Gisele sat next to Micah in the dark, with images flashing across the screen. She vaguely recalled having seen the movie before, but it didn’t make any difference. All that mattered was the hunk next to her. Micah’s muscled thigh pressed to hers, and she tried to breathe.
She could see his face in profile, could tell that he was mad, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. Despite her decision not to get involved with him, Micah was making that difficult. Reappearing in her life had ignited the feelings she’d struggled to push aside.
The truth was that Gisele had dreamed of Micah, awake and sleeping. It had been safe as long as he had been in another city, out of reach. But now he wasn’t. The gorgeous man was right beside her. She could smell the maleness of him, sense his strength and power. It made her weak, and all her former resolve dissipated.
Yet it did no good. This was not a night that belonged to her. The circumstances frustrated her, reminding her of how trapped she was. Through no design of her own, Gisele was owned by the mob. There was no other way to view it.
She did what they said, followed her brother’s instructions, and even dated approved prospects, at least openly. She had her freedom such as it was, and when away from their watchful eye, went out with whomever she damned well pleased.
That’s how it was going to happen. Micah said he would call, so there was that to look forward to. Yet it didn’t subdue the way she felt at the moment, with him so near she could melt into him. Her eyes wouldn’t focus on the movie screen.
Gisele saw only Micah. She envisioned him sweating in the ring, or remembered what a stud he had been at the poker game. Then her thoughts drifted to seeing him naked, feeling his arms around her. If only that was happening, but it remained fantasy.
So far things hadn’t gone well. Gisele longed to touch Micah’s muscled form, feel his lips against hers, and reveal her deepest need. When he put his hand on her knee, a tingle ran through her body. Under her satin bra, her nipples strained, and she imagined Micah’s large hand reaching inside to cup them.
Emotion was evident in Micah’s expression, although he refused to look at her. That was just as well, as it wouldn’t take much for Gisele to fall into his arms. The movie idea wasn’t as innocent as it sounded, because sitting together in the dark only encouraged her.
Micah rubbed one finger along her inner thigh, driving her crazy. Heat flooded deep to her core, and Gisele thought about begging him to move his hand higher. He was not a man to follow the rules, so there was little doubt if she expressed willingness that he would accommodate her.
But the unbearable attraction didn’t overcome Gisele’s distaste at the idea of her brother or one of his goons watching them. That she couldn’t tolerate. A woman had to have some dignity, a right to privacy, and falling into Micah’s arms in front of the camera crossed the line.
Gisele thought about blocking the lens, since she knew where it was, but that would only elicit the guards. Within a minute or less, the party would be over, and Micah would be escorted out. The only choice was to savor the minutes and hours that ticked by, relishing Micah’s presence and breathing in his scent.
Gisele leaned her head on Micah’s shoulder and he stroked her hair. She closed her eyes, pretending they were alone, and for a few fleeting seconds that was good. When Micah touched her cheek, ran his fingertips along her jaw, Gisele’s self-restraint crumbled.
She sat up again and slipped her hand into Micah’s. His skin was rough, like she’d expect of a fighter. His toughness turned her on. She was more attracted to him than was wise, and she closed her eyes in an effort to hold back.
And so the evening went, until both movies finished and silence descended in the room. Micah squeezed her hand. “I’ll go now,” he said, then stood up.
Gisele followed him to the door, where he turned to look down at her. In the subdued lighting, he was sexy as sin, causing her to tremble. When he put his palms on her cheeks, Gisele looked into his eyes. “I’ll be in touch,” he said, then slipped out the door, leaving her in the dark.
When the door shut behind Micah, the room felt suffocating. Gisele was all alone, an intolerable feeling. She yanked open the door and stepped out. A guard stood in the hall. “He’s gone.”
Gisele gave him a dirty look and strode to the walkway toward her apartment. When she was inside, she locked the door, which gave her a sense of satisfaction. Then she went to her closet and stripped her clothes off. Still feeling Micah’s presence, she went to take a hot shower.
As the water sprayed over Gisele, wetting her long hair and washing off her makeup, she took the luxury of imaging that Micah was with her. She soaped her hands and slid the suds over her skin, pretending that he was the one touching her. His hands would feel so good, so welcome.
After a long shower, with images of Micah vivid in her mind, she went to bed and slipped under the covers. She stared up at the ceiling, unwilling to let go of her memories. She didn’t want to close her eyes and let the fantasy drift away like so much dandelion fluff. It was only from pure exhaustion that she instantly fell asleep.
*****
When Gisele woke up, it took her a moment to realize it was midday. She’d gone to bed with the dawn, and glancing at the clock on her nightstand, she saw that it was after one. Feeling groggy, she slipped out of bed and dressed. She could have found something to eat in the kitchen, but preferred to go down to the dining room.
That was a mistake. Her brother was having a late lunch with one of his buddies. Gisele ignored them and took a seat across the room. She wasn’t that hungry, after all, and just ordered a cappuccino. The server delivered it to her table, and when he stepped away, Gisele looked up into the eyes of her brother.
“What do you want, Alek?”
“Just saying good morning…I mean, good afternoon.” Her brother sat across from her, and out of the corner of her eye, Gisele spotted his friend leaving. “How did your evening go?”
Gisele huffed. “I think you know. There are no secrets, are there?”
“You can’t blame me, Gisele. I stood to gain a lot of money on that bet,” Alek said. “Micah Rinaldi was on a winning streak, and I aimed to recoup our losses.”
“I guess that didn’t work out for you,” Gisele said, then looked directly at him. “And you have no right to trade me…under any conditions.”
Alek laced his fingers together. “You’re miffed?”
“No…I’m furious with you.”
“Gisele, you have to understand, I’m responsible for you. Micah seemed under the impression that he could take you out of the complex last night.”
Her brother took a breath. “How many times have we gone over that? Emotions run high in big-money games, and as well as we screen the players…a mistake can be made. I can’t take a chance on letting you go off with one of them.”
“You won’t have to worry about it much longer,” Gisele said. “In a few months, when I turn twenty-one, you won’t have any say in the matter.”
Alek didn’t acknowledge that fact; he hadn’t before either. “You’ll get over it, Gisele. It’s only one evening. You know I do it to protect you.”
Gisele refused to look at him.
“I’ll talk to you when you’ve cooled off.” Alek stood, hesitated for a moment, then left.
Gisele let out a breath. It was all so infuriating. She drained her coffee, then went back to her room to get her purse. Yesterday she’d texted Abby, and they were going shopping. That was one thing that would make her feel better: spending an obscene amount of money.
*****
Las Vegas boasted of having the best shopping outside of New York and Hong Kong. Since Gisele hadn’t been to either, she’d have to take it on faith. She’d grown up in Chicago, and knew Vegas topped any shopping venues she’d frequented there.
Some visitors came to Vegas for the high-stakes games, but many travelers sought out the city for the high-end designers. The Bellagio, Caesars Palace, and many of the other casinos had designer shops. Gisele and Abby had been to most of them.
For her shopping therapy that day, Gisele opted for the Palazzo, as the shops included Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, and Michael Kors, among other desirable brands. It was telling that she knew all the shops and could mentally list them off. The Venetian also had the Grand Canal Shops, but the Palazzo lured her.
Gisele had texted Abby to meet her at Ralph Lauren, so they could work their way through the stores. Her friend showed up in a pink satin blouse, fitted jeans, and ankle boots. Her blond hair was secured loosely at the nape of her neck, and her green eyes were rimmed with glittered eye shadow.
“Are you dancing tonight?” Gisele said. Her friend was currently dancing in a Cirque du Soleil show on the Strip. It was a big deal, as Abby had struggled like many dancers to get good jobs. Despite the reputation Vegas had, she hadn’t danced topless, although some of her outfits were pretty skimpy.
“Yes, but not until late. I have plenty of time to shop.” Abby adjusted her purse strap over her shoulder. “What are we looking for?”
“A dress…a very expensive one.”
“Oh, trying to impress someone special or is this for work?”
“No, this is for me.”
They’d been friends for years, so Abby knew her well. “Okay, loud and clear. We’re blowing off steam…my kind of shopping spree.”
After an hour of trying on dresses at Ralph Lauren, Gisele moved on. Part of the fun was seeing how the dresses looked, feeling the fabrics, and being pampered by the sales clerks. Late in the afternoon, she finally found the dress she wanted at Marc Jacobs.
It was a sleeveless silk sheath in a black and white palette. The print silk dress was embellished with sequins, and Gisele didn’t own anything quite like it. “What do you think?” she said, spinning in front of the mirrors so Abby could see.
“It’s you,” Abby said. “That dress needs to be in your wardrobe.”
“That’s what I thought.” Gisele grinned. “I’ll use the company credit card.”
“Absolutely, your brother should foot the bill for this one.” Abby squinted at her. “I take it that he’s the one who upset you?”
“Wait until I tell you,” Gisele said. “You won’t believe it.”
After she re-dressed, the clerk rang up the transaction, and processed the gold card. With bag in hand, Gisele exited the store, feeling much better. “I’d like to think that Alek will feel the pain of my purchase, but I’m sure he won’t even notice.”
“I’m up for a drink,” Abby said. “How about you?”
“The Double Helix sounds good.” The upscale wine bar was a comfortable place to sit and chat. Gisele headed that way, with Abby keeping pace.
When they got there, the circular bar was fairly busy. “Let’s get a table,” Abby said.
They went to the adjacent boutique that had an extensive wine list. Gisele ordered an Oregon Pinot, and Abby chose a Napa Valley Merlot. Settling into the cushy seats, they sipped their wine.
“So, tell me everything,” Abby said. “What did Alek do this time?”
Gisele launched into the full story, beginning with Micah appearing at the high-stakes game.
“Did he know you worked there?” Abby said.
“No, definitely not. Micah said seeing me there was completely unexpected.”
“It’s fate,” Abby said. “I told you that you should have given him your phone number.”
“Yeah, well, he has it now.”
“Finally.” Abby waved her hand in the air. “I thought you were going to tell me that you refused him again.”
Gisele shook her head. “Even I don’t have that much will power. Micah is…irresistible.”
“Yes, I’ve seen him.” Abby sipped her drink. “So what happened?”
With her friend hanging on every word, Gisele recited the events of the night before. Abby’s eyes widened at the part where Micah had risked it all to win her for the evening. Then she got a very dreamy look on her face, as Gisele told her about dinner, and afterward.
“But nothing happened,” Abby said. “That’s disappointing.”
“It was crushing, but there wasn’t anything I could do. You know my circumstances.”
“Micah will call you, though.”
Gisele frowned. “He is hot, I admit. But I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“I swear you’re losing your mind,” Abby said.
“You know my track record with men. I can’t go with my instincts; they lead me astray.”
Abby wrinkled her nose. “You mean the motorcycle guy?”
“That’s one,” Gisele said. “And then there was the rock star, that amazing guy that was in the concert last year.”
“Oh, him, yes. And then the dope dealer,” Abby said. “But he was sexy. I would have fallen for him too.”
“You’ve made my point,” Gisele said. “I seem to go for…”
“The bad boys.” Abby grinned.
“Don’t grin at me like that,” Gisele said. “I’m trying to get my life together. I’ll be on my own soon, and I need to make better choices.”
“Micah Rinaldi is the better choice.”
Gisele rolled her eyes. “You’re no help.”
“So Micah is not only a hunky fighter, he’s a high roller too?” Abby said.
“I guess he plays poker to unwind, although I hardly see how it’s relaxing.” Gisele twirled her glass. “I watched him closely too, and he didn’t cheat.” She paused. “He’s just good.”
“Uh-huh,” Abby said, with a sparkle in her eyes.
“I don’t want to get my hopes up,” Gisele said. “He might not want to see me again. I mean, all I’ve been so far is trouble, so I can’t blame him if he doesn’t call.”
Abby smiled. “He’ll call.”
They finished their wine and went back out to the mall. “I have to get going,” Abby said. “Are you working tonight?”
“No games tonight,” Gisele said. “I could use a night to recuperate anyway.”
Abby hugged her. “Okay then, I’m off.”
Since Gisele didn’t have to leave yet, she decided to shop for some shoes to go with the new dress. It would be a welcome distraction. If she went home, she’d just think about Micah, not that she wasn’t already doing that.
As she walked through the crowded mall, Gisele considered her situation. She was a mess. Any guy she’d been attracted to had been a bad choice, but she wasn’t drawn to the nice ones. If only she was. That would fit into her plans better, as she wanted a normal life.
Since she’d been a young girl, Gisele had lived like a heroine in a crime novel. And her choice of men had proved exciting, if disastrous. Each relationship had been short-lived, and she expected no different in the future. The whole time, Vik Kovalenko had been in the background.
Sure, he knew that she had flings, which was all he thought of them. Even then, he had only a vague idea of her taste in men, and would be horrified to learn the details. As much as he was the obvious marriage choice, Vik wasn’t the guy for her.
Her love life was a disaster. And worse, she had the mob breathing down her neck. It was difficult to have a serious relationship when she knew that any man brave enough to make a commitment would be in danger. It provided an extra hurdle to her already challenging life.
When Gisele thought about it, she tried to reassure herself that she was making too much out of it. But why wouldn’t she? Guards had blocked Micah from taking her out of the condo complex, cameras watched every move, and her brother would have been ready to maim or kill if any harm came to her.
And that was just the most recent instance. Gisele had put up with similar incidents for as long as she could remember. Even when she’d first gone to live with the Danilovs, she’d felt trapped. She was grateful that they’d cared for her, as she’d had no relatives other once her parents had died. Yet the watchful eye of her guardians seemed extreme.
Gisele had little to compare her life with. She’d been told that she had it good, and in many ways she did. She swung the bag with the designer dress, willing to toss it in a heartbeat, if they’d just let her go. It was odd that her brother assured her that he was only looking out for her, ensuring her safety. That she had her independence.
Unfortunately, it didn’t feel that way.
Gisele ducked into Jimmy Choo to get lost in the shoes, hoping to escape her worries. Often it worked, and she had a closet filled to the brim to prove it. There was one bright spot to all of this: Micah might call. And if he did, all of Gisele’s determination to have a normal life would go right out the window. It was impossible to resist a man like Micah; even she couldn’t do that. She lifted a red leather high heel from the rack.
“Would you like to try those on, miss?” a young clerk said.
“Yes, I would,” Giselle said. “See if you have a size six.” She sat down to wait. The pointy-toed pumps were sexy, and matched the red silk cocktail dress she’d acquired on her last shopping outing. The shoes were red suede with crystal adornments. And she knew exactly the man she hoped to seduce with them. Maybe her love life wasn’t completely hopeless.