Behaving Badly in Vegas (Vegas Love #3)

17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Charli

The fitness center was fancy-schmancy. It had all the cardio and weight machines you’d find at a regular gym, two sets of free weights, and a large, matted area with a wall of mirrors that could be used for aerobics, stretching, or whatever you liked. The best part was it didn’t cost me a penny.

Carina and I wandered through the locker room, which opened up to the pool. The area was nice, with tables and chairs around it. A hot tub sat at one end and a sauna off to the side.

An older woman swam laps. She had to be almost seventy, but she swam with grace and precision. We watched her effortlessly glide across the pool, dive beneath the water, and head in the opposite direction. Growing up in Colorado, we didn’t have a pool and neither did our friends. Pools were a special treat. I could swim, but not nearly as well as the woman doing laps.

The lady popped up at the end of the pool and pulled her goggles off. “Is that Miss Carina in the stroller? ”

I lifted Carina and propped her on my hip. “It sure is.”

She swam to the edge of the pool and leaned on the ledge. “I’m Sandy Hadley, Hunter’s next-door neighbor. I helped him out for the first few days when this sweetheart showed up.”

I hadn’t met anyone in the building yet and was eager for someone to talk to. Lowering myself to the edge, I tossed my sandals aside and dipped my feet in the pool with Carina on my lap. “I’m sure Hunter appreciated that. I’m Charli, the new nanny.”

“How are things going?”

“Okay. Hunter and I are still getting to know one another, but Carina is the sweetest.”

“Yes, she is. Hunter showed up at my door a frantic mess. Didn’t have the first clue.”

I laughed. “I can imagine. He’s getting the hang of it though.”

She shook her head. “That boy’s a smart one. Helped me with my taxes after my Harold died. Likes the ladies too.”

That hit a nerve. Although the two of us had a purely professional relationship, I didn’t want to think about him with other women. I didn’t think he’d bring anyone back to the apartment, but he had gotten home extremely late last night. I thought he was out drinking, but now I wondered. “I’m sure the ladies like him too. He’s an attractive man.”

“Yes, he is.” She grinned.

I chuckled.

“Hey, I might be old, but I’m not dead. I can appreciate a handsome man when I see one. A little eye candy is good for the soul. Must be a nice perk of the job, huh?” She nudged my leg with her elbow.

“It’s not like that with us. Taking care of Carina is temporary until I can get back to my real job. Hunter needed a nanny. I needed money and a place to stay. It’s beneficial for both of us.”

“Uh-huh. And you don’t think it’s coincidental that he hired a beautiful young woman for the job?”

“I happened to be at the right place at the right time.”

“That’s called kismet.”

“I’m not sure I believe in destiny. We’re very different people. ”

“So were Harold and I. Harold was a hotel investor making his mark on the Las Vegas Strip. I was a showgirl from Boise who came to Vegas with nothing more than a dream. All I wanted to do was be on a stage. Believe it or not, I was a looker back in the day.” She patted her swim cap. “Loved the glitz and glam, the sequins and feathers. The costumes were so elaborate and the headdresses, although extremely heavy, were magnificent.” Sandy smiled as she reminisced about her glory days.

“How did you and Harold meet?” I held Carina over the water and dipped her toes in the pool. She squealed with delight.

Sandy lifted Carina’s feet from the water and kissed her tiny toes. “Harold was in the audience at one of my shows. He waited for me afterward and the rest is history. He was a real charmer, much like Hunter.”

The Hunter I knew wasn’t much of a charmer. Most of the time, he had the personality of an angry dog, barking at me for no reason. “Did you give up your dream for Harold?”

“Oh, no. I danced for another five years before the younger, prettier girls with bigger boobs took my place. It was time anyway. We wanted to start a family, and no one wants to see a pregnant woman dressed in a skimpy costume. We were married for forty years, had three children and six grandchildren. It was a good life.” She sighed.

I bumped her with my foot. “It’s still a good life. You look fabulous and have a loving family. I’m certain Harold’s always with you.”

“I like to think so,” she mused. She shook away the memories and focused back on me. “So, how long is temporary?”

“I’m hoping four to six months. I’m an aerial performer at Oasis, but I took a nasty fall a while ago. I was down here checking out the fitness center so I can start training again.”

“Hmmm. We’re not so different, you and me. It’s the adrenaline of performing on stage, isn’t it?”

“Yes. There’s nothing like the feeling of freedom when I’m up in the air. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

She tickled Carina’s belly, where she sat on my lap. “Any interest in having one of these? She’s awfully cute. ”

“One day. I suppose a time will come when, like you, I’ll be replaced with a younger, prettier version.”

She patted my knee. “You’ve got time.” Sandy pulled her goggles back in place. “I need to get back to my swimming. Only ten more laps to go. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. Even if it’s just to chat. I’m right next door.” She dove under the water and disappeared.

Mrs. Hadley was a spitfire. I bet she was really something back in her prime.

I never gave much thought to what I’d do when I couldn’t perform anymore. I skipped college for my dream, much to my parents’ chagrin. I never gave much thought about what I would do when the dream was over.

In the moments when Hunter and I weren’t sniping at each other, I could picture myself settling down with a family. In theory, it sounded good… a devoted husband, a house full of children, and perhaps a dog. I wondered if it would ever be enough for me.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Charli, nanny extraordinaire.”

I laughed. “Hello, Ben, delivery guy extraordinaire.” I lay back on my bed, resting on the fluffy pillows. I’d put Carina down for a nap an hour ago, tidied the kitchen, and threw in a load of my own laundry. My days went faster than I thought they would. The mornings flew by and before I knew it, the afternoon was gone too. I wondered if all moms felt this way or if I was still adjusting to having a shadow with me all day. Although technically I had a lot of free time, that time was consumed with the needs of another tiny person, so it really wasn’t free time at all.

“I was wondering about that date we talked about. I’d love to take you out on Saturday. Dinner on the Strip, hit a casino or two, and take in the sights. You know, all the touristy stuff. ”

The thought of getting out and having adult time excited me. “I’ve lived here for three years. Does that still make me a tourist?”

“It makes you a transplant, like seventy percent of the population. Those of us born and raised here are a minority.”

“So I’ll see everything from a native’s vantage point?”

He chuckled. “I suppose. No matter how long you’ve lived here, the people-watching on the Strip is top notch. It never gets old.”

That was true. It’d been a while since I walked the Strip. No matter how many times I did, it was always magical. The lights, the sounds, the people… that’s what attracted me to Vegas in the first place. It was a playground for adults where there were no limits. “I’d love to go out Saturday. However, I need to speak with my boss. I don’t know what his plans are, and if he’s not going to be home, I need to find a babysitter.”

“A babysitter for the babysitter?”

My feathers ruffled. It might not have been the most glamorous job, but it wasn’t any worse than delivering packages and furniture. “Yes. It’s a twenty-four-hour-a-day job, so when I want to do something without Carina, I need to make arrangements.”

“I hope he pays you well,” Ben said with a scoff.

I wasn’t sure where the attitude was coming from, but it annoyed me. “Very well.”

“Is it weird living with your boss?”

“Not really. My room is on the opposite side of the apartment. We rarely see each other.” It was true enough. Most of our interactions were quick snippets of time. I barely knew anything about him besides his fondness for lists, sharp tongue, and even sharper cheekbones. Oh, and let’s not forget the body he hid under those dress shirts I dropped off at the dry cleaner this morning.

Even though Ben couldn’t see me, I buried my head in a pillow. I should not have had those thoughts about my boss. And I definitely shouldn’t have had them when I was on the phone with a perfectly nice guy. It was wrong on so many levels.

“Is it weird that I’m a bit jealous of your boss, even though I’ve never met him? ”

“Yes, very weird.” I blew off his question, although it had some validity. I may have found Hunter attractive, but it didn’t mean the man saw me as anything more than his employee. I’d do well to remember our dynamic. Plus, I was guessing Hunter was at least five years older than me, maybe more. He probably saw me as an immature young woman. Besides age, there were at least half a dozen other differences between us.

He was well educated. I had a high school diploma.

He wore a suit to work. I wore yoga pants and T-shirts.

He had two fancy cars. I drove an old pickup truck.

The guy spent money like it was water while I was thankful not to be sleeping on my brother’s couch. Money made the world go ‘round and Hunter Dorsey had plenty of it. We were a complete mismatch.

“Charli?”

“Huh?”

“I asked if six o’clock is okay.”

“Sorry. I’m just tired. Carina was up most of the night,” I lied. “Let me talk to my boss and I’ll get back to you.”

“Alright. I’ll talk to you later, beautiful.”

“Sounds good. Bye.” I hung up without waiting for him to answer. What was wrong with me? All week, I’d been excited about the possibility of going out with Ben, and then when he called, all I could do was think about Hunter.

It was stupid.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I felt like a teenager with my first crush. The crazy butterflies in my stomach refused to settle down. Going to the full-length mirror, I tried to see what Hunter saw when he looked at me. To my dismay, strands of hair were sticking out from the topknot I tied it in this morning, there was a tiny hole in the knee of my leggings, and my Taylor Swift T-shirt had a stain that looked suspiciously like squash but couldn’t possibly be since it’d been banned from Carina’s diet. “I’m a mess.”

I frowned at my reflection. It wasn’t like me to let myself go, but ever since the accident, my standards had sunk lower and lower. I blamed it on isolation, a lack of purpose, and a mild case of depression .

It was so easy to fall into the habit of feeling sorry for yourself when your life went sideways, but things were turning around. I had a job, I lived in a beautiful apartment, I could begin training again, and my boss was a superhot asshole. I mean, it would be better if my boss wasn’t a superhot asshole—the asshole part, not the superhot part—but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

Stripping out of my clothes, I rummaged through my drawers for something more suitable. I settled on a pair of black shorts and tank-style turquoise blouse. The outfit was casual without looking like I was trying too hard. I pulled my hair out of the elastic tie and brushed the long, dark waves down my back. A little foundation and mascara helped a lot.

I’m not sure if it was the clothes, my hair, or the makeup, but I felt better. I checked on Carina then headed to the kitchen to begin making dinner. Hunter never said he would be home for dinner, but he didn’t say he wouldn’t either. He specifically said I didn’t have to cook for him, but what man wouldn’t appreciate a home-cooked meal when they came in from work? I pulled the chicken breasts I marinated earlier from the fridge and put them in the oven, setting the timer for forty-five minutes. If I timed it right, the chicken would be done as Hunter walked in the door. Next, I peeled and washed potatoes, then set them on the stove to boil.

Looking at the clock, I realized if I didn’t get Carina up soon, she wouldn’t want to go to bed tonight. If Hunter stressed anything, it was keeping her on a schedule, and even if the task seemed impossible, I had to try. I went to her room and rubbed Carina’s tummy gently until her eyes fluttered open. I rocked her for a few minutes before changing her diaper. As I was finishing the snaps on her pajamas, I smelled something strange, and it wasn’t a messy diaper.

Something was burning and it couldn’t possibly be the chicken. I scooped Carina up and rushed to the kitchen.

“Shit!”

I plopped her into the high chair, grabbed the dish towel that caught fire on the burner, and threw it in the sink. As I ran cold water over the towel, all I could hear were Hunter’s words. “Are you aware that most house fires start in the kitchen due to distracted cooking?” I blew him off before for being paranoid, but now I saw the truth of his words. I could have set the entire apartment on fire, putting both Carina and me in danger.

Hunter could never know about this.

Once I calmed down, I wadded up the towel and buried it in the bottom of the trash bin. The burning smell lingered, so I opened the sliding door to the balcony and turned on the ceiling fan. That’s when I saw the overhead sprinklers. Thank God there wasn’t enough smoke or heat to set those puppies off. It would have been difficult to hide an apartment doused by water.

A fresh wave of panic rolled over me at the thought. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Then again. After a few more calming breaths, I leaned over Carina and rubbed her cheek. “Your daddy is never going to know about this. It’s going to be our little secret.” I was definitely winning the Nanny of the Year award by asking a baby not to blab. It wasn’t that I was afraid of Hunter… much. He wouldn’t physically harm me, but I would probably get a severe tongue-lashing and my walking papers. And would deserve it. Although the fire wasn’t intentional and it was rather small, my actions were irresponsible. I should have turned off the stove before getting Carina up from her nap.

Lesson learned.

I gave Carina cereal puffs and put some toys on her tray to keep her busy while I finished dinner. The chicken smelled divine and successfully covered up the smell of the burned dish towel. Thank goodness for small miracles. I was whipping the potatoes—adding milk and butter—when Hunter walked in the door.

He dropped his keys and wallet on the hallway table. “Something smells good.”

“It’s chicken,” I said over my shoulder.

Hunter hung his clean shirts on a hook by the front door, then lifted Carina out of her high chair. “There’s my princess.” He kissed the top of her blond head and held her to his chest. “Why is the sliding door open?”

My spine stiffened. “The apartment was stuffy, and we wanted some fresh air,” I said as I scooped the potatoes into a bowl .

“The air conditioning is on and there’s an air purifier. It shouldn’t be stuffy in here.” He walked over to the thermostat and fiddled with the buttons. “It’s working perfectly fine.”

Hunter was a fixer. If there was a problem, he’d find a solution. I put my hands on my hips and let out a huff. “I didn’t say it wasn’t working, just that it felt stuffy. It’s good to get some fresh air once in a while.”

“At the risk of sounding like my father, if you want fresh air, go sit on the balcony. I don’t own the goddamn electric company.” He walked to the sliding door and slammed it closed with more force than necessary.

“Yes, sir,” I snapped.

He raised an eyebrow and pierced me with his eyes. “Careful what comes out of that sassy mouth of yours.”

I cowered like a child, but there was a hint of something besides annoyance in his tone. Seduction, maybe? It must have been my imagination, or was it? “Sorry.” The last thing I needed to do was lose this job. I pulled two plates from the cupboard and set them on the counter, then took the chicken out of the oven. “Are you ready to eat?” I piled his plate high with chicken, potatoes, and vegetables. If he was in a good mood with a full belly, he’d be more likely to give me the night off so I could go on my date with Ben that I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go on.

He put Carina in her high chair and grabbed a container of peaches from the pantry. “She have these yet today?”

“No. Are you going to eat?”

“I’m going to feed Carina and then I’ll take my plate to my office. I have a lot of work to do.”

I tried not to let the disappointment seep into my voice. “Oh, okay.” I tossed him a bib for Carina and carried my own plate to the table. There was no sense in letting my food get cold.

He ripped the plastic off the container and held a spoonful of peaches up to Carina’s mouth. “You want yummy peaches? Open up, princess.”

She opened her mouth, and Hunter shoved the fruit in. “Mmm mmm mmm,” she hummed.

“So, Charli… anything interesting happen today?” he asked as he continued to shovel peaches into his daughter’s mouth .

For a brief second, I thought he knew about the fire, but there was no way he could. Hello, paranoia. I chewed the piece of chicken in my mouth and swallowed. “I met Mrs. Hadley today. She was swimming laps in the pool.”

“Is that right?” He continued to feed Carina without looking at me.

“Yes. She’s really nice. Did you know she was a Vegas showgirl back in the day?”

“I didn’t know that.” Hunter stole mashed potatoes from my plate to go with the peaches.

I might as well have been having this conversation with the walls for all the attention he was giving me. Feeling frustrated, I got up and filled a small bowl with mashed potatoes and put it in front of him. “She seems to think you’re the cat’s pajamas and adores Carina.”

Hunter wiped his daughter’s mouth with the bottom of the bib. “Is there a point to this idle conversation?”

Crossing my hands, I leaned forward on the table. “I’m glad you asked. I’d like to ask Mrs. Hadley to watch Carina Saturday night unless you plan to be home.”

Looking bored, he fed Carina another spoonful of mashed potatoes. “And where exactly would you be going?”

He may have been my boss, but he didn’t get to approve my social calendar. “Does it matter?”

“Actually, it does.” He dropped the spoon into the bowl and finally focused his attention on me. His intensity made me wish I was still talking to the walls. “Are you helping a sick aunt, shaking your ass in a bar, or getting your clit tickled by some random loser?”

I could feel the heat rising up my neck. Never in my life had I met someone so forward and crass. Worst of all, now I was thinking about his tongue and the things it could do to me. My pussy tingled and pulsed. Dammit!

I squirmed on the chair. “I don’t have an aunt in Vegas. Not that it’s your business, but I have a date.”

He narrowed his eyes. “So, it is to get your clit tickled. ”

Slamming my hand on the table, I shouted. “Stop saying that! It’s totally inappropriate. It’s a first date. There won’t be any tickling of any sort.”

“No.”

I let out a measured breath. “No, what?”

“No, you can’t have the night off.”

“Why not? I’ve been working twenty-four hours a day all week.”

“And you’re being compensated for that. Quite well, I might add.”

He wasn’t wrong. “Come on. I’m going stir-crazy. I need adult interaction.”

“What am I? Last time I checked, I was an adult and also the one who signs your paycheck.”

My shoulders sagged. “You’re barely ever home.”

“Hence why you have a job. Besides, you just got finished telling me you spent time with Mrs. Hadley.”

“That doesn’t count. It’s like spending time with my grandma. All I’m asking for is one date. I don’t even know if it’s going to go anywhere.”

“And if it does, you’ll want more time off. Where did you meet someone anyway? Don’t tell me it’s a Tinder date.”

Why did this inquisition feel like I was talking to my father? He had me defending myself when I owed him nothing. “It’s not a Tinder date.” I sank down in my seat and resigned myself to telling him the truth. “His name is Ben and he’s one of the guys that delivered Carina’s furniture.”

“A delivery guy? Really, Charli? You’re better than that.”

Definitely daddy vibes. I threw my hands in the air like a petulant child. “Oh, sorry we can’t all be gazillionaires like you.”

He chuckled. “I’m not a gazillionaire, only a millionaire. And the answer is still no.”

“Why? I’ve earned some time off.”

“Because I’ll be needing your services Saturday night. You’ll be attending a dinner with me and Carina at my brother’s home.”

I pulled back in surprise. Here I thought he was just being a dick when his reason was somewhat legit, even if it stank like yesterday’s fish. “Why do you need me? ”

He went back to feeding his daughter. “Your presence was specifically requested by Gia, my brother’s wife. They want to get to know you.”

Still sounded fishy. “Again, why?”

“I don’t fucking know why. It’s a family dinner I’m being blackmailed into going to. If Gia wants you there, then you’re going. End of story. Tell your fuckboy you’ve got other plans.” He stood, grabbed his plate from the counter, and stormed down the hallway.

I winced when his office door slammed. The discussion was over. My request was heard and denied. I was having dinner with Hunter’s family. If I found Hunter intense, I couldn’t imagine what the rest of his family would be like. Certainly, they couldn’t all be arrogant assholes.

After cleaning the kitchen, I played with Carina for a while, gave her a bath, then put her down for the night. Then I texted Ben and gave him the bad news.

My head was all over the place. On the one hand, I was annoyed that Hunter cockblocked me, but on the other hand, I was semiexcited about spending more time with him. Truth be told, I wasn’t all that upset about my canceled date. If Ben was really interested, he’d ask again.

When I went to bed, I couldn’t get Hunter’s words out of my head. He might have been a jerk face, but I had a feeling he was an expert at clit tickling. Not that anything like that would happen at a family dinner. I fell asleep thinking about the big jerk and everything he could do to my body.

In the morning, I woke to another note.

The fire extinguisher is under the sink.

P.S. Don’t lie to me!

The burned towel I’d buried at the bottom of the trash lay next to it.

Fuck!