Meliza and Tina spent an hour playing various games. Meliza would teach her how to play the game so the odds would be in her favor, and not of the casino’s.

At one poker table, Meliza had bet five hundred and won. Shortly, a waiter came by to deliver a glass of champagne. Meliza and Tina looked at him, puzzled.

“I didn’t order that,” Meliza said in surprise.

“I know, madam…but the gentleman at table six insisted that upon winning your game, I give you this glass,” the waiter responded. It wasn’t new to him. Guy finding a girl attractive, so he buys her a drink in hopes of her noticing him. He had seen even stranger methods.

“Thank you…” Meliza accepted the glass and took a small sip. “Rasberry champagne?”

“Yes, madam.”

“I like it,” Meliza grinned. Then she turned to Tina. “Let’s go see who ‘gentleman at table six’ is…”

The women moved through the crowd of people before reaching another poker table. They stood behind the dealer, getting a clear view of the players. One of the players was very familiar. The man from earlier. He looked up, and a wry smile lifted his lips. The dealer displayed his hand to everyone, and the players put their cards down. Tina and Meliza tiptoed, seeing that he had the best hand. The dealer handed him several chips, and the other players left the table, hoping to find luck elsewhere.

Meliza stepped forward. “I think you’re scaring the customers away.”

He grinned. “It’s fine with me. Just as long as I don’t scare you away.”

Meliza blinked. He actually said that. Probably one of the corniest pick up lines she had heard. Judging by his laughing eyes, he knew it, too. She lifted the glass of champagne that she still had yet to finish. “Thank you…for this.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied. Then he gestured to the table. “Would you like to play?”

Meliza smiled. “Maybe some other time…”

“Why not?” Tina hissed in her ear.

Meliza shot her friend a look.

“Listen, I-” he began when a ringing filled the air. He unhooked a cellular phone from his back pocket.

“Lucky phone…” Tina murmured.

“Are you always thinking with your hormones?” Meliza whispered.

“Hello?” he said, after flipping the phone open and pulling up the antenna. He frowned slightly. “Yeah…Okay…” He rolled his eyes heavenward. “I know…Don’t worry, I’ll be fine…Just a minute…” He held the phone away from himself, offering the women an apologetic smile. “Sorry, but I’m going to have to take this phone call. Maybe I’ll see you ladies around.”

“Okay,” Tina replied.

He walked off, cell phone close to his ear, continuing his conversation.

“Now what do we do?” Tina asked.

“This casino/hotel is having a formal party in honor of the new general manager. Why don’t we go to The Flagship for a change of clothes and come back here?” Meliza suggested.

“Ooh…great idea!” Tina smiled enthusiastically.

In a secluded area of the lobby, an unknown man was talking on the phone to his ‘boss’. He spoke in hushed tones.

“I have it taken care of…No one suspects anything…” His eyes narrowed to slits. “I thought we agreed that I was going to do this my way.”

The voice on the other end started barking orders, causing him to wince, pulling the phone away from his ear.

“My way is the only way that this will work, and you know it,” he replied before hanging up.

Two hours later (yes, two hours later…some ladies DON’T take forever to get ready), Meliza and Tina strolled into Gold Digger. Tina had worn a red strapless gown with an ankle-length skirt. Meliza had worn a dark blue long-sleeved, ankle length dress. It had a wide, square neckline, and a mid-thigh slit on each side of the skirt. They surveyed the casino, which was connected to the ballroom. Streamers dangled from the ceiling, and a disco ball spun in slow revolutions, casting light reflection onto the floor.

A stage with a jazz band was placed at the front of the ballroom. The new general manager was at the microphone. He had silver graying hair and was wearing a simple black Armani suit.

“Everyone, the waiters are passing around glasses of champagne. Take a glass. I want to thank you all for coming here in honor of my great promotion,” the general manager stated.

Meliza and Tina got themselves a glass from a waiter passing by.

“This is to the good people that come to this city,” the general manager announced.

Meliza surveyed the room, until her eyes rested on one familiar male who was about fifty feet away. His eyes met hers and he raised his glass slightly.

Meliza smiled back briefly and lifted hers in response.

“I am in this business because of you people and am proud of it!” The GM then sipped his champagne.

The female gambler looked up to see that the spot where he once stood…was now occupied by a plump woman in a green dress. Her throat and ears shimmered with diamonds. Meliza glanced to her right to see that Tina was at the refreshment stand. Hope the punch isn’t spiked, Meliza thought.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were following me,” a deep timbre murmured into her ear.

She didn’t even need to turn her head to know who the speaker was. “You flatter yourself. I could say the same about you…”

He chuckled. “What if I told you that you were right? Would that make you feel better?”

“Just a little,” she smiled as she sipped her champagne.

“Does the lady have a name?” he queried.

“Meliza.”

“Last name?”

She grinned. “That’s classified.”

“What are my chances of finding out about you and your last name?”

“Slim. Very slim.” Meliza fought back a grin. She could be a flirtatious person, but she wasn’t known to be a tease.

“I’m Andrew Rivera.”

“Meliza Rinaldo,” she replied, turning to face him so she could shake his hand.

His eyes widened slightly. “Of the Rinaldo Casino Resort chain?”

Meliza shrugged. “That’s the one…”

“I was a big fan of your father’s. Always read his books and bought videos on gambling. How’s your father doing, anyway?” he continued.

“I can’t say. I haven’t seen him in a while,” Meliza said softly.

“Moving up in the world, huh?”

“Pretty much…”

Tina spotted them from the refreshment stand and waved. She was talking to a tall, blond man dressed in a pinstripe suit.

“Does your friend know about-?”

“No, and I’d like to keep it that way,” Meliza said quietly.

“I won’t tell if you won’t tell,” he grinned.

She smiled with relief. “Thanks.”

“Anything to please the lady,” Andrew responded. “Would you like to dance?”

Meliza blinked. “I…It’s been a while since I danced…” As if on cue, the lights dimmed and the band began to play a slow tune. “I might step on your feet.”

“Is that your way of saying ‘no’?” he asked, grinning.

Meliza cleared her throat. “Well, I…” She watched as he took her champagne glass and set it on a nearby table along with his. She merely followed him when he took her hand, leading her to the dance floor.

He gathered her in his arms, moving to the slow beat. Andrew smiled slightly, noticing her stiff frame.

“It’s kind of hard to dance when you’re like that,” he chided.

Meliza took a deep breath, trying to adjust herself. Her hands were on his shoulders, her arms resting against his. They were about an inch apart. This felt completely new to her. She knew what it was…she was just trying hard to fight it. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt such a strong attraction. And she had only known him for about twenty minutes. She knew nothing about him…and she had always prided herself in being more in-control of her emotions. However, she had always been a sucker for good-looking men. Good-looking men who knew how to dress and wore subtle aftershave that lingered on him and his clothes.

“Just letting you know…” he murmured, his breath brushing her forehead and wisps of her hair, “…I’m going to keep dancing after this song…”

She hid her smile, moving her hands up so they laced behind his neck. He instantly felt her relax against him. Andrew smiled.

The two caught sight of Tina on the dance floor with the man she had been talking to. She waved enthusiastically, and Meliza lifted her hand in response.

“So how did you two meet?” he asked. She could feel him nod his head in Tina’s direction.

“We met at a hotel in Asia. There was a casino in the hotel, awas having trouble with one of the players, so I helped her out,” Meliza explained. “After that…she wanted to learn about gambling, so we’re just kind of casino-hopping on safer ground.”

Suddenly, gunfire erupted into the room. High-pitched screams filled the air as everyone threw themselves to the ground, covering their heads. Andrew had shielded Meliza as a protective gesture, but she managed to look around, scanning the room for her friend. Tina’s wide green eyes met hers from behind the shoulder of her dance partner. The lone person holding a FAMAS, responsible for causing the chaos, was none other than the Gold Digger’s general manager.