Hmmm…another side effect I hadn't thought of until now—there would be no "other" woman's perfume on a guy. Nor some other guy's cologne on a woman. That could precipitate some room swapping. But Paige could forget about getting in on my fake relationship action.

  I stroked Dex's cheek and looked deeply into his eyes. It was a game, a power play, a show on my part. I was in control. Not fate. Not him. Me.

  My boldness backfired on me. I didn't realize until it was too late that I had been searching for a look of recognition, a flicker of something that looked like my soul mate, of something that meant his soul recognized mine. Until I saw my own desire mirrored in his eyes.

  My breath caught.

  The door next to us swung open.

  I looked away, hoping he hadn't seen.

  Justin and Kayla stepped out, looking like the perfect couple. Appearing genuinely in love, no faking allowed. How could they have ever been anything else?

  Kayla was dressed in an expensive cocktail dress that left little to the imagination and showed off her fabulous, toned figure. Not an ounce of pregnancy showed on her yet. Her new clutch purse was slung over her shoulder, bursting with play money.

  Justin and Kayla were beaming and holding hands. As we headed downstairs, they exchanged intimate looks. At one point, Kayla winked at me. I assumed she'd given Justin the baby news and he was ecstatic about it.

  Justin leaned in and whispered something to Dex, who grinned and slapped Justin on the back. Further confirmation.

  Kayla shook her new purse. "How much money do we have to play with? Anyone know?"

  "Five thousand in Chrissy and Adam dollars," Dex said. "According to Charles, when he complained about it to me earlier. And a multitude of prizes to spend it on. Or raffles to enter with it. There's supposed to be a display."

  "How much will five grand buy me?" Kayla asked, giving pointed looks to Dex and her husband.

  "Killjoy," Dex said. "The point tonight is to drink heavily and gamble recklessly. That's what play money is for. To answer your question—a raffle ticket. Maybe. The point is to increase your stash, not keep it clutched in your purse."

  As we came down the stairs to the lobby, we heard the strains of a live band.

  "Adam's old band?" Dex asked Justin.

  Justin listened. "Sounds like them."

  The lobby had been transformed into a rustic yet elegant casino. Roulette tables, craps tables, backgammon stations, and card tables filled the space, decorated with ribbons in pink and gray like wedding pews.

  "No slot machines?" I said. "They're one of the things I know how to play."

  "Stick with me, doll," Dex whispered, hot in my ear. "I'll show you the ropes."

  We arrived for cocktail hour. At the bottom of the stairs, a waiter greeted us with a tray of pink cocktails in glasses etched with the bridal couple's monogram. "The Crisadam, ladies and gentlemen."

  A floral stem of edible lavender and sugared miniature roses decorated the drink. It was a gorgeous cocktail.

  "The Crisadam?" Kayla took a cocktail napkin in light gray, also with the bridal couple's monogram. "Nice celebrity couple name. What's in the cocktail?"

  "It's rum-based with slightly floral notes of lavender and rose-infused syrup."

  "Sounds delicious. Do you have a non-alcoholic version? I'm the designated adult tonight." She shot Dex and Justin a mock-reproving look.

  "We have a lovely dry lavender soda for guests who prefer not to drink." The waiter pointed toward the bar. "We're serving them at the bar. I can get you one, ma'am—"

  "I'll get you one, Kay," Justin said. "I'd like something less floral, too. Charles will be serving whisky. I'd rather have that."

  "Not drinking, Lala? Is there something you two want to tell us, Lala?" Dex lifted an eyebrow.

  "Did you not hear the part about being the responsible adult?" Kayla said.

  "You've changed since college, Lala. You've lost your zest for a good time. Let loose. Have some fun tonight." Dex took a cocktail and handed it to me, squeezing me tightly against him as he took a drink for himself. "Let's not have a celebrity name."

  "Oh? Why not?" I egged him on. "Crisadam is a cute name for a cocktail. We could be Sheldex. That's nice."

  "Or Dexby," he said. "Where's that whisky?"

  "You always have to be on top." I blew in his ear and thought I heard his breath catch.

  We made our way to the bar. Justin got Kayla a lavender soda. Dex and Justin got twenty-five-year-old single-malt scotch and tried to one-up each other with their knowledge of it, then argued whether peaty was better than not.

  Dex surveyed the games. "If we're going to clean up, we need a strategy."

  "I thought poker was your strategy?" I was serious.

  "It is. Blackjack and poker. When I'm on my own." He whispered in my ear, "Blackjack, because I count cards. Poker, because I'm damn good at it. They're playing three-card poker tonight. That's good. It's fast. Of all the poker variations, three-card gives the house the least edge because of the skill involved. Against me, the house has barely any edge at all." He laughed. "Do you play poker?"

  "No."

  "Do you want to learn?"

  "Sometime," I said. "Not here. You can teach me in private. I've heard strip poker is fun." I lifted an eyebrow flirtatiously.

  "Sounds good to me. But that makes poker a solo game for me."

  "I'd love to watch you play." I took a sip of my drink. It was a girly drink, but utterly delicious. "Learn a thing or two. See if your skill lives up to all the hype."

  "Baby." He gave me a quick kiss that tasted of smoky whisky. "I'd rather you not learn anything before we play strip poker."

  I laughed. "So you think I'll learn too quickly?"

  He grinned. "Tonight I'd rather start with a game we can both play. Craps?"

  "No." I curled against his shoulder and stroked his cheek. "But I'm good at blowing on dice." I whispered for his ears only, "I'm good at blowing a lot of things."

  "In that case, you can blow on my dice later." He grinned wickedly. "Backgammon?" He looked hopeful.

  "Years ago in elementary school. I wasn't great."

  He tightened his grip on my waist and whispered in my ear. "Roulette is pretty much a non-skill game."

  I felt the thrill of his touch all the way to my toes. "Roll the dice. Spin the wheel. Any game I play with you will be thrilling." I glanced at the prize station set up across the room. "But I'd like to know what I'm playing for. See how much risk I'm willing to take."

  I kissed him lightly. I wasn't prepared for the hungry way he kissed me back, or the way the touch of his lips made me ache for more.

  When he released me, I took a sip of my drink to cover my reaction to him. "Delicious." But I meant more than the Crisadam.

  The prize table was set up in the corner. As the four of us strolled over, Dex introduced me to an overwhelming number of people. He and Justin seemed to know everybody. Dex was at ease joking and making small talk with people. Confident. Quick with a comeback. A fun guy to be at a party with.

  He introduced me proudly, beaming. I was able to hold my own in conversation, but I enjoyed watching him interact with people. Almost everyone asked about Charlie and how things were going at Puppy Love—and ribbed Dex about actually bringing a human female as his date for once. I heard "I thought you'd show up with Charlie" so often that it lost its humor.

  I seemed to be a curiosity. People weren't used to seeing Dex with a date. It was sweet. I was happy to be the woman he'd chosen to bring.

  "Charles has backed or mentored or worked with most of these people we've talked to," Dex whispered to me.

  We finally arrived at the prize table. Each prize had a play money price tag attached. I immediately saw what I wanted. Of course, it was one of the priciest items. It was selfish, but…

  I stopped in front of it to admire it more closely. Even the little signature robin's-egg-blue box gave me heart palpitations. I'd always dreamed of owning a status item from that prestigious jewelry store. If it were mine, I'd even put the box on display. "Is that a real diamond tennis bracelet?"

  It would have been a cruel joke if it weren't.

  "I'm sure it is." Dex leaned over it for a look. "Chrissy is a regular jewelry customer there, from what I hear. Both she and Paige. Pretty."

  "Pretty?" I shook my head. "It's stunning. Fabulous—" I bit my lip.

  The attendant behind the table stepped up. "Would you like to try it on?"

  I put my hand to my heart. "May I?"

  "Of course." He took it out of the box and handed it to me.

  I draped it over my wrist, afraid to move as I admired the sparkle.

  "It looks good on you," Dex said.

  Kayla pointed to something. "Look! We can get more than a raffle ticket with our five grand. We can get his-and-her Adam and Chrissy rubber duckies for the girls and a raffle ticket." She sounded almost as excited as I was about the bracelet.

  Justin must have spoiled her with a lot of expensive jewelry for her to be so immune to its charms.

  "The girls will be expecting us to bring them home a treat. They would love those duckies. They'd be a big hit at bath time—"

  Justin rolled his eyes. "In your dreams, baby. I'm not blowing our wad on rubber duckies. Think big. Shoot big. I'm going to win enough to buy you something spectacular." He paused. "Ooh. What's that? I see a bottle of whisky calling my name."

  Dex ignored Justin and stared at the bracelet on my wrist. "You like jewelry?"

  "Is that a rhetorical question? I'm in hot, heavy jewelry lust over that thing. Have you ever seen anything so gorgeous?"

  His gaze ran over me, slow and lingering. He smiled seductively. My heart trilled. It was so flattering that I almost blushed.

  I reluctantly handed the bracelet back to the attendant.

  Dex took a closer look at the price of the bracelet. "How much is it?" he asked the attendant.

  "It's a steal at a hundred thousand Crisadam dollars." The attendant put the bracelet back in the box.

  Dex looked at me and sighed dramatically. "Are you trying to get me thrown out of this casino?" His grin was cocky as he spoke to the attendant. "Put that on layaway for me. I'll be back for it."

  The attendant laughed. "I'm sorry, sir. We don't have a layaway plan."

  "It's cash and carry only," Justin said.

  "No problem. Just give me a heads-up before you let anyone else buy it. I'll beat their price." Dex winked at the attendant.

  Justin leaned in and whispered to Dex, "Isn't it bad enough that you count cards? No bribing the attendants."

  "Since when is a tip bribing?" Dex put on a totally innocent expression.

  "We're already five percent of the way there, high roller." I leaned into Dex.

  "That's true of everyone right now," Dex said.

  "Yeah, but I thought you said you were good."

  "I never said good," he said, looking almost offended. "I'm nothing short of exceptional."

  "And totally humble. He was born with that gene." Kayla shoulder-bumped her cousin.

  "Too bad he wasn't born with the family good looks." Justin pulled Kayla close and kissed her.

  I made kissy lips in the air for Dex's benefit. "Exceptional? Even better. Show me."

  "I plan to." He waggled his brows.

  I laughed. "Seriously. What catches your eye?"

  "Anything that catches yours."

  "Too noncommittal."

  He shrugged. When I pressed him, he pointed to the raffle for a couple's getaway. "The vacation looks fun. But odds of winning are completely random. You buys your ticket, you takes your chances. I prefer a sure deal."

  "There's a bottle of that scotch you're drinking." It sat securely and discreetly behind the table in a locked glass cabinet. The bracelet sat out on the table where any old person could take a closer look at it. But the scotch, they locked up.

  I pointed it out. "It's a steal at only fifty grand."

  "Where?"

  I pointed to the cabinet.

  "Nothing to see there, buddy." Justin waved his arm in front of Dex. "That is not the whisky you're looking for. That's mine."

  "Damn." Dex leaned over the table for a closer look and whistled softly. "That isn't what I'm drinking. Thirty-five-year-old Brora? Are you fucking kidding me?"

  "Expensive?" I asked.

  "Yeah. Thousands a bottle. More importantly, almost impossible to get. I'm going to have to get that before Justin does." He gave his friend the evil eye.

  Justin laughed. "What do you say we work together? Pool our winnings. Have a party later to savor it."

  "Oh, no." Kayla shook her head. "Last time you two worked together, you ended up in the shower together and one of you ended up in the emergency room. I still get hives every time I think of that shower."

  "What?" Dex said. "Prude. Thoughts of two hot guys in the shower together should turn you on—"

  "You're not helping," Justin said. He turned to Kayla. "I'll buy you the rubber duckies. I'll even go so far as to buy a pair for each girl so they don't fight over whose is whose and which is prettier."

  Kayla crossed her arms. "Not a fair trade."

  "There's a picture of another one," I said.

  "That's a preorder for a first-release Brora that won't be out for a few years. Still a good prize."

  Dex was still staring at the Brora, totally enthralled and practically drooling at the thought of that whisky. "I'm in. First we win enough for a pair of rubber duckies and a diamond bracelet. And then whisky for us."

  "Deal."

  He and Justin shook hands.

  Kayla shook her head.

  A woman tapped Dex on the shoulder. He spun around. "Ellie!" He pulled her into a hug.

  The guy she was with and I stood quietly by, extras waiting to be introduced.

  "I've been looking for you, Ellie." Dex pulled me close. "I want you to meet Shelby. Shelby, my friend and most trusted employee, Ellie Martin."

  "Nice to meet you," I said. "Dex talks about you all the time. Unfortunately, I have the feeling you've heard about me, too. In an embarrassing way. I'm the woman who made a fool of herself at Puppy Love. I accused Charlie of dog raping my Bella." I winced. "But hearing more about Charlie, and meeting his charming owner, I've come to believe the sex was probably consensual. I'll never live that scene down."

  Ellie laughed. "Charlie's a charmer, all right. Dex? The jury's still out. I wouldn't be so sure about not living it down. You've redeemed yourself by saving Dex from making a monk out of himself. And become something of a folk hero at Puppy Love. People aren't used to seeing the boss taken down a peg."

  Dex rolled his eyes. "Christopher." Dex shook Ellie's date's hand. "I warn you—no jokes about expecting me to bring Charlie as my date. We've heard that one too many times tonight. Haven't we, Shelby?"

  "I can believe it," Ellie answered for me. "Charlie's an affectionate dog. As Shelby can attest to." Ellie winked and looked at Dex. "It looks like things turned out well enough for everyone. Dex got a plus-one, and Charlie got out of being his date. He's a great dog at a party, but he's not fond of weddings."

  "Yeah," Dex said. "He caused a bit of trouble at Jake's."

  Despite the lighthearted banter, I got the distinct impression that I was under the microscope. Ellie would be hard to fool.

  "Looking over the prizes?" Christopher asked.

  "Admiring them," I said.

  "She likes that bracelet." Dex pointed it out. "What my girl wants, she gets."

  Ellie shook her head. "Oh, no. You've inadvertently issued Dex a challenge. It's clear you're still getting to know each other. Never give him a challenge. He's relentless. And ruthless."

  "That wasn't in the dossier, babe," I said to him.

  "Dossier?" Ellie frowned.

  "Never mind." Dex squeezed my hand.

  Justin and Kayla joined in the conversation.

  It was immediately obvious why Dex and Ellie were such good friends. They played off each other well. Ellie was smart and sassy. But Christopher? He was…nice. And…bland. Background noise, if you like.

  Some couples obviously made it work when one was the front man and the other quietly took back seat. But I didn't see it with them. The chemistry, the zing, was missing. They appeared to get along, but I didn't feel the sizzle. I was surprised they were engaged. They were mismatched. Settled. Comfortable with each other. They seemed safe together. But was safe enough?

  "What's your strategy for the night?" Ellie asked Dex. "I know you have one. You never do anything without a plan. You've probably already mapped out which games have the best odds of winning and the order you're going to play them for maximum fun and profit."

  "You really think I'm going to give away my winning strategy?" he joked. "You'll just follow me around trying to copy."

  "Copy?" Ellie shook her head and clucked her tongue. "Improve, you mean. But I'm at a disadvantage. I don't count cards."

  Dex laughed. "Sucks to be you."

  "Charles knows you do," Ellie said. "He'll have warned his blackjack dealers to be on the lookout."

  Dex shrugged. "Eh, they'll never catch me. And if they do, what are they going to do? Kick me out? Charles will never let them throw out his favorite guest."

  "Favorite guest." Ellie snorted and looked me up and down. "Charles might not. But Paige will if she catches you. She's already probably green that you're here with Shelby."

  "Oh, she is," Dex said, admiring me.

  "I've already been glittered this morning in one of her pranks," I said.

  "Really? I want to hear all about that." Ellie turned to Dex. "You didn't stop it?"

  "He was a second too late." I flashed Dex an adoring look.

  "We're going to the roulette wheels," Dex said. "Join us. We'll tell you the story on the way."

  Happy hour passed in a flash. We drank. And gambled. And won. And drank some more. And ate a few appetizers. And flirted. And stretched the bounds of what was flirting. And drank some more.

  About an hour in, the wedding party returned from their rehearsal. Charles ordered everyone to get a drink and made a toast to the happy couple. After, he opened the buffet and invited everyone to join in after the bridal couple.