But that had been no help to Yvonne. She wasn’t the relationship, let alone the marrying, type.

“It’s been almost ten years since my father died,” Yvonne said. “And here I am, unmarried, which means all that money is going to go to my half-brother instead.” It was bad enough that Nicholas had already inherited most of Yvonne’s father’s fortune. Now, he was going to get the rest of it.

“Huh.” Ruby took the toothpick from her drink and slid it into her mouth, sucking the olives from it. “So there’s really no way around the whole marriage thing? No loopholes?”

“If there was, I would have found it.” Yvonne picked up her scotch and swallowed a mouthful. “I’ve already accepted it. The money is as good as gone.” She’d resigned herself to that fact already, although she wasn’t happy about it.

Silence fell between them. Yvonne wasn’t surprised that Ruby had nothing to say about her problem. However, Yvonne had to admit, she was intrigued by the woman, though she had no intention of employing Ruby’s services. She didn’t sleep with escorts.

But there was no harm in enjoying Ruby’s company for a little while longer.

Ruby took one last sip of her cocktail, emptying her glass. “Well, that’s my drink done.” She stood up. “It was good talking to you.”

She glanced at Yvonne, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. When Yvonne said nothing, she turned and began walking away.

“Stop,” Yvonne commanded.

Ruby halted, turning back to Yvonne.

Yvonne beckoned her with a finger. “Do you drink scotch?”

Ruby nodded.

“You were right. This is too much scotch for one person. Why don’t you help me with it?”

Ruby’s lips parted slightly. She gave Yvonne a tantalizing smile. “Like I said, I’m all yours.”

For a split second, Yvonne wondered if this was a bad idea. Getting drunk with an escort in Vegas? That was irresponsible.

She pushed the thought aside and caught the eye of the bartender. He came over to them.

“We need another glass,” Yvonne said.

Chapter 2

Ruby awoke with a blistering headache. It was like someone had taken a jackhammer to her skull. As she rolled over, a wave of nausea hit her.

She groaned. She hadn’t had a hangover this bad since she was nineteen.

Ruby lay there with her eyes closed, waiting for the world to stop spinning. She definitely wasn’t in her own bed. The sheets enveloping her were too soft, the mattress too springy. Whose bed was she in? A client’s? She could barely remember a thing.

Ruby opened her eyes, immediately raising a hand to shield them from the harsh sunlight streaming through the window. It appeared to be late morning. She looked around the room. It was one of the premium suites at the hotel of the bar she’d been at the night before. She’d only been in a suite like this once. Only the real high rollers could afford them, which made them out of reach for most people, even her usual clients.