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never think of doing, like ensuring his favorite hair gel was on the set or arranging for a specific caterer on location. Stuff that would get him labeled as high-strung and demanding if he asked for it, but when Sarah asked for it, it got done without damaging his reputation.
    Then she’d go and remind him that it was all just a job.
    Raul and Jason flanked them as they cut through the lobby and went directly to the guarded elevator in the Octavius Tower that would take them to the villa. Once they got to their floor, Sarah went ahead and unlocked the door.
    His bodyguards would never be so uncouth as to say “Wow,” but the size of their eyes probably matched his own when they walked inside. The entire villa was a study in tasteful extravagance. Polished marquetry floors, inlaid marble, lush plants, gurgling fountains—it all provided a serene escape from the gaudy excess Vegas was famous for. “Not bad.”
    “Yes, I have to agree.” She set her laptop bag down on one of the sofas and motioned for him to follow her.
    Jason and Raul split off to scout out the place and make sure everything was secure, leaving him alone with Sarah. She led him down a hallway flanked by white columns and opened a door. “This is the master bedroom.”
    King-size bed, luxury linens, distant trickle of a fountain. All and all, very tranquil and relaxing.
    But it was the bathroom that blew him away.
    As soon as he saw the carved pink onyx bathtub with golden fixtures, the first thought that entered his mind was how he’d love to relax in there with Sarah. He’d even endure a bubble bath if it meant he could experience her wet, silky skin against his. The fantasy grew from a touch to a kiss to passionate sex until his dick ached from frustration.
    God, he wanted her.
    But until she came to the same conclusion, he was left with just his fantasies and a raging hard-on.
    “Gideon?”
    He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of her voice. Too bad an invitation to get naked didn’t follow. “Yes?”
    “You probably don’t need to change for dinner, but I’m going to slip into something more appropriate.”
    He resisted the urge to tell her what he wanted. Instead, he cast a longing glance at the empty bathtub. “No worries. I’ll wait.”
    “It’s almost seven. One of the guys can escort you to the restaurant, and I’ll meet you there.”
    He emerged from the bathroom to find her still standing in the hallway. “I don’t need a babysitter twenty-four hours a day, you know.”
    “True, but you’ll still have to pass through the casino to get there, and I don’t want you to get attacked by any rabid fan girls.”
    He closed the gap between them until his face was inches from her. “And what if I want to pick up some rabid fan girl for the night? After all, you’re the one who said I needed to get laid.”
    Much to his delight, her eyes flashed with the unmistakable fire of jealousy. “Well, if you’re just looking for some bimbo to screw—”
    “I’m not looking for a bimbo.” He was so close to her, so perfectly in place to pull her in his arms and kiss her like he wanted. But he refrained from giving into his desires, just like he always did. “You know me better than that.”
    The steepled slant of her brows offered a wordless apology, and she stepped aside. “Please, for your own safety…”
    “Fine. I’ll take Jason, but I’m making him walk a good six feet behind me.”
    “Thank you.”
    By the time he made his way to the foyer, the bodyguard was already waiting for him. “You psychic or something?”
    “Nope,” the Midwest farm boy answered with a grin. “Just doing what the boss lady tells me to do.”
    “Me, too.”

Chapter Four
     
    If anyone recognized Gideon as he passed through the crowded casino, they didn’t approach him. Part of it could be due to the corn-fed hulking mass of muscle trailing behind him, but at least it made for an uneventful trip to the steakhouse.
    The real action