The Night Moves Boxset: (Stripped, The Hook-up, The Night Manager)

by Tarrah Anders

  “How on earth would you know what that ride is like? Wait, you’re comparing last night to an amusement park ride?” Why am I asking her stupid questions? There are better questions that I could be asking, like WHAT THE FUCK WERE WE THINKING?

  “Jacks, I’ve been to Disneyland. Has anyone ever told you that your body is a wonderland?” She smiles, probably amused by her own use of the cliché. Her grin gets wide as she looks me up and down.

  “Are you quoting John Mayer?” I roll my eyes.

  “Oh, shut up. So, stripping has done your body good over the years,” she says, eyeing me as if she can see through my clothes.

  “I haven’t stripped in a year, Cam.” I cross my arms.

  “Beside the point. So, what time is this brunch?” she asks, the sheet still pooled at her waist looking incredible.

  I look to the clock on the nightstand. “Eleven.”

  “Oh, good. We have an hour.” She stretches. Her movements cause the sheet to move down her body. I jump forward and pull the sheet back over her, even though all I want to do is to continue looking at her.

  “Cam,” I warn even though my entire body is lighting up to her.

  She smiles coyly and holds the sheet in place but looks up at me with desire in her eyes, a smile forming on her pink lips.

  “Cameron,” I start, using her full name to convey the seriousness of this situation. “Can you just get dressed or go shower, or hell, go back to your own room? If Mal came in here and saw you naked in my bed, I’d have a shit-ton of explaining to do.”

  “Mal is busy fucking his bride.” She pouts, crossing her arms and pushing her breasts up under the sheet.

  I’ve thought about her over the past year, ever since she sent me an email after Mal and I opened up our club. I did what any other warm-blooded male would do and stalked her Facebook profile and checked out her Instagram feed. Glimpses of last night are returning to my memory and now I remember mentioning that to her last night, which makes me slightly embarrassed. Cameron is four years younger than Mal and I. When he and I still lived in the same building in Sydney, She would come over to his flat once a week to do her laundry and eat his food. While she is wildly attractive, she is still Mal’s little sister and somewhere there’s a mates handbook that clearly states one mate should not date or bed another mate’s little sister. She would hang out with us on occasion, but she was always his sister, there was no overlooking that fact. I've only recently thought differently...

  “Cam. Seriously. Can we call this what it is, a wedding hook-up, and go about our business? You’re heading back home and I…, well I’ll be heading back to Vegas later today. Your brother would freak out if he caught us,” I ask, hoping I don’t come off like a complete arsehole as that’s that last thing that I want to be right now.

  “Didn’t Mal tell you? I’ve moved to Vegas. Well, I’m moving to Las Vegas. My stuff is being shipped there as we speak. So by the end of today when I get back there, I’ll be staying permanently. And besides, Mal is not my keeper. I don’t have to get his permission for everything that I do.” She smiles proudly. "I'm an adult."

  I’m stunned silent. I try to recall any memory of Mal mentioning this news, but I come up with nothing.

  “What are you planning to do in Vegas?”

  “I’ve been working in hospitality, and what better place is there to build my career?”

  “Right.” I nod. She’s correct on that account.

  “So let’s stop with the avoidance. Last night, I recall us mentioning that there was some feelings towards another and I think that we justified that I want you, and that you want me. Let’s go another round to work up an appetite and then go hang out with the rest of the wedding party,” she says with confidence.

  “As great as that sounds,” —being completely honest here, because it does sound pretty fantastic— “we really should be focused on the fact that your brother and your new sister-in-law — my best friends, mind you — will be suspicious if we show up to brunch together, especially if you’re still wearing your bridesmaid dress.” I hold up her gold dress.

  The look of excitement in her eyes dims.

  “Well, fuck. Why must you make total sense?”

  “Because without being rational, we would be wrapped up in each other in bed, and then late to eat, which I suspect the both of us really need. The food part…. Yeah, the food.”

  “You win this round, Jacks, but it’s just round one!” She throws the bedding off of her and grabs the dress out of my hand. I get a full flash of her entire body. And it is perfection.

  I’ve been back home for two weeks since Mal and Beck’s wedding. It’s also been two weeks since I’ve seen Cameron. All of Cameron. I know she’s somewhere in Las Vegas, but I have no specifics.

  My job doesn’t allow for the standard schedule of a nine-to-fiver. I’m the night manager and half owner of the hottest co-ed revue club in Las Vegas. My nights are spent attending rehearsals, managing club business, and being on the floor and backstage to make sure it all runs smoothly and guests have a fantastic time. After most shifts, I don't get home until the early hours of the morning. My schedule is that of a tourist in Las Vegas, out late at night and sleeping in during the day and doing what needs to be done before starting the night all over again. Since my schedule is so unusual, it’s highly unlikely that I would run into her.

  It’s four a.m. when I finally get home from the club, and I’m achy and hungry. I’m pulling my car into the garage of my townhouse when I notice a dark shadow on my front porch. Once inside, I shut off the engine. I rack my brain for possible individuals who would be at my home this time of night and come up empty. I live in a gated community, so I’m not feeling threatened, yet I put my keys through my fingers, Wolverine-style, before slowly walking out of the garage and around the side of my home. The small figure is seated and leaning against the door. As I get closer, it's obvious from the deep breaths and light snores coming from the form that the person is asleep. I nudge a foot with the toe of my shoe and startle her awake.

  Long blonde hair and a mouth shaped like perfect “o” are the first things that I notice.

  What the fuck is she doing on my doorstep?

  How did she know where I live?

  That mouth would look great wrapped around my cock.

  “Cam? What are you doing here? How long have you been here?” I ask, crouching down to get eye level with her.

  Her eyes go from hazy to focused as recognition sets in and she realizes where she is, and then she straightens.

  “I was kicked out of my friend’s house. She wanted to be alone with her boyfriend for a few days. I couldn’t go to Malcolm and Beck’s place and I had your address from Mal just in case. I’m sorry. I don’t even know how long I’ve been here. What time is it?” she rambles as she rubs the sleep out of her eyes and then the back of her neck.

  “It’s late. Let’s get you inside. How did you get into the neighborhood anyway?” I ask, holding out my hand to help her up.

  Her small hand fits perfectly in my large one as I pull her up. She gets to her feet and her body presses against mine as she finds her balance. Her other hand lands on my chest and she offers me a hesitant smile.

  “I jumped one of the lower fences. Tore my jeans a bit. I’m sorry to just show up like this. I don’t mean to just push my way in. I just didn’t know where else to go, I don’t have many friends in the area yet and I…. I—,” she says quickly. My arm reaches around her shoulders protectively as I walk her through my garage.

  “Don’t worry about it, Cam. I have a few bedrooms just gathering dust. You aren’t imposing by any means but I just want to warn you, I'm not home a lot so my place is pretty bare and I'm pretty sure the fridge is too.”

  “Thanks for the warning. You’re male last time I checked, so that sounds pretty normal.” She cocks her head to look up at me.

  I ignore her teasing, and stop at the door into my home to press the button on the wall to close the ga
rage door.

  I let her enter first and watch as she takes in her surroundings. I’ve never paid any attention to how visitors view my home. It’s simply furnished; there are no expensive paintings on the walls, no gaudy furniture and very few personal touches, aside from one small part of the house. Cameron doesn’t say anything as she walks through my space; however, I’m trying to see what she sees.

  “There’s not much in the fridge, I don’t eat a lot of meals here at home. You have your choice of two bedrooms. There is only one with a bathroom attached, but I have three bathrooms total, so you can have your own either way. Whichever you want, let me know and I’ll change the sheets.”

  “Jacks, I’m sure whatever sheets are on there right now are fine. Thank you. This is more than enough. I’m sorry to put you out like this.”

  “Listen, you’re fine. Grab a room, get some sleep and we can chat in the morning. I don’t have to be at the club until six tomorrow night.” I wave her in the direction of the bedrooms while ignoring my cock straining behind my zipper. The knowledge that she’s close by and the memories of what we did the last time that we saw one another has him on full alert.

  I wake to the intoxicating smell of bacon. Like a cartoon character, my nose leads my body out of bed, then out of my bedroom to the kitchen where Cameron is shaking her tight ass to an unknown beat.

  I stand in the entry way for a moment before I make my presence known by sliding up behind her and peering over her shoulder as her ass lightly brushes against the front of my sweats, which could be a big mistake. She jumps and her back bumps my shoulder. Her body falls against mine, including my now semi-erect cock.

  “What the hell! Don’t ever sneak up on someone when they’re cooking bacon!” she shrieks.

  “Sorry, sorry. I just wanted a closer look,” I say honestly.

  “You wanted a closer look at bacon cooking?”

  “Yeah. I generally don’t eat it, so it’s fascinating to watch, and it smells delicious as well.” I nod stupidly. “How did you sleep?” I ask her as I step away.

  “Like a rock. That bed is magical. Thank you for letting me stay here last night.

  “No problem. How long do you need a place to stay?”

  “Oh no, I can go to Mal’s. It was late when I left Sam’s house, so I felt bad going over there.”

  “Hey, I’ve got all this space. Don’t feel like you need to leave.”

  Why am I opening up this can of worms? She’s your best friend’s little sister — practically family! What am I trying to accomplish here? I must still be fucking tired with only four hours of sleep!

  You should definitely give her a place to lay her head. On your pillow while you’re hovering over her.

  The devil and the angel of my conscience are both giving me valid reasoning. I shake my head and smile.

  “So, Jacks, the last time we saw each other was brunch after, well, you know…. What have you been up to?” She just gets to the point.

  “Yeah, it’s been a few weeks,” I mumble. Fourteen days, seven hours to be precise.

  “Do you have any recollection of the night?”

  “Some,” I lie, biting my bottom lip.

  It’s true. At first I didn’t remember anything, but bits and pieces have come back to me here and there. Those bits and pieces have led to many cold showers. By the way, cold showers do not help one bit. You want to know what does help? Rubbing one out! Which I’ve done a lot over the past two weeks.

  I have flashes of skin, of teeth scraping along parts of my body that haven’t had a woman's intimate touch in a while, and hands roaming all over the place.

  I can feel my cock hardening again as my thoughts run rampant.

  “Jacks. Jacks?” Her voice cuts through the images and I blink back to reality.

  “What’s that?” I focus my eyes on her.

  “So what have you been up to?” Her hand is on her jutted-out hip, and her back is to me while she turns the bacon over. With this view, I have the opportunity to check her out while she isn’t looking. A part of me feels ashamed, but the other part is blaming my gawking of her for the shitty sleep and my mind not thinking straight.

  “Work,” I reply.

  And thinking about the night we spent together.

  “That’s it?” She looks over her shoulder at me then resumes her eyes on the stove in front of her.

  “Yup.” I nod to reinforce my fib keeping my eyes firmly attached to her arse.

  Fucking liar.

  “All work and no play makes Jacks a dull boy.”

  “I’m not dull. I’m running a successful club that needs my attention more than my social life does,” I protest.

  “So, you wake up and go to work? Rinse and Repeat?”

  “Well, I work out in the middle, I socialize with your brother and Beck and I go to social events as requested. Enough about me.” We don’t need to go over how much of a workaholic I am. What have you been doing since you moved to the city?”

  Chapter Two

  Cam

  I can’t believe that I’m standing in Jacks’s kitchen, cooking breakfast. Who would have thought that, of all my stupid decisions in life, the last-minute chance I took coming to his place in the middle of the night would turn out so well?

  I didn’t like the feeling of having nowhere to go, but faking my confidence as long as I have has served me well.

  I knew the moment he walked into the kitchen, because the whole atmosphere shifted. I didn’t let on that I knew, but it was obvious from the change in energy when he walked into the room. His scent, while it’s everywhere since this is his home, got even stronger as he came up behind me. Still, when he spoke, it scared me. Guess I was so focused on the bacon and making sure it was the perfect amount of crisp.

  “What have you been doing since you moved to the city?” he asks, avoiding my probing about his lack of social life.

  “Well, I work at one of the hotels on the Strip. Right now, I’m at the front desk, checking people in and such. I’ve hung out with Beck a bunch when she’s not at the club and my one friend Sam has been hanging out with me a lot since I’ve been here, which is probably why she asked for some privacy. Since I got here, she hasn’t really had any alone time with her boyfriend. Plus, her place is small. I sense that he’ll try to talk her into not letting me crash at her place anymore. The few times I've met him, he didn't particularly warm to me. So…yeah.” I shrug.

  "Did you move here without a place lined up? Why are you staying with your friend?"

  "I had a place, but the pictures in the ad were definitely not the place. The ad made the place look like paradise, but when I went there, it was a matchbox. Lots of angry-looking blokes poking around too. I forfeited the place after a week and Sam was kind enough to let me crash with her until I could find something better."

  “That sucks. What kind of schedule do you work?” he asks. I plate the bacon, reach for the door of the microwave and pull out the pancakes I was keeping warm and set it all on the counter. His eyes bulge as I present to him everything that I’ve cooked this morning.

  “It changes. But I’ve got twelve-to-eights this week.”

  "Thank you," Jacks says as I push a plate in front of him.

  Jacks rummages around in a drawer close to where he’s standing, pulls out a keychain and holds it out to me. With an arched brow, I tentatively reach for it.

  “For the house, the fob opens the gate. You can stay here for as long as you need. Like I said last night, I’ve got the space. And since I’m not home a lot, the fact that someone else can spend time here, makes it worth buying.”

  “You work the night shift, right?”

  “I do. I’m the night manager. Your brother is the day manager.”

  “But aren’t you guys the owners?” I ask, confused.

  “We are, but we split a lot of the managerial duties. Since it's just us right now, we have to put the time in ourselves.”

  “So why the night manager?”


  “Mal and Beck were a package deal. Her work was day hours, so his should be too. They deserved to be on the same schedule.”

  “What about you?”

  “What about me?” he asks as if my question made no sense.

  “Wouldn’t you want to be on the same schedule as your girlfriend?”

  “Love, I don’t have a girlfriend.” He tilts his head and looks at me as if he sees right through my questioning.

  “But if you had one?”

  “Then we’d cross that line if it came up. But I haven’t had a real girlfriend since moving here. Plus, who would want to try and build a relationship around my hours?" He pauses. "This is the earliest that I’ve been awake in over a year. If I had breakfast made every day, I would get no sleep with some of the late nights that I put in.”

  “When I work one of the random late, late shifts, I still wake up with the sun.”

  “That would not work with me. I need my beauty rest.” He laughs.

  “No you don’t,” I say quietly.

  “Anyway, where did you park your car?” he asks, changing the subject.

  “It’s parked along the curb just outside your community gates. I didn’t have the super-human strength to pick it up and throw it over the gate.” I smile.

  “After this bountiful meal you have prepared, we’ll go grab it and put the visitor parking plaque in there,” Jacks says while eying all the breakfast goodies.

  “Jacks, really. I can stay with Sam,” I protest, even though at Sam’s is the last place I want to be.

  “Nah. I have the space, you need a spot, and after all, we’re practically family,” he says uncomfortably.

  “Yeah. Family.” I agree with a tentative smile.

  Family who has seen each other naked. Family who has undoubtedly rocked me ten ways to Sunday sexually. Family who obviously still have the hots for one another.

  We eat together in silence, with occasional groans of satisfaction between bites. Jacks wipes his mouth and then smiles while folding his arms behind his head.