Reno Nevada 1996
David Peters stared at the woman in the sexy dress sitting comfortably at the roulette table. She appeared to be alone except for the stacks of chips in front of her. The silver and diamond bracelet she wore must've been a good luck charm because every bet she placed seemed to come up a winner.
She was the type of 'sight to see' David was hoping for when he booked his vacation. He was taken with the hypnotic femininity of the lady in black. Her dark hair, deep eyes, and long slender legs were almost too much for the man recently left heartbroken.
David was startled when the man next to him said, "Hard not to stare isn't it?"
After a quick shake of his head, David replied, "What do you mean?"
A nondescript man in a plain gray suit smiled and said, "The hottie at the roulette table. I think everyone in the casino has noticed you staring at her."
"Is it that apparent?"
"Buddy you look like one of those cartoon characters whose eyes bulge out of their head."
"I can't help it. She's amazing. She acts like she owns the place. Do you know if she is a regular?"
The nondescript man responded, "She's not a regular, but when she's here, I keep my eye on her."
David's mind began to wonder. Why was such a good-looking woman sitting alone in a casino? Did she love the thrill of gambling? Was she hoping to find someone?
He looked closely at how the dress accentuated her erotic curves. Thin straps were the only thing covering the smooth skin of her chest and shoulders. The low cut showed off a set of ample breasts that fit perfectly on the rest of her statuesque figure. David felt a stir of wanton, there was just something about this woman.
As if she could feel him watching her, the woman lifted her gaze and looked directly at David. She held his stare and smiled coyly while simultaneously dropping a handful of chips on black twenty-nine.
There was a rumble amongst the onlookers as the croupier spun the wheel. The marble zipped around the numbered slots before eventually falling into a spot and staying there.
"Twenty-nine. Black!" the croupier called, eliciting a bit of applause.
The woman smiled, collected all of her winnings in a small bucket, and made her way toward an outside patio. As she walked by David their eyes met again, her wry smile returned and this time her head leaned softly to one side. It was a subtle gesture, one most wouldn't have picked up on. But as smitten as David was he saw it as an invitation.
A woman hadn't shown interest in him in a long time and never had one so attractive even acknowledged his existence. A rush of excitement spurred him to follow her.
"Whoa you're going for it?" the nondescript man said as David walked away. "Good luck buddy."
In the time it took David to turn and say 'thanks' he'd lost track of the woman. He stepped out onto the patio and looked around. The space was filled with couples taking a break from the intensity of the casino for the ambiance of a desert night. The air was warm and dry. The moon was full, bathing the surrounding mountains in a soft light.
It took a moment for David to find the beautiful woman. She was sitting at a table for two taking in the view. He approached awkwardly not knowing what his next move should be. When he got to the edge of the table she turned her head and smiled at him for the third time.
"I was hoping you would follow me out here," she murmured in a slow sultry tone, "I could tell you wanted to meet me, and I definitely wanted to meet you."
'Wow, that was direct,' David thought. 'Could this really be starting so quickly?' Mustering up some confidence, he asked, "Can I sit down?"
She smirked at his unease, and waved a hand to the empty chair, "Well silly, hard to meet each other with you standing and me sitting, don't you think?"
"That's true," David said, shaking his head at how amateur he must seem.
"I'm Isabelle."
"I'm David."
"Well, thanks for coming over David. How's your first time in Reno?"
"How'd you know it was my first time in Reno?" David questioned.
"You have a look," she replied in a way that came across as flirty.
"Am I that obvious?"
"Yes, but it's cute."
"So, cute obvious," he mimicked, making air quotes with his fingers.
"Yes. Now you're getting it. Where are you from?"
"Cincinnati."
"Well, that's very Midwest. What do you do for work in Cincinnati?"
"I'm an electrician."
"So you fix people's shorts," she joked in a teasing voice.
David laughed, he had heard that electrician joke countless times before but never as a flirt. "Yes, but they have to let me check their box first," he countered.
Isabelle giggled, "You're quick. I like you already."
David's confidence was coming to him. Maybe he could pull off a conversation with this beautiful woman, "How about you, where are you from?"
"I'm from Kansas City."
"And for work?"
"I'm between jobs right now."
"Is that why you're in Reno, to get some roulette-driven income?"
"That's right," she said, tilting her head. "Look at you, you're cute and intuitive."
David grinned, "Thanks."
"So Mr. Cute and Intuitive are you going to buy me a drink?"
David drew a deep breath, "Absolutely."
"Good, I know a place."
David let his eyes roll over Isabelle as she stood and led him out. The thin black material of her dress had a shimmer that accentuated her sexy figure. He began to feel very excited. He'd come to Reno wishing something like this was going to happen. Was it possible his wish was about to become reality?
On their way out David noticed the nondescript man watching them. He acknowledged David's gaze by lifting his glass as if to toast his success.
After a few minutes' walk, the couple arrived at a quiet cocktail lounge tucked off the main street.
"This is right next to my hotel," David commented.
"Oh yeah, the Sherbrooke? I've stayed there as well, the view from the eighth floor is amazing."
With a grin of surprise, David said, "I'm on the eighth floor and thought the same thing. What a coincidence."
She smirked back at him, "Yes we seem to have a lot in common."
The lights of the lounge made her look even more attractive. Her eyes were a deep brown that went well with the natural beauty of her face. She sat on a high-top bar stool, adjusting her pose and dress to maximize the freedom of her shapely legs. David's eyes wandered taking in her toned calves, rounded knee, and just a glimpse of the alabaster skin of her inner thigh.
As David settled on the stool next to her, he noticed the news program on the TV behind the bar. It showed a man in handcuffs being taken out of a police car. The ticker beneath read, 'Special Report. Reno jewel thief arrested in Las Vegas. Stolen property not recovered. Accomplish still at large.'
David pointed it out, "They were talking about that guy when I checked in. He was hitting all the casinos on this strip, specifically targeting women's jewelry. Looks like they got him."
He drew his attention to Isabelle's silver and diamond bracelet, "Weren't you nervous flaunting that around?"
Her dark mysterious eyes were screened by long lashes, she signaled the bartender then said, "Why should I live my life in fear of something happening? If I let fear control me I would never leave my room, and if I never left my room I wouldn't be here having a drink with a good-looking guy like yourself."