Notorious by Vicki Lewis Thompson Page A

he was strong as an ox.
    â€œI think I look like a high roller,” Greg said, sucking in hisstomach. “Maybe this getup will convince somebody to give me a suite on your floor, Noah.”
    â€œThis from a guy who bombed out on nickel slots,” Clint said.
    Immediately Greg wanted to debate the possibility of a system for playing slots. Noah tried to concentrate on the conversation, but Greg’s mention of the suite had derailed him. Once again all he could think about was Keely.
    He could even smell raspberries. Amazing how a scent could stay with you like that, even when the source was…Wait a minute. He turned toward the door of the tux shop and, sure enough, Keely had just walked inside.
    She didn’t look at him. His heart raced as he wondered what she was up to. If she’d meant to blow his cover, she would have come right over and greeted him. Instead, she wandered around the shop gazing at the displays, while his three friends stared openmouthed at her.
    He couldn’t blame them. With her tousled hair and short, flirty dress, she was a traffic stopper, all right.
    The clerk hurried up to her. “May I help you with something?”
    She turned her high-wattage smile on him. “I’m getting ideas.”
    Noah would bet the ranch on that one.
    The clerk nodded happily. “When is the happy occasion?”
    Keely’s glance flicked ever-so-slightly in Noah’s direction. “Soon.” Then her attention swung back to Noah with more purpose. “And, you know, that’s quite a bit like what I had in mind, right there.”
    Noah forced himself to breathe normally as she came toward him. He didn’t have to look to know that his buddies were watching intently.
    Her green eyes held that sparkle of devilment that was pure Keely. “ Very nice,” she said, giving him the once-over. “Would you turn around, please, so I can see how it looks in the back?”
    He really didn’t have a choice. He turned.
    â€œYes,” she murmured. “Exactly what I’m looking for.”
    He faced her again and hoped the red in his face didn’t clash too much with the dove-gray coat. “I need to get changed.” He winced at the obvious catch in his voice.
    â€œThank you for letting me look.” The corners of her mouth tilted up. “The key is in the fit of the trousers, don’t you think?”
    She was torturing him and she knew it. He heard muffled laughter coming from the back of the shop where his friends had gathered to observe the action. No doubt they thought he was being picked up, assuming he was willing to be picked up.
    â€œWe think of ourselves as the premier tux shop in town,” the clerk said, puffing out his chest with pride.
    â€œAnd accessibility certainly is a key factor in that,” Keely said. “Accessibility and availability are the keys to success in any venture, in my opinion.”
    â€œAbsolutely,” agreed the clerk.
    Noah was afraid he’d sweat through this outfit if he stood there much longer listening to her sexy comments. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go take this off,” he said.
    â€œNow, there’s something else I need to know,” Keely said. “Do your dressing rooms have keys? ”
    Noah nearly came unglued. He couldn’t look at the clerk. “I’ll be in the back,” he said. And if Keely followed him into the dressing room and tried anything, he’d…well, he’d do something. He wasn’t sure what. At the moment the idea of Keely in the dressing room with him was causing a problem with the fit of his trousers, and he had to get away from her.
    â€œI’ll bet that man is a key player in whatever he does,” she commented as he hurried toward the short hallway leading to the dressing rooms.
    â€œI couldn’t tell you,” the clerk said. “Now, how many tuxedos will you be requiring for your