seen outside of an action movie. ‘Well, that depends on your definition of old.’ She smiled to try and lighten the atmosphere. ‘But as a general rule I would say not.’

‘Then stay away from Ellery. He’s poison.’

She paused. The late-night breeze teased the hair at her temples and in the distance the rattle of New York–New York’s roller-coaster and requisite screams from the passengers could be heard. She felt flushed even though the night was still cool and her hands had definitely turned clammy.

‘Thanks for the warning,’ she said as brightly as she could. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me I’d better get back.’

Except for some reason she didn’t move.

‘What did Ellery want?’ Aidan asked suddenly.

Cara shook her head. ‘Nothing.’

‘Nothing?’ His blue eyes penetrated deep inside her. ‘Are you with him?’

‘Am I …’ Cara felt her brows draw together. ‘As in, am I seeing him?’