Breaking the Rules

by L. K. Lewis

  “Be prepared Morgan, the instant we are able declare our love publicly, I’m going to marry you. I hope you like short engagements, because I won’t want to wait. The 2.5 kids and a doodle can wait a bit, but not too long. I want it all baby, with you.”

  Morgan blushes slightly at my comment and leans towards me. I meet her half way and gently stroke her cheek with the back of my hand. I give her soft lips a gentle kiss, pulling back slightly to peer into her eyes. “What else would you like to do tonight, baby?” I ask.

  “I thought we could change our clothes and take a walk on the strip. Or we could hit some tables … Do you gamble?”

  “Morgan, I learned a while ago that gambling doesn’t get me very far. I gambled with my career, my life, my relationships … let’s just say Lady Luck wasn’t exactly on my side,” I say.

  I sign the bill for dinner and stand up from the table. Walking behind Morgan’s chair to help her to stand, I reach my arm around her waist, affectionately pulling her to me. “You look so sexy in that dress, baby, and those shoes do amazing things for your legs. Come … let’s get you out of those clothes, baby … I mean let’s get changed and go for a stroll along the strip,” I say as I give Morgan a teasing wink.

  Morgan

  I wake Saturday morning naked and twisted in exquisite Bellagio linens. God, I love hotels. I reach over for Drake and find that I’m alone in our bed … hmmm … our bed. That has a nice ring to it. It will be so nice to finally live under the same roof as Drake. I love my independence, and have worked so hard to have things I can call my own, but with Drake I still feel independent, only with the added bonus of sharing all that I am building for myself with someone else that wants the same things with and for me.

  I can’t wait for Drake to be promoted to CEO. This means so much to both of us. First and foremost it means that we can be together … really together. I think my heart skipped a beat last night when Drake mentioned marrying me as soon as he makes CEO. Of course we’ve talked about forever and marriage before, and I want that with Drake so much, but to hear him say those words with such enthusiasm made my heart soar! Besides being able to be together, this really solidifies for Drake that all of his hard work and dedication really is paying off. That he sacrificed so much for a reason. He may have been raised surrounded by the affluence and opportunities that many people aren’t, but he has still had a hard life. Dealing with his mother’s suicide at such a pivotal point in his childhood, being basically ignored by his father and new stepmother when he needed affection and affirmation the most, is a hard thing to get past. It’s understandable that Drake turned to sex to fulfill his need for affection, then drugs when sex was no longer working. I’ll admit that it’s hard to think about how many women he has been with sexually, but I do understand. He wasn’t some asshole playboy trying to add notches to his belt, he was a sad, lonely boy, trying to heal the hole in his soul.

  I get out of bed and search for Drake in the suite, but he isn’t there. I decide to get a quick shower and freshen up. I walk into the bathroom and find a vase of Stargazer lilies and a note waiting for me.

  Good morning, baby,

  You looked so beautiful sleeping I couldn’t bring myself to wake you. I have a few things to take care of this morning but should be back shortly. I’ve ordered breakfast for you, but have asked room service not to disturb you, so when you are ready, call down and they will deliver it promptly for you.

  I love you,

  Drake xo

  I absolutely love this man. He keeps asking me how he got so lucky to find someone who loves him after everything he’s been through in his life, but I keep asking myself what I could have possibly done in my life to deserve someone as wonderful as he is.

  I take a quick shower and call down to room service for my breakfast, and as promised, it is delivered promptly. Always one to lovingly pay attention to detail, Drake has ordered me an omelet with breakfast potatoes, mimosa, bloody mary, coffee, and sparkling water … my favorite. I’m about half way done with everything when he walks into the suite. Drake is dressed casually in his workout gear, his face is a little flushed, and his dark brown hair is sweaty.

  “Good morning, my love, you looked so peaceful sleeping this morning. How do you feel?” Drake asks as he spans the length of the foyer into the dining room, giving me a sweet kiss on the head as he reaches the table.

  “I feel rested, thanks for letting me sleep in,” I say, as I reach up and curl my hand around his neck, bringing his beautiful face closer to mine for a deeper kiss. “Thanks for breakfast too! Two cocktails at breakfast, mister, we really are in Vegas!” I tease.

  “I’m glad you feel rested, today is all about relaxation, actually. I have reserved a cabana for us at the pool today. We can relax in and out of the sun, have total privacy when … needed,” Drake says with a coy smile, “and I made a reservation for a couple’s massage in the cabana after lunch.”

  “That sounds like heaven, Drake, thank you.”

  “I thought it sounded nice. The idea of having you lying naked beside me, covered in oil, getting massaged, has my mind racing with dirty thoughts. Care to help me wash them off in the shower?”

  “Well, I have already taken my shower this morning, but how can I say no to you when you are so sweaty and irresistible? Go get started, and I’ll finish my breakfast and join you in a minute,” I say, taking a bite of my omelet. Drake smiles and turns towards the bathroom, removing his sweaty gym clothes as he goes. Suddenly I’m very hungry … for something other than breakfast.

  *****

  “This is so nice, babe,” I say, as I rejoin Drake in the cabana after a refreshing dip in the pool.

  “I could definitely get used to this. You wearing that bikini, dripping with water … you get sexier by the minute, Morgan, I swear.”

  “I’m glad you like,” I say, running my upturned palm from head to toe like a model from The Price is Right. “You’re not so bad yourself. When I first laid eyes on you I couldn’t believe how hot you looked in your suit, then you came over to my apartment in your skinny jeans and Vans and I think that is what made me let you in my door,” I say with a laugh, “and the night we first went bowling and you wore your glasses … and now you in your board shorts showing off your amazing abs. Drake, I think they have to find a new word for sexy, ‘cause that word isn’t cutting it anymore.”

  Drake throws his head back and starts laughing. “You are so adorable, I love you, baby. Let’s order a light lunch before our massages. Make sure to drink a lot of water too, baby, the sun is out in full force and I don’t want you to get dehydrated and sick.”

  Back in the suite after a long day of lounging, swimming in the pool, and enjoying a fabulous couple’s massage in the cabana (along with some post massage, bodies covered in massage oil bliss), Drake and I are getting ready for a fun night out. As it turns out, Drake claims to love dancing as much, if not more than I do, and is hell bent on proving it.

  After a light late dinner, we grab a cab and head over to Tao. Even though it was last minute, our concierge at the Bellagio was able to grease some palms, pull some strings and reserve a table for us with bottle service. I don’t think Drake plans on over-indulging by any means, and neither do I, but it’s always nicer to have your own table with a server in a huge nightclub like that rather than fight in line for a drink.

  Tao is really starting to fill with partygoers as we are lead to our table. We order a bottle of Ketel One and a few mixers and decide to have a cocktail and wait for the floor to get hot. We hit the dance floor about a half hour after we get there, and I am instantly reminded of Drake’s dance moves at the bar my first week of work. The man really does have moves! Tao is roughly 44,000 square feet packed with the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen, and Drake somehow manages to make me feel like I’m the only one he sees, like I’m the only other person in the room.

  *****

  We’ve danced for a few hours, taking breaks here and there to quench our t
hirst, or catch our breath. “Let’s head home soon, we have a flight to catch tomorrow morning and I’d really love to get you into the bath and wash some more of those adorable germs off of you before we go to bed tonight,” Drake shouts over the music, as we sit at our table gazing out onto the dance floor.

  “Sounds good, I’m getting tired and my feet are killing me. This was a blast though!” I shout back.

  Soon after that, Drake pays our tab and we get up to leave. I look about three tables down and notice a larger table with about six guys sitting around it. It isn’t the table of guys that catches my attention, Drake has been the only man to catch my attention all night … it’s the familiar set of eyes that lock onto mine immediately that has me frozen. Adrian’s. He stands up and makes his way over to Drake and me, and my heart is racing with panic. I look over at Drake and his face looks cool, but the tight grip he has on my hand tells me we are busted and he’s freaking out too.

  “Good evening, you two, what an unexpected surprise,” Adrian says with a smile.

  “Hey! What are you doing in Vegas?” I try to play it cool like I’m not being busted on a secret getaway weekend with my boss by my ex-boyfriend and business associate.

  “Oh, I’m just on a guy’s trip. How about you two?” Adrian asks.

  “I’m out here entertaining some clients on a deal we are wrapping up next week so I brought Morgan along to entertain some of the wives that wanted to tag along too.” Drake steps in and saves the day. What an awesome and totally plausible answer.

  “Good idea. So where are these clients and their wives? You two don’t seem to be entertaining anyone tonight,” Adrian says, a little too smugly for my taste.

  “Everyone went home this afternoon. I got a large suite at the Bellagio so my room could be sort of a home base for the ladies. Because it has a two night stay minimum, I decided stay through tomorrow and enjoy the nightlife tonight. The suite has two bedrooms so I convinced Drake to stay one more night as well.” I’m rambling now, making us look guilty. Drake gives my hand another tight squeeze … his way of letting me know I need to quit talking.

  “I see. Well it looks like you two were leaving, so I’ll head back to my buddies. It was nice … running into you … both. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon,” Adrian says as he turns and heads back to his table. Drake maintains a firm grip on my hand and pulls me out of the nightclub.

  When we get outside, I pull my hand from Drake’s grip. “Drake, you’re hurting me!” I say, massaging my hand.

  Drake gives a nod to one of the valet guys who flags us a cab, but doesn’t say anything to me. He is silent the whole cab ride back to the Bellagio. In fact, he doesn’t even say a word to me until we get back to the suite.

  “Okay, you have to say something …” I plead with Drake.

  “We’re totally fucked! How about that for something?” Drake yells.

  “We aren’t fucked. It was Adrian. I can talk to him. We have a history together, I can plead to him not to say anything. I will call him tomorrow, explain everything, and ask him to keep his mouth shut. Please, babe, don’t be mad at me. How were we supposed to know we’d run into anyone we know here? There are millions of people that filter through Las Vegas every single day!”

  “It’s not your fault, baby, I’m sorry,” Drake says after a few deep breaths. “Let me see your hand, did I hurt you?”

  “No, it doesn’t hurt anymore. I think you just scared me more than anything. You were holding onto me so tightly and I don’t think my feet were even touching the floor, you were pulling me so fast.”

  “I know, I’m so sorry, Morgan. You know I’d never do anything to hurt you. I just freaked out seeing Adrian and wasn’t sure what to do. I just had to get out of there as fast as possible.” Drake reaches out for my hands, inspecting them and kissing my palms, then wrists, then knuckles.

  “I’ll talk to Adrian tomorrow, and I’ll get everything straightened out. Please don’t worry or let this ruin our beautiful weekend together. I’ve had the best time of my life with you, let’s not let running into Adrian ruin the great memories we’ve created here. Just think about the cabana today,” I say, trying to add a little levity to the situation.

  “You’re right, come take a bath with me then let’s crawl into bed,” Drake says as he grabs my hand, gently this time, and leads me into the bathroom. In the tub Drake pulls me to his chest as usual, and washes my body lovingly, but doesn’t go beyond that. When we crawl into bed a short while later, he pulls me into his arms, my back to his chest. “Is it okay if we don’t make love tonight, baby? I really just want to hold you in my arms and savor you a little while longer.”

  I turn over so I’m now facing Drake, his arms still around me as I gaze into his eyes. “Drake, don’t be worried, everything will be fine. You aren’t going to lose me, Drake. I meant it when I said I’d fight for you, okay? I’ll fight for us,” I say as I give him a reassuring kiss, sending a small prayer to the universe that everything really will be okay.

  *****

  I wake again Sunday to an empty space next to me in bed. I’m not sure where Drake has gone, but I know he went to bed worried last night, so I’m assuming he went to the gym early this morning to work some things out in his head. Drake has often said how working out brings him clarity.

  I order a French press of coffee and some fresh fruit for Drake and me to share when he gets back from his workout. I also decide to wait for Drake to get back to join him in the shower, and instead head back into the master bedroom and begin to pack us. Room service has been delivered and our bags are by the door when Drake gets back.

  “Drake, are you okay?” I ask. Drake’s face is bright red, he’s dripping with sweat, and he’s panting like an animal in heat.

  “One piece of advice, baby, never run in the Las Vegas heat, unless someone is chasing you,” he laughs.

  “Why were you running outside?”

  “I woke up feeling uneasy about last night, and decided to go for a workout to clear my head. I started missing you as soon as I left the room and wanted to feel closer to you so I thought running would make me feel better. I’m not sure why I didn’t go to the gym. I exited the elevators, and before I really realized what I was doing, I had left the hotel and was running down the strip. I’d think people might have thought I was crazy, but well, it is Las Vegas!”

  “Oh, Drake, I’m so sorry you are feeling this way. We’ll get everything situated. Come, have some water first, then I’ve ordered coffee and fruit. Our bags are packed and by the door, leaving us with plenty of time for a long shower before we have to leave for the airport,” I say with a smile, wrapping my arms around Drake’s beautifully lean and sweaty body.

  “Morgan, thanks for taking care of everything. I thought I was the one who was supposed to take care of you, though,” Drake says, pulling me close with his arms around my waist.

  “I thought we pledged to take care of each other … and to fight for each other, and make love to each other forever and ever amen,” I say as I slip my fingers into Drake’s hair, pulling him in for a kiss.

  “We did, and we will make those very same vows in front of our friends and family someday, hopefully soon,” Drake says with a smile. “Come on, baby, let’s take that long shower … unless you want to just take a quick trip to a little white chapel on the way to the airport? This is Vegas after all, baby!”

  “Hmmmm … very tempting, but let’s wait for the real thing!”

  Chapter 24

  Morgan

  I know both Drake and I were feeling a little tense when we woke up Sunday morning after our run in with Adrian the night before, but I really thought we were on a better path when we left the hotel for home. Drake was quiet and tense the entire flight, and I was thankful for the first class ticket again, because it gave us both some extra space.

  I was glad Drake had taken a car service to the airport, and I had driven, because that gave us the entire drive back into the city to talk things thro
ugh and reconnect before we were once again separated by our work week tomorrow.

  “Hey, baby, I’m pretty tired and I have a lot to do before work tomorrow, do you think you could just drop me off at my house tonight? Will you be okay by yourself at your place?” Drake asks as we get into my car. So much for reconnecting.

  “Sure, babe, that’s fine. It’ll give me a chance to get some laundry done and call Adrian,” I say, trying not to seem too disappointed.

  “I can take your laundry if you want, I’ll send it out with my stuff tomorrow morning. That way all you have to do is rinse off those adorable travel germs, and relax tonight,” Drake says. He’s trying to be sweet, but really, all I want is to climb onto his couch with him tonight with my head in his lap, while he massages my scalp as we watch TV We are quiet the rest of the way to Drake’s house. When I pull into his driveway, I get out with him and walk him to his door.

  “Drake, thank you so much for an amazing weekend. I had the time of my life,” I say as I wrap my arms around his waist and look up into his beautiful brown eyes.

  “You’re so welcome, baby. I’ve never enjoyed myself more, thank you for joining me. Let me grab your suitcase so I can send your clothes out tomorrow,” Drake says as he starts walking to my car.

  “That’s okay, babe. I think I could use a little distraction tonight, I’ll do my laundry, but I appreciate the offer. I’ll see you tomorrow at work, okay?”

  “Absolutely. I love you with all of my heart. Morgan Lane,” Drake says as he grabs the sides of my head and pulls me in for a long kiss, pouring all his love for me in it. I return the kiss and all of the love and emotions that came with it.

  “I love you too, Drake Baylor, with all of my heart,” I say as I pull away and head to my car. My heart is heavy on the drive home, but I refuse to think anything bad might happen until I talk to Adrian and have everything figured out.