Bet on Love

He turned to see his brother approaching with Frank Regan, the general manager.

“For a minute there, I thought you’d gone to the wrong place,” Solomon said.

“I had to make a slight detour,” Tanner explained, gazing at his brother. They were the same height. Many had said they would be hard to tell apart between their close features and size, except Solomon chose to wear his black hair long and curly instead of shaving it all off. Tanner was glad that set them apart. The last thing he needed or wanted was to have people getting him confused with his brother and vice versa. Particularly where it concerned the ladies, as their tastes were about as different as night and day.

“Oh, right, the accident,” Solomon said.

“What accident?” Frank asked, scratching his thinning blond-gray hair.

“Just a slight fender bender,” Tanner said. “I took care of it. No big deal.”

“Glad to hear that,” Solomon told him. “We’ve got less than forty-eight hours till the big opening, and there’s still a lot to be done.”

Tanner smiled. “Including cost cutting?”

“Hey, someone has to watch the bottom line,” his brother said with a chuckle.

“And you’re the right man for the job. Don’t you agree, Frank?”

“Absolutely,” he said. “Together, you two are unbeatable.”

“Which makes the three of us that much more formidable,” Tanner told him, patting the fiftysomething general manager on the back. They began walking and Tanner regarded both men. “So bring me up to speed on anything I’ve missed, and I’ll do the same.”

“Well, for one, you missed the glamorous Kendre Kelly rehearsing for her opening act in the concert hall,” Frank told him.

Tanner frowned. She was one of the top singing talents around these days. They had secured her services for the next three months. He would have more than enough time to see her perform.

“Is she as good as they say?” he asked for effect.

“Better,” Frank claimed. “Back me up on this, Solomon.”

“Yeah, she’s good—including on the eyes.”

Tanner chuckled. “Leave it up to my brother to focus more on her looks than talent.”

“Look who’s talking,” Solomon tossed back. “I’m not the one who dated a hot-to-trot dancer, awed much more by her beauty than her footwork.”

“Guilty as charged,” Tanner said. “But then, she didn’t work for me. Have to draw the line somewhere.”

Solomon grinned crookedly. “Understood.”

Tanner wasn’t so sure he did, knowing Solomon had a weakness for beautiful women. The fact that Kendre was now employed at the Aloha Seas would not likely change this any.

For his part, Tanner could also appreciate a lovely, sexy woman. Bianca Wagner came to mind again. Good thing she wasn’t working for them, so there were no barriers standing in the way of them getting together, assuming the opportunity presented itself.

* * *

Bianca resisted the urge to overdress for the grand opening event, preferring to keep it simple and stylish with a sleeveless blue A-line dress and low heels. She decided to leave her hair down and loose, and wore little makeup, as usual, preferring the natural glow of her complexion.

Accompanied by Melanie, she entered the packed Aloha Seas and both women were immediately in awe.

“This is so cool,” Melanie said, taking in the glamor and glitter of the tropical-themed hotel. “Makes me want to check out Hawaii in person.”

“You should,” Bianca told her. “You’d love it there.”

“I’m sure I would, especially with the right man on my arm.”

Bianca smiled. “That’s always a plus,” she said.

“Aloha!” Bianca heard the familiar deep voice. She turned to find Tanner standing there with another tall, well-dressed man who, by the looks of him, could only be Tanner’s brother.

“Hello,” she said.

Tanner grinned. “Glad you could make it.”

“We wouldn’t have missed this,” Melanie said enthusiastically.

“This is my friend, Melanie,” Bianca said.

“Nice to meet you,” Tanner told her, shaking Melanie’s hand. “And this is my brother, Solomon.”

“Ladies,” Solomon said, smiling.

Bianca smiled back. She could see the resemblance between the brothers right down to the neatly trimmed mustaches and goatees, aside from the fact that Solomon had hair atop his head and Tanner did not.

“Was your car repaired to your satisfaction?” Tanner asked her.

“It will be ready in two days,” Bianca told him. “Thank you.”

“It was the least I could do, since Johan caused the damage.”

“I really love the hotel,” Melanie said.

“Mahalo!” Solomon responded, thanking her.

“Can’t wait to see the casino.”

“I’d be happy to give you a tour,” he said.

“I’ll take you up on that,” Melanie responded, beaming.

Solomon grinned. “Then let’s go for it.”

Bianca watched as the two walked away, leaving her alone with Tanner. “That was quick,” she commented.

“For Melanie or Solomon?” he quipped.

“Both.”

Tanner chuckled. “Solomon’s always had an eye for pretty ladies. Your friend certainly fits the bill.”

Bianca couldn’t argue the point. She only hoped Melanie knew what she was getting herself into. Or maybe Melanie didn’t care. Bianca was well aware that her friend was a free spirit, often living for the moment rather than the future.

“Why don’t I show you around,” Tanner said loudly, amidst an exquisite setting overflowing with invited guests, tourists and employees moving this way and that with blended chatter. “If you’d like?”

“Are you sure I wouldn’t be keeping you from anything?” she asked tentatively.

“I’ve got a lot on my plate today,” he admitted. “But I think I can spare a few minutes for a beautiful lady.”

Bianca warmed to the compliment, even though she suspected he used that line quite a bit on women. “Okay, in that case, I’ll take a few minutes of your time to check out the place.”

Tanner flashed a pleased smile. “I like your dress.”

“It’s just a dress,” she said, trying to downplay it.

“Not on you,” he insisted.

She laughed. “Are you always this smooth?”

He chuckled. “It’s not a line, I assure you. I always say just what I mean.”

“Then, thank you,” Bianca gave in, figuring she would accept the flattery since she could just as easily have complimented him on the designer clothing that seemed made just for him.

Tanner flashed another devastatingly handsome smile and proffered his long arm, pointing toward an enormous lobby. “Shall we...?”

* * *

Tanner was only too happy to give Bianca a tour of his pride and joy. He knew Solomon felt the same way when showing Melanie around. Though this hardly meant either of them was expecting more, Tanner would not deny that he was attracted to Bianca, and he sensed she was attracted to him, too. How far they would take that was anyone’s guess, but he was more than happy to see if it could go anywhere.

“Wow!” Bianca marveled as he showed her one of the pools that had the feel of being on Maui’s famed Kaanapali Beach, complete with palm trees, golden sand and plenty of sunshine.

“You like?” Tanner asked.

“I love it!”

“I take it you swim?”

“Of course,” she said.

“Then feel free to drop in sometime for a dip. The water’s always comfortable.”

Bianca looked at him. “Have you tested it?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve been in a couple of times to break it in, so to speak.”

“Maybe I’ll take you up on that sometime.”

“I hope so.” And I just might join you in the water for some real fun, he thought. “Let’s go look at the lounges.”

“Sounds good.”

Tanner ordered them each a Mai Tai in the Island Lounge. “So what do you do for a living?”

“I’m a writer,” Bianca responded.

“You write novels, articles or—”

“Yes, articles for the Vegas Valley Happenings and some freelance stuff for online publications.”

“Cool,” he said, picturing her at work on her next article.

“Not as cool as owning your own hotel-casino,” she said flatly.

He chuckled. “It definitely has its perks and advantages, but that’s only a part of who I am.”

“And just who are you?” Bianca asked as she sipped her drink.

“I’m someone with a wide range of tastes and experiences.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah.”

“Such as...” she asked.

He was about to answer when his cell phone rang. It was Frank.

“I have to get this,” Tanner said reluctantly.

“Of course,” Bianca said.

He stood up and took the call, listening as Frank informed him that he had a welcoming speech to make in fifteen minutes.

“I’ll be there,” Tanner said. He gazed at Bianca, feeling that he could look at her all day and night. If only he had the time. “I hate to cut this short, but I have to play host in welcoming some dignitaries to the grand opening.”

“I understand.” She gave him a polite smile.

“Can you hang around for a while?” he asked hopefully.

“Maybe,” she said hesitantly.

He grinned. “Good. I’d like to finish what we started. In the meantime, have another drink on the house.”

Bianca tilted her head. “You’re not trying to get me drunk, are you?”

Tanner chuckled. “No, I’d much rather have you clear-headed. It’s sexier.”

“So you think I’m sexy?”

He saw no reason to deny it. “Not think. I know you are,” he said. “Well, I’ll leave you with that thought.”

Tanner walked away from the bar, hoping this might be the start of something good for both of them.

Chapter 3

That night, Bianca sat in a bubble bath, shamelessly fantasizing about Tanner Long. In spite of the definite sexual vibes between them, she wasn’t holding her breath that anything would actually come of it. She wasn’t the type of woman to just jump into bed with any man she was attracted to. Especially a wealthy man with a reputation for loving and leaving women.

She hadn’t exactly gone out of her way to become involved with anyone at this time in her life. And she sensed the same was true for Tanner. No involvement of a serious nature.

So where does that leave us as potential lovers? she asked herself, using her toes to toss bubbles in the air. Probably nowhere, which was probably the safest place.

Bianca thought back to being at the Aloha Seas in a very nice lounge after Tanner had left. She had quickly grown bored and gone to find him. She did, in a huge ballroom filled with people. Standing tall at a podium, Tanner had seemed totally in his element. Flanked by gorgeous showgirls, he’d welcomed the mayor and other dignitaries while promising a bright future for the city of Las Vegas and Aloha Seas as a new addition to the Strip.

She had left the hotel before he had finished entertaining his guests, figuring that was probably best all the way around.

Melanie had left with her, but not before making plans for a date with Solomon. Bianca had a feeling that any romance between them would be short-lived, if Solomon’s reputation was even close to the truth. The same feeling about Tanner left her less than enthusiastic about any future with him, should the possibility present itself.

* * *

The next day at work, all Melanie could talk about was Solomon.

“He’s such a hunk, and he likes me,” she gushed.

“He likes all attractive women,” Bianca reminded her.

“And I like all good-looking men,” Melanie countered. “Doesn’t mean I’ll sleep with every one of them.”

“I never said that.”

“You also never told me if you plan to see Tanner again.”

“Not if I can help it,” Bianca said, wondering if it was as simple as that.

“Give the man a chance,” Melanie said. “I saw the way he was looking at you. In fact, he couldn’t take his eyes off you.”

Bianca smiled diffidently. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Well, maybe you should. He’s a hottie, loaded and looks to be in the market for a special lady—someone like you. Don’t blow it by playing too hard to get.”

“I don’t play games with men.” Unlike some other women she knew. “I’m just not looking to go there right now. Okay?”

“Okay, I get it.” Melanie sighed. “Not interested. Doesn’t mean we can’t go to their casino together sometimes for drinks or whatever. As huge as the place is, chances are you’d never run into Tanner.”

“Sure, no problem,” Bianca said. Somehow she was sure that any time she set foot in the Aloha Seas, she would invariably run into Tanner.

* * *

Tanner worked out on the elliptical machine in the hotel’s state-of-the-art fitness room alongside his brother. They were in regular competition over who was the fittest. In Tanner’s mind it was probably a tie, even though he’d never admit to it.

He thought about Bianca. After standing at the podium yesterday, thanking everyone who had made it possible for the hotel and casino to come about, he had gone to look for Bianca. But she was nowhere to be found.

Though disappointed, Tanner had given her the benefit of the doubt in her absence. Maybe she got tired of waiting and had other things to do. Should he call her? Did she want him to?

Or was he interested in someone who wasn’t able or ready to reciprocate that interest?

Maybe it’s best if I don’t rush into anything for a change, he mused, only to end up feeling empty and ready to move on.

Tanner had a feeling that this wouldn’t be the case with Bianca. But he might never get the chance to find out.

“So what’s up with you and Bianca?” Solomon asked, as if reading his mind.

“Not much,” Tanner admitted. “She left before we could spend any time together.”

“But you like her, right?”

“I’m attracted to her, yes.” Tanner increased his speed on the machine. “Can’t say yet if I like her.”

“Maybe you should find out,” Solomon said, wiping perspiration from his brow. “She’s definitely got the looks.”

“So does Melanie,” Tanner said, eyeing him. “You two seemed to hit it off.”

“Yeah, we did. We’re going out tonight.”

“Lucky you—or is she the lucky one?”

Solomon laughed. “Hey, we’re in the business of luck, right? We’ll see what happens. In the meantime, maybe you ought to give Bianca a buzz and take it from there. Or are you still hung up on...what’s her name...”

“That’s over and done with,” Tanner interjected before his brother could finish.

“Thought so. Just checking.”

“Well, check no further,” Tanner told him, eager to distance himself from Angie LeBrock, an aspiring actress and singer he’d hooked up with a few times. While it had been fun for a while, she soon became too overbearing and clingy for his liking.

He was now ready to move on.

* * *

Bianca had just left work and was heading toward her car when her cell phone rang. She pulled the phone from her purse and saw from the caller ID that it was Tanner Long. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought about him.

“Hello,” she said equably, just before her voice mail picked up.

“Hey, this is Tanner,” he said curtly. “You weren’t around last night to pick up where we left off.”

“Sorry, I had things to do. And, clearly, you were pretty busy, so...”

“Yeah, guess it was kind of crazy around here,” Tanner conceded. “You have any plans for tonight?”

She sucked in a breath. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Yes. One of our restaurants specializes in seafood, if that suits your fancy.”

“I love seafood,” she admitted.

“Great. So what do you say?”

Bianca considered the invitation. Did she really want to head in this direction with this man? She hesitated. “Actually, I’m busy tonight.”

“So how about tomorrow night?” Tanner persisted.

“Why me?” she asked bluntly. “Don’t you have enough showgirls and others to choose from to go out with?”

He chuckled. “First, you’re a beautiful woman and I would like to get to know you. Second, I don’t date showgirls. As for others, sure there are plenty of lovely ladies in Vegas to ask out, but I’m asking you.”

Bianca admired his honesty and, even if she was leery, couldn’t resist her attraction to him. “All right—tomorrow night.”

“I’ll have Johan pick you up.”

“Oh, no.” She laughed nervously. “I don’t know if I can trust him behind the wheel. I think I’m better off taking a cab there.” Her car was still being serviced.

Tanner seemed to take it all in stride. “Whatever you like. But, just for the record, Johan can only work with what he’s given, as far as reaction time goes.”

Bianca furrowed her brow. “Sounds like you’re blaming me for what happened.”

“I’m blaming the idiot who cut you off,” he said bluntly. “The important thing is that no one got hurt.”

“True,” Bianca agreed, glad they were on the same wavelength. Though Johan may not have been at fault, in reality, she didn’t want to be in an awkward situation on a first date, just in case it went totally the wrong way and she wanted to cut it short.

Still, she was optimistic that the date could turn out to be a good thing. After all, there was no denying that Tanner was a good catch.

* * *

That night, Bianca stuck with her original plans to meet her good friend, Vicky Poole, for drinks at a club on Paradise Road called The Palace.

She had known Vicky for a few years now—they met when Bianca was a crime reporter. Vicky, an ex-prostitute, had turned her life around and was counseling teen runaways and sex workers, getting them off the street. She now ran a safe house for prostitute girls.

“Hey there,” Vicky said, waving as she made her way through the crowd to reach Bianca.

“Hey,” Bianca responded with a smile, giving the taller, slender woman a hug. “I got us a table.”

“Cool.” Vicky put her oversize purse on the table and sat across from Bianca. They both ordered cocktails when the waitress approached.

“How’s the safe house?” Bianca asked, knowing how important this was to Vicky. Bianca volunteered there once every two weeks.

“It can be utterly exhausting at times,” Vicky responded, running a hand through her short brown hair with its golden highlights. “But I love being there for the girls, you know?”

“I know,” Bianca said. “And they love having you there, knowing someone cares.”

“Yeah, I do. I only wish someone had been there to care for me when I worked the Strip as a teenager.”

Bianca couldn’t begin to imagine the hell Vicky must have endured at that stage of her life. She reached across the table and touched Vicky’s hand. “The important thing is that you got through it in one piece and are doing good things with your life now.”

“Very true,” she said.

The drinks came and Bianca sipped hers thoughtfully.

“So bring me up-to-date on what’s going on with you,” Vicky said.

Should I or shouldn’t I mention Tanner? Bianca asked herself. After all, they hadn’t even gone on a date yet. She also wondered if she might jinx any potential they had by jumping the gun.

Then she realized that if it was meant to go somewhere it would. And if not, it wouldn’t.

“Well, I met Tanner Long,” Bianca said casually, knowing that he was well-known to most women in the city, thanks to his most-eligible-bachelor tag.

“Get out of here,” Vicky said in disbelief. “Or do you mean you met him as a reporter?”

“Actually, I met him as a car owner.”

Vicky cocked a brow. “Explain.”

“His limo driver hit my car and I ended up getting a ride from Tanner,” Bianca said nonchalantly. “Next thing I knew, he invited me to the grand opening of his hotel and casino. He asked me out to dinner tomorrow night.”

“Whoa—this is in warp speed!” Vicky said. “How on earth did you get from point A to point, let’s say, N or O...?”

Bianca giggled. “It just happened. Well, nothing’s really happened yet, but he seems to like me, so we’ll see where it goes, if anywhere.”

“Well you go, girl!” Vicky lifted her hand and gave Bianca a high five. “After being with too many losers, maybe you’ve finally met your match. Or should I say it’s the other way around?”

“Maybe a little of both,” Bianca said. “But it’s way too early to think about matches made in heaven. After all, this is Sin City, is it not?”

Vicky laughed. “It is, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still good people around with good intentions.”

“Tanner seems to have good intentions with Aloha Seas as a new place of employment on the Strip,” Bianca told her. “Not so sure what his intentions are as a confirmed playboy.”

“Hey, being a player usually only means the man hasn’t met anyone yet to get him to slow down. Could be you’re just the right person for the job.”

Bianca chuckled. “This isn’t an interview. Just a first date.”

“So enjoy, and see what the man is made of—besides millions.”

“I intend to,” Bianca said. She was in no way a gold digger—she was more than happy to support herself. But she did want a man who was self-assured, successful and wasn’t into head games. Or leading her on just because he could. Could Tanner be that man?

Or was she setting herself up for yet another disappointment?

Chapter 4

After a brisk morning workout, Tanner had showered in his penthouse suite and then attended a series of meetings with his management team. So far, so good for the hotel-casino. They had gotten a lot of press coverage. But he understood that they were in competition with every other hotel and casino on the Strip, as well as those off it. As such, they had to be innovative and welcoming if they were going to stay ahead of the game.

After the meeting ended, Tanner had hoped to talk to Solomon alone, but he was meeting Melanie for lunch—apparently in his room where she had spent the night. Admittedly, Tanner was envious of his little brother. He had sought out the prize and conquered with seemingly little effort on his part.

Whereas Tanner felt as though he was starting from scratch with Bianca. She didn’t strike him as the kind of woman who would settle for a one-night stand. Especially not the first night. And though he had been guilty of that a time or two, the truth was he preferred a steady relationship, contrary to popular belief. Finding a woman who could hold his attention was key.

Bianca certainly seemed like a good candidate.

After doing some paperwork, Tanner went to the hotel’s Mahalo Lounge to have a drink with his best friend and lawyer, Chuck Newman. Aside from the fact that they had known each other for more than a decade, Chuck was also one of the hotel-casino’s investors and someone he could trust to tell it like it was.

Tanner spotted him nursing a drink at the bar.

“Hope you haven’t had too many of those yet,” Tanner kidded.

Chuck looked up and grinned. “This is my first one.”

Tanner smiled, sitting next to the thirty-eight-year-old man. “In that case, I’ll order a second round for you and one for myself.”

“That works for me,” Chuck said. His short black hair was graying at the temples.

Tanner ordered the drinks from the bartender who promptly made them.

“Looks like this place has set the Strip on fire,” Chuck commented.

“Yeah, all the rooms are booked for the next couple of weeks and some high rollers have shown up hoping to get lucky.”

Chuck laughed. “That always helps. Unless, of course, you’re pulling for the house, which I am.”

Tanner chuckled. “You had me worried for a moment there,” he joked.

“Don’t be. I want to see my investment grow tenfold, if possible.”

“You and me both.” Tanner tasted the drink. “So how’s Deloris?” he asked about Chuck’s wife.

“Great. She’s in South Carolina visiting her mother.” Chuck looked at him. “And who’s the flavor of the week for you right now?”

Tanner laughed. “Sounds like ice cream.”

“Only sweeter, potentially,” Chuck shot back.