“Glad we understand each other,” Connor said, his shoulders more relaxed now that Maria’s name was out of the discussion.
Quinn shook his head and stifled a laugh. He consoled himself with the notion that by tomorrow, Maria would still be around making Connor squirm, while for Quinn, Ari would be a distant memory.
• • •
The next night, Connor stood behind the bar at Damon’s mixing cocktails. The drink, a Cosmo in a brandy snifter with extra ice, ordered by a man in a large black cowboy hat, had him preoccupied until a sixth sense prickled the back of his neck.
Not one to ignore his gut, since it had kept him alive when he was a kid and again on the force, he raised his gaze. Taking in the sight of the woman who had to be Zoe’s twin, Connor let out a slow whistle. Quinn was going to be pissed as hell, Connor thought.
He served the cowboy with the New York accent his drink along with a glass of ice water, no lemon, for the man’s wife, before turning his attention to Ariana. She wore tight-fitting black leather pants and a bright red sweater that would be conservative if not for the low-cut V-neck that showed off her ample cleavage and a hint of white lace.
Instead of Zoe’s jet black hair, hers had an auburn tint, and where her sister’s flowed down her back, Ariana’s brushed her shoulders in a chic cut that emphasized her olive skin and intense green eyes.
He could see why his best friend had fallen for her at a glance. Even if Quinn wasn’t ready to admit it just yet. “What can I get you?” Connor asked, making a show of wiping down a bar glass as he spoke.
“Gray Goose on the rocks with a lime.” She pursed her lips together in thought. “And information.”
Because Connor was a trained professional, he caught the nearly imperceptible tremor in her voice. Still, he got to work on her request and mulled over her statement. Though he didn’t know why she was here, he expected her to get the lay of the land and ask subtle questions. The kind he’d have no trouble accommodating. He needed to get a solid handle on her, since Quinn had already proven himself less than able to predict this woman’s actions, Connor thought, holding back a chuckle.
“So how long have you been working here?” she asked.
“About a year and a half. Why?” He slid the drink across the bar on a cocktail napkin.
She shrugged. “Because my sister used to serve drinks here. I’m looking for people who saw her before she disappeared.”
So much for anticipating her behavior. The only expected thing so far had been her quivering voice. But despite her nerves, she’d gone right for the killer question.
He kept his tone casual as he asked, “What’s your sister’s name? There’s plenty of babes who work here and move on.”
“But only one who disappeared, I assume.”
Before Connor could reply, Maria sauntered over and placed her tray down on the counter. Connor didn’t need a distraction, and Maria, with those eyes that saw too much and who got to him in a way no woman ever had, diverted his attention too easily. She’d also been ducking his come-ons in a way he wasn’t used to.
“Why don’t I refresh your memory,” Ariana said. “My sister’s name is Zoe. That’s a pretty unusual name and she’s my twin. Another reason I’d think you’d remember her,” Ariana said, forcing Quinn to tear his gaze from Maria.
Maria, meanwhile, glanced back and forth between Connor and Ariana and a scowl crossed her luscious lips. Lips he fantasized about in his sleep, drifting across his body and giving him immense pleasure.
Her displeased expression was the first indication Connor had ever had that Maria reciprocated his interest. Suddenly stringing Ariana along took on greater appeal, and he bit back a grin.
He leaned across the bar, closer to Zoe’s twin. “Is your sister a beautiful redhead like you?” he asked in a deliberately husky voice.
“Okay, assuming my face isn’t ringing any bells, no, she doesn’t have red hair,” Ariana said, her exasperation obvious. “She has long black hair. At least she did the last time I saw her.”
Was it Connor’s imagination or had a fleeting frown crossed her face?
He had no time to think further because she continued speaking. “But as I said, we’re twins, so thank you for the compliment.” She fluttered heavily made-up lashes and shot him a wide smile, no evidence of sadness at all. He wasn’t sure which was the act and which was forced, nor did he care to figure her out. He just needed to keep her in the dark.
Without warning, Maria lifted her tray and smashed it down on the counter, clearing her throat at the same time. “Some of us are here to work, not pick up women. Think you can take my order sometime today?” Maria asked.
Ariana jumped, while Connor bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He’d busted his ass to get through Maria’s reserve, and all it took was another woman’s interest to light a fire beneath her. Hot damn.
He let his gaze slide provocatively over Maria’s tight black miniskirt and tight white stretch tee. “Green’s an awfully pretty color on you, sweetstuff. I’ll be with you in a second.”
He turned to Ariana, though he watched Maria from the corner of his eye. A red flush stained her cheeks, making her hotter and sexier than usual. Damned if he didn’t want to get in on all that pent-up passion.
But first he had business to deal with. “I remember her now. Your sister hasn’t been around here in awhile,” he said to Ariana, finally acknowledging the truth. Maybe Ari would accept surface answers, but Connor doubted it. “The police stopped by asking questions, but from what I heard, they came up empty, too.” He tilted his head toward her. “My condolences though.”
Her eyes glazed but to her credit, she recovered with a swing of her shiny hair. “None necessary. Zoe’ll come home soon.” Rising from her seat, she slid twenty dollars across the wood countertop, waited for him to make change, then left him a nice tip.
“Where are you off to?” he asked.
She shrugged, drink in hand. “Maybe I’ll check out the slots.”
Bullshit, Connor thought, but he just didn’t know exactly what Ariana Costas had in mind. And
“If you hear anything about my sister, I’d appreciate it if you’d give me a call.” Her gaze held his a few seconds too long, and he saw the desperation in her eyes.
He’d been in this business long enough not to fall into the trap of guilt. He only hoped his buddy Quinn could hold out, too.
“Bye,” she said with a wave.
“See ya.” He glanced down. Only then did he notice she’d left a card with her handwritten phone number on it along with the gratuity. He pocketed the paper in his back jeans pocket.
Across from him, Maria seethed with jealousy, and Connor wondered how to best use this unexpected show of emotion to his advantage.
With full appreciation of what fate had shown him, he turned his attention to Maria. “I’m all yours, sweetstuff. What can I do for you?”
Quinn stretched out at a booth in the lounge across from the baccarat tables, Damon beside him. His boss liked to monitor the big gamblers, and this view gave him ample opportunity. Damon’s woman of the week, this time a busty blonde, hung on to every word he said, but all the while Damon surveyed his domain. And Quinn watched Damon. It was a scene Quinn had repeated nightly since being let into the casino owner’s inner circle.
He hoped it wouldn’t last much longer. Quinn was sick of living out of a hotel room. He missed his small house on the beach and the freedom to do what he wanted, when he wanted, without people looking over his shoulder. Most of all, he missed Dozer, his mixed breed who was currently residing with Al Wolf, director of the youth center. He hoped Dozer was behaving himself and not slobbering all over the kids, or else Wolf would…
Quinn’s thoughts trailed off as the woman who’d promised him she’d return to Vermont strode into the room. Even with some outward changes, Quinn would recognize her in a heartbeat. She made her way into the casino, hips swaying, newly cut hair bouncing against her shoulders, and those green eyes darting around the room,
