Blue was almost deserted at this early hour, which was fine by him. The bouncers merely nodded as he and Evie passed and the bartenders waved.
“Everyone seems to know you,” Evie said.
“I know the owner, so I’m here a lot.” He led her past a velvet rope and down the back hallway.
“I don’t think we’re supposed to be back here,” Evie whispered as she tugged against his hand.
At the elevator, he pulled her close. “I told you, I know the owner. Don’t worry.”
She looked around, clearly unconvinced. “Is there anyone in Vegas you don’t know or who doesn’t owe you a favor?”
“I’ve lived here a long time, Evie.”
“I do not want to get arrested in Las Vegas.” Her eyes narrowed as the elevator doors opened, and she stared pointedly at the sign marked Private.
“You’re not going to get arrested. I promise.” Evie still looked suspicious. “I thought you’d like to do something a bit different, so I made a couple of calls this afternoon. Look,” he added as the doors opened onto the roof.
Evie gasped. Facing west, they had a great view of the sun starting to set.
“Later in the summer it gets too hot to be up here at this time, but it’s about perfect now.” And he wasn’t just referring to the weather.
“It’s gorgeous,” Evie said as she crossed to the chest-high wall that enclosed the patio. “Is this another VIP-type room?”
“Sort of.” Blue’s rooftop was very exclusive, but Evie had no way of knowing that. He’d hired one of the best designers in Las Vegas to create an oasis here: plenty of green plants, indirect lighting, low couches canopied with gauzy fabrics, small fountains. A giant shade stretched overhead to keep the worst of the sun off, but also gave the roof an intimate feel. Kevin called it the Sheik’s Tent.
“This is…wow.”
He agreed. Evie looked fabulous backlit by the sunset—she seemed to glow. She moved away from the edge to run a hand along the back of a chaise, then moved to examine the table set for two.
She raised an eyebrow as he lifted the champagne out of its bucket. “A private party?”
“Only a very select guest list.”
A smile tugged at the corners of Evie’s mouth. “Be sure and thank the owner for me. This is absolutely perfect.” Before he could respond, Evie was pressed against him, her hands sliding to his shoulders as she rose up on her toes. “The elevator is locked? All the guests are here?”
He slid his fingers into her hair and found the combs holding it up. One small tug and it tumbled around her shoulders. “Uh-huh.”
“Good.” Then Evie’s mouth met his.
The want that had slowly simmered in his veins all day boiled over in that instant, and his hands tightened in her hair to hold her. Evie’s fingers gripped his shoulders, and her nails stabbed against his skin when his mouth moved to the column of her neck and her head dropped back to allow him better access.
She sighed, then shivered, as he tasted her, and the shiver moved through him, as well. Nimble fingers made quick work of the buttons on his shirt, and she slid her hands across his bare chest before she wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself against him again.
Evie’s height had their bodies aligned perfectly—her breasts rubbed against his chest and he felt the hard points of her nipples through the thin material of her dress.
He walked backward, pulling Evie with him, until he felt the edge of the couch butt against his calves. Evie groaned in protest as he broke the kiss to lower her down, her hands fisting in his shirt to pull him down to join her.
Déjà vu. Only better.
Maybe Kevin was on to something calling the roof the Sheik’s Tent. Nick certainly felt like the Sultan of Something, lying on a couch with a mostly naked Evie draped across him as they nibbled on fruit and cheese and watched the city lights cause the sky to glow.
Evie’s bag started to ring, and she wrinkled her nose. But she didn’t move beyond examining another strawberry.
“Aren’t you going to get that?”
“Not just no, hell no.” She picked up her champagne flute and drank deeply.
He’d never met a woman who could resist a phone. “Why not?”
“That’s my brother’s ringtone. And I am not in the mood to deal with my butthead of a brother.”
It was the first time she’d mentioned anyone in her family specifically. “Family problems?”
“Yeah. No. Sort of.” She sighed and pushed her hair back from her face. “I left town without telling him, and he’s a bit peeved about it. He’s left me several voice mails this weekend telling me exactly how much.”
“Your brother is upset you left town?”
“My parents died when I was young. Will and Gwen—she’s his wife—took me in and raised me. So Will treats me rather like a child.”
“And you’re dodging his calls? No offense, but isn’t that a little childish?”
Evie smacked him playfully. “You don’t know my brother.”
“As you said, you are an adult. What could he possibly do to you?”
“Nothing but yell at me, but that’s never stopped him before. Will’s just…He’s a…” She sat up and pulled his shirt closed around her. “Something happened earlier this week—nothing major—but it got blown a bit out of proportion. He got mad, and I got mad and now I’m AWOL because I wanted a break from the drama. I certainly don’t want to hear it while I’m here.” She sighed and grimaced. “Will thinks he’s the master of the whole freakin’ universe and, therefore, in charge of everything.”
“Including you.”
Evie rolled her eyes. “Definitely including me. I know he means well, but, dear God, it gets old. It got old about the time I turned twenty-one. Do you have any siblings?”
“No.” Thank God. It was tough enough getting himself out, if he’d had to worry about siblings, too…“It was just me and my father after my mother left.”
Evie’s eyes clouded. “Your mom left?”
He stiffened at the question. He very rarely spoke of his mother, and those that knew the story had learned long ago not to broach the subject. He couldn’t fault Evie for asking since he’d brought it up, but he was surprised at himself that he’d let it slip out.
Evie blanched. “I’m sorry. That was terribly rude of me to ask such a personal question. Please don’t feel like you owe me any response at all. Forget I said anything.”
She seemed so sincere, he almost wished he could explain. “No apology necessary, Evie. I just don’t like to talk about it.”
“Why don’t we just not talk about our families? Everyone has some nuts on the family tree—some are just more annoying than others.”
“And some think they’re the master of the universe.”
“Indeed. He’ll have plenty of opportunity to yell at me tomorrow when I get home. Why settle for the telephone version when the live action is so much more interesting.”
It seemed Evie had an interesting family dynamic. But they’d called a halt to all uncomfortable family discussions, so he didn’t press the topic.
“It’s a shame you have to go back so quickly.”
Evie shrugged