Romance in Vegas - Showgirl! (14 page)

"I thought we'd have a steak tonight. It's
marinating in the refrigerator."

"You cook?" She was surprised at this
revelation, as he had cooks on staff at the casino.

Grinning, he said, "Yes. No sense letting the
barbeque go to waste."

Lounging back now, his eyes trained on her.
"How are you enjoying your dancing?" His eyes roamed over her
face.

Resting against the seat, she said, "I
absolutely love it. It's like a dream for me. I keep thinking I'll
wake up in some women's rest room somewhere."

Her eyes met his. "That won't happen, Dani,"
he said quietly. "If you want the job, you're with us
permanently."

"What do you mean, if I want the job?"

He sighed and rubbed his face. "You don't
remember last night, do you? Tell me the truth."

"I don't know what you want me to say," she
said defensively.

She thought he was choosing his words
carefully now. "You sleepwalked down to the casino floor in your
nightgown."

Looking at him incredulously, she said,
"You're lying. I'd remember that."

A muscle moved in his cheek. "Don't ever tell
me I'm lying to you. Especially you. I'd never do that." Then he
added, "If you like, we can play back the surveillance tapes."

The thought of all the employees and guards
and customers seeing her that way felt like someone punched her in
the stomach. Her eyes filled with tears, which quickly rolled down
her cheeks.

"Oh, God, Dani don't cry," he said gently, as
he sat next to her on the chaise, and pulled her close. But it was
as if a dam burst inside, as sobs wracked her body.

He stroked her hair and murmured soft words
in her ear, while she tried to control herself.

"I don't know why," she said in a muffled
voice, "I just don't know why."

His lips kissed the wetness on her cheeks,
and moved to her neck. "Bella," he breathed, "Bellissimo..."

She shuddered under his soft kisses and
whispers, while the heaviness grew between her legs.

His lips moved to hers, sucking first her
bottom lip, then the top, before he kissed her deeply, his tongue
moving in and out of her mouth, tasting, exploring.

Her arms came around his back, and she clung
to him, afraid to let go, afraid to lose this precious sensation
he'd aroused within her body.

When he pressed his hardness against her, he
whispered against her lips, "So beautiful...bella." The warm
sensation needed relief; she needed what only he could give
her.

She brought her hand down on his hardness. It
pulsed and throbbed, grew as he sighed with pleasure at her
gesture.

While his lips moved again on her neck, she
guided his hand between her legs. "Please," she whispered, "only
you--"

A groan sounded deep in his throat, as he
pulled her dress up and found her panties. Running a finger slowly
around the edge, he carefully moved them aside, stroked her,
spreading her wetness, then caressed her inside with two fingers.
He drew them in and out, then around the outside, while the feeling
within her grew. Throwing her head back, she gasped then cried out
as the feeling peaked.

He could feel her climax and her core
pulsating against his fingers, before he drew her closer, then
closer still. "Ti amo," he whispered, as he thrust himself against
her.

While she gasped, her hand came down under
his bathing suit. He groaned, while her hand moved inside, as she
stroked him, up and down.

But then he realized she was watching him, as
she pulled back. "What is it?" he whispered, still feeling her
gentle touch.

"I just want to see you," she said
softly.

Then he wondered if she'd ever seen this
particular part of a man's body before. Smiling, he quickly shucked
off the bathing suit.

She stroked him, and he responded. She did it
again. He responded again. Her eyes came up and met his with a look
of wonderment.

He groaned, and kissed her hard, wanting her
so much, yet realizing he'd have to wait. She hadn't gone full
cycle with her pills, and he wanted to talk to her about it first,
as well. Kissing her cheeks and forehead, he said, "We'd better
eat, Dani."

In the kitchen, she thought he was as much in
control here as in the casino, as she sat across the large counter
watching him. He made the au gratin potatoes first, put them in the
oven, checked the steak, and began steaming corn after he'd shucked
it in the sink.

He'd donned his bathing suit again, and she
watched the bulge there as he moved around the kitchen.

But he noticed her watching him, and now
stood on the other side of the counter. "Dani," he said as he
appraised her with blue-grey eyes, "I think we should have a sexual
relationship. A total one, I mean."

Now Dani didn't know what to say. Did all men
ask this? She wished Kim were here, she'd know exactly what to say.
Then her thoughts went back to her doctor visit. Her eyes moved
away from his gaze. "I'm supposed to go a month on the pills before
I can..."

"Yes, I realize that. But, are you attracted
to me?"

Silly question, she thought, as she watched
him. "Yes, of course I am. You're very handsome and you do things I
like."

Smiling now, he said, "That's good. But what
else do you want?"

Winging it, she said, "A million dollars, a
sports car, a house like this one. I'm not sure what you want me to
say."

He leaned against the counter, and stared at
her now. "Do you think a person needs to be in love to have
sex?"

She really didn't know about those things.
Shrugging, she said, "It's like that in the movies."

"But this is real life," he pressed. "Don't
you think it would be better that way?"

"I suppose. But I've never been in love..."
her words trailed off as she realized she was about to tell him
she'd never had sex with anyone, which she didn't want to reveal.
"I am experienced, though," she began lying again, "really, for my
age."

He came around the counter, and stood in
front of her as she spun around. "How do you feel about me?"

His arms were just too tempting, and she
watched his muscles move there as she ran her hands over them. "I'm
not sure what you want me to say."

As hand drew her chin up, he gazed into her
eyes heatedly, his eyes almost all blue now. "I love you, Dani.
I've loved you from the first moment I set eyes on you. And I hope
one day, you will love me back."

And, with that, he walked back into the
kitchen to check his dinner.

She slept fitfully that Sunday night, tossed
and turned until four in the morning, when she finally gave up and
went on the patio. It was warm this morning, and she sat on a
chaise lounge.

Their dinner had been delicious, steak was
her favorite, the corn was perfect and she'd finished almost the
entire au gratin side dish by herself.

The conversation was light, all about work
and people, before they watched a movie in the den. They snuggled
on the wrap around sofa, with his arm on her shoulder and her hand
on his thigh.

Only at bedtime did he touch her with his raw
sexuality. He led her to the downstairs bedroom where she'd napped
that day.

Running his hands down her hair, he drew her
close to him, with his hands on her buttocks. He pressed against
her, as his mouth came down hard on hers. Then drawing back, he
looked down at her and whispered, "That's the way I like to see
you...just kissed, with your lips red and tempting." He buried his
face in her neck, nuzzled her, whispering, "Bellissimo."

But he sighed and pulled back, ran a hand
through his hair. "Good night, Dani."

Now, she just sat and thought of him for
hours.

Robert came in early on Monday, as Leroy was
sick, so he was forced to almost pull a double shift. He clocked in
at eight at night then went up to surveillance. He watched all
cameras now, as well as Dani's special camera. However, after half
an hour, he saw Scaletti drop her off at her suite door with a
quick kiss on the cheek. "Damn, she looks good in shorts," he said
to himself.

But forty-five minutes later, he saw the
other dancer with the long black hair come to Dani's suite and
knock on the door. The two left, both dressed in sequin mini
dresses and heels. "Oh, shit," he said, picking up the phone.

He thought Scaletti sounded happy and relaxed
as he said, "Yes?"

Damn, he thought, I'm raining on his parade
big time now. "Um, sir, she's leaving the building. Just wanted to
let you know."

"What?"

"Yes, sir. She and the other one with long
black hair--"

"Kim."

"Yeah. Well they looked dressed for clubbing
and I just thought--"

"Say again?"

"You know, mini dresses. Maybe they're going
to Chez or something."

Scaletti cursed in his ear and rang off.

"Don't blame the messenger," Robert
muttered.

They rode along in Kim's Porche. "So, where
to sugar?"

"I don't really know. You decide."

"Okay, it'll be Monty's then. A little DJ
music for us. Gotta take advantage of our nights off."

They arrived at the place by The Strip a few
minutes later. Kim threw the keys at the valet, who seemed to know
her, and they went inside.

The inside reminded Dani of Chez Vous. It was
loud and the crowd was boisterous and dancing.

They sat for a while, after ordering drinks.
Dani was surprised they'd even serve her, but no one asked for her
license, so she just sipped her whiskey.

"Well," Kim said, "how was it?" She looked at
Dani expectantly, with her eyebrows raised.

Dani didn't know what to say. Did she love
him? Is this what love was like? A longing? A physical thing? "Let
me think," she said slowly, "he said 'bella'."

"Okay, he thinks you're beautiful. What
else?"

"Um, he said, 'bellissimo.'"

"Wow, hot Italian. That means wonderful
experience."

"And he said 'ti amo' also."

Kim looked dreamy. "Wow, that means I love
you. All Italian words. What a hunk he is, I swear. So, do you love
him?"

Dani drained her drink and ordered another
one. "He actually asked me that."

"God," Kim said irritably, "this is like
pulling teeth. What did you tell him? Yes, hopefully?"

"I told him I didn't know."

Kim groaned, and sipped her drink. Dani's
drink arrived and she drank half before she realized what she was
doing.

"Well," Kim asked, "do you love him or
what?"

"I don't know."

Dani wanted to ask Kim what love was, but she
didn't know how. Just then, a young man asked her to dance.

They stayed at Monty's for about two hours,
steadily drinking and dancing. Dani never noticed the owner making
phone calls, the photographers lurking in the background, or even
notice the eager looks from all the men.

Kim finally said, "Hey, sugar. We'd better
go. I called the limo from the casino to take us back. Whee, I'm
just feeling too, too good right now to even drive."

"Where?" Al shouted. "Where the hell is that?
Who owns it?"

The limo driver said calmly, "Sir, it's a
little dive off The Strip. Don't know who owns it. They have a DJ
and like that. A dancing place."

Al let out a string of curses in his ear
before he hung up.

And the driver, opening the door for the two
young ladies, not only checked them out surreptitiously, but
realized they were drunk indeed, as they giggled and squealed from
the back seat all the way back.

Robert followed the two women with his
camera. They were doubled over with laughter on the elevator, and
he grinned at the sight. Dani got off at two, and weaved her way
down the hallway, giving her room card a four time try before she
was able to enter. Then he saw Scaletti striding down the hallway
from the opposite direction, and the look on the man's face almost
scared him.

Dani lay on the bed, with the room spinning
sickeningly. She turned on her side. It didn't help. To make
matters worse, someone knocked on the door. Her arms tried
valiantly to lift her body up before she plunked back on the bed
again.

Somehow, Al was in the room, standing in
front of her now. "Have fun?" he asked in an icy voice.

"Yes," she said weakly, "I'm just a bit
tired."

But if the spinning wasn't bad enough, now
she was sick to her stomach. She retched but nothing came out.

"Oh, boy," she heard him say, as he lifted
her up. Soon, she was at the toilet bowl, retching for real,
bringing up nothing but whiskey. She hadn't ordered dinner from
room service as Al told her to.

He held her forehead until she was done, and
he lifted her back to the bed again. Soon, she felt a cool cloth on
her forehead. She smiled faintly. "Soooo nice to me," she
breathed.

"It's a dirty job but someone has to do it,"
he replied dryly, sitting on the bed next to her. "What on earth
made you two go to a dive bar tonight?"

"Kim. She said we'd go dancing. Sounded like
fun. Lots of lights popping."

"Photographers," he groaned. "Can't wait to
see what they'll have to offer tomorrow morning."

She smiled up at him. "I do love you."

"Right. You're drunk right now. Tell me that
when you're sober and I'll believe it."

"But I do," she insisted, "will you call
me?"

He laughed. "Call you what?"

"On the phone I mean. I like your voice. It's
sexy."

"I might consider it. You'll have to promise
to take me to Monty's with you next time, though."

"You got it, babe," she whispered, before she
fell asleep.

He had to hold himself back from laughing
loudly. She was just so damn funny.