Let it Ride (Casino Nights #1) Read Online Free PDF

through it. He waited outside until he heard her turn the
dead bolt. “Good night, beautiful.”
    “’Night, Remy.”
    He whistled as he walked to his
room.

Chapter Three
    Francesca was not opening her eyes
to check the clock. She knew that she had turned off the alarm earlier when she
had used the bathroom. A good night’s sleep was so rare in her life she wanted
to enjoy every minute of it. She couldn’t make herself get up to attend a
“Welcome Breakfast” that would have soggy muffins and self-congratulatory
speeches. Nope, lying on this excellent mattress, cocooned in a pile of pillows
was more important to her.
    She dozed again and finally opened
one eye to check the clock. It read nine-thirty. Her brain kicked in; starting
to plan her day. There were panels that she could check out, and really she
should make an appearance at some of them, then the meeting with Remy about
their presentation.
    She giggled out loud thinking about
Remy, who was totally in control at his desk in Indianapolis, showing some
nervousness about this panel. There was something going on there; she would
have to pay attention. She liked him, but more than that she was attracted to
him. The bonus was that he was attracted to her and not afraid to show it. He
was a head taller and had a big body, not soft, as far as she had felt last
night. He wore his blond hair in a buzz cut, a holdover from his days in the
Marines. She wouldn’t describe him as handsome, but he was striking.
    She smiled as she rolled onto her
back and snuggled deeper into the covers.   Their kiss last night had been hot. His size made her feel delicate. Her
life didn’t allow for her to be soft. Just standing next to the man, she felt
her edges smooth. I wonder if he uses
those powerful muscles in bed? Her body shivered in response to that
idea.  
    He had a way of watching that made
her feel like she had his complete attention. He was smart and very good at his
job. During her dealings with the Indiana Casino and Gaming Board, he had been
serious and professional. She was delighted to learn that he did have a sense
of humor and when he laughed his eyes twinkled.
    “Christ, I sound like a two-star
romance.” She did some stretches to wake her muscles. It had been a while since
she had been interested in a man. Who was she kidding? It had been over a year
since her last date. With Remy, it would be just a few days and then he would
go back to Indianapolis and she would be on the other side of the map. She was
not girlfriend material. Her ex-husband had made sure to list all her failings
in that regard in great detail. Too devoted to work, too devoted to her family,
and the killer, that she was a boring fuck. He had made her believe that she
was all of those things.
    “Time to start the day.” She rolled
out of bed to escape the memories of her husband’s hurtful critique. First coffee, then a shower.
    An hour later, she walked down the
hallway of meeting rooms, searching for the panel on Staffing Issues. Every
casino had a high rate of turnover. It wasn’t all glitz and glamour. Most never
closed and the pay wasn’t that terrific for the sacrifices that had to be made
by the employees. In some states, companies had taken advantage of tax
incentives and built in small towns. The problem then was that they burned
through their workforce and then had a difficult time filling positions. They
piled more work onto their employees and didn’t raise their pay.
    She walked into the medium-sized
conference room with about forty people already seated. She took a chair in the
next to the back row. She immediately checked her phone and turned off her
ringer. She saw a group text from Remy about the meeting. For a second she felt
a wave of disappointment that he hadn’t sent a personal message to her. Slow down, girl . She cautioned herself.
    “Francesca is that you?” The man
sitting diagonally in front of her had turned in his seat.
    “Marco. It’s nice to see you.