The Rebel Returns. Michelle Douglas
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coming and it was over before he could react. The strange thing was that after all of these years, he had never forgotten that innocent moment.
He’d been kissed countless times since then and by experienced women who knew how to turn a kiss into an adventure. So why had the memory of those other kisses faded while hers stood the test of time?
Every detail of that moment stood out in his mind. He recalled how the morning sun peeked over Cleo’s shoulder. The golden rays made her hair glisten, giving it the illusion of a halo. Her cheeks were rosy with color and her eyes sparkled like fresh-cut emeralds.
He’d been so mesmerized by the stunning image that he hadn’t expected her to lift up on her tiptoes. Her gaze met and held his as she leaned forward. Her puckered lips pressed to his mouth. In the next heartbeat, she pulled away. And then, as if horrified, her eyes grew round. She’d pressed a hand to her mouth and run off.
The buzz of his phone drew him back to the present. At last, it had to be his doctor with the confounded test results. He glanced at Cleo. There was no way he was having this conversation in front of her.
He never wanted her to know that he had...Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
He swallowed hard, still not comfortable with the “C” word.
He held up a finger to Cleo. “You can go ahead. I’ve got to get this.”
He took a step back toward the bungalow. In fact, he took numerous steps before he pressed the phone to his ear. “Hello?”
Nothing but silence greeted him. Not again.
“Hello? Who’s there?”
Frustration bubbled through his veins. Was it possible the anonymous phone calls were starting again just like in New York? But how had they gotten this number? He’d just had it changed.
He checked the caller ID. It was blocked. But then he noticed the reception bars were down to just one. The knot of tension in his gut eased. Perhaps the calls hadn’t started again. Perhaps it was just a case of spotty reception.
His gaze moved to Cleo. She was standing next to a large palm tree. In the background was a glimpse of the waterfall at the edge of the pool. Her striking beauty drew him in. A year or two ago, he’d have tossed caution to the wind and lived in the moment.
But the here and now was all he had these days. He couldn’t forget that. And he noticed the more time they spent together, the more he had to remind himself that he was in no position to offer her anything. His life was a continual question mark. And that was no way for anyone to live.
Her gaze caught his and held it. He found himself smiling back. Maybe he was thinking about this all wrong. Would it be a crime to let down his defenses just a little and enjoy Cleo’s company?
It had been so long since he’d let someone in, even if it was just to kick back and chat over a meal. He longed for a little companionship. But he’d have to be careful around Cleo. She had a way of sneaking past his defenses. And he couldn’t afford to let her get too close. They’d both end up hurt.
These thoughts made him all the more determined to check out early. Once he spent a little more time at the tables and made it look good for her, he was leaving Vegas. He didn’t know where he’d go, but that didn’t matter. Still, it’d sure be nice to take a few happy memories of Cleo’s smile with him.
* * *
Cleo stood next to a palm tree, wishing Jax would hurry up.
It was a hot day even by Vegas standards. Perspiration trickled down her cleavage. If this was going to take a while, she’d wait for him inside.
She glanced over at him and noticed how his brows were drawn into a dark line. And his eyes were narrowed as though he were upset. Something was definitely wrong. Should she go to him?
She stepped forward. Then stopped. It wasn’t her place to interfere. As long as she saw to his needs while he was here at the Glamour, her job was done. Maybe once he got a few winning hands, it’d cheer him up.
Yet when he joined her, she couldn’t help but ask, “Is everything all right?”
He smiled but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “Things couldn’t be better. I’m on vacation and being escorted by the most beautiful woman in Las Vegas.”
Without warning, he held up his phone and snapped her picture.
“What’d you do that for?”
He shrugged. “Why not? This way I have a reminder of my trip.”
“You already had one from the other day.”
His smile warmed her insides. “I could never have too many pictures of you.”
His compliment caused a fluttering sensation in her stomach and silenced any further objections. Instead she returned his smile and when he offered her his arm, she gladly accepted. In a peaceable silence, he escorted her into the casino.
Inside, colorful lights twinkled while the murmur of voices filled the room. A group cheered at the roulette table. There were plenty of things going on in here to distract both of them. While Jax played blackjack, Cleo checked in with the pit boss to see if there were any new high rollers she could introduce herself to.
After all, Jax wouldn’t be here forever. When he was gone and she’d proven herself, she’d need other clients. She may only be on a trial period right now, but she didn’t intend for it to stay that way for long. And for her to be successful, she needed to plan ahead.
Sadly today there weren’t any new leads for her. So after making the rounds on the casino floor, she gravitated back to Jax’s table.
“And how are we doing?” She flashed him her practiced smile.
He didn’t smile back. “Seems Lady Luck is on holiday.”
“I predict things will turn around.”
He cocked a dark brow at her as though gauging her sincerity before playing another hand. And losing again. Cleo’s anxiety rose. If he didn’t start to win soon, he’d quit. Or worse, take his business to another casino on the strip. Vegas was full of choices.
She wondered if that held true for her, too. At first, being a casino host seemed like an exciting challenge, but even though she was new to the job, she was finding that it didn’t give her a sense of fulfillment, either. Now the only reason she wanted this job was to help her family get the ranch out of arrears. Once that was achieved, she knew she’d be moving on to something else. Because one thing she knew for certain, being employed in a casino didn’t make her any happier than working on her family’s ranch.
The most fun she’d had since arriving in this town was buying a secondhand sewing machine and returning to a hobby she enjoyed immensely—creating fashions. Her family may think her passion was a waste of time, but it’d saved her a bundle of money by allowing her to dress in style for a fraction of the price.
After the last losing hand, Jax turned to her. “That’s it! I’m done. And don’t say a word. No platitude or hokey prediction is going to fix this. I just hope you don’t ever try to make a living off being a fortune-teller,” he teased. “Because you’re lousy at it.”
“I—I’m sorry.”
“I know how you can make it up to me.”
“How’s that?” She’d do it as long as it wasn’t too over-the-top.
“Have an early dinner with me.”
He was asking her to dinner? Excitement bubbled up inside her. She just as quickly tamped it down. He was her client. She had to stay focused.
“Thank you. But I don’t date clients.”
This brought an unexpected smile to Jax’s face. “That’s good because I’m not interested in a date. I just thought if you’re going to follow me around, you might as well eat, too. But if