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Back in Her Husband's Bed
Andrea Laurence
She can finally have the one thing she wants. All she has to do is play the happy wife…and not fall in love with her husband. It’s been three years since Annie Baracas left her husband, Vegas casino owner Nathan Reed, and he still hasn’t signed the divorce papers. So when Nate finally offers to set her free, Annie will agree to any terms. Even if that means temporarily resuming her role as his wife to help him catch a thief. But what starts as a public display quickly turns very private. And Annie can’t help wondering what it might be like to stay in Nate’s bed…for as long as they both shall live.
“I’m going along with your plan because you’ve given me no choice, but I am not sleeping with you, Nathan Reed.”
His heavy brows rose in response to her declaration. “I hadn’t planned on seducing you.” Nate stood up and rounded the coffee table. He leaned over her, trapping her between the long length of his arms.
Annie eased back into the couch, but there wasn’t anywhere else to go. She could only breathe in his cologne and remember that same scent on her pillows as she’d slept in this very suite. Back then, Nate had had the ability to play her body like a musical instrument he’d studied his whole life. She’d never been with another man who could bring her pleasure like he had. What they had had was explosive. Mind-blowing.
The closer he came to her, the more she wondered if that connection had severed during their time apart. It didn’t feel like it.
His gaze raked over her body. “But if I did…what’s so wrong with that? It’s not a crime to sleep with your own husband, Annie.”
Back in Her
Husband’s Bed
Andrea Laurence
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ANDREA LAURENCE is an award-winning contemporary romance author who has been a lover of books and writing stories since she learned to read. She always dreamed of seeing her work in print and is thrilled to be able to share her books with the world. A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, she’s working on her own “happily ever after” with her boyfriend and five fur-babies. You can contact Andrea at her website: www.andrealaurence.com.
To My Awesome Editor, Shana Smith—
Thank you for rescuing me and this book from
the slush pile and seeing us for the diamonds in the
(very) rough that we were. Even when this story didn’t
seem like it would work out, you didn’t give up on it
or my ability to make it shine. You may not know this,
but when you found me, I was on the verge of giving
up and I’m so glad I didn’t. You have quite literally
changed my life and I can’t send enough cookies
and cupcakes to thank you for it.
Contents
Chapter One (#ub770d73a-ce65-5aed-bd42-7fe5a3f939f1)
Chapter Two (#ua46f093a-3b5c-5c4b-9dc5-5cfa1515e954)
Chapter Three (#uda54c889-318e-508c-a5ce-48b078c1c4d6)
Chapter Four (#u45bb44fc-29bd-51f1-b0e4-9c5d44c046c1)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Excerpt (#litres_trial_promo)
One
“Mr. Reed, our facial recognition software has detected a match for the Barracuda in pit three near the dollar slots.”
Nate smiled. Like a moth to a flame, Annie had walked right into his trap. He knew she couldn’t pass up the chance to play at his poker tournament, even if it meant returning to the scene of the crime. As the owner and manager of the Desert Sapphire Hotel and Casino, it was easy to have Annie red-flagged by his security team. The moment she strolled back in to his casino he knew it.
“We have visual confirmation. She’s on her way to the high-roller area.” Gabriel Hansen, his chief of security, lifted his hand to his earpiece and listened intently for a moment before nodding in confirmation. “She’s joined the Texas Hold’em game with Mr. Nakimori and Mr. Kline.”
“Of course she has.” Nate set aside his paperwork and made his way to the elevator. There was no time to waste. The Japanese businessman and the oil tycoon had credit lines in the millions, and they’d need every penny if he didn’t get down there. They didn’t call her the Barracuda for nothing.
“Do you need assistance with this, Mr. Reed?” Gabe was also his best friend, despite the formalities they used at work. Gabe knew what Annie’s arrival meant. His offer to accompany him was less about work and more about helping his friend.
Nate sighed and straightened his navy silk tie. He suspected Gabe would relish handcuffing Annie and parading her through the casino so everyone would see. To be honest, he wouldn’t mind that himself, but she’d never agree to his plan if he did. “No, I’ve got this handled.”
A quick swipe of his identification card sent the elevator plummeting down the twenty-five floors from his suite to the main casino lobby. A soft chime announced his arrival, and the doors opened to the office corridors where casino operations took place.
The walk through the casino to the high-roller area wasn’t long, but each step weighed more heavily on him than the last. Annie was here. In his casino. After three long years. He should be excited to finally confront her. To have his chance to exact his revenge and make her miserable. Or if not excited, perhaps smug. His plan was working just as he’d hoped it would. And yet he was none of those things.
His mouth was dry, his pulse racing in his throat. If he didn’t know better, he might think he was nervous. Imagine that: Nathan Reed, millionaire casino owner, former most eligible bachelor in Las Vegas, nervous. It was a ridiculous idea. And yet Annie had always been his weakness.
Nate rounded the corner and spied the entrance to the high-roller lounge. Even across the casino floor, he could spot her. Her back was to him as she leaned over her cards, her legs crossed beneath the table. Her long raven hair spilled over the olive skin of her bare shoulders. Beside her Mr. Nakimori leaned back into his seat, throwing his cards down in disgust.
Nate stopped just behind Annie and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. She didn’t flinch. She’d been expecting him. Game on.
“Gentlemen,” he said, flashing a confident smile at the other players at the table and extending a hand to each of them. “It’s good to have you both back here at the Sapphire. Is everything going well for you this afternoon?”
Jackson Kline grinned wide and leaned back into his chair. “It was until this pretty little thing showed up. She’s taken more of my money than my ex-wife.”
Nate smiled and nodded. “Then I’m sure you gentlemen won’t mind if I deprive you of her company.”
“We’re in the middle of a hand.”
They were the first words she’d spoken to him since she disappeared. She didn’t say “hello.” Not even “I’m sorry” or “You’re looking well.” Just a complaint that he was interrupting her poker hand.
He leaned down and pressed his lips against the soft outer shell of her ear. The smell of her jasmine shampoo filled his lungs as he hovered near. The familiar scent was alluring and reminded him of the tangled sheets she left behind, but he wasn’t going to fall prey to her this time. “We need to talk. Fold.” The demand was simple and quiet, but powerful.
“Well, gentlemen—” Annie sighed “—I guess I’m done.” She slid the cards across the table and reached up to gently extract Nate’s hand from her shoulder. He complied, stepping back far enough to allow her to rise from her seat.
“Good afternoon,” the men responded in their respective Southern and Japanese accents, although they both seemed visibly relieved to see her go.
Annie grasped her red leather handbag and strolled to the exit with Nate quick on her heels. He moved alongside her, scooping her elbow up with a firm hand and guiding her toward the elevator.
“Take your hands off me,” she hissed through gritted teeth. She tugged against his grasp, but it was futile.
Nate couldn’t contain a chuckle. “I will not. You and I both know what happened the last time I did that. If you’d prefer, I could have security escort you upstairs instead.”
She came to a sudden stop, jerking Nate to turn back to her. Her azure-blue eyes were alight with anger. They penetrated him, a connection forming between them with a sudden snap of electricity. “You wouldn’t dare,” she said.
God, she was still beautiful. Nate felt the familiar pull in his gut, the heat flooding his groin. The sexual spark had always been there; it was what brought them together. It just couldn’t keep them together. It pissed him off that he still reacted to her like this after everything she’d done.
“I wouldn’t?” Nate retorted. Annie didn’t know him at all. He leaned down, his face inches from hers. “You wanna call my bluff?” Nate didn’t wait for an answer but quickly turned and tugged her behind him.
Annie silenced her protests and stopped resisting his pull. He didn’t let go until they stepped off the elevator at his suite. She pulled away, turning left toward his office and dropping angrily onto the leather sofa.
“So?” she asked. “You’ve dragged me up here and cost me a five-thousand-dollar hand. What do you want?”
Nate avoided the couch, opting instead to lean against the large mahogany desk that had once been his grandfather’s. He crossed his arms over his chest and took a deep breath. “I have a proposition for you, Barbara Ann.”
Annie arched her eyebrow suspiciously at him, obviously not caring for his use of her given name. “You don’t have anything I want, Nathan, or my lawyer would’ve asked for it already.”
“That’s not true. I can give you the one thing you’ve wanted for the last three years—a divorce.”
Her blue gaze searched his face, probably looking for the catch. “You and your lawyer have been stonewalling the process for years. You’ve cost me a fortune in legal fees. And now you’re just going to wrap it up in a bow and give it to me?”
“Not exactly.” Nate smiled and turned to the bar to pour himself a scotch. He’d let her stew awhile and prolong the torture. She’d made him wait long enough. “Drink?” he offered with his glass held up, more out of politeness than a desire to be truly hospitable.
“You know I don’t drink.”
Nate stiffened. He’d forgotten. She hated the way alcohol made her feel out of control. It was amazing how the details could slip your mind when you were apart. What else had he forgotten? “A soda, then? Water?”
“No, I’m fine, thank you.”
Nate dropped ice cubes into his own glass and nodded before pouring the golden liquid over it. “Very well.” He took a sip, appreciating the warm sensation it lit in his stomach. It fueled his resolve and distracted him from the pangs of lust he was determined to ignore.
It was getting harder every minute he spent with her. There was something about Annie that made his blood sing. It was more than just her exotic beauty or her shrewd intelligence. He could still feel the silky slide of her ebony hair across his bare chest as she hovered over him. The musical sound of her laughter. All together it was an intoxicating combination. Just being around her again was enough to ignite the flames of his desire.
And then he would remember that she wanted a divorce. That she had left him in the night after less than two weeks of marriage without a word until he was served the papers.
He supposed he should be grateful that Annie had bothered to file for divorce. His mother hadn’t gone to the trouble. She’d just disappeared and sent his father into a spiral of depression that nearly destroyed the Desert Sapphire and his grandfather’s legacy with it. Nate was stronger than that. He’d rebuilt the hotel and helped transform the industry, even as she’d left him. He wasn’t about to be broken by a woman.
Even one as breathtaking as Annie.
She watched him warily from her seat as he walked toward her and leisurely sipped his drink. “I know you haven’t had a sudden change of heart. So what’s going on?”
He certainly hadn’t. Honestly, it pained him to finally give her what she wanted, but the tournament was more important. The organization that sponsored the most prestigious poker tournament in the industry had a long-standing agreement with another casino. To lure them to the Desert Sapphire, it had taken him three years and a few promises he needed Annie to help him keep.
“I am working on a side project of sorts during the tournament and you’re just the right person for the job.” He paused, sipping his scotch thoughtfully. “If I sign the papers and give you the divorce you want, you agree to help me.”
“I don’t understand. How could I possibly—”
Nate cut her protest short with a wave of his hand. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the cheating problem the poker circuit is having. The rumors are getting fairly loud and the tournament sponsor’s reputation is suffering for it. Everyone is anticipating they’ll hit the tournament.”
Annie sighed. “There’s always rumors of cheating, but nothing ever comes of it. The people they catch are usually small potatoes compared to the amount of money exchanged in one of these events. What’s the big deal?”
“Hosting the tournament is a huge draw for my hotel. As you well know, it’s been held at the Tangiers for the last twenty years. Talking the organizers into moving it here had taken more than some nice negotiating. They wanted concrete guarantees that anyone cheating during the tournament would be caught and prosecuted, to send a message to the community.”
“And why are they so confident that your team can do a better job than the Tangiers?”
“Because I have one of the best security systems in the business, with some of the most qualified staff you can hire. We go well beyond the typical measures most casinos employ.”
“Seems like overkill to me. I hardly think you can stop cheating.”
“This hotel was on the verge of going under when I took over from my father. He wasn’t well at the time and people took advantage of the situation. Our biggest issue was people gaming the house, especially our own employees. I wouldn’t tolerate that on my watch and invested in cutting-edge technology to stop it. Over the last five years, our estimated losses from cheating are down by eighty percent.”
“Then why do you need me?” Annie crossed her arms defensively, pressing her breasts tight against the low V-cut of her sleeveless red silk top.
Just a quick glance at the soft curves of her femininity sent a sharp spike of need down his spine and forced him to turn away. “Because,” he said, “I suspect this is a more elaborate and well-organized operation than we’re used to. More people are involved...new faces with clean records. But we have to succeed. If we manage to bust this ring, I’ve got a guaranteed ten-year contract for the tournament. That’s something my grandfather wouldn’t have even hoped for.”
“And what?” she prompted. “You think I know who’s involved?”
“I think you probably have your suspicions. You’ve been active in the community for several years and have to have heard your share of stories.” He lifted his gaze to meet hers. “I also think you could flush them out with the right...motivation.”
* * *
Annie leaped up from her seat, the nervous energy his proposal generated propelling her off the leather couch. “I’m not a snitch.” There was no way she was going to ruin her reputation like that. Not for a divorce, not for the attentions of a charming, handsome man like Nate. Her honor was all she had in this business.
“If we do it right, no one will ever know that you are.”
“And how’s that? There are cameras everywhere. The odds are they have help on the inside, possibly even your own security guys and dealers. You don’t think they’ll notice us talking?”
“Nope. They won’t.”
He hadn’t told her everything. Her game was poker, but Nate’s game was chess. He was already three moves ahead of her. Annie hated being outmaneuvered. “Enlighten me.”
His mouth curved up in a sly smile. “There are no cameras in here.”
Annie looked around the office and down the dark corridor to his suite. She sincerely hoped not. They would’ve gotten an eyeful during their wedding night. “And no one will find it suspicious that I’m up in your suite? That I’m spending all my time with the casino boss?”
“Why shouldn’t you spend time with your husband?”
Annie’s blood turned to ice in her veins. If there was one thing she clung to, it was that no one knew about their mistake. Their marriage had been a secret she’d shared only with her sister, Tessa, and her mother. Yes, she and Nate would’ve told people eventually, but in the beginning they’d been far too wrapped up in one another to share the good news. Then it was over. “You don’t think people will question that we’re suddenly married? That we’re together again after all this time apart?”
Nate shrugged. “We’ll just tell the truth. We got married three years ago. It didn’t work out. We separated. You came back for the tournament and we reconciled.”
“That’s not the truth.”
“No, but the best lies have a good bit of truth in them. The paper trail will back up our story. And we won’t give them any reason to doubt it.” He smiled a wide, confident smile that started to melt her defenses away before she could think through his statement.
No reason to doubt they were married? “You...you don’t honestly expect us to...?” The air in the room suddenly seemed cooler, her skin contracting with goose bumps. Annie crossed her arms protectively over her chest and ran her hands over the bumpy flesh of her bare upper arms.
“No—” he laughed “—of course not. It will just be for show. You’ll need to stay here in the suite with me. We’ll eat together in public, be affectionate. You might have to suffer through a few of my kisses so any time we spend alone will be chalked up to romantic interludes. No one will suspect what we’re really doing together.”
Annie felt the rush of blood rise to her cheeks and chase away the chill. When was the last time she’d blushed? Probably her first kiss in sixth grade. She learned to master her emotions not long after that. It made her an excellent poker player. It also made her a really crappy girlfriend. Or wife, as the case was here. Somehow Nate was the only one able to put a dent in her armor.
Suffering wasn’t exactly the response she had to his kisses. They always made her head swim. Made her thoughts turn to mush and her body into a bundle of raw nerves. His kisses had been enough to convince her that getting married after only a few days together was a good idea. If Annie was going to kiss him, she’d have to be very careful. The phrase one thing leads to another had never been truer than with Nate.
This was a bad idea all around. Spying on her fellow players? Acting the happy couple with Nate? That was like playing with fire. No. This was a ridiculous suggestion. She wouldn’t be a party to Nate’s games. “What if I say no?”
Annie watched her estranged husband take a large sip of his scotch and cross his arms over his chest. His expensive gray suit coat strained against his broad shoulders as he leaned casually against his desk. He didn’t seem at all affected by their conversation or the thought of kissing her. Apparently Annie was the only one still afflicted with that weakness. He was only interested in using her to make his precious hotel even more successful.
Despite everything, she remembered why she’d fallen for Nate. He was all that she was supposed to want in a man: tall, handsome, strong, intelligent, caring and exceedingly wealthy. What she didn’t know was how to breathe when someone held her so tightly. She wasn’t used to someone else having a say in what she could or couldn’t do. Nate’s expectations of his wife had been more than she could handle.
The women in her family weren’t known for keeping men around. Her marriage, as short-lived as it might’ve been, was the first in several generations. Magdala Baracas had taught her daughters early on that men could be amusing, but in the end, they were more trouble than they were worth. And looking at her “husband” now just reinforced her mother’s wisdom. Nate was infuriating. She’d filed for divorce and he’d contested, refusing to finalize the agreement just to punish her. Now he dangled her freedom as a carrot, but the price was too high.
Nate pinned her with his dark gaze. “No cooperation, no divorce. Simple as that.”
Uncomfortable, she shifted her glance away, tracing the angles of his smooth jaw to the dark blond curls that hung just at the edge of his shirt collar. His hair was longer than she remembered. She liked it better this way. Not that it mattered anymore what she thought. Despite what the law said, Nate wasn’t hers and hadn’t been for a very long time.
Annie sighed in frustration but refused to just bite at whatever he dangled in front of her. “Come on, Nathan, be honest. This isn’t about poker cheats. This is about bending me to your will and punishing me for leaving you. You couldn’t possibly want to be married to me after everything that’s happened.”
Annie couldn’t tell if her rambling was helping or hurting her cause, but she couldn’t stop the words from gushing out of her after three years of silence. “I regret that we confused lust and love and got into this mess. But I want to close this chapter of my life and move on. I don’t want to play these games anymore. Please.”
At that, Nate took a step away, a Cheshire-cat grin crossing his face. The sudden shift in his mood was unnerving. The dimple in his cheek she’d kissed a hundred times was barely visible from where she was standing. “Did you really think it would be that easy? That you could just look at me with those big blue eyes and I would change my mind?”
Annie stiffened. No, but she wanted this over. Done. She didn’t need a single reason to have to be in the same room with Nate again. It was too dangerous. She was too weak. The farther they were apart, the firmer her resolve.
“What’s your lawyer charge by the hour, Annie? If you turn down my offer, we can see who runs out of money first.”
That was certainly a losing game for her, even after a few fabulously lucrative years. Annie flopped back against the couch, unable to continue fighting with him. “Please, Nate.” She wanted out of the marriage, but she knew she couldn’t win this hand. She gazed down into her lap. “I can’t change what happened between us in the past. But don’t force me to jeopardize my future. If someone finds out I’m spying for you, my career will be ruined. I will be the most hated woman in poker.”
Annie didn’t look up but caught Nate’s movement out of the corner of her eye as he settled into a nearby chair. She couldn’t say anything else. She’d laid all her cards on the table, but the dispassionate look in Nate’s dark eyes told her it wouldn’t matter. Whether in court or in the casino, Nate would ruin her and have his revenge. After three years, he had her right where he wanted her.
“These are my terms,” he said, his voice cold. “Do you want a divorce or not?”
Of course she did. But... She shook her head. “This is blackmail.”
Nate smiled widely, his pleasure at watching her squirm plainly evident. “Blackmail is such a dirty word. I prefer to look at it as a mutually beneficial arrangement. I catch my cheaters and secure the tournament for a decade. You get your divorce without going bankrupt first. Simple as that.”
That was a vast understatement. It couldn’t be more complicated. “Why me?”
Nate watched her, his lips pursing in thought before he spoke. “I need an insider. You’re an excellent player. You have a good read of your competitors. The odds of you making it to the final table are in our favor. And I have the leverage to incentivize you. It’s perfect.”
Not entirely perfect. She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes tightly shut for a moment before she spoke. She wanted to walk away from the Desert Sapphire when the tournament was done and never have a reason to see Nathan Reed again. And yet the price was high. Spying for him. Publicly adoring him. Privately conspiring under the guise of their so-called marriage. It was dangerous territory. But the tournament was only a week long. If all went well, she could play poker as planned, throw Nate a couple leads to chase and hopefully walk away from the Sapphire a free woman.
“And I can trust you to keep your word if I keep up my end of the bargain?”
Nate arched an eyebrow. “Annie, my trustworthiness has never been in question. But yes. If you agree to see this through, I’ll call my lawyer and have him withdraw the protest. If we get things started soon, the divorce should be finalized in a few weeks’ time.”
He’d left her no other choice. She met his gaze across the coffee table. “All right, Nate. You’ve got a deal.”
Two
Annie regretted the words the minute they passed her lips, but she couldn’t take it back now.
Nate glared at her in disbelief. It was obvious he’d been prepared for a battle. He thought she’d fight harder. There was a flicker of disappointment across his face as he straightened up in his chair and mentally regrouped.
Annie hated that she was so aware of his body. Every twitch of every muscle beneath the tight fabric of his suit registered in her mind. She could tell herself that she was just good at reading body language after years of poker, but it wasn’t true. She knew him better than she cared to admit. Her own body remembered every inch of the hard physique hidden under those expensive suits. It wasn’t something she could easily forget.
“Well, good,” Nate finally managed to say. “I’m glad you could be reasonable about this.” He set his glass onto the table and nodded. “Have you checked in to the hotel?”
She hadn’t bothered. She’d figured Nate would have his security goons come after her before she could reach her room. She’d arrived a day early to get that unpleasantness out of the way so she could focus on her game. “No. Not yet. I wanted to play a little first.”
“Okay, I’ll radio to have your bags brought upstairs. I assume you left them with the bellhop?”
Annie opened her mouth to argue, but he was already barking orders into a push-to-talk cell phone at his hip. He’d told her she would stay with him as part of the cover. Somehow she hadn’t let her mind process that part of the deal yet.
Her mind raced, thinking of the private suite that sat dark and quiet down the corridor. Nate owned a home in Henderson, but she knew he usually stayed at the Sapphire when he was working, which was all the time. As she could recall, there was a full kitchen, living and dining rooms...but only one bed.
She frowned, kicking herself for not getting all the details before agreeing to this. Now she had no negotiating power at all. “Where will I sleep?”
“The bedroom.” Nate said the words as though it were the most obvious answer in the world.
Nate’s gaze had been cool and detached since the moment they got upstairs. He was obviously more interested in power and revenge than seduction, but even then she wasn’t comfortable with the idea. “And what about you?” she pressed. There. That should be clear enough.
Nate’s lips twisted in a faint grin. “I don’t sleep, remember?”
That was almost true. He did have the ability to make it on only three or four hours of sleep a night, but he did sleep. “You sleep enough.”
This time he grinned wide, his perfectly aligned smile blazing white against his tanned skin. “We’ll worry about that when the time comes.”
The smile was not enough to charm her. He was being deliberately evasive. She glanced down at her watch. It was after seven. She was a night owl, but even then the time was coming sooner rather than later. “I’m going along with your plan because you’ve given me no choice, but I am not sleeping with you, Nathan Reed.”
His heavy brows rose in response to her declaration. “I hadn’t planned on seducing you.” Nate stood up and rounded the coffee table. He leaned over her, trapping her between the long lengths of his arms.
Annie eased back into the couch, but there wasn’t anywhere else to go. She could only breathe in his cologne and remember that same scent on her pillows as she slept in this very suite. Back then, Nate had the ability to play her body like a musical instrument he’d studied his whole life. She’d never been with another man who could bring her pleasure like he had. What they had was explosive. Mind-blowing.
The closer he came to her, the more she wondered if that connection had severed during their time apart. It didn’t feel like it.
His gaze raked over her body. “But if I did...what’s so wrong with that? It’s not a crime to sleep with your own husband, Annie.”
She felt a surge of electricity run through her body when he spoke her name. He’d said it the way he had in the past, with the low, soft tones she remembered him whispering into her ear as they made love. Whatever it was between them was still there. For her, at least. She couldn’t even respond with him so close.
“Besides,” he continued, “I don’t seem to recall you complaining much about it before.”
Her mouth suddenly felt dry. Annie ran her tongue quickly across her bottom lip. Even after all this time, she still wanted him. There was no question of it. “That was a long time ago,” she said, her voice a little too breathy to ring true even to her own ears.
“We’ll see about that.” Nate stood up, pulling away from her and breaking the spell. Annie felt him take all the oxygen in the room with him as he stepped back and scooped his drink off the table. He took a sip, the ice clinking in the mostly empty glass, and turned his back to her. He was as calm and unaffected as he would be conducting a business deal.
Then she understood. She was right; this wasn’t just about busting cheaters in his casino. There were other ways to go about catching them that didn’t require them to pose as the married couple they were. Methods that didn’t make him touching her necessary for their cover.
No, Nate wanted to make her pay. To get the small sense of justice he’d been lacking for the past three years. She couldn’t exactly call it torture, but he would be using every weapon in his arsenal—from seduction to indifference—to ensure she was uneasy and off her game. She would get her divorce, but the next week would be anything but simple. The odds were she could kiss this tournament win goodbye. Her focus was already shattered and it hadn’t even begun.
The chime of the elevator startled her. Annie looked over to see Gabe, the head of security, enter the foyer with her luggage. He was one of the only people with the card to access Nate’s private suite.
Annie stood and rounded the coffee table to approach him, but his gaze stopped her cold. Gabe had always had a smile and a laugh for her, but not today. His hazel eyes were like knives, shooting sharp accusations at her from across the room. His jaw was tight, the muscles in his thick neck tense. There was more anger in Gabe than she’d seen in Nate. Perhaps Nate was simply better at controlling it.
Gabe turned toward the darkened suite without speaking and dropped her luggage carelessly beside the dining room table. “Call me if you need me, sir.” He said the words while looking at Annie, the threat inherent. A moment later, the elevator doors reopened and he disappeared.
With him gone the heavy weight of his anger suddenly lifted from her chest. Annie had never realized how protective Gabe was of Nate. She bet if given the chance, he’d shoot her with his Taser just to watch her twitch.
Annie chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. Of course he was angry. He’d been there every day of the past three years. He was probably the one who’d gotten Nate drunk and hauled him to a strip club to get over her. As a friend and as a security officer, he obviously disapproved of Nate’s plan to use Annie in the sting operation. Especially the part about them living together. Gabe could see the potential problems a mile away.
To tell the truth, Annie wasn’t entirely thrilled with that part of the plan, either. She wanted to follow him downstairs, to tell him she had no intention of getting involved with Nate again, but knew it wouldn’t help. Annie turned around, stopping short when she found Nate smiling. It was the first sincere grin he’d cracked since she arrived and of course, it was at her discomfort.
“He’s not your biggest fan.”
“I gathered that much. I’d hoped you hadn’t told anyone about us. Does anyone else know? Should I watch for flying daggers from housekeeping?”
Nate laughed and shook his head. “No, just Gabe. I wasn’t even going to tell him, but he found your wedding ring.”
The ring. Annie had forgotten. She’d left her platinum wedding band on the bedside stand. She hadn’t felt good about taking it. Leaving had been the right thing to do, but taking the ring so soon after receiving it felt like stealing.
She watched, stunned, as Nate twisted a tiny band from his pinky finger and held it out to her. “You’ll need this back. For the cover,” he added.
Annie took the tiny silver loop from his hand and examined it like a lost artifact. It was a dull, brushed-platinum band with shiny accents around the edge. They’d picked the rings out in such a hurry. At that moment, all she’d wanted was to be Mrs. Nathan Reed. What the hell had she been thinking?
“Why are you wearing it?” she asked.
“I wear it as a reminder.”
Annie got the distinct impression that he didn’t mean it in a sentimental way. More a daily reminder of how much she’d suffer if he got his hands on her again. “Where’s your ring?”
“Put away. I couldn’t very well wear mine and tarnish my reputation as Vegas’s most eligible bachelor.” He said the last word with audible distaste before he walked around his desk, fished in the top drawer and pulled out a small black velvet box.
“I can see how being married might interfere with your social agenda.”
Nate looked up, studying her face for a moment before opening the box and slipping the matching ring onto his left hand. He stretched his fingers out, testing the feel of the long-forgotten jewelry before making a fist. A slight frown pulled down the corners of his mouth when he spoke. “I have no social agenda, Annie. I thought that was one of the reasons you decided to leave me.”
“No, I...” Annie’s voice trailed off midprotest. She didn’t really want to talk about why she left. Not now. It wouldn’t change anything. What was done was done and their agreement would close the door on the past for good. Her gaze dropped down to the ring in her hand before her fingers closed over it.
Nate’s brow furrowed, his eyes focused on her tightly clenched fist. “Put on the ring,” he demanded softly.
Her heart skipped a beat in her chest. She’d sooner slip a noose over her head. That’s how it felt, at least. Even back then. When she’d woken up the morning after the wedding with the platinum manacle clamped onto her, she’d popped a Xanax to stop the impending panic attack. She’d convinced herself that it would be okay, it was just the nerves of a new bride, but it hadn’t taken long to realize she’d made a mistake.
Annie scrambled to find a reason not to put the ring on. She couldn’t afford to start hyperventilating and give Nate the upper hand in any of this. “I thought I might wait until I had a chance to clean it. Give it a good polish.”
It was stupid and she knew it. Why did putting on a ring symbolic of nothing but a legally binding slip of paper bother her so much? The smothering sensation was growing more oppressive, like a steamy, wet blanket draped over her face on a smolderingly hot Miami day. It was just how she’d felt back then. Why she’d had to run.
Nate frowned. He moved across the room with the stealthy grace of a panther, stopping just in front of her. Without speaking, he reached out and gripped her fist. One by one, he pried her fingers back and took the band from her.
She was no match for his firm grasp, especially when the surprising tingle of awareness traveled up her arm at his touch. He held her left hand immobile, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest as the ring moved closer and closer.
“May I, Mrs. Reed?”
Her heart stopped altogether at the mention of her married name. Annie’s breath caught in her throat as he pushed the band over her knuckle and nestled it snugly in place, as he had at their wedding. His hot touch was in vast contrast to the icy-cold metal against her skin. Although it fit perfectly, the ring seemed too tight. So did her shoes. On second thought, everything felt too tight. The room was too small. The air was too thin.
Annie’s brain started swirling in the fog overtaking her mind. She started to tell Nate she needed to sit down, but it was too late.
* * *
Nate was enjoying watching Annie squirm up until the moment her eyes rolled into her head. He moved on reflex, catching her slumping body in his arms. He quickly repositioned his hold and lifted her up, carrying her down the hall to the bedroom. He settled her onto the navy comforter covering his king-size bed and sat down on the edge beside her.
Annie had lingered on his mind since the day she left. Bringing her to her knees before giving her the divorce she wanted was a surefire way to put her out of his thoughts for good. Catching a couple cheaters and guaranteeing the success of his hotel for years to come was a great way to make her earn her freedom. And she made it too easy, really. He knew all the right buttons to push. He was pleasantly surprised at how gratifying it had been so far.
At least until she passed out.
Nate leaned over her. Annie’s breathing had returned to normal. Her ruby lips parted, and her anxious expression faded as her body relaxed into the plush mattress.
Nate couldn’t help reaching out and running a finger along the blush of her cheek. Her skin was as soft as he remembered, like silk. She sighed as the back of his hand slid down her face and along her jaw.
The Annie the public saw was always so cool, so put together. He’d watched her on televised tournaments over the years and seen her in interviews. She was unshakable. Unflappable. Nothing like the wildly passionate woman who had shared his bed. Or the one who passed out cold at the idea of wearing her wedding ring.
She stirred so many emotions in him. Anger, jealousy, arousal, resentment, anxiety... Being around her now was like riding the roller coaster across the street. He was an even-keeled guy. A levelheaded businessman. That made it even more irritating knowing she could impact him the way no other woman had. He just hoped he could keep it all inside.
When she’d first left, he was confused and furious. His worst fears had been realized. It was as though his mother had abandoned him all over again. He had watched his father crumble under the weight of his grief. The only thing Nate knew for certain was that he wouldn’t let Annie break him. He’d funneled his anger into building the greatest damn casino in Las Vegas and finding the perfect way to exact his revenge.
Yes, they might have rushed to the altar. Yes, they might have had little more than fantastic sex in common. But their marriage would end on his terms, not hers. She’d forfeited her vote when she walked out. Now that he had her back here, bending to his will, he would finally be able to put her, and them, behind him.
Perhaps. As he looked down at the beautiful, exciting woman...his wife...he began to wonder if luring her back here with the tournament was a mistake. The vengeance surging through his veins had dulled, leaving only the desire to possess her once again.
Back then, his need for Annie had been all consuming. Nate hadn’t wanted to let her out of his bed, much less his life. Marrying her had seemed like the best way to guarantee that Annie would be his forever. The irony was that it was the marriage itself that drove her away. Everything had been perfect before then.
Annie groaned softly, her eyes fluttering a moment before opening. She looked around the room in confusion before her sapphire gaze met his. “What happened?”
“You fainted. Apparently the mere thought of people knowing you were married to me was too much for you to take.” He didn’t bother to mask the irritation in his voice.
“What am I...?” She looked around again, the crease between her eyebrows deepening in thought. “Why am I lying in your bedroom?”
Nate smiled down at her. “Our bedroom, sweetheart. Like a gentleman, I carried you in here when you fainted. Anyway, I’m surprised you recognize the place. I’d have thought you blocked it from your memory with the rest of our marriage.”
Annie frowned and pushed herself up onto her elbows. “Nate, the problems in our relationship had nothing to do with this room. The bedroom was the only place it worked.”
She sat up and slowly inched off the foot of the bed. Pulling herself together, she quickly tugged down her fitted black skirt and smoothed her red top. Her expression hardened, her emotions unreadable. Within seconds, the Annie of the past was gone and the Barracuda had returned. He was glad. The cool, calm poker player was far easier for Nate to resist.
Annie left the room and returned with her two bags. “Where can I put my things?”
The large, red Louis Vuitton roller and toiletry bag were just the right size for a woman on the move all the time. After she left, Nate had hired a private detective to find out more about his elusive bride. He’d told Nate that although Annie had a sparsely decorated condo in Miami, she was almost never there. She roamed from one tournament to the next, living in hotels out of these red bags.
As someone who had practically grown up in the same building he stood in right now, he couldn’t understand her wanderlust. He’d known she traveled to the various tournaments to compete, but somehow he’d thought that marrying him would give her a reason to settle in one place. That her love of the game would give her an interest in helping him build up the Sapphire, working side by side as partners. He had been wrong.
Nate opened the door to the walk-in closet and moved some clothes to the opposite side. “You can hang up your things here. If you need any more space, just slide my stuff over.”
Annie nodded stiffly and pushed past him to the closet. He took a few steps back to linger in the doorway and watch as she slowly unpacked. She was methodical as she unzipped the bag and carefully removed each piece. It was like a ritual she’d repeated a thousand times. How had he ever thought he could get her to unpack for good?
“If you have what you need, I’m going downstairs. I’ll see you for dinner at Carolina’s at eight-thirty. Be prepared for our first public outing as husband and wife.”
At that, he turned on his heel and marched down the hallway to the elevator. He didn’t wait for her response. He needed to get away from her for a while. To take a deep breath that wasn’t warm with her scent. To clear his mind and replan his strategy. His stomach couldn’t take the never-ending swing of the emotional pendulum being around her brought on. Wanting her and then despising her. Remembering every inch of her body and then realizing he didn’t know a damn thing about her.
Once downstairs, he marched through the casino for his standing meeting with Gabe and Jerry Moore, his casino floor manager. They met in the Pit Three lounge, where they would catch him up on the hotel activities. Tonight, he would also get a drink. He normally wouldn’t drink while working, but all bets were off the moment Annie walked into his casino. He needed something to dull his thoughts, to fend off the building arousal. Not to get drunk—he couldn’t trust himself not to do something stupid—just enough to numb.
By the time he reached the lounge, Gabe and Jerry were already seated in the back corner booth. They went on easily with their normal routines from there. Gabe reported on any incidents worth mentioning, provided the latest security codes and gave him the access card for Annie. Jerry rattled on for a while about a couple high rollers and preparation for the tournament.
The tournament was not an easy event to arrange. Nate was happy to sip on his vodka tonic and give his mind over to the intricacies. A portion of the casino floor had already been roped off and tables rearranged. The kickoff cocktail party was under control. Patricia in the public relations office had been in contact with the event sponsors and working with ESPN for the past few weeks. Everything seemed to be going well.
His years of hard work really had paid off. Nate had fought hard to bring the hotel back after his father’s negligent management. Now it was clear that his dedication and work ethic had rubbed off on his staff. The people he hired were inspired to make the Desert Sapphire the most successful hotel-casino in Las Vegas. His grandfather would be proud of what Nate had made of his life’s work.
“So is everything in place in terms of the arrangement with Annie?” Gabe asked, drawing Nate back into the conversation he’d been having alone with Jerry.
Nate noted his tone. Gabe didn’t like his plan at all and made no secret of it. “Yes. I think with her assistance we will have a very good shot of putting an end to this and securing the tournament contract.”
Jerry nodded in approval. His casino manager had worked at the Sapphire for thirty years, helping Nate’s grandfather start the place. After a heart attack and an unfulfilling decade of retirement, he’d come back to help his best friend’s grandson. The whole Annie situation had happened during his hiatus.
“Remind me again of the story we’re using?” Jerry ran his wrinkled hand over the balding dome of his head. “I want to make sure when people ask, I’m telling it right.”
Nate repeated their cover for everyone’s benefit. “Annie and I got married a couple years ago, but it didn’t work out. She came back for the tournament and we’ve reconciled. I’d leave it at that. Too many details and we run the risk of messing up.”
Jerry’s radio squawked at his hip. He lifted it to his ear to listen to the message before responding and turning to Nate. “If we’re done here, I need to get over to pit one.”
Nate dismissed him with a wave of his hand and then watched the older man shuffle out of the lounge. He hoped he had half that much spunk when he was in his seventies.
Turning back, Nate could tell Gabe was biting his tongue. He wasn’t happy, idly rotating a cardboard coaster on the table and glaring at the platinum band on Nate’s ring finger. “Just say it, Gabe.”
Gabe shook his head, his closely cropped goatee emphasizing his frown. “I just don’t like this. I don’t trust her. How do we know she isn’t friends with one of the cheaters? She could tip them off or send us on a wild goose chase. We have no idea where her loyalty lies. Hell, she could be in on it herself.”
Nate doubted that. Annie had too much pride in her skills. But Gabe was right about her loyalties. She’d been in the game a long time, knew everyone. If it wasn’t for the divorce papers he was dangling, he couldn’t be sure. “She wants a divorce. Her loyalty to herself will trump everything else.”
“I know why this is important for the hotel, but why her?”
“Why not use Annie? She owes me after all this time. If I can make her miserable and teach her a lesson this week, all the better. Once the tournament is over, I’ll let her walk away and never give her a second thought.”
“For someone who says he doesn’t care about a woman,” Gabe commented dryly, “you’re sure putting a lot of time and effort into this.”
“I deserve my chance to get back at her, don’t I?”
“Sure. She deserves everything you’ll dish out and then some. I just worry this isn’t going to end well.”
Nate appreciated Gabe’s concern but wished his friend had more faith in him. “It will all go as planned. We will bust those dirty crooks, Annie will pay for her irresponsible and thoughtless actions, and I’ll finally have some peace.”
“I’ve seen the way you look at her, Nate. Even today. It’s still there. It may not be love, but whatever it is was strong enough for you two to lose your minds and elope after a few days together.” Gabe paused, leaning across the table toward him. “If she’s your sexual kryptonite, what do you think will happen living in such close proximity for over a week?”
Nate could handle Annie. “Nothing is going to happen. I’ve learned my lesson, I assure you.”
Three
After Nate left, Annie finished unpacking and found herself at a loss for what to do. Her day had taken a radical turn since Nate interrupted her game, and she had far too much nervous energy running through her veins. The situation was nerve-racking, but Nate made it even worse. As usual, he’d managed to stir her suppressed arousal and send her libido into overdrive.
She had an hour before dinner, so she opted for a hot shower and some fresh clothes. It had been a long flight from Miami.
By the time she rounded the corner to the entrance of Carolina’s Restaurant, it was eight-thirty on the nose. The dark, romantic steak house was the jewel of the hotel’s restaurants. There was always an extensive waiting list for those wanting to propose or celebrate an anniversary. Nate and Annie had eaten there only once. It was here, among the candlelight and low, sultry music, that the idea of eloping had been conceived.
Nate, ever punctual, was standing there waiting for her. He was preoccupied with his smartphone, typing something with his right thumb while his left hand anxiously jingled the keys and change in his pocket.
Annie lingered, taking a moment to watch him while he was distracted. He typed for a few seconds and then laughed, scrolling with his thumb and shaking his head. This Nate was more like the man she remembered. His cocky, businessman veneer had been in place when he spoke to her earlier today. He’d constructed pretty high walls since she left. Annie didn’t blame him—she’d given him the bricks to build it—but she did miss the thoughtful, charming man she’d fallen for.
She’d never tell him the truth, but she had been completely consumed by her attraction to Nate. Part of her still cared about him. It just didn’t change her decision. It had all been too much, too fast.
Maybe it was her roaming Gypsy blood that kept her from settling down. Maybe it was her fiercely independent streak that wouldn’t stand for a man trying to control her. Annie didn’t know. But the first time Nate had scoffed at the idea of her traveling to a tournament, she could feel the constrictive hold choking her.
Nate slipped the phone into his pocket and looked down at his watch impatiently. She couldn’t run this time if she ever wanted her freedom back. It was time to be man and wife for the crowds. Annie took a deep breath and prepared to begin her performance.
“Hey, there, sexy.” Annie spoke loudly enough for those around them to hear as she strode quickly to him. Before he could react, she snaked a hand around his neck and tugged him down into a hello kiss.
She had every intention of making it a quick peck for show, but once their lips touched, something stronger than she was held her there. Annie remembered the feeling... The sensation from her past that had nearly ruined her. She could feel the live current running through her body, every nerve awakened after years of dormancy.
When the initial shock of her assault wore off, Nate did his part, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him. His mouth molded to her lips, just as her every curve did to his hard, angular body. They matched perfectly. It was such a natural feeling. It was how she imagined coming home would feel if she had one.
It was only this thought that propelled her to pull away and push gently against the lapels of his dark gray Armani suit. This wasn’t home. This was a ruse. Nothing more.
Nate released her lips but kept her body still and close. “Well, hello,” he whispered low, one eyebrow curiously raised at her.
“Hello,” Annie responded, her voice weak with her own shallow, rapid breathing. She didn’t want him to know she still responded to him like this. Quickly, she searched for the words to convince them both it was only a part of the cover. “Was that convincing enough?”
Nate’s dark eyes searched her face for a moment before he frowned slightly and released his grip on her waist. “Yes, quite. I see you’ve dedicated yourself to your new role.” His voice had returned to the polite and formal.
Annie smiled sweetly and took his arm as he offered it. “I’m absolutely starving,” she said, effectively changing the subject.
“I hope so. I’ve had Leo reserve a very romantic and very—” he leaned in to add the last part quietly “—public table for us.” They bypassed the crowd waiting to be seated and Nate gave a quick wave to Leo, the maître d’.
“Good evening, Mr. Reed. Your table is ready for you and Mrs. Reed.” The tall, thin Asian man grabbed two menus and led them through the restaurant to a candlelit table for two in the center of the room. Leo pulled out Annie’s chair and seated her, placing both their napkins and providing the menu with the night’s selections. “Enjoy your meal and congratulations to you both.”
When Leo disappeared, Annie felt the sudden weight of being alone with Nate in such a romantic setting. The first time they’d eaten there, he’d reserved a cozy table in a dark corner so they wouldn’t be disturbed. Now, although the table was still quite nice, it was out in the open where everyone would see them together. And apparently, the word was out about their marriage. Leo knew. It wouldn’t take long to spread.
Nate reached across the table and took Annie’s hand. She had to remember not to jerk away and instead leaned into him.
“You know, you did a very good job just now. Fooled even me for a moment,” he began, his voice soft as velvet. “Makes me feel better for falling for it last time. Sometimes I forget you’re a professional liar.”
Annie tried to tug away from him, but his iron grasp held her tight. He glanced down at her hand, ignoring her quiet groans of protest. “You really need a manicure.” He murmured the casual insult like a lover’s words in her ear and released her.
She forced a smile, gently untangling her fingers to take a sip of her water. “Well, it’s hard to keep up with the little things when you’re like me, always on the run.”
“Indeed.” His dark eyes pierced her as sharply as his words, although the rest of his face and body language oozed nothing but adoration. She wasn’t the only one that excelled in deception. “I’ll send Julia up to the suite tonight. She works in the hotel salon.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll make a point of going to see her instead. The less time I spend in that suite, the better.”
Nate smiled wide. “You’ll have to sleep in that bed eventually, Annie.”
“Not while you’re in it,” she snapped.
Their server interrupted at that exact moment, introducing herself as Renee and ending their argument. She had a basket of warm, crusty bread and herb butter. “Good evening, Mr. Reed. Mrs. Reed,” she said with a grin. Everyone seemed exceedingly pleased about their boss’s big news. It was quite the little family here at the Sapphire.
Renee continued on about the fresh catch of the day, but Annie didn’t pay very much attention. She was focused entirely on Nate. He was still glaring at her under his blond lashes, despite appearing to look down at the menu with interest. In the past, his glance could send shivers of anticipation up her spine. At the moment, it made her skin crawl. He was surveying her the way she would another player at the poker table. Reading weaknesses. Judging their reactions.
She didn’t like it one bit.
“Champagne, I think. We’re celebrating tonight.”
The single word snapped Annie out of her thoughts. Champagne? She watched Renee disappear around the corner. “You know I don’t drink.”
Nate took a deep breath, fighting to maintain the look of adoration on his face. “Smile, sweetheart. You do tonight. We have to celebrate our reconciliation. Normal people would order champagne.”
“I didn’t drink champagne when we married. Why would I do it now?”
“Because you want a divorce.” He spoke softly, leaning in. “Don’t you?”
“More than anything.” Annie smiled.
Renee returned with a bottle of champagne and two crystal flutes. She filled the glasses, leaving the bottle chilling in a bucket beside the table.
Nate raised his glass, holding it out until Annie reluctantly did the same. “To our marriage,” he said, clinking the crystal against hers.
“And its timely dissolution,” Annie mumbled, quickly bringing the glass to her lips. The golden, bubbly liquid filled her mouth, the flavor surprisingly pleasant and sweet on her tongue. It splashed into her empty stomach, creating a warming sensation that started spreading throughout her body. “Mmm...” She sighed, taking another sip.
Nate watched her suspiciously with his full flute held in midair as she drained half her glass and set it down. “Do you like it?”
“I do.” Annie smiled again, the expression coming much easier than it had before. She had been wound so tightly today, but in an instant she was starting to feel languid, like a house cat stretched out in a sunbeam.
Renee returned just then, ready to take their orders. Annie was suddenly ravenously hungry, ordering more than she would normally. Nate actually smirked through a sip of champagne as she ordered the bacon-wrapped filet and shrimp with the garlic mashed potatoes. He didn’t even know she intended to have dessert, as well. The crème brûlée at Carolina’s was not to be missed.
Renee finished writing and took their menus before she offered to refill her empty glass. Annie accepted gratefully. “What kind of champagne is this? It tastes better than I expected it to.”
“French. And expensive.” Nate frowned, as though he were pinching pennies. More likely he was irritated that his power play hadn’t turned out as he’d hoped.
“Good.” She nearly giggled as she sipped the golden bubbles. The champagne had immediately gone to Annie’s head. She’d told Nate once that she didn’t drink because she didn’t like losing control. That was true, but not entirely. The other reason was that she was a lightweight. Add in that she hadn’t eaten since her layover in Dallas, and you had a recipe for disaster.
She considered tearing off a hunk of the warm bread to soak up some of the alcohol, but resisted. For one thing, she didn’t need the extra carbs. Two, she wanted to be drunk. If he insisted she drink, he was going to find out how big a mistake that truly was.
They sat silently for a few minutes after that. Annie ate her salad ferociously, stopping only long enough to drain her second glass of champagne and pour a third.
Annie knew she should stop, but she just didn’t want to. She didn’t want to sit here, pretending to be in love with him. She couldn’t play nice while her heart was aching every time he looked at her. It was too painful. She wasn’t happy about the way things had ended between them, but she couldn’t change it. There was a good reason she’d run and stayed gone for so many years.
And yet she had a responsibility to fulfill, so she slipped off her heel and let her bare foot roam up under the cuff of his pant leg.
Nate jumped in his seat, his knees whacking the bottom of the table and jingling the glassware. Several people turned to look in their direction, but he quickly recovered with a nervous straightening of his tie.
Annie ignored his pointed gaze, tipping a sip of champagne into her mouth. “You said we had to be convincing, darling.” She set the flute back onto the table with a sweet smile and stroked the firm muscles of his calves with her toes. “Besides, we both know I lose all my good sense when I’m around you.”
* * *
Nate looked at the woman who had occupied his thoughts for the past three years. The giggling mess across the table was not exactly as he remembered her. She’d managed to eat every morsel laid in front of her and drink at least four flutes of champagne.
At the moment she was licking the spoon after her last bite of crГЁme brГ»lГ©e as though she might never eat again.
He had to give her credit, though. She’d kept up her end of the bargain. Through the meal, she’d looked at him adoringly, fed him bites of her food and leaned in to kiss him on more than one occasion. Anyone watching their exchange would think they were blissfully in love.
The truth was that she was blissfully drunk. A quick glance under the table revealed his biggest fear— four-inch stilettos. Did the woman not own any sensible shoes? There was no way she would be able to walk out of this restaurant with any dignity at all.
Nate quickly surveyed the room. Their dinner had run quite late and most people had cleared out for the evening. It was a Thursday, a big night at some places in Vegas for senior bingo, but that wasn’t the crowd he drew at the Sapphire. If she was determined to embarrass him, she’d chosen the wrong day.
He quickly scribbled his information onto the restaurant tab, tipping Renee heavily. Then he turned back to Annie with a heavy sigh. “Are you finished?”
She reluctantly put her spoon back into the empty ramekin. “I guess so. That is, if I can manage to stand up.”
Nate moved quickly, coming around to help her. She stood, probably too fast, and wobbled for a second before gripping his outstretched arm for dear life.
“Why don’t you—?”
“No,” she insisted, her brow drawn in drunken concentration. “I can do this.” She took a few unsteady steps beside him and then seemed to recover nicely. Just as they approached the entrance to the restaurant, her heel turned beneath her and she threw herself onto the maître d’ stand.
“Whoa there,” she said with an uncertain laugh. In one quick motion, she righted herself and plucked off her shoes. “Much better,” she said, wiggling her toes into the plush and wildly colored casino carpeting.
“What are you doing? You can’t just walk through here barefoot.” Nate frowned.
Annie laughed, walking on and answering casually over her shoulder. “I know the owner. He won’t mind.”
Nate was quick to follow. “I mean it isn’t safe. You could step on something. Drunks break glasses in here all the time. We try to get it all up, but you never know. Besides, the floor could be filthy.”
“You are an old ninny, Nathan.” Annie turned to him and planted her hands on her hips. Her heels dangled helplessly at her side as she wrinkled her nose and actually stuck out her tongue at him.
He could barely trust his eyes. No one on the poker circuit would believe this story if he told it later. The Barracuda, drunk and acting like a fool, albeit a beautiful one. It was unheard of. Unprecedented. And hysterical.
The bubble of laughter rose up in his throat. He couldn’t contain it. The pent-up frustration and disappointment and confusion of the last three years all pooled together at once and exploded out of him in a roar of laughter. His whole body shook with the power of it. Nate actually bowed over, his hands braced on his knees as he chuckled until tears started gathering in the corners of his eyes.
He looked up to see the laughter had doubled Annie’s irritation. Her expression only made it harder for him to breathe. Nate stood up, attempting to calm himself and wiping his face with the back of his hand. It was incredibly therapeutic—more so than the glasses of scotch or hours angrily lifting weights in the hotel gym.
“That’s it, I’m leaving!” she announced, turning and marching away from the restricted area, shoes in hand.
“Annie, come back here.” Nate jogged after her, reaching out to grasp her wrist and jerk her to a stop.
“Let go of me,” she whined, her anger doused by the champagne and reducing her to childish behavior.
Nate tightened his grip. “I will not. You’re going the wrong way. The elevator upstairs is over there.” He pointed.
Annie looked around her, confused, and then recognized her mistake. She started walking in the correct direction but was once again tugged to a stop by Nate. “Would you please let go of me?” she asked, exasperated.
Nate shook his head. “Not until you put your shoes back on.”
“Are you going to make me?” Annie taunted, tugging away again.
That was the wrong thing to say. Nate couldn’t take any more of this. If she wanted to make a scene in his casino, so be it, but he wouldn’t be the one everyone whispered about tomorrow. In one quick motion, he bent and scooped Annie up, tossing her over his shoulder like a kicking, screaming sack of potatoes.
“What the...?” she cried in surprise, but it was already too late.
Nate marched through the casino, his arms tightly gripping her legs to his chest to keep her from kicking him. Her free fists were already pounding at his back, but that was easy to ignore.
“Put me down, Nathan Reed! Put me down this instant,” Annie wailed.
Nate chuckled and disregarded her, walking through the casino as though it were his dry cleaning over his shoulder instead of his wife. Eyes were glued to him from every side, but he didn’t care. He nodded politely to the staff as he passed, just as he did every day.
“Nathan!” she howled.
“You’re only drawing more attention to yourself by yelling, Annie.”
The squirming mass on his shoulder quieted at once, although she still attempted a kick every few feet for good measure. Nate looked up at one of the domed ceiling cameras. He had no doubt that Gabe was watching them and laughing hysterically in the security office. He’d have to remember to save this tape for posterity. Or future blackmail.
Nate swiped his badge and ducked through the doorway to the restricted area. Once safely enclosed, Annie began kicking and screaming anew.
“Put me down!”
“Nope.” Nate called his private elevator and ignored the stiletto heels being pummeled against him. Instead, he held her legs more tightly. He enjoyed the feel of her in his arms, even in the less than ideal circumstance. The warm scent of her perfume was instantly familiar, stirring a heat in his veins. He couldn’t resist letting his fingertips softly stroke the smooth skin of her legs. Her skirt was long enough to protect her virtue as he’d walked through the casino, but it still provided him an excellent view of the firm thighs he’d missed all these years.
When the doors opened, he stepped inside the elevator. Now that they were out of the public view, he could put her down, even though he didn’t want to. Nate wrapped one arm behind her legs and another across the small of her back, slowly easing her to the floor. She clung to him, their bodies in full contact as she slid, inch by inch, to the ground. The simple motion caused a delicious friction as he felt her every curve press into him.
When her feet finally touched the ground, Annie looked up at him, her eyes blazing with blue fire. But not from desire. The impact of the powerful moment was overshadowed by his stunt. Either that or it just made her angrier that she reacted to him.
“You jackass,” she screeched as she swung her purse to strike him. Nate reached out and grabbed hold of her wrist before she could make contact. It only fueled her irritation. “How dare you manhandle me like that? I...I am not one of your employees you can shuffle around at will! I—”
Nate interrupted her tirade by capturing her mouth with his. He wasn’t about to let her poisonous words ruin this moment. Annie fought it for only a moment before succumbing to her desires and wrapping her arms around his neck to tug him closer. The kiss was hard and almost desperate as they came together for their first real kiss in three years.
He backed her up until she was pinned against the brass doors of the elevator. With the heavy thud of their bodies against the cold metal, it was as though the floodgates had opened. Nate could feel the intensity of their touches start to build, their hands feverishly dancing over their bodies as their mouths threatened to devour each other. He’d waited three long years to touch her body again and at last, he could.
His palm cupped her breast through the silky fabric of her shirt. She moaned, her body arching to press against him. “Oh, Nate,” she whispered.
The elevator came to a stop. Nate pulled her to him as the doors slid open behind her. He knew that he should let her go. This was not part of his plan, but he just couldn’t make himself do it. It felt right to have Annie in his arms again, even if she’d done nothing but aggravate him all evening.
He let his thumb gently trace the line of her jaw and relished the feel of her soft skin. Her eyes closed and lips parted slightly with a soft intake of breath. Her whole body relaxed into him, her anger a distant memory.
Annie opened her eyes and looked up at him. There was an obvious invitation in her blue gaze. Despite her earlier protests, too much champagne and not enough kissing had changed her mind. It had changed his, too. No matter what happened after they married, the times they’d spent in one another’s arms had always been fantastic. Every nerve in his body urged him to indulge it. If he stepped off this elevator with her, he would have her naked and in his bed in minutes. Exactly what he’d told Gabe he wouldn’t do.
So what the hell was he doing?
Nate straightened up and gently grasped Annie’s shoulders. “Good night, Annie.”
She frowned for a moment before he gave her a firm but gentle push. The movement was enough to send her stumbling backward out of the elevator and into the foyer of his suite. He quickly hit the button, closing the doors and sending him back to the casino, leaving them both aroused and alone.
Four
Annie was awakened the next morning by the sound of the shower running. She pushed herself up in bed, eyeing the pristine blankets on Nate’s side. He must have slept on the couch.
She hoped he had a crick in his neck from it. After he’d wound her up then dropped her like a rock last night, he deserved it. When he’d kissed her so fiercely, she’d thought that perhaps he was as attracted to her as she still was to him. But when she stumbled back onto the landing and watched the cold, impassive expression on his face as the elevator doors closed, she’d known she was wrong.
Nate hated her. Anything and everything he could do to make her miserable—including turning her on and leaving her unsatisfied—was on the table for the next week. He’d lured her back to Las Vegas with this poker tournament just so he could slowly torture her. It was a devious plot, and a part of her knew she deserved it for leaving the way she had, but that didn’t mean she was just going to sit back and take it.
If Nate thought he could use their physical connection to manipulate her, he had another think coming. Two could play at that game. He’d desired her once; she could make him want her again. Silently seducing and manipulating men was at least half of her poker strategy. That’s why her sweaters were so low cut and her skirts were so tight. Poker required concentration, and she’d learned early on that being attractive was one of her biggest advantages in a game dominated by men.
The water turned off and Annie heard the glass door of the shower stall open and close. She quickly smoothed her hands over her hair and wished she was wearing pajamas with more seductive appeal. Her thin cotton shorts didn’t quite fit the bill, so she tugged up the sheets so only her skimpy matching tank top would show.
The door opened a moment later to reveal a wet and steamy Nate. He had a dark blue towel wrapped low on his hips that drew the eye down his hard belly to the line of darkening hair that disappeared beneath the terry cloth. His golden curls were damp, his face freshly shaved. Annie tried to focus on looking alluring, but it was hard when she was face-to-face with a body like his. Every inch was hard-carved muscle.
Nate paused in the doorway. His glance flicked briefly to the snug fit of her top over her breasts and returned to her eyes. “Good, you’re up. You need to get ready. Gabe will be here in about an hour to brief you on our strategy.”
Annie abandoned her attempt at alluring Nate and frowned. “Strategy?”
“For you snitching, as you’ve called it.”
Annie had been so distracted by last night’s events that she’d forgotten about the deal she’d made. She wasn’t just posing as his happy bride in public and feuding with him in private. She was supposed to be spying. Cracking the ring. Earning her freedom. The tournament officially started tomorrow, but everyone would be arriving today for the kickoff, registration and the cocktail party.
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