Read Online Playing Against Type: Soulgirls, Book 4 by Heather Long - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Long
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could hurt her. “Do I need a reason?”
“I suppose not.” But she looked disappointed in the answer. She went silent for a moment, then pointed to his arm. “I saw your tattoo earlier. It’s not a fancy heart with a girl’s name on it, is it?”
“No.” Not a topic he really wanted to talk about. “I got it a long time go.”
“The joys of a misspent youth?”
“Something like that.” His mother had given him the mark, after all, and it was time to change the subject. “I want you to do something for me.” He stirred his coffee and set aside the spoon.
“That’s not an ominous way to begin.” A hint of her earlier smile curved her lips.
“It’s not ominous. I just want you to switch hotels…”
The request buzzed in Pepper’s ear, a wordless hum melting the statements together. His lips moved and he spoke, but she couldn’t process anything past the part where he wanted her to leave the Arcana Royale.
“No,” she whispered, but Finn continued talking. He sat forward, his expression intent and urgent. He didn’t seem to hear her. The man had a beautiful face and a most remarkable mouth, but apparently his ears didn’t work very well.
“No,” she repeated.
“What?” He frowned.
“No. I don’t want to switch hotels. I like the Arcana. It’s beautiful. The casino floor has all those games…and you still owe me another round at the slots.” Sweat beaded along her neck and her heart thundered. Securing her future—the very idea of even having a future—depended on staying put.
“Pepper, look—I realize this sounds crazy and a little bit over the top. But I’ll pay for everything, move your stuff, get you set up. They have some amazing shows at the MGM or the Bellagio or the Luxor, wherever you want to go.”
“No.” She shook her hands to emphasize her refusal. “I’m not moving. It doesn’t sound crazy that you want to pay for me to relocate—it sounds suspicious and disturbing.” Maybe her job was to get close to him and distract him, but at not at the expense of her life. They couldn’t ask her for that—she knew damn well Heidi wouldn’t. “You know, maybe this is a mistake.” She rose, appetite forgotten. “I’m sorry you spent all that money this morning. If you give me the bags, I’ll return the items.”
Rising to her feet so quickly gave her a bit of a head rush, but she managed. Clenching her fists, she fought to hide the trembling his suggestion aroused in her. She needed to go back. Right now. What was I thinking leaving for so long? Her gut tightened. What if Heidi thinks I ran?
“Pepper, please—wait.” Finn touched her arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you and please, you don’t have to take the things back. I wanted to get them for you.”
“Well, I’m not for sale.” Until the moment he brought up moving her, she hadn’t even considered the implications of letting him pay for everything. She had a couple of credit cards in her purse. Heidi had thought of everything, but Finn always extended his before she could reach the ones she carried.
And face it, when was the last time you went shopping that wasn’t online or in a catalog? The Internet had brought the dancers so many more shopping options, but walking the strip, flitting in and out of the shops, had been an adventure. She wanted to do it again, but not if this meant what she thought it meant.
“I didn’t mean to imply you were.” His hand tightened around her wrist. “I apologize if that’s the impression I gave you. I just liked that you wanted them. You were like a kid at Christmas. Look, your food hasn’t gotten here and you’re enjoying the fries. Give me to the end of lunch to make amends?”
The fries were good and she really wanted to try the turkey burger she ordered. It sounded exotic and downhome at the same time. “You have to promise you won’t ask me to switch hotels again.”
He let go of her wrist and held up his hands, palms
“I suppose not.” But she looked disappointed in the answer. She went silent for a moment, then pointed to his arm. “I saw your tattoo earlier. It’s not a fancy heart with a girl’s name on it, is it?”
“No.” Not a topic he really wanted to talk about. “I got it a long time go.”
“The joys of a misspent youth?”
“Something like that.” His mother had given him the mark, after all, and it was time to change the subject. “I want you to do something for me.” He stirred his coffee and set aside the spoon.
“That’s not an ominous way to begin.” A hint of her earlier smile curved her lips.
“It’s not ominous. I just want you to switch hotels…”
The request buzzed in Pepper’s ear, a wordless hum melting the statements together. His lips moved and he spoke, but she couldn’t process anything past the part where he wanted her to leave the Arcana Royale.
“No,” she whispered, but Finn continued talking. He sat forward, his expression intent and urgent. He didn’t seem to hear her. The man had a beautiful face and a most remarkable mouth, but apparently his ears didn’t work very well.
“No,” she repeated.
“What?” He frowned.
“No. I don’t want to switch hotels. I like the Arcana. It’s beautiful. The casino floor has all those games…and you still owe me another round at the slots.” Sweat beaded along her neck and her heart thundered. Securing her future—the very idea of even having a future—depended on staying put.
“Pepper, look—I realize this sounds crazy and a little bit over the top. But I’ll pay for everything, move your stuff, get you set up. They have some amazing shows at the MGM or the Bellagio or the Luxor, wherever you want to go.”
“No.” She shook her hands to emphasize her refusal. “I’m not moving. It doesn’t sound crazy that you want to pay for me to relocate—it sounds suspicious and disturbing.” Maybe her job was to get close to him and distract him, but at not at the expense of her life. They couldn’t ask her for that—she knew damn well Heidi wouldn’t. “You know, maybe this is a mistake.” She rose, appetite forgotten. “I’m sorry you spent all that money this morning. If you give me the bags, I’ll return the items.”
Rising to her feet so quickly gave her a bit of a head rush, but she managed. Clenching her fists, she fought to hide the trembling his suggestion aroused in her. She needed to go back. Right now. What was I thinking leaving for so long? Her gut tightened. What if Heidi thinks I ran?
“Pepper, please—wait.” Finn touched her arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you and please, you don’t have to take the things back. I wanted to get them for you.”
“Well, I’m not for sale.” Until the moment he brought up moving her, she hadn’t even considered the implications of letting him pay for everything. She had a couple of credit cards in her purse. Heidi had thought of everything, but Finn always extended his before she could reach the ones she carried.
And face it, when was the last time you went shopping that wasn’t online or in a catalog? The Internet had brought the dancers so many more shopping options, but walking the strip, flitting in and out of the shops, had been an adventure. She wanted to do it again, but not if this meant what she thought it meant.
“I didn’t mean to imply you were.” His hand tightened around her wrist. “I apologize if that’s the impression I gave you. I just liked that you wanted them. You were like a kid at Christmas. Look, your food hasn’t gotten here and you’re enjoying the fries. Give me to the end of lunch to make amends?”
The fries were good and she really wanted to try the turkey burger she ordered. It sounded exotic and downhome at the same time. “You have to promise you won’t ask me to switch hotels again.”
He let go of her wrist and held up his hands, palms
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