Lucky Streak (2 page)

“So.” She ran her tongue over her glossed lips. “What are you going to do now that you've hit on me?” she asked in a husky voice.

“Oh, I'll think of something,” he said, gauging her interest.

Her smile widened and his gut churned with desire the likes of which he hadn't felt in a long time. He wrapped his hand around hers and once again the connection sizzled between them. Touching her like this made him feel as if he'd known her for longer than a few minutes. Without a doubt, he needed more time.

“So, are there any more Marshalls I should know about?” he asked.

She said he'd been her business partner. Past tense. And he believed her.

She shook her head. “Lucky for both of us, I'm unattached.” Her grin expressed unmistakable interest. In him.

“Corwin, we're heading to the Hard Rock. Are you coming?”

At the sound of his partner's voice, Mike turned. “Be right there.” He refocused on Amber. “That's my partner and some other cops from back home.”

She glanced at the men and women who stood waiting for him. “You should go,” she said. But she didn't sound like she meant it.

He wasn't willing to leave her, either. “Come with us. We're celebrating. Sort of a traveling wedding party. It'll be fun.” He paused. “Unless you have something else planned?”

“Nope, no other plans,” she quipped. But she cast a wary eye between Mike and his group of friends.

“There are women in the group,” he said, guessing at her hesitancy to walk off alone with them. “Some of them are even cops, too.”

“Well, then, I couldn't get better escorts,” Amber said, laughing.

He nudged her with his elbow in case she needed more convincing. “Come on. Get away from your life for a little while.”

Amber smiled. He didn't realize how tempting his offer actually was. Over his shoulder, she caught sight of Marshall's sleazy best friend, J.R., lingering by the bar.

Watching her.

She'd known Marshall wouldn't give up so easily. Putting J.R. on her tail ensured he could find her—and get her to change her mind later. So, disappearing from this casino sounded like a good idea to Amber right now. Doing it in the middle of a group of cops was even better. And spending time with her sexy savior was like a cherry on top of an already overly frosted cake.

“Besides, how can I continue to hit on you if you don't come along?” he asked, his breath warm against her cheek, his musky cologne making her weak in the knees.

He had the most potent effect on her and she couldn't resist his rationale or his charm. Given her circumstances, a new man in her life was the last
thing she needed, but the pounding excitement in her veins told her
this
couldn't be wrong.

“Lead the way,” she said, hooking her arm in his.

A surprised but pleased look in his eye, Mike led her over to his friends. He introduced her to his partner, Dan Sullivan, and his new wife, Natalie, whose wedding last night they were currently celebrating. Mike ticked off half a dozen more names and Amber took a mental photograph of each.

People, places, names and numbers were her specialty, making her not just good at her former job as a concierge, but one of the best. She wasn't overly modest, she just understood that her photographic memory was an asset in the service industry. Charisma was another and she'd inherited hers from her father.

The expected stab of pain settled in her chest as she recalled the vibrant charmer Sam Brenner had been, compared to the often vacant shell he'd become once his illness had progressed. Amber didn't share her father's last name because he'd wanted to protect her from his con-artist lifestyle. Since taking her mother's maiden name had helped memorialize a woman Amber would never know, she'd always been honored to have it. And it had certainly made her father happy. At least until his illness had taken hold.

She and her father had always been close, which was why she'd decided to leave her grandparents
behind and go on the road with Sam while he did his cons. She'd gotten her GED in place of traditional high school diploma, and talked the head concierge of the Crown Chandler Hotels in Vegas into taking her on as her assistant and teach her the ropes at the age of eighteen. Amber had traveled the country, viewing all the hotels in the chain and ultimately earning the head job in Beverly Hills at the unheard-of age of twenty-one.

She'd remained there for three years, until six months ago, when Amber had moved back from L.A. to her father's Vegas apartment in order to care for him. She'd taken a job as a cocktail waitress at the bar of an old friend's, who'd promised her time off if her father had an emergency. That was something she couldn't count on even if she transferred to a Vegas hotel. Yet after only three months of living with her father, she'd had to step up her plan to find him a decent nursing home. The day she'd come home from work to find Sam had wandered off was the day she knew things had to change.

The first few facilities she'd viewed, homes she could have afforded on a concierge's salary, had been seedy dumps she wouldn't even consider leaving her father in. Old buildings run by people who clearly weren't compensated enough to handle elderly-patient care; the smells and sights had left Amber close to tears. She knew then she had no choice but to find a way to raise big money quickly,
and often, so she could afford a higher standard of living for her father in a privately owned facility.

That night she'd gone in search of Marshall. Within a few days, he'd found them their first game and she'd taken home enough cash to ensure her father was looked after properly.

Shaking off the memory, she refocused on Mike and his friends. Mike had wrapped his arm around her shoulders for each introduction and everyone she met took his body language as a cue to welcome her into their group warmly and without question.

Before they took off for the next hotel, they loaded up on drinks. Someone handed Amber a Bloody Mary, which she discreetly switched for her own choice, Grey Goose Orange, club soda and a slice of orange. If she was going to indulge, at least she'd enjoy it.

Mike took her hand and they made their way out of the casino and into the muggy Vegas streets. Her Vegas, the place she'd grown up knowing and loving. The glittering lights, the excitement, the constant exhilaration. A rush of adrenaline flowed through her as she walked the streets of her city with a man who excited her just as much.

She wasn't involved with anyone and hadn't been for a long time. She felt as though she'd been waiting. For him. And she found herself wishing their time together never had to end.

She wasn't going to let anything kill her sudden sense of joy.

Not even her gut instinct that Marshall and his pal J.R. weren't far behind.

 

A
S THE DAY WORE ON
, the drinks flowed as freely as Amber's laughter and her easy touch—her hand on Mike's arm, his back, it didn't matter. She obviously felt comfortable being demonstrative, and during the long, playful day he spent with her, she kept him in a constant state of arousal. She seemed happy to remain with him and he was having too much fun to question why or ask what she'd normally be doing.

His friends didn't have a set agenda, they only wanted to party and Amber was happy to be their tour guide. They visited the premier hotels, viewing them from the unique perspective of someone who'd grown up there. Along the way, they stopped in each of the bars and casinos along the Strip, including one owned by Amber's friend Paul, where Amber said she worked part-time.

Mike lost count of the amount of beer he'd consumed, but he had a healthy buzz going on, while Amber had kept up with the women, drinking her orange vodka. They spent hours touring Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in the Venetian Resort Hotel and documented the trip with photographs on someone's digital camera. They ate dinner at Grande Lux Cafe where they gorged on cheesecake and
returned to the casino afterward where everyone split up, agreeing to touch base the next morning.

“Looks like we're alone,” Amber said.

He nodded. “Does that bother you?”

“Actually, I'm relieved. How else can I get to know you better?” she asked, slipping her arm around his waist. Warm and feminine, she wrapped him in seductive heat. “Come.”

“Where are we going?” Not that he cared. Anywhere she wanted to take him was fine by him.

Her eyes glittered as she walked him through the entryway leading to the shops. “We're going on a gondola ride.” Laughing, she nudged him forward until they ended up at the back of a short line.

He glanced over a railing to see a canal running through the hotel, complete with bridges that led to other upscale stores. “I heard Vegas was incredible,” he said in awe.

Growing up in a small town on the Massachusetts coast hadn't prepared Mike for the glamour and excitement here, beginning with this woman.

“Here comes one now.” She leaned over and pointed in the distance. “An authentic Venetian gondola complete with singing gondolier.” The long, graceful boat glided beneath a bridge, through the water and toward them.

Five minutes later, they were seated in their own private gondola, taking a scenic tour of cobblestone streets filled with cafés, balconies and shops.

The boat glided through the water and Mike leaned back, wrapping his arm around Amber and pulling her close. She snuggled into him, her soft curves fitting against his hard chest and thighs. Her hair smelled fragrant and fresh, tickling his neck as she settled in.

“Your friends, the ones that got married. They look so happy.”

“They are. They even bucked office politics to be together. We had a no-fraternization policy until Natalie got the other women to petition for a change.” He shook his head, laughing at the memory of her determination. “She was so adamant, even the men ended up backing her.”

Including Mike. He'd even had a moment of envy during the ceremony yesterday…until he reminded himself of his heritage. First comes love, then the Corwin curse kicked in. For as many generations as Mike could remember, and even those that he couldn't, any Corwin man who'd fallen in love had suffered the repercussions. His reclusive father, Edward, was living, breathing proof the curse existed, as were his uncles, Hank and Thomas.

“I admire a woman who goes after what she wants,” Amber said just as the gondola glided beneath a long, dark bridge.

She slipped one hand onto his thigh and she tilted her head back. Her lips parted, her desire as clear as the dual meaning of her words.

Unlike his male relatives, Mike refused to let the curse rule his life. Instead, he made it a point to avoid the
right
kind of woman. The kind who believed in happily ever after. The type who wouldn't take a chance on a cop who faced being killed each time he walked out the door. A woman who'd take one look at his family, his history, and run screaming the other way.

What a prize package he was, Mike thought wryly.

But he wasn't here to fall in love, he was here to have fun.

And Amber seemed more than up for that.

V
EGAS HAD ALWAYS
instilled a sense of adventure in Amber and with the flowing drinks throughout the day, today was no different. Her surroundings faded away as she leaned closer to Mike, gathering her courage.

“Kiss me,” she said, going after what she wanted.

He stared into her eyes, tracing a finger down her cheek. Her head spun. From her alcohol-induced buzz or from him? He'd had a potent effect on her from the beginning. Throughout the day he'd allowed her to forget her problems and be carefree in ways she'd had to suppress since returning to care for her dad. Mike was generous, and over her protests, he insisted on paying for her drinks, lunch and everything in between.

He seduced her with his easy wit and charm and with the sex appeal she couldn't ignore. Between working all the time and then dealing with her father's illness, romance hadn't been all that important to her. But the electricity that crackled between
them made her wonder if she'd just never met a man who affected her the way this one did.

He was solely focused on her. Nothing else around him seemed to matter except her. By the time the moment arrived, kissing him seemed natural.

Necessary.

She touched her lips to his and he responded, slipping his fingers into her hair and cupping her head in his hands. She responded to the possessive way he took control, opening her mouth to let him inside. The kiss immediately turned hotter and more urgent. He drew insistent circles with his tongue, gliding as smoothly as the gondola they rode in, leaving no place untouched. He took her to heaven. Her heart pounded in her chest and she didn't want the dizzying sensations to end.

“Ah, the beauty of young love.”

The sound of the gondolier's voice brought Amber back to reality and she regretfully pulled back.

“The ride's over,” the man said. “Unless you'd like me to keep going?” he asked in a knowing voice.

She couldn't be embarrassed over something so right. Besides, the man was probably used to people making out under his watch. She glanced at Mike. Though she'd love to continue their ride, she had other plans for him.

“We'll get out here,” she decided for them.

Mike raised an eyebrow, obviously surprised, but he stepped out first, then helped her do the same.

“Ready for some more fun?” she asked him.

He nodded. “Though I can't imagine anything being more fun than
that.
” He tipped his head back toward the gondola, his eyes glittering with unslaked desire.

Her stomach fluttered with answering need. “I'm not finished showing you my Las Vegas.” She grasped his hand and led the way.

She didn't question the impulse that demanded she share the city as she knew it. She wanted him to know her better and this was the perfect way to do it. Because she and Las Vegas had the same spirit.

From the Venetian, they traveled to Circus Circus where she took him to the Adventuredome. “My dad used to love roller coasters and we'd go to carnivals all over the U.S. I grew up loving a fast ride.”

Mike heard the wistful tone in her voice. “Did your father pass away, too?”

“No. He has Alzheimer's and it's progressed fast. Sometimes it feels like…” She shook her head, unable to continue.

He squeezed her hand tighter. “I'm sorry. I know what it's like to have a father who's not all there.”

And he did. Edward Corwin had always been off somehow. Before his parents' divorce, Edward had been withdrawn and eccentric, making it hard for Mike to bring friends home. Afterward, the older man's behavior only got worse.

“Is your dad sick, too?” Amber asked.

“He doesn't have Alzheimer's, he's just…not all there.” He tapped his head, unsure of how else to describe the eccentric oddity who was his father. They weren't close. Couldn't be, considering his father was a man mired in the curse and the past. But Mike loved him, despite it all.

“Well, we have that in common. So do you like roller coasters?” she asked, obviously eager to change the subject. “They have the most amazing rides here. The Canyon Blaster goes fifty-five miles an hour with a full loop.” She circled her arm wide. “Or there's the Sling Shot or Chaos…We could even get wet if we went on the Rim Runner,” she said, bursting with enthusiasm. “Which one will it be?”

He glanced in the direction of the huge rides and frowned. “None of them. I really don't like roller coasters. In fact, I hate them.” He wasn't comfortable admitting weakness, but better than having to get one of those contraptions held together by nuts and bolts.

“What do you mean you don't like roller coasters?” She perched her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side, clearly shocked. “Everyone likes roller coasters!”

“No, they don't.”

“What? Did you fall out of one when you were a kid or something?” she asked, nudging him playfully in the ribs.

“No, I just can't take the sensation of having my
stomach turned upside down and inside out.” The reality was that they reminded him too much of his childhood, the incredible highs and devastating lows.

Mike would ask Edward to come to his baseball games and too many times, he'd take the muttered
maybe
as a hopeful sign. He finally learned not to count on his dad. Now it was Mike who had to care for his father, even though it had never been the other way around.

“Oh, really?” Her eyes glittered in disbelief.

“Really.”

She raised her eyebrows and stepped closer. The perfume that had been getting to him all day caused his gut to clench again now.

“Well, I bet I can turn your stomach upside down and inside out and not only will you like it, you'll be begging for more,” she said, her meaning deliberately, seductively clear.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him full on the lips.

He found her absolutely irresistible as she wove her web and pulled him in like no other woman ever had. He dated on occasion, but between his dangerous job and his unwillingness to bring anyone home to his father, Mike had never let anyone get close enough to become serious. He'd become somewhat of a loner himself, at least in the relationship depart
ment. Sex was fine, when the need arose. Anything else brought with it too many complications.

Now there was Amber. Desire pounded hard and fast inside him as she tangled her tongue with his and took him on that wild ride she'd promised. Fast and furious, better than any roller coaster could be.

She ended the kiss too soon and grabbed his hand.

“Where to now?” he asked.

“Well, I still can't believe my big brave cop is afraid of roller coasters,” she said, teasing him. “But I'll settle for the arcade.”

The next hour was spent mixing old-fashioned games and long, heated kisses, resulting in his losing a fair amount of money in an attempt to win her a ring with a big fake diamond. No matter how much he spent, no matter how many darts he threw, the ring remained elusively out of reach. Yet they couldn't stop laughing and she didn't stop touching him. It felt as if everything about their time together was right.

He got caught up in the sheer pleasure of the carnival-like atmosphere and he savored being with a woman who wanted to be with him, without the stigma of the Corwin curse hanging over his head. No expectations, no games, just plain fun. And though he knew nothing could come of this, he found himself wishing they had time for something more, some thing real and lasting.

They walked from stand to stand, always coming back to the dart game where Mike would once again
attempt to win the ring. Amber cheered him on until her voice was hoarse. He bought them both cold beers and they laughed over the ugly bear he'd traded the smaller items in to win.

But the ring remained out of reach, frustrating him because he knew how much she wanted the small token of their afternoon together. And he wanted her to have it.

“Let's head back to the Bellagio,” she suggested after a while.

“Are you ready to call it a night?” He turned to meet her gaze, wondering just how their time together would end. He knew what he wanted, but he wouldn't pressure her.

“I'm ready to leave here.” She paused a beat. Ran her tongue over her glossed lips.

He never caught her reapplying makeup, but she'd kept that shimmer on her lips all day and night. The gloss had a hint of vanilla scent and each time he kissed her, he wanted to devour even more.

“Let's take a cab.” He held on to her hand and started through the arcade in the direction of—he thought—the exit.

“Mike, wait.”

He turned.

“I don't think I'm ready to leave you.”

He exhaled the breath he hadn't been aware of holding. “The feeling's mutual.” He squeezed her hand.

His body was strung tight and only one thing would alleviate the need pulsing inside him. But on the way to the taxi, they passed the dart game and Mike paused. He reached into his pocket and tossed his last five dollars in change on the counter.

“You
are
determined.” The guy running the game handed him five darts. “Tell you what. Three out of five and I'll trade the bear for the ring,” he said, looking at Amber and winking.

Mike picked up the dart and eyed the balloons, sparsely placed to make it difficult to hit the target.

“No matter what, I just want to be alone with you,” she whispered.

He threw and missed.

She laughed, her breath warm in his ear. “No pressure. Really.”

He tossed again, popping one balloon.

Beside him, she squealed in excitement, patted his back and stepped away so she didn't break his concentration.

A direct hit.

Another squeal.

He rolled his shoulders. Just one more….

“Relax,” she said as if reading his mind. “You have two more chances,” Amber said.

He shot her a warning glance. “Quiet.”

She grinned.

He picked up the fourth dart, aimed and tossed. The balloon popped easily and Amber cheered, re
warding him by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a tight hug followed by a long, lingering kiss. One that gave a steamy hint of what was in store for him once they returned to his room.

“Here you go, buddy.” The guy behind the arcade stand handed him the ring with the large fake diamond.

Amber held out her hand. An eerie sensation—as if his wish for something more with her had magically come true—struck him as he slipped the too-big ring on her delicate hand.

Top heavy, it rolled to the side. “I'll make it smaller with tape later,” she said, laughing.

“If you ask me, a pretty lady like you deserves a real diamond,” the arcade guy said.

If he and Amber were really involved, the man would be right. “Let's go,” Mike said to her.

She nodded, a wide smile on her face.

“Wait. Since you seem to be on a lucky streak, take this.” The arcade guy handed him a silver dollar. “You never know what coin will strike it rich in those slots,” he said.

Mike shook his head. “Keep it,” he said to the guy. “I already struck it rich.”

Amber blushed.

He couldn't wait for them to be alone.

 

A
MBER HELD
Mike's hand as they wove their way through the arcade. They'd worked up a thirst and
had stopped to buy drinks. She finished her glass of wine as quickly as he polished off a beer, adding to the light buzz she'd maintained all day. They walked through the casino on the way to the taxi area at the front of the hotel.

She'd enjoyed being with Mike so much, she'd almost forgotten about Marshall and the scene back at the hotel. Even though she'd never completely shaken the feeling that she was being followed, she'd been able to put the unsettling notion out of her mind. Until she saw J.R. in the hallway where they stood inside the hotel, Circus Circus.

Damn, Marshall was persistent. But that's what her ex-partner did when he considered something—or someone—his. Luckily for Amber, this was one of the easiest hotels to get lost in, with its awkward layout and confusing maze-type locations.

Yet somehow, J.R. still managed to keep track of her.

With his shaved head and broad shoulders, he intimidated her on a good day. Coming off her argument with Marshall, today wasn't one of those. She didn't want to deal with a confrontation and she definitely didn't want Mike to get into a fight with J.R. So she did the only thing she could think of on short notice. She pulled Mike into the nearest alcove and into a hot, distracting kiss.

One she felt from the tips of her toes all the way through her body. With each sweep and swirl of his
tongue, her stomach fluttered and everything around her faded as his lips worked magic. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and his body pressed into hers, urging her against the wall for support. She felt his erection swell beneath his jeans and press into her stomach. This man aroused her on so many levels she couldn't think clearly all.