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Jax Monroe couldn’t help but stare at Cleo—all grown-up and filled out in the right places. Long wavy honey-gold locks just begged for him to run his fingers through them to see if they were as soft as they appeared. Wow! If he had known how hot she’d turn out, he might have reconsidered returning to Hope Springs. After all, she’d had a crush on him that was apparent to everyone in their hometown... But then he recalled how young she’d been back then—much too young for him.
And now, as much as her body had grown and changed from the gangly teenager he’d once known, there were other parts of her that were annoyingly the same. She still spoke her mind at the most inopportune time and without any thought of who might be listening.
What in the world had made him think that flying across the country to hide in plain sight was such a good idea? On second thought, maybe he should have stuck it out in New York until it was time for his courtroom testimony. But he’d already made his choice. And now that he was here, he was looking forward to seeing if Lady Luck was still on his side.
Now if only he could just get Cleo to quiet down before she revealed his identity to everyone in the hotel. Frustration bubbled in his veins as he considered clamping his hand over her pink glossy lips. Then a more tempting thought came to mind of how he might silence her—lip to lip.
One look at the agitation reflected in her eyes and he knew she’d slap him if he dared kiss her. Definitely not a viable option, even if Cleo wasn’t his best friend’s kid sister. Kurt had been the one guy who’d always accepted him as is—the same guy who’d saved his bacon more than once when he’d acted out after his old man had called him a good-for-nothing mooch. The only thing Kurt had ever asked of him was to keep his hands off his little sis.
Jax smiled as he recalled Cleo with knobby knees, freckles and a long ponytail. Boy had things changed. She was smooth and polished like a piece of fine art.
Cleo’s green eyes narrowed. “Am I amusing you?”
“Um, no.” He struggled to untangle his muddled thoughts. “I take it by your name tag that you work here.”
Lines creased between her fine brows. “What’s the matter with you? Have you been drinking?”
“What? Of course not.” He’d watched his father live his life out of a scotch bottle and the way his mother tried to please him, with no luck. Jax refused to follow in his father’s unhappy footsteps. “I don’t drink.”
“So why are you calling yourself Joe Smith?”
“Let’s talk over there. Out of the way.” He pointed to the edge of the counter, away from the incoming guests.
She turned to observe the long line before following him. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I won’t let you cause trouble here.”
“Lower your voice.” Luckily no one appeared to notice them or their conversation. The guests were more interested in the arrival of an additional desk clerk than in what Cleo had to say. “I promise you I’m not here for any nefarious reason.”
“Why should I believe you? I covered for you when you ‘borrowed’ the school mascot and when you pulled those numerous other pranks. I know the trouble you can cause.”
“You’ve got to trust me.”
She arched a disbelieving brow. “Says who?”
Little Cleo had certainly gained some spunk. Well, good for her. It was also a relief to know she wasn’t still carrying that crazy torch for him. The last thing he needed at this critical juncture of his life was more complications.
Her finger poked his chest. “You’re up to something and I want to know what it is.” Her tone brooked no room for debate. He wouldn’t be wiggling out of this confrontation with some flimsy story. “You can start by explaining your need for an alias.”
“Just leave it be.”
She shook her head. “I can’t look the other way. We aren’t kids anymore. This is where I work and I can’t let you jeopardize my job.” Cleo’s voice rose with every word. “But if you turn around and leave now, we can forget we ever saw each other.”
He doubted he’d ever be able to wipe her sexy image from his memory. Her polished persona stole his breath away. She may have been a cute kid, but she’d grown up to be a real knockout. And as for leaving here now, he wasn’t about to do it. He had as much right to be here as anyone else.
Cleo leveled her shoulders and tapped her foot. He hated to tell her but if she was angling for an intimidating pose, she’d missed her mark. She was more alluring than scary.
“Don’t make me call for security.”
Heads were turning in their direction. The very last thing he wanted was to become a spectacle for the masses. “You wouldn’t do that to an old friend, would you?”
“A few minutes ago you didn’t even know me.”
He raked his fingers through his hair. Back in New York when he’d started receiving phone calls where the person at the other end wouldn’t speak, followed by notes warning him not to testify, this vacation had sounded like the perfect plan. What could be better than getting lost in a crowd while testing his luck at the blackjack table?
Ever since the assets of his investment firm had been frozen by the government until the trial was completed, he’d missed the rush of working the stock market—the flood of adrenaline. He’d hoped Vegas would give him a similar high—a chance to feel truly alive again instead of living his life from one medical test to the next.
When his doctor gave him the green light, he’d picked a spot on the map far from New York and booked a plane ticket. He’d requested an alias be used while he was at the Glamour just as a precaution. But he had no idea how much of that he should tell Cleo. If only she would trust him...for old times’ sake.
“What’s going on here?” A short, round man in a business suit approached them. He glanced at Cleo. “Do you intend to interrogate all of the casino’s important guests in the middle of the lobby?”
Her expression morphed from frustration to one of shock. Her gaze moved back and forth between the two men as though waiting for an explanation.
When none came, she said, “But he is—”
“Your client. And you will treat him with respect.” The man turned to Jax and held out his hand. “Hello, Mr. Smith. I’m Mr. Burns. We spoke on the phone. Let’s talk someplace a little more private.” He led them to a hallway just off the casino’s main floor and into an empty office. “I think there must have been some sort of mix-up. I’ll see about getting you a new casino host.”
Jax’s gaze moved to Cleo. Beneath the makeup her face had taken on a sickly pallor. And her eyes held a deer-in-headlights panic. His initial instinct was to ride to her rescue. She’d always been the one to offer him a helping hand all those years ago back in Hope Springs. There was a strange satisfaction in seeing the roles reversed. But that was then, and this was now.
And it only complicated matters that he couldn’t keep his eyes off this grown-up version of her. She was no longer too young for him. In fact, the reasons he had to keep her at arm’s length became more muddled the longer he was around her. It was best to end things right here. After all, it wasn’t as if the man was going to fire her over this.
CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_b63bd4e3-5311-56af-9e2b-d41bfae06384)
THIS COULDN’T BE HAPPENING.
Jax was her whale?
How was she supposed to have anticipated that? The last time she’d seen him, he barely had two coins to rub together. And now he was an important player in Las Vegas. How exactly did that happen?
Cleo’s gaze shifted between the men. Neither of them seemed to notice that she was in the room. Did they think they could decide her future without even so much as consulting her? She wasn’t about to let that happen.
“No other host is needed.” Both men turned. She leveled a determined stare at each man before continuing to make her point. “Mr. Burns, you misunderstood what you overheard. Jax and I are old friends.”
Her boss turned a questioning gaze to Jax. “Is this true?”
Cleo begged Jax with her eyes to back her up. After all, he owed her.
As the quietness stretched on, Cleo shifted her weight from one foot to the other. What was Jax thinking? His silence was even worse than any words he could say. She had to do something, anything, to keep from being canned for arguing with a MVP. Jax? A whale? The world could certainly be a strange place at times.
Cleo turned to face her disapproving boss. “We both come from the same small town in Wyoming.”
Mr. Burns crossed his arms. “And do you always treat people from your hometown with such hostility?”
“I wasn’t—”
Her boss’s bushy brows arched. “I know what I heard.”
“But you misunderstood—”
“Enough.” Mr. Burns’s hand sliced through the air. “I will deal with you later. Go wait for me in my office.”
She hated being dismissed as if she was a child. She hated the thought of walking away with things unresolved, but she didn’t want to make things worse... But then again could they get any worse? It was almost a certainty that when Mr. Burns joined her it would be to dismiss her. Not even a full day in her new position and she was being fired.
As she started for the door, her thoughts turned to her family. Even before learning of her family’s financial problems, she’d made plans to transfer to the casino floor. She was bored senseless working in the accounting department. To think she left the family ranch because the work was isolating and she’d ended up taking a position where she spent her days alone in an eight-by-eight cubicle where silence was the status quo.
But then one day out of the blue her brother had called. She’d been so happy to hear from a family member. She hadn’t heard a word from them since the funeral.
However, Kurt hadn’t phoned with the intent of mending fences. He had news—bad news. The ranch was in arrears on its mortgage. And considering her Ivy League tuition was in large part the reason the ranch had been mortgaged in the first place, he thought she might want to help save their heritage.
The news totally blindsided her. Never once in her life had she imagined that the family had money problems. And to know that she was about to be condemned for yet another Sinclair tragedy was not something she could let happen. She could not change the past, but going forward, she hoped to bridge the gap with her family.
Her fingers gripped the cold metallic door handle. One thought rose above the others: Sinclairs do not give up. No matter what.
Her grandfather had taught her that the first time she’d gotten thrown from a horse. If you wanted to succeed, you had to get back in the saddle and ride. That’s what Sinclairs did—roughed things out.
She leveled her shoulders, released the door handle and turned. “Mr. Burns, you’re right.” His eyes lit up as though he was shocked by her bold confession. But before he could utter a word she rushed on. “Jax and I were having a disagreement. However, at the time I had no idea he was your special guest. I merely thought he was—”
“Here to check up on her for her big brother.” Jax stepped between them to gain Mr. Burns’s full attention.
At last, Jax found his voice, but why now? What convinced him to finally come to her aid?
The answers would have to wait. His motives paled in comparison to her losing her job and letting her family down...again. At the moment, she didn’t have much choice but to go along with his fabricated story.
“That’s right,” she chimed in, trying to sound as genuine as possible. “And I didn’t want Jax reporting back to my family about what I’ve been up to since moving away.”
Surprisingly Mr. Burns’s lips lifted at the corners as amusement danced in his dark eyes. “Let me guess, your family doesn’t know that you’ve been working in a casino and they wouldn’t approve of it.”
This time she didn’t have to lie. “That pretty much sums it up. They are old-fashioned in their beliefs.”
Mr. Burns’s eyes narrowed. “Then unless you’re planning to find another job, I suggest you treat all of Glamour’s guests with a pleasant demeanor.”
She forced a smile on her face. “Of course. It was just a mix-up.”
Mr. Burns turned to Jax. “The question still remains... Would you like me to assign you another host?”
He rubbed the dark scruff on his jaw. “No. Cleo and I will be fine. And we have some catching up to do.”
Mr. Burns’s gaze shifted between them as though making up his mind. “If that is your wish, Cleo will remain as your host. I have you set up in our most exclusive residence.” He handed Jax the key card. “The bungalow should provide you with the privacy you’re seeking. Cleo can show you the way. Do you need anything else?”
“Not at this time. I’m sure if something comes up Cleo will be able to take care of it.”
Mr. Burns nodded. “But remember, I’m just a phone call away.”
“Thank you.” Jax extended his hand to the man.
After they shook hands, Mr. Burns moved past her, pausing long enough to say softly, “One more slipup and you’re done.”
A cold chill ran down her spine. The man had it in for her ever since the episode that occurred shortly after she’d started working in the accounting department. She’d pointed out some irregularities in his expense account, which were subsequently rectified.
Still, rumors were circulating that the only reason Mr. Burns had agreed to the promotion was because it was an all-or-nothing proposition. Either she was successful at endearing the high rollers to gamble at the Glamour Hotel and Casino or she was out on the street. And without a good reference, no other business on the strip would touch her.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure Jax is well cared for.” She pasted on a smile, hoping it would suffice.
“I would expect nothing less.”
The irritating note of superiority in Mr. Burns’s voice grated on her razor-thin nerves. If the man hadn’t been so eager to please Jax, she would be out on the curb right now. The fact she felt indebted to Jax ate at her.
With the door firmly shut, Cleo turned to Jax. Her mouth moved but the words wouldn’t come. At last, she ground out, “Thank you.”
His brows rose in surprise. “You’re welcome. But the part I don’t understand is why your brother didn’t mention that you are working here in Vegas—”
“You’ve been talking to Kurt?” The thought left her unsettled.
Jax nodded. “We’ve kept in touch since I left Hope Springs.”
Why was this the first she’d heard of it? Kurt was five years her senior, but she’d been closest to him out of all four of her brothers. When she’d needed someone to talk to, he was the one she’d turned to. So how had she missed hearing about Jax?
She tilted her chin and met his gaze. “You know, it’s funny he’s never mentioned you since you skipped town.”
“Maybe he thought it was for the best.”
“Why would he think that?”
Jax gave her a do-you-really-need-to-ask-that-question look. “As I recall, his kid sister had a massive crush on me—the kid from the wrong side of the tracks. I’m guessing he wouldn’t want you having anything further to do with me.”
Heat flamed in her chest and licked at her cheeks. “That was a long time ago. You can’t fault me for my lack of judgment. I was just a kid. I’ve grown up since then.”
“Trust me, I’ve noticed.”
The implication of his words only multiplied her discomfort. Why was she letting him get her worked up? Back then she’d been a teenager with raging hormones and a complete lack of sense. And the fact that her family disapproved of Jax had only made him all the more attractive. What girl didn’t go through a stage of falling for a sexy bad boy?
But even now with this mature version of Jax, his sexiness had only escalated. And his dreamy smile still had the power to penetrate her defenses and turn her insides to mush.
“We aren’t here to talk about the past.” She cleared her throat and schooled her facial features into what she hoped was a serious expression. “Why don’t I show you to your bungalow?”
“Listen, I don’t want to get you in any more trouble with your boss, but this arrangement obviously isn’t going to work. So I don’t care how you want to explain it to him, but you can’t be my casino host. Better yet, don’t say anything to him and you’ll officially be my host but from a distance. A long distance.”
“What?” Her chest tightened. “I—I can’t do that. You’re one of the casino’s most valuable players. Upper management would find out immediately and accuse me of neglecting my duties.”
“I don’t need a babysitter.” His brows gathered. “I just want a quiet vacation.”
“And you’ll have one while I take care of you...er, manage your needs.” She pressed her lips together, knowing that with each attempt to dig out of this uncomfortable hole, she was only making it deeper for herself.
A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest. “Cleo, you still have a way of making me smile.”
She glanced up, noticing how his face lit up when he smiled, easing his worry lines. Maybe his new life of luxury wasn’t all chocolate and roses. From the obvious size of his bank account, she couldn’t imagine what problems might be plaguing him. For a second, she considered asking but resisted. It wasn’t any of her business.
“Does that mean I can go ahead and do my job?”
