She sang mostly rock, contemporary, and classic, then a drunk cowboy threw his hat on the stage and shouted out a request. Without missing a beat, Nadia donned the hat and cued the band.
Soon, she was singing and prancing around the stage, doing some of the most inspired wiggling and jiggling Dante had ever seen. He couldn’t help but laugh.
The girl was a firecracker, and she was having a ball. The crowd roared their approval.
“Whew, thank you!” Nadia paused between songs to get a drink of water. “This song here is for my friend, Slick.”
The band broke into a frenzied version of the old Joan Jett and the Blackhearts song,
I Love Rock and Roll
. Nadia blew him a kiss when she sang about meeting a guy by the record machine.
Dante laughed, remembering their first meeting. Remembering the first time Nadia had knocked him off his feet. Hadn’t part of him known even then that he was going to fall in love with her?
The thought sobered him.
He wasn’t falling in love with Nadia. He couldn’t. He was here to do a job, and he’d best get that through his thick head.
No way he could be falling for her. He’d only known her for twenty-four hours and Dante had never been much of a believer in love at first sight. But no woman he’d ever known made him feel like Nadia did.
Not even the one he’d married.
Why was he thinking of all this?
Dante Giovanni wasn’t steady relationship material. He’d been told that more than once, and knew it to be true. So, why was he dreaming about happily-ever-after with Nadia?
He needed to get her to her father soon, before both of them got hurt. Because no matter what his head told him, his heart wasn’t listen—ng when he was around her.
Maybe tonight.
Dante could guess how Nadia would react if she knew about Nick’s stipulation. She’d go nuts. He could talk her into leaving with him. She could be safe and sound with her real father in a matter of hours.
You ruthless jerk
, he thought.
His stomach rolled when he realized he was contemplating using her attraction to him to his advantage. But what other choice did he have?
Ronnie’s shout tore him from his thoughts. Dante glanced up to see the drunken cowboy charge the stage.
CHAPTER 4
L et go … of me,” Nadia gasped when the cowboy grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. The stench of beer and body odor made her eyes water.
“Come on, baby, just one little kiss,” he slurred. “That’s all I need.”
Nadia planted her hand under his chin and forced his face away from hers. She groaned when she heard Ronnie’s shout. Waynie’s heavy footsteps thundered across the stage.
She’d have to move quickly to keep them from killing the poor slob.
Glancing down, she stomped on his instep with the heel of her boot. The cowboy howled and abruptly released her. Before he could do anything stupid, Nadia hooked her foot behind his ankle and sent him tumbling to the floor. He made no attempt to get up.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” she said, standing over him. “What would your mama think if she saw you acting like such an ass? Now, get over there and get yourself some coffee.”
Ronnie chuckled. “Gee, Nadia. You already beat him up. You’re going to nag him to death too?”
He moved around her to haul the drunk to his feet.
“You okay?” Dante asked from behind her.
He placed a protective hand on her waist and Nadia started at his touch. She covered it with a smile.
“I’m fine. Told you, I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.” Nadia winked at him and leaned down to pick up the microphone. She winced at the microphone backfeed and announced, “Hey, guys. We’re going to take a short break.”
Almost immediately, the jukebox roared back to life.
Hopping off the stage, she headed toward the bar with Dante trailing behind. He gave her a surprised look when she ordered a soft drink—
“What, you expected me to be a sot or something?” she asked. “I don’t drink much.” She
Soon, she was singing and prancing around the stage, doing some of the most inspired wiggling and jiggling Dante had ever seen. He couldn’t help but laugh.
The girl was a firecracker, and she was having a ball. The crowd roared their approval.
“Whew, thank you!” Nadia paused between songs to get a drink of water. “This song here is for my friend, Slick.”
The band broke into a frenzied version of the old Joan Jett and the Blackhearts song,
I Love Rock and Roll
. Nadia blew him a kiss when she sang about meeting a guy by the record machine.
Dante laughed, remembering their first meeting. Remembering the first time Nadia had knocked him off his feet. Hadn’t part of him known even then that he was going to fall in love with her?
The thought sobered him.
He wasn’t falling in love with Nadia. He couldn’t. He was here to do a job, and he’d best get that through his thick head.
No way he could be falling for her. He’d only known her for twenty-four hours and Dante had never been much of a believer in love at first sight. But no woman he’d ever known made him feel like Nadia did.
Not even the one he’d married.
Why was he thinking of all this?
Dante Giovanni wasn’t steady relationship material. He’d been told that more than once, and knew it to be true. So, why was he dreaming about happily-ever-after with Nadia?
He needed to get her to her father soon, before both of them got hurt. Because no matter what his head told him, his heart wasn’t listen—ng when he was around her.
Maybe tonight.
Dante could guess how Nadia would react if she knew about Nick’s stipulation. She’d go nuts. He could talk her into leaving with him. She could be safe and sound with her real father in a matter of hours.
You ruthless jerk
, he thought.
His stomach rolled when he realized he was contemplating using her attraction to him to his advantage. But what other choice did he have?
Ronnie’s shout tore him from his thoughts. Dante glanced up to see the drunken cowboy charge the stage.
CHAPTER 4
L et go … of me,” Nadia gasped when the cowboy grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. The stench of beer and body odor made her eyes water.
“Come on, baby, just one little kiss,” he slurred. “That’s all I need.”
Nadia planted her hand under his chin and forced his face away from hers. She groaned when she heard Ronnie’s shout. Waynie’s heavy footsteps thundered across the stage.
She’d have to move quickly to keep them from killing the poor slob.
Glancing down, she stomped on his instep with the heel of her boot. The cowboy howled and abruptly released her. Before he could do anything stupid, Nadia hooked her foot behind his ankle and sent him tumbling to the floor. He made no attempt to get up.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” she said, standing over him. “What would your mama think if she saw you acting like such an ass? Now, get over there and get yourself some coffee.”
Ronnie chuckled. “Gee, Nadia. You already beat him up. You’re going to nag him to death too?”
He moved around her to haul the drunk to his feet.
“You okay?” Dante asked from behind her.
He placed a protective hand on her waist and Nadia started at his touch. She covered it with a smile.
“I’m fine. Told you, I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.” Nadia winked at him and leaned down to pick up the microphone. She winced at the microphone backfeed and announced, “Hey, guys. We’re going to take a short break.”
Almost immediately, the jukebox roared back to life.
Hopping off the stage, she headed toward the bar with Dante trailing behind. He gave her a surprised look when she ordered a soft drink—
“What, you expected me to be a sot or something?” she asked. “I don’t drink much.” She
Similar Books
