CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Daisy
“You have a slight image problem,” Carmen said leaning back in her plush office chair and looking out her plate-glass window that offered a view of both the city streets directly below us and the ocean down below the city.
“Image problem?” I was trying not to have hurt feelings. I’d been working at Sugar as a hostess for a couple of years now, and I thought I had a good reputation. I was in high demand, the men seemed to like me, and I never caused any problems.
Carmen studied me. “I don’t think you understand. It’s not the way you look or a bad attitude. You’re gorgeous, sexy, all of that. And sweet as pie. That’s not the problem.”
“Then what’s the issue?” I asked softly, not knowing if I really wanted to hear the answer.
“You’re too nice.”
I blinked.
Carmen sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “The patrons have known you for years now, and while they love your tits and ass, they also love you. You are widely discussed as being the nicest, sweetest hostess we have.”
“I… I guess I don’t see the problem,” I admitted. “That all sounds good.”
Carmen pressed a button on her intercom. Her phone connected directly to Ardley, her assistant. “Are any of my brothers around? Besides Nico?”
“Enzo’s here,” she responded almost immediately. “He just finished talking to Nico, and he’s about to head out.”
“Grab him for me, please. I need his opinion on something.”
Shit. Enzo Salazar, to me, was the most handsome out of all the brothers. I would probably be a wreck in front of him. I was about to ask Carmen if someone less imposing, like Leo, could come instead, but the door opened.
In walked Enzo, looking perfect as usual. He wore a bespoke suit, and he looked so good in it I was paralyzed. He was the oldest of the Salazar siblings. He was at least ten or fifteen years older than me. But it didn’t matter to me at all. He was… so damn hot.
He looked like a refined version of Nico in a lot of ways—he had the same black hair, dark blue eyes, and height.
But he carried himself differently. Nico was tall and built in a way that you could notice his muscles even when he wore a suit.
He carried himself as if he was always ready for a fight.
Enzo was leaner, and even though you could tell he was fit, muscular, and could handle himself in a fight, he carried himself as if he was a king and his subjects would bow down to any of his whims.
He was gorgeous. His black hair was styled perfectly, short on the sides and just an inch or so longer on top. And, even though he often wore glasses, they couldn’t hide either the beauty of those eyes of his or the intensity of his stare.
Enzo commanded both attention and respect just by walking into a room.
And Carmen had asked him to come talk about my image problem. Oh my God, how embarrassing.
“What’s going on?” he asked, sitting on the edge of Carmen’s large, antique desk.
“Daisy is going to be the highlight of this month’s auction in,” she glanced at her calendar, “about two weeks.”
He got a lazy grin on his face. “Damn. I wish I could bid.” His eyes traced over me, and I felt hot all over. I was sure my face had turned pink.
“Well, you can’t,” Carmen said shortly. “I called you in to help me explain Daisy’s image problem.”
Enzo frowned. “The woman is perfect, Carmen. What the hell are you talking about?”
I smiled, feeling vindicated.
“She’s too damn nice, and she’s been here so long a lot of the guys think of her like a buddy.”
“Hmm.” Enzo nodded thoughtfully. “I know what you’re getting at, but let me assure you that given the chance every single one of those men would happily fuck her.” He said it as he stared at my body, then dragged his eyes up to mine and winked.
I wanted to fan myself. Goddamn he was hot.
“Yes, but will they pay top dollar for the chance to have her be their cinnamon girl for a few months? Their sugar baby?”
“Hell, yes.” He paused and frowned a little. “But if you’re wanting her to lose that nice girl image, have her dance for a couple of weeks. That worked really well for Nadine last year.”
Enzo was referencing one of my friends who’d been auctioned off to the mayor.
It had worked out well for her. The couple had just gotten married a couple of weeks ago.
Carmen and I had both been bridesmaids in the wedding, and it had been just beautiful.
I sighed thinking about what a great couple Nadine and Reynolds had turned out to be.
I wasn’t looking for that kind of ending from my auction.
I just wanted a nice, reasonably handsome guy to bid for me and win, relax and try to view being a cinnamon girl as a fun, good time, and take the money back home with me for a fresh start in Crosston, and hopefully turn my mother’s flower shop into a profitable business.
And leave my stalker behind, of course.
“I, um, don’t want to strip,” I admitted.
“That’s a goddamn shame,” he said, “but you were on the dance team at West Bay U., right?”
I nodded, shocked speechless that he knew that much about me.
“So, dance with your clothes on. I mean a revealing costume, of course, but you don’t have to be naked to be sexy.”
Carmen’s eyes widened. “God, Enzo, you’re fucking brilliant.”
“I know.” He straightened his tie with a smirk.
“You’re totally right. She can dance to a sexy song and do a mock lap dance to someone in the crowd. That’ll sex her right up before the auction.” She looked at me. “What do you think, Daze?”
“I love it! I have no problem performing in front of a lot of people as long as I have my clothes on. But let’s go back to that mock lap dance suggestion…” I wasn’t sure I could do that.
“Use Enzo,” she suggested gesturing at her brother.
“Fuck, yes, use me,” Enzo said, smiling. “Though I don’t know why it has to be a ‘mock’ lap dance. I want the real thing.” The smile left his face. He was serious.
Carmen narrowed her eyes, thinking about it. Finally, she nodded her head slowly. “Yeah. That works even better. Give him the real thing. I’ll have Madeline work with you ahead of time to show you how to do it well.”
Oh wow. Just the thought of giving Enzo a lap dance was making me hot as fire.
“You two have a… certain chemistry I didn’t realize existed,” Carmen said, grinning as the two of us stared at each other. “The way y’all are looking at each other is making me want to fan myself.”
“Believe me, if I was able, I’d overturn that rule about Salazar boys not being allowed to bid in the auction and keep you for myself.”
His eyes locked on mine, and I couldn’t look away. I was starting to breathe heavily. This guy was too much. Was I more than halfway gone over Jack Lancaster? Absolutely. But Jack had let me down. And Enzo Salazar… well, any girl would be into him.
“That would, um, be nice,” I said, my voice coming out in a breathy tone I hadn’t intended.
Carmen’s eyes widened. “Okay, y’all are starting to be too much. Remember, he is my brother. So, ew.”
Enzo laughed, breaking the spell between us.
“Just tell me when and what I’m supposed to do, and I’ll be there.
” He gave me one more sexy smile, then turned to leave.
He was halfway out the door when he stuck his head back in.
“Just don’t expect me not to touch,” he said casting one more intense look back at me.
“Gross, Enzo, get out.”
I could hear him laughing as he walked down the hall away from her office. I looked after him, trying to catch one more glimpse of him.
“Let me give you a little word to the wise,” Carmen said gently.
I snapped my head around to look at her.
“Don’t fall for my brother.” I started to protest, but she held up her hand.
“Please spare me. I saw how you just looked at him. He’s in love with someone else.
Has been for years and years.” She looked sad as she said it.
“So, as much as I’d love to think you could cure him of that fixation, I’ve seen others try and fail too many times.
” She cocked her head a little as she stared at me.
“You know, you remind me of the woman he’s in love with.
You don’t look like her, but there’s something there…
” She narrowed her eyes. “I think it’s the ‘girl next door’ thing. Ella has that quality, too.”
She looked at me, as if expecting something.
I nodded, finally. “I understand. I won’t fall for him.
” There was no way I was going to tell her that while Enzo was hot and the two of us had extreme chemistry, I was more than halfway in love with someone else myself.
Even if I didn’t want to be. Even if I was doing my best to put him out of my mind.
Jack Lancaster wasn’t easy to forget.
“Well, that’s settled. Now all we need is a routine.” She tapped her finger on her cheek. “I’ll get Madeline to put something together…”
“No, I’ve got it. I helped choreograph the routines for the dance team. I already have a plan.”
“Want to clue me in?”
“Nope,” I grinned. “Just trust me.”
She paused, unsure. Then she smiled at me. “Fine. I trust you,” she said. “I really think this will work. Anyone who saw you as too nice or the girl next door will get over it real quick once they see you fake fucking Enzo.”
Carmen wasn’t subtle about the way she said things. But she was also right. With the routine I was already picturing in my mind, no one would be left with the impression I was just the sweet girl next door.
***
“Right.” Carmen opened one of the drawers in her desk and pulled out a folder. “If you’re going to be in the auction, there’s something else we have to discuss.”
“What is it?” I said, swallowing hard.