A Daring Deception (Harlequin Presents)

by Amanda Browning

  Forging on, she was aware of the crowd shifting to make a path for her, and decided she knew how Moses had felt when he parted the Red Sea. Even at a distance she knew the instant Nathan spotted her, and swore she felt the tremor of shock which ripped through him at the sight of her.

  Biting her lip to hold back a nervous giggle, Rachel swayed up to him, set her case at her feet and favoured him with a vacuous smile.

  ‘Sorry, Darling, am I late? Have you been waiting long?’ she asked brightly, ignoring the fact that he was looking at her with something close to volcanic rage.

  Nathan ignored her questions in favour of one of his own. ‘What in the name of creation are you wearing? Or I should say almost wearing?’

  Her expression was the ultimate in uncomprehending disappointment. ‘I thought you liked my legs, darling. Why, didn’t you just say last night…?’

  She got no further. A hand fastened like a vice on her wrist, cutting off the words as his blue eyes narrowed dangerously. ‘That’s enough,’ he ordered sharply, then turned to the grinning porter and handed over a note. ‘Thanks. We’ll take it from here,’ he dismissed, and the man reluctantly walked away. Only then did Nathan turn back to Rachel. His expression was not encouraging. ‘OK, what’s the game? Why are you wearing those clothes?’

  Rachel lifted one delicate eyebrow questioningly. ‘Now, darling, you didn’t expect me to turn up naked, did you?’ she countered, at her dippiest, and watched that telltale nerve tick in his jaw. As a barometer of his irritation it was priceless.

  ‘No, but I did expect you to turn up wearing something halfway decent,’ he growled. ‘You look…’ His eyes travelled the length of her legs and back again, and she felt it like a lick of flame. Swallowing a lump which had appeared in her throat, she waited whilst he struggled to find the right word. ‘Outrageous.’

  Which was exactly what she had been aiming at. It was good to know she had hit the mark. She almost felt for him, but not enough to change her mind. ‘I’ll have you know this skirt cost me a small fortune.’

  His grunt was decidedly uncomplimentary. ‘You were robbed.’

  Rachel very nearly spoilt it all by laughing, but that would never do. ‘Well, there’s no need to be nasty! I know it’s a little short, but…’

  ‘Short! Its almost indecent!’

  She blinked once, twice, and suddenly there were tears in her eyes. ‘Don’t be angry with me, darling. I thought you’d like it. I really did. Oh, Lord, I’m so dumb!’ she half turned away, scrabbling in her bag for a tissue.

  There followed a loaded silence.

  ‘Talking of dumb, that makes two of us. That was quite a performance,’ Nathan declared dryly, and Rachel laughed and turned round, her tears miraculously vanished.

  He didn’t look too amused, and her nerves jolted, but she kept her cool and made a play of patting her hair into place. ‘Why, thank you. We aim to please,’ she quipped back lightly.

  Nathan picked up her case and handed it to her with an old-fashioned look. ‘You certainly gave the male population of the airport a thrill. Did you enjoy yourself?’

  Taking the vanity case, Rachel quirked an eyebrow at him. ‘Does the male population include you?’ she queried in her normal voice.

  His lip curved mockingly. ‘Sweetheart, you have legs any red-blooded male would want wrapped around him—providing he wasn’t too choosy about the rest of you.’

  The words stung, though doubtless he thought her skin too thick for her to feel anything. Still, she smiled, albeit thinly. ‘You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been insulted with so much finesse. You’re gold medal standard, Nathan.’

  It was his turn to affect a drawl. ‘Why, thank you, darling. You just naturally bring out the best in me.’

  The beast would be more accurate, in her opinion. ‘You flatter me. You don’t need any help at all. You’re just naturally talented that way.’

  He laughed huskily. ‘Miaow. So, tell me, Rachel, why the act?’

  She batted her lashes at him. ‘I didn’t want to let you down. Was I dumb enough for you?’

  ‘You’re forgetting. I’m not the one who likes dumb blondes. One thing’s for sure, though. Ames won’t miss you in that get-up. Come on, let check in your luggage.’

  Rachel allowed herself to be steered to the check-in counter. ‘You prefer intelligent blondes, do you?’

  ‘My preferences aren’t in question here. Ames is the one you have to turn on, not me. What did you do? Bring your whole wardrobe?’ Nathan charged exasperatedly as he noted just how many cases she had with her.

  Rachel watched with growing irritation as the check-in girl made eyes at Nathan despite her own presence at his side. She felt a sudden feline urge to scratch, and suppressed it with an effort. He wasn’t hers, and she had no right to be jealous. On the other hand, the girl didn’t know that, and on the spur of the moment Rachel slipped her arm through Nathan’s and clung like a vine.

  ‘I went shopping just for you, darling.’

  Nathan looked from her to the clerk and back again. There was a gleam in his eye she didn’t quite like. ‘Is that so? Then I’ll look forward to a fashion show later,’ he murmured huskily, receiving their boarding passes with a smile of thanks. When they were relatively alone, he eased her grip on his arm. ‘Cut it out, Rachel. The act doesn’t need to start until we get there.’

  Releasing him, she smoothed down her skirt. ‘Practice makes perfect. May I remind you that you have a part to play too? It isn’t all down to me. Just how good a gambler are you?’

  He cast her a mocking glance. ‘Doubting my ability, sweetheart?’

  She shrugged. ‘You know what they say. Lucky at love, unlucky at cards.’

  That brought a grin to his face. ‘Then we’re OK on that score, for I’ve never been in love,’ he told her, and she blinked at him in surprise.

  ‘What…never? Despite all your women?’

  He didn’t look altogether pleased at that. ‘You make it sound as if there have been hundreds.’

  ‘I imagine there have been!’ Rachel exclaimed disgustedly. If she put her mind to it, she was certain she could name at least fifty.

  ‘You have one hell of an imagination, sweetheart. Try using it on Ames instead of my love life,’ he advised caustically.

  They had, by this time, reached the departure gate, and, their flight having been called, Rachel said nothing whilst they went through the motions of boarding the plane and settling into their seats. It wasn’t until they were airborne and the seat belt light had gone off that she returned to the subject.

  ‘So, what was wrong with all those women you’ve dated that you’ve never loved any of them?’ she asked him curiously.

  ‘They asked too many irritating questions,’ he countered sardonically, making himself comfortable and in the process giving Rachel a magnificent view of his leanly muscular legs. Her mouth went dry and she had to lick her lips to moisten them in order to respond.

  ‘I’m just making conversation,’ she said in a croaky voice, and his laugh was dry.

  ‘Women never just do anything. There’s always an ulterior motive,’ he returned, turning his head and shooting her an assessing look.

  She met it with a raised brow of her own. ‘Really? And what would you say mine was?’

  Entirely masculine lips curved into a far too enticing smile. ‘I’m still working on it. I’ll let you know when I’ve decided.’

  She didn’t think she liked the sound of that. ‘I thought I was an open book to you.’

  ‘Even open books can spring surprises. For instance, that perfume you’re wearing is very sexy,’ he told her out of the blue, and surprised colour bloomed in her cheeks.

  ‘I’m not wearing perfume,’ she corrected, without thinking, and then wished she’d kept quiet when she saw interest deepen the blue of his eyes. The silent question set her pulse rocketing. ‘It’s body lotion,’ she admitted grudgingly.

  ‘Very nice,’ he murmured huskily, and tiny c
hills raced each other along her spine.

  ‘Stop it,’ she ordered, aggravated that, whilst her brain knew he was just playing with her, her senses responded with a will of their own. It was so galling. The man had no real interest in her. It was all a game to him.

  ‘Stop what?’ Nathan asked lazily, though the glint in his eye told her he knew very well.

  Rachel set her teeth, refusing to be charmed. ‘There’s no need to flirt with me here. We aren’t on stage yet.’

  Laughing, Nathan finally turned away from her. ‘Like you, I’m just getting in a little practice, darling,’ he taunted, neatly hoisting her with her own petard.

  ‘Practice is the very last thing you need!’ she sniped back. He was too good already.

  She concentrated on the view out of the window until a stewardess offered her a magazine. She took it gratefully and buried her nose in it until the in-flight meal was served. After they had eaten, she lay back and closed her eyes. She had only intended to doze to while away the time, and it came as something of a shock to feel herself being shaken awake a long time later.

  It was nothing to the jolt she got when she opened her eyes and found herself staring up into Nathan’s handsome face. The bottom fell out of her stomach when her tiny intake of air drew in the tantalising scent of his aftershave. God, but he smelt good, and that was all her sleepily bemused mind could register in those first few vital seconds of wakefulness.

  ‘We’re going to be landing shortly,’ he informed her, and the rumble of his voice echoing in her ear handed her yet another shock. Not only had she fallen asleep, but at some point during that time she had actually made herself comfortable by pillowing her head on his shoulder. That brought her sharply awake.

  ‘Oh!’ she exclaimed softly, sitting up in disarray, her cheeks turning a charming shade of pink. ‘Sorry. You should have pushed me off.’

  ‘You looked far too comfortable.’

  ‘Maybe, but…’

  Nathan reached across and brushed aside a stray lock of hair which had stuck to her cheek. ‘I didn’t mind you using me as a pillow.’

  Rachel couldn’t make up her mind if that made her feel better or worse. She did know she felt as if she had lost ground, and sought to make it up. ‘I expect you’re used to women falling asleep on you,’ she retorted, a shade tartly, then could have cut her tongue out when she realised her words had a double meaning.

  It wasn’t lost on Nathan either, and he laughed easily. ‘Well, now, that all depends who was on top, doesn’t it?’ he taunted, and Rachel instantly had such a vivid mental picture of two bodies locked in passion that she went hot all over.

  ‘You’re incorrigible! You know damn well I didn’t mean that,’ she said angrily, though the anger was directed at herself more than him, for not being able to control her thoughts.

  ‘I do, but you would have said it if you’d thought of it. By the way, in case you’re wondering, you don’t snore. You snuffle a bit, but I found that kind of cute.’

  That he didn’t suffer a fatal wound was due entirely to the fact that a stewardess appeared beside them, reminding them to fasten their seat belts for landing. Rachel sat back and did her best to ignore him. Not easy when her whole body was still in a state of meltdown because she had snuggled up to him in her sleep. Then, of course, he had chosen to flirt with her again, and, boy, was he ever good at it. He didn’t mean anything by it, it was all due to his perverted sense of humour, but it played havoc with her wayward senses.

  How long had they been in close company? Just a few hours and already he was turning her inside out. The sooner they were on the ground and she could put some distance between them the better.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  THE Tahoe Caesar Hotel was an impressive structure, and although Rachel had stayed in many first-class hotels in her travels she had to admit this was in a class of its own. She was eternally thankful for its air-conditioned coolness. The temperature outside was bordering on the uncomfortable. Due to the difference in time zones, it was now early afternoon here, the hottest part of the day. As she mounted the lobby stairs she wished she hadn’t chosen to wear something so clingy. It had been fine for London, where the temperature had been cooler, but here on the west coast of America, it left her feeling limp.

  Even Nathan had dispensed with his jacket and unfastened the buttons of his shirt, giving her an unexpected and tantalising glimpse of the silky dark hair on his chest. It was hard to keep her mind off it, let alone her eyes, and she was beginning to think this whole trip had been devised as some sort of punishment for deeds she couldn’t remember doing.

  Their suite, when they were shown to it, left her speechless. It reminded her of something out of fairyland, and wasn’t at all to her taste. Still, it had two bedrooms, and that made up for a lot.

  ‘Which room do you want?’ she asked of Nathan as soon as the bellboy had departed with a suitably large tip. Unfortunately his departure only served to make her uncomfortably aware that they were now alone in what could only be called intimate circumstances.

  If Nathan was aware of it, it didn’t faze him for an instant. ‘You choose,’ he responded, tossing his jacket over a chair and crossing to the impressively arrayed cocktail cabinet.

  ‘I’ll take the one on the right,’ she decided, with a grimace at the less than scintillating conversation.

  Nathan, though, didn’t appear to find anything wrong. ‘Fair enough. Do you want something to drink?’

  ‘I’d kill for something cold and non-alcoholic,’ she groaned, kicking off her shoes and dropping onto the nearest couch with a sigh of relief. ‘Lord, but it’s hot out there,’ she puffed, lifting her hair away from her neck to allow some cooler air to touch her skin. It felt good.

  ‘This will make you feel better,’ Nathan declared from right beside her.

  Rachel jumped and glanced up quickly, realising the thickness of the carpet had masked the sound of his approach. He was holding out a tall glass that was already beginning to frost with condensation.

  She took it, unconsciously licking her lips at the thought of the cool liquid sliding down her parched throat. ‘Thanks,’ she sighed gratefully.

  Nathan took the seat opposite her and raised his glass. Rachel found herself watching hypnotically as he took a long swig of his own drink. With his head back, she could see each swallow straining the sweat-dampened skin of his throat, and suddenly her own was closing on an upsurge of desire. A bead of sweat tracked into the dark nest of curls just visible above his shirt and she experienced an intense longing to follow the path it had taken with her lips. All at once her blood seemed to flow thickly through her veins and she stifled a groan way down deep in her throat.

  ‘Keep looking at me like that, sweetheart, and I’ll start to think you’re planning on having me for supper instead of food.’ Nathan’s husky observation brought her eyes up to his, to find him watching her with a strange gleam in his eyes.

  Her body rippled with the shock of being discovered in a display of such blatantly sensual interest. Oh, Lord, she was losing her grip, she thought despairingly. Knowing she couldn’t say he was mistaken, her only recourse was to bluff her way out.

  ‘I was just window-shopping. Don’t worry, you’d be too rich for me,’ she drawled, with all the sang-froid at her disposal, and saw his lips curve in wry amusement.

  ‘Yeah, I’ve noticed you tend to go for blander meat. You might be able to control it better, but I doubt very much if it really satisfies your appetite,’ he returned sardonically, downing the rest of his drink and setting the glass aside.

  He was right, of course, but for all the wrong reasons. She knew the only man who would satisfy her both emotionally and physically sat watching her across a few feet of carpet. However, as she had every reason to suppose that that would never happen, it didn’t do to dwell on the subject.

  ‘I have no complaints,’ she replied, with a faint shrug of the shoulders to signify her lack of care.

  Nathan’s
lips twitched and his expression grew sceptical. ‘So you’re not hankering after something you can never have?’

  Rachel tipped her head on one side and smiled secretively. ‘You know what they say. Never say never. The words could come back to haunt you.’

  ‘Oh, I’ll risk it,’ he countered smoothly, and they stared at each other for a long moment before Rachel relaxed back into her seat and took a much needed sip of her drink.

  ‘So, when does this fiasco get underway?’ she asked, changing the subject, safe in the knowledge that she had successfully managed damage limitation this time.

  Nathan crossed one leg over the other, casually grasping its ankle in one hand. ‘Tonight. It’s lucky you slept for most of the flight—hopefully you shouldn’t feel too jetlagged later on. I’ll get Room Service to bring you a light meal, and then you should try to catch a few more hours’ sleep this afternoon—that’s what I’ll be doing. As for our plan of action, according to Linus’s sources Luther Ames has booked a table in the main restaurant here for a large dinner party. From there, if he follows his usual plan—and I see no reason why he shouldn’t—the whole party will move into the casino.’

  ‘That’s when we make our move?’ She sought confirmation, unable to shake off the feeling she was descending into some sort of forties film noir gangster movie for which she was totally unsuited.

  Nathan nodded. ‘Apparently his current game of choice is baccarat. He likes nothing more than to set up a bank and take on all comers. Of course, it helps if you can afford to lose, which he can. Nobody knows the actual extent of his personal fortune.’

  Rachel instantly saw a flaw in the plan. ‘Never mind him. Can you afford to lose?’ she queried in genuine concern. It was one thing to try and recover the letters, and quite another for Nathan to lose a fortune in the attempt.

  He sent her a steady look. ‘I don’t intend to.’

  She raised an eyebrow sceptically at his confidence. ‘I imagine most gamblers have the same certainty, and look what happens to them.’