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And then the dam was past, and they were turning due west once again. The flat plain of a desert spread below them and in the distance some sort of city rose out of the desert like a mirage—
“Where are we?” Suspicion tinged her tone.
“Don’t recognize Tinseltown? I wish I’d been able to bring you in at night, but we’d have had to miss the canyon then.” Casually, Rafe withdrew his arms and straightened, returning to his seat to buckle himself in as if he was completely unaffected by the embrace in which he’d been holding her.
“Las Vegas! We’re going to Las Vegas?” She didn’t know whether to be apprehensive or excited. It couldn’t be a coincidence that he’d brought her here when they’d been dancing around the topic of marriage for days. Could it?
“It’s a unique place.”
“My sister was married here recently,” she informed him. “I’m not sure this is such a good idea.”
Rafe shrugged his shoulders. “I thought you’d enjoy spending the day here. But if not, we can just refuel and head back home.”
“No, it’s not that. I’m sure I would enjoy it. But…” There was no way to say it without sounding paranoid and silly. I’m afraid you’ll make me marry you? Too ridiculous for words. She was entirely too suspicious for her own good.
As if he’d read her mind, Rafe laid a hand gently over hers. “You’ll like it, I promise,” he said. “I would never make you do something that you didn’t want to do.”
And so she found herself in a taxi less than half an hour later, heading through the glaring sunshine to a city that never slept.
He took her to Caesar’s first, leading her through the casinos to the huge shopping plaza beyond. They lunched at the Italian restaurant in the center and she marveled at the sky that changed from dawn to dusk, through night and back to day again in less than an hour.
At the Mirage, Rafe had gotten tickets to a special showing of Siegfried and Roy’s magic show that included unbelievable special effects as well as their trademark white tigers and other animals. When the show ended, Rafe escorted her to the front desk, where the mention of his name produced quick and efficient service in a private office.
Pocketing the key he had received, Rafe smiled at her startled expression as he led her to the elevator. “Well, you can’t expect to go all day without rest, can you? I got a suite so that you could take a nap if you like.”
The concierge attendant led them to their room and didn’t blink an eye when Rafe told him they had no luggage. “Very good, sir,” was the man’s only reaction before he shut the door, leaving the two of them standing in the foyer of the spacious suite.
“I’m impressed,” she said lightly, trying to conceal the sudden attack of nerves that assailed her. “Don’t they usually reserve these for the folks who drop a significant bundle with their establishment every year?”
“There are ways around that.” Rafe prowled the room like the great tigers they’d just seen, opening doors and cabinets. He gestured. “The bedroom’s through here. Why don’t you lie down for a while?”
She was tired, even if she hated to admit it to him. The day had been full of fun and excitement and a lot of walking—more than she was accustomed to, if she was honest. While she hadn’t gained a great deal of weight yet, the eight pounds she’d added to her slender frame made a difference and her feet were aching.
“What are you going to do?” she asked. The thought of sleeping in the single bedroom of the suite while Rafe prowled the living area made her feel vulnerable in a not entirely reasonable way. Which was stupid, she reflected, when she slept in his home every night.
Still, their bedroom suites were at opposite ends of the hallway in his house and she didn’t even see him after dinner unless she so chose.
“I’ll find something to occupy an hour or two,” he assured her. “I’ll go downstairs and gamble away enough money to make our hosts happy. I’ll be back near six, though, because I want to show you the volcano outside the hotel and then watch the pirate ship battle the British down at Treasure Island. You have to see it to believe it. Somewhere in there, we’ll get some dinner.”
“That sounds lovely.” She smiled at him across the room and his gaze seemed to snare her so that she couldn’t look away. His eyes were deeply blue and compelling, as if he were willing her toward him. The moment stretched and shimmered between them.
In a deep, rough voice, he said, “Lovely enough for another kiss?”
Every nerve in her body sprang to life. She wanted to kiss him and she didn’t. Stalling, she said, “Is that the price for today?”
He was already starting across the room. “No price tag on the day,” he said. “This would be purely a bonus for extraordinary service.”
He was directly in front of her now, and she had to tilt her head back to see his face. “Well,” she said, “I guess you should get a bonus. It’s been a pretty spectacular day.” She lowered her gaze to the open neck of the shirt he wore, waiting for him to take the lead.
“But I’m not allowed to kiss you, remember?” He was breathing faster and his eyes were even more intense than usual, narrowed and brilliant with desire, but there was indulgent humor in his voice.
“I’d forgotten,” she said. “In that case…” Taking a deep breath for courage, she stepped closer and lifted her hands to his shoulders to balance herself, then stood on tiptoe. “Thank you,” she whispered and pressed a soft kiss to his smiling lips, momentarily molding her mouth to his firm, warm one.
His hands came up to her wrists, holding her in place, and he made a sound of approval deep in his throat. Then before she could back away, his mouth shifted against hers, hardening in demand. The kiss became his instead of hers and she whimpered at the surge of sensation that tightened her body with a desire she’d been suppressing for days.
Her hands gripped his sh
oulders and he slid his own down from her wrists, traveling over the curves of her body as he held her mouth with his, demanding a response that she gave without thinking, without hesitation. His thumbs briefly caressed her hipbones, still evident despite the mound of his child in her womb, and then he gripped her soft curves, pulling her against him and shocking her system with the hard warm promise of his big body.
