The Last Man

by Cheryl Dragon

  Jeff paused. “What?”

  “What what?” She shrugged.

  “You had that look in your eye.”

  “What look? There’s no look.” She stepped into the elevator.

  “Right. It’s that look you get when sizing up a new attorney or judge. You can ditch me any time. I’ll find my own entertainment.” He kept a respectable distance between them.

  She wanted to move closer. “I don’t need to size you up. We’re just usually working. It’s different. I’m not going to ditch you. I appreciate having a tour guide.”

  “Well, if you want some quiet time alone, just say so. With your busy house, maybe I’m invading your peace.” He held the door as she moved out into the lobby.

  Of course, she put too much distance between them. The habit of pushing men away had become automatic at some point. “You’re not invading anything. You’re probably saving me from myself. If I get alone time, I’ll just be reading case files on my laptop. More work.”

  “We both need a break from that. Food?” he suggested.

  An hour later, they were stuffed and in a cab. She’d let him pay for the food and cabs when he insisted. They could settle up back home, rather than make a fuss here.

  The drive up to the Luxor took her breath away. She snapped pictures of the pyramid-shaped hotel and the sphinx in front of it.

  “At night, a light comes right out of the top,” Jeff said. She hoped to get a chance to see that.

  They drove past the mega casinos and she soaked it all in. When the cab stopped, she craned her neck up at a model of the Eiffel Tower. They got out and she captured a few more pictures. Her mom would get a kick out of them.

  As they got closer, she saw the elevator went to the top of the tower. She gave him an unsure look, but he smiled. “It’s a great view.”

  When they boarded, he stood behind her. The man was six feet tall so he could easily see over her five-foot eight. After the way he held her hand on the plane, she half expected his arms to come around her and hold her tight. She was a bit disappointed that they didn’t. She stepped onto the observation deck and couldn’t decide where to look first. In the heart of the Strip, she could see all the famous hotels and the valley beyond.

  It was a rare treat. Vacations weren’t big on her to do list.

  Next, he led the way to the Venetian. Walking felt nice for a change. He grabbed two bottles of water then pushed one on her.

  “I’m fine,” she said.

  “No, you don’t feel the dry heat as fast. Hydrate.” He drank his water.

  She sipped, thirstier than she’d thought. She drank slowly and hated that he was right. Hated how much she enjoyed being with him. Her sister would go on and on if she brought home a white man. Her mother’s friends at church had been praying for a good man for Monica. They’d get annoyed with the Lord for not understanding they meant a good black man. It was an outdated attitude to Monica, but something they’d have to deal with if anything actually happened.

  Shrugging off the issues of home, she decided to fully enjoy the day. No calls from her mom to report disasters at home so far. Maybe she’d get lucky, and it’d be quiet. Monica followed Jeff into the Venetian’s lobby where the air conditioning felt like heaven. They paused and she took a deep breath. The ceilings were all so beautiful, painted like classic masterpieces. The shops grabbed her attention next, as they kept walking.

  “If you like, there are some real art museums around here, too. Or if you’re missing home, they have a Coca-Cola store just off the strip for that dose of Atlanta’s home town favorite,” he said.

  She smacked his arm playfully. “Stop it. This hotel alone might take the rest of the afternoon to see. Besides, I have dinner plans. I do have to get ready for that, so I don’t have all day.”

  “I didn’t mean to keep you away from your plans.” He checked his watch.

  “You’re not.” She eyed the shops. “I should get Lela a little something. And Mom.”

  “After we go for a ride.” He nodded to the river in the middle of the hotel.

  “I don’t think so.” She saw men singing to the passengers as they pushed boats along.

  “Afraid people will think I’m your boyfriend?” he whispered in her ear.

  “No. I’m not taking the chance of falling in.” She checked to be sure her braid hadn’t been too windblown. She liked Jeff and the attraction was undeniable, but she wasn’t ruining her hair with water for him! There was no time to find a salon today.

  The man was flirting with her but she had to resist. As much as she wanted to pounce on him, she had to behave. Ruining what they had would hurt too much. He was a friend and a constant in her life that she needed.

  “Fair enough. We’ll walk it.” He stood close to her.

  She almost expected him to hold her hand. It felt so real, like they were a couple, and so comfortable with each other. Relief hit her that they were out among people. If they were alone, it’d be dangerous. They were never alone, though. Clients, judges, clerks, paralegals…people surrounded them at every turn. That’s how she’d been able to keep him at a safe distance. Now it nagged at her. She wanted him so much that she wanted to cancel tonight and make him her fantasy man.

  If only it could be real and consequence free. He’d flirted but even if they worked out, he didn’t comprehend the fallout. Luckily, she spotted a huge puzzle for her mom and stepped away from him for a second. The space let her breathe without inhaling his scent. She found a T-shirt for her niece and waited while her gifts were wrapped up.

  As they walked by a bridge over the river, she saw a wedding party on it and paused to wish them luck. He turned to her when she wasn’t next to him any longer.

  “Everything okay?” He looked over at the beaming couple and their group. “Right. Quickie wedding chapels weren’t on the tour but the nice hotels do a good job.”

  “Was your brother married here?”

  “No, back in Cleveland. It thrilled my mom when he got married. I think she’s worried about me staying single so long but also can’t blame the ladies for not wanting a workaholic lawyer.” He shrugged.

  “It could be worse. You can turn off work better than a lot of us.” Weddings were the last thing she needed on her mind, but she didn’t know much about his family. “Did your father come to the bachelor party, too?”

  “No. My siblings are technically half. My stepdad didn’t come because he wanted to stay married. Mom didn’t want him around strippers.” He smiled.

  “I didn’t know your parents were divorced.”

  He nodded. “They got married after college. Didn’t work. He found another woman and started another family. Eventually, Mom did the same thing. I never quite fit in anywhere.”

  “I’m sorry. That must be hard.” She wanted to ask more but didn’t want to pry. He’d never talked about his family or volunteered anything before.

  “Pretty common, these days. Keeps us in business.” He headed toward an ice cream place.

  She followed him. “It’s still hard on the kids. Now I get why you care so much.”

  “I can’t complain. My father paid support and never fought my mom on it.” Jeff went for his favorite strawberry. He always went for strawberry. At lunch with other attorneys, during cases, she’d noticed. Yogurt, cheesecake, and even in fruit salad.

  She gave in to a hot fudge sundae. They ate quietly. She wanted to ask how much he saw his dad. His insistence that fathers see their kids made sense. It meant a lot, but getting some men to pay a fair share proved hard. Children needed clothes and food whether their fathers possessed the cash or not.

  “People really need to think before they have children. My sister didn’t bother using anything to prevent her pregnancy. I know it. Then she just expects everyone to help her raise her daughter. I love my niece but if I had a daughter….”

  “You’d never let anyone else mother her,” he filled in. “I’d never let anyone else father my children, if I had any. Some pe
ople don’t appreciate their kids or what that parental contact means.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to drag the day down.” She shook her head and stuffed a spoonful of hot fudge in her mouth.

  “You didn’t drag anything down. We both do what we do for the same reason. You’d be a great mom.” He held out his cup of ice cream. “Strawberry goes good with hot fudge.”

  Skeptical, she dipped her spoon into his dish then added hot fudge. The combination made her hum appreciatively. “That’s good.”

  The problem persisted that she wanted to lick him, not the spoon. They’d never had the opportunity to be so close without work dragging their attention away. Now she could admire his broad shoulders and strong arms. The list of men who made her feel safe and aroused was so short his name was the only one on it.

  For so long she’d believed it was simply a physical attraction she had to suppress. He understood her more than she dreamed possible. Sure, he had two daddies on some level, while she had none. Still, pain was pain.

  Somewhere in her mind, she could hear her mother’s voice saying, Pain is pain, love is love. Everyone’s got their own problems and they might handle it different, but God puts stuff in front of you for a reason. Deep down she knew Jeffery belonged in her life for a reason, and if she just opened the door, everything could be different. Until today she’d never believed it’d be a good change. Her life hadn’t been easy. Maybe if she accepted that she loved this guy, it’d feel good enough to make it worth dealing with the issues.

  Chapter Three

  Not wanting to ruin her trip by giving in to his all-consuming need to kiss her, he focused on Vegas and hoped their plans were the same for the evening. The Stratosphere was his favorite place in Vegas. He led the way onto the high floor elevators. “We had dinner before the big party here. The view is amazing.”

  “It’s a restaurant?” she asked doubtfully.

  “We can just do drinks in the lounge so you don’t miss your plans. You have to see the sunset.” He put his hand on the small of her back, pleased when she didn’t pull away, but moved closer instead.

  The elevator ride ended and they headed to the lounge where he grabbed a table for two by the window. She stared out at the view of the Vegas Strip. The time flew by and he dreaded the face off that would happen when they met their fantasy. The deal included anonymity and a proper match but both couldn’t happen. Madame Eve apparently had highly tuned intuition and hopefully she’d read him and Monica right, and agreed with the judge.

  Maybe she wouldn’t fight it?

  “What are you going to do tonight? Bar? Show?” she asked.

  “I’ve got plans of my own.” He paused as the waiter came by and took their drink orders.

  “I think we’re underdressed.” She glanced at his denim more than her casual but classy outfit.

  He shrugged. “It’s Vegas. Tourists are free to dress as they please. Want me to go shirtless? I’ll do it.”

  She shook her head. “Your plans are probably an old girlfriend, and I doubt she’d appreciate that.”

  “You’re jumping to a big conclusion there. No ex-girlfriend. I’m pathetically single, as you know.” He hoped she wanted more information or felt a bit jealous. The waiter brought their beverages. He took a drink of beer and watched the real view. Her.

  “You could have plenty of women if you wanted back home. They’re all worried you’re into men,” she said.

  “Not men. They know who I’m really interested in, but I’ll take the jokes.”

  The sun went lower and dusk set in.

  “Should we go?” she asked.

  “Not yet.” He stared out at the night and waited. It took a few minutes, but the Strip lit up like a row of neon dominos falling.

  “Wow.” She leaned forward. “That is a beautiful view.”

  “See, you can have fun in Vegas and not gamble a dime. One drink all day. No strip clubs or anything bad. We could bring your mom here.” He didn’t want her to think of him as a secretly sleazy guy. He’d blurted out the bachelor party thing earlier to get her to hang out with him but feared it had a potentially nasty undertone.

  “Mom would want to gamble. One of her friends is Catholic. They take their granddaughters to bingo once a month.”

  “I like your mom. She’s so proud of you.” He finished his beer.

  “Wouldn’t have made it through law school without her. My sister’s drama and all that. My mother is the strong one.” She checked her watch. “Maybe we should go?”

  He didn’t move. “You’re not going to push to know what my plans are?”

  She lifted a graceful shoulder. “If you don’t want to talk about it, I’m not going to push. I don’t have any right to know your business.”

  He had to bring it up or the night would be ruined. “Okay, I’ll tell you. It has to do with that door prize at the fund raiser. You won one, too. I believe it’s the same prize. A one–night stand?”

  Her eyes widened and she looked into her glass as if it held the answers. “What? It’s a secret. Madame Eve said no one would know.”

  “No one but those involved. I hope it worked out right. She’s an expert matchmaker by all accounts,” he said. “I’ll pay the bill.”

  Jeff left, keeping an eye on Monica, afraid she’d bolt to get her own cab and throw up walls again. She dug in her purse and found the card. Then she glanced at her phone, then at him, her eyes wide. This was no coincidence. It had to be him.

  He returned. “It’s okay, Monica. It’s the right thing. We’ve been denying it for months.”

  She held up her phone so he could read the text that confirmed his suspicions. His name and a suite number. It was enough. “You knew?”

  “No, not until we were both here and you said you had plans. Judge Monroe organized that charity affair, and I think the prizes were a set up.” He leaned over. “Let’s go where we can talk in private. A fancy dinner is waiting.”

  “In the suite?”

  “Exactly.” He took her hand. “We both need to get changed. And don’t worry. Nothing happens if we don’t want it to.”

  As beautiful as the hotel was, this vacation felt like a dream and a nightmare. She’d been quiet on the ride back. Jeff didn’t push but made sure to let her know he’d be up to the suite on time. She made no such promise despite desperately wanting to kiss him in the cab, and then in the elevator.

  Alone in her room, she kicked off her shoes and took a deep breath. The matchmaking service was a dumb move anyway. If it weren’t a gift, she’d never have done anything so wild and dangerous. But him? Only Jeff could be her deepest desire and biggest fear. He wasn’t someone she could walk away from. She needed him so much more than a stranger.

  Pulling it together, she peeled off her clothes and took a quick shower. She topped the teddy with a low cut green dress she’d plucked from the back of her closet at home. Sliding on the heels, she prayed they could find a way to make their date work and not destroy their coworker friendship. The day had been so wonderful. But he’d known she was here for sex since she mentioned her dinner plans and he hadn’t said a thing.

  No doubt she needed sexual relief, and she hated fighting her feelings for him. She’d struggled with her attraction to him for months, but at work she shouldn’t be thinking about Jeff naked. Add to that her family and friends who expected her to be the reasonable one, and her niece who needed a strong female role model. Applying her lipstick, she took a long look in the mirror. She had to stop denying herself before the option dried up. Her sister had plenty of fun. Monica deserved some, too.

  She’d seen some women give up. Stubborn women refusing to accept help then closing their hearts after too much pain. Some were clients who tried to do it all alone. At some point, something had to give.

  She had no children but she couldn’t let her family down. She’d always understood that. Since meeting Jeffery, though, it’d felt like she’d denied herself something. Damn! She’d been planning on sex without
strings tonight. With him, there would be consequences. She checked her phone. One message from her mom saying things were fine and to have a good time.

  She considered emailing Madame Eve. To cancel the date? To find out if Jeff matched her that well? Had the judge set it all up? So many questions flashed through her mind but in the end none of it mattered because she wanted it to be him. She and Jeff needed to sort out the situation, themselves, no matter who had started it or conspired to set up the night.

  Her phone dinged with another text from her mom. Be nice to Jeff. He’s a good guy. Did she know he was her date? How much talking did that judge do at the party?

  She smiled. Of all the men she’d met in her life, Jeff remained the only one she’d trust to look out for her mom if an emergency did happen and she needed help. She texted back a quick reassurance then put the phone and her room key in her evening purse. Hopefully she’d render Jeff speechless and get to the truth fast. One last spray of perfume and she headed for the suite.

  Chapter Four

  Jeff dismissed the server so he could be alone when Monica arrived. His suit had been ready for him when he returned to his room, perfectly pressed. After a quick shower, he’d moved fast to get ready in the suite, just in case she didn’t make him wait.

  Now he hoped she hadn’t checked out and gone home. As he paced the luxurious suite with a massive bed piled with more pillows than he’d ever seen, he reminded himself that she’d filled out the forms and requested the night without any involvement from him.

  He’d been selected as her fantasy. They were each other’s fantasy. She wouldn’t walk away from that.

  He inspected the view of the dessert, resisting the urge to check his watch. The food smelled exquisite but he had no appetite for anything but her. For too long, he’d repressed his true feelings and desires. Not tonight.

  When he heard the door click, he turned and saw her. He grinned so hard he felt like a fool, but her smile wasn’t quite as big. She fidgeted with her dress.