Vegas, Baby by Sandra Edwards Read Free Book Online Page A

this look of understanding moved across his eyes. His compelling gaze persuaded Rio to share some of her secrets.
    “Well, it’s kind of hard to make up for not one but two dysfunctional mothers.”
    “Two?” his inquiry nipped at her.
    Well, that’s just great . Why had Rio gone and opened that door? “Yep.” She raised two fingers, one at a time. “Count ‘em. Two.”
    His dark eyes showed his curiosity. When he shook his head, she felt a sense of regret. He was going to ask questions. Questions she’d rather not answer.
    “Maybe it’s the meds, but...help me to understand how you came by two mothers?”
    “Well,” she said, using her fingers as visual aids, “wife number one, bio mommy, split when I was a baby.” Rio had no idea why she was telling this to a virtual stranger, yet she continued on. “Wife number two, the only mother I’ve ever known, couldn’t stand me.” She attempted a laugh, but all she got was a nervous cackle. “That, in a nutshell, is why I have issues. Both my mothers left me without so much as a hi, bye, kiss my ass or nothing.”
    “Well, it’s their loss.” He closed his eyes and massaged his forehead.
    She leaned toward him and touched his knee. “You doing okay?”
    He opened his eyes and swathed her in a tender, ardent gaze. “You?”
    “Oh, don’t worry about me,” she said, sinking back into her chair. “I learned to adapt a long time ago.”
    “Me, too,” he said softly. “You know...” His words fell into a long, exhaustive sigh. “I’m just so tired. Maybe it’s the meds but I think I need to lie down.”
    Rio sprang to her feet and pulled him up by the ankles, coaxing him to lie on the couch.
    She grabbed an afghan off the back of a nearby chair and stalled long enough to let her gaze travel over and enjoy the look of his tall, athletic physique before she covered him. His presence gave her comfort.
    A sudden chill swept over her arms. She crossed them and strolled toward the wall of windows overlooking the Strip. Millions of lights twinkled against the twilight as the city awakened, right along with her carnal desires. Desires she’d thought she’d locked up tight—until Eddie LaCall came to town.
    * * *
    Sunlight, bright and evasive, pried Eddie from his slumber. Instantly, he knew he was on Rio’s couch. Vague recollections of passing out last night pierced his ego.
    Eddie opened his eyes. Rio was curled up in the recliner, sleeping. Man, that girl was striking with her wild red hair and long, lean legs that could easily wrap around him twice.
    He shook those thoughts out of his head but they refused to leave.
    Come on, LaCall...get a grip . Considering these affluent surroundings and the expensive car she was sporting around town, this girl had claimed her spot at the top of his list. Better to wrap this up quickly and get the hell out of Dodge.
    His cell rang, interrupting his mental preparation. Neither unhappy nor pleased with the distraction, he reached for the phone lying on the coffee table and flipped it open with a one-handed maneuver. “LaCall.”
    “It’s Gabe Dalton.” The anxious voice of his new boss poured across the wire. “Where are you? Are you okay?”
    “I’m fine. I’m at Rio’s,” Eddie said. She began to stir.
    “Good,” Gabe’s voice barely broke through Eddie’s fixation on Rio. She sat up, eyes still closed, drew a deep breath and slowly opened her lids to look at him. “I don’t know how to break this to you,” Gabe’s tone grew tense and that cracked Eddie’s concentration.
    “Break what to me?” Eddie asked, unable to cage his anxiety.
    “I got a call from the fire department,” he said. “There was a fire at your house last night.”
    “How bad?” Eddie’s heart rate kicked up a notch.
    “You’d better get over there.” Sympathy poured out in Gabe’s voice.
    The poise Rio had displayed seconds before drained from her face. It was replaced with timid curiosity. “What...?” She