by Sarah Curtis
But in all of her extensive searching, River didn't come across one single candid photo of her and Alec, and in a world where the paparazzi popped up everywhere and got into everyone's personal nook and cranny, that made her feel better. The gossip rags were known to be wrong before—many times—and she prayed this was one of them.
Alec knocked on her door at precisely six o'clock to pick her up for their date. He stood before her, drop-dead gorgeous, in a custom-tailored, navy suit and white dress shirt, open at the collar and minus a tie. His eyes raked her from head to toe then slowly made the trip back up. She'd gone all out with her appearance in a curve hugging, off the shoulder, lavender, dress paired with silver, high-heeled sandals. She'd left her hair down to fall in thick waves reaching the center of her back. And had gone a little heavier than her usual barely-there makeup, giving herself smoky eyes, thick long lashes, and fire engine red lips. She had a feeling, from the look Alec was giving her, she'd done a good job.
"Looking as you do, not sure I want to share you with the rest of the island. Let's go to my room and order room service."
A smile tugged at her lips but she refrained from letting it show, not wanting to encourage his bad behavior. "Thank you, but I thought we could try Blossoms." At his raised brow, she continued a bit defensively, "I've heard good things."
Standing from the door frame, he held out his hand. "Then by all means, let's try Blossoms."
She took his hand as they walked casually down the hall to the elevator, neither of them in a hurry.
"Now that I have you in my clutches, how about telling me why you're playing in the tournament."
She gave him a sly look from the corner of her eye. "How do you know I won't slip off to the bathroom and sneak away before our evening is over?"
"I'll take my chances."
"Ooh, you are a gambler."
He pulled her closer, draping an arm across her shoulders, and her arm automatically wrapped around his back.
"You're stalling," he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze.
"A more accurate word would be avoiding."
They reached the elevator, and he pressed the down button.
River eyed the three doors. "I bet the middle car will come first. What do you think?"
Pulling her so her front was flush against his, he said, "I never bet unless there's a reward."
"Not enough time to work out a wager, I'm afraid." A ding sounded, and River looked over just as the center doors started to open.
Alec smirked. "Shame, you would've won."
The elevator was crowded, and people shifted to the side as they stepped on. Alec settled into the corner and positioned her with her back to his front. Then hugging her around the waist, he closely tucked her against him.
His heat seared into her back as his head dipped, and his lips found her ear. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look?"
She wanted to fully sink into him, luxuriate in all that was Alec, but she held herself stiff, unable to get the image of him and Victoria out of her mind. "In a roundabout way."
"Well let me be more direct." His warm breath fanned her ear and his gruffly whispered voice sent tingles to places best left ignored for the time being. "You look good enough to eat. And I mean that quite literally."
River felt heat rise to her cheeks. While she wasn't a blushing virgin, she'd never had a man speak quite so bluntly to her before. Though she found his words highly arousing if her slight panting and thigh clenching were any indication.
She looked around at their fellow occupants to gauge if they were making a scene. With the explosive energy zinging through her body, she wouldn't be surprised if it were visible for all to see. Other than the lone man tucked into the opposite corner of the elevator who quickly looked away when her gaze meet his, no one else paid them any attention.
River let out a soft sigh as the elevator came to a stop and the doors started to part. Being in an enclosed space so close to Alec, created all sorts of internal havoc. She needed to put a little distance between them to get her head back on track. The track where she put all her focus on the important tournament ahead.
Blossoms continued the hotel's tropical theme but on a more elegant scale. No wicker with floral print could be found. Instead, plump velvet covered seats and tables topped with crisp white tablecloths adorned with crystal and china place settings filled the room.
The hostess stood regally behind her podium, smiling politely as they entered until her eyes found and locked on Alec. Then her polite smile turned into flirty innuendo. River had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.
"Two for dinner?" the hostess asked, reaching for the pile of menus.
Before Alec could respond, River said, "We're meeting people."
"We are?" Alec inquired, while intently staring down at her.
"River! Over here." Silvia semi-stood at a table in the canter of the room, waving a beckoning arm in their direction.
She looked up at Alec, feeling her lips twitch. "Saved by the boisterously enthusiastic greeting."
He leaned in close, his warm breath fanning across her ear. "What are you up to?"
Her cheek played along the stubble of his jaw as she tipped her head to reach his ear. "You said dinner. You never added any stipulations."
He was so close, she felt as well as heard his low, deep chuckle. "Payback's a bitch, sweetheart, remember that."
She took a hasty step forward, giving Alec her back and waved at Silvia who was still standing with a wide smile gracing her face. She felt Alec's presence behind her as she traveled the length of the restaurant but strangely missed his contact. The possessive hand at the small of her back, or the draping of his arm around her shoulders that she'd grown accustomed to. Guilt speared through her at his obvious displeasure of her manipulating their plans.
"I'm so happy you came," Silvia said excitedly as she reached for River's arm, pulling her closer. Then in a lower voice said, "I didn't know the friend you were bringing was Alec Throne."
"I hope that's not a problem."
"Problem? Phfft." She waved a hand. "Jason will love to pick his brain all night, and I'll just stare and drool."
Taking her seat, River had second thoughts about their choice of dinner companions. She dared a quick peek at Alec. He was smiling at Jason, but it looked forced. His lips were stiff, and he held his jaw clenched. Yep, probably not one of her brightest ideas.
Halfway through the meal, Alec loosened up. The three beers he'd consumed probably helped, but in all honesty, after the initial get-to-know-you, the two men got along famously, having quite a bit in common. Right now, they were in a heated debate over football. River listened with half an ear as stats and names were bandied about, understanding nothing about the sport except the player's asses looked hot in their tight pants.
Silvia had a quirky sense of humor that was getting funnier with each glass of wine she guzzled. In the middle of an animated tale involving a dress on clearance and her and another woman fighting over it, River felt Alec's hand slide up her thigh, under her dress. She halted mid-laugh, her wineglass stilling halfway to her lips.
She discreetly looked his direction. He was still in deep conversation with Jason, seemingly giving him his full attention, but River knew better. His hand slid between her thighs, the pads of his fingers softly stroking the inner flesh, rising closer to her heat with each tantalizing pass.
She took a large swallow of her wine, setting the glass carefully back on the table. Her eyes remained fixed on Silvia, but she was no longer listening, her sole focus now on Alec and his magical fingers. But until they had a "talk" and she discovered the true story with his relationship or lack t
hereof with Victoria, she knew she needed to put a stop to all the touchy-feely stuff, however much her vagina was begging her to just let it be.
As discreetly as possible, she reached a hand under the table, covering Alec's, and pried his hand off her leg.
He turned to look at her, brow raised, before flipping his hand over and entwining their fingers.
Holding hands was not the outcome she'd intended as she subtly crossed her legs, placing their clasped hands on her lap, but she guessed compared to the alternative, it was the most innocent compromise.
Unaware of the battle waging under the table, Silvia's dress story segued smoothly into a tale about the first time she and Jason had gone camping. Hearing his name, Jason supplied his two cents to the story when warranted, deserting his conversation with Alec.
Movement caught River's eye as Alec's free hand dropped into his lap, and his phone lit up as he typed something into it. She wasn't ashamed to admit, she may have squinted a little, trying to make out the words. But there was no need for her stealth maneuvers, as a few seconds later her small clutch started to vibrate.
As discreetly as possible, she slipped her phone from her bag. A text from an unknown number flashed on her screen, and she wondered for a moment how Alec had gotten her phone number.
What's wrong?
She decided it was best to just be direct.
Who's Victoria Lee?
She heard his phone buzz, knowing her text arrived. She looked back at Silvia while waiting for Alec to reply. River smiled, nodding in agreement, trying to engage in the conversation although she had no idea the current subject matter. But she did catch the words poop and kill, piquing her curiosity a tad.
She felt her phone vibrate.
The daughter of my parents' friends.
That didn't tell her very much. She decided to share that nugget of wisdom.
That doesn't tell me much.
His next response came faster.
What do you want to know?
Everything!
Oh, I don't know. How about, is she your girlfriend?
No.
Getting information from Alec was like pulling teeth, hard and painful. Maybe she should just cut her losses, go to the gala with him tomorrow night, and be done with it. She'd be going home right after the tournament anyway. They lived in two separate worlds. Oh, and let's not forget the fact she didn't date poker players. Why, again, was she even bothering with this line of questioning? Oh, yeah, Alec Throne was her vagina's Achilles' heel.
River?
Never mind.
I said, she's not my girlfriend.
And I said, never mind.
You're cute when you're grumpy.
I'm not grumpy.
Horny?
She didn't dignify that with a response. Instead, she made a show of putting her phone to sleep and tucking it back into her bag. Then she made another show of picking up her wineglass, taking a sip, and giving her full attention back to Silvia.
Alec leaned back in his chair, draped his arm across the back of hers, and played with the skin of her exposed shoulder.
And she spent the rest of dinner pretending she didn't like it.
Chapter Six
"Just so you know, I don't dance."
They were walking hand-in-hand down the cobbled street en route to the nightclub Silvia had sworn was only a half block from their hotel. As it stood, they were now on block two. River watched the ground, carefully placing her feet as she stepped, not wanting to twist an ankle. "I don't either."
"Then tell me why, exactly, we're going to a dance club when I could think of a lot more equally strenuous but far less embarrassing activities I'd rather do with you."
River sighed, kind of liking the idea of ditching the nightclub and going back to the hotel. "Because I promised her we'd go."
"Oh, yes. And you don't break your promises."
There was no trace of sarcasm in his voice, so she answered his statement truthfully. "Not if I can help it."
"I like that about you."
Again, his words sounded sincere, and she had a feeling they were treading into too-deep territory. Wanting to pull his thoughts away from her, she said, "My brother owes the mob a hundred grand."
* * * * *
They walked in silence while Alec digested her words. He'd known her playing in the tournament must've had something to do with her brother. He just hadn't realized Royal was stupid enough to get so far into debt, let alone turn to his sister for help to bail him out. His left hand clenched into a fist, but he kept the one holding River's lose, not wanting her to feel the extent of his anger.
And he was angry. What grown man knowingly puts his baby sister in danger? And that's exactly what he did. By asking River for help, Royal put her on the mob's radar. "That's a lot of money."
She nodded but didn't reply. They both knew a hundred grand was a lot of money, an amount most didn't have just lying around.
"What happens if you don't win it?"
That got him a reaction. She halted in her tracks, looking up from her feet. "I'll win because there's no other acceptable outcome."
He loved her fierceness and determination. They were qualities he had himself and respected in others. But looking at her, he couldn't hide the small streak of possessiveness he felt for her, causing him to warn, "Poker's not a science. Lady Luck will come into play, and even the best players lose sometimes."
She nodded again, seemingly deep in thought. When she didn't share those thoughts, he asked, "Do you know who he owes money to?"
Shaking her head, River replied, "No. And to be honest, I know nothing about the mob nor do I want to."
But Alec did. His wheels started turning. There were only a few active families in Vegas. It narrowed the odds down, that the Conti family was involved, but not much. "When does he owe the money by?"
Looking over at him, she released a heartfelt sigh. "By the end of the tournament. Win or lose."
The line for the club came into view before the club itself did. Although Alec didn't frequent nightclubs often, spending the majority of his time in Las Vegas, he wasn't immune to their inner dynamics. Moving to the front of the line, he pulled a couple of hundreds out of his pocket and discreetly flashed them at the bouncer. He was awarded a head nod and an extended hand that he smoothly slipped the money into.
Techno music, multicolored strobe lights, and the smell of booze mixed with too many bodies assaulted his senses as their quartet walked through the door. He still had a grip on River's hand, but he pulled her in closer, tucking her into his side with an arm draped across her shoulders. He spotted an empty table and navigated them in that direction through the throng, barely avoiding a few misplaced elbows and toe-crushing heels.
He dipped his head close to River's ear so she would hear him over the thumping beats blasting through hidden speakers, and the excited shouts of the crowd. "Tell me again why we're here?" he asked, the noise and packed bodies putting him on edge.
He felt the vibration of her laugh but couldn't hear it. He loved her laugh and didn't get to hear it often enough. That he missed it put him in an even worse mood. He was rewarded with her smile. A smile that reached her eyes, causing them to sparkle in the otherwise dimly lit room.
The u-shaped booth was small but could snugly accommodate them well enough. The girls slid in first, and Alec leaned over the table to be heard. "What does everyone want from the bar?"
Silvia was the first to answer. "I'll have a cosmo."
Alec's eyes darted to River, waiting for her reply.
She hesitated a few seconds, her eyes flicking to Silvia, and then back to him. "I'll have the same."
He studied her but couldn't read her expression. He found that a blessing and a curse. Not knowing her thoughts intrigued him, challenging him to extract the information he wanted from her in a way he'd never had to before. Most women he interacted with were an open book, every want and desire—usually him and his money—flirtatiously decorating their faces. With no challenge involved, the women appeared shallow, one-dimensional, and quite easily forgotten.
River was a closed book secured with a lock, and it would take effort to find the right key to open it. But it would be a venture well worth the undertaking. He wanted to know every tiny detail about her. From her past—what made her who she was. Her present—the secrets she may hold. To her future—her hopes and dreams. River was anything but easily forgotten.
"I'll go with you," Jason said at his side, pulling him from his thoughts.
After a quick look toward the bar and the crowd leading to it, Alec gave him a nod, deciding a combined force of two would be more effective than one.
As they approached the bar, it wasn't as crowded as it had seemed from afar, and they shifted into an opening with Alec drawing the bartender's attention in less than a minute.
"What can I get you?" the bartender asked when he reached them.
"Two cosmos," He turned to Jason. "What do you want?"
He shrugged. "Any beer is fine."
Alec turned back to the bartender. "And two beers. Whatever you've got on tap."
"Coming right up." The bartender said, moving down the bar to fill their order.
He felt a nudge to his shoulder and turned to find Jason giving him a sly smile. Alec raised a brow in silent question.
