another casino. To lure them to the Desert Sapphire, it had taken him three years and a few promises he needed Annie to help him keep.
“I am working on a side project of sorts during the tournament and you’re just the right person for the job.” He paused, sipping his scotch thoughtfully. “If I sign the papers and give you the divorce you want, you agree to help me.”
“I don’t understand. How could I possibly—”
Nate cut her protest short with a wave of his hand. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the cheating problem the poker circuit is having. The rumors are getting fairly loud and the tournament sponsor’s reputation is suffering for it. Everyone is anticipating they’ll hit the tournament.”
Annie sighed. “There’s always rumors of cheating, but nothing ever comes of it. The people they catch are usually small potatoes compared to the amount of money exchanged in one of these events. What’s the big deal?”
“Hosting the tournament is a huge draw for my hotel. As you well know, it’s been held at the Tangiers for the last twenty years. Talking the organizers into moving it here had taken more than some nice negotiating. They wanted concrete guarantees that anyone cheating during the tournament would be caught and prosecuted, to send a message to the community.”
“And why are they so confident that your team can do a better job than the Tangiers?”
“Because I have one of the best security systems in the business, with some of the most qualified staff you can hire. We go well beyond the typical measures most casinos employ.”
“Seems like overkill to me. I hardly think you can stop cheating.”
“This hotel was on the verge of going under when I took over from my father. He wasn’t well at the time and people took advantage of the situation. Our biggest issue was people gaming the house, especially our own employees. I wouldn’t tolerate that on my watch and invested in cutting-edge technology to stop it. Over the last five years, our estimated losses from cheating are down by eighty percent.”
“Then why do you need me?” Annie crossed her arms defensively, pressing her breasts tight against the low V-cut of her sleeveless red silk top.
Just a quick glance at the soft curves of her femininity sent a sharp spike of need down his spine and forced him to turn away. “Because,” he said, “I suspect this is a more elaborate and well-organized operation than we’re used to. More people are involved...new faces with clean records. But we have to succeed. If we manage to bust this ring, I’ve got a guaranteed ten-year contract for the tournament. That’s something my grandfather wouldn’t have even hoped for.”
“And what?” she prompted. “You think I know who’s involved?”
“I think you probably have your suspicions. You’ve been active in the community for several years and have to have heard your share of stories.” He lifted his gaze to meet hers. “I also think you could flush them out with the right...motivation.”
* * *
Annie leaped up from her seat, the nervous energy his proposal generated propelling her off the leather couch. “I’m not a snitch.” There was no way she was going to ruin her reputation like that. Not for a divorce, not for the attentions of a charming, handsome man like Nate. Her honor was all she had in this business.
“If we do it right, no one will ever know that you are.”
“And how’s that? There are cameras everywhere. The odds are they have help on the inside, possibly even your own security guys and dealers. You don’t think they’ll notice us talking?”
“Nope. They won’t.”
He hadn’t told her everything. Her game was poker, but Nate’s game was chess. He was already three moves ahead of her. Annie hated being outmaneuvered. “Enlighten me.”
His mouth curved up in a sly smile. “There are no cameras in here.”
Annie looked around the office and down the dark corridor to his suite. She sincerely hoped not. They would’ve gotten an eyeful during their wedding night. “And no one will find it suspicious that I’m up in your suite? That I’m spending all my time with the casino boss?”
“Why shouldn’t you spend time with your husband?”
Annie’s blood turned to ice in her veins. If there was one thing she clung to, it was that no one knew about their mistake. Their marriage had been a secret she’d shared only with her sister, Tessa, and her mother. Yes, she and Nate would’ve told people eventually, but in the beginning they’d been far too wrapped up in one another to share the good news. Then it was over. “You don’t think people will question that we’re suddenly married? That we’re together again after all this time apart?”
Nate shrugged. “We’ll just tell the truth. We got married three years ago. It didn’t work out. We separated. You came back for the tournament and we reconciled.”
“That’s not the truth.”
“No, but the best lies have a good bit of truth in them. The paper trail will back up our story. And we won’t give them any reason to doubt it.” He smiled a wide, confident smile that started to melt her defenses away before she could think through his statement.
No reason to doubt they were married? “You...you don’t honestly expect us to...?” The air in the room suddenly seemed cooler, her skin contracting with goose bumps. Annie crossed her arms protectively over her chest and ran her hands over the bumpy flesh of her bare upper arms.
“No—” he laughed “—of course not. It will just be for show. You’ll need to stay here in the suite with me. We’ll eat together in public, be affectionate. You might have to suffer through a few of my kisses so any time we spend alone will be chalked up to romantic interludes. No one will suspect what we’re really doing together.”
Annie felt the rush of blood rise to her cheeks and chase away the chill. When was the last time she’d blushed? Probably her first kiss in sixth grade. She learned to master her emotions not long after that. It made her an excellent poker player. It also made her a really crappy girlfriend. Or wife, as the case was here. Somehow Nate was the only one able to put a dent in her armor.
Suffering wasn’t exactly the response she had to his kisses. They always made her head swim. Made her thoughts turn to mush and her body into a bundle of raw nerves. His kisses had been enough to convince her that getting married after only a few days together was a good idea. If Annie was going to kiss him, she’d have to be very careful. The phrase one thing leads to another had never been truer than with Nate.
This was a bad idea all around. Spying on her fellow players? Acting the happy couple with Nate? That was like playing with fire. No. This was a ridiculous suggestion. She wouldn’t be a party to Nate’s games. “What if I say no?”
Annie watched her estranged husband take a large sip of his scotch and cross his arms over his chest. His expensive gray suit coat strained against his broad shoulders as he leaned casually against his desk. He didn’t seem at all affected by their conversation or the thought of kissing her. Apparently Annie was the only one still afflicted with that weakness. He was only interested in using her to make his precious hotel even more successful.
Despite everything, she remembered why she’d fallen for Nate. He was
