Free Summer Heat by Jaci Burton Page B

casting a burnished glow over her. Arousal
rumbled inside him and he fought for control. Not tonight. According to
Melissa, never again. He had to remember that.
    “Shall we go?” she
finally asked.
    He nodded and led her
to his car.
    She stood at the door
to the Corvette. His thoughts gravitated to how she’d look when she slipped
into the low car, her long legs swinging over, her dress hiking up to her
thighs.
    Ah, hell. How much
torture could one guy endure in an evening?
    As Melissa situated
herself he looked straight ahead, refusing to glance down at her legs and
whatever else might be revealed.
    The night was hot and
humid, and as he walked around to his side Aidan pulled the crewneck collar
away from his neck, feeling like a noose was tied around there. He’d be happier
if he could be sitting at home with shorts and no shirt on, watching sports on
television and drinking beer. Instead, he was working.
    With a gorgeous partner
who didn’t want to have anything personal to do with him.
    Life just sucked
sometimes.
    * * * * *
    The heat yanked the
wind right out of Melissa’s sails. Moist and sticky humidity clung to her in
most inconvenient places, and they hadn’t even reached the casino yet.
    At least Aidan was
virtually ignoring her. Which was what she wanted. Although she’d noticed the
obvious male appreciation when she’d appeared in the lobby, and couldn’t help
smiling at the thought she had at least a few charms to tantalize him with.
    If she were interested
in tantalizing him, that is. Which she wasn’t.
    She shifted, the cool
air conditioning in the car peeling away the heat that seemed to permeate the
very air around her. Occasionally she stole a glance at Aidan, but he refused
to look her way.
    As long as he was
ignoring her it gave her the opportunity to look at him without giving him the
wrong impression. When she’d first seen him in the lobby with Shannon, her
heart had hammered against her chest.
    Dressed in black pants
and a beige crewneck shirt that hugged his well developed chest and shoulders,
he looked the epitome of cool, classic and outright sexy. He had the most
gorgeous head of full, dark hair that waved just the tiniest bit. How had she
missed the opportunity to run her hands through his hair last night?
    That would have been
her only opportunity to do so, too. At her own request, of course, since she’d
made it clear to Aidan she wanted no part of a sexual relationship with him.
    He turned his head
slightly in her direction as they turned into the driveway of the casino. He
had the most perfect nose. Straight, not too long or wide, and a square jaw
with just a hint of five o’clock shadow covering it. He looked like a man that
a woman would want to sin with.
    Checking her rapid
heartbeat at the door, she entered the casino. The clanging bells, noise and
activity made Melissa feel right at home. Bright lights shimmered and pulsed
all around her, and cheers could be heard all the way from the back of the huge
casino where the craps tables no doubt were located.
    “What first?” Aidan
asked.
    “Let’s take a stroll
around the entire place and get a feel for the setup.”
    He nodded and let her
take the lead. The casino, a national chain, was set up similar to others of
its type. Slot machines and video poker were strewn throughout the casino, so
that no matter where a customer wandered, there would always be spot for them
to pause and put in their nickels, quarters or dollar coins and take their chances
on a pull of the one arm bandit.
    Blackjack, craps,
roulette tables, and various card games were strategically placed in high
traffic areas. Several restaurants and theaters were located within the
boundaries of the casino, ready to feed and entertain their customers no matter
what their pleasure.
    “How does this place
rate versus your casinos?” Aidan asked as they walked the carpeted path.
    Melissa cast her eye at
the craps tables. “Similar. Not as good as ours, of