Fair Play Read online

  A dark-haired man was looking at some papers on his desk and said without looking up, “Please sit down. I’ll be with you in a moment.”

  Reluctant to hear the inevitable, Dani sat on the edge of the deeply-cushioned leather chair facing the desk. Patiently folding her hands in her lap, she swiveled, surveying the office while she waited. It was huge; at least three times the size of her apartment. The walls were a subtle shade of gray and the floor was covered with a plush gray carpet that you sank into as you walked on it. A large walnut desk dominated the left side of the room with two walnut chairs facing it. Pictures of famous people dotted two walls and an oversized mural of the Vegas strip was on a third. A solid wall with a huge television monitor faced the desk. There was a deep blue sofa and two matching chairs on the right side of the office with an adjacent bar. It was evident that no expense had been spared in the decór.

  “Since we’ve already met, do you mind if I call you Dani?”

  At the sound of the familiar voice that haunted her dreams, Dani spun around, then froze in shock. “You! You’re the owner?”

  He raised his eyebrow. “We meet again. Let me introduce myself, properly this time. I’m Jace Diamond. Please call me Jace.”

  Dani felt her mouth drop open, but no words came out. Frantically searching her memory, she tried to recall exactly what she’d said to him that day near the pool. Remembering that she had rudely scrutinized his body and had commented on it, her face grew warm. She also remembered the intensity of his kisses and how they’d made her mindless and weak with desire. As she thought back, Dani remembered that she’d put the blame for their encounter entirely on him, when in reality she’d been a willing participant.

  As though Jace sensed the emotions flashing through her mind, he held his hand out for her to shake, as if a truce.

  Relieved, Dani grasped his palm and felt a charge of electricity. Even though he didn’t hold her hand in any way but a handshake, it felt like a caress, sending a shock of desire running all the way to her toes. Instinct made her want to pull her hand away quickly, but she forced herself to release her hand slowly, to mask how affected she was by his touch.

  “I need to ask you a couple of questions about the incident that occurred on the floor a little while ago. According to Mr. Pace, you propositioned him and when he took you up on your offer, you assaulted him. Is that what happened?”

  Instantly defensive, she replied, “Is that what he said? Do you honestly think I would proposition a man like that?”

  “I want to get this resolved as quickly as possible, so I need you to calmly give me your side of the story for the record.”

  “Sorry. I’m a little upset.” She took a deep breath to soothe her nerves and filled him in on what had happened. “He said he didn’t want a drink, then grabbed my butt and pulled me onto his lap.” Her face warmed again, reluctant to tell the rest, but plodded on anyway. “He ground his lips on mine and shoved his tongue down my throat as he groped my breast. I tried to get away from him and couldn’t.” Emotion clogged her throat. “He ripped my jacket. I panicked and hit him with my tray.”

  Feeling her stomach grow queasy, Dani waited for him to say something as she studied his eyes, trying to figure out what he was thinking. Not being able to read his thoughts, she found his gaze cool and unnerving, and his face as unreadable as a gambler at a poker table. The longer Jace looked at her, the more uncomfortable she became as she waited for him to speak.

  Losing patience she said, “If you don’t mind, I’d rather just get this over with. I’m not sorry that I hit him. He deserved it, and more. And to be perfectly honest with you, if a customer ever gropes me like that again, I’ll do the same thing. It’s my body, and I say who touches me and when. I know you’re going to fire me, so just go ahead and do it,” she rambled, her nerves raw and edgy.

  Jace smiled at her. “I have no intentions of firing you. What happened on the floor is on disc, but I needed to hear your side of the story to confirm what I saw. He had no right to attack you, and you had every right to defend yourself. I’m going to ask Mr. Pace to come in here now so I can give him my edict. If you don’t mind waiting, could you please sit in the outer office while I do this? There’s something else I need to discuss with you.”

  Stunned that he wasn’t firing her, and angry that he hadn’t told her in the beginning that he’d seen what had happened, she answered coolly, “I do mind, but I’ll wait anyway.”

  Jace grinned at Dani’s spunk and watched her exit, enjoying the view. She was upset with him, but she had no idea how her story had affected him.

  During her recitation, his hands had clenched into fists under his desk. He’d seen Martin Pace pull her on his lap and kiss her, but from the angle on his monitor he hadn’t seen him fondle her. Intensely disliking someone else touching her, even though he had no say in who could touch her, didn’t prevent his feeling of possessiveness. He would’ve relished the pleasure of seizing Martin and choking him.

  Martin Pace ambled in looking smug and sat in the chair opposite him. Jace stood and faced him. “After hearing both sides of the story, I’ve come to the conclusion that you were in the wrong. What you did to my cocktail waitress was totally inexcusable and not tolerated in this casino.”

  Martin popped out of his chair, his face florid with anger. “What I did? What about what that little whore did?”

  Jace clenched his teeth. “Be careful what you call her. You were totally at fault. You had no right to proposition her, then grope and kiss her when she refused. This is not a brothel. This is a casino, and I would like you to leave.”

  “You’ll be sorry you did this because my lawyers will be getting in touch with you. You can be sure that I intend to sue you for damages to my physical and mental well being. I also intend to press charges on your whore for soliciting, and your casino for pandering.”

  “If I were you, I’d be very careful of what you do,” Jace returned, his voice quiet and deadly. “Before you hire a lawyer or press charges, you should know that I have in my possession a disc that shows what you did to my cocktail waitress. It gives a blow-by-blow account of what exactly went on at that blackjack table. You should consider yourself lucky that this casino and my cocktail waitress don’t sue you for damages. I want you out of this casino ... now ... and you’re not to set foot in here again.”

  Martin’s face dropped when he was told he was on disc. Jace perceived Martin Pace knew he was guilty, but had tried to bluff his way through, hoping to recoup some of his losses from the tables. He’d seen it all before, but why did it anger him so much that Dani had been on the receiving end of the brute’s paws?

  Tight-lipped and pale, Martin raised his chin and went toward the door, where the two security guards he’d called were waiting to escort the asshole of out of his casino. “Oh, and Mr. Pace,” Jace said, and waited until Martin Pace stopped and turned around. “I’d better not hear you make any derogatory remarks to my cocktail waitress. My security guards will escort you off the premises.”

  Martin Pace slammed the door as Jace sat down.

  There was a hesitant knock on the door.

  “Come in.”

  As Dani strolled in, Jace took a long, admiring perusal, starting at her feet and ending at her face. He remembered those curves and long legs and how good she felt in his arms. Stopping at her mouth on his return up, he felt a tightening in his body. Her lips seemed to be begging him to taste them again. His assessment awakened a need to touch her, but he kept his hands clasped on the desk.

  Dani stopped halfway in the room. She felt like she’d just been undressed with his eyes, but instead of making her feel disgusted as she had with Martin Pace, he’d caused her body to warm with pleasure. She hated that he could control her reactions to him, so she said indignantly, “One look wasn’t enough the last time, so you needed a repeat performance?”

  He rose to his feet and smirked. “If I recall, we were supposed to exchange notes. I was just refreshing my
memory.”

  “Tonight I escaped the mauling of one pervert. Do I need to defend myself from another?”

  His eyes flared with anger at her words, but he replied calmly, “Don’t put me in the same category as that excuse for a man!”

  “Sorry. That was totally uncalled for.” Her gaze fell to the floor. “It’s been a tough night.”

  He circled the front of his desk to face her.

  She raised her head and followed him with her eyes and couldn’t help scrutinizing his body as he moved. He was tall. She figured him to be at least 6’3”, with broad shoulders, a lean body, and long legs. He had a really great body and so much male sexuality pouring from him, she figured women threw themselves at him all the time. No wonder he was so self-assured and arrogant. Her reaction to him was no different than other woman. No matter how much she denied it, she was very attracted to him.

  She had to make sure Jace never learned of her attraction.

  It would be a very dangerous weapon to put in his hands. When her eyes returned to his, she realized he was watching her.

  He crossed his arms and grinned. “Refreshing your memory, too, I see? Do you like what you see?”

  Dani’s face instantly heated as she realized what she’d been doing. A few minutes ago she’d berated him for leering at her, and she was doing the same thing. Damn! She was treading on dangerous ground. Jace didn’t seem to be a man to be played with.

  “Forgive my rudeness. You wanted to talk to me about something?”

  He leaned against the desk. “Kathy approached me about the possibility of promoting you to casino host. She’s received a lot of good reports about you and has been observing your work habits and feels you’d make an excellent host. After some deliberation on my part, I agree with her. I think you’d help bring in revenue. Do you think you might be interested in the job?”

  Hell, yes. She tamped down her excitement. “What exactly does a casino host do, and what are the wages?”

  “A casino host takes care of our high rollers. You greet them when they arrive and cater to them while they are a guest with us. It’s your job to make sure the customer, or whale as they are referred to in a casino, gambles at the tables and has fun. You’d make a higher salary than you make now, even adding in your tips. You’d also get bonuses based on your performance and on the revenue you generate for the casino.”

  She sat down at his explanation and sighed. “The salary sounds good, but what exactly does cater to them mean?”

  “To be frank, whatever they wanted you to provide within reason. If they want you to get a date for them, then you’d provide one. If they want dinner delivered to their room at a specific time, you’d take care of that. If they want to see a certain show or go to a certain club, you make sure that they get in and also receive VIP treatment. You encourage them to gamble and give them comps based on their rate of gambling. Basically you’re the person who takes care of all their wants and needs, while at the same time ensuring they gamble in our casino.”

  “What are the hours and what type of uniform would I have to wear? Wearing something like this,” she stated, pointing to her uniform, “would put me at a distinct disadvantage on that type of job.”

  He laughed, and she loved the deep, rich sound. “Very perceptive of you. You don’t wear a uniform. You dress like you’re going out to a nice restaurant or club. You’re required to be available to your whale 24 hours a day, but as part of your salary you’ll get a suite here at the hotel, a cell phone, which will be provided to you, and meals, which are in addition to your salary.”

  Sounded too good to be true. She sat there for a few minutes thinking about the offer. She licked her lips. “Yes, I’d like to try it.” She started to stand up, when his words stopped her.

  “Good. One more thing. As you know, prostitution is illegal in Vegas. If a whale asks for an escort, it cannot be of the call-girl variety. This casino does not pander. Also, if you should get physically involved with your whale, make sure there is no monetary exchange, as we don’t tolerate prostitution either.”

  She shot to her feet, pulse pounding in her ears. “I can assure you that I don’t prostitute myself, no matter how much money I’m offered. I also don’t fraternize with the customers as I separate business from my personal life.”

  “I didn’t mean to ruffle your feathers. Sometimes the girls like to socialize with the whales, and that’s permitted as long as it doesn’t interfere with business. I’m just letting you know the parameters.”

  “So that I have it straight, it’s okay to socialize with the whales but not to fraternize with the customers? What’s the difference?”

  “The difference is that a whale will usually drop anywhere from $100,000 to several million dollars in the casino. When you are leaving that kind of money behind, we’re inclined to be a little more lenient with the rules.”

  She nodded. “I see. Money talks. Thanks for clarifying that for me.”

  Jace ignored her gibe and continued. “See Kathy tomorrow, and she’ll help you settle in your place and get you started.”

  He straightened up facing her, their bodies close enough to feel the heat coming off of each other. Even though he wasn’t touching her, she could feel the sexual pull from his body luring her closer. She put her hand out for him to shake, but instead he took her hand and turned it palm up and kissed the sensitive center.

  Her first instinct was to jerk her hand back, but, not wanting him to know how affected she was by his touch, she forced herself to leave her hand in his.

  “I think this will be the beginning of a good relationship,” he stated as he looked deep in her eyes.

  His gaze felt like he was peering into her soul. She tried to remove her hand, but his fingers closed over hers. Glancing at her hand and then at him, she said, “I need my hand back.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, never taking his eyes off her. Her breathing quickened and her blood roared as it pulsed rapidly through her body.

  “Do I frighten you? I won’t hurt you. I only want to give you pleasure not pain.”

  He did scare her. He was a man who took what he wanted, and his eyes told her it was her. Instinctively, knowing he was dangerous, she felt once he had her, she wouldn’t be able to get away. But did she want to? No, she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Common sense told her to step back from this for so many reasons, one being he was her boss and personal relationships on the job never worked out.

  “Yes, you do frighten me,” she finally admitted. “You’re my boss and that puts me at a distinct disadvantage.”

  “I separate business from pleasure and never combine the two,” he replied coolly. “My pursuit of you is purely on a personal level and has nothing to do with our positions at work.”

  She could feel herself weakening, wanting what he offered but knowing she couldn’t take the chance. “I’m flattered, but still not interested.”

  He moved his fingers and covered her pulse at her wrist. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “Then why is your heart beating so fast?”

  She snatched her hand away. “I’m just nervous from everything that’s happened. I need to get back to work.”

  “If you’re not afraid, then prove it. Have dinner with me,” he entreated.

  “I don’t think that would be a good idea.” She turned and left the room, feeling the heat of his gaze burning into her back.

  Jace watched Dani until she left his office. There was a latent sensuality about her that was intriguing and pulled at him. It wasn’t just her body, although he’d have to be dead not to appreciate it. She was intelligent, principled, and had a temper. He liked a woman with spirit, and had every intention of pursuing her on a personal level. She may not admit it, but he knew she was interested in him. “Until next time.”

  Chapter 5

  Dani entered the suite and gasped. She’d pictured a cramped, one-room model. Instead, before her stood a luxurious apartment with a balcony and a breathtak
ing view of the Strip.

  The living room was furnished with a deeply-cushioned couch, two matching chairs, end tables, and lamps. It came equipped with a fifty-inch plasma TV, stereo, desktop computer with network connection, and a mini bar. On one wall was a large sliding door that opened to the balcony. She went out on the balcony and admired the view. Noticing a patio table with umbrella and two chairs, she knew she’d get a lot of enjoyment sitting out here watching the activity below.

  She continued her exploration of her new suite and discovered the kitchenette, separated from the living room by a breakfast bar with stools, was fully stocked. Beyond the kitchen area was a bedroom bigger than her whole studio apartment, furnished with a king-sized bed and matching nightstands and dresser. Off of the bedroom was a bathroom, complete with shower and Jacuzzi bath, which she knew she’d use quite a lot as she loved to soak in a tub.

  “Do you like it?” Kathy scanned her face for a reaction.

  Dani’s face broke out in a wide smile as she answered gleefully, “It’s perfect. I had no idea that I’d get something this nice to live in.”

  “I’m so glad you like it. It comes with laundry service, and the laundry bag for your clothes and linens is in the closet. Laundry is picked up every Monday, so just leave the bag next to the door in the living room. Your clean clothes will be returned on Tuesday. If you need something dry-cleaned or ironed, just call down to housekeeping and they’ll make arrangements with you. Every Monday the maid will come and clean.” Kathy headed toward the door, but stopped before opening it. “You have the rest of the day to get settled in. If you need help moving your things, let housekeeping know and they’ll provide someone to help you. Tomorrow morning, meet me at my office at ten and we’ll get you started on your first whale. Is there anything you need before I go?”