She had changed over the years – her slimmer waist, longer hair, even the way she dressed was more refined, older. But she was still there, the Rainey I loved. The girl who laughed at my stupid jokes and shook her head at me when I was being an idiot. Just Rainey.
I was lucky to have her in my life, and although I regretted not having her in my life for the last few years, I wanted to make up for lost time in the next few months. I wanted to be by her side when she breathed her last, knowing that we had made the most out of our time together.
“So what do you want to do today?” I asked her.
She glanced at me, her surprise evident in her raised brow.
“How long are you staying?” She asked.
“For however long you are,” I informed her.
“What? You can’t stay here . ” S he stepped away from me.
“I can pretty much do what I want. Free country, and all that. But I am staying here because I love you and I’m not about to let one moment pass without spending it with you,” I explained.
“But… What about when I die?” She looked down at her hands.
I put my finger under her chin to get her to look at me. “Then a little piece of me will die, too. Until then, I want to enjoy being with you.”
I saw the fear creep into her eyes and knew I scared her, but I needed her to know I wasn’t about to walk away.
And then something else appeared in her bright eyes. Something akin to mischief.
“What are you thinking?”
“Well, on the plane ride here, I made up a bucket list…”
“Hell yes. Whatever’s on it, we’ll do,” I promised.
“I sort of threw it away . ” S he looked sheepish.
“We’ll write a new one, then. No big deal. What’s the first thing that comes to mind to do?” I asked her, ready for anything she could think of.
“How about Vegas?”
I wasn’t ready for that.
Chapter Thirteen
Rainey
Vegas wasn’t actually on my original to-do list. It had been on my mind, though. Living out west as I had for several years, I always wanted to do something reckless and frivolous. But the leukemia had made me more reserved, less likely to do something just for the sake of doing it. I always told myself that someday I would get to Vegas, do all the things I wanted to do.
Someday was now. With only a few months to enjoy my life, if I wanted to do something, I needed to do it right away. Once I got to a certain point, I would have to be hospitalized, or at least have a home nurse. Until then, I wanted to get as much out of this life as I could. And that meant letting Baker in and taking a chance.
“Vegas?”
“Yeah. I always wanted to go, but money has always been tight for me, paying for treatments and whatnot. So I want to go, you know, before I go,” I grinned.
“Well then , hell yeah! Let’s go . ” H e pulled me into a hug and lifted me up, swinging me around the living room. I laughed with him, unable to do anything to stop my growing feelings for him. He was perfect for me, exactly what I needed at this point in my life.
“I have to pack,” I told him and he put me down.
“My bags are already in the rental car. I’ll just watch you pack,” he suggested, taking my hand and leading my up the stairs.
He pushed open my bedroom door and flung himself sideways on my bed. He picked up a magazine I left on my nightstand and flipped through it, hardly paying me any attention. I stood there, staring at him like a fool for several minutes.
“What are you doing?” He finally looked up at me. “Get packing!” He cracked an invisible whip at me and made a whippish sound. Then he turned back to the article he was reading. A man who read magazine articles. Insane.
I turned away from him and pulled my duffel out of the closet. I packed jeans, shorts, tanks, and tees. I threw in a few pairs of socks, and then eyed Baker nervously before pulling open the drawer where I kept all my lingerie. Many of the items inside were see-through, lacy pieces that revealed more than they covered, but something told me Baker would appreciate them.
His attention was focused solely on the magazine so I stuffed several teddies into my bag, along with the matching panties. He would definitely appreciate my effort. I pulled out a pair of jeans and laid them on top of the delicates, just in case he decided to look up. I went into the guest bathroom and grabbed my straightener, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. I set everything on the end of the bed and then picked up my travel makeup bag out of the closet. I placed all my hair stuff into it, running back to the bathroom for bobby pins, my hair brush, and anti-frizz serum. Once I had everything set, I moved on to shoes.
When I left LA for Maine last month, I left most of my designer shoes with Brittney, since there weren’t many places to wear four-inch heels in Maine. Vegas, however, was a different story. I could easily get away with heels there ; plus, Baker was way taller than me, so I wouldn’t tower over him. It was win-win. I picked four pairs, figuring that any more wouldn’t be necessary and any less would cause me serious problems when dressing myself while we were there. I carefully placed them in the duffel bag, making sure the heels wouldn’t snag any of the teddies.
Baker turned to me as I zipped up the duffel. “Ready?”
“Almost. I just have to go through a few more things,” I told him.
“Ok ay , well I’m going to go make the reservation. Come downstairs when you’re ready . ” H e tossed the magazine back on my night stand and got up. He planted a quick kiss against my lips and then waltzed out of my room without a glance back at me.
I stared after him for a full thirty seconds before I shook myself. I needed to pack at least one sexy dress. Maybe two. I turned to the closet and realized my wardrobe was hardly acceptable. I flipped through each dress, discarding it for one reason or another. I was dissatisfied with every dress I owned. All I wanted was something black, sleek, and clingy. The ones in my closet were flowy and vibrant. I sighed.
Maybe Aunt Brittney would have something along the lines of what I wanted. Aunt Britt! I needed to call her and let her know that Baker and I were taking off. I pulled out my cell and dialed her work number.
“This is Brittney,” she answered.
“Hey, Britt. It’s Rainey.”
“I figured you and Baker would be hot and heavy by now,” she laughed.
I shook my head. “No, not exactly. He actually wants to take me to Las Vegas,” I started. “He asked me what I wanted to do, kind of like a bucket list, and I’ve always wanted to do Vegas.”
“That sounds great! Have fun, kiddo! You’ll be back in what – a week?”
“Yeah, I think so. Hey, can I borrow a black cocktail dress for the trip?” I asked hopefully.
“Of course. Go raid my closet! Lord knows I won’t be needing them any time soon . ” S he emitted another laugh and then turned serious. "Are you safe with him, Rainey? If something happens, will he be able to take care of you?”
I thought about it for a second. “Oh , yeah. He was handling me with kid-gloves before he even knew about the leukemia. I would say it’s going to be a mellow time in Vegas. And I trust him,” I told her.
“Good for you. Don’t let him go, girl. Not many men would stick around and watch you fade out of their life. But anyway,” she said with a lighter tone. “Have a great weekend and shoot me a text or two while you’re gone so I know you’re okay. Love you!”
“I will. And I love you, too, Britt,” I told her. I clicked off and tucked my phone back in my pocket , then hefted my duffel over my shoulder and picked up my makeup bag off the bed. I made my way downstairs and noticed through a window that Baker was outside on the small front porch, on his phone. I dropped my bags by the door and went into my aunt’s bedroom.
It was a first-floor master suite, with an amazing master bath. The décor was bright, just like the guest room. I pulled open the door to her walk-in closet and just stood there, staring at the wide array of clothes
encased inside. She was one of those women who bought clothes and then never wore them. From the doorway, I could count at least ten articles of clothing with tags on them. And that was just what I could see. I entered the closet and moved to the back, where she kept her dresses.
Britt’s OCD meant that all her clothes were put into sections by the piece of clothing and then further organized by color. She had no less than twenty black dresses, and they were ordered alphabetically by designer. It was sickening and amazing, all at the same time. I went through each dress individually, analyzing them one-by-one, trying to decide which one would drive Baker the craziest.
When I came across one that had a low scoop-neck line to show off plenty of cleavage and a short hem, I knew I’d found the one. The shoulder straps were about two inches wide, which would leave my arms bare. It was perfect. I gingerly pulled the tag out and realized there was still a price tag on it. I almost didn’t want to look, didn’t want to see how much money Britt paid for this scrap of cloth.
My curiosity won out, though. I flipped the price tag over and sucked in a breath. Three hundred forty-nine dollars. It was insane to pay that much for a dress, but if I knew Aunt Britt, she would want me to take it anyway. Like she said, she didn’t wear cocktail dresses much anymore. Her VP status at her job meant she didn’t schmooze the clients; she paid people to do that. So I went to the very back of her enormous closet and found a black garment bag to hide the dress in. I gently put the dress inside after removing the tag and carried the bag over my shoulder as I walked into the living room.
Baker stood there waiting for me by the front door and I noticed my duffel and makeup bags were already gone.
“I put your stuff in the car. And we’re all set with a hotel . ” H e grinned at me, gesturing to take the garment bag.
I gave him a stern look as I handed it over. “No peeking,” I warned.
“Oh, something good, then. Maybe just a little glance?” He playfully moved his hand toward the zipper.
“No!” I slapped his hand away from the zipper and took the bag back. “I’ll just carry it. Are we ready?”
“Yeah. Do you need to leave a note for your aunt or something?”
“I called her. So we are all set,” I confirmed.
Baker led me out of the house and waited patiently while I locked the front door behind us. I turned to look at his car for the first time and had to laugh.
“A sports car, really?” I exaggerated a sigh.
“What? It’s fast. We’ll get to Vegas in no time,” he promised with a glance at his watch. “I say we make it in less than three hours.”
“Three hours? Do you have a fever?” I reached up and put the back of my hand against his forehead. “Even in zero traffic, it’s a four - hour trip.”
“How would you know? You’ve never been,” he taunted.
“Touché.”
“Just get in the car and let me drive. Three hours,” he predicted again. I laughed, turning back to the car.
It was a bright red Challenger, brand new. The leather seats were cozy and surprisingly cool. Baker must have started it while I was inside. He opened up the trunk to put my garment bag in the back.
“I’ll put it in the back seat,” I told him.
He nodded and pushed the trunk lid closed. I tucked the bag behind my seat and let it rest on the hook near the roof of the car. I sat on the cool leather and adjusted my shorts before turning back to Baker just as he climbed into the driver’s seat.
It was like watching a clown try to fit himself into a clown car. At six-three, Baker was hardly a little guy. Add to that his bulging muscles, and watching him get in was comical. I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh.
“Something funny?” h e asked once he was inside.
His eyes met mine and I felt the heat rise between us. “Not a thing,” I whispered.
He slammed his door closed and then leaned over to me. “I have to tell you something,” he said in a serious tone. Baker was usually so playful and full of jokes, I was actually scared when he stared intently into my eyes.
“Yes?” I answered with baited breath.
“You are so fucking hot,” he said, snagging his hand behind my head and bringing me close to him so he could kiss me.
It was a hot, searing kiss and I knew I was much too close to the flames. By the end of this, I was going to get burned. But I couldn’t find the will to pull away. Instead, I put both my hands on his chest, in an effort to bring him closer or push him away, I don’t know. His tongue sought entrance into my mouth and I opened for him, eating up every hot touch. His hand on my neck rubbed encouragingly and I moaned into his kiss.
He ended it long before I wanted him to, and we were both out of breath. “Hot damn,” he whispered against my lips.
I laughed, this time actually pushing him away. “Let’s get going,” I suggested.
He seemed to be in a hurry as he pulled away. He strapped his seatbelt on while I put mine on and then turned the key. A loud, grinding noise emitted from the car and I had to hold back my laughter as I realized the car was already running.
“Damn thing,” he mumbled and then shifted into gear. He looked at me. “Not one word . ”
Then he gunned it and we were off to Vegas.
Chapter Fourteen
Baker
I thought for sure we would make it to Vegas by noon, but traffic was much worse than I anticipated. The trip took almost five hours and Rainey was driving me crazy. She didn’t do or say anything upsetting, but those short shorts were distracting as hell, and it was more than once that I had to grip the steering wheel with both hands to get focused on the road.
But we did get to Vegas. Eventually. Even with her long legs calling to me. We hit the strip and she lit up. It was early afternoon, so it wasn’t as dramatic as coming in at night, but Rainey was still animated as she eyed all the casinos and show places. Her smile was wide and I knew this was a great idea. She deserved to feel some happiness before she started to deteriorate.
When she turned that amazing smile to me, my gut clenched. “This is amazing, Baker . ”
“Yeah, amazing,” I agreed, but I stared directly at her, letting her know I thought she was amazing. I didn’t care about Vegas, but seeing her, all smiles and truly enjoying herself , made me happy. I was so in love with her. There was no mountain I wouldn’t move to make her smile.
She blushed and turned away, getting my meaning. She looked out at our surroundings and when I pulled into Caesar’s Palace, she turned her wide eyes back to me.
“This is where we’re staying?” she asked, incredulous.
I grinned and pulled up the valet. “Yes, ma’am.”
I popped the trunk, got out, and tossed the keys to the young guy waiting nearby. I slipped him a ten - dollar bill and then walked around the car. A bellhop opened the door for Rainey and she sat there, still amazed. I directed the bellhop to our bags, including the garment bag behind Rainey’s seat , then walked over to where she was still rooted in the passenger seat and tugged on her hand.
“Come on . ” I helped her up. “Lots more to see.”
She walked forward with me, still in shock. We entered the lobby and the architecture was stunning. I’d never been to Vegas, either, but I figured we should go in style. I wanted this to be the best time of her life. I led her over to the check-in desk.
“Welcome to the Palace. Checking in?” the young woman at the counter asked us.
“Yes, we have a reservation under Christopher Baker,” I explained.
The woman’s eyes lit up. “Yes, Mr. Baker. Your suite is ready for you. Here is your key, and if you need anything at all, please just dial zero and we’ll be happy to help you with anything at all.” She handed me a set of keys. “You will need to go all the way to the end of that hallway . ” S he pointed toward the far end of the lobby. “There’s an elevator and you’ll have to use your key to get to your floor.”
I thanked her and led Rainey down the narro
w corridor.
She looked nervous as we walked, hand-in-hand. I stuck one of the keys into the slot at the elevator and the doors opened for us.
“This is surreal,” she finally said when the elevator doors closed behind us. I smiled down at her.
“It’s pretty cool, if you ask me. Although,” I said, looking down at my belt , “I’m not getting a sig on my beeper.”
She burst into laughter. Quoting one of the movies we watched together in our early days of sleeping together was a perfect icebreaker.
“Promise me I won’t have to come find you on the roof tomorrow, okay?”
“Nope. I can’t make that kind of promise. But I’ll tell you what – if I end up on the roof, you will be right there with me and we will get crispy in the sun together . ” I grinned.
She shook her head and the elevator stopped, the doors opening into a small foyer with a single door. We stepped off and walked to the door.
I held up the key to our room. “Ready?”
She nodded.
I slipped the key into the slot and pushed open the door. I let Rainey go in first, knowing she would be shocked.
Aside from several columns in the space, the suite was wide and open, with floor-to-ceiling windows that gave a great view of the city, even in the daytime. There was a circular couch in the center of the room that faced the window, as well as an extra-large flat - screen television on the far wall. The flooring was granite, as were the countertops in the kitchen. A stocked full bar graced the kitchen, along with a complete set of dishes and cookware, not that we would be doing any cooking.
My plan was to keep Rainey busy in the casinos until late at night so that when we got back to the room, she was exhausted. As much as I wanted her, I didn’t want to take the chance of hurting her again. The memory of bruises along her body tormented me. I didn’t want to be the one causing them. And aside from my slip that morning in her aunt’s kitchen, I had been able to keep my hands off her. Mostly.
Broken Dreams (Broken Series) Page 9