Secrets and Seduction Las Vegas (Sexy Italian Imports Book 1) (21 page)

“Just let me tell you about them, Valerie. I promise you’ll have a great time with them.”

She crossed her arms and listened. Did Sloan ask her to San Diego to help organize her business or to pimp her out to Andrew’s friends?

An hour later they walked into the restaurant to meet Andrew. She was to meet the first guy tonight when they ran into him at the martini bar before dinner. Later, they would bump into the second one when they went to a jazz club.

As sneaky as it seemed, Valerie was amused at how smoothly Andrew carried off the faux chance-encounters with his friends. Both men were indeed as great as promised, but she felt a connection with the jazz guy, Pat. He asked if he could take her out to dinner the next night—with Sloan and Andrew, of course—and she accepted.

The next evening, Friday, they all met for cocktails, but, when they were seated for dinner, Sloan got a call from her office. A problem with her security system. Andrew offered to drive her, and they rushed out the door, telling Valerie and Pat not to wait for them to return.

Pat gestured over his shoulder to the departing couple. “Did that seem a little suspicious?”

“A
lot
suspicious. I had no idea Sloan was that devious.”

“Andrew really fell for her. Now he thinks all his friends should be in relationships.”

“I’m glad to hear he’s serious about her. She’s a wonderful, intelligent woman.”

Pat looked at her a minute then laughed quietly. “That’s exactly what she said about you.”

She felt her face warm, took a sip of wine, and made a closer inspection of him; tall and blond with brown eyes, he had a quiet, serious personality. His sport was golf, and a lot of it. He worked as a salesman for a company that sold generators to large businesses in the region. He traveled throughout California and Nevada and spent a lot of time in Las Vegas.

Pat promised to take her golfing next time he came to Vegas. And, he added, handing her his business card, he would be glad to give her estimates on generators for her home and office, which she secretly thought was hilarious.

He drove her back to Sloan’s after dinner, and she let him kiss her. A very proper, very solemn kiss. Just like Sloan had described him:
Too career driven and needs to have some fun.

She agreed to see him again the next night, and the four of them partied at some hot clubs.

The drive home on Sunday proved difficult. They stayed out late Saturday, drinking and dancing. Pat was more fun than she originally thought, and she looked forward to hearing from him when business brought him to Vegas.

Back in her own house, she curled up on the couch for a long nap. She dreamed, but it was Antonio’s eyes that warmed her blood, his lips that brushed hers, his hands that caressed her. She woke, her skin damp from wrestling with him in her sleep, her belly throbbing with unfulfilled passion. She squeezed her legs together, imagined Antonio’s hand there, and within seconds experienced an orgasm.

“Why didn’t you call me, Antonio? Why didn’t you love me enough to accept my faults?”

****

Monday morning, Monica dressed in her most conservative white suit, nylons, and traditional white pumps. Her rebellious side nudged her to slip on a red lace cami under the suit coat, and her pumps had stacked, four-inch heels. She drove to LA for her appointment with the hospital review board. She hadn’t heard from Joe again and hoped his conscience was eating away at him from the inside out. Vindictive? Hell yes!

She met her attorney, Nick Bond, in the hospital lobby, and they briefly reviewed the case.

Nick read from a thick file. “The head of the E.R., Dr. Pappa, was notified by the pharmacy that triple doses of—I’m not even going to try to say the name of this drug—was allegedly ordered by you through the computer system in the burn unit.”

Monica’s mind kept going over how that could have happened. “Correct. Then, after the drugs were brought to the nursing floor, the records were changed to the correct dosage for the patient, but the extra vials disappeared.”

“Okay.” He sat back and looked at her closely. “You didn’t do this, right?”

Her jaw tightened. “No, I did not. Someone is setting me up.”

“You think it’s this Dr. Pappa?”

She looked down at her hands, clenching them in her lap. “No.” Then she looked at the attorney. “Maybe?” She shrugged. “I don’t think it was him.”

“You have a relationship with Dr. Pappa?”

How had he guessed? She tossed her head. “
Had
a relationship.”

“And you never noticed signs of a drug problem in him?”

“No. Our relationship was brief.”

His eyebrows flicked up. “Hm.” He sat forward and closed his briefcase. “Okay. After the board presents the case, we have an hour break to discuss our strategy. Let’s see what they’ve got, and we’ll go from there.”

She smiled weakly. “Thank you for being here with me, Nick. You’re a lifesaver.”

He smiled reassuringly. “We’re going to win this one.”

They entered the meeting room and were ushered to a table facing the front of the room. The chairs on the opposite side of the table were empty, and the board members stood grouped in a corner around a television.

Monica leaned close to Nick. “What do you think that’s all about?”

He shrugged. “
Grey’s Anatomy
reruns?”

A surprised laugh sprang from her lips, and, at the sound, one of the men at the television turned and looked at her. Joe.

She looked away quickly, her heart responding to his nearness, her anger surfacing at his betrayal.

A few minutes later, the board members took their seats, and Joe walked to the back of the room.

The chairwoman rapped the gavel. “This meeting is called to order.” She shifted forward in her chair and said directly to Monica, “Dr. Kane, would you stand, please?”

Chapter Eighteen

Monica whispered to Nick, “Isn’t the sentencing supposed to come at the end?”

He patted her arm, smiling. “Not a good time to make jokes, Doctor.”

Monica and Nick stood, and the chairwoman laced her fingers together, setting her hands on the table. “It has been decided that today’s review of your actions while in this hospital is terminated. Through no fault of this board, an error has been made by instigating this inquisition, and all charges are hereby rescinded, and all records of this matter are closed. Nothing will appear on your record, Dr. Kane. And please,” she said quietly, “accept our deepest apologies for any inconvenience this has caused you.”

Monica stared, not sure what was happening.

Nick squeezed her elbow. “May we know what brought about this reversal?”

The chairwoman rapped the gavel again. “This meeting is adjourned.” The board members stood, and the chairwoman responded. “I’m afraid I cannot comment on an ongoing investigation, but…” She gestured to the back of the room. “Dr. Pappa can tell you all about it.”

Monica slowly turned and met his gaze. Nick was saying something to her, but she didn’t hear. This emotional roller coaster was all thanks to Dr. Joe Pappa, and she didn’t know if she wanted to kiss him or gut-punch him.

“Monica?” Nick picked up his briefcase. “Do you want me to walk out with you?”

She smiled at the attorney. “Thank you, no. I’d like to finish this myself.” She held her hand out, and he shook hers. “You earned your fee today, Nick. You are really, really good!”

He laughed. “We practice the
steely stare
in law school. Gets charges reversed every time.”

Monica laughed, really laughed for the first time in a week and a half. “Send me your bill, and I’ll pay you when I take you out for the most expensive steak dinner in Vegas.”

“It’s a date,” he said, just as Joe walked up to them.

Joe squared his shoulders and looked at Nick, who hefted his briefcase and winked at Monica. “Good luck, Doctor.”

She waited until Nick was out of earshot. “Joe, you are a bastard.” She picked up her purse and turned away from him.

“Hear me out, Monica. Please.”

She heard the pain in his voice but kept walking and made it through the meeting room door before her upper arm was captured in a strong grip.

“If nothing else, let me explain what happened.”

She looked at him, waiting.

He smiled. “I know you’re curious.”

She turned from his smile, her eyes filling with tears. How could she love him so much already? And after all he put her through. “All right. Tell me.”

“In my office.” He pulled her along with him down a narrow corridor to a locked door with his name on an engraved plaque. Unlocking it, he ushered her inside, still gripping her arm, as if she would bolt and run in her four-inch heels and pencil-slim skirt.

She jerked her arm from him and walked into the office, brushing the tears from her cheeks. Thank heavens she thought to wear waterproof mascara today. She sat in one of his guest chairs, crossing her legs and impatiently tapping air with her foot.

He pulled a chair to face her. “Monica, you have to know it killed me to file the report—”

She set her face in an emotionless mask. “Not as much as it killed me, I can guarantee. Please, just tell me why the charges were dropped.”

“I spent the day yesterday going over everything again. Then, around midnight, I was watching the security tapes again, and I noticed something odd. Every time you logged off the computer, one of the nurses would push it to the side, out of camera range.”

“This nurse would log back in as me?”

“Yes, exactly.” Joe’s face lit with animation, and it reminded her of why she was so attracted to him. “When the charge nurse gave you security clearance, this other nurse must have stolen your login and password.”

“And she had access to the med safe, too?”

“She did. As of five this morning, she’s under arrest. They found a vial of the drug in her locker.”

Monica stood, tugging her jacket down and sliding her purse strap onto her shoulder. “Well, that’s taken care of. Thank you…” She held out her hand. “For resolving it so quickly.”

Joe stood and looked into her eyes, his brow furrowed. “Monica, don’t let this come between us. I had to—”

“You’ll excuse me if I don’t see it the same way you do. This was my career, my life you casually tried to ruin.” Monica was pissed at herself for letting her eyes tear up again. “I can forgive you, Joe, because it was your duty. But I can’t go back to where we left off. I’m not that forgiving.”

“I understand. Goodbye, Monica.” He patted her on the arm and turned his back on her, opening the shade on the window.

Her mouth hung open. Did he just say goodbye? “You’re not even going to fight for me?”

He glanced at her as he walked to his desk. “You’re still here?” He flipped through the mail in his tray.

She tossed her purse on the chair, really angry now. Games? She was very good at games. “You know what? I’ve changed my mind.” She slowly unbuttoned her jacket. “Maybe I will be able to forgive you enough to let you become my lover.”

His head snapped up, his eyes darkened as he watched what her hands were doing. She turned and strutted to the door and pressed the lock. Doing her best runway model impression, she faced him and put her stacked heels and hosiery-covered legs to work, sashaying toward him as she slid her jacket off, revealing her red lace cami. Oops, she thought with a smile, she forgot to put a bra on this morning. Naughty girl.

It was his turn to stand with his mouth open.

She left her jacket where it fell on the floor and slowly inched her skirt hem up her legs. She batted her eyes and asked, “Will you?”

“Huh? Will I what?” His voice was as squeaky as a boy in puberty.

“Will you…become my lover?”

He was out from behind his desk so fast she thought he might have superhuman speed. He wrapped his arms around her and grabbed her butt then lifted her and pressed her back against the wall.

“I want you, Monica. You don’t know how much I need you.”

“Joe, I haven’t been with a man in days. I’m so horny; let’s go to your place and do this.”

He froze, eased away from her, and took his hands from her body as if she were dry ice.

“What do you mean, days?”

“Well…” She casually gestured. “You saw Nick today. He’s one of my lovers.” The lie made her feel cheap.

“What kind of game are you playing?”

She lifted her delicate brows. “Game? No game, Joe.” She heard his pager beep annoyingly. “Let’s give it a shot and see if the chemistry’s there. If you’re good enough—”

His cell phone rang. He ignored it. “Damn it, Monica. You’re trying to end it by being a bitch?”

Monica jerked. She did not like being called a bitch. But if it got Joe out of her life, she could take it.

His desk phone rang, and he ignored it, too.

“Yes, you can call me a bitch while you’re spanking my tight ass and—”

“Shut the hell up.” He backed up a half dozen steps. “Before you go too far.”

She reached up and slid one satin cami strap off her shoulder. “Is this too far?”

“No, Monica. I beg you, don’t kill it. We can make it work.”

They both heard him being paged to the E.R., stat.

“Give it some time, Monica.” He moved toward the door. “I’ll wait for you.”

“Joe.” She shook her head. He was far too good for her. “Just forget me.”

“Never.” His voice was hard, his eyes desperate. “Never in a million years.” Then he was gone.

Monica leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. She thought she had him beat. Thought for sure he’d dump her. But not Joe. He was a boy scout. He saw through her bullshit and wanted her anyway.

She slid down the wall until her butt landed on the floor. She put her arms on her bent knees and dropped her head onto them. “What am I doing?” The tears flowed, and her body shook with grief. She made her point, but at what cost?

****

Valerie worked from home on Monday. Her doorbell rang in the afternoon, and she opened it to a security guard holding packages left at the gate by a florist. He handed her a large envelope and a very large bouquet of flowers.