Blackmailed Into Bed by Heidi Betts

the kitchenette.
    She looked rumpled and windblown, her simple, sleeveless cotton blouse and denim skirt wrinkled, her hair starting to fall out of its now-crooked ponytail. Her face and shoulders rosy from the glaring Las Vegas sun.
    As far as he could see, there wasn’ t a single bag or box anywhere near her.
    He paused in mid-step, momentarily confused.
    Maybe she was having everything delivered. But just to be sure, he walked the rest of the way across the room and glanced toward the door.
    Nothing.
    She didn’ t look overly happy or bubbly or excited, either, the way most women would after what amounted to a carte blanche shopping spree.
    “ You’ re late,” he pointed out, uncomfortable with the knowledge that she’ d knocked him off his guard, managed to sidetrack him from his focus on her whereabouts and their dinner schedule.
    “ I said I was sorry,” she told him, not the least intimidated by his accusatory tone or thunderous expression. “ But I won’ t take long to get ready, I promise.”
    Pulling the ponytail holder from her hair, she started for the bedroom, already unbuttoning her blouse. “ I’ ll only be twenty minutes.”
    She left the connecting doors open and he could hear her moving around. Shedding clothes. Opening dresser drawers and closet doors. Stepping into the bathroom, out, then in again. The bathroom door closed and he heard the shower turn on.
    Regardless of what she said, he fully expected her to take at least an hour to change and do her hair and makeup. He didn’ t know any woman who wouldn’ t.
    A quick glance at his watch showed that if she took an hour— an hour, and not one minute more— they could still make it down to the hotel restaurant on time. Barely, but they would make it.
    Strolling into the bedroom, he moved to the dresser where he’ d abandoned his cufflinks when he’ d heard her come in, trying not to imagine Elena’ s wet, soapy, naked body in the generous shower stall. A space large enough to fit two comfortably… in any number of creative positions.
    Clearing his throat, he turned his attention back to attaching the gold and diamond studs at his wrists. Just because he was annoyed at her tardiness didn’ t mean he didn’ t still want her. If they weren’ t already running late, he’ d leave a trail of clothing behind on the walk to the bathroom and join her for a long, enjoyable steam— among other things.
    Afraid that he would give in to temptation if he stayed this close to her for much longer, he turned. As it was, he ran the risk of spending the rest of the evening trying to hide an embarrassing arousal.
    But before he went a step, his gaze caught on two items on the dresser top. His credit card and the pile of cash he’ d handed Elena earlier.
    Ignoring the card, he picked up the bills and counted them out. Only twenty-odd dollars missing, from the hundreds he’ d given her.
    Well, that wasn’ t so surprising, he decided. She’ d probably charged just about everything all day. The cash could have been used solely for tips or some such.
    In the bathroom, the water shut off and he quickly replaced the cash beside the card. He didn’ t want her to know he’ d fanned through it. And since he would probably have supplied her with the same again tomorrow, he might as well leave them where she’ d put them.
    But just out of curiosity…
    He quickly glanced at the phone number on the back of the credit card, memorizing it, then slipping quietly from the room before she emerged from the bathroom. Closing the door silently behind him, he crossed to the phone on the desk in the far corner.
    It took a few minutes to get through to an operator and verify his identity, then a second more to make his request and wait for the answer. Had there been any charges on his account today, and if so, how much did it total?
    He thanked the woman on the other end of the line and returned the handset to its cradle, a deep frown marring his brow and tugging his