Until You're Mine

by Langston, K.

  I’d read about places like this, seen them on TV, but I’d never stayed anywhere this extravagant. Hell, I’d never stayed anywhere nicer than the Holiday Inn when I traveled. But right now, I was standing in the middle of Penthouse A, on the top floor of one of the most luxurious hotels in Vegas, overlooking the entire fucking city.

  Ribbons of excitement and anticipation twirled in my belly and I turned in place to thank him. Bright green eyes held mine as I walked towards him, ignoring everything else between us. All this expensive shiny shit, none of it mattered. I was excited just to be here with him. I’ll admit the accommodations were nice, but we could sleep out on the streets for all I cared, as long as I was in his arms. I wanted to reassure him that I wasn’t her. I would never be her. “This is too much.”

  “Just a drop in the bucket, sweetheart,” Archer wrapped his

  arms around my waist, pulling me in close. His lips hovered just above mine. “I have a surprise for you,” His phone rang from his pocket, breaking his intent gaze. “Thanks for callin’ me back man. No, I appreciate cha hookin’ me up last minute. We’ll be down in half an hour.”

  “Who was that?”

  “A friend. An extremely gay friend. No way in hell I would turn you over to a straight man that looked like that. He manages the spa here in the hotel. I’ve arranged everything, including a shopping trip. Jonathan will be kind of like an escort.” he informed me, scrolling through his phone.

  “You don’t have to do this.”

  His eyes shot to mine. “Do what?”

  “This,” I motioned around the room. He was here for business, to close the door on his past. “I don’t need any of this fancy stuff. I just need you.”

  “I know you don’t need it, but I wanna give it to you. Besides, we’re going out to dinner tonight. I thought you would want to do girly shit while I tie up some other loose ends.”

  I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Ya know, sometimes you can be so damn sweet.”

  “Awe hell, don’t start that shit again.” Archer teased, pulling me closer. “I love the way you look. You could go dressed just like that or wearing a fuckin’ trash bag, and I wouldn’t give two shits,” Closing his eyes, he leaned down and kissed me, slow and steady, savoring every lick.

  “I kinda do like the idea of playin’ dress up. Plus, I consider myself to be the best bargain shopper ever, so I won’t break the bank,”

  Throwing his head back, he laughed

  “Yes, I know this. That’s why Jonathan has strict instructions, so please, do me a favor for once and do as I ask.”

  For the millionth time since I’d met him…I gave him what he wanted. “Yes sir.”

  Forty five minutes later, I was standing in front of the prettiest man I’ve ever seen. Could a man be too pretty? Rough and edgy was more my bag. Razor sharp and tough as nails if we’re talking about Archer Brooks. But I could definitely see how men and women alike would fall at the feet of this creature. He was blessed with a male beauty that was surely a gift from God.

  Now here I was, stuck with Jonathan. Who was about to do God knows what to me. I followed him down a long hallway that opened up into a huge salon. Several stylists stopped working to quickly take in my appearance.

  Yes, I know I don’t belong here.

  Was it that obvious? With my second hand hippie skirt and layered tanks that did nothing to cover my colorful arms, I stuck out like one of those neon signs on the strip.

  “Hair first, then we’ll address the rest. Here, I’ll take that.” Jonathan reached for my bag, but I hugged it away. “Jesus, would you relax. You’re making me nervous as hell, and I don’t want to have to tell Mr. Uptight that you didn’t enjoy yourself today.” He crossed his arm and popped his hip. My hand covered my mouth, quieting my unladylike chuckle. He was funny. “Now, let’s get down to business. Ari will be your stylist today. Ari, this is Ms. Vaughn,”

  “Katy,” I corrected.

  “What shall we do with all this beautiful hair?” The sweet voice behind me asked as she ran her fingers through my thick locks. “Damn girl, what kind of products do you use?” I watched in the opposite mirror as she lifted a chunk of my hair, sniffing it. “It feels like fine silk and smells like honey. You’re an organic chick aren’t you?” Looking right at Jonathan with a stern look, she placed her tiny hands on her slim hips. Ari was pretty in a nerdy kind of way. She was short and her blonde pixie hair was cut perfectly to sculpt her heart shaped face. She was sporting smart purple glasses and her retro outfit was perfectly put together. A mix of sweet girl next door meets bad girl down the street. I loved her style. Maybe I do belong here. “Adele?” she asked, obviously seeking approval from Jonathan, who was standing in front of me with his arms still crossed, his handsome face pulled tight in concentration.

  “Oh, hell yes. I like where your head is girl,” He smiled approvingly. “Let’s do it. You’re in good hands sweetie, be back soon.” He patted my knee, then walked away.

  “I’ll just give you a quick trim and then we’ll move on to the fun stuff.”

  “Adele?” I asked Ari in the mirror.

  “Yeah, you’ve got this look about you, a timeless, classic look. Your hair is gorgeous. Women would kill for these tresses. I’m going to tease them to high heaven, and then coif it into a spectacular Adele style ‘do’. Sound good?”

  “I love Adele.”

  “I have an eye for these things. The ink will only add more edge to the look, and if you can’t tell, I like a bit of edge.” Ari popped the smock in front me then draped it over the front of my body, securing it around my neck. “Now, let’s rock this shit.”

  Ari did her thing, piping up every now and then to ask me questions. Like where I was from. What I was doing in Vegas. But mostly she worked. And when all was said and done, she’d done just what she said she would. As promised, my hair was teased and tamed within an inch of its life. I looked older, sophisticated.

  Classy.

  “My God, Ari, if I weren’t gay,” Jonathan shook his head, clearly pleased with the outcome.

  “Yeah, yeah. You keep saying that. But the fact still remains so stop teasing me.” Ari slapped him on his chest and he smiled back at her adoringly. “This may be your best work yet.”

  “Seriously? It wasn’t that hard. Just look at what I had to work with. She’s stunning. Even without make-up. Makes me sick,” Ari huffed, winking at me in the mirror. I really liked these two.

  I stood up from the chair. “What next?” I asked, dusting stray hairs from my skirt.

  “I knew there was a princess in there. I could see it when you walked through the door.”

  “So are you my fairy godmother?”

  “Oh, I’m way more than that honey.” I said my goodbyes to Ari and thanked her for taking such good care of me.

  Then I was whisked away by Jonathan and his magic wand in the form of a Platinum Visa.

  We must let go of the life we have planned

  to accept the one that is waiting for us.

  ~Joseph Campbell

  The Red Door was the most elite night club in Vegas. Its exclusive guest list was impressive and extremely confidential. Only the filthy and ridiculously rich dared to walk through those doors, and that had been my vision all along.

  Sex sells.

  Don’t believe me, just ask my bottom line. The table minimum alone carried a hefty price tag of 50 G’s. Tight security allowed for no cell phone or recording devices of any kind, so patrons were able to indulge in whatever their depraved hearts desired. There were rules, of course. The dancers were the entertainment, but this was not a dirty strip joint. These women were classy and professional. They were not to be touched, and they never approached any of the customers. That sort of fraternizing was strictly prohibited. Unless you paid for one of the 13 VIP rooms we offered on the upper levels- and then, who’s to say what happens behind those doors. With a price tag of $100 G’s a pop…I didn’t give one fuck.

  Standing in
the center of the empire I’d built from the ground up, I sucked in a deep breath. It would be hard as hell to let it all go.

  “Well look who finally made it, damn good to see ya son.” Nate took my hand pulling me in for a quick hug.

  “Nate,” I slapped his back once before he released me.

  “Where’s your girl?”

  “I’m bringin’ her tonight. Make sure #13 is set up by 9.”

  “I got Sugar on it now. Let’s sit. I want to hear about your girl.”

  We took a seat at one of the nearby tables. “What do you wanna know?”

  Nate unbuttoned his suit coat, relaxing back in the chair. He narrowed his eyes as he pulled a cigar from the inside of his coat pocket. “First off, I can see it written all over your face, this girl is special. Second, any woman who can get your stubborn ass to let go of the past, not only gets my respect, but my full fucking attention. Start talking,”

  Leaning forward, I rested my forearms on my knees and hung my head. The black floor beneath my feet shined like Nate’s shoes and I tried to find a spot to focus on. “I love her.”

  “That is obvious,”

  Lifting my eyes, I met his. “I’m afraid.”

  Nate focused on lighting his cigar while his eyes stayed with mine. Smoke billowed up into the air around him and the smell infiltrated my nose. “Pop’s brand,” I nodded.

  “Yeah, I smoke these every now and then. Brings back a lot of memories,” He twisted the cigar between his fingers before bringing it back to his mouth. “Why are you afraid?”

  “What if she’s just like everyone else in my life who’s fucked me over?”

  “Do you trust her?”

  “Yeah, I trusted Megan too, remember?”

  Nate nodded in agreement. “True, but this is different isn’t it?”

  “Yes,”

  “You don’t want to spend your life with regret son. That’s a heavy cross to bear. Trust me…I carry it every goddamn day.”

  Shifting in my seat, I relaxed a little. It felt good to talk to someone about this shit. He understood what I’d been through with Megan. He’d been through something similar. But unlike my situation, it was him who never loved his wife. “When will you ever tell me about the one that got away?”

  “When the time is right, I promise I’ll tell you that story, but not today.” He leaned forward again, his eyes never leaving mine. “Don’t make the same mistake I did. Don’t let the woman you love slip through your fingers because of fear. Love is all about taking risks, is she worth it?”

  “Fuck yes…a hundred times over she’s worth it. That’s how I know I’m making the right decision. You’ll have the papers for me to sign tonight right?”

  “Yes,” he assured with a smile.

  “Good,”

  “That you sweet pea?” Sugar Prescott was easily pushing 40, but damn you couldn’t tell it. She was a tiny little thing, but oh, she was mighty. Sugar had been with me going on eight years now. She was in charge of the girls, VIP accommodations, and was pretty much the face of Red Door. She choreographed each song and dance perfectly to ensure that every customer experienced a superior level of adult entertainment.

  “Good to see ya, boss.” she greeted, wrapping her small arms around my waist.

  Sugar was a hugger. “How’s my best girl?”

  “Great! Just getting you all set up for later handsome. I can’t wait to meet her.” Sugar took a step back and sniffed, grimacing down at Nate. “What the hell have I told you about smoking those disgusting things in here?”

  “Last time I checked, I own half this motherfucker, so quit bitching.” Nate pulled in another long drag, blowing the smoke from his mouth.

  “Just because you own it doesn’t mean you can break the rules.”

  Nate smirked up at her, completely unfazed by her rule rant, puffing away while she swatted the air around her.

  “I’ll see tonight, sweet pea.” Sugar gave me another hug and smacked Nate on the shoulder as she passed. “Asshole,” she muttered.

  “It runs in the family, sweetheart,” he tossed over his shoulder, winking up at me.

  “You better be nice to her. She’s gonna make you a shit load of money,” I warned.

  “Yeah, I know. She tells me that shit daily,”

  Shaking my head, I headed towards the door. “I’ll see you later tonight,” I shouted. “9 o’clock,” I reminded.

  “Until then,”

  After making a few quick stops, I arrived back at the hotel. My heart raced as I fumbled to unlock the door. I couldn’t get to her fast enough. I was nervous, excited. A fucking pussy… that’s what I was, and I didn’t give a flying fuck. I hid the bundle of flowers behind my back, but I couldn’t quite hide my lovesick smile. “Katherine,” I called out.

  “In here,” I rushed to the door of the master suite, twisting the knob.

  I pressed my ear to the door, my heart beating wildly in my chest. “It’s locked,”

  “I know,”

  Desperation hung thick in my voice. “Open the door baby, please. I need to see you,”

  “I can’t,” Her soft voice and the suspense were killing me.

  Pretty soon my dick would be knocking down the damn door. “Why the fuck not?”

  “Because if I open this door, you’ll maul me and I just spent the last four hours gettin’ ready. I want to leave this room in one piece.”

  Shaking my head, I laughed. I could only imagine what she looked like right now. Probably like some fuckable goddess.

  My fucking goddess.

  Dropping my forehead to the door, I released a heavy sigh.

  “I put your stuff in the other room.”

  “You kicked me out?” I teased, smiling down at the flowers in my hand.

  She laughed. “You know better than that.”

  “You’re killin’ me. You know that don’t you?”

  “I’ll be waiting.” she promised and that put my feet in motion.

  Dressed in my black suit and black shirt, I fastened my watch onto my wrist, shoving my wallet into the pocket of my coat. I clutched the bouquet of flowers in my fist as I made my way down the hall.

  The moment I laid eyes on her there came an irresistible need to kiss every bare inch of her exposed skin. Damn if the woman didn’t know what she was talking about. How the fuck would we get out of this room without me fucking her against every surface available? With her hands pressed to the window, I took a moment to memorize everything. The black dress she wore hit just above the knee, and was completely backless with the exception of two small silk ribbons that hung in the center, courtesy of the bow tied at the base of her neck. Working my way down, I licked my lips at the sight of her smooth legs. Then the pair of spiked, black fuck-me shoes with a red bottom.

  “Fuck me, baby,” I breathed.

  Spinning in place, she gifted me with the rest of her, robbing me of air. I quickly closed the space between us, stopping only a few feet away as I sucked harder on the nearly depleted peppermint in my mouth, breaking it into little tiny pieces. I adjusted my hard on. “The things I want to do to you right now…”

  She sucked in a solid breath and smiled. “Thank you for the flowers,”

  Shit, I forgot all about the damn things. She took them from my outreached hand, bringing them to her nose. “Shall we?”

  “Such a gentleman,” Katherine slid her small hand into the crook of my arm.

  Throwing my head back, I released a wicked laugh. “Baby, I can assure you that the things I wanna do to you right now are nowhere near gentleman like. Matter of fact, they’re downright depraved.”

  Pink flush colored her cheeks. “I’ll keep the gentleman for now, and save the depraved for later. Deal?”

  “Deal,”

  “So, where’re we going?”

  “Dinner, then another surprise,”

  Katherine beamed up at me. “I love surprises.”

  “I know.” I whispered, kissing her cheek.

  I wou
ld lay the world at her feet just to keep that smile on her beautiful face.

  A mind that is stretched by a new experience

  can never go back to its old dimensions.

  ~Oliver Wendall Holmes, Jr.

  The night could not have been more perfect. The entire day had been magical really. I’d been pampered and groomed and fussed over like a princess getting ready for a ball. Now I was on the arm of...I had no idea what we were technically, but there was no doubt about it, we were in love. And for now, that was enough. Archer took my hand, leading me to the table. The restaurant was small and quaint, but tastefully trendy. The soft lighting offered a romantic atmosphere, the smells and sights of gourmet food covering the tables as we passed made my stomach rumble. We were seated in a secluded half-moon booth near the back.

  Archer stretched his arm, signaling for me to slide in first. “Your waiter, Neil, will be right with you Mr. Brooks. Enjoy your evening.”

  Bringing his lips to kiss the skin along my jaw, his voice dropped low and deep. “Are you as hungry as I am,”

  I crossed my legs, squeezing them together in sweet agony. “I forgot to eat in all the excitement.” I breathed, his hot kiss replacing the hunger in my belly with heavy desire.

  He hadn’t taken his eyes off me since we left the room. On the ride over, he’d teased me insistently, enjoying every moment of my tortured bliss. Memories of his soft deliberate touches paired with that charmingly crude mouth had me teetering on the edge of insanity. He leaned over again, draping his arm protectively around the back of the seat.

  His warm, minty breath caressed the side of my face while his middle finger brushed the skin along the back of my neck. “I’m only hungry for one thing…you.” Archer kissed my shoulder tenderly before he scraped his teeth across the exposed skin.

  The waiter cleared his throat and Archer released a growl.

  “Can I get you something to drink sir?”

  “Seven and seven and two shots of Fireball,”

  “Absolutely sir. Would you like to start with an appetizer?”