by Rosanna Leo
Alex walked up behind her. “What do you think?”
She turned to him. “I’ve never seen anything like it in someone’s backyard. It’s amazing.”
“I guess it’s nice. I don’t spend a lot of time out there, though.” A muscle ticked at his jaw. “Where would you like me to set up your laptop?”
“Oh, um, wherever it’s convenient.”
“There’s a seating area in the kitchen. You could start your work there while I cook for you.”
“Are you sure I can’t help?”
“No. I want to do it, and I don’t want you to be stressed about your work.”
“Okay,” said Dana, relinquishing herself to the lunacy of this situation. “I’ll work in the kitchen. Let me know if I can open any jars for you.”
“Will do.”
Alex showed her to a bright kitchen with all the latest appliances and neutral granite countertops. He even had one of those refrigerators that made coffee. She closed her gaping mouth and took a seat in the breakfast nook. Plugging in her laptop to the nearest outlet, Dana clicked on her document and reviewed what she needed to do.
It wasn’t long before her attention strayed back to the chef.
Although normally of a serious disposition, Alex lightened up in the kitchen. She caught him humming as he prepped his ingredients, and almost laughed when she realized what he was humming.
“Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham.
He bobbed his head, unaware of her appraisal. He moved slowly, taking care not to use his right hand if it could be avoided, and never once asked for help. She almost got up a few times to take over, but knew he would only shush her and send her back to her seat. With tentative movements, he mixed up a few ingredients in a blender. He closed the lid, held it down and shimmied to the music in his head.
Dana had to put a hand over her mouth so she wouldn’t laugh.
At that point, she didn’t even bother to pretend she was working. “It’s not fair that I’m toiling over here and you’re having fun with George Michael.”
He looked over his shoulder. “You heard that, huh?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“If you tell people, I’ll deny it.” He winked.
Who was this new Alex?
As he fiddled with the blender, she offered her help again. “I’m worried you’re going to hurt your hand.”
“I’m fine. Awkward, but fine. You worry too much.”
“I have been accused in the past of smothering people.”
“Who said that?”
“My sister.”
“No comment.” He was trying not to roll his eyes, but she caught some movement at his lashes. “You just sit there and relax. I’ve got it covered.”
While he finished with the blender, he prepared some coffee. After rummaging in the fridge, he produced a plastic container filled with chopped up green pepper. Returning to the stove, he sautéed the peppers. His blender ingredients then went in the pan and he pushed them all around with a spatula. After a couple of minutes, he put the whole thing into the oven.
Pouring out two mugs of coffee, he joined her at the table and placed one in front of her. He returned with the other for himself. “There. Let me know if it’s strong enough.”
“I’m sure it is.” She took a sip of the delicious concoction but then set it down. “This is weird.”
“The coffee?”
“No. This situation. Alex Markov cooking me breakfast in his home.”
“Yeah, for me too. I don’t cook for anyone, but it’s because most of my meals get delivered or prepared in the Vice kitchens.”
“So, I’m special?” she teased.
“You are,” he replied, without a hint of a tease in his voice. “I want to do this for you.”
“Ah.” She sipped her coffee to escape his gaze. “Are you going to tell me what happened to your hand?”
In a few short sentences, he relayed the story of Gordon Dean. When he told her about the crowbar, a chill skittered down Dana’s back.
The thought of anyone hurting Alex took her to dark places.
“And this man is still in Vegas?”
“Yeah. I vouched for him, of course, so the police have dropped the case. I don’t want Gordon to suffer. He made a couple of mistakes. I’m not pressing charges. He’ll be heading home soon, but I think he just wants to come up with a plan first.”
“And what if that plan involves coming back for you?”
“He won’t. We talked it through.”
“Alex, this man and his family have held a grudge for over a year now. He flips sides out of nowhere, and you believe him?”
He averted his gaze.
“One minute, Gordon Dean was threatening you with a crowbar. The next minute, he’s taking you to the hospital? I don’t understand. Why did he change his mind?”
“I broke down in front of him. I think it shocked the hell out of him. Gordon realized he’d taken things too far. He’s even going to talk to his parents and get them to back down.”
“How nice of him.”
A glint shone in his eyes. “Are you worried about me?”
“Of course.”
“Don’t.” He covered her hand with his for a moment and then went over to the stove. He opened it and used a fork to poke at the omelette. “Eggs are ready.”
“Great.”
Too bad her stomach was turning over.
Alex plated the mixture and delivered it to the table. “Now, be open-minded.”
“Why?”
“They’re not real eggs. I’m vegan.”
“Vegan? How did I not know this about you?”
“Well, we haven’t really spent our time together eating.”
As his voice trailed off, he met her gaze. Hunger flitted through his eyes and it had nothing to do with the faux omelette.
“I guess you’re right.” Her tongue thick, Dana attacked the dish and put a forkful into her mouth. “Mmm. These are good. Different, but good.” She ate some more. “So, what made you go vegan?”
“Mostly health reasons.”
“Mostly?”
“After Shannon died, I indulged in a lot of things that were bad for me. I realized I’d been consoling myself with a lot of rum. Getting wasted was never my thing, but being numb was.”
Dana understood that temptation.
“Being in the public eye, with so much scrutiny coming at me, I knew I had to maintain some sort of control over my behavior. But I kept to myself a lot, drank a lot. One day, I grew tired of looking at my sad face in the mirror. I cut down on my drinking, started eating different foods, and hired a personal trainer to help me work out. My trainer suggested the vegan diet, so I tried it. I function better this way. With my work, I need a lot of energy and this helps.”
“That’s great. I admire you for making such a big change.”
He smiled, sipped his coffee, and polished off his own vegan eggs. “Thanks. If you don’t mind, I’m going to change into some shorts. I’m hot in these jeans.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll be right back.” He disappeared through a doorway. Within seconds, she heard his footfall above her.
Dana finished her breakfast, marveling at the egg-like texture and taste. She typed out a couple of notes on her document but the floor creaked above her as Alex moved around his bedroom.
Somewhere over her head, Alex was stripping out of his clothes.
He would be unzipping his jeans, dragging them over his hips, stepping out of them. His gorgeous thigh muscles would be on display as he chose a pair of shorts.
Cruel memories pounced. Specifically, one of him tied to his bed, his legs splayed. She’d run her fingers up those long legs as she’d nestled between them…
Dana groaned.
This day might not end up being so relaxing, after all.
When she heard Alex’s footsteps coming down the stairs again, she held her breath and stared at her computer screen. As he entered the kitche
n, she glanced up.
Why was it that the sight of him in workout gear should stimulate her just as much as the sight of him in one of his sexy suits?
He wore a simple outfit consisting of black gym shorts and a sleeveless shirt, along with a pair of running shoes. Everything about him was long and lean and hard. His biceps flexed as he scratched his back. His strong thighs gave way to solid calves.
You might want to stop staring at his muscles now.
“How was the omelette?”
“Great, thank you.”
“Can I get you some more coffee?”
“No, thanks. I’m good.” She let out the breath she was holding and it sounded a lot like a sigh.
Alex walked over and passed a hand over her hair. “You look shattered.”
“I am. It’s hard to concentrate.”
“You need to rest.”
“You’re probably right.”
His half grin made her belly flip-flop. “Wanna see my bed? You know, for sleeping purposes?”
“I can rest on the couch.”
“Don’t be a martyr. If you want to get any real work done today, you need some sleep.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Dana.”
“Okay. In that case, I would love to see your bed. For sleeping purposes, of course.”
“Come on.”
She locked the screen on her laptop and shut the lid. He held out his hand and she took it.
Holding his hand was such a simple pleasure, his skin sliding against her own, and yet it brought her such joy. As their palms touched, Dana felt protected and cherished.
It made her greedy for more.
He led her down the hall and up a curving staircase. They didn’t speak on the way to his bedroom and she barely took note of her surroundings. She saw flashes of color and art hanging in the hallways, most of it in calming and neutral shades like the rest of the house, but she didn’t notice many details.
She was too concentrated on Alex, on the way he moved and the way he smelled. The more she got to know him, the harder her attraction was to fight. She just wanted to run her hands over his shoulders and down his back. She wanted to feel him inside her again, to watch his face as he came.
What would he look like next time? Would he grunt in ecstasy? Would he bite his lip? Would he close his eyes or maintain eye contact?
You need to stop dreaming about his O-face.
They turned a corner into another hallway and walked through an open double door. The first thing that greeted them was a king bed. She grinned upon seeing the grey color palette on the sheets and walls.
“Why are you making that face?”
She pointed out different objects around the room. “Grey, grey, black, navy, grey, grey, greyish brown. Hmm. I’m seeing a theme.”
“I like what I like.” He pulled aside the sheets for her and shifted his balance from one foot to the other. “So. These sheets were just changed. I’m sort of a fanatic about fresh sheets.”
Dana didn’t know how to respond. Alex was being charming and accommodating, almost awkward. He disarmed her. She’d had an easier time when he was intense and serious.
He opened one of the drawers in the closet, pulled out a couple of his t-shirts, and set them on the bed. “If you’re more comfortable wearing one of these, feel free. Or if you prefer staying in your clothes, that’s fine too.” He rubbed his chin. “I’m not trying to tell you what to wear to bed.”
“I know.”
He pointed to a closed door. “The bathroom is in there. Help yourself to anything you need. In the second drawer, you’ll find extra toothbrushes and toothpaste. There are towels stacked near the vanity. If you need to freshen up and have a shower, go ahead. Not that you’re not fresh, of course.”
She laughed. Okay, he needed to stop being so adorable or she was going to jump his bones.
He reached for her hand and played with her pinky finger. “I just want you to feel at home.”
“Thanks.”
He sighed and released her hand. “Anyway, I’ll be in the gym, working out. It’s down the hall from the kitchen, if you need to find me.”
“Don’t worry. I left bread crumbs.”
“Ha ha. Are you trying to say my house is too big?”
“I’m just kidding. It’s beautiful. Extremely large, but beautiful.”
“I guess it can feel a bit lonely when I’m here on my own. It’s a lot less lonely with you here.”
For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Tension throbbed so hard in her head she wondered if the room had a pulse.
“Well,” he finally said. “You get some rest. Take all the time you need.”
“I appreciate it.”
He walked to the doors and began to close them, but popped his head back in the room. “Dana?”
“Yeah?”
“I just want you to know…I don’t think you’re broken. I think you’re perfect.”
Goose pimples claimed every inch of her skin.
Alex slipped outside and shut the doors.
Alone in his bedroom, she did a slow turn and examined every corner of the room, avoiding his hulking bed. She could only ignore it for so long. Exhaustion forced her shoulders into a slump and those sheets looked so inviting.
Unable to resist, Dana undressed, leaving her panties on. She held up both of the t-shirts he’d set out for her, a plain white tee and a fitted black one. They both smelled fresh and clean.
She spotted the t-shirt he’d just discarded, hanging over the back of a chair. She reached for it instead and brought it to her nose.
Closing her eyes, she breathed in. It smelled like him, like his deodorant and traces of his cologne.
She put it on instead of the clean ones and brought the collar to her nose once again.
What am I getting myself into here?
“A bed,” she reminded herself. “Nothing more. He’s just offered you a place to crash. Get over yourself. This isn’t goddamn Romeo and Juliet.”
Dana got into bed and pulled the covers atop herself. Turning to his closet, she counted yet another armada of suits. “Grey, grey, blue, black, grey, grey. Ooh, a tuxedo. Grey, grey…”
Smiling to herself, comforted by his luxurious sheets and his nearby presence, her eyelids began to droop.
The memory of his voice lulled her into sleep.
I think you’re perfect.
***
“Aw, man.” Wade Kennedy groaned as his cousin told the cab driver where to go. “The Golden Nugget? Seriously, Benny?”
“What?” His cousin Benny shrugged. “It’s a Vegas institution. You promised to show me whatever I want when I visited.”
One day off this week, and Wade was stuck in another casino. God forbid Benny might want to check out the Hoover Dam or ride horses at a ranch. No, his cousin wanted the Golden Nugget.
At least Wade didn’t have to worry about escorting drunks out of this casino.
As the cabbie headed toward East Fremont Street, Wade stifled his next series of groans. Benny was right. He had promised, and it wasn’t often his cousin got to visit. If he wanted to waste his time, losing money he couldn’t afford on the slots, who was Wade to argue?
The cabbie dropped them off near Fremont and they walked the rest of the way. Sheesh. Even in the daytime, the Nugget managed to look bright and garish.
At least when he was working at Vice, Wade didn’t have to shield his eyes from all the gold fittings.
“Do you mind if I hit the casino?” asked Benny, already pulling out his wallet.
Before Wade could answer, Benny was across the lobby. “Be my guest.”
Benny got comfy at a slot machine. Wade stood next to him but was bored out of his skull within minutes. “Hey. I’m going to go look around.”
Benny, absorbed in his game, just waved him away.
“Try not to miss me.” Wade headed off, in search of a coffee shop. Something told him this was going to be a long day.
; As he marched through the casino, it was hard for Wade to turn off his security instincts. Over to his left, he spotted a wobbling woman who’d already had too much to drink. Over to his right, he saw someone fall asleep at a slot machine.
“Not my problem.”
Smelling coffee, Wade turned a corner. As he approached a craps table, he ran into a familiar face.
“Hey, Pierre.” What was Alex’s driver doing here? He was wearing his uniform. “Aren’t you on the schedule today?”
Pierre looked up, startled. “Oh. Hi, Wade. Yeah, uh, I drove Alex out to the Summerlin house. He’s with a friend for the day.”
“Really? Which friend?”
“Some lady named Dana.”
“Oh, yeah! Dana. Rico Maximum’s pal.”
“What?”
“Never mind.” At least someone was enjoying his day off.
“Anyway, Alex gave me a few hours off. I’m just killing time.”
“Right.” Wade nodded at the table. “You gamble much?”
“Nah. Just having some fun.” Pierre’s eyes flitted around the table. “What about you?”
“I don’t gamble. Probably a good thing, considering where I work. It’s my day off anyway. My cousin’s visiting. He wanted to come here.”
“Cool. Well, have a good one.”
“Yeah, you too.”
As Wade walked away, he tried to ignore the warning bell sounding in the pit of his gut. If Alex wanted to release his driver from work for the day, who was he to argue?
Some shouts went up at the craps table. He looked back, just in time to see Pierre pound the table in frustration.
Someone just lost big.
Unsettled, Wade went in search of his coffee, with every intention of making it a double espresso. When he walked back the same way, Pierre was still grousing.
Wade took up a spot behind a pillar and watched Pierre for a while. With every loss, the driver grew more agitated.
So much for just having some fun.
Sighing, Wade made a mental note to talk to Pierre the next time they had a quiet moment.
After years of working in casinos, he knew how to spot a compulsive gambler. And he was looking at one right now.