CHAPTER ONE
Kira Black laughed at the man before her. She could tell he was making fun of her as his eyes twinkled, full of laughter.“I tell you Kira… these young honeys will see me with you and think that I must be worth a bob or two…. I’ll be fighting them off with a stick”
She had chuckled back at him, more at his use of the phrase honeys than the thought of his fencing expertise
“Now Bill, I don’t think your wife would approve”
The older man before her smiled back
“Kira, what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her…”
Causing her to giggle harder
“Bill if any of them took you up on your offer you would run out of here like you were on fire” she laughed as he had chuckled.
“True, but if Marissa found out it would be because I was on fire”
The two were stood in the busy foyer of the Superior Hotel, in Las Vegas, after a long flight and even longer wait for luggage due to a problem with the baggage system, which had seen them sitting at the hot stuffy carousels for nearly an hour after disembarking their busy flight. Both were tired and feeling more than a just a little grubby from their long journey and the desert heat which neither were used to, both looking forward to getting cleaned up and enjoying something to eat in the hotel restaurant
Having already booked into their separate rooms they were organising when and where to meet for dinner as they moved through the busy area towards the lifts as Bills phone had rang. Not able to hear the person on the other end, he had moved to the side to take the call making “I’ll just be a moment signals at her” as she had smiled gently back at him, knowing who would be on the other end.
Now alone, Kira had waited for her companion to return, catching her reflection in one of the many mirrored columns that littered the large airy space. With a small grimace she had noted how unkempt she looked, smiling at her own vanity, despite the fact that at 26 there was nothing unkempt about her – Kira Black was stunning. Her slim, curvatious figure and long shapely legs turned eyes wherever she went, and her long blonde hair held loosely at the nape of her slender neck shone like spun gold framing her beautiful face. However, it was her large Aqua blue eyes so innocent and gentle which really had men’s’ pulses racing, though she seemed completely oblivious to it.
Looking over at Bill Thomson, her boss, she had smiled seeing the happy look on his face, knowing that she had been right in assuming his wife, Marissa, had been on the phone. Sighing softly she had reflected on what had brought them both from the cold and wet of London to the dry heat of Las Vegas for a whole weeks of business, the main point of which was to meet with a client from the Superior to discuss overhauling part of the hotel, the presentation a formality they were assured.
The news of the contract had been a relief, as the company had been struggling due to a downturn in the home market, and this was a huge opportunity for them, one which could see the company break into the international one. Prior to this they had only been able or willing to take on local contracts. However, due to hard work; Kira had helped to put the company in a position in which it could compete with bigger competitors, quickly raising their profile on the worldwide stage.
So successful had their reputation became that they had been personally invited to bid for the lucrative contract, a fact which she was informed was more of a formality than a necessity, and which now saw them standing in the impressive, if not slightly shabby Las Vegas hotel. They had arrived in the hot Nevada Town that Tuesday evening, and were planning on flying back home the following Tuesday night, something Kira was happy about as she did not like being away from home so long.
As Bill talked to his wife, Kira had looked around the foyer distractedly. She loved old hotels because of the many hidden details within the architectural design of the buildings and this building was no different. While it did indeed look a little dated she could see the wonderful bones of the impressive structure, and made a mental note to herself to take some time to sketch some of the cornicing details on the ceiling. She had found that many of these old details worked well with newer designs to give fresh perspectives on older buildings whilst still retaining the elegance of the original builds. Inwardly she had laughed at herself a smile rising to her lovely lips. Here she was in party central -in Las Vegas - and she was getting excited at the thought of drawing parts of a building, and with an inward giggle she had thought to herself how she had to get herself a new life.
As she scanned the foyer, she had become aware of a group of woman close by, giggling and whispering to each other like young teenagers, all smiling seductively at someone moving towards them. Her interest piqued she had turned round to see the object of their obvious desire, her whole body instantly freezing as she recognised the man moving towards her, the smile falling from her lips as her large eyes stared in stunned shock.