“Wait. I have something else for you.” She reached into her tote, pulled out a pink squirt gun, and shot him in the face. “Bye, now!” She hurried away.
As water ran down Luke’s face and into the open neck of his shirt, he didn’t look at Giselle. “Don’t you dare laugh.”
“I won’t.” But her voice quavered as though she wanted to. “I have a tissue in my pocket, if that would help.”
“Thanks. I’d appreciate it.”
The white tissue fluttered in front of him like a flag of truce. “Can I hold the envelope for you?”
“Sure.” He handed it over and accepted her tissue so he could mop his face. “I don’t know where Cynthia found that squirt gun, but it packs a punch.”
“Luke, I have a confession.”
“Oh?” Balling the tissue in his fist, he glanced around for a trash can. One happened to be nearby, so he lobbed the wet tissue into it. Two points. “About what?”
“My brother. As a kid, he was fascinated with practical jokes. The bucket of water trick is something he spent hours getting right. And he knows his squirt guns, too. He considers the superpumper ones too obvious. So he’ll take a normal-sized one and fool with it until it delivers a blast of water that’ll drown you on the first shot.”
Luke stared at her in disbelief. “And your brother is how old?”
“Thirty. And you know what? I never connected that significant birthday with him shucking his responsibilities and coming to Vegas. But that might be part of it. Maybe this is a last fling before he has to settle down.”
“Bully for him.” Luke was in no mood to hear about some guy’s birthday angst. When he’d turned thirty, he’d been watching his dad’s health deteriorate. He’d prayed that the hardworking man he idolized would live to enjoy a ripe old age. His prayers had gone unanswered.
“I honestly thought he’d outgrown the practical joke stage, and for the most part I think he has. But he seems to have appointed himself Cynthia’s champion, so he’s come out of retirement to help her harass you.”
“Does he have any more tricks like this up his sleeve?”
“Probably. I’ll have to think back to those days and make a list. Some things he did were never blamed on him. Others he couldn’t resist taking the credit for and was willing to accept being grounded in exchange for the glory of a prank well and truly executed. He was at his peak around twelve, and I was only ten and easily impressed.”
“I’m thirty going on two hundred, and I’m not impressed at all.” He heard the martyred tone of his voice and winced. He’d inherited a fortune, and he’d acquired the education to manage it. He was grateful for what he had.
But maybe he was wound a little too tight. He had a pretty good idea of how to unwind, but he also had a strong suspicion Giselle had a sweetheart back in ’Frisco. Even if she didn’t, she couldn’t think kindly of a man who’d made cutting remarks about her brother.
He took a deep breath and a mental step back. “Look, I apologize for that crack. I don’t know Bryce at all, and it’s possible I’ve made some unfair assumptions about him.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “I’m glad to hear you say that, Luke.”
“From his viewpoint, he might think he’s helping solve the problem.”
“I believe he does. I’ll bet they’ve bonded over the fact their relatives are leaning on them in ways they don’t like.”
“I don’t want them to bond permanently.” Luke realized that didn’t sound very complimentary, either. “Nothing against your brother, but—”
“I know. Believe me, I’m hoping they’re just good friends.” She glanced over at him. “Are you going to look at what’s in the envelope?”
“I can guarantee it’s another of her recital pictures. Maybe I should leave it in there for now, where it’s protected. At this rate, I don’t know where another blast of water might come from. Listen, would you be willing to head back to the penthouse so we could have a strategy session without me being in danger of water sabotage?”
She hesitated. “I’ll walk back with you, but I was thinking I should fetch the Harley and go back to my hotel room. It’s been a long day.”
That clinched it for him. She wasn’t interested in spending any more time with him than necessary. “Okay. I’m sure you’re tired. How would you like to handle any more communication from them, assuming they stick together?”
“We can forward texts to each other. I’m willing to meet you if it looks as if we need to do that, but we probably should both get some sleep and continue this tomorrow.”
“Fair enough. I’ll walk you back to the Silver Crescent parking lot.” This time, he didn’t reach for her hand. She was making it pretty obvious that wouldn’t be a welcome gesture from him. The depth of his disappointment took him by surprise. In a very short time, Giselle Landry had gotten under his skin.
Chapter 8
During the water show at the Bellagio, Giselle had found herself thinking about something she was strongly opposed to—having sex with a human. And not just any human, either. She needed to put some distance between herself and Luke ASAP.
They walked in silence back to the Silver Crescent. The music from the water show thrummed in her veins, and pictures of Luke flashed through her mind. She’d been aware of him watching her during the show, and his presence there had been exciting—way too exciting.
His comments afterward had tickled her, because they told her he’d been thinking similar thoughts, but he’d wanted to appear cool and composed. But when she’d looked into his eyes and felt that click of recognition, that moment when she could all too easily allow herself to get carried away, she’d pulled back.
Seeing the sadness in his expression hadn’t made her feel very good, but she was doing the right thing for both of them. Giving in to the pull of their mutual attraction wouldn’t be doing either of them any favors.
He stayed with her until she’d retrieved the Harley and was ready to leave. He scrubbed his fingers through his hair, which reminded her of the moment in the hotel room when he’d done the same thing. His gestures, his smiles, his laughter, were becoming important to her. That had to stop.
“So if anything happens,” he said, “I’ll text you, and vice versa.”
“That works.”
He smiled. “We didn’t eat the cake, but I’m sure they have great desserts at Illusions, too.”
“I’m sure they do.” She started the engine. “We’ll keep in touch.”
“Right.”
She started down the street and fought the odd sensation that she was leaving someone important behind. No, she was leaving temptation behind. Maybe Luke Dalton was a test of her resolve not to get sexually involved with a human male. If so, it had turned out to be tougher than she’d ever imagined it would be.
Traffic was heavy, and she was held up by a red light. Her cell phone chimed, but the light changed and she had to concentrate on her driving. Two lights later, she finally glanced at the message. Another riddle. Want me to take this one?
Damn, her heart started pounding as if she were seventeen and had been asked to a dance. That was bad. Pulling into the circular drive at Illusions, she balanced on her bike and looked at the riddle. Romance in the air, voices raised in song, artistry in movement as they glide along.
Had to be the gondola rides at the Venetian. She sat there telling herself to let it go. But doggone it, she wanted to know what Bryce and Cynthia had cooked up for the gondola ride at the Venetian. She could meet Luke there, satisfy her curiosity, and come straight back here.
But not on the Harley. It had been a long day, and an emotional one. Her reflexes might not be as quick as she needed them to be in Vegas traffic. She’d cab it this time. After quickly texting Luke that she’d meet him at the Venetian in about twenty minutes, she turned the Harley over to valet parking and hopped in one of the cabs parked at the curb.