five thousand dollars each for an invitation to these exclusive gentlemen’s house parties.
But Conner was a very, very rich man. He could get any woman he wanted for no more than the cost of a drink. His reputation was well-known.
He shrugged, playing it cool. “There’s only one woman I’m interested in catering to me,” he said, feigning indifference to the whole thing. “And I’ve been told in no uncertain terms she doesn’t do private parties. Of any kind.”
Lou’s eyes narrowed, his lip curling. After a brief pause, he said, “What if I could change her mind?”
Whoops. Not the direction Conner’d meant to go. He scrambled for a reason to refuse, but Lou beat him to the draw.
“I’ll make you a deal. If she’ll do a party here in the VIP room with you, you’ll give my other invitation a try.” Because he was so sure after one visit, Conner’d be sucked into the decadence.
Hell, that’s what a man got for cultivating his reputation as a player and a heartbreaker all over town. Which, ironically enough, he’d done in order to avoid breaking hearts. He’d never been interested in hanging with one woman for more than a few days.
Before now.
Temptation loomed large. On both counts.
This was an unprecedented opportunity to help Suzie Parker by witnessing firsthand what she’d been forced to do. To gather hard evidence against the culprits running these parties and shut them down for good. So other innocent girls weren’t caught in the trap, lured by the money into selling themselves short.
Not to mention being able to have Vera all to himself in the VIP room, driving him crazy with her delectable body, dancing up close and personal.
Except she’d be madder than a coyote if Lou made her do it. She’d probably never speak to Conner again.
Which could, of course, solve that other problem. The one where he was about to throw away his whole life to have her. No sense doing that if she wasn’t even speaking to him.
He hesitated. Just long enough for Lou to pull out his cell phone and make a three-word call. “Send her up.”
Oh, crap.
Vera was sitting at the dressing-room mirror touching up her makeup and listening to Tawni prattle on about some man she’d just met. Some computer IT guy from New Orleans.
“Always wanted to visit the Big Easy,” Tawni said. “Do you think I should go?”
“Is he married?” Vera asked.
Tawni flung out a hand. “Who cares? We’re not talking about having the guy’s kid, here, just a little fling!”
“Which can lead to all sorts of heartache for everyone involved, especially if he’s married,” Vera pointed out. “I’d ask before I even considered it.”
Tawni sighed. “I suppose you’re right. Wouldn’t want to have my eyes scratched out by some dumb punter’s irate wife.”
“Very sensible.”
“What about your guy?”
“I have no guy.”
Tawni snorted. “Yeah? Then who was Mr. Tall, Rich and Handsome in the front row drooling into his champagne? For the second night in a row, I might add. The one whose ten-million-dollar mansion you happen to be staying at?”
Vera swiveled on her stool to face her friend. “We haven’t slept together.” Well. Not technically. It didn’t count when only one of the parties got off and there was no bed involved. Right?
Tawni’s eyes bugged out. “Are you insane? What are you waiting for?”
Vera sighed dreamily. “Nothing, anymore. I decided to seduce him tonight.”
“Good plan,” Tawni said in exasperation. “Jeez, girl, the man is worth megabucks. You’ve got to hurry up and soak him for all he’s worth!”
She shook her head, feeling a loopy smile spread on her face. “No. I couldn’t. It’s not like that. He likes me. Respects me.”
Tawni slapped her hands to the sides of her face. “Are you out of your mind? Respects you? Look at yourself in the mirror, Vera May Mancuso. Does that look like the sort of woman a man has any kind of honorable thoughts about? Mark my words, he’s after something you’ve got, but it ain’t R-E-S-P-E-C-T.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. It doesn’t matter. I’ve decided to give it to him anyway.”
Something in her voice must have given her away. Tawni gasped. “Oh, sweet heaven. You’re in love with the man! My God, girl, you just met him yesterday!”
“I know. Totally insane, isn’t it? I took one look at him, and it was like…like I’d been zapped by a magic wand or something. Bells rang. Stars exploded.” Or maybe that part was just the stage lights reflecting off the incredible ring she’d been wearing. The Tears of the Quetzal. She’d been blinded by its hypnotic brilliance. No wonder some lunatic had become obsessed by it.
Tawni was still staring at her incredulously.
Vera held up a hand. “I know. I’m certifiable. Believe me, I wasn’t going to touch him—” much “—but oh, God, Tawni, I want him. I want to feel what it’s like to be with him. Just once. Don’t worry, I’m not fool enough to think it’ll last.”
Sympathy filled Tawni’s gaze. “Oh, sweetie, you do have it bad. Come here, girl.” She stretched out her arms, and Vera went into them, grateful for a hug, grateful for a friend who knew exactly what she was going through. No matter how jaded they pretended to be, their hearts still broke like everyone else’s.
“You’re right, sweetie,” Tawni murmured. “Don’t you worry about the future. You go for it. Get all the loving you can out of him. Just hang on to that precious heart of yours. Don’t you give that to any man, you hear?”
Vera nodded. “I won’t.”
But it was too late, and they both knew it.
Still, she told herself, at least she’d have some amazing memories.
She pulled back from Tawni’s hug, filling with a jittery kind of excitement. She really was going to go for it.
Jerry poked his head in the door just then. “Miss LaRue?”
She looked up, surprised. She wasn’t on again for another two hours. “Yeah, Jerry?”
“Lecherous Lou wants to see you. Upstairs. Room seven.”
Now what? Lou knew she was absolutely adamant—Okay, wait. Maybe…“Do you know if there’s anyone with him?” she asked Jerry.
“That rich dude’s been panting after your bod.”
Excellent. “Tell him I’ll be there in a minute.” Jerry left. She met Tawni’s I-told-you-so gaze in
