“What’s in it?” she asked.
“Just tobacco.” Alec handed her the pipe. “Nothing illegal.”
Lucy’s hand hovered in the air. She wanted to try it but sensed a bit of dare in his expression. He was testing her. This was her Rubicon—that unspoken, but always noted, point of no return.
Lucy reached for the end of the hose, pulled smoke into her lungs, and exhaled. Sweetness spread across her tongue, and warmth spread through her limbs. There were two things she was certain of—she wanted this man, and it would end soon. Lucy leaned back and tried to mimic Alec’s smoke rings, but her exhale only looked like a street corner puff into a strong wind. The waiter returned and set a piece of triangular pastry and an old- fashioned honey pot on the table.
“Thank you,” Alec said. The man left and shut the door firmly behind him.
Alec picked up the pastry and bit off the end. He held a corner to her mouth. “Try it.”
Lucy set aside the water pipe and bit off her end. Honey and walnuts and buttered pastry mixed on her tongue with the apricot smoke. “It’s good.”
Alec opened the honey pot and dribbled honey over the remaining pastry. He offered it to her and she took another bite, and then watched him finish the last piece.
“You have honey on your lip.” He leaned forward and licked the corner of her mouth. His tongue was hot and abrading. Lucy put both hands to his face and kissed him deeply, letting her tongue roll over his. Heat burned in the pit of her stomach.
Alec pulled her onto his lap. “Do you feel the connection between us?”
Lucy nuzzled up his face. His whiskers scraped against her skin, and the evidence of his arousal pushed between her legs. “Oh, yes. It’s
Alec frowned, and then gave her a patient, small-steps look. “Well, there is that.”
…
From the restaurant, they went to see
From their plush couch, she could see the whites of the dancers’ eyes and practically feel their pulsing heartbeats. She sat up straight, her fingers intertwined loosely with Alec’s, transfixed by the acrobatics and athleticism.
In the middle of the opening act, ten elaborately costumed actors leaped into the air and turned into SUV- sized dragons. The audience screamed and cowered under their seats. Lucy was prepared for them after Alec’s entrance at the casino’s opening, but still she scrambled closer to him and grabbed his shirt sleeve.
“They aren’t real?” Her eyes snapped to Alec’s face for confirmation of what she already knew. Of course they were mechanical, but they did seem oh, so real…
Alec kissed her lightly on the nose. “Do you want me to ruin it for you?” His lack of concern, more than his words, reassured her.
She smiled and scooted back to her side on the couch. “Hell of a way to get a girl on your lap.”
Alec laughed and ran a hand down her hip. “I’ll take you any way I can get you.”
Around them, the audience’s alarm shifted to astonishment, then amazement, as they came to the same conclusion she had. The dragons were an amazing feat of theater.
One by one, the people began to clap until their hands pounded with a deafening beat. They were unified in their excitement, as symbiotic an experience as a sold-out theater full of people could ever hope to share.
Lucy clapped her hands, too. The dragons soared in figure-eight patterns over the auditorium, a mythical rainbow of blue, reds, yellows, and greens. Lighter colors lined their eyes, tail ridges, and wing tips. Their air show rivaled the grace of the Russian ballet and daring of the Air Force Blue Angels.
Lucy let her mouth sag, closing it only when it grew dry. She gripped Alec’s hand and spoke not another word, completely lost in the developing tale of an ambitious young man who hid his secret life as a dragon from those he loved.
The live orchestra music throbbed through her veins, making her bones and blood seem an extension of the instruments. Periodically, the dragons returned to the stage and became high-flying acrobats and roller skating clowns, flipping and skidding around the constantly moving stage.
When the lights came up, everyone remained seated and silent. Then they jumped to their feet, yelling and clapping. Lucy joined them, clapping her swollen hands. Alec stood beside her, relaxed, as if seeing flying dragons was an everyday occurrence for him.
“That was amazing.” Lucy grabbed his arm. “I’m exhausted.”
“Not too exhausted, I hope.” Alec’s hand slipped to her waist and he pulled her close to him. “Did you understand the story?”
There had been no dialogue, only music and facial expressions to tell the story. “I’m not sure I got the ending. Did everyone accept that he was a dragon?”
“I like to think so.” Alec led her from the balcony with a gentle hand at her elbow. “Everyone loves a happy ending.” The crowd parted around them. The tourists didn’t need to be told that he was the owner of the casino to know to get out of his way.
Lucy walked across the bejeweled lobby and into Alec’s private elevator, happiness in her every step. She stood away from the clear glass and had no trouble pretending it was six inches of steel. She wanted to freeze time, remember every detail for later when she was alone. Even the surety of an abrupt and probable bad ending for her and Alec didn’t dim her euphoria.
Alec leaned against the wall of windows with confident nonchalance and wrapped a hand around her waist. The move tucked her closer to his side, so that his suit jacket draped her back in a protective cocoon. Body heat radiated from him and sent her heart tripping. The Vegas lights shone through the glass, red and blue and gold, illuminating the contoured edge of his jaw. The slight stubble there made him look darkly sexy and mysterious.
“Neon becomes you.” Lucy’s words were easy and joking.
Alec glanced at her as the elevator stopped, and the door opened. “Shall we stay here then?” His hand squeezed her waist.
“I’ve never made out in an elevator.”
Alec pushed the red stop button, but no annoying alarm sounded. He wrapped her in his arms.
“We can fix that.” He trailed a hand up the inside of her dress.
Hot desire spiraled through Lucy. Below them, the Vegas Strip pulsed with activity. Vertigo spun Lucy’s head, making her feel like she would fall, so she held onto Alec’s arms. Alec brought his face closer to hers and inhaled the air from her throat before placing a lingering kiss at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. The rush of air followed by his warm mouth sent shivers dancing down her spine.
“Next time…” Lucy’s words sounded breathy.
“Next time.” His eyes had lost none of their intensity, but Alec smiled and tilted her chin up. “I like the sound of that.”
Alec stepped back and took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers and leading her into his apartment. Inside, he released her and crossed to the bar. He pulled out a bottle and poured amber liquid into a glass. “Scotch?”
“Oh, please.” Lucy turned a full circle in the middle of the sunken living room. Moonlight sparkled through the glass wall, and the hustle and bustle of the casino and the Strip now seemed far, far away.
“I think this has been the most amazing date I have ever been on.”
“You think?” Alec handed her a glass, and she took a sip of first-rate single malt scotch with two ice cubes and no water. “Or you know?”
“I know.” The words brought a small lump to the back of her throat. Wherever she went from here, she would always have Alec in her memory. Always comparing every man to him. “This day has been amazing. You’ve been amazing.”
“Tell me what you liked the most.” Alec stepped past her and sat on a leather couch with his ankle crossed at the knee. He seemed to be putting more than just physical distance between them. After his closeness in the elevator, he seemed much too far way.
