Lucky by Jackie Collins Page B

the newspapers, and was bored by the antics of the puffy-looking blonde with too much money and too many husbands. They might have been best friends once, but they were total strangers now.
    ‘She’s divorced again,’ Dimitri said shortly. ‘For the third time.’
    He had extremely penetrating eyes, steel grey, and a deep Mediterranean suntan. His eyes lingered on the wildly beautiful Lucky for a moment, then his showgirl friend-for-the-night tugged on his sleeve and asked him some inane question.
    Lucky turned to Gino, but his attention was on Susan. She thought she might leave, but decided to stay for the comedian who was adjusting the mike and opening with a few deadpan comments on the day’s news.
    A ripple of laughter drifted through the room. He was quick to grab the audience’s attention; an audience more attuned to discussing their losses and/or wins rather than listening to a stream of jokes.
    He didn’t tell jokes. He commented on life.
    He was cutting, satirical, and painfully truthful.
    ‘What’s his name?’ Lucky asked Matt.
    ‘Lennie Golden. You like him?’
    ‘Not bad.’
    Matt smiled. Jess had come up with a winner, thank Christ. He had taken a risk booking the guy just because she wanted him to. But he had the hots for little Jess, and now he’d done her a favour, wasn’t it about time she returned the compliment? It was funny really, he had never liked short girls, always gone for the statuesque type. However, five foot nothing Jess had him under her spell. He wanted to get her into bed in the worst way.
    Halfway through Lennie Golden’s performance Gino leaned over to Lucky and said, ‘Susan’s tired. I’m taking her home. I’ll see you tomorrow, kid.’
    He helped Susan from her seat.
    For a moment Lucky was speechless. Her evening with her father, and he was taking Grace Kelly home. Shit!
    ‘Goodnight, dear. So nice meeting you,’ said Susan.
    Was it her imagination or was there the glint of triumph in Susan’s icy blues? Lucky manufactured yet another smile. Better to charm the enemy than to kick them in the teeth. ‘Nice meeting you .’
    After they left, Lucky was too restless to sit still. She was annoyed she hadn’t made the first exit. Let Gino see how much it mattered if he wanted to ruin their evening together.
    She glanced at the comedian, still getting laughs; noted Dimitri’s strong hand on the thigh of his date; hated the way Matt Traynor waved the front of his silver hair.
    Fuck ’em. What a dull group.
    ‘I’ll be back,’ she whispered, although she had no intention of returning.
    Outside the lounge the huge casino rocked with action. She cruised around for a while, greeting staff, watching the pit bosses keeping a sharp eye on the croupiers, noting the paying customers in their weird and wonderful outfits. Where else would you see Bermuda shorts beside Balmain? Halter tops next to Halston tuxedos? Hookers and housewives, playboys and punters.
    I want to get laid , she thought. Oh God, do I want to get laid .
    She went to the front desk and selected the keys to an empty suite. Then she started to cruise. It couldn’t be just anybody. There had to be a certain sexual chemistry. After all, it had been a long time.
    There was a man playing alone at a roulette table. He was dark, moody-looking. He reminded her of Marco.
    No!
    Abruptly she turned away.
    She felt lonely. What she needed was anonymous sex with an anonymous lover who would give her what she wanted, then just quietly disappear.
    A hand gripped her by the arm. A voice said accusingly, ‘You walked out on me. What’s the matter with you? Don’t you appreciate exceptional talent when you see it?’
    She turned, hesitated for only a second, then smiled dazzlingly. ‘Lennie Golden,’ she said. ‘You’re just the man I’m looking for.’

Chapter Five
     
    New York in the summer was not Olympia’s favourite place. Too hot, crowded, and dirty. She tried to visit as little as possible, but there were