Las Vegas Nights: At Odds with the Heiress. Cat Schield

congenial tone didn’t match the tightness around his mouth.

      Stung by Logan’s negative assumption about her, Scarlett hastened to correct him. “I’m not going anywhere. My life is here. I love what I’m doing.” Why wouldn’t he give her the benefit of the doubt?

      “But you’re an actress,” Bobby insisted. “And a damn good one.”

      “Will you all stop ganging up on me?” Scarlett took Bobby and Chase by the arms and turned them toward the door. “You two run along and win some money. I’ll see you in a couple hours.”

      With those two taken care of for the moment, Scarlett turned to her next problem, but before she could defend herself against the recriminations in Logan’s eyes, a pair of slim arms slipped around her neck in a gleeful chokehold.

      “You are the best. I can’t believe Chase Reynolds came to meet my friends. He’s so amazing.”

      “That’s Chase for you. Always ready to make new friends.” Released from the exuberant hug, Scarlett turned to smile at Madison.

      “I can’t believe you two used to date.”

      Scarlett’s gaze shot to Logan. He had his phone out and was texting someone. She could only pray he hadn’t heard. “Yes, well. It was a long time ago. Now, I hope the rest of the day isn’t a letdown. I don’t have anything to top that.”

      “No worries. Everything is fabulous. I’m so glad Uncle Logan let me hang with you this summer.” She winked at Logan.

      Scarlett patted Madison’s arm. “You can show your gratitude by going to college this fall.”

      Madison rolled her eyes, but her smile was bright as she blew Logan a flirty kiss and returned to her guests.

      “I’ll be back around five to escort you to Richesse,” Scarlett called after her. Then she turned her attention back to Logan. “You can stop looking all annoyed with me. No matter how perfect the part is, I’m not taking it.”

      * * *

      Logan hated to feel her slip away from him bit by bit, but he didn’t want to invest his heart only to have it crushed when she went back to her life in L.A. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? If those two came all this way to meet with you in person, they must really want to work with you. Perhaps you’re making a mistake by turning them down.”

      “You seem pretty eager to get rid of me,” Scarlett pointed out. “What’s the matter, Logan? Are you afraid you’ll get used to having me around?”

      Her remark hit way too close to home, but Logan had spent enough time with her these past few days to recognize the uncertainty she was trying to hide. Glimpsing her vulnerability took the edge off his irritation.

      He took her hand and began pulling her out of the club. “I’m already used to having you around,” he told her, his voice rough and unhappy.

      “Then why...?”

      “What do you want me to tell you?” he demanded. “That I don’t want you to go?”

      “That would be nice.”

      She looked resolute and yet hopeful at the same time. Was she really that clueless about how strongly she moved him? After the past few evenings they’d spent together, how was that possible? Making love with her had turned him inside out. He wanted her with a fierceness he’d never known before.

      “I can’t tell you that.”

      He didn’t want to care one way or another what she did with her life. What they were doing wasn’t serious or life-changing. They were simply indulging in some good old-fashioned lust. So what if he couldn’t stop thinking about her? Or that he missed her whenever she wasn’t around? When she returned to L.A., he’d have no further need to make up reasons to visit Fontaine Richesse. He could stop acting like a smitten fool and recommit his attention to the business.

      “Why not?”

      “Because you need to make up your own mind about what you’re going to do with your future.” Even as he said the words he wished them back. Hadn’t he already lost one woman because his pride had kept him from asking her to stay?

      “Maybe I want a little input from you. I thought something was happening here. Am I wrong?”

      When he didn’t immediately respond, she tossed her head and strode off, not once looking back to see if he would follow. Which, of course, he did. His long strides brought him even with her in seconds.

      “I’m sorry I can’t give you what you need.” After seeing the hurt that lanced through her eyes, he opted to explain himself further. “If you decide to stay here because of something you think is happening between us, what are your expectations for down the road?”

      “I don’t know.” She narrowed her eyes and regarded him warily. “What are you trying to say?”

      “We’re very different. We argue all the time. Do you see this thing between us going anywhere?”

      “Obviously you don’t.”

      From the sharpness of her tone, he realized she wasn’t thinking in terms of a few weeks or even a few months. It shifted his perception. But no matter what either of them wanted, the fact remained that their personalities had a knack for rubbing each other raw. How long before passion faded and all that was left between them was a long list of grievances?

      He liked her too much to end up with animosity between them.

      “Tell me about the part those Hollywood guys came out to discuss with you.”

      “I don’t know why they’re so determined to have me.” If any other woman had uttered those words, she might have been fishing for a compliment, but Scarlett wasn’t reticent about her talent or her beauty. “I can think of a dozen other actresses who would be just as good or better.”

      “Maybe they all turned the part down.”

      She bestowed a droll smile on him. “Amazingly enough, I’m the first person they’ve offered the part to.”

      Logan hadn’t meant his remark the way she took it. “I didn’t mean to imply that you were a last choice. Based on what you’ve been saying about being committed to Fontaine Richesse, I thought you wanted me to believe you’d left your career behind in Hollywood.”

      “I did leave it behind.” She sighed. “Mostly.”

      It was her equivocating that renewed his frustration. “But it followed you here.”

      “Bobby is a hard man to say no to.”

      “I suppose it depends on how sincere you were.” Why couldn’t she just admit that the offer intrigued her?