Behaving Badly in Vegas (Vegas Love #3)

29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Charli

Sweat trickled down my back as I let myself slide down the silks to the floor. It was my job to make the performance look effortless, but truth be told aerial acrobatics completely worked your body from head to toe. My muscles burned from the lack of training over the last few months. I needed this more than I realized.

Jasmine sat down on the mat beside me. “You looked great up there. You’ll be ready to return to Oasis in no time.”

I groaned and flopped onto my back. “I know.”

“Not exactly the response I was expecting,” she said, cocking her head to the side. “I thought you wanted to come back.”

“I do. That’s the problem.”

“I’m not following.”

I propped myself up on my elbows. “I love this. It’s my dream come true. When I took the nanny position, I figured I’d be there for a few months, make some quick cash, and go. It was a win-win for me. I never thought I’d actually like the job. ”

Jasmine smirked at me. “You like the hot daddy. Any progress on that front?”

A rough laugh escaped my lips. “Nope! First of all, I suck at playing hard to get. All he has to do is say my name and I melt into a gooey puddle. We’ve messed around a couple times, but he refuses to sleep with me.”

“Because you work for him?”

“Yeah, that’s one of his excuses. He thinks I’m too young or some stupid shit and he calls it”—I finger quoted— “ doing the right thing .”

“Let me guess, you don’t think those are the real reasons.”

I looked up at the exposed metal beams that ran along the ceiling. “I overhead him talking to Carina on the baby monitor.”

“You were snooping,” she accused.

“Not on purpose, but yes. He doesn’t want to get attached because he’s afraid I’m going to leave. And you know what? He’s right. I never planned on staying. When I go back to Oasis, I’ll have to quit the nanny job. He’ll go his way, and I’ll go mine.”

“Doesn’t have to be that way. You won’t be able to nanny full time, but that doesn’t mean the two of you can’t be together.”

“I’m falling in love with him,” I admitted.

She gave me a lopsided smile. “I already knew that. It’s written all over your face whenever you talk about him. You get this goofy grin.”

My poker face wasn’t the best. I ran a hand down my face, trying to erase all traces of my feelings for Hunter. “Better?”

“Not really. You need more practice.” Jasmine grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. “Do the routine one more time, then go home and give that man an epic blow job. That should help.”

I rolled my eyes. “Great advice.” I wished life was that easy. That one blow job could make the man see me as more than a temporary solution to his problems.

There wasn’t any reason the two of us couldn’t be together. The air crackled with electricity every time we were within three feet of each other. The only things keeping us apart were his weird sense of morality and the twenty-foot wall he’d erected between us .

Jasmine turned on “Earned It” by The Weeknd and I ascended the silks, letting the fabric guide me until I was high above the mat below. The new routine was alluring and seductive, even in the harshness of the training center without the magic of special effects and dramatic spotlights.

Suspended only by the delicate material, it became an extension of my own body as I twirled and spun, making the silk ripple in waves. With every carefully choreographed pose, I was more at ease in the air, a reassurance that one fall hadn’t ruined my years of training. The silks became my dance partner, supporting me through daring, yet sensual, maneuvers. Stretched between the two pieces of fabric, my body felt as weightless as a feather fluttering through the air. In this magical place between the earth and the sky, I controlled my own destiny.

I was the master of my dreams.

And lately my dreams featured a man with chiseled cheekbones, ice-blue eyes, and a wicked tongue.

I took the lasagna Rose prepared from the oven and set it on the stovetop. The scent of savory tomato sauce, oregano, basil, and garlic mingled together and wafted throughout the kitchen, making my mouth water. She said it had been Hunter’s favorite since he was a boy.

Although Hunter harbored resentment toward his stepmother, he couldn’t deny she was trying to make things right. Maybe it was the sudden appearance of Carina in their lives, but whatever the reason, I hoped Hunter would give Rose a chance. The dinner party at Trent and Gia’s gave me a glimpse of what it could be like for Hunter to have a supportive family around him. He needed to give them a chance.

Hunter’s keys jingled in the door, announcing his arrival. “Something smells amazing,” he said as he entered the kitchen .

I popped the garlic bread in the oven and set the timer for ten minutes. “You’re right on time. Dinner is almost ready.”

He came over and inspected the lasagna. “That looks heavenly.” His tongue came out to wet his bottom lip and his eyes closed as he took in the aroma. “It’s the perfect ending to a perfect day.”

“I can’t take the credit for this. Rose put it together before I got home.” I cocked a hip and leaned against the counter, gazing up at him. “There’s something different about you… you look… happy.”

Hunter barked out a laugh. “I’m not always a miserable asshole.”

I laughed along with him. “Yes, you’re decidedly less of an asshole than when I first met you. Definitely progress.”

“I’m glad I have your approval.” He opened the oven door and peeked inside. “Garlic bread too?”

“You must have been a very good boy today,” I teased.

“Actually, I was a very bad boy, but it felt good.”

My face fell. No wonder he was so happy. Good sex will do that to you. It made complete sense, even if I had hoped he might be interested in me. A man like Hunter wasn’t likely to be celibate. “She’s a lucky woman.”

His eyebrows scrunched up. “Who’s a lucky woman?”

“Whoever it is that put you in this happy mood,” I said nonchalantly. I shouldn’t have cared what or who Hunter did. We weren’t a couple, and we weren’t in a relationship, but my stomach sank anyway.

“It was actually two women.”

I playfully punched him in the shoulder. “Good job, Romeo. Should have known you were an overachiever.”

“I am, but it’s not what you think,” he said, shrugging out of his jacket and hanging it over the back of the chair.

“It’s not my business.” I pulled plates from the cupboard and silverware from the drawer to keep myself busy. “Are you eating in the kitchen or in your office tonight?”

Two big hands gently grasped my shoulders and spun me around. “Charlotte, look at me. I didn’t have sex today, if that’s what you’re thinking. In fact, I haven’t been with anyone since before Carina arrived. ”

I looked everywhere but at him. “It’s not my business. I’m just the nanny.”

Hunter leaned down so we were nose to nose, and I had no choice but to look in his eyes. “That’s bullshit and you know it.”

“Do I?”

He huffed out a breath and ran one hand through his hair. “I don’t know what we are, but we’re something.”

“Something?”

“You’re in my head twenty-four seven, even if I don’t want you to be. I’ve become quite accustomed to you being here and the thought of you with someone else drives me crazy. So yes… something. I’m not making any promises.”

My heart skipped a beat because this was a step in the right direction. “I’m not asking for promises. I’ll be going back to Oasis, but that doesn’t mean—”

Hunter held a finger over my lips. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. One day at a time, yeah?”

“One day at a time.” I nodded in agreement. “So you gonna kiss me?”

“Fuck, yes.” He held my face in his hands and pressed his lips against mine. His tongue ran along the seam of my lips, and I opened for him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. Our tongues tangled together in a slow dance I wasn’t expecting. It was gentle yet passionate, and somehow that made the kiss better.

The timer on the oven dinged, shattering the moment as I pulled back from the kiss. “That’s the bread.”

His lips turned up on one side. “Don’t want to burn the bread. Where’s Carina?”

I grabbed a mitt from the counter and pulled the bread from the oven. “Rose tired her out. She’ll probably sleep through dinner.” Although I wouldn’t say it aloud, I was thankful it would only be the two of us.

“I’m going to go check on her and then we can eat.”

“Aye, aye, captain,” I said with a salute.

He shook his head in exasperation as he walked down the hall to Carina’s bedroom .

This day had taken a positive turn. Something was better than nothing, and that was everything. I grabbed two wineglasses and set them on the table along with the lasagna and bread. Lastly, I grabbed the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from the counter and a corkscrew.

Hunter sauntered back into the kitchen. “She’s totally out. Does that mean she’ll be up all night?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe, but I doubt it. I’ll wake her after we eat so she doesn’t stay up too late.”

“Alright. Maybe we can take her for a walk or something after dinner.”

“Sounds good,” I said with a smile. Hunter wasn’t big on the three of us doing things together, maybe because it made us seem like a family. We weren’t, but from the outside looking in I wouldn’t blame someone for coming to that conclusion. Now that he’d decided we were something , perhaps we’d be spending more time together than early mornings and meals.

Hunter sat and picked up the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. “Wine?”

“Courtesy of Rose. She said no Italian meal is complete without wine.”

“She’s right about that.” He uncorked the bottle and poured us each a glass. He held his up. “Salute.”

I clinked my glass with his. “Salute.”

“Now let’s dig in. This looks fabulous.” Hunter wasted no time cutting us each a piece of lasagna and plating them. When he took his first bite his eyes closed. “So good.”

“Tell me about the two women who made you happy today.” I should have left it alone after his confession of not being able to get me out of his head, but my curiosity was killing me.

His fork froze halfway to his mouth. “I shouldn’t tell you. You’ll think I’m a bad person.”

“You realize now you have to tell me, right?”

“Two conditions. First, you can’t tell a single soul. I mean it. Not your brother, not anyone. It would be bad for me.” I ran a finger over my heart in the shape of an X . “Second, know that I had a good reason for doing what I did. ”

It was unlikely, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. “Of course, you did. Now dish the dirt.” I stuffed a forkful of lasagna into my mouth.

He took a sip of his wine and eyed me over the glass as if deciding whether I could be trusted. “You remember me talking about Leonard?”

“Your boss at Mystique? The guy you hate?”

Hunter winced. “Yes, to both. He’s got my job, and I intend on getting it back. He’s crooked as shit, and I can guarantee he’s the reason Mystique has been losing money. I’ve been going over the books and I haven’t found anything yet, but in the meantime, I’ve been making his life miserable.”

I dropped my fork and let it clatter on the plate. “What did you do?”

Hunter leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Hired two strippers dressed as police officers to arrest him today. Our entire staff was in the conference room for our weekly meeting when they showed up. You should have seen his indignation when they pulled out the handcuffs, but when they started taking off their clothes he was horrified.” A low chuckle rumbled up from his chest turning into a full-blown belly laugh. He wiped the corner of his eye, catching the tear that formed. “It was priceless. My father was so mad and all I could do was sit there looking as shocked as everyone else.”

My hand flew up in front of my mouth. “You didn’t.”

“I absolutely did, and I don’t regret it one bit. It’s his birthday after all.” He kept laughing like he’d been holding it in all day long.

My own giggles broke free. “That’s horrible. Funny as hell, but still horrid.”

“Not as funny as the day I put laxative in his coffee. Guy practically shit his pants. Stunk up the entire floor.”

I laughed so hard my belly hurt. For as serious as Hunter was, I didn’t think he was capable of such shenanigans. “Oooh, oooh… you should get him cupcakes tomorrow to wish him a happy birthday.”

Hunter snapped his fingers and pointed at me. “Excellent idea. Let’s go to the bakery after dinner and you can help me pick them out. Maybe I’ll get some candles too.”

“Absolutely.” A soft cry interrupted our laugh fest. “We must have woken her up.” I pushed away from the table to get Carina .

“Charli, wait.” Hunter pulled two tickets out of his pocket and handed them to me. “You wanna go?”

They were for the Rissa Black show at Mystique. “Oh my god, I love her. That song ‘Broken Wings’ gets me every time. Tickets for her shows are almost impossible to get. How did you get these?”

He shrugged like it was no big deal. “Gia. Helps when your sister-in-law is the director of entertainment and events.”

I was stunned. “Is this like… a date?”

He stood and came around the table placing his hands on my hips. “Yeah, dollface, it’s a date. Will you go with me?”

Looking up into his blue eyes, I nodded. “Yes, I’d like that very much.”

Hunter leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Then it’s settled. I’ll go get Carina while you decide what kind of cupcakes we should buy.”

Then he casually walked down the hallway like he hadn’t flipped a one-eighty and asked me out on a date. Like us going out was the most normal thing in the world.

If this was the start of something , I couldn’t wait to see where it went.