Into the Night (3 page)

“Smart guys,” Sean said, chuckling.

Valerie sent Sean a chastising glance before returning her attention to Nathan. “Cindy was only able to replace two of the guys, so she needed one more man to balance out the ratio of men to women and I promised her I’d help out.” Obviously sensing Nathan’s indecision, she rushed on to hook him for good. “It’s only one night, and just a few hours of your time. All you have to do is talk to women and be nice to them. If you aren’t attracted to any of them, no big deal. And if you did this for Cindy,
for charity,
I know she would be so grateful.”

Awww, hell. Those expectant eyes gazing at him with such hope did him in. He was a sucker for a pretty face and sweet smile. He blamed his three older sisters for using the same tactics on him and taking advantage of that intrinsic male part of him that wanted to please the females in his life.

Like attending a charity event that involved dating strange women.

He couldn’t bring himself to disappoint Valerie. It was only a few hours of his time, and wouldn’t interfere with his TRG case since this weekend was all about compiling information on Preston Sloane and figuring out a strategy before going undercover. Nathan figured the event would be a good distraction from everything else weighing so heavily on his mind.

He sighed. “Fine, I’ll do it.”

He’d go to Simply Fondue tomorrow night. He’d meet and mingle with single women and gently deflect any interest, because he certainly wasn’t looking for a relationship. He’d flirt, enjoy the cocktails and food, and chalk it all up to an interesting experience.

Then, with his good deed out of the way, he’d concentrate all his time and attention on the Ramsey case. His sole focus in the upcoming weeks would be finding sixteen-year-old Angela and bringing her safely back home to her parents, where she belonged.

Chapter Two

“I swear, the things I do in the name of journalism,” Nicole Hutton grumbled in disgust, not for the first time since she’d been handed her current assignment. After two years at
The Las Vegas Commentary,
she didn’t deserve such a rookie story. “Speed dating, of all things. It’s truly mind-boggling what the good people of Vegas find fascinating, isn’t it?” And she was frustrated because
she
had to report on such a frivolous event when she was eager to report on a story with depth and substance.

Fresh from a shower and wrapped in a silky thigh-length robe, Nicole strolled out of her bathroom and into the adjoining bedroom where her friend, Michelle, was stretched out comfortably on an upholstered secondhand lounge chair in the far corner. Michelle, a co-worker as well as her roommate, was newly engaged to a great guy, and that meant Nicole would be searching for a new roomie in the near future. Which sucked big-time, because after two years together, Nicole really enjoyed Michelle’s company, advice, and friendship.

“Well, speed dating does seem to be one of the hottest trends right now, so I guess that counts for something,” Michelle said, trying to make sweetened lemonade from the sour lemons Nicole had been handed. “Inquiring minds want to know what it’s all about.”

Nicole rolled her eyes as she sat down on the small chair in front of her mirrored vanity. Keeping her annoyance at the whole situation in check, she picked up a tube of body cream and started rubbing the scented lotion along her bare shoulders and arms. “Fine. I’ll tell our readers what they want to know, and hopefully move on to something more intelligent with my next assignment.”

Michelle bit her bottom lip, a reluctant look passing over her delicate features before she spoke. “I heard Sharon say if they get a good response to this article in next week’s issue, she’s going to make
Dating in the 21st Century
a monthly segment.”

Nicole groaned out loud. She wanted to ask if Michelle was kidding, but knew it was no joke. Sharon, the editor in chief at
The Las Vegas Commentary,
would undoubtedly put Nicole in charge of the column, and the thought of spending the next six months reporting on current dating trends was enough to make her break out in hives. Which would be a really bad thing right before her speed-dating assignment this evening.

“Sharon is killing me with all these fluff pieces she keeps tossing my way.” A legitimate complaint considering what she’d been promised when she took the job at the
Commentary.
“God, will she ever give me something I can investigate and make a name for myself?”

Michelle sighed, silently understanding Nicole’s irritation and disappointment. “You know how strict Sharon is about having to work your way up the editorial ladder.”

“I’ve been climbing for almost two years.” Swiveling her chair toward the vanity mirror, she began plucking the hot rollers from her hair. “I think I’ve more than proved myself as a reporter. She knows I’m capable.”

“You can always sleep with the boss,” Michelle suggested, tongue in cheek. “It worked for Justin.”

Loose blond curls fell to Nicole’s shoulders as the heated rollers were removed, one by one. She met Michelle’s gaze in the mirror and grinned wryly. “It’s been a long dry spell for me in the sex department, but I’m not desperate enough to go girl-on-girl, and I know that’s not Sharon’s scene, either. So, the whole sleeping-with-the-boss thing just isn’t going to work for me.”

Michelle rolled her light brown eyes. Then, turning on her side, she propped her head in her hand, her expression suddenly somber. “You’re feeling restless at work, aren’t you?”

“I just feel … undervalued, and uninspired as a journalist. I’m bored and I want exciting stories that give me a rush of adrenaline and actually make a difference.” She swiped on eye shadow and rimmed her upper and lower lashes with a soft kohl liner before adding mascara.

Because as things stood, she was sorely in need of a career boost of some kind. She hadn’t spent all those years at Columbia University on a full scholarship to be a minion at a mediocre, socially driven newsmagazine. She’d rather take risks with difficult, uncompromising reporting that kept people up to date on important current issues.

News was Nicole’s true passion, and she dreamed of being a tough journalist on top of breaking events. A reporter who relished the challenge of discovering deep, dark truths and documenting stories that were shocking, yet so riveting you couldn’t help but read all the sensational, and sometimes scandalous, details.

When she’d hired on at the
Commentary,
the new and upcoming magazine’s vision had been different—definitely more in line with Nicole’s personal goals. Somewhere along the way, the editorial input had turned soft, indulgent, and much too complacent for Nicole’s liking. And as tonight’s speed-dating assignment proved, the weekly publication wasn’t taking her career in the direction she’d pictured. And most likely it never would.

And that meant it was time to reevaluate her current place of employment. But until she found an alternative, she needed a steady paycheck and had a story due on Monday. So, instead of going into tonight’s assignment with a negative attitude, she’d decided to focus on the more positive aspects of the evening. And maybe, while she gathered the information she needed to write her article, she’d have a good time, too.

After running her fingers through her hair, she headed to her closet and changed into the outfit she’d bought earlier that day. She returned moments later and twirled around in the middle of the bedroom for Michelle’s approval.

“So, what do you think?” Nicole asked, perching her hands on her slender hips, now encased in a slim-fitting, hot-pink, summer-style dress.

Michelle’s wide-eyed gaze echoed her surprise. “Wow, you look amazing. And hot. Sizzling hot,” she added with a grin as she sat up on the lounge chair to get a better look at what Nicole was wearing. “I’ve never seen that dress on you before. Or those shoes, for that matter. I’m used to you wearing more tailored outfits for work, not something so blatantly sexy.”

Tonight was certainly about work, and a bit of fun, too. Hence, the sexy playfulness to her wardrobe. “I found both the dress and shoes on sale at Nordstrom and couldn’t resist getting the outfit for the summer.” It wasn’t something she’d ever wear to work, but she’d find a few reasons to wear the dress again after tonight, because she really did love it. “I didn’t want to go tonight wearing a pair of slacks and a button-down blouse. Talk about boring.”

Michelle laughed. “Oh, you look anything but boring, especially in those three-inch heels and baring more skin than I’ve ever seen on you in public.” She tipped her head to the side, her gaze turning much too speculative. “In fact, I’m beginning to wonder if tonight is more than just an assignment for you, that maybe you’re finally open to finding Mr. Right during this speed-dating event.”

Nicole shot her friend an are-you-out-of-your-ever-lovin’-mind? look. “Hell,
no,
I’m not looking for Mr. Right, or anything serious for that matter.” Her voice was emphatic as she pushed a pair of silver hoops into her earlobes, then followed those up with three matching bangle bracelets.

Getting tied into a committed, long-term relationship wasn’t on her radar for a good long time. She’d been there, done that. The experience had been more than she’d ever bargained for emotionally, and had nearly destroyed her self-worth, along with her self-confidence. It had taken a long time to recover from the aftermath of giving her whole heart and soul to a man who’d used her as his plaything—and dismissed her from his life as soon as someone younger and just as guileless caught his eye.

She’d been so naive, so trusting back then, but she wasn’t that romantic, starry-eyed teenager any longer. She was jaded, she supposed, and toughened by the experience. At twenty-five, she just wasn’t ready, or willing, to risk her heart and emotions on anything beyond building her career as a journalist.

These days, the only thing she relied on a man for was sex. And even at that, it had been nearly six months since she’d indulged in one of those seductive, tempting, feel-good kind of romps between the sheets. Nicole had made do just fine on her own since then, but the truth was, a vibrator didn’t compare to the real thing. She missed being touched and caressed by strong, capable hands, and kissed by a soft, warm male mouth. She loved the feel of a man’s hard body moving against hers, enjoyed the friction and slow climb to a powerful orgasm that drove him equally wild.

Though she enjoyed the intimacy of being with a man, she insisted on a friends-with-benefits arrangement, one specific go-to guy for hot but uncomplicated sex. No strings attached, and especially no messy emotions involved. Just mutual, physical pleasure, and no obligations to mess with her head or her heart.

How was
that
for dating in the twenty-first century?

Nicole shook her head on those thoughts and looked on the bright side of things. “I figure if I’m stuck with this assignment, I might as well enjoy myself,” she told Michelle as she double-checked her purse for everything she needed, then pulled out a tube of her favorite lip gloss that tasted like crème brûlée and shimmered with pink undertones.

Michelle lifted a delicate brow. “So, you’re going to mix business with pleasure, hmmm?”

“Why not?” After swiping the gloss across her lips, she dropped the tube back into her purse and snapped it closed, then grinned at her friend.

“God, you are so bad sometimes,” Michelle said with a shake of her head, though her tone was light and infused with amusement. “Well, have a good time, but don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Now, what fun would that be?” Nicole wrinkled her nose at her friend, who’d become much too conservative since getting engaged.

She sashayed out of the bedroom, a smile on her lips. Tonight Nicole planned to make the most of her humdrum assignment and her sexy new outfit. She might not be looking for a serious relationship like the rest of the applicants at the event, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have a good time and enjoy any male attention that came her way—even knowing she’d be coming home alone to a cold, empty bed and her own personal vibrating Casanova stashed in her nightstand drawer.

*   *   *

Nathan noticed her as soon as she walked in, as did all the other guests mingling in the private banquet room situated in the back of Simply Fondue. Despite his initial reluctance to be here, for Nathan it was lust at first sight.

She’d snagged the men’s attention because she looked so vibrant and gorgeous in her formfitting hot-pink dress—a direct, in-your-face contrast with the more conservative, button-up outfits most of the other ladies had chosen to wear to this evening’s event. She looked so incredibly sexy with all those tousled blond curls falling to her shoulders, so alluring with that sweet, sensual smile curving her full, shiny lips. Then there were those high heels accentuating her slender legs and prompting a man’s thoughts to travel down an erotic path that included some very steamy fantasies with her in the starring role.

What man wouldn’t be drawn to all that sensuality, tied up in such a neat and totally hot package waiting to be unwrapped like a decadent present? A guy would have to be a eunuch not to notice, and appreciate, her sultry beauty.

And he was
not
a eunuch.

If anything, the woman in pink’s appearance was going to make for an interesting evening. Nathan couldn’t help but wonder if she was on the prowl for a husband, or just looking to have fun.