Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Zena

Back at Mandalay Bay, we walked toward the elevators, but didn't get far when a piercing scream cut through the casino. Nolan and I both stopped to see a woman at a nearby slot machine, jumping up and down.

"I won!" she kept repeating, her voice full of disbelief and pure joy.

A casino employee rushed over, confirming her win with a broad smile. "Congratulations, ma'am! You've hit the jackpot!"

"How cool," Nolan said to me with a genuine smile. He stepped toward the woman and said, "Congratulations."

She beamed back a heartfelt, "Thank you!"

"That was nice of you." I said as we resumed our walk to the elevators.

Nolan blinked twice. "It was nice of me to be nice?"

I shrugged, now thinking maybe that probably did sound a little weird. "Well, yes. You didn't have to say anything. Most people just walked right by her without a word." I hesitated, then added, "I admire how you talk to complete strangers."

Nolan shrugged casually. "I guess I'm showing my Midwest roots. It was how I was raised. Back home in Wisconsin, we say hello to everyone. At the mall, in grocery stores, anywhere, really. We wave at people driving down our street. It's the norm, nothing weird about it."

"I absolutely love it." I shook my head, thinking about my own experiences. "Lately, it seems like everyone's living in their own little bubble, or they just don't know how to be nice anymore. I miss the human contact, kindness, down-to-earth conversations, even just a simple hello." I pulled him to a stop and kissed him on the cheek. "Hello."

"Hello," he replied with a wink, before we stepped into the elevator.

The doors slid shut behind us with a soft whoosh. As Nolan reached out to tap the button for the 40th floor, I couldn't contain myself any longer. The curiosity that had been building was threatening to burst out of me like a shaken champagne bottle.

"Okay, spill it," I blurted out, turning to face him. "What's this brilliant plan of yours? The suspense is killing me faster than Mitch's death glares."

Nolan's lips curved up into that sexy smirk of his, the one that made my heart do a little flip. "Patience, grasshopper. All will be revealed when we reach our room."

I groaned dramatically. "I'll have you know I'm usually the epitome of patience. But right now? My curiosity is strangling my patience to death. So, tell me." I playfully bumped my hip against his. "Give me a hint. Pretty please?"

"Nope," he said firmly, avoiding eye contact, but his grin grew into a devilish one.

"Are you sure?" Feeling bold, I let my fingers trail up his chest, enjoying the firmness beneath his shirt.

Nolan's breath hitched in his throat, his eyes darkening.

"You might not want to do that," he warned quietly.

"Oh? And why not?" I said, offering him a mischievous smile.

"It's not a good idea. In public, hands on. In private, hands off ."

I stepped closer. "That was your rule, not mine. I said no rules."

My fingers continued their journey in the opposite direction toward his abs.

As quick as lightning, Nolan grabbed my wrist, pulling me flush against him. We were face-to-face, barely inches apart. The air between us crackled with electricity as the elevator continued its ascent.

"What are you going to do now, pretty boy?" I asked, glancing at his mouth with a dare, certain he would not take the bait because of his stupid rule.

To my surprise, Nolan pressed my body against the elevator wall, his lips crashing into mine. This kiss differed from our earlier, staged ones. It was raw, hungry, and desperate. His tongue swept into my mouth, and I met it with equal fervor. In one swift move, Nolan grabbed both my hands, sliding them up the elevator wall and pinning them above my head. He pressed his body into mine, deepening the kiss even further. I arched into him, craving more contact. How was it possible to be this close to someone and still want to be closer? The kiss intensified, setting every nerve ending on fire. Just as I thought I might combust from the heat between us, the elevator dinged, signaling our arrival.

We sprang apart, both breathing heavily, staring at each other in shock. Finally, when we were both able to regain some of our composure, we silently turned to exit the elevator, then we froze.

Mitch stood there, his face a mask of fury and disbelief.

"Get out of the elevator. Now," he growled.

Sheepishly, we stepped out, avoiding eye contact. I tugged at my blouse, which had somehow twisted to reveal my midriff. We turned back just in time to see Mitch lean over to punch the lobby button with the side of his fist, his left eye twitching as the doors closed in front of his face.

I could hear my heart pounding as we walked to the room. Neither of us said a word, like we were teenagers who had been caught making out in the bathroom on prom night. Nolan pulled the card key from his wallet, inserted it into the slot, and pushed the door open. Without a word, he waved me through to enter first.

Once inside, Nolan tossed the card key on the desk, and sat on his bed, sighing before saying, "We need to talk about our … situation ."

"Oh …" I blinked, not knowing how to respond, since I obviously knew what he was talking about.

"Now, don't get all shy on me," he said. "We're two adults who are going to have a simple, open conversation."

"Simple, huh? Are you sure about that?" I asked, walking over and sitting on the bed next to him.

Nolan flinched when my leg brushed against his.

He quickly jabbed a finger at my bed. "Do you mind sitting over there on your bed while we chat?"

I smirked. "See? It's not so simple, is it?" I stood and walked over to sit on the edge of my bed.

Nolan nodded. "Okay, you're right. It's a little more complicated than I anticipated. I mean, we have to pretend we like each other around Mitch. And we have to pretend we don't like each other around your dad."

"It's safe to say we stopped pretending anything a while ago," I admitted.

" That's my point!" Nolan said. "I've liked you since the moment you sat down next to me at Lucha Libre. It's crazy, but it's the truth. And it is also very dangerous."

His confession sent a thrill through me, even as anxiety crept in. "Dangerous how?"

Nolan ran a hand down his face, his voice strained. "Your father is my boss, Zena. He made me promise to stick to the plan and walk away from you when it's done. No exceptions. No hanky-panky. I gave him my word. For me, it's a question of integrity."

"Which I can appreciate, but I'm not some helpless damsel whose life needs to be controlled by her father," I argued. "You're not taking advantage of me at all. Perhaps it's me taking advantage of you and your commitment to this plan with everything you have at stake."

It was time to be honest with Nolan and with myself.

"This is mutual, Nolan," I added. "I'm a willing participant."

He groaned, pacing the room. "Why did you say that? That makes it worse. Did you hear me? Mr. Dalton said no hanky-panky!"

"Quit using that expression!" I said. "You sound like my grandmother!"

His lip curled up into a partial smile, but it disappeared in an instant. "This is not funny, Zena. Your dad fired a guy for refusing to do one simple favor for him that was not part of his job duties. I love my job. Finding another one like it would be nearly impossible. We're adults and we can fight this ridiculous attraction. We have to."

I wanted to assure him. "Dad wouldn't fire you over this."

Nolan's gaze was serious. "Can you guarantee that?"

I shook my head.

"Exactly," he said. "I'm just saying, maybe we need to pull the brakes on this speeding locomotive and focus on getting into the playoffs. We can figure this out in the future."

"In the future?" I stood, moving close to him. "Can you honestly tell me you can shut this off? That the next time we kiss for show, you won't feel anything? This is not attraction, it is chemistry in its purest form, defying all logic."

"I didn't say I wouldn't feel something. I said we should try." Nolan's resolve visibly wavered. His eyes softened as they met mine. "It's ironic, really. This whole charade started as something not exactly honest, but what's growing between us, it's the most real thing I've felt in a long time. If it wasn't for the karma of helping you and the team, I'm not sure this job would be worth it." A small smile played on his lips. "This is your fault for being so irresistible."

I reached for his hand. "Look who's talking, mister. Anyway, I truly believe whatever's meant to be will find a way." I waved it off. "All right, enough relationship drama. Let's hear about this master plan of yours. Back to our mission, please."

Nolan's eyes lit up, his serious tone completely evaporating. "Okay, so Mitch is downstairs for his pregame meal, right?"

I nodded. "Standard routine. He'll be back within the hour for his rest period before he takes off to the arena for the game."

"Exactly," Nolan said, practically bouncing on his toes. "That is our window right there to take action."

"What are you saying?" I asked, confused. "You want to break into his room while he's gone? That would be impossible and illegal! I will not go to jail for this."

"What?" Nolan said. "No! I didn't say that at all. Where did you get that idea from?"

"I don't know! The movies, maybe? Come on, get to the plan!" I said. "I can't stand the suspense."

"Okay," he said. "When we hear him return to his room, we're going to put on a little audio show for him."

My brow furrowed. "Audio show? What are you talking about?"

Nolan's grin widened. "We're going to make some very specific noise. The kind of noise that'll make Mitch think we're, you know …" He gestured to the bed.

I blinked twice. " That is your plan? You can't be serious!"

"It's foolproof!" he insisted. "If Mitch suspects you and I are getting freaky beneath the sheets, he's going to lose his mind."

"And I'm pretty sure you have already lost yours if you think this will work," I said. "I can't believe you gave up the tickets for this."

"You said you trusted me," Nolan countered, his enthusiasm unwavering. "I know how guys think. This will work. Now, are you in or not?"

I sighed, wondering how I'd gotten myself into this mess. But looking at Nolan's eager face, I felt my resolve weakening once again. I had to trust him.

"Fine," I said. "But if this backfires spectacularly, I'm blaming you entirely."

"Deal!" he said. "Now, we need to wait for him to return."

We both read on our beds as we waited. Nearly an hour ticked by, the tension in our room building with each passing minute. Suddenly, the unmistakable sound of Mitch's door opening and slamming shut broke the silence.

I pointed at the wall, whispering urgently, "He's back!"

Nolan dropped his book on the bed, leapt to his feet, and yanked me up with him. "Showtime."

"Go ahead—you start," I said, curious of how he would implement this crazy idea that still had me scratching my head.

He positioned himself near the wall, took a deep breath, and let out a tentative, "Oh!"

I stifled a laugh and whispered, "What was that? It sounded like you just remembered something you needed to add to your grocery list!"

"Fine, hotshot," he said determinedly. "You try."

I stepped up, cleared my throat, and exclaimed, "Wow! I can't believe it!"

Nolan's jaw dropped. "Seriously? That's your sexy voice? You sounded like you found a pair of lost earrings."

"Yeah? Try this one on for size." I pushed him against the wall with a reverberating thump and said, "Come to mama!"

"Here comes daddy!" he said, trying to maneuver around me in the tight space and his hand getting tangled in my hair.

"Ouch! Take it easy!" I yelped, louder than intended.

We froze, the realization dawning on both our faces simultaneously. There was no doubt Mitch had heard that. We locked eyes, both of us realizing how pathetic we were as we dissolved into barely contained laughter. This was absurd, really. Here we were, two adults, trying to fake intimacy like a couple of novices when the real thing was simmering below the surface.

In a moment of pure impulse, I grabbed Nolan's shirt, yanking him close.

"Maybe you need a little more inspiration," I whispered, my lips brushing his ear. Before he could respond, I pressed my mouth to his, and suddenly we were off to the races with another amazing kiss that left me wanting more. When we broke apart, there was a new intensity in Nolan's eyes, like he had been a dead battery that needed a jumpstart.

"Oh, Zena!" he called out with more enthusiasm. "Don't stop now! Yeah, baby!"

I bit back a snort.

He sounded like Austin Powers.

"Right there!" I called back. "Oh, I love that. Nobody is even close to as good as you are! I'm flying, baby!"

Nolan, fully embracing his role, grabbed a pillow and started thumping it against the headboard. "Yeah? You like that?" He waggled his eyebrows at me. "Well, you're gonna love this!" He thumped the pillow a few more times, but his enthusiasm backfired when feathers exploded from within, floating around us like snowflakes.

Not to be outdone, I snatched up the room's hefty tourism guide and began slapping it against the desk.

"You're making me see stars!" I yelled, trying not to giggle at the absurdity.

A resounding bang echoed from the other side of the wall.

"Keep it down over there, you freaks!" Mitch's muffled voice carried through, equal parts anger and desperation.

Wait, it was actually working?

"Shiver me timbers!" Nolan called out.

"What are you doing?" I whispered. "You've turned our fake lovemaking into a pirate adventure."

"This is a lot of pressure!" he said.

I quickly came up with something else to cover Nolan's blunder. "You've got magic fingers!"

"I'm warning you two!" Mitch growled.

Nolan attempted to up the ante when he called out, "Right there!"

Too bad he sounded more like he was directing furniture movers than engaging in passionate lovemaking.

Suddenly, a thunderous pounding on our door made us both jump.

"Open up! Now!" Mitch bellowed from the hallway.

Nolan's eyes widened with amusement. Before I could react, he yanked off his shirt, revealing a torso that made me momentarily forget how to breathe.

"What are you doing?" I said, my eyes refusing to look away.

"Making this look realistic," he whispered back, kicking off his shoes and shimmying out of his pants to reveal his black boxer briefs.

"Wowzers," I muttered, my face burning as I tried and failed to look away. "I really don't understand what is going on right now."

With another bang on the door, Nolan called out, "Be right there!" Then he turned to me. "Quick, hide behind the wall."

Confused, I did as he said and scurried to my hiding spot.

Nolan tousled his hair before sauntering to the door to open it.

"Can I help you?" he asked innocently.

"You think this is funny?" Mitch asked. "This is my quiet time before the game and all of Las Vegas can hear you."

"Hey! Stop that!" Nolan said.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut.

An eerie silence fell over the room.

My heart, which had been racing with excitement from the fun moments ago, now pounded with anxiety. What the heck was going on? I peeked around the corner and to my shock and dismay, Nolan was gone!

This can't be happening.

Our brilliant plan was about to implode spectacularly. If I went out there fully dressed, Mitch would know we had been lying all along. I knew I had only one option to keep our plan and Nolan alive, but the thought was as thrilling as having a root canal performed by a blindfolded dentist.

Without a second to lose, I stripped off my clothes faster than a pit crew changing tires at the Indy 500. I lunged toward the bed, pulling the comforter off, then reaching for the sheet to wrap it around my body.

Unfortunately, it didn't go so smoothly.

The sheet was tucked in tighter than a mummy's bandages. I wrestled with it, feeling like I was trying to pry open a stubborn clam with my bare hands. I yanked, I tugged, I jerked. I may have even uttered a few colorful words that I typically reserved for my annual mammogram screening.

Had housekeeping sewn the sheet to the bed?

After what seemed like an eternity of undignified struggling and almost falling over, I managed to free the sheet to wrap it around myself. I stood there, panting and disheveled, draped in what looked like a discount toga.

"Here goes nothing," I mumbled, taking a deep breath.

It did absolutely nothing to calm my nerves.

I opened the door and stepped into the hallway like I was walking the plank. That was when I heard the door slamming behind me, the last nail in a coffin. A very embarrassing, scantily clad coffin.

I turned slowly, meeting Nolan's frozen gaze.

His expression of shock mirrored my own internal horror.

"Please tell me you have the room key," I whispered, already knowing the answer from the way the color drained from his face.

We were locked out of our room, and the hallway had suddenly become a catwalk of calamity. I stood there wrapped in my bed sheet, flanked by Nolan in his boxer-briefs. Completing our trio of mortification was Mitch, looming in white bikini briefs that could have easily doubled as a dinner napkin.

Wait a minute …

Why was Mitch also in his underwear?

I blinked hard, wondering if I'd somehow slipped into some bizarre dream world where I had crashed Mitch and Nolan's impromptu underwear party. Maybe I'd wake up any second now, safe in my bed, giggling about this ridiculous scenario my subconscious had cooked up.

Mitch turned to me and crossed his arms. "You think I want to hear all those noises coming from your room? And what's with that freaky pirate stuff?"

Nolan bumped my arm playfully with the side of his arm. "She likes to role-play and this time I was Johnny Depp, from Pirates of the Caribbean. "

"Don't forget we're doing Back to the Future after the game tonight," I said, playing right along like an improv pro. "You promised to show me your flux capacitor."

"With pleasure!" Nolan snapped his finger. "Remind me to pick up some plutonium in the gift shop."

Mitch held up his hand. "Please stop! You're killing my mojo!"

"Come on, Mitch, we both know you killed your own mojo the moment you slipped on those tighty-whities," Nolan said, glancing down at his briefs.

Mitch was about to say something, but the elevator dinged behind me. He glanced over my shoulder and froze.

I spun around and blinked rapidly, not believing my eyes. My thoughts of this being a dream had been shot down in flames. This was a nightmare of epic proportions. Our fake relationship had turned into a very real, very public disaster. Especially since the elevator delivered two wide-eyed witnesses to our humiliation.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dalton!" Nolan said to my parents with a forced smile, his hands quickly dropping to cover his boxer-brief-clad lower half. "It's so good to see you."