Las Vegas Nights. Cat Schield

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СКАЧАТЬ words hung in Scarlett’s mind as she dressed for her “date” with Logan. It had to be accidental. Anything else was preposterous. Who would want to kill an old man? Someone who had something to hide? She shook off the thought. Logan had put crazy ideas in her head. But she couldn’t shake her nerves. And she had lots more than the ticking time bomb Tiberius had left her to worry about. She was about to embark on an entire evening alone with Logan.

      Scarlett nearly jumped out of her skin when the knock sounded on her door. She set her lipstick aside and took a breath to settle her racing pulse. Would tonight be all business or would he subject her to another one of those mind-blowing embraces?

      There were ways to protect herself from men who wanted to harm her. And where her heart was concerned, Logan had already proven himself a dangerous adversary.

      Standing before the door to the hall, she smoothed her palms along her hips. Never had she spent so many hours trying to figure out what a man wanted her to be. In the end, she’d dressed in a pair of skinny black pants and a black blouse with a cap sleeve that bared her arms. With her hair slicked back into a severe bun and tiny pearl earrings as her only jewelry, she was as close to looking professional as she could manage.

      Then, because she’d never been good at doing what was expected of her, Scarlett added a pair of heavy black-framed glasses. Now she looked like someone’s sexy secretary. Wrestling her features into a bland expression, she opened the door.

      Logan’s eyes narrowed as he caught sight of her. “What’s with the getup?”

      She slid the glasses down her nose and peered at him over them. “Don’t you think I look professional?”

      “You look...fine.”

      “Fine? I spent all afternoon searching my closet for something to wear so you wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen with me.” She couldn’t resist the taunt.

      “I thought you understood I’m not interested in your playacting.”

      Scarlett gave him a genuine smile. “Do you really want me to stop?”

      “Why wouldn’t I?” He gave her a suspicious once-over.

      “What happens if you start to like the real me? Where will you be then?” It was a bold sortie, but something about the lick of heat in his eyes told her he wasn’t as immune to her as he’d like her to think.

      “Why would you think I’d like the real you?”

      “Touché,” she murmured, unfazed by his question. She intrigued him. That much was clear. He wasn’t the sort of man to waste his time if he wasn’t interested. For now, that was enough. “I might not be the best-educated or most suited to run a multibillion-dollar hotel business, but I’ve got my own talent.”

      “Such as?”

      “I do a pretty good job reading people.”

      “I suppose that’s your way of saying you’ve got me all figured out.”

      “Not in the least. You’ve always been a hard nut to crack.” She gave him a wry smile. “That’s why you’re so interesting.”

      Scarlett grabbed her purse and stepped into the hall. Sharing the space with Logan’s broad shoulders and powerful personality stirred up the butterflies in her stomach. Self-protection told her to give him a wide berth, but Scarlett had never been one to run from her fears. Instead, she linked her arm through his and smiled up at him.

      “Where are you taking me for dinner?”

      “Paul Rubin’s new place.”

      She hummed with pleasure. Romantic and expensive. She never would have guessed Logan had it in him. “I’ve been dying to try it.”

      Without commenting, Logan escorted her down the hall. If he’d stuck to his usual pace, Scarlett would have had to trot to keep up. Was he being considerate of her footwear or was whatever weighed on his mind slowing him down?

      “Did you know Tiberius’s death has been ruled a homicide?” Logan asked when at last they reached the elevator.

      “Last night Violet mentioned that the police thought there was something suspicious about his death.”

      “He overdosed on digitalis.”

      “Sure, but he was taking that for his heart, right? He just accidentally took too much?” She sounded way too hopeful.

      “The digitalis in his system had a different chemical signature than what he was taking. Someone wanted to make it look like an accidental overdose.” Logan regarded her dispassionately. “I hope this convinces you how dangerous these files are to have in your possession.”

      “Your concern is touching.” If she gave them up would he remain concerned about her? Scarlett wasn’t willing to find out. “But you have no idea why someone killed Tiberius. For all anyone knows, he might have been the victim of a random crime.”

      “Not random. Someone knew he had a bad heart and wanted to make his death look like natural causes.”

      “So maybe Tiberius was blackmailing someone. With his death, that stops.”

      “Unless that person thinks you are going to pick up where he left off.”

      “I’d never do that.”

      “I know that, but—”

      “You do?” She’d had to interrupt him.

      “Of course.” He shot her an exasperated glare. “My opinion of you isn’t as bad as you think.”

      “Thank goodness.” She sighed in exaggerated relief, earning still more of his displeasure.

      “Do you ever stop acting?”

      “Only when you’re kissing me.” She wasn’t sure where she found the courage to speak so boldly, but when his eyes widened with surprise, she was delighted she had.

      She lifted her chin and offered him her lips but the elevator doors picked that inopportune moment to open. He growled and dragged her inside.

      “If there weren’t cameras in every inch of this hotel, I’d make you prove that statement,” he muttered, jabbing his thumb into the down button.

      “We could go back to your place after we check out the storage space,” she offered, every inch of her skin tingling where his gaze touched her. Lowering her voice, she whispered, “Unless you’ve got cameras there for personal use.”

      Her innuendo was so outrageous that he laughed. “You have a smart-ass remark for everything, don’t you?”

      “A girl learns to stay on her toes in Hollywood. There are a lot of smart people ready to take advantage if you’re not careful.”

      “Have you told my niece that?”

      Scarlett smiled. “She knows.”

      “How are things going with her?”

      “We СКАЧАТЬ