DISCLAIMER: They all belong to Janet Evanovich—Except Jack—he's mine

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Chapter 10

Vegas Vacation?

My hair loves Las Vegas. In the six months since I'd left Trenton my hair had never looked better. The frizz was gone and most days it settled in to soft, face framing curls which cascaded over my shoulders. I had been wearing it loose much more often, but I thought today was a pony tail day. The temperature was projected to be over a hundred, and dry low humidity desert weather notwithstanding, it was going to be a scorcher.

My job was going well and I had money in the bank. Enough money, in fact, to pay Ranger back for the cash advance I had taken. My original plan was to be back in Trenton by now, but I kept putting it off. I missed my family, and friends. Surprisingly I missed my job, which was still waiting for me. I had talked to Connie recently and she told me not a lot of people were lining up to work for Vinnie. In my absence Lula was bringing in some minor skips, and Rangeman was picking up the rest. That bit of information was as close as I'd come to hearing anything about Ranger. I'd also called my mom twice. No one asked where I was which led me to believe that they knew. Anyone with a computer could have found me because I hadn't taken any extra ordinary pains to hide my trail. Joe knew for sure where I was because he was the one who helped get me here. Joe also knew how serious I was about putting some distance between me and my old life. I was certain he had kept my confidence. Everyone was giving me space. I guess I must have been pretty convincing the day I told family and friends that I needed time and geography from my life in Trenton.

Ranger or his men hadn't shown up either. I didn't really expect Ranger but I thought there might be an occasional Merry Man sighting. It wasn't like Ranger to give up total control. On my best days I was gratified that he was respecting my request. On my worst days I figured I was like a pesky fly he had finally shooed out the window.

When I'd asked Joe to help with my plan he did so without hesitation. I knew he had a good Navy buddy who worked in security in Las Vegas. Joe called Frankie White and told him he had a friend looking for work in Las Vegas. Within a week I had a job and an efficiency apartment two blocks and a world away from The Strip. My POS Buick had made the trip from Trenton and was still running good. I'd had a car for over six months that was still in one piece. That alone made the trip financially successful. I worked for Frankie's security company. He contracted with several minor casinos to provide undercover personnel. I was kind of like a secret shopper. Every day I posed as a tourist and spent time in the casinos. Sometimes I was assigned to watch a particular person. Often I was just watching to be alert for any signs of trouble. Each casino had their own security to watch for gambling fraud. My job was much simpler. I looked for pickpockets, or for people 'accidentally' picking up the purse of an unsuspecting slot machine player. If I caught someone acting suspicious I just pulled out my cell and called Casino security. That way my cover was never compromised. And the buffets were great. Most of them had a whole bar of desserts.

I'd made some friends, but mostly I stayed to myself. I hadn't planned on being gone this long and I knew I would be going home soon. The fourth month I was here I sent Dillon more rent money. The fifth month I started thinking seriously about going home and the sixth month I started planning to go back home.

I was manless and I was tolerating it pretty well. I thought that I could face Ranger with my head held high and consider him just as a friend. Ranger was damaged, by his own admission, and I had been thinking a lot about that. I realized it was okay for me to love him and not be with him and our lack of relationship wasn't my fault. Really! It was his. The more I thought about his claim that he could ruin me for all other men the more I worried that it might be true. Our last night of lovemaking had seen us both reach places we'd never been before. If he'd ruined me I took a small amount of comfort in knowing I left a big impression on him. Stephanie Plum was going to be a tough act to follow, relationship or not.

I looked at the clock and gave myself a mental head slap. It was time to quit daydreaming and get out the door to work. Las Vegas was a twenty- four hour a day, seven day a week party. Sometimes I worked evenings or nights, and I had a place in the weekend rotation. Today I was working with a new employee. The fact that I was now able to train someone else might be an indicator that I'd been here too long. The old Stephanie that rolled in garbage and had cars explode on a regular basis didn't exist out here. I was turning out to be a calm, efficient employee, and that same dumb luck that helped me with my skip tracing frequently helped me in my new job.

I was meeting Jack Bridges in the lounge at the High Roller Casino. I didn't know what to expect so I told him to look for me. In deference to the heat I wore a bright blue tank top with a pair of white walking shorts. Except for the bright orange poppy tucked into my hair over my left ear, I looked like any other eager gambler. I was half way through my Shirley Temple when I noticed a man standing at the door looking from lounge patron to patron. When he saw me he raised a hand in acknowledgement and smiled as he started my way. He was tall, about six-three, and he was built like a brick house. He was wearing lose fitting jeans and running shoes, and a black t-shirt that I was betting money covered six pack abs. The closer he got I thought maybe 12 pack abs. He had light brown hair and eyes that were electric blue. He was gorgeous.

"Stephanie?" he questioned as slipped onto the stool next to mine.

I smiled "Jack, I'm guessing"

"Nice to meet to you, Stephanie. That's a great flower. I couldn't miss it. Frankie said you would take me under your wing for the day and I'd be ready to solo by tomorrow."

"Wow", I said. "Frankie must think you're good. Either that or that I'm a great trainer. He didn't let me go out alone for a week."

"Well, I'm new to this job but I have had some previous surveillance experience that will help me." Jack said.

I blew a bubble with the now Shirley Temple flavored gum I was chewing. We were supposed to look like average casino patrons and I thought we could take a little time for conversation to get to know one another before we started our rounds of the casino floor. "I was a Bond Enforcement Agent before I started this gig. What kind of experience do you have Jack?"

"Army." He said. "Special forces. I was a Ranger." I swallowed my gum.

"I'm working here for a while to reacclimate to civilian life," he continued. "I have a little money saved and I hope to eventually own my own business. I might get a PI license or even own my own security firm."

I hoped off the bar stool and grabbed him arm. "C'mon. Let's take a stroll down by the food court and see if we can spot any one up to no good." We ambled through the casino to the food court and I took the time to explain different aspects of the job. He was a few years younger than me and full of ambition. He seemed like a nice guy and we fell into an almost instant camaraderie. I hadn't been so close to a specimen of his caliber in a long time. I should have been sneaking glances at his ass, hyperventilating at his nearness, accidentally bumping into him. I should have been flirting. But there was no zing. Dang that Ranger. Had he ruined me for all other men?

Jack apparently had another explanation for the platonic friendship that bloomed immediately between us.

"How long have you been married, and what does your husband think of this line of work?" he asked.

If I'd had more gum, I'd have swallowed it. "M-married," I stammered. I'm not married. Why would you say that?" I knew I wasn't married. I didn't know if I was divorced or annulled, but I knew I wasn't married.

Jack touched the poppy in my hair. "Your flower is over your left ear, near your heart. That's to tell the world you're taken. Married. Off the market."

I pulled the flower out of my hair. "Sorry, my mistake," I said a little breathlessly. "I'm very much unmarried. I couldn't be more single."

Jack took the flower and slid it back in my hair this time over my right ear. "There," he said. "Right ear means available. Now we have truth in advertising." We both laughed. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful with only one purse snatching event. Jack instinctively wanted to run and apprehend the robber, but our job was just to call casino security and turn it over to them. I wondered how long he'd be content in his lesser role. We were about to part company for the day when I felt Jack tense by my side. I looked up to see him staring intently at a man and woman standing a at craps table. They were laughing and enjoying each other's company.

"What?" I asked.

"I just saw that guy put something in the woman's drink." We both stood frozen as she took a big gulp of a fruity cocktail.

What do you mean something?" I asked. "Like a date rape drug?"

"That's what I'm thinking." His eyes remained focused on the couple. I flipped my phone open and made the call. We would stay put until there was Casino security in the area to take over the watch. Within a minute the woman was having trouble standing. Her knees buckled and her friend put his arm around her. He apologized to the table patrons saying that she'd had too much to drink. He scooped up their collective chips and put them into his pocket and began to help her unsteadily walk away. I looked around and saw no one coming to her rescue. Our rules were to report and not get involved, but the rules were flying out of the window. Jack and I looked at each other and started to run.

Jack reached the man first and said, "Excuse me sir, I'll be happy to help the lady."

That's not necessary," he responded curtly. "My wife has had too much to drink. I'm taking her home."

I came up beside him. "You'll need to step away from the lady, sir. We saw you drug her drink." The man let go of the woman and she crumpled. Jack caught her and was laying her to the floor when her attacker took off running.

"Well shit!" I took off running and took a flying leap landing on his back and bringing him down with a thunk. I laid on top of him trying to catch my breath. I saw a pair of black shiny cop shoes walk up and stop short of my nose. Security was here, and our job was done.

I got up and brushed myself off. Whattdaya know? I tackled someone and managed come up relatively clean. No garbage stuck to my clothes, no food in my hair. Dang, I was a little homesick.

Jack came up and gave me a hug. We were both having a little adrenaline rush. "Nice stop," he said. "What a way to end my first day. We should celebrate Stephanie. Will you let me treat you to dinner and show?" I thought for a moment. I'd been in Las Vegas six months, keeping a low profile and doing a lot of soul searching. Maybe tonight was a night for fun.

"I'd love to." I gave him my address. "Pick me up at eight and we'll do the town."

Jack picked me up right on time and we decided to walk the two blocks to the strip. I was excited and in the mood for a little fun. It literally had been months since I'd had an excuse to dress up. My Vegas wardrobe was limited to mostly work clothes and there had been no time to shop. The only appropriate outfit I had was the black dress and purple FMPs I had worn on the night that Ranger had taken me out and morphed into Carlos. I put the dress on and realized I had morphed as well. I was stronger and really ready to move on with my life. My feelings for Ranger were still there as intense as ever, but I knew I could live without him in my life. He'd given me no choice and I'd learned to survive on my own. So I put on my big girl thong and purple shoes and went forward into the night.

We had dinner and went dancing and spent a long time talking. Jack was inordinately good looking and I noticed other women looking at him coming and going. I felt comfortable in his presence, maybe too comfortable. I was looking for something a little more exciting than the friendship we were developing. As we walked home I was debating the pros and cons of asking him in. As stood on my step unlocking my door Jack stood close behind me. He reached a hand to encircle my waist and I felt a tingle along my spine. I looked over my shoulder and he smiled at me. I made an instant decision to pursue that tingle.

I took his hand and pulled him into my tiny apartment. My heels slipped on the tile floor and I fell against him. His arms went around me. He leaned down and touched his lips to mine and I went in search of that jolt of electricity. I opened my mouth and made way for his tongue. He deepened the kiss and I allowed it, waiting for the zing. It didn't come. I was confused. The tingle that ran the length of my spine had never been wrong before. I pulled back slightly and smiled up at him. He bent his head and nuzzled the base of my neck. It was nice but where was that skittering of electricity? Why weren't my toes curling?

Jack's arms tightened and he pulled me closer. "Jack, let's slow it down a little," I said. "Come in and sit down and I'll get us something to drink." I reached out and flipped the switch on the wall illuminating the room with soft light. Jack and I saw the man sitting with legs extended, his forearms resting on the chair arms, fingers steepled, at the same time. He was motionless, his gaze unwaveringly on me.

Jack stepped forward. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

"I'm her husband. Who the hell are you?"