‘A word of advice before you go.’
Daisy pursed her lips. ‘Go on.’ If you must. She didn’t say that bit out loud. She didn’t need to. Her folded arms and rolled eyes said it for her.
He pointed to the drink she had left behind. ‘Don’t leave your drinks unattended.’
She gave him an irritated glance. How galling to have him point out her oversight. It made her feel all the more foolish and gauche. ‘I have been out at night before.’
‘Maybe, but some of the nightclubs along the strip have had a problem with drink spiking. Better to be safe than sorry.’
‘I know how to take care of myself.’
His eyes had the most annoying habit of staring at her mouth, which made her want to stare at his. She fought the impulse but within a heartbeat her gaze had tracked to the sensual seam that was no longer smiling but set in more serious lines. For some reason it made him even more stop-the-traffic gorgeous. She drew in a breath that felt as if it had thumbtacks attached. The ear-throbbing music faded into the background. The sweaty, gyrating crowd on the dance floor might have been in another state for all the notice she took of them. In spite of all the competing aftershaves and expensive perfumes, she could still smell him. The sharp fresh tang of his cologne was imprinted in her brain and she knew she would never be able to walk past a cypress pine without wanting to hug it. It was a shame he was so arrogant. A little fling with someone like him would have been fun to talk about with the girls when she got home.
But a one-night stand?
Out of the question.
Daisy gave him an arch look. ‘Do I have lipstick on my teeth or something?’
‘Why don’t you smile so I can check?’
She pressed her lips together. Where was a naughty step when you needed one? ‘Why did you come over to talk to me?’
His eyes twinkled as they held hers. ‘I saw you staring at me.’
‘I wasn’t staring!’ Daisy spluttered. ‘My friends pointed you out and I merely glanced at you to see if I recognised you, which I didn’t. Sorry if that upsets your ego.’ She wasn’t one bit sorry.
A hint of a smile still lurked in the black ink of his eyes. ‘It doesn’t.’
‘No, I imagine not.’ She knew she sounded ridiculously prim but she couldn’t seem to help it. The words kept coming out in a steady stream—sounding scarily like Miss Edith Cassidy, her starchy soon-to-retire headmistress. ‘I expect you’re used to young women the world over dropping into a swoon when they see you but I’m not one to be impressed by outward appearances.’
‘What does impress you?’
Daisy paused as she thought about it. ‘Erm…’
He leaned back against the bar and crossed one ankle over the other as if prepared to settle in for the night. ‘Money?’
She frowned. ‘Of course not.’
His mouth curved in a cynical arc. ‘What, then?’
‘Manners. Intellect. Morality.’
His smile became an amused chuckle. ‘An old-fashioned girl hanging out in Vegas. Who would’ve thought?’