The Tycoon's Baby Revelation - Elizabeth Lennox Page 0,25

found herself fantasizing about kissing him. That was wrong in so many ways that she couldn’t even count them.

They talked about learning languages and various other topics as they walked side by side along the pathway. And for once, he wasn’t grumpy and demanding, she thought with a wave of happiness.

She was only happy because of how happy he’d made Rayne and Pepper, she told herself, keeping her hands behind her back so that she wouldn’t accidentally brush his arm while they walked among the exotic plants.

It was a beautifully relaxing afternoon and she was fully prepared to either work that evening, or curl up on that big bed in her room with a book to quietly enjoying her evening.

But Josh had other plans.

Chapter 8

“I’m not doing it!” she declared with absolute resoluteness.

Josh stared down at her, toying with the square casino chips. “Why not?”

She looked around at the golden lights and the red décor. It wasn’t nearly as tacky as she might have thought. This casino was elegant and refined. The low hum of conversation was the perfect backdrop to the classical music playing from discreet speakers as beautiful women dressed in shimmering gowns walked alongside men in tuxedos. Everyone seemed to be drinking sophisticated cocktails or sparkling champagne.

Pepper had literally squealed with delight when Josh had handed out the gambling chips, telling her to have fun. Rayne had stared at the chips with her normal intensity, then lifted her blue eyes to smile politely at him, but with a sincerity that could never be contrived. “Thank you,” she’d whispered, glowing with quiet happiness, and followed Pepper’s exuberant trail towards the tables.

Sloane was the only one that didn’t want to gamble.

“Because gambling gives me an upset stomach.”

“It’s only a few dollars,” he pointed out, reaching out and taking her wrist, pulling her hand forward. With his touch, he saw something in her eyes, a flash of…awareness? He wasn’t sure. She started to pull away, but his fingers tightened around her wrist. With his touch, the moment expanded, tension flared. Awareness roared around them and he could have sworn that she felt it as well.

Josh almost asked if she felt it, but someone bumped his arm and he looked around, ready to punch whoever had disrupted them. It took a moment for him to get his thoughts back under control. When he looked back at Sloane, she looked just as dazed as he felt. Unfortunately, the moment was gone and he couldn’t ask her…anything.

“Come with me,” he told her firmly. “I don’t trust you to have a good time on your own.”

She huffed a bit and Josh smothered his amusement. It was so typical and he loved that about Sloane. She was determined and dedicated, but also predictable. It was one of the small joys in his life when he threw off her routines and he got to see her luminous blue eyes flare with irritation. Or when he got too gruff with her and she waited, those eyes boring into him. He loved it when she demanded he say “please” and “thank you”. There was just something so damned sexy when she tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for him to behave.

“I’m not gambling,” she repeated firmly.

“Sloane, you watch me gamble with billions of dollars every day. What’s so different about a few dollars at a casino?”

She shifted and he pulled her closer as they made their way through the glamorous crowds. “First of all, you never gamble when investing money. You and I both know that everything you do is perfectly calculated.” She shifted to pass an overly excited couple that had just won at the roulette table, but the woman unexpectedly threw her hands in the air. Josh pulled her closer, feeling Sloane’s soft body press against his for a brief moment. Quickly, she stepped back, glancing up at him nervously as she put more space between them.

“And secondly,” she continued, “I don’t believe that the chips in your hand represent only a few dollars.” She frowned at him. “How much money are you holding in your hand, Josh?”

He smiled down at her, pulling her close again as another couple passed them. “Enough,” was all he would tell her. “Relax, Sloane. Think of this as a business adventure. I’m ordering you to figure out how to gamble.”

Predictably, Sloane rolled her eyes. “No,” she replied firmly.

He laughed, wanting to pull her close and hug her. What would she do, he wondered?

“Why does it bother you so much?” he asked.