Hustle Into Love - Chapter Three, Part One

Hey all,

Ready for some conflict?  I think Chantal is.  Let's find out, shall we!  Enjoy!

Hustle Into Love

Chapter Three

Chantal looked at the furious woman in front of her and tried desperately to hold onto her own temper. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d blown up at a dancer who was giving her an attitude. In fact, she was famous for her dressing downs, but there was no way she was going to vent her anger now.

Not with Mace D'Avranches sitting in the audience.

Oh, she knew he was there. He’d tried to slink in unseen, but Chantal knew every square inch of her performing space. And he wasn’t the first critic to try and watch a show unannounced. Artists had a sixth sense where those people were concerned.

He was probably sitting up there watching her with those gorgeous ebony eyes and just waiting for her to make what he considered a mistake. Then he’d pounce and try and tell her what to do. 

And then she’d tell him where to go.

She sighed. It was going to get ugly. Period. Full stop. Shaking her head, Chantal turned her attention back to the irate performer before her. She needed to deal with one problem at a time. 

And Chóngdé Sun was going to be a problem. She shouldn’t even be on a stage. Every time the woman tried to do a choreographed move she looked more like someone jumping around and swatting bees than a sexy, sultry dancer. There were at least two others who were much better than her. So why had Chin made her lead? 

“I have been your headliner since the casino opened,” Chóngdé hissed. “You have no right to take me out now.”

Chantal counted to ten. “I’m in charge, so that gives me the right. Now, I know things are changing, and you might not be happy about that, but I guarantee you, this is the way it’s going to be. So I suggest you get back in line and try to learn the dance steps.”

Fury turned the other woman’s face a mottled red. She stared at Chantal for several long moments then she gave a choking curse and spun around on her heel. She marched back and took her place with the others, her eyes flashing her discontent.

Well, that was fun. Shaking it off, Chantal took a deep breath and relegated the altercation with Chóngdé to the back of her mind. She glanced up at the darkened seats and wished she could do the same with Mace. The fact he was still sitting up there made her itchy. But as she’d told the dancers, they had work to do. She could only hope baby brother would get bored and dance on back up to his office in the sky.

Two hours later, she was hot, sweaty and thoroughly fed up with four of the dancers, including the irritating Chóngdé. If Chóngdé thought her instructions were stupid, the other three dancers would nod and ignore them as well. And it went downhill from there. If there hadn’t been four other women who were truly trying to learn and do their best, Chantal would have shut the whole thing down and gone to the nearest bar for a very large beer to calm her temper.

And Chin Zhao was no help. Every time she told the dancers to do something, he’d try and countermand her. Finally, she’d told him to keep his mouth shut or she’d shut it for him.

That had caused most of the dancers to titter uncontrollably, but Chin had only glared and stomped off stage. Chantal was very close to firing all of the malcontents, but then remembered Lì had advised her Asians were very different than Westerners in their work ethic. While most were extremely hard workers and would always go the extra mile for you if you asked, it was also true that in this part of the world, a lackadaisical attitude seemed to prevail when it came to workplace hierarchy.

It was frustrating to one like Chantal who knew exactly what needed to be done and how to do it, but if she were to make any headway with these people, she’d have to remember what her honorary brother had told her.

Yet…that didn’t mean she was going to take any crap. Not from someone who was supposed to be her choreographer, and definitely not from some woman who thought she was the next Ginger Rogers.

“All right!” Chantal clapped her hands and pointed to the dancer’s marks on the practice floor. “Line up and let’s try it again. And this time—” she shot a scornful look up at Mace who was still hiding up in the top row, “—pretend you have someone important up there watching you. Someone you like. So smile. And for God’s sake, don’t stare at your feet!”

She got into the proper pose in front of them. “Ready? Five, six, seven eight…”  In the mirror she watched the dancers behind her, cringing as two of them turned the wrong way and collided with their sisters. “Come on! Don’t stop. Keep going.” Chantal executed a perfect petit jeté, then moved into a graceful pirouette. She smiled as two of the dancers followed her all the way through. A little awkwardly, but they at least didn’t forget which foot to start the jump from. And when they did the spin, they didn’t kick their neighbors and then fall on their ass.

“Okay, pretty good.” It wasn’t, but Chantal knew the benefit of a good fib now and then. “And remember, right after this, we go into more of a modern set of moves.” She demonstrated. “Step ball change, shuffle, shuffle, glide on air to a final arabesque, but toe to floor. Got it?”

“You can’t be serious.” Chóngdé stepped forward. The once immaculate woman now looked like every other dancer Chantal had worked with. Sweaty and exhausted. But unlike most professional dancers, the Asian had made the mistake of wearing full street makeup, and what she hadn’t wiped off during the practice was now running in black rivulets down her perspiring face.

“I’m very serious.” Chantal grabbed a towel and slid it over and between the cleavage of her breasts. When she heard the sound of a man groaning, she frowned and glanced offstage. Was Chin all right back there? Looking back at Chóngdé, she shrugged. “I told you at the beginning we were going to change up the disciplines. When you do it right, they all flow together like a beautiful melody.”

“And you will teach us?” One of the other dancers, the best of the lot, nodded eagerly. “Please, Madame? You will teach us?”

Yes! Got one. Chantal didn’t put her fist in the air but she wanted to. “Damn straight I will. And you—” she glanced over at her open notebook for the girl’s name, “—Dié? You keep working the way you are and I wouldn’t be surprised if you earn one of the lead positions.”

The young woman’s eyes widened. She looked like tiny astonished faerie. “Me?”

Chantal grinned and nodded, ignoring Chóngdé’s derisive snort. “You.” Then, not wanting to alienate the others who were also working hard, she went on. “Most of you are doing great. You want to learn and it shows. And that drive…that push to succeed is what is going to make a difference. You’ll see. In a couple of weeks, you won’t recognize yourselves.”

She glanced down at her watch. “That’s a good start for today. Why don’t you all take a break, and I’ll see you back here at five o’clock for our last practice session.”

There was a collective groan, but it didn’t bother Chantal. That she heard at every practice. “Five o’clock,” she reiterated with a chuckle. “Don’t be late!”

~*~

As you can see, Chantal doesn't take kindly to being told what to do.  By a dancer OR a man.  LOL  It will be interesting to see what happens with Mace in the future.

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to comment!  This will be the last day to put in for the November goodie bag!

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams
http://cjengland.com/frosty/frostytherealman.htm 
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Hustle Into Love - Chapter Two, Part Four

Hey all,


Now let's hear from Mace, shall we?  I wonder how he's going to handle working with Chantal.  Enjoy!

Hustle Into Love

* * * * *

It hadn’t taken long for Mace to hear what had happened in the practice room that morning. In fact he’d been informed just after it happened. By a very irate Chin Zhao who was almost incoherent with anger over what Chantal had done.

Mace had listened impassively as the choreographer had gone on and on about how the changes she’d demanded were too much and how they would ruin the show completely. First off, she’d taken over the rehearsal, telling Chin she would be the one in charge from this point on. Her gentle warning to him about either cooperating fully or leaving was only the first of many offenses.

She’d told the dancers although she appreciated their hard work, none of their jobs were secure. They would have to prove themselves to her, and only if they met her standards would they be allowed to stay at The Golden Tiger. 

Yet even as angry as he was, Chin had to say that during the practice time that followed, Chantal took her time working with each of the women. She had done what she could to get the best out of them. Then and only then had she scribbled down her notes and told the women and Chin she’d give them the results at the afternoon dance rehearsal.

And when Chin had protested saying there wasn’t an afternoon rehearsal, Chantal had only lifted a golden eyebrow and told them all there was now.

In fact, she’d handed out schedules for the next two weeks and all had been taken aback at the hours she expected them to work. Three sessions a day until she felt they were up to speed. Only then would she re-look at things.

Once the dancers had been released, she’d sat down with Chin and explained what her goals were. Since dancing was the biggest part of the entertainment, she was going to start with that. All the costumes, music and props were to be tossed. The staging would be completely redone. She was planning on bringing in other musicians and artists to add to the act.

But the choreographer was most upset about Chantal’s opinions of the dances themselves. She’d scrapped them all, saying bluntly they weren’t good enough to be performed. A personal insult since he’d been the one to create them. 

It had taken several long minutes before Mace had been able to calm Chin. He’d sent him back with the promise he’d look into everything, but once the man left, Mace had shook his head and sworn lightly. In the position Lì had left him in, he couldn’t do anything about it even if he wanted to. Chantal had full autonomy over entertainment and even if he thought her decisions were wrong—which he wasn’t sure they were—he wouldn’t be able to change anything.

But he could see what was going on in person.

He showed up at the afternoon rehearsal about twenty minutes after it had started. Slipping into the back row of the hall, he slouched down and tried to stay out of sight. This would be his first chance to actually watch Chantal in a teaching situation. Lì often said how good she was, but Mace definitely had his doubts. Surely she could have handled the situation with Chin Zhao a little more politically.

“Attention everyone! Please line up at stage left,” he heard Chantal call out in flawless Cantonese. She was standing behind the piano in the shadows so he couldn’t really get a good look at her, but he was sure it was her speaking. Which surprised him. He’d been unaware she knew the language. Hadn’t thought she would bother. He considered her letting him deal with the porters and cab driver and had to chuckle. Seemed it wasn’t just Mace who’d been hiding secrets. 

“This afternoon we are going back to basics,” Chantal went on. “Some of you have a natural aptitude and others will need a little more work. But I’ve decided to keep all of you for now. I know each of your talents just as I know where I want you to be. I will help you in every way I can, but it will be up to you to show me if you want to get there.”

Mace nodded. That sounded good to him. If the dancers didn’t want to work, they had no business being at the casino.

“This morning I watched you all dance and I know your strengths and weaknesses. I also know who learns quicker and who will take a little more time. Those that take longer to learn will just need to work harder, but it won’t preclude you from being in the troupe. All right?” 

A small dark-haired woman with sultry eyes and a smug smile stepped forward. “Ms. Montgomery?”

“Yes?”

The dancer sighed heavily. “For those of us who don’t need the extra work, will we allowed to take time off? I mean, really—” she glanced around arrogantly at the other dancers, “—I shouldn’t be punished for their amateurish attempts to dance.”

Mace groaned inwardly and slid even further down in his seat. He knew the dancer. Had been seeing her socially as a matter of fact. He had no idea how well she really danced, he’d been more concerned with…well…more physical things. But excellent dancer or not, he was pretty sure Chantal wouldn’t take that type of conceit from anybody. This wasn’t going to end well.

He was right. When she spoke, Chantal’s voice was like ice. “Your name?” 

“I am Chóngdé Sun.” The Asian woman preened. “I am your lead dancer.”

“Not anymore you’re not.”

The blunt words set off another round of excited chatter from the dancers, and Mace groaned again. The shit was really going to hit the fan now.

Chóngdé’s dark eyes flashed her fury. “You cannot remove me.”

Chantal stepped out from behind the piano. She stood eye to eye with the Asian woman. “I just did.”

Mace stopped listening to the argument. His breath backed up in his throat, and it took several long moments for him to remember to breathe again. Bloody hell. If Chantal walked around in the casino like that, he was going to have a fucking riot on his hands.

She was dressed in a pair of spandex leggings the same brilliant gold as her eyes. And the white crop tank top ,which had the words, “If dancing were any easier it would be called football”, was so tight it showed off every line and curve of her beautiful breasts. Her long hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail, and she wore matching golden heels that were at least three inches tall. She was cool and sexy and confident, and it took everything Mace had in him not to race down to the stage and pull her into his arms so he could feel that beautiful body against his. He longed to touch and taste her, and if his throbbing cock was any indication, he wouldn’t just stop at a quick kiss.

But since the woman he was currently sleeping with was on the stage too, he figured that would be really bad form.

“How dare you!” Chóngdé squealed, stomping her foot and drawing Mace’s gaze back to her. “You obviously have no idea who I am.”

Chantal crossed her arms and looked grimly amused. “I actually don’t care who you are. You could be the queen of China and it wouldn’t matter a jot. All I care about is how you dance. And until I think you’re good enough to be the lead, you won’t be. It’s as simple as that.”

Chóngdé just gaped at her. Mace bit back a grin. He realized it was probably the first time someone had ever ignored the woman’s wishes. The Sun family was an important one in town, and Chóngdé was their only daughter. And very spoiled. The fact she wanted to dance had been met with resistance at first, but when faced with even more wild behavior, Chóngdé’s father had backed down and given his permission. Mace was pretty sure Chin Zhao had been pressured into taking her on as a dancer in the first place. It was the way of things here. 

But now all bets were off. Chantal didn’t know who Chóngdé was and like she said, she didn’t care. Mace was beginning to see what she’d told him at the beginning was true. She was going to make the entertainment the best in Macau, and she didn’t mind ruffling a few feathers to do so. Which meant he was going to be hearing from a lot more people than just Chin.

Life was going to be very interesting for the next few weeks.

~*~

Well?  Whatcha think?  Should Mace get in between the two women?  Or should he stay very far away?  LOL  Stay tuned next week and see what happens next.

And don't forget to check out my Chat Blog tomorrow when Mina Kelly comes to call!  http://cjslivingdreams.blogspot.com/

Until Tuesday!  You all have a great rest of your week!

Hugs,

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Hustle Into Love - Chapter Two, Part Three

Hey all,

Now that we know where Chantal and Mace stand, let's see how Chantal will go about fixing the entertainment at the casino.  Enjoy!

Hustle Into Love

* * * * *

After five days in Macau, Chantal had seen more faded casino tables, poorly lit stages and rude cab drivers than she thought anyone should ever have to see. But she knew if she was to do a proper job for Lì, she had to understand what the competition was up to.

That first night she’d slept hard, jet lag and exhaustion catching up with her. Even the sultry dream about dancing naked with Mace on the stage of the Moulin Rouge hadn’t disturbed her. Though it had made her awaken with a smile. In her dreams, baby brother really knew how to do the hustle!

She’d eaten her breakfast at the casino’s big buffet—did the Chinese really enjoy looking at raw dead fish heads in the morning? And just what the hell was that beigey-green fruit with the black specks in it? She’d been afraid to ask. No matter how many times she visited Asia, the food always took a while to get used to. Especially if you were not a morning person.

After her adventurous meal, she’d spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon plotting out her next few days. Then, after a quick chicken salad as a late lunch, she grabbed her map, hailed a taxi, and one at a time, visited all the big casinos in town.

She stayed away from the casinos that Lì had told her didn’t have live entertainment. Instead she went straight to the more popular venues. She hit the famous Sands Casino down by Fisherman’s Wharf and the MGM near the Macau Science Museum. She spent time in Macau’s oldest gaming establishiment—the brightly lit Lisboa, and across the street at the high stakes Wynn Casino. She scoped out the size of the stages, the sightlines and the lighting setups. She listened to the music, both canned and live and made copious notes in her little black notebook. 

After the second day, when she was recognized and suddenly surrounded by excited fans, she remembered the word she’d mentioned to Mace that first day she arrived. Incognito. A quick stop at a specialty wig shop covered her signature blonde tresses and dark glasses hid her famous eyes. Jeans and a T-shirt did the rest and she snickered as she slipped into the Venetian to listen to the evening’s bar entertainment. Now she had another new word of the day.

Clandestine.

Not that she felt bad spying on the competition. It was just the way it worked. She often saw her competitors trying to blend in with the audience during one of her shows. And it tickled her to call them out and introduce them. Especially if they were in some sort of silly disguise. 

After she’d seen someone, it usually wasn’t long before one of her fancy dance moves ended up on the competitor’s dance card. Lì would stomp and shout at the thievery, but, Chantal would just laugh. She figured it was a kind of compliment. And since she knew she danced those same moves a lot better, why make a fuss? 

But she wouldn’t be doing any thievery of her own. Not in that way at least. Chantal was creative enough on her own. She didn’t need to steal ideas. And what she’d seen, while well performed, still wasn’t up to her exacting standards. Oh, the Sands had a great Michael Jackson impersonator, one of the best she’d ever seen, but other than a lounge singing act at the Wynn and a pretty damn good dance team at the City of Dreams, Flame Bar, she knew what she could come up with would be much better.

Each night she sat through one her competitor’s performances, watching and listening. The Macau people had their own way of entertaining their casino guests, but they leaned heavily on the American music scene. Chantal could work with that. And most of the dances were identical to the style of the big Las Vegas casinos. All fancy costumes and big flair.

And while she herself had danced that way many, many times at places in Vegas as noteworthy as the Mirage, the Bellagio and the Luxor, she wanted something different for Lì’s casino. Since The Golden Tiger was out of the ordinary, so would be the entertainment.

Now, she just had to make it happen.

* * * * *

Yet two days later when she stood in the back of the practice hall where The Golden Tiger’s main act was practicing their latest dance, she wondered if, for the first time in her life, she’d bitten off more than she could chew.

They were bad. Really bad. In fact if she were to use one of her words of the day, Chantal would say they were atrocious. She’d hoped the three different acts she’d seen while she was scoping out the casino undercover were just unhappy coincidences, but now…after seeing them practice, she knew the truth.

They just sucked.

There were eight dancers. All women. And while a couple of them had raw talent, the others looked more like chickens running around with their heads cut off. It was almost embarrassing. The man waving his hands around up on the stage was, according to her employee files, the choreographer, Chin Zhao. And if what she was seeing showed off his expertise, then she was in more trouble than she’d thought.

But for the moment, she sat quietly as Chin put the ladies through their paces. And the longer she sat and watched, the more obvious it became that Lì had been right. No wonder he’d called for her help. This was a problem of major proportions. These dancers didn’t just suck, they sucked big time. To infinity and beyond.

After about a half hour, she couldn’t take it anymore. She had to do something and now! This wasn’t the first time she’d stepped in and taken over a troupe. Far from it. Chantal had revamped many a failing dance act. Yet she knew it wouldn’t be easy. No one liked change. In a few minutes she was going to be mighty unpopular. But if she wanted to get this entertainment department shaped up, she had to start somewhere.

She stood up. “Excuse me.”

Chin Zhao whirled around, a prissy little man in a beige and purple sweat outfit. He frowned when he saw her and flicked his hands in a shooing motion. “This is closed rehearsal,” he said in broken English. “Go away. I call security.”

Ignoring him, she walked down the aisle. “Is this the same routine you performed last night? Because if it is, it’s gonna need a lot more work.”

His eyes sparkled angrily. “I say go away. Who you think you are?”

“I think I’m your new boss,” she responded mildly. “I’m Chantal Montgomery.”

There was a pregnant moment of silence, then the dancers all broke into sudden chatter. Their musical voices sounded like exotic birds in the small of the room. Chin Zhao looked as if he was going to have apoplexy. He gaped at Chantal.

“You? You are Chantal? The famous Chantal?”

She nodded as she stepped onto the stage. “I’m sure you were informed I was coming.”

Chin opened and closed his mouth, looking very much like the carp in the gardens outside the casino. “Yes. But you are figurehead. Not really here to do anything. You too famous.”

Chantal frowned. “You think just because I’m famous I’m not going to stay here and run this department?” At his swift nod, she snorted. “You’ve got a lot to learn about me, Chin. I’ve made a promise to make the entertainment at The Golden Tiger the best in Macau and I always keep my promises.” She pushed up her sleeves and glanced around at the open-mouthed dancers.

“So, let’s get going, shall we?”

~*~

Hmmm....looks like there's trouble a brewing in the entertainment division.  I can only wonder what Chantal will do next!

Don't forget to check out my Chat blog.  Yesterday I chatted about seeing a movie, Asian style and tomorrow I talk a little about celebrating Thanksgiving in another country.  So check them both out at http://cjslivingdreams.blogspot.com/

And I'll see you back here on Thursday for the second of the week's installments. 

Hugs,

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

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Hustle Into Love - Chapter Two, Part Two

Hey all,

It's Thursday and it's time for our second installment of the week.  Let's see what Mace has to say about what happened last...

Hustle Into Love

* * * * *

   Sipping his morning cup of coffee Mace stared out the window of Lì’s office. From it he could see the hundreds of white cranes that nested in the lush trees at the base of Taipa Grande, the biggest hill on the island. Beyond that, he knew was the busy harbor of Zhujiang Kou. Hundreds of boats and ferries made their way up and down the shipping lanes, and on a clear day, if you stood on Fisherman’s Wharf, you could see the tiny islands to the west of Hong Kong.

   Easier seen was the rest of the Cotai Strip. The huge Venetian glowed like a master’s painting in the soft sunlight. An enormous gaming floor, amazing artwork, shopping and fine dining made this one of the most popular tourist sites in Macau.    

   Opposite the Venetian in geography and attitude was the City of Dreams, a casino whose sleek modern design of glass and steel offered the famous Hard Rock Café as well as the very first staged water show in production, The House of Dancing Water.

   Mace looked again at the Venetian and wondered what Chantal was doing this morning. He chuckled. What he wouldn’t have given for a camera when he told her who he was…or rather, who he wasn’t. Her face had been furious, unbelieving and aghast, all within a few seconds of each other. Forget dancing. With emotions like that she could be the next Oscar winning actress.

   He’d half expected her to show up in his office the next morning and give him an earful. In fact, he'd been looking forward to it. He’d found himself watching the door, waiting for it to open and her to stomp right in. But it remained stubbornly closed. As it had the last five days.

   It had been a childish thing to do—pretend to be her assistant. But she’d made him so damned mad. With her orders and reprimands, all the while looking down her nose at him. An interesting feat since he was at least a foot taller than she was.

   He grinned again as he thought about how she’d put her chin in the air and glared at him. She was an amazing blend of fire and sex and curiosity. If you could bottle that spark inside her, you’d make millions. Now he understood why his brother was in love with the woman.

   His brother. Mace lost his smile and sighed. Lì had been trying to get Mace to meet Chantal for years. But Mace always found some excuse not to. At first he told himself it was because he didn’t want to meet the female who had his beloved older brother wrapped around her little finger. It about killed him knowing all Chantal had to do was snap her fingers and Lì would jump to obey.

   During his visits with Mace, Lì would spend hours bragging about Chantal’s latest achievements. How she’d danced for an Arab prince or taught some French countess how to do a perfect strip tease. He’d go on and on until by the time he left, Mace was utterly sick of how wonderful Chantal Montgomery was. But a part of him—a very small part—was jealous she was able to spend more time with Lì than Mace could.

   Then, over time, Chantal seemed to become a member of the family. It worried Mace enough he started keeping tabs on her himself. And what he found both intrigued and infuriated him. The Amber Princess, she’d been dubbed by the press, due to her long blonde hair and exotic golden eyes. She was demanding and exacting in her art, often driving away co-workers who didn’t have the stamina to stay with her. But she only asked of them what she asked of herself.

   He’d labeled her a diva until his private investigators told him she volunteered twice a month at a run down dance school in Paris. Her fee? Anonymity. She wanted no one touching that part of her life. The investigators were told by the woman in charge, Chantal was afraid if the newspapers found out what she was doing, they’d publicize it so much she’d be overrun with people, so she wouldn’t be able to teach anymore.

   Her generosity was only matched by her temper, which was, from what he’d heard from Lì and other sources, something to behold. But she blew up hot then cooled down quickly and often laughed about it minutes afterwards. It made Mace wonder how long it had taken her to get over her little mad in the parking lot at the Venetian.

   But if he were honest with himself, what bothered him most was the thrill of excitement that ran through him whenever he spotted her picture. And the few times he’d seen her dance—he’d dropped in on a couple of performances without letting Lì know he was there—had only made it worse. It didn’t seem to matter whether she was dancing the sexy intimate tango or a perfectly innocent part of Swan Lake, she was beyond beautiful and utterly enticing. Mace knew that if Chantal belonged to him there would be no more cozy dinners with princes and playboys. Not if they wanted to stay alive. 

   After a while, he found himself wanting to pound on his brother for having what he wanted so badly. And it was that emotion that made Mace stay as far away from her as he could. But if he’d felt guilty before just disliking  and wanting Chantal, now he felt even worse for actively lusting after her.

   In the taxi, when she’d been scolding him, he’d come close to dragging her into his lap and kissing her to shut her up. He’d wanted to feel that beautiful body against his. His hands had ached to reach inside her colorful jumpsuit and fondle her generous breasts.

   Groaning, he put down his coffee and carefully adjusted himself. In the taxi he’d managed to control himself…barely, but it didn’t bode well for future confrontations.

   “Damn it, Lì.” He gazed down at the grounds of The Golden Tiger trying to ignore his raging hard-on. “You should be here, not me. This is your dream. And Chantal is your lover. Why leave me to deal with it all?”

   When Lì had told Mace he needed some time away from everything to make some decisions about his life, it hadn’t worried Mace then, but it did now. Lì had gone to so much trouble to build this casino. Why leave it when it was just getting off the ground?

   Not that Mace couldn’t handle it. Running a casino wasn’t all that different than running a corporation. He had the skills. 
   So after a heart to heart with his parents, who understood and encouraged his desire to help his half-brother out, he’d left the family business in his father’s more than capable hands and come here to Macau for a crash course in casino management.
   All he’d really needed was a quick course on gaming as a whole. And hospitality. That was something he didn’t have to worry much about in the boardroom. But Lì explained like in big business, in a way, it was all just politics, and Mace realized very quickly his big brother knew exactly how to treat his guests to make them come back a second time.

   With the Venetian, City of Dreams and the other hotels in the area, Lì knew he had to do something different or get lost in the shuffle. So when he built his casino beside those giants, instead of trying to out do the competition, which he knew would have been disastrous, he’d gone back to his roots. He hadn’t gone for the ultra elegant or the sleek modern. Instead, his casino, The Golden Tiger, was styled after one of the most beautiful Chinese gardens in the world. Simple and lovely, it was an oasis of beauty amidst the hustle and bustle of the Cotai Strip.

  The hotel and casino had the look of a beautifully carved pagoda. Made with dark gray native stone and trimmed with green jade, it gave the overall impression of peace and tranquility. And since jade is considered lucky, a tourist surrounding themselves with the stone knew all negativity would be erased. That was excellent for those who loved the games.

   Each room was fashioned in the comfortable minimalistic manner, yet each had all the amenities the twenty-first century traveler could ask for. Since he knew he couldn’t compete in size, Lì had gone for quality over quantity, while still keeping the prices down at a reasonable level.

   The gardens themselves were gorgeous. Quiet ponds and bubbling streams. Flowing fountains and mythical statues amid hundreds of trees and flowering bushes. Wooden gazebos were tucked away in small stands of flowering cherries, and benches dotted the curving paths. For the weary vacationer or tired gambler, it was the perfect place to relax and recharge.

   In the casino itself, Lì had allowed his more dramatic side to show. Jade-green carpets with golden tigers woven into them. Paper-type lanterns with flicker bulbs to give the appearance of a garden party at night. Beautiful healthy plants and huge aquariums filled with koi fish. Always eight gold or red, and one black, to generate the most luck. Gold trimmed the gaming tables and dozens of miniature snarling tigers dotted the entire building, smaller renditions of the huge golden statue that stood growling in the courtyard outside.

   Mace wasn’t a casino expert by any means, but he knew a money maker when he saw one, and The Golden Tiger had all the makings of a cash cow. Great ambiance, quality staff, world renowned chefs and the perfect location. Everything a tourist or gambler could want. Except for good entertainment.

   Which brought him right back to Chantal, who he still didn't even really trust.

   Somehow he had to work with her and keep his mind off his dick. Which wasn’t easy since it always seemed to stand up and wave whenever she was around. But Mace had never stolen a woman from a mate before, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to do it to his own brother.

   Chantal Montgomery could stay on her side of the casino and he’d stay on his.

~*~

Well, Mace has a little problem, doesn't he.  Okay, probably not so little since I'm writing this.  *grin*  

Anyway, I hoped you liked today's offering.  We'll learn more about how they "get along" in the weeks to come.

Have a great rest of your week and don't forget to check out yesterday's Chat Blog as well as tomorrow's Guest Blog by MJ Fredrick.  http://cjslivingdreams.blogspot.com/

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Hustle Into Love - Chapter Two, Part One

 Hey all,

So were you surprised?  Did you see it coming?  LOL  I know Chantal didn't.  But I've got a feeling she'll settle the score when the time is right.

So let's see what the two of them are up to today, shall we?  Enjoy and don't forget to comment!!!

Hustle Into Love

Chapter Two

   So that was baby brother.

   Chantal fell backwards onto the luxurious king-sized bed in her hotel room and stared up at the ceiling. After she and Lì had first begun working with each other, she’d worked hard to convince her new friend he should get to know his younger sibling. Lì had been hesitant, saying he didn’t want to intrude…that he wasn’t really family. His mother and brother had their own life and didn’t need him.

   But she hadn’t bought it. She’d seen the lonely wistfulness in Lì’s eyes when he spoke of his mother and the brother he’d met only once before. So she’d argued and pleaded and cajoled until Lì arranged a meeting with his brother just to shut Chantal up.

   Her nagging had been worth it. When Lì returned from his first trip to visit Mace D'Avranches, the light in his eyes as he spoke of the younger man made Chantal smile. And as the years went by, the bond between the two men grew stronger.

   She’d always been curious about Mace, but for some reason they’d never met. Even when she’d gone to England to be introduced to Lì’s mother, baby brother hadn’t made an appearance. Apparently he was too busy with his work in London to take the time to travel back to the family estate in his hometown of Chester. And each time thereafter when she and Lì would travel to England either for a performance or just to visit his relatives, Mace hadn’t shown his face. So until now, Chantal  had never had the pleasure of baby brother’s company.

   Of course he wasn’t baby anything to her. If she remembered correctly, he was almost five years her senior. But at thirty-three, he looked a lot younger. One of the perks of his mixed bloodline. A lot of Asian’s had baby faces.

   She rolled over on her stomach and stared out the window at the neon lights racing madly over the City of Dreams hotel opposite of her. She wondered if Mace knew it had been her that brought him and Lì together. After all, if she hadn’t hounded Lì to meet him, Mace wouldn’t be in Macau now. A smirk twisted her full lips.

   In a way she’d gotten him his job.

   Cheered by that unassailable fact, she kicked off her shoes and stretched her tired body. A bath, room service and bed. That was her exciting plan for the night.

   As she ran the bath, she couldn’t help but think more about the man she’d just parted from. He had infuriated her by pretending to be her assistant, but after a few moments of stomping and cursing outside the hotel, the humor of the situation took hold and she’d laughed as hard as she’d cursed.

   It had been a perfect set up, and she’d walked right into it with her assumption he was her assistant. He’d played her good, but Mace D'Avranches would soon learn Chantal Montgomery always got back her own.

   He’d never see it coming.

    Grabbing one of the hotel’s fluffy robes from the wardrobe, she hung it on the bathroom door then pulled off the sapphire jumpsuit she’d spent the last twenty hours in. A moment later she was up to her chin in bubbles, groaning in delight at the warmth of the water.

   “Now this is the life,” she sighed. “And even a cocky temporary casino boss can’t stop me from doing what I came here to do.”

   As she soaped her hair with some of Lì’s Forever Young shampoo, she went over what she knew about Mace. Since his father had ties to the aristocracy—he was a descendant of the famous Earls of Chester—he’d been educated as a gentleman. He’d gone to Eaton as a teenager then graduated with honors in business administration from Oxford.

   But then, instead of going straight into partnership with his father as was expected, Mace had done a stint in the military. Lì was particularly proud of the fact his baby brother had served his country. And in that, as he’d done in the rest of his endeavors, Mace had excelled, and when he’d finally left the military, he’d had a file of commendations to his credit.

   He’d gone from commanding men in the Royal Air Force to giving orders in the boardroom. As his father’s only son, he was the obvious heir apparent and according to Lì’s glowing reports, Mace hadn’t let anyone down. After a year of working under his father, he’d slowly taken the reins until he was the CEO of the entire D'Avranches conglomeration.

   Chantal frowned as she scrubbed her toes. So why give that all up to come over to Macau and play casino boss? Why fool around pretending to be her assistant? Did he have some other agenda, or—she softened at the thought—did baby brother love Lì so much he’d put everything on hold to help him out just as she’d done herself?

   She sighed and squirted some jasmine scented soap on her shoulders. She had to admit she’d been a little jealous of Lì’s obvious affection for Mace. Lì was such an essential part of her life, she hated sharing him—even with someone who was so obviously important to him. When Lì had gone on and on about baby brother’s latest triumph, there’d been times she almost hated Mace.

   Maybe that was why they’d never really met. Maybe she’d been so jealous she’d ignored the opportunity, unwilling to meet the man who Lì talked so incessantly about. For several years she’d had Lì all to herself, and she’d blossomed under his care and loving generosity. Was she so shallow that she couldn’t begrudge her honorary adopted brother that same joy?

   Groaning at her own selfishness, she ran the washcloth over her full breasts. The funny thing was she’d figured some of this out in Paris. And she’d been determined ignore her fears and meet the brother who gave Lì such joy. Well, now she had, and he hadn’t been anything like she’d expected.  Chantal leaned back in the tub and smiled. 

   But baby brother or not, he still had a most excellent ass.

~*~ 

Well, whatcha think?  Now we know a little more about Mace's background.  I wonder what Thursday will hold?  Until then, don't forget to check out my Chat Blog and see what other things are racing around in my head!

See you on Thursday!

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Hustle Into Love - Chapter One Part Five

Hey all,

It's Thursday and time for our second weekly installment.  This one is going to be good!!!!  Enjoy!

Hustle Into Love

   “Have you been to the Cotai Strip before?”

   His innocuous question made her blink, but she grabbed at it gratefully. “No. I’ve visited Lì in Hong Kong, but I’ve not been to Macau.”

   “You’ll find it a very interesting place.” He pointed out the window. “Cotai is the portmanteau or blending of the names of the two islands it connects. This whole area is reclaimed land. It once was the sea, a channel between Taipa and Coloane. Developers began working on the area in 2006 when the Venetian resort was built. It is the biggest casino in the world. And it has helped the entire island of Macau by drawing in tourists and other investors. One by one all the casinos you see now were added. The City of Dreams is the next largest, but more are being built every day.”

   Chantal peered out the window at the huge resorts lining the streets. “They say it’s the Las Vegas of Asia.”

   “On a much smaller scale.”

   “Is that The Golden Tiger?” Chantal craned her neck as she saw the distinctive logo that marked all of Lì’s new stationary and proclaimed the newest casino on the strip. A huge crouching tiger snarled over its shoulder as it stood in the gateway of a mock Chinese Temple. “Lì said it was amazing. He was right.”

   “So why not stay there? Why take your business to a competitor?”

She blinked at the bald question, but found herself explaining. “I wanted to have the freedom to look around. Incognito.  That's my word of the day.  Can’t do that if everyone knows who I am.”

   "Incognito?" He gave a snort of disbelief. “Honey, you should know by now, you stand out in a crowd. Staying in a different hotel won’t help you.”

   Her mouth dropped open at his easy use of the endearment. She’d have to nip that little bit of unprofessionalism in the bud. But before she could say anything, they pulled up in front of the massive Venetian hotel. She stared in awe at its glowing pale yellow walls, old world columns, huge frescoes and paintings. As she was helped from the taxi, the sound of Italian music drifted in the air, and she gaped at the immense lagoon that wrapped around the front of the vast building. It was complete with flickering street lamps and black painted gondolas.

   “The actual gondola ride is inside the casino alongside a twisting inner city of streets and shops,” her assistant offered when he saw where she was looking. “The gondoliers even sing. I hear they are quite good.”

   “Maybe I’ll see if they want to switch casinos,” she muttered as she gawked at the sprawling resort. She had been all over the world, but she still found she was impressed by this type of magnificence. “No wonder Lì is worried. It will be hard to compete with this.”

   “But you’re going to make it all better, right?”

   This time there was no mistaking the mockery. Chantal whirled around and glared at him. The fact just looking at him made her itchy gave her anger even more strength. “Just what is your problem? Did you want my job or something?” She stomped her foot. “Damn it. I’ve had enough. You are the most opinionated and rude assistant I’ve ever met. You are too bossy, ask the wrong questions and can’t even follow a simple direct order. Are you trying to get fired?”

   To her surprise, instead of backing down, he only grinned. “You can’t fire me, Chantal. And I don’t have to take your orders.”

   She stared at him, nonplussed. When she spoke her words simply dripped with ice. “I beg your pardon.”

   “You do that very well.” He laughed and flicked a long finger against her cheek. “I don’t have to take your orders because I don’t work for you.”

   Now he’d gone too far. “You sure as hell don’t anymore,” she snarled.

   He handed the new porters some money and sent them on their way inside the hotel, their carts loaded with Chantal’s baggage. Then he turned back to her. “Wrong, honey. I never did.”

   She went from being furious to completely confused. “What?”

   Taking her clenched fist, he smoothed it out and kissed it lightly. Then he slid back into the taxi.

   “Cái!” She put her hand on the car door. “We’re not finished here.”

   “That’s just it, Chantal.” He gave her a wink, making her think of a very smug black panther she’d seen at the Hong Kong zoo. “I forgot to tell you.”

   “Tell me what?” she gritted out.

   “I’m not Cái.”

   Her hand dropped away in astonishment and the taxi’s automatic door closed. Cursing, she jerked it open again. “If you’re not Cái, then just who the hell are you?”

   He grinned again, but this time she wasn’t aroused by it. She was too damn mad. “I’m the one Lì put in charge of the hotel while he’s gone. So in a way, that makes me your boss.”

   She stomped her foot again, ignoring his claim of being her boss. She knew what her contract said, every word of it, and she answered to no one but Lì. “You still haven’t told me who you are.”

   He dipped his head again and those ebony eyes sparkled. “The name is Mace D'Avranches. You might have heard it before. I’m Lì’s half-brother.”

~*~ 

That's it for this week, but there will be more on Tuesday, so make sure you check back.  And don't forget to leave your comments below.  Not only to enter the contest, but because I really want to know what you think!


Hugs and see you next week!

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Hustle Into Love - Chapter One Part Four

Hey all,

Here is your Tuesday installment of our great story. The scene is set, our characters have met, so what do you think will happen now?

Remember, put your thoughts in the comments below to enter for all the great prizes!!!

Hustle Into Love

   When he turned his back to lead her out of the customs area, Chantal patted her heart and blew out a quick breath. She was irritated her orders hadn’t been followed, but even more troubling was the rush of heat that had hit her when she’d met her assistant-to-be for the first time.

   She’d never been one to go for Asian men, even though she was as close to Lì as a sister. She’d met dozens of the breed, all good friends of her adopted brother, but they just didn’t turn her on. Yet one look at her new assistant, and she’d had to reverse that opinion.

   He was taller than most Asians and very lean and fit. It was obvious he cared about his body, and Chantal was enough of an athlete to appreciate that. She wondered idly how he’d look in work sweats and a T-shirt. If he moved as good as he looked, she’d love to do a dance number or two with him. 

   And he wore that charcoal Armani suit well, though—she frowned for a moment—she wasn’t sure how he could afford one on the salary he was paid.

   But it was his face that made her take a second look. He was really gorgeous. But in a completely unique way. She’d been around a lot of attractive guys in her profession, both gay and straight, but there was something different. Something distinctive about her assistant.

   His hair was so black it had shimmering blue tints to it, and it was slightly mussed, like he’d run an impatient hand through it. She had to admit she liked that little imperfection. His face wasn’t classically handsome, in all honesty he looked more dangerous than good-looking. But it was a good dangerous. The kind of man she always wound up looking at twice. And his slightly tilted eyes—eyes that made a woman’s heart beat faster—they were a mysterious deep ebony set below equally dark sculptured brows. She patted her heart again.

   His skin was a light golden brown, paler than Lì’s, but with the black of his hair and eyes, the contrast was striking. His nose was definitely aristocratic which was interesting for an Asian, and the five o’clock shadow on his chin was another flaw that made her smile. And his full sensual lips? Well, those just made her want to bite him.

   Which was really unfortunate since she was his boss.

   “I suppose you really like your job,” she said wistfully.

   He glanced at her over his shoulder and one of those dangerous eyebrows winged up in surprise. “Are you firing me already?”

   She shrugged. It would be the only way she’d ever find out what he tasted like. Chantal had a strict policy. No dating co-workers. Period. She never had and she never would. And she’d never even consider touching a subordinate. That was just asking for trouble. Even in Macau. Staring at his delightfully nice ass as he pushed open the outer door, she bit back a gusty sigh. “No. Damn it.”

   “I thank you for your restraint,” he said dryly.

   Chantal narrowed her eyes at his back. He sure didn’t act like any assistant she’d ever met before. And he was definitely different from his emails. In those he’d always been so deferential, a very Chinese trait, but one that often irritated her. He certainly wasn’t that way in real life. Which, she had to admit to herself, was a breath of fresh air. Maybe they would get along okay.

   If she could get him to follow her orders from now on.

   She watched silently as in fluent Cantonese, he ordered the porters to load up the taxi. It was obvious he was used to giving commands and having them followed. Too bad he didn’t know how to do it himself.

   He glanced back at her. “What hotel are you staying at?”

   She handed the taxi driver her carry-on. “The Venetian.”

   His whole face darkened as if she’d somehow offended him. But he only turned and gave her destination to the driver.

   “What other languages do you speak?” she asked, curious about this man who would be such an important part of fixing Lì’s casino. “Other than your native Cantonese and English?”

   He stepped back and stood next to her, yet kept a weather eye on the loading of the van. “I speak Mandarin, Italian, French and some German, Ms. Montgomery.”

   She was impressed. “Did you learn all that in school?”

   His lips curved into his first real smile, and Chantal felt the jolt all the way to her toes. Okay, this man didn’t only look dangerous.

   “In school and in business. I make it a policy to learn all I can.” He opened the door and gave an almost mocking bow. “Your chariot awaits.”

   She slid in the backseat. “If that’s so,” she said quickly, snatching at the opportunity he presented, “why didn’t you follow my orders and let me find my own way to my hotel? As I requested. You seem too intelligent to pull a bonehead move like that.”

   Those sexy lips narrowed as he slid in next to her and let the door shut behind him. “I assure you, it will not be a mistake I make again.”

   “That’s all very well and good. But you still haven’t answered my question. Why do it in the first place?”

   He turned and looked at her, and the intensity in his eyes made her bones go weak. She was abruptly glad she was sitting down.

   “I wanted to have a look at you.”

   Chantal blinked. “Excuse me?”

   “Lì is always saying such wonderful things about you, I was curious.” He shrugged. “I knew you didn’t want to be met, but I decided to come anyway.”

   She chewed on that for a moment. “So you went against a direct order because you were curious?”

   He inclined his head, his gaze never leaving hers. Her heart stuttered to a stop and she had to force herself to take a breath. Was that desire she saw in his eyes? Abruptly, her mouth was as dry as sand. She had to clear it twice before she could speak.

   “W-While I appreciate curiosity, I really do, if we want to work together, you’ll have to put a halt to that kind of impulse. Agreed?”

   His eyes crinkled into another smile as he bowed his head again. “I think I can manage to curb my impulses.”

   Oh, hell, Chantal thought as she struggled to keep her face from revealing her thoughts. This wasn’t good at all. Of all the men on the planet, she had to get the hots for her assistant?

   “As you can see,” he said smoothly as if he didn’t notice her inner battle. “I can be taught.”

   She gulped. The things she’d like to teach him danced in her mind and made her whole body tremble. While she wasn’t a virgin, she could count the relationships she’d had on one hand. Lì said she was waiting for the perfect man, but Chantal knew she’d just never had the time to get close to someone. But to have her long dormant hormones start doing their own strip tease over her new assistant? Talk about bonehead stupid. She’d have to call Lì and see if Cái could be transferred elsewhere.

   And that, for some reason, made her want to cry.

~*~

So, whatcha think?  Don't forget to comment and remember to check back on Thursday for the next episode!

See ya then!

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/