She blew him a kiss.
Michael held the door for her, and then they were off to find Julia downstairs in the casino before Jerry could change his mind.
After they stepped inside the empty elevator, Michael pulled her against him and whispered in her ear, “You need to give Jerry a break.”
“I fought with him on purpose so he’d still feel manly after being put on babysitting patrol. I know he’s struggling, and I thought keeping him away from the temptation made the most sense.”
He smiled. “You may be compulsive, crazy, and impetuous, but you can also be very kind, in your own puzzling way.” Then he kissed her.
Dani sighed, savoring the slow, tender pace he set.
She was all wrong for him. Michael was structured, goal-oriented, responsible, successful, and—she just wasn’t. But there was something about him she couldn’t resist. Every time he kissed her, she forgot all the reasons they’d never have a real relationship, because he’d never be happy with a woman like her. She had to remind herself that they were just going to have some sex, hang out occasionally, and that’d be it. She assumed that’s how it’d work, anyway.
Spending time with him over the past few days, though, had her wishing for something more than just being his occasional sex partner. Beyond her physical attraction to him, she respected him more than any other man she’d ever known.
Because Maeve had always kept her up-to-date on Michael’s activities, she’d found out he never took his natural talent for football for granted. He’d worked hard in college, even knowing he had a starting NFL quarterback position waiting for him, and earned straight As. He never took chances, and in his case, it had paid off.
He was the most down-to-earth, reliable, steady person she’d ever known. The type every mother wanted her daughter to marry. She probably wasn’t good enough for him, but something about him made her want to try to be. Maybe if she worked a little harder at her new life plans, he’d see that she could change.
Michael ended their kiss, then leaned back and smiled. When his dimples appeared, it gave her heart a quick palpitation. He said, “So, what’s the plan if we find her?”
She hadn’t worked out all the details on that yet, but Michael was way too practical to go along easily with her gambling scheme. “Well, I think we’ll listen to her side of the story, then go from there. But the number one goal is to keep her out of jail so Emma doesn’t have to live with Ron.”
“Okay.” He nodded as the elevator doors parted, and they were assaulted by a tsunami of noise again. “I want to ask her what she knows about Ron’s hidden money, too.”
Dani took his hand, tugging him toward the blackjack tables. “That’s definitely on the agenda. And if it were me, when we find the money, I’d take all of it and make Ron beg for his half, but then I’m not as nice as your mom.”
“Good idea. We’ll talk her into that when we find it.”
The loud casino was packed with people trying to win their fortunes. The vintage music playing overhead added to the din. It was a large place, one of the biggest in Vegas according to the ad in Julia’s kitchen. And in keeping with the gangster motif, the male workers wore fedoras, pinstriped vests, and spats on their shoes. The women’s uniforms consisted of gray pinstriped super-short skirts, three-inch black heels, garter belts, and low-cut, filmy white tops.
A cocktail waitress with exceptionally large breasts batted her eyes at Michael, leaned close enough for him to get a nice view of her assets, and asked if he’d like a drink. Her name tag read “Bunny.” Like that was her real name.
When Michael declined, she sent him a little pout, then turned to Dani. “You want somethin’?”
Yeah, she wanted something. She wanted to smack the sneer right off the woman’s overly made-up face, but instead just shook her head, hoping the pit bull would go find some other woman’s man to sniff.
After the waitress flounced away, Dani glanced at her sweater and jeans, suddenly feeling underdressed and definitely not looking her best. Not that there weren’t others dressed casually, but she’d only packed clothes for the cooler weather in Taos, not for an evening in a casino. If she was going to play the part of a high-stakes gambler, she’d have to have a better outfit. But, first things first, they needed to find Julia; then maybe she’d go check out the boutique.
Michael’s hand slipped around her waist, pulling her next to him. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the room, Dani, no matter what you’re wearing.”
Was she that transparent? “I’m thinking it was more about how much that waitress hoped you liked what she was serving. But you probably didn’t even notice all the silicone on the menu, did you?”
He chuckled and pulled her deeper into the crowd. “Do you think they were fake? Thanks for clearing that up for me. Now I won’t have to wonder about her chest all night.”
“Keep it up, and you’re sleeping with the snoring freight train again.” She elbowed him in the ribs. It was like smashing her arm into a brick wall. It probably hurt her more than him.
“That was a lame jab. We really need to work on your upper-body strength. It’s probably due to your poor diet.” He tugged her closer. “And for the record, I could never be attracted to a woman like that. She looked like a hooker.” He laid a soft kiss just in front of her ear that made her knees go weak. “Those fat-filled treats you’re so fond of seem to be making you cranky, and they’re sucking away all of your sense of humor.”
She stopped walking and gazed into his amused eyes. He was right, and that was strange. Not that he was right, especially about her love of snack cakes, but that she was jealous. She’d never been the jealous type.
She stood on her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on his lips. “I guess I can’t blame that woman for trying. You are kinda cute. Let’s find Emma’s mom.” She slipped her arm through his, then added, “And I have plenty of upper-body strength. I was just taking it easy on you earlier because you’re such a wimpy lawyer. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
His low chuckle warmed all her good parts again. They seriously needed to find some alone time.
But first they needed to find Julia.
After they’d made two complete rounds of the casino with no luck, they sat down at a bar near the main bank of elevators to have a drink. Maybe they’d catch Julia when she came back from wherever she’d gone.
While they sipped their drinks, a small group of people walked toward them. In the middle was an attractive man, probably in his midfifties. Beautiful, scantily clad women hung all over the other men in the group, but the one in the middle didn’t have a partner. The outer ring of people consisted of muscled men who looked like they’d be Jerry’s best friends.
As they passed by, a gap formed in the ring of people, giving her a better view. The man in the middle met Dani’s gaze and held it.
When his eyes locked with hers, it sent a punch straight to her gut.
It was Mario. He was tall, had light-brown hair with a touch of sophisticated gray at the temples, olive skin, and reminded her of an Italian don, but that was par for the course in the hotel. He nodded at her, and then one of the women he was with stole his attention. “Mr. Giovanni, you’ve done such wonderful things here. You’re a genius.”
Mario continued walking, but after a few paces stopped, excused himself from the group, then returned to their table. He held his hand out. “Excuse me, Ms. Botelli, but we haven’t formally met. I’m a friend of your mother’s. My name is Mario Giovanni. Welcome to my humble establishment.”
Dani took his outstretched hand and shook it, stunned that he knew who she was. Her mother was so beloved that, after Dani’s kidnapping, her mom’s pleas to the press to never photograph or buy pictures of her daughters had been heeded for the most part. But there were the occasional cell phone pix that caught them around Albuquerque without their disguises, so it was possible. “Hello, Mr. Giovanni, it’s nice to meet you. This is an amazing place.” She lifted her free hand toward Michael. “This is m
y friend, Michael Reilly.”
Dani tried to tug her hand free, but Mario wouldn’t let go. He stared intently in her eyes so long it made her squirm. Was the guy her father?
Finally, he released her hand and held his out to Michael. “Mr. Reilly, it’s a pleasure to meet any friend of Daniella’s. How long will you be staying with us?”
“That depends, but probably a night or two at the most.” Michael slipped his hand around her shoulder, pulling her close.
Mr. Giovanni nodded as he reached inside his suit coat pocket. Panic filled her for a brief second, and she almost expected a gun to appear, but it was just a little card. He handed it to Michael. “Please, use this to eat and drink to your delight during your visit. Your room will be on the house as well.” Then he turned to her. “I would venture your mother doesn’t know you’re here. I’m sure she would have let me know. When you see her next, please say hello for me, won’t you?”
The way he frowned slightly as he studied her face again made her feel like a bug squashed onto a microscope slide.
Finally, his features morphed into a friendly grin. “You are as beautiful as your mother, Daniella. I’m glad to have finally met you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Giovanni. And thank you for your generosity. We appreciate it. I’ll be sure to give your regards to my mother.” How she would do that without her mother knowing she was in Vegas was going to be a trick, though.
He smiled politely, then quickly turned and walked away, leaving Dani with the oddest sensation in her belly. No one ever called her Daniella except for her mother.
Michael waited until Mr. Giovanni was out of earshot before he said, “Are you all right?”
“Yeah. Just a little freaked out, I guess.”
Jerry’s voice screamed into her ear. “Get your butt up here now. The kid’s awake and bawling her brains out for you.”
She sighed and grabbed Michael’s arm. “Em’s awake. We have to go.”
They hurried upstairs to their floor again, and Emma’s wails could be heard down the long hallway. When Michael opened the door, the noise was louder than the slots downstairs.
Dani quickly scooped Emma from the bed, and Jerry ran into the hall to stand guard. She held Emma in her arms, rocking and pacing, but was unable to calm her. Somehow Emma still managed to cry while sticking her fingers in her mouth, chewing on them and slobbering up a storm. Her forehead felt warm, and her cheeks were flushed.
She glanced at Michael for help. “She was acting strange when I put her to bed, too. Do we need a doctor?”
He took Emma from her and, after a minor struggle, convinced her to let him see inside her mouth. “She’s getting her molars. Maybe her mom packed some pain meds.” He dug through her diaper bag and found an almost empty bottle of red liquid. There wasn’t enough left for a full dose. But he dug some more and came up with a teething ring that he handed over. Emma immediately put it into her mouth and bit on it, seeming to find some relief.
Michael said, “I’ll run out and find a drugstore. Be right back.”
“Thanks.” Dani took Emma from Michael and walked her around the room, trying to soothe her. Jerry came back inside after Michael left and flopped into a chair, picked up the remote, and flipped through channels, staring at the television screen, sweating like a crazed drug addict going through withdrawal.
It was obvious he was in dire straits and jonesing for the casino in a bad way.
As much as she didn’t care for his bossy ways, she hated to see anyone suffer, and he clearly was. She worried that as soon as everyone was in bed, Jerry’d slip down to the casino.
As she paced the room, cuddling Em, she pondered what she could do to distract him. She could call Michael on his cell and ask him to pick up some booze to let Jerry drink himself to sleep, but that probably wasn’t the best idea. The alcohol would probably just lower his inhibitions and willpower even more.
What else would distract him? Television obviously wasn’t working.
“Jerry, are you on any of those dating sites? The ones where people who travel can find a dinner date at the last minute by the location on your phone?”
He grunted. “How long have you been off the market? Those are hookup sites, Dani. Dinner is completely optional. But that’s not a bad idea.” Jerry dug his phone from his pocket.
“Really? You mean people just meet up with nearby strangers to have sex and then say, ‘See ya’?”
“Try not to blush, Little Miss Innocent.” Jerry chuckled while he swiped his thumb across the screen.
Her hand flew to her face. Was she blushing? No, he was just teasing her. But yuck.
She leaned over his shoulder. Jerry’s profile showed him clad in leather from head to toe, sporting a big smile. She didn’t even know he knew how to smile.
Em seemed content gnawing on her chew toy like a puppy, so Dani plopped down beside Jerry and settled Emma onto her lap. He was flipping through women so fast it was hard to keep up. “What kind of woman are you looking for?”
“One with big tits. I’m not too picky about the rest.”
“Ah. So pretty eyes or a nice smile are all wasted on a guy like you, huh?”
“Pretty much.” He continued flipping through women at warp speed while she watched.
“Wait.” She pointed to the screen. “That redhead is really pretty. Let’s see what her profile says.”
“Nope. Redheads remind me of my kindergarten teacher. Ruins all the fun.”
“I suppose it would. Wait. Stop. Back up one. I think I recognize her.” The woman who flashed by looked just like the big-boobed cocktail waitress who had flirted with Michael earlier. “If her name is Bunny, I think she’s perfect for you.”
Jerry’s forehead crumpled as he studied her profile information. “You’re right. These other pictures on here show off the assets better. And her name is Bunny. It says she’s located less than a half mile away. How’d you know that?”
“Michael and I ran into her downstairs. She works here.” Odd that someone who met that many men would need to be on a dating site, but maybe they had rules about dating guests at the casino or something. “Why don’t you see what time she gets off work?”
“I will. But it’s always best to have a backup option on these sites.” Jerry tapped in his message and then went right back to swiping.
A minute later his phone chimed. Jerry read the message and sighed. “She said she’d love to meet up, but she has to work until three a.m., if I can wait. Too bad.” He went back on the hunt, swiping the screen.
Bunny did seem just what Jerry was looking for. “Wait. The man who owns this place is a good friend of my mom’s. Maybe we can see if she can take a little break. You probably don’t need more than ten minutes for this kind of dating, right?” Dani sent him a smirk.
“Ten minutes?” Jerry’s hand flew to his chest. “That’s insulting, Dani. I’m a gentleman in the sack who aims to please. I’d need a minimum of twenty minutes. Gotta let them finish one drink first, right?”
“Of course. What was I thinking?” She shook her head and rose to pick up the phone. He was just kidding again. She hoped.
Whenever her mother wanted something done for her while staying in a hotel, she called the concierge. Dani picked up the phone and dialed.
A smooth voice answered. “Hello, my name is Ben. How may I be of assistance this evening?”
The nice man was just dying to help her. “Hi, Ben. I was wondering if Mr. Giovanni is available?”
“I’ve been given orders by Mr. Giovanni himself to see that all of your needs are fulfilled, Ms. Botelli, so I’d be happy to help you.”
“Great. There’s a cocktail waitress who works here named Bunny, and I wondered if you could arrange an extended break for her? Like maybe an hour?” She glanced at Jerry to see if that was enough time for him to be gentlemanly. When he nodded, she said, “Bunny said she’d like to meet my friend. Here in the hotel. Upstairs.”
Ben cleared his throat. “Ms.
Botelli, if it’s a paid companion your friend is looking for, I can arrange for that. Is there a particular type of woman your friend prefers?”
Crap. He thought the hookup was for her. “It’s not for me. It’s for the guy in the connecting room.”
“I see.”
No he didn’t. “No really, it’s for the guy next door. They used one of those app things to meet.”
She tilted the phone toward Jerry so Ben could hear and called out, “Jerry, tell Ben what attracted you to Bunny.”
Jerry cocked a brow. “Her pretty smile?”
She rolled her eyes as Ben struggled to stifle his laugh. “Yes, Bunny has a lovely smile, among other things. So we’ll direct her to room twenty-five nineteen instead of yours for her date.”
Thankfully, her reputation as a heterosexual was still intact. She had no trouble with whomever people loved, but she could imagine Ben selling the story of Annalisa’s daughter’s sexual preferences to the tabloids. Worse, if that happened, then her mom would know where she was.
“Could you send up a good bottle of champagne for them, too?” If Bunny was only getting one drink, it should at least be a good one.
Ben agreed to let Bunny have the rest of the night off and then quoted the price of the bottle. Nice champagne didn’t come cheap. But their rooms and all of their meals were going to be free, so she could probably swing it.
“That sounds good. Send her up as soon as you can!”
Michael pulled his pillow over his head but it didn’t block out the sounds of the thumping headboard in the next room. You’d think in a newer hotel it would’ve been a little more secure.
Emma had settled down after the pain killer kicked in but wouldn’t let Dani leave her side, so they were in the other bed, and he was alone.
Dani couldn’t possibly be asleep with the tribal beat filling the air, so he threw his spare pillow at her. “Bright idea, Botelli. Jerry’s getting some, we’re not, and we have to hear all about it.”
“I was just trying to help.” When the banging paused for a moment and then began in a whole new beat, she snickered. “It certainly seems to be distracting him.”
Seeing Double (A Heartbreaker Novel Book 1) Page 17
