Picking up her towel, Dani replied, "You mean the hiss noise?"
"Yeah," Kim laughed, "she's a cat alright. Don't let it worry you."
They went on to practice the dance routine. The music was a soft rock number with a good beat. Dani kept up, staying in back of the women, then realized pretty soon she'd be in front and her mind went into overdrive to memorize it.
On a fifteen minute break, she found Nat Davis.
"I think I have it down now," she told him, still breathless from the exertion of dancing. "Could I be in front, then?"
He looked surprised and set his clipboard on a stool. "Sure, let me show you the positioning and area on stage. We'll see how it goes."
After the two of them went through the whole salsa-type routine, the women wandered in and stood watching them.
"She's good," Kim said to Adriene, "she is really good. He'll probably use her in the Saturday shows."
Lorali stood eavesdropping, with a smile on her face. She'd just thought of the most wonderful way to get rid of the new one.
Later that afternoon, Al stopped by the rehearsal and stood in back of the theater watching Dani. He leaned against the doorjamb with his arms crossed.
And he realized he'd picked a winner in Dani without even knowing it. She was extremely light on her feet, graceful, and yet he could tell she felt the pounding rhythm of the songs. She led the rest of the dancers perfectly, beat on beat, turn on turn. From the posing with arms up, to the end, she was far superior to any of the other dancers. "Quality," he muttered to himself, "real quality."
His cell phone jangled. "What?" he said impatiently.
"Boss?" Lefty's voice.
Al laughed and let himself out of the theater into the hallway. "What's going on?"
"It only gets worse."
He knew what Lefty meant. Dani.
Sighing, he said, "Go ahead."
"My contact in Buffalo said she was in the hospital two years ago and CPS was involved."
Al's face was grim now, and he was silent.
Lefty continued, "Broken arm, spiral fracture, like when someone grabs you and twists. Sprained ankle. Black eye, with a detached retina."
"Christ, what happened?"
"CPS came in on it because the foster father turned up with a black eye too. The guy said they both fell down the stairs together."
"My God," Al breathed, "she must have been trying to fight him off. Did they move her after that? To a different home?"
Lefty replied, "Yeah. But she ran away a few times." He paused. "The more I look into this boss, the worse it seems. And the sorrier I feel for her."
Al looked up now, blankly staring at the showgirl sign down the hallway. "She's okay now, my friend. We'll take good care of her."
Once back in her room, Dani realized she had nothing to do until the show started that night. Nat wouldn't let her dance, although he'd almost promised her to dance in the two Saturday shows. But they both agreed she should watch one show from the audience, so tonight was the night for that.
A knock sounded, and a bellhop stood in her doorway, then handed her a cell phone package. "This is from Mr. Scaletti," he said, grinning at her.
"For me?"
"Yes, ma'am. He said to keep it with you at all times." He grinned again, then waved and took off down the hallway.
She flipped open the phone, tried a few icons, and realized there was only one phone number listed. Al Scaletti.
Chapter 5
Dani showered and washed her hair with a new shampoo Kim recommended. Toweling off, she thought the scent of her hair was lovely, like roses.
Donning a hotel plush white robe, she walked to the dinette table and noticed a light blinking on the new phone. "How odd," she said out loud. "Yes?" she said after she called the number.
"Miss Troubix," Scaletti said smoothly, "how are you?"
She found herself clutching the robe tighter to her chest, then she relaxed and smiled at her foolishness. After all, the man had seen her in her underwear. "I'm fine thank you."
"And how did the rehearsal go today?" She heard him rummaging through papers, and wondered if he was even paying attention to her.
"Fine, thank you," she said shortly.
He said, "I thought we could get a bite to eat tonight before the nine o'clock show."
She hesitated. After all, she was under contract now. "The contract...with the casino. It says I can't date employees or have men here in the suite."
Laughing softly now, he replied, "I think they'll make an exception for me. I'll write you a note if you like."
"Well, I just got out of the shower..." her voice trailed off and she realized that was none of his business and she shouldn't have said anything.
"Okay," he said briskly, "I'll come by your suite around seven. We're going to Le Fleur. See you then." And he hung up in her ear.
She began to panic. She had nothing to wear and she'd never heard of Le Fleur. On the house phone, she called the backstage number and asked for Kim.
When she told Kim what had happened, Kim screamed in her ear, "You're kidding! Le Fleur? That's like the best restaurant in the city!"
"What should I wear?" Dani said, still in panic mode, "We're going to the restaurant then to the show to see you all afterwards."
"Don't freak out now. I'll have housekeeping bring you a dress. In the mean time, do your hair and make-up."
They hung up and Dani felt like she was on autopilot as she dried her hair and fixed it in an upsweep, tried to control a few wayward strands loose around her face, and dashed on mascara and red lipstick.
Housekeeping brought her dress, a form-fitting light green cocktail length gown with gems along a low bust line sweep. Kim had also included heels, size seven, in a matching hue.
But she was dismayed to see how very low the neckline was on the thing, and she hiked up the straps to no avail. Well, she thought, it would just have to do.
Too soon for comfort, a knock sounded on the door. She opened it to see him standing casually in the hallway. His hair was combed neatly back from his face, and he was dressed impressively in an expensive tailored black suit and white shirt with a burgundy tie and vest. A burgundy and black handkerchief was tucked into his upper pocket. His blue-grey eyes were warm as they looked her up and down.
Seconds after she opened the door, his aftershave wound around her senses, and made her weak in the knees. He had power, this man; it flowed from him, even as a slight smile appeared on his lips now.
"Miss Troubix, are you ready then?"
She just took her room card, and held it out to him. "Yes, do you mind holding this?"
"Not at all." He slipped it in his pocket.
They walked out into the noisy casino, and he led her to the back entrance, where a limo waited in the stifling Vegas heat.
After the driver let her in, and Al sat next to her in the backseat, she said, "I've never been in a limo before." She looked around at the bar, then the sunroof, and her eyes came back and met his. The heated gaze in his eyes left her breathless.
But a minute later he caught her unaware, and she stiffened, as he reached up and smoothed an errant hair back from her face. His hand lingered there for seconds before he took it away again.
His aftershave was so pleasant; she felt in a haze as they rode along the twinkling Vegas Strip. Neither of them said a word for a while. She had the feeling his mind was elsewhere.
"Would you like a drink?" he said with a smile. "Although they'll probably arrest me for serving a minor."
Her back straightened and she realized he had privy to her HR records, driver's license, everything. She wondered how much he had found out about her past. Would it make a difference to him? "Yes. I wouldn't mind a few sips of whiskey. Thank you."
Still smiling, he poured her two fingers of an expensive whiskey from a tumbler in the limo bar. As she sipped, she realized he probably wanted some conversation from her. "Is Le Fleur a nice restaurant? I'm new in town, I've never been there."
/> She turned to watch him now.
His expression looked very far away, as he said, "My wife used to like Le Fleur." Then his eyes trained on her again. "I guess we'll find out, won't we?"
The neon lights of the strip reflected back to her as she tried to read his eyes. Nothing more was said, though, as she sat back and they continued to the restaurant.
When they arrived, the posh surroundings told Dani this was indeed an expensive restaurant. And the maitre d' scurried around, seating them in an intimate nook towards the back of the restaurant. It seemed as if the man knew Al Scaletti very well.
The light was muted in the restaurant giving a faint glow to everything Dani saw. Her eyes moved to the plants, the waiters, people at the other tables, the candle glinting on the table, then to the man in front of her.
A smile quirked his lips again, and she thought it was probably the sexiest thing she'd ever seen in a man. So, she smiled back.
Al thought he must be a very lucky man sitting with this beautiful vision called Dani. With the shining red hair pulled back, her neck was deliciously in view. He'd had to hold himself back in the limo from kissing the length of it, as her scent of roses hit him. And now she had that delectable little pout on her ruby red generous lips as she perused the menu. It was driving him crazy. But he was a patient man, if anything, so he searched his mind for something to say that would not indicate he'd researched her past.
"How did rehearsal go today?"
That seemed to do the trick. As the waiter took their drink orders, she opened up on the subject. He watched her gracious hand gestures and saw she wore pink nail polish. Idly, he wondered if she had it on her toes as well.
"So you like it then?" he asked.
"Oh, I do Mr. Scaletti."
"Please, call me Al."
She flashed him the thousand watt smile. "Then call me Dani."
"Absolutely."
The waiter brought their drinks. But, he noticed she was shifting in her seat. "Everything all right?" he asked solicitously.
"Yes, thank you. I think I'm having some cramps from today's workout. In my legs. Nothing major, though. I can handle it."
They ate their dinners after that, she had filet mignon, and he had salmon. The food was delicious, as usual, and he noticed with humor that she really had a healthy appetite. But, she still shifted all during dinner.
"I am so sorry," she finally said, as she looked close to tears, "my legs are cramping something terrible. Would you mind if we went back to the casino? Maybe if I walk for a while it will go away."
"Of course." He drew her up from the seat and steadied her by one elbow as they left.
In the limo, she continued to shift uncomfortably. As they pulled up to the back entrance, he said, "We'll go to your suite. I have an idea. Don't worry about the show. We can go to the eleven o'clock."
Dani nodded, wondering what he had in mind. Although, the way her legs felt now, she'd do anything to make the cramps stop.
He used her room key, and he guided her inside, led her to the bed. "Wait here and lie down," he said, "I need to make a call."
A few minutes later, he let someone in, as she lay face down on the bed.
"This is Charlene, Dani. She's a masseuse." She felt him unzipping her dress, and tried to stop him, as she wasn't wearing any bra.
"Don't be so prudish," he said firmly, "I've seen plenty of breasts in my time, and so has Charlene." They undressed her then, except for her panties. The cramps were so bad now, she didn't even care what they did to her.
But then she felt the strong hands of the masseuse on her legs, calves, thighs, and it was heavenly.
"She's really bad," the woman said, "knotted up like crazy. Did she drink enough water today?"
Dani saw Al drop down on the bedroom chaise. "Well?" he asked.
"I don't think I had any water," was Dani's muffled reply, "but I had some coffee with breakfast."
"Christ," he said.
Charlene added, "She's probably dehydrated to begin with, then had some coffee and I suppose drinks before dinner?"
"Christ," he said again, "I didn't know, Charlene. Never even occurred to me to ask her."
"Moron," she told him crossly, "look at her back. Solid knots. I don't want to see this again, Al."
"Oh, you won't," he replied, chagrined. "I'll talk to Nat about it."
But the massage was feeling so lovely to Dani that she grew hazy and almost fell asleep under the expert hands. She wasn't sure how long it lasted, but when it ended she couldn't move.
"What time is it?" she said sleepily.
"It's only ten," he replied, as she heard Charlene pack up her lotions and leave. "I'll let you rest for a while. Then we can go to the show. Deal?"
"Deal." And, her voice faded out.
She woke to the sound of his voice on the house phone. However, when she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, she realized he was still sitting on the chaise lounge in her bedroom. He stopped speaking for a minute as his eyes roved up and down her semi-nude body. She held an arm across her breasts as she stood.
She pulled on her dress quickly, but because of the lotion on her back, she realized she would need his help with the zipper. She struggled with it for a minute, before he gestured for her to come to him.
As she turned, she felt his warm hands roll slowly down her bare back to the zipper. She gasped at the sensation, and she realized he had stopped speaking into the phone again. They stayed for seconds with his hand on the small of her back, before he pulled the zipper half way up.
"I'll have to call you back," he said into the phone.
She felt him stand behind her, as he pulled the thing all the way up. Then he unfastened her hair, and ran his hands gently through the length of it. "Do you realize how very lovely you are?" he asked softly.
She shook her head. His hands roving through her hair made her feel soft, pliable, open. He took a brush from the bureau and lightly brushed her hair until she could barely feel it.
He touched her upper arms gently, his hands running from top to bottom then said, "We'd better go, Dani."
They sat in the second row, where she'd seen him sit earlier. A guard had been saving their places in the packed theater, and he moved off to one side as they took their seats.
Soon, Dani heard some familiar music start and she sat forward tapping her feet. She gasped along with the rest of the audience as the curtain revealed the dancers. "They look beautiful," she said softly. All were wearing two foot headdresses and their make-up and bodies looked spectacular. She longed to be up there with them, as they moved and shook and twirled, with the strands on their costumes following.
Lorali did a misstep mid way through, but Dani thought she covered herself well.
When the dancers quit, and posed for the audience Dani clapped and whistled with them.
Turning back to Al, she said excitedly, "Weren't they wonderful?"
He smiled and brought a wayward strand of her hair in back of her shoulder. "Yes, they are quite wonderful. But let me ask you whether you saw the mistake."
After a few seconds debating it, she said, "Yes. I noticed Lorali took a little extra step towards the middle. She handled it well, though."
He nodded. "Shall we go back and see them? I usually do after performances."
They rose and made their way backstage. As they approached the women, his hand touched the small of her back possessively then strayed to her hip.
The motion was not lost on Kim, or anyone else for that matter. She came up and said, "So what did you think?"
"It was wonderful," Dani said, "I can't wait to join you all."
Marie walked up to them, and Al told her, "You're slipping, Marie."
"What?" But her look was playful, and Dani sensed he was joking with her.
"Water."
"Oh," she said, looking at him guiltily. "Dang, I always forget that don't I?"
"Well, it made for some pretty harsh leg cramps tonight, as Cha
rlene will undoubtedly tell you tomorrow."
"Hmmm, maybe I should hide out in the morning..."
"That, or take your punishment right away. Get it over with."
She looked at Dani and said, "I am so sorry. You really worked out today too."
Dani felt his hand smooth her dress slightly, where it still rested on her hip, and she felt warmth spreading through her. She thought back to the sizzling look he'd given her when he saw her almost fully naked in her bedroom, with his eyes roving, catching on her breasts then moving downward.
Kim looked at her strangely, then smiled widely, as she said, "Breakfast, Dani?" Then looking at Al, she said, "A glass of water at least, right Al?"
He smiled. "Right. You know I'll be watching from now on. The eye in the sky."
Lorali watched them together, and grew furious. Walking into the costume room, she threw her headdress on the mound of clothes at her space.
Adriene saw her and said sweetly, "Troubles, troubles and more troubles?"
"Oh, shut up."
"Smooth move in the show, Lorali. How many times have you done that routine?"
Lorali thought of the gaff she'd made, which was exactly when she spotted both of them in the audience. Al and Dani.
"So," she said to Adriene, her face a mask of innocence now, "are they dating? He seems to be quite smitten."
"Sounds like something out of a bad soap opera. Smitten. I like that. Plus I really don't know what they're doing on their own time. It's none of my business." But then her voice grew hard. "It's none of your business either. I just know she's a great new dancer and she deserves a solid chance. Don't screw things up for her."
"Right. Would I do that?"
Chapter 6
The next morning, Dani waited for Kim in the employee lounge, daydreaming over her steaming coffee.
Al had walked her to her suite door last night, very courteously, but she missed his hand on her back, that light barely there touch that laid promises. "Thank you for a wonderful time," he'd said softly.
Romance in Vegas - Showgirl! Page 4
