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She needed a miracle.
Murmuring a breathless “Amen,” she shoved her remaining three dollars into the machine, then clasped her hands to her breast.
With a bemused shake of his head, Zack concentrated on the wheels of the slot machine.
One gold bar.
Two.
Three.
Smiling, Zack moved on as the machine lit up and bells and whistles went off, signaling that a player had hit the ten-thousand-dollar jackpot. So, he had lost ten grand, he thought, but it wasn’t much to pay for a miracle.
He was still smiling when he stepped outside. It was a beautiful night. Cool and crisp. A few scattered clouds drifted across the face of the full moon.
Feeling suddenly restless, he wandered away from the casino, crossed the parking lot, and headed for the wooded hillside that began just beyond the blacktop.
He moved soundlessly through the underbrush, his keen senses aware of the tiny night creatures that scented a predator and quickly scurried out of his way. He caught the scent of a skunk and farther on, that of a deer.
Nearing one of the cabins, he came across a black bear scavenging through a trash can. The bear reared up on its hind legs and sniffed the wind. Apparently recognizing Zack as a threat, the animal dropped back down on all fours and lumbered into the trees.
Grinning, Zack continued on until he came to the solitary cabin at the top of the hill. He paused, surprised to see there were lights on in the house. The cabin had been vacant for the last two years. He had, in fact, been thinking of buying the place for a rental.
Ah, well, too late now.
He was turning away when he caught the scent of prey. Glancing back, he saw a young woman looking out the front window. He whistled softly. He had seen a lot of beautiful women in his day, but this one—he shook his head. She was beyond beautiful. Her skin was smooth and unblemished, her eyes a deep dark blue. Hair the color of a raven’s wing tumbled over her shoulders.
He frowned when her gaze found his, and then shook his head. She couldn’t see him, of course. He was hidden by the darkness. And yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew he was there, that she was staring at him, as he was staring at her.
Curious to see her reaction, he stepped out of the darkness into a shaft of bright moonlight.
He had expected her to gasp in surprise, call 911, or hastily move away from the window and close the curtains. Instead, she tilted her head to the side, her gaze moving over him from head to heel, much the way he studied a woman he was considering as prey.
Zack was contemplating what to do next when she moved away from the window. Moments later, she was standing on the front porch, her arms folded under her breasts.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded.
Her voice was low, soft, and yet he detected a fine layer of steel underneath. He grunted softly. Most women would have been frightened if they looked out their window at midnight and found a stranger standing in the yard. But she wasn’t the least bit afraid.
He had to admire that. Inclining his head, he murmured, “Good evening. ”
She lifted one delicate brow. “I repeat, what are you doing here?”
“Merely enjoying the night air,” he replied with a smile. “And I repeat, good evening. ” He frowned, mystified by his inability to read her mind. It was a skill that had never failed him before and left him wondering if she was deliberately blocking him, and if so, how?
She huffed a sigh of exasperation. “Same to you. ”
“You’re new in the area,” he said.
Kaitlyn nodded. He must be a longtime resident, she thought, else he wouldn’t be aware of that.
“It’s a lovely house,” he remarked. “I had intended to buy it myself. ”
“Sorry. ”
“No need to be sorry. Our town can always use another pretty face. ” He took a step forward, extending his hand. “Zackary Ravenscroft,” he said. “But my friends call me Zack. ”
She descended the stairs. “Do you think we’re going to be friends?” she murmured, taking his hand.
“I hope so. ”
“I’m Kaitlyn Sherrad. ”
He gave her hand a slight squeeze. “Kaitlyn. ”
She didn’t know if it was the sound of her name on his lips, or the touch of his hand on hers that sent a shiver of excitement racing down her spine. Startled, she jerked her hand from his and took a step backward. Who was this guy? She had never experienced a reaction like that with any other man. Stranger still was the bewildering fact that she couldn’t divine his thoughts. She supposed there were bound to be a few people whose minds she couldn’t read; still, it was disconcerting. Was there something wrong with him, she wondered, or was the problem hers? She would have to ask her father about it the next time he called.
Needing time to ponder her odd reaction to Zackary Ravenscroft and her failure to read his thoughts, Kaitlyn bid him a quick good night and hurried up the stairs and into the house. She closed and locked the door, then stood there, her back pressed against the wood. Who was that guy?
Zack stared after her for several moments before he turned and headed back down the trail toward the casino.
Kaitlyn Sherrad was a puzzle, he mused, and he hated puzzles.
Zack was still trying to unravel the mystery that was Kaitlyn when she strolled into the casino shortly after dusk the next evening. Clad in a simple pale pink dress that outlined a figure bordering on perfection and a pair of white heels that did wonderful things for her long, shapely legs, she quickly attracted the admiring gaze of every man in the place, and the envy of every woman.
“Miss Sherrad,” Zack murmured, going forward to greet her. “Welcome to my establishment. ”
“Thank you, Mr. Ravenscroft. ”
He made a broad gesture with his hand, encompassing the gaming portion of the nightclub. “What’s your pleasure?”
“What would you suggest? I’ve never been in a casino before. ”
“Well, the slots are the easiest. The craps table is a bit confusing but probably the most exciting. Poker is a game of skill. Roulette is a game of pure chance. ”
She looked thoughtful a moment. “Slot machines, I guess. ”
He followed her to a bank of slots, stayed her hand when she delved into her handbag. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a fifty-dollar bill.
“First time’s on me,” he said with a wink.
“Really? Is this something you do for all of your customers?”
“No, ma’am, just the pretty ones. ”
With a toss of her head, Kaitlyn took the fifty from his hand and slid the bill into the appropriate slot. A credit meter displayed the amount deposited.
“On this machine, you can play one credit or as many as five, or you can hit the button marked PLAY MAX CREDITS,” Zack explained. “After you make your choice, hit the SPIN REELS button. That’s all there is to it. ”
Kaitlyn followed his directions, then watched breathlessly as the colorful wheels turned, then slowly came to a stop, showing three cherries across.
“I won!” she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing with excitement, as credits were added to her original amount.
Zack smiled, amused by her excitement, content to stand at her shoulder as she continued to play. As with most games of chance, the odds were always in favor of the house. The payout on slots was about ninety-three percent.
A few minutes later, a hostess clad in a ruffled, offthe-shoulder white blouse and short, wine-red skirt came by offering drinks, which were free to players. Kaitlyn ordered orange juice.
“Not a big drinker, are you?” Zack remarked.
“Not really. Aren’t you having anything?”
“Maybe later. ” He jerked his chin toward the machine. “You won again. ”
Amused by her enthusiasm at winning a few dollars, he was curious to see what her reaction would be if she
hit the jackpot. It was easy to manipulate the machine. A single thought, and three sevens lined up on the pay line.
“Oh! Look at that!” she exclaimed as more credits were added to the meter.
He laughed, surprised that her enjoyment pleased him so much.
The waitress arrived with her orange juice only moments later. Kaitlyn couldn’t help wondering if all drink orders were filled as quickly, or if the fact that she was with the boss had anything to do with the speedy service.
She continued to play while she sipped her drink, winning more than she lost, and decided to quit while she was ahead.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes. ”
“Then hit CASH OUT,” he directed.
She frowned when the machine spit out a bar-coded ticket.
“Only the older machines pay out in cash,” Zack explained. “You can cash that in later. ”
“Oh, okay. ” She slipped the coupon into her purse and glanced around.
“Are you game to try something else?” Zack asked.
“Maybe later. Right now, I think I’d like something to eat. Is there a restaurant in here?”
“This way. ” Curious to see if his touch elicited the same reaction as the night before, he took her hand in his. An odd look passed over her face, but she didn’t pull away this time. Pleased, he led her out of the casino and down a long, carpeted hallway. Kaitlyn glanced at the shops that lined both sides of the corridor—gift shop, flower shop, hair salon. But it was the sexy black pants and top in the window of the dress shop next to the hair salon that caught her eye. She’d never worn anything like that in her whole life.
The restaurant was at the end of the corridor. Kaitlyn glanced around. The room was rectangular-shaped, with an open beam ceiling and parquet floors. Booths lined three of the walls; tables covered with deep green cloths were arranged in the center of the floor. The lighting was subdued; soft music filtered through the sound system.
They were seated immediately, but that was no surprise. After all, it was bad form to keep the boss waiting.
“Good evening, Mr. Ravenscroft,” a waitress said, offering Kaitlyn a menu. “Your usual?”
“That’ll be fine, Annie. ”