Real Vampires: Glory Does Vegas Bartlett, Gerry (good fiction books to read .txt) 📖

I opened the car door, almost knocked down when he leaped out over me. He ran behind a bush. Being in a dog body made him have to do his business just like a dog. No wonder he hated it. He trotted back and stood next to me, daring me to say something. I didn’t. I just grabbed my purse. Another new job. I dreaded it.

But Mae Chen was a dynamo who didn’t care that my papers were surprisingly new looking. Yes, this round I was Gloria Simpson, age 22, from Bakersfield, California. I prayed no one asked me any questions about Bakersfield. But I was ready. My mother had me in that town then moved on. No, never had been back. Didn’t know a thing about it. Mae didn’t ask anything. Except my bra size. Then she whipped out a rhinestone trimmed bikini top and matching short shorts.

“Red, I think. If you can’t get the shorts on over that ass, we can always pull out some black ones. But you’ll look cuter in the set.” She pushed me into a curtained alcove. “Try them on. I have to talk to this good-looking fella here.” She leaned down and put her lips on Valdez’s nose. “Who’s my big boy? Hmm? Oh, you are just the sweetest thing, aren’t you?” She carried on in that way, making love to Valdez until I wanted to gag.

“I need the black shorts.” I stuck my hand out of the curtains.

“Let me see!” Mae threw back the curtains. “Top looks good.” She frowned at my hips. “Yeah, you should lose a few pounds, honey. But here’s the black ones. They’ll still be snug. You want my special cabbage soup recipe? Guaranteed to help you drop ten pounds in a month.”

Valdez raised an eyebrow. He smirked as he looked at me in my sad bikini panties.

“Thanks, Mae, but these hips are here to stay. Trust me, I’ve tried everything.” I glared at Valdez. He knew he wasn’t supposed to be looking at me undressed. Then again, if I ended up topless, he’d see a lot more of me. I knew he reported to Jeremiah. How? Who knew? I guess he could leave him messages on his phone during the day, hitting speed dial on my phone with his paw. Whatever, I refused money from my former lover, so it’s not like I cared what he thought. Right?

Misty came by to check on me. She had on a sequined outfit that left little to the imagination below the waist. She carried her plumed headdress in front of her, trying to shield her bare breasts.

“Mae taking care of you, Gloria?” She flushed when Mae jerked the headdress out of her hands and looked her over.

“You know I am. How you holding up, girl? You think I don’t know you’re shy?” Mae picked up a makeup kit and went to work airbrushing base across Misty’s perfect breasts. “Here. Think of this as your costume. You are wearing a layer of tan number 9. See how it makes your tits shine? I sprinkle some stardust on you.” She added some glitter with a brush. “So pretty. The men fall out of their chairs. They’ll want pictures with you. Forty bucks a shot. You get half. Big money coming your way. You’ll see.” She grinned. “Feel better yet?”

“Thanks, Mae.” Misty started to hug the wardrobe mistress. But Mae put up her hands.

“No hugs. You’ll ruin the look. It has to dry. Now run along. Manny has a new routine for you girls. He sent a couple of guys to paper the strip with flyers this afternoon. I expect a good crowd. Knock ̕em dead, girlfriend.” Mae grinned and shooed her out of the room.

“I’m fine, by the way. Thanks for the job!” I shouted this after Misty as she hurried out of the room, her five-inch heels making her hips sway. I’d have fallen on my ass.

“Oh, I have her headdress.” Mae hurried after her.

“You can close your mouth now.” I admonished Valdez. It didn’t take a mind reader to see he hadn’t taken his eyes off of Misty since she’d walked into the room. Once she’d exposed her breasts? Valdez is a guy. Enough said.

“I’m in love.” He sighed and put his head on his paws.

“Right.” I went back into the dressing room, squeezed into size fourteen short shorts that cut into my ass. Then I realized there were rows of high heels I was supposed to wear. Oh, no. At least at the pancake house we’d been allowed to keep on our own sneakers. My choice here was a modest four-inch heel. I crammed my foot into a pair my size and sighed. Some genius, and I gave credit to Mae, had lined the shoes with insoles. They were bearable.

“Come on out. We’ve got customers. Let me go over the way we do checks here.” Mae was a drill sergeant when it came to money and how to take orders. Luckily, I’d done this kind of work before and we were through with the training in record time. Because the place was filling up. I picked up a tray and moved into the showroom, ready for action.

Hours later, I cursed those four-inch demons from hell. My feet ached, my back ached and my face hurt from fake smiling for all those hours. I’d thought my former boss was handsy? Wearing a tiny top and shorts that let my ass hang out invited creepy comments and stupid tricks like moving an empty glass farther away so I’d have to lean in to pick it up. Then there was the long look down my top. I’d snatched quite a few twenties out of my cleavages after that trick. What could I do about it? Laugh it off. What else?

It was a good thing Valdez was locked in the break room. He’d chafed at it, but had no choice. He knew I needed to work for a living and he wasn’t allowed