‘Mr…er…Wyndham? Luiz Valquez. Daisy was a little under the weather last night so I—’
‘Drunk?’ her father exploded. ‘How dare you suggest such a thing? Do you have any idea of whom you’re dealing with here?’
Luiz’s mouth developed a smirk, which Daisy was eminently glad her father couldn’t see. ‘Yes, sir, I do. You’re a loving father who is concerned about his daughter’s welfare.’
She grimaced. Her father hated being patronised. She waited for the fallout. Any second now… She exchanged a quick look with Luiz. He wasn’t looking unduly worried. If anything, there was a glint of amusement in his dark gaze.
‘Parli italiano?’ her father demanded.
‘Sì.’
The rest of the exchange was conducted in rapid-fire Italian and, while Daisy was moderately good at languages, she wasn’t that good. Whatever was said was short and to the point. Luiz showed little emotion on his face but she noticed the smirk had gone by the time the call ended and he handed back her phone. ‘Quite a guy.’
‘He’s really sweet when you get to know him.’
There was a pregnant silence.
‘What did he say to you?’ Daisy asked.
‘Nothing much.’
She chewed her lip again. Her father could be quite threatening at times. He was all bluster, of course. He wouldn’t hurt a fly if push came to shove. She reached for her purse again. ‘I guess I should let you get on with your morning.’
Luiz’s hand on her arm stalled her. ‘There’ll be press out there.’
‘Press?’
His look was grim. ‘Paparazzi. They follow me everywhere.’
‘Oh…’ Daisy hadn’t got as far as thinking beyond leaving his hotel suite before she made a complete fool of herself and begged him to kiss her. Being in his company had been far more pleasant than she’d expected. He was funny and charming and his gallantry towards her had totally ambushed her determination to dislike him. ‘What should I do?’
‘Leave all the talking to me.’
Daisy had spent most of her life having her voice silenced by her father. She wasn’t going to let another man, even one as gorgeous and sexy as Luiz Valquez, speak for her. For the moment she’d play along but he would soon find out she wasn’t as wet behind the ears as he thought. ‘What will you say to them?’
‘I’ll think of something.’
Something that might not reflect too well on her, Daisy thought. His scandalously racy reputation was well known. Being found in his room was not going to do hers any favours. She would be painted as one of his groupies for sure. No way was she going to be portrayed as yet another one of his one-night stands. She would have to think of something a little more fitting for a London kindergarten teacher who had the school board to consider.
Luiz reached for the champagne in the ice bucket. ‘Have a drink with me.’
‘At this hour?’
He popped the cork and poured the delicate bubbles into the crystal long-stemmed flutes. He handed her one, clinking his against hers in a toast. ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.’
Daisy took a sip of the champagne, feeling decidedly decadent on top of her calorie-rich breakfast. ‘Hair of the dog, huh?’
‘Works for me.’
She watched as he took a measured sip of his drink. His smile had faded and two pleats had formed between his brows. ‘Is something wrong?’
His features relaxed but she could still see a faint line of tension around his mouth. ‘What are your plans for the rest of your stay? Have you booked any tours?’
‘No, the girls have but I wanted to do my own thing. I hate structured tours. I like to mooch around and get a feel for the place on my own.’
‘Fancy me as a guide for the next couple of hours?’
Daisy fancied him full stop. Big time. The longer she spent in his company, the more tempted she was to relax her good girl standards and take a walk on the wild side with him. Besides, hadn’t he already demonstrated his trustworthiness? What would be the harm in hanging out with him for the rest of the day? Maybe even a few days?
A little thought took hold in her mind… She could have a holiday fling with him to get herself out there. He wasn’t interested in anything permanent. And there was no way she could ever be serious about someone so unsuitable as husband material. But for a few days of flirting and fun…who better than a man who really knew how to lay on the charm? ‘Are you sure you’re not too busy?’
‘For you, querida?’ He clinked his glass against hers once more, his black eyes gleaming. ‘I am more than happy to clear my diary.’