Oh, yeah. He’d been reliving that night.
Had she?
You don’t have time for this.
He already had enough on his plate. Launching Covet on such a short deadline had been a challenge, but he’d done it, working long hours. Aside from the launch, he’d had to master the rest of the business. There had been endless meetings with his marketing team, casino pit managers, and everyone from housekeeping to catering. Luckily, he was the head of a stellar team, all of whom knew their jobs very well. They’d all risen to the occasion when he’d suggested small improvements and had taken time to educate him about matters he’d never handled before.
Since Covet had opened, reservations had increased, both for tourists and residents alike. He’d expected that with enough hype, the locals would be circling. Sure enough, they had been. The best part of all was the fact they were booking rooms for the night, so they could party as late as they wanted.
His plate was as full as it could get.
Unfortunately, his brain wasn’t receiving that information. It was too busy thinking of Dana and every thought sparked activity in his lower half.
Shit.
That hadn’t happened in a while, not since his early days with Shannon. Since her death, he hadn’t even been able to muster up an ounce of interest in another woman. In some ways, he felt guilty about noticing Dana’s soft skin.
He shouldn’t. His relationship with Shannon had been over for a couple of months before she died, even though they hadn’t advertised it to family and friends. If he started dating again, some would undoubtedly think he hadn’t mourned her long enough, or might even wonder if he’d mourned her at all.
He had, during those dark, lonely nights. He’d mourned her with the fury of ten men. Only he’d realized afterward what he missed most was the Shannon he’d always kept at arm’s length. She’d begged him to let her in, but had he? No.
He’d always handled his relationships the same way he managed his clubs.
With cool detachment.
He portrayed a persona. It served a purpose. No one got too close so no one got hurt.
Until recently.
Did he feel anguish over Shannon’s death? Of course.
Was he still angry at her for running that night? Yeah, but he was angrier at himself for letting her run.
Despite his guilt, Alex was tempted to sneak another look at Dana. He cast a glance over his shoulder. In the distance, he saw a flash of denim and dark hair. Everything in him tensed.
You’re acting crazy. She made it clear you need to forget her when she walked out of that bar.
Alex knew he had too much baggage to be wondering about Dana’s perfume or the length of her legs. He knew for a fact she carried her own sizable baggage.
The best thing for both of them was to remain detached.
There was just one little problem.
She was on his turf for a week. They would be sleeping under the same roof for seven nights.
The back of his neck grew hot.
Crazy or not, he might not have it in him to stay away.
Chapter Four
An hour and a half later, Dana was still reeling at seeing Alex again, and still kicking herself for not recognizing him at their last meeting.
She’d asked one of most influential men in Vegas to bang her against a dirty wall.
So the man’s rich and famous, so what? Does that mean you wouldn’t have asked him to screw you in the john?
Yeah, probably.
