Night out at the MGM Grand

[ginger_hustler]

((Continued from hereIt had been a long time since Ginger had done this, she was back in her element. She turned to look around, seeing if there were any old faces she still knew as Danny bought his chips from the cashier. A couple of security guards nodded her way, and she smiled back in their direction

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[ocean_danny]

As Ginger slipped an arm through his, he wondered what Ace Rothstein would say if it got back to him that his wife was escorting him around the Grand. If she wasn't concerned, which she clearly wasn't, then he wasn't going to be either.

"You're my lucky charm Ginger. Why don't you pick."

[ocean_danny]

Danny looked at her and smiled.

"Okay, I'm trusting you on this one. Daddy needs a new pair of shoes!!"

[ginger_hustler]

"Let's hope my luck holds out then." She grinned.

"You could do with a new pair." Ginger teased, looking down at Danny's perfectly polished new expensive shoes.

The plan was a whip shot, send the dice down the table spinning on a vertical axis without them tumbling. And the fifty dollars she'd already slipped the boxman, would stop him disqualifying the roll. She kissed the dice for effect, then manipulated them in her hand to face the right way before she tried to pull off the roll.

As the dice went spinning down the table, she couldn't keep her eyes off them, so far so good...

[ocean_danny]

Danny noticed the throw. She'd clearly done this before. Together they were fixed on the roll of the dice. Neither of them needed the money, if they were honest, but the thrill of the gamble, getting something for nothing, was what spurred on Danny, at least.

[ginger_hustler]

Ginger loved this, she'd forgotten how the adrenalin rush felt as time seemed to slow down and the dice slowly came to a halt. She willed them to fall the right way, clenching her fist in anticipation.

And when they did fall the right way? She screamed out an excited 'YES' before planting an enthusiastic kiss on Danny's cheek.

When she raked the bet and the winnings in, the excitement around the table, gave her the opportunity to rake in more than just their own bet aswell. The half drunk man about six people down hadn't even noticed he'd won.

[ocean_danny]

Danny noticed the skim from the lucky, but drunk man's pot. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. It was just another example to him of how Ginger had gotten where she was.

He'd guessed she was a hustler to begin with, but not one so quite well versed in the art. Even aside from the obvious physical appeal of her, he could see why someone like Ace Rothstein would be attracted to her.

"So, you want to keep playing, or should we cash in his chips," referring to the man she had just stolen from, "and have a drink in the bar?"

[ginger_hustler]

"Lets cash in, before we attract the attention of Terry Benedict." She smirked, impressed that Danny had noticed what she'd raked in.

"I need to go to the bathroom, I'll see you in the bar."

[ocean_danny]

"Okay, you go for it. I'll go cash in your chips."

Danny smirked. Well, she deserved them, even if she didn't need them.

[tess_ocean]

Tess made her way through the foyer of the MGM Grand towards the hotel lobby purposefully. It was late, she'd spent half the night in the nexus, asking for advice about Danny, and she was tired. Not to mention emotionally exhausted.

Maybe things would be clearer in the morning, when she was back at work. Being surrounded by her passion always made her think clearly.

[ocean_danny]

He had expected Tess to appear, but not particularly now. It hadn't taken Sam Spade detective work to figure out where Tess lived and it was no coincidence that Danny had suggested the Grand for his and Ginger's foray into the world of loaded craps gambling as a front for his real objective. Running into his ex-wife

[tess_ocean]

Maybe if she hadn't been thinking about Danny as she strode through the casino, his voice wouldn't have registered. There was noise coming from every direction, slot machines digitally singing, winnings clattering into the trays beneath, the calls of their joyous recipients, dealers' calls and the constant buzz of conversation from all sides.

But she did hear him, albeit a delayed reaction as she continued in her stride.

Tess stopped, she could almost feel him behind her. The sound of his voice alone making her heart beat faster. The self assured irresistable smile that she knew he was sporting making her smile in response. If Tess had still been undecided, it had only taken the last second of her life to tip the scales.

Slowly she turned her head back towards Danny, still standing where she had come to an abrupt halt just a brief second ago.

"Nothing's died though. It never did." Tess' smile was honest and full of emotion, her brown eyes shining as she looked at Danny in the same way she had the first moment she'd met him.

[ocean_danny]

Empty-handed, he extended both arms outwards, palms up.

"Weddings or funerals." Danny added, thoughtfully. If he was honest, he was more relieved by her immediate reaction than he could have described. She could just as easily have ignored him, or worse, made a scene in this place, one of Benedict's casinos, with all the cameras watching.

"You know it kills me thinking of you going up there every night. To him. I'd be happier never to see you again if you promised to leave him and give me one more of those smiles as I left."

This wasn't even a line. It was honesty playing tricks with him. It seemed like a different subconscious was working for him now. This time he let it do the talking, as it seemed to be doing quite well on it's own.

[tess_ocean]

"It's taken you six years to admit that." Tess smiled fondly, a hint of laughter colouring her smile.

That smile he referred to had never left her lips since she'd turned around. Every feeling she'd been hiding from herself since she'd left him all that time ago, was bursting to free itself as she listened to the man she loved tell her how much she meant to him.

She wanted to throw caution to the wind and kiss him, but reality kicked in for a second as she remembered where they were. There's always someone watching in Terry's hotels. She glanced up at a camera warily, it was enough to let Danny know what she was thinking.

"Maybe it's my turn to make some compromises too Danny."

[ocean_danny]

Danny was already aware of the cameras and didn't want to spend any more time in the Grand than was necessary. He still had to wait for Ginger to return from her visit to the bathroom, however.

"I really think we should be making plans to leave," Danny said, furtively looking around, just waiting to be spotted by someone he'd rather avoid. "I wouldn't recommend we do it together, however."

Danny looked to the restrooms, hoping for an opportunity to present itself, but none was forthcoming, at least for the moment.

[tess_ocean]

Tess didn't want to do this under the surveillance of the cameras either, if for no more reason than Terry didn't deserve to find out this way. She owed him that much.

But they needed to talk, and they needed to talk now. It would only be a couple more hours and Terry would be joining her in their apartment above the Grand.

"I'm going to walk off, grab my arm and pull me back. Tell me where to go."

No sooner had she said it Tess span on her heels and started to walk away from Danny.

[ocean_danny]

As Tess walked away, he did as he was told. He was going to suggest something similar for the benefit of the surveillance cameras anyway.

He grabbed Tess' arm and pulled her gently back to him, looking sternly into her eyes, for dramatic effect.

"Meet me across the road, in The Tangiers Lobby, in an hour."