Page 11 of Diamonds & Deception

“Who’s the chick?” he asks before tearing into his chocolate cruller.

I open my mouth to... what? Defend her and tell Ryder not to call her that? To deny I had a date with a woman that I never mentioned to the guys? Or tell them how I haven’t stopped thinking about her satin lips and the soft moans that escaped her while I kissed her on the upper terrace?

I take the easy way out and select a blueberry cake donut and take a huge bite.

“Doc was on the receiving end of a serious make-out session,” Trey adds.

“I’ve seen the footage. It’s hot for a public space. At least, for Switzy, here. I’ve seen plenty of skin and tongue from Ryder on camera.” Nolan takes a swig from his coffee. The man never seems to be affected by burning java. The hotter the better.

Ryder points his donut at him. “I always knew you for a voyeur.”

“Keep your sex life private and give me nothin’ to watch then.”

“While you two are bickering, the doctor here is getting away with not being on the hot seat,” Trey adds as he takes his second donut.

“Should we call him doctorlovenow?”

I scowl at Ryder, which makes him laugh even harder. “I had a dinner date with a woman I recently met. End of story.”

“Nancy said you were five minutes late to your call with Vegas,” Nolan says with a shit-eating grin.

“Fuck, man. You were late?” This has Trey leaning forward, and it’s not even to grab a third donut.

I’m never late. I’m never distracted, so I can see how this would rattle the guys.

“I was over-ambitious with my schedule. It won’t happen again. I made you each a copy of my notes from the call since I know you won’t log in to your email until Monday.” They were notoriously terrible at reading emails from me. A quality I’d not allow from any employee, but they’d rather hear the news straight from me than read it on a computer.

I respect that.

“The Bellagio has infiltrated a new marketing system that tracks—”

Ryder ignores me and looks at Nolan and Trey. “It’s not like Switzy to date a guest. Think we need to call a real doctor? I’m worried about him, guys. Late to a meeting, PDA. What’s happening to our sweet leader?”

“Fuck off,” I growl before taking another gulp of coffee, nearly burning the back of my throat. I’m going to need all the caffeine I can get to deal with these meatheads for the next hour.

“And now he’s cursing at us.” Nolantsks. “From what I saw last night on video, the woman was ready to jump his bones, but the doc’s sounding a little grumpy for someone who got laid last night.”

“Think she turned him down?” Trey grins.

“Fuckheads. I had fifty-eight minutes for a dinner break. I—”

“Hell. He hasn’t been laid in so long, I’d think he only needed five. He hasn’t gotten his dick wet since... when? Or has he been holding out on us all along?” Ryder taps his chin as if in deep thought.

I glare at Ryder, who’s having a hell of a time trying to keep a straight face.

“Fine. I know you teenage drama queens aren’t going to listen to any business matters until I give you the gossip. I met her on Wednesday. Asked her to join me for dinner on Thursday. We talked. We ate. As Trey and the other gossipers in the casino can tell you, we kissed. I was on the call with Vegas for a few hours, and I went to my penthouse. Alone. End of story. Now if you’ll look at the notes—”

“Where did you meet her?” Nolan asks. “You’re like a vampire who never leaves this place.”

I could say the same for the three of them, but they all have apartments in the city where I live upstairs.

“On my run.”

“Sly dog.” Nolan grins. “I never thought of using the park as a place to pick up chicks.”

“I didn’t—” I stop myself before I dig my hole even deeper. Give these guys an inch, they’ll take a mile.

“Why so secretive?” Nolan folds his beefy arms across his chest and tips back in his chair. “From what I could see, she’s got a fucking hot body. Is there some skeleton you don’t want us to know about?”

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