My lips still tingled from the kiss Trent and I shared on Wednesday. True to his word, he was totally professional the rest of the week. We completed the invitations and Trent was having them hand-delivered across the city. Penny sent out dozens of requests for the silent auction. The band was booked, the menu finalized, and the decorations ordered.
Penny crashed into my office, which now looked more like a war room with papers and sticky notes stuck all over one of the walls. It was old school, but I couldn’t work with everything crammed into files on my computer. I needed to see it. Visualize it.
She fell into one of the chairs, a pen tucked into the mass of curls piled on top of her head. “I’m fucking exhausted.”
I laughed at her dramatics. “Do you want to go back to getting me coffee and answering emails?”
“Hell no! I thrive off this shit.”
I laughed again. “That’s what I thought. Go home and get some rest, then be ready to hit it hard again on Monday.”
Penny waggled her eyebrows at me. “I have a date.”
“With Brett?” I gasped.
She nodded like a bobblehead. “He’s picking me up at my apartment so he can meet Fred, then he’s taking me to a fancy French restaurant. I’ve never had French food before except for french fries and French toast; however, I doubt that will be on the menu.”
“Good guess. Order something with chicken. Chicken is always safe.” I wished I could have been as open as Penny was about going on a date with Brett, but no one could know Trent and I were involved, whatever that meant. The kiss we shared in his office wasn’t what I expected after I poured my heart out to him. I expected him to think I was weak and incapable, but he surprised me by being encouraging and empathetic. I shouldn’t have been shocked. I’d seen glimpses of his soft side, but usually his tyrannical behavior overshadowed it. Now, I wondered if it was all an act. If he was being what people expected of him.
Penny snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Hel-loooo. Where’d you go?”
I blinked. “Sorry. I guess I’m tired too.”
“It’s been a long week,” she confirmed.
“My week’s not over. I’m going to the show tonight. I want to see how everything runs for an event.”
“Social Proof? They’re good. I saw them last year.”
“Yeah, about that. How come you didn’t tell me there was an event team? I assumed I was going to be running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but apparently, we have a whole crew.”
She paled. “I’m so sorry. With the fundraiser planning and my impending date, it totally slipped my mind. Suzette never wanted to be involved. She had me handle everything. I guess I never gave it a second thought.”
“No worries. I get it, things have been crazy. Any word from Ariel Fox’s manager yet?”
“Not a word.” She sighed. “I’ve left like four messages.”
I frowned. “That sucks. I’m going to call her myself. They can’t ignore us forever.”
“Actually, they can.”
“Stop being a pessimist.” I waved a hand at her. “I need to at least book her for a few shows, but a residency would help secure my position here.”
“You don’t need to worry about job security. You’ve accomplished more in two weeks than Suzette did in months. Plus, I noticed Mr. Broody Pants hasn’t been so grumpy lately. You must be doing something right.”
The conversation was veering into dangerous territory, so I made a quick detour. “I’m sure that has nothing to do with me. He’s probably getting laid.” I wanted to smack myself before the words finished falling from my lips. It was so stupid. Why would I say that about my boss?
“He gets laid plenty,” Penny said. “I’ve heard he has a way with the ladies, though I haven’t personally seen it. I mean, he’s hot, but he’s kind of a big dick. But who knows, maybe he has a big dick and that’s what attracts the women.”
I choked on my Diet Coke and held a hand over my mouth to keep it from spraying all over my desk. Swallowing it down, I coughed as the bubbles burned my throat. If only she knew how true her words were. “Sorry. Wrong pipe.” I banged on my chest with the heel of my hand. “So, what are you wearing on your date?” Focusing back on Penny was my only option. I didn’t think I could handle another comment about Trent’s dick.
She put a finger to her lips. “I’m not sure. Nothing in my closet screams French cuisine.”
“Come on, it’s time to go shopping,” I said as I grabbed my purse from the desk drawer. “I saw the perfect dress for you in one of the boutiques downstairs. My treat for all the extra help you’ve given me.” I hauled her out of the chair and toward the door. “You’re going to look fabulous.”
One crisis averted. I hoped I could survive the rest of the night with a little more grace.
I met Trent in the lobby at exactly seven o’clock. He looked utterly delicious in dark jeans and a black button-up shirt. He’d left it untucked and had the sleeves rolled up, showing off his muscular forearms and a hint of that tattoo I’d yet to identify. This was the first time I’d seen him in something other than a suit, and I completely approved. Casual Trent was just as hot as Office Trent.
He let out a low whistle when he saw me. I did a spin to give him a view of the low-cut back on my silver tank. I’d paired it with cropped jeans and a pair of strappy, silver heels. “You like?”
He pulled me by the hand and pecked me on the cheek, then eyed me from head to toe. “You look gorgeous.”
I scanned the area to see if anyone was watching us, but everyone was busy doing their own thing. “You don’t look so bad yourself. I was starting to wonder if you owned anything other than suits.”
“I do, indeed.” He pulled a laminated badge from his back pocket and handed it to me. “This is your backstage pass for all events. We keep security tight, but you can go anywhere with that.”
“Gianna Romano, Director of Entertainment and Events,” I read aloud. “So, it’s official now?”
“It was official the minute I said it.” Trent took the pass from me and hung the lanyard around my neck.
I giggled. I wasn’t much of a giggler, but I couldn’t help myself. “Has anyone ever told you you’re bossy?”
His mouth quirked up on one side. “A time or two.” He held out his arm for me. “Are you ready for your first Vegas show?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” I looped my arm through his. “I’ve never been backstage for a concert before.”
“Then you’re in for a treat. Best seats in the house.” He led me through the back hallways to two huge black doors. A big, beefy guy stood guard with his arms crossed. “Hey, Mason.”
He dropped the tough guy persona I was sure he had no problem backing up and smiled at Trent. “Hey, boss man.” Mason held his fist out for Trent to bump. “Long time no see. Who’s your lady friend?”
“Gia, Mason. Mason, this is Miss Gia Romano, our new director of entertainment and events.”
Mason took my small hand in his big paw with the gentleness of a teddy bear. “Nice to meet you, Miss Romano.”
“Likewise. And it’s Gia.”
“I was hoping you could take a few minutes to show Gia around and introduce her to the crew,” Trent said.
“Sure thing, boss.” Mason spoke into his walkie, “Jasper, need you to take my place for a few.”
Within minutes, Jasper appeared, and introductions were made. He was as big as Mason, if not bigger. Mystique didn’t mess around when it came to security. Mason held the door open for us. “After you.”
I slipped inside with Trent and was hit with a sense of urgency. People hustled around the huge space like bees in a hive. Some had clipboards, others pushed equipment around, and still others spoke into mics attached to their shirts. Everyone was busy getting things in order for tonight’s show.
One woman stood out from the rest. Forty-something, if I had to guess, a clipboard in hand, and a headset perched atop her curly, blond hair pulled into a ponytail. She barked out orders and directed the crew. “Who is she?”
“That’s Scarlet. She’s our fairy godmother; makes the magic happen. Nothing goes down back here without her knowledge. She’s also the liaison between the hotel and the performers.”
“Introduce me?” It was nice to see another woman in a position of authority. Woman power and all that. I already liked Scarlet.
“Sure thing.”
We talked to Scarlet briefly. She was a busy woman, and I didn’t want to interrupt, but I scheduled a meeting with her for next week. She knew all the ins and outs of the business and I hoped she’d be able to help me with Ariel Fox.
Before we knew it, the show was ready to start. Trent moved us into the wings, out of the way of the road crew and out of sight from the audience. The packed theater buzzed with energy. You could literally feel it coming off the crowd in waves.
The lights went down, and everyone went crazy with anticipation. Trent wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested them on my hips. “Are you ready for this?” he whispered in my ear.
I nodded furiously. “So ready.”
A single drumbeat from the stage, slow and steady. The rhythm of a guitar joined the beat, and then a second guitar. A deep baritone voice began right as the stage lit up and the crowd went wild.
My hips swayed and my chest thumped with every beat of the drums. I couldn’t just hear the music, I felt it coursing through my body. It became a part of me.
About halfway through the set, Trent whispered in my ear, “Are you trying to drive me crazy?”
Goose bumps ran down my spine. “Just enjoying the show.”
“So am I.”
“This is phenomenal.”
“I’m not talking about the music. For two weeks you’ve been teasing me and now you’re shaking your hips against my junk.”
I winced at him, scolding myself for my carelessness. I’d set boundaries and my hips were sending the wrong message. “I wasn’t trying to tease you, I just got lost in the music.” The show was great, but I wanted to find out what else this man had in store for me. Tonight was supposed to be about getting to know each other. “You wanna get out of here?”
He chuckled. “Only if you’re ready.”
The look in his chocolate-brown eyes told me he was more than ready. “I’ve done my due diligence. What else you got?”
Trent groaned. “So much more, sweetheart. So much.”
My panties flooded from the man who was offering more than I was willing to give. Yet. I didn’t want to fuck up my job, but the man holding my hips was too tempting for his own good. He’d have to wait until I decided if he was worth the risk. “I wanna see more than the inside of a hotel room.”
“Not even on my mind,” he lied as he pressed his cock into the small of my back. “I’m going to make tonight a night you’ll never forget.”
“Show me what you’ve got,” I flirted. “I wanna live dangerously.”
“Careful what you wish for.” Trent grabbed my hand and dragged me through the throng of people backstage. I giggled as I ran in my heels down the winding corridors of Mystique I never knew existed. We exited the venue through a side door and proceeded down a deserted path to the crowded sidewalk of the Strip.
There was so much to take in—couples walking arm in arm, drag queens drumming up business for their shows, lights flashing and demanding attention. My knowledge of the Strip was limited. Since I’d been here, I’d experienced it through the window of my new living quarters, seeing it from afar but not being immersed in the sights and sounds.
“Where are we going?”
“Everywhere. No more naive girl from Waukegan. You need to live!”
I loved his enthusiasm. It was a lot to absorb as we weaved in and out of tourists. Finally, he stopped and pulled me in front of him, wrapping his arms around my waist. “This is a must-see.” Trent pushed me against the railing, shielding me from behind.
I looked over the small pond in front of a grand hotel. “What am I looking at?”
“Just wait.”
Minutes ticked by and I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to look at. Music played and the magic began. Water danced in front of me in a carefully choreographed display of lights and sound. I was transfixed by the fountains as they sprayed water in perfect harmony with the music. “This is the Bellagio?”
“It is. What do you think?”
“Wow. It’s better than YouTube.”
He watched me watch the fountains. “Nothing is better than the real thing. This is only the beginning.”
After the fantastic water display, we walked hand in hand down the Strip. He led me past the Eiffel Tower, roller coasters, and street performers. It truly was an adult playground. Too much and not enough all at the same time. An overload of the senses that made you afraid you might miss something if you blinked.
Placing his palm on my lower back, Trent led me past huge statues of lions guarding the entrance of another casino. It was extravagant, as if everything was dipped in gold. “What are we doing here?”
“You’ll see,” Trent said as he led me through the lobby and onto the casino floor. The dinging of the slot machines overwhelmed me from every side. ‘Pick one.’
There were so many. A sea of spinning reels revealing diamonds, cherries, lucky sevens, and any other image you could think of. “I don’t know how to choose.”
“My mom always says the machine picks you. Take a deep breath and close your eyes.” I did as he said, and Trent turned me in a circle. “Now open your eyes. Which machine calls to you?”
I took a tentative step forward, focusing on a slot machine in the far corner. Trent followed my lead and slipped a hundred dollar bill into the bandit like it was nothing. “I can’t spend your money.”
“Sure you can. It’s a date and I can afford it. You haven’t even let me buy you dinner.” He nodded toward the machine. “Pull the handle.”
I bit my lip in anticipation. It seemed like a waste of money, but I couldn’t fight the urge to give it a try. “You’re sure?”
He gave me a pointed look and placed my hand on the lever. “I’m positive.”
It was five dollars a spin. Money that would be better spent on anything else. I pushed away the inner voice of my parents and pulled down. The reels spun quickly, landing on a double bar, a seven, and a blank. I shrugged, feeling guilty for wasting Trent’s money.
He chuckled. “I’d have been surprised if you won anything on the first try.” Leaning over me, he tapped the credit button three times. “Try again.”
I gulped. “That’s fifteen dollars.”
He rolled his eyes and put my hand back on the lever. “Pull.”
The wheels spun again and the pit in my stomach grew. It was one thing wasting my own money, but it was something else entirely to waste his. I watched intently as the reels stopped one by one, a bar, another bar, and… a cherry. My heart sank. How could people put their hard-earned money into these machines day after day? A tiny ding grabbed my attention. “What happened?”
Trent smirked at me. “You won your money back.”
“Your money,” I corrected. “So, it’s what? Like a free spin?”
“That’s how they keep you here. Gives you a little taste of success. Can you feel it?”
I nodded.
“Go ahead. Pull it again. You know you want to.”
I did want to do it again. A rush of adrenaline coursed through my veins. I copied Trent and tapped the credit button three times. “Here goes nothing.” With a pull of the handle the reels spun again. Three double bars clicked into place and the machine dinged longer than before, giving me thirty credits. I quickly did the math. “A hundred fifty?”
“Looks like it’s your lucky night.”
“I should stop.”
“No. You should keep going. You’ll know when to stop.”
“Do you want to play?”
Trent shook his head at me with a predatory glint in his eyes. “I’m enjoying watching you.”
“Is this turning you on?”
“Immensely.”
I giggled. “You’re a strange one.” I began mixing up my bets, sometimes winning a bit and sometimes losing. Every time the machine dinged it was like another shot of adrenaline straight to the heart. It was easy to see how people became so addicted. When I’d doubled Trent’s initial investment, I cashed out and held up the slip that was spat out. “Drinks on me?”
“Absolutely.” Trent pulled the slip from between my fingers and led us to the cashier. After cashing out, we sat at the bar and ordered. “Are you hungry?”
“I grabbed a burger with Claude before the concert, but I could eat.” I held up my cosmo. “Something to soak this up. A corn dog?”
Trent nearly spits his scotch on the bar top. “We’re in a city where you can literally get anything, and you want carnival food?”
“I’m a midwestern girl. I don’t need fancy. I need sustenance.”
“You are something else, Gia Romano. A complete and utter enigma.”
I quirked a brow at him. “That a problem for you?”
“Not at all. It’s refreshing.”
