He crossed his arms on the bar and leaned over it. “What brings you to Vegas? Business or pleasure?”
“R and R. You?” Daniel had an interesting tattoo written in a foreign language on his right biceps, and I admired it. He wasn’t traditionally good-looking, but he had confidence and poise, two things I found more attractive in a man than just his physical features.
“Work.”
I shot a look at his swimming trunks. “I’ve got the wrong job.”
“I sell—”
“Excuse me.”
We both turned to face the woman who had intruded on our conversation. She was a compact brunette dressed in a dark polo shirt embroidered with both her name—Sheila—and Cross Towers and Casino. The earpiece in her ear and the utility belt around her waist gave her away as security.
“Miss Tramell.” She greeted me with a nod.
My brows rose. “Yes?”
“There’s a server who can take your order by your cabana.”
“Cool, thanks. But I don’t mind waiting here.”
When I didn’t move, Sheila turned her attention to Daniel. “If you’ll move to the other end of the bar, sir, the bartender will see that your next drinks are on the house.”
He gave a cursory nod, then smiled winningly at me. “I’m good here, too, thanks.”
“I’m afraid I’ll have to insist.”
“What?” His smile turned into a scowl. “Why?”
I blinked at Sheila as realization sank in. Gideon had me under watch. And he thought he could control what I did from a distance.
Sheila returned my look, her face impassive. “I’ll escort you back to your cabana, Miss Tramell.”
For a minute, I considered making her day hell, maybe grabbing Daniel and kissing him senseless just to send a message to my overbearing boyfriend, but I managed to restrain my temper. She was only doing what she was paid to do. It was her boss who needed the kick in the ass.
“Sorry, Daniel,” I said, flushing with embarrassment. I felt like a scolded kid and that really irked me. “It was nice meeting you.”
He shrugged. “If you change your mind . . .”
I felt Sheila’s gaze on my back as I preceded her to my lounger. Abruptly, I faced her. “So, is getting hit on the only time you’re instructed to step in? Or do you have a list of situations?”
She hesitated a moment, then sighed. I could only imagine what she must think of me, the pretty blond piece of ass who couldn’t be trusted to be out mingling in public. “There’s a list.”
“Of course there is.” Gideon wouldn’t leave anything to chance. I wondered when he’d worked on the list, if he’d compiled it just since I mentioned Vegas or if he’d had it on hand. Maybe it was a list he had formed while he was with other women. Maybe he’d written it for Corinne.
The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.
“Un-fucking-believable,” I complained to Cary when she’d stepped a discreet distance away, as if that action alone would be enough to make me forget she was hovering. “I’ve got a babysitter.”
“What?”
I told him what happened and watched his jaw tighten.
“That’s crazy, Eva,” he snapped.
“No shit. And I’m not putting up with it. He’s got to learn that relationships don’t work that way. And after all the crap he gave me about trust.” I collapsed on my lounger. “How much does he trust me, if he’s got to have someone shadowing me to chase strangers away?”
“I’m not down with this, Eva.” He sat up and swung his legs over the side of his chair. “This isn’t okay.”
“You think I don’t know that? And what’s with her being a woman? Nothing against my gender and tough jobs. I’m just wondering if he expects her to follow me into ladies’ rooms or just doesn’t trust a guy to watch me.”
“Are you serious? Why the hell are you sunbathing instead of chewing him a new one?”
The idea I’d been toying with fully formed in my mind. “I’m plotting.”