Page 11 of Playing By His Rules

She made no further protests as he led the way to an available loveseat by the floor to ceiling windows. After they sat down on the small couch, close enough that their thighs touched, a wait staff came and took their beverage order, with both of them handing over a ticket for their drinks.

“I’m Rick, by the way,” he said, introducing himself once they were alone again.

She smiled. “I’m Madison.”

“So, Madison . . . what’s a beautiful girl like you doing in a place like this?” he teased.

She laughed at his deliberately cliched question, a sound that held a surprising amount of derision. Then she glanced out the window, averting her gaze from his. “It’s . . . complicated.”

He didn’t miss the pained note in her voice, or the truth behind her simple words. Any other woman in this place would have responded with something equally light and flirtatious, but there was something so honest and real about Madison, vulnerable even, which made him even more curious about her story.

Their drinks arrived—champagne for her and another Macallan for Rick. She took a small sip and relaxed next to him on the velvet cushions, letting her bare arm brush against his suit jacket as she turned more fully toward him.

“So, do you live in Vegas, or are you from out of town?” she asked.

“I’m from San Diego,” he replied easily. “I’m here on business.”

“Oh.” Curiosity lit her eyes. “What kind of business, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Not at all. I work for a security firm as head of the Cybersecurity Division. I have some meetings here at Reign this next week about . . . well, security stuff,” he said with a laugh, keeping his explanation ambiguous so as not to reveal confidential client information.

Her finger absently traced the rim of her flute, and her inquisitive eyes met his. “And . . . do you do this sort of thing often?”

He knew she wasn’t asking about traveling for business. “Pay for an escort?” He shook his head. “No. Never.”

She blinked at him in surprise. “You’re a first-timer?”

“Yeah.” He took a long swallow of his whiskey. “My bosses set me up with a temporary membership because they felt I needed a little diversion in my life while I was away for the week.”

“Really?” A small smile hitched up the corner of her kissable mouth. “From what?”

“A past relationship,” he said vaguely, not wanting to go into specifics. Instead, he grinned at Madison and used her own words back at her. “It’s complicated.”

She laughed and ducked her head adorably. “Trust me, I understand all about complicated.”

“How about you?” he asked, watching as she placed her lips on her glass and the sweet champagne filled a mouth he was suddenly dying to taste. “Do you do this sort of thing often?”

A pink blush swept across her cheeks as she set her half-filled flute on the table in front of them. “No. Never.” She met his gaze, a combination of awareness and vulnerability swirling in their depths. “This is my first time.”

“So, we’re both first-timers,” he said playfully, and set his glass next to hers.

“I guess we are,” she murmured.

She’d confirmed what he’d already suspected, but what he hadn’t anticipated was the thought that leapt full force into his mind: he wanted to be her first client . . . and her last. A crazy, possessive notion considering he barely knew her, nor was he in a position to make promises to a woman who lived four hours away from San Diego. But he was beginning to think that he could at least enjoy her company for the week while he was in Vegas on business.

Taking a chance, he reached out and took her soft, slender hand, holding it in his much bigger one. He waited for any indication that he’d made her uneasy, but her fingers remained lax against his palm, which he took as a positive sign.

“What made you choose to escort?” he asked, wondering if she’d share more intimate, personal details. Considering it was her first time and being here was clearly something she wasn’t overly enthusiastic about, he assumed her reasons were more of a necessity than a true desire to entertain a man for the evening.

“I don’t think I would have everchosento be an escort,” she said derisively. “Like I said, it’s complicated.”

Did he want to know more? Absolutely. But he wasn’t going to push and prod for something she wasn’t ready to reveal. “Seems we have that in common, too. Things being complicated.”

She turned her head toward the windows again, staring out at all the bright lights and neon signs illuminating the Las Vegas strip. He gently skimmed his thumb along the back of her hand, giving her the time she seemed to need to gather her composure again. Usually, an abrupt end to a conversation would be met with awkward silence, but not with Madison. He didn’t feel the pressure to talk or fill the quiet that had settled between them with inane chit chat.

After a few minutes passed she glanced back at him, a distinct sadness glimmering in the depth of those expressive blue eyes. “My . . . uhh, father . . . he recently passed away . . .”

Oh shit.He hadn’t seen that coming. “I’m so sorry, Madison,” he said sincerely. “I’m sure that was devastating.”

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