Cinderellis: An MM Romance Fairy Tale Retelling (Once Upon a Vegas Night Book 2)

by Evie Drae

  Home wasn’t a physical space. It wasn’t something you could find in a brick-and-mortar structure or by tying yourself to a single place. Home was a feeling. An emotion. A sense of well-being and security. Of being cared for and wanting to—no, needing to—care for another.

  In its simplest form, home was love. And as Cinder clung to Ellis’s sweet warmth, he knew love was where his heart was headed. Maybe he hadn’t quite fallen that far yet, but it was coming for him, and he was ready to take the plunge when it did.

  Sleep stole Cinder away again and when he awoke a second time, it was to Ellis leaning over him, planting a kiss on his temple. He was fully dressed and smelled of minty toothpaste. “Shh, no need to get up. I just wanted to say goodbye.”

  “What?” Cinder rubbed a knuckle into one eye as he squinted in confusion at the bedside clock. It was still early, only a little after seven. “Where are you going?”

  Ellis chuckled and sank a hip onto the edge of the bed beside Cinder. “I’ve still got a lot of work to finish up before show prep starts for tomorrow. And no”—he put a finger to Cinder’s lips before a protest could spill from them—“you are not joining me today. You deserve a day of rest before the next stretch of performances. Plus, you’ve already saved my ass. I can easily finish what’s left on my own.” He lifted his lips in a crooked half smile and brushed Cinder’s bangs from his forehead. “In fact, if you’re up for it, I’d like to take you on a date with all my free time this evening.”

  A tiny chill vibrated up Cinder’s spine and his brows popped. “A date? Are you sure?”

  After that disastrous run-in with the paparazzi and fans at the Cabo Wabo Cantina during their first and last attempt at a real date, Ellis had been as anti-public with their time together as a people-pleasing personality type could get. If Cinder hadn’t learned to read him early in their relationship, he might’ve steamrolled Ellis into doing a whole slew of things he didn’t want to do. Thankfully, Ellis’s tells were easy enough to catch for anyone who took the time to look.

  “Yes, I’m sure.” Ellis rubbed his earlobe as his gaze fell from Cinder’s. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a pain about doing things with you in public. It isn’t about you or about us as a couple. I’m just used to living under the radar as much as possible. Getting noticed can be…” He shrugged but kept his eyes lowered. “It’s complicated.”

  Cinder pushed to an elbow. “I understand. Or, as much as it’s possible to understand when I grew up the way I did. But even for me, the crowds and attention can get overwhelming. I don’t blame you for wanting to maintain a lower-key existence. I hate that being with me means that might be an impossibility at times, but I hope you know I’ll never let anyone hurt you. I’ve already talked to Kumiko, and she’s arranging a security team for you. It isn’t the answer to all the evils that come with having a famous boyfriend, but it’ll go a long way to making it more tolerable.”

  Curling his lips in, Ellis scowled. “A security team? You do not need to do that. I’m fine. No one comes after me unless I’m with you, and you’ve got that covered.”

  Suppressing the urge to stroke a finger over the purple bruises evident even in the waning light as the sun traveled over the house and no longer shone directly through the blinds, Cinder sighed. It was true that Ellis had only encountered fan and media mobs while in Cinder’s presence thus far, but as soon as he became a recognizable face, that would change.

  And if having a constant security presence deterred a certain asshole audio engineer from using Cinder’s lover as a punching bag, all the more reason to make it happen. Sooner rather than later.

  “It’s already settled. They’ll stay out of your way. Unless you’re looking for them, you won’t even notice they’re there.” Cinder gave Ellis’s knee a reassuring squeeze. “In the meantime, you’re going to let one of my guys take you back to the theater and make sure you get inside safe and sound. No arguments.”

  Ellis rolled his eyes but melted into Cinder’s arms when he pulled him back into bed for a real kiss goodbye. Bad morning breath and all.

  When Cinder arrived at the theater to pick Ellis up for their date later that evening, he was thrilled to find him waiting by the private employee entrance with a single red rose in hand. Dressed to impress in a pair of ass-hugging dark-wash jeans and a pale yellow short-sleeved button-down that was damn near painted onto his muscles, Ellis offered his patented shy smile as he held out the flower.

  “I know it’s cliché, but there was a vendor selling them outside the theater when AJ dropped me off this morning, and I couldn’t resist.” Ellis shrugged but his smile pulled into a grin when Cinder took the rose and ran its soft petals over his lips. “You look great, by the way.”

  Ellis had refused to give Cinder anything to go by for his secretive plans other than “Dress casual and comfortable.” Considering Ellis appeared comfortable but hardly casual, Cinder was grateful he’d chosen to step up his game a bit. He’d donned a pair of tapered khaki shorts with a fitted black polo shirt. He’d even opted for a black cotton twill fedora in place of his typical ball cap disguise.

  “You clean up pretty nice yourself, stud.” Cinder winked. “So you gonna tell me where we’re going now, or does the suspense continue until we get there?”

  With a small chuckle, Ellis threaded his arm through Cinder’s. “That depends.”

  “On?” Cinder cast a glance at Ellis as he guided them through the building toward the side door entrance. The same door they’d run into the paparazzi nightmare only a few days prior.

  “On whether you trust me or not.” They exited the door, and Ellis pointed to the curb where Emmitt and AJ sat waiting for them in the oversized black SUV. “I shored things up with AJ this morning, but he said you’d have to agree to be ‘led blindly’ as it isn’t in their job description to keep things like the destination they’re taking you to a secret.”

  As they slipped into the back of the vehicle, Cinder gave Ellis’s hand a squeeze and lifted his voice to be heard up front. “Take us wherever Ellis told you to go. I don’t want to know where it is until we get there.”

  “Aye, aye, boss.” Emmitt saluted through the rearview mirror, then pulled into traffic.

  “I guess that means you trust me, eh?” A slight blush touched Ellis’s cheeks when he met Cinder’s stare. “That’s going to prove to be either a really good thing or a really bad thing once you find out what I’ve got planned.”

  Cinder took Ellis’s hand, threading their fingers together and offering a squeeze of encouragement. “I trust you, babe. No matter what you’ve got up your sleeve, I know I’m going to love it.”

  Ellis pressed his lips together and angled a playful, disbelieving glance Cinder’s way. “I’m not so sure you will at first, but hopefully it’ll grow on you. Eventually.”

  Narrowing his eyes, Cinder tugged Ellis closer so he could whisper into his ear. “There’s only one thing I can think of that’s going to grow on me tonight, and there’s no doubt in my mind I’m going to love every minute of it.”

  A snort of laughter escaped Ellis as he rolled his eyes with mock exasperation. “Men. We’re all the same, aren’t we?” He leaned down so his next statement could be as clandestine as Cinder’s. “While that is definitely in the cards for after, what I’ve got in mind to start the evening will probably do more to shrivel than grow that particular area of your anatomy. At least temporarily.”

  Frowning, Cinder pulled away to get a good look at the satisfied mirth dancing in Ellis’s eyes. “Are we going for a cold swim?”

  Before Ellis could confirm or deny, they stopped on an unfamiliar street in a part of the city Cinder had never been. He craned his neck to get a better view, but Ellis tugged him out of the car before he saw anything other than the standard Vegas fare—an excess of flashing lights and bright bawdy decorations. “Where are we?”

  “Downtown Vegas, baby.” Ellis opened his arms to encompass the sights and sounds around them. “Welcome to your firs
t taste of the Fremont Street Experience.”

  Downtown Vegas. Cinder had read a little about the history of Las Vegas once and remembered Downtown Vegas being the original location of the area known today as the Strip, a gambling district with lavishly decorated hotel casinos and big-name entertainment. It was the side of Vegas still to this day associated with the old timey mob scene and held a wealth of history side-by-side with more modern attractions, like a performing arts center, various museums, and a recently built expo center.

  But most intriguing of all was the Viva Vision Light Show, something Cinder had heard about time and again from anyone and everyone who had made tourist spot suggestions for his time in the infamous city. He hadn’t bothered looking into it yet—especially after settling into the hermit groove with Ellis—but a sudden rush of excitement had him grinning and gripping Ellis’s arm. “We haven’t missed the light show, have we?”

  Returning Cinder’s grin with a big, dopey, adorable one of his own, Ellis shook his head. “Nope, it goes off at the top of every hour after nightfall.”

  Laughing like a child set free in a candy store, Cinder pulled Ellis toward the pedestrian mall that connected most of downtown’s hotels and casinos. It was also the location of the light show, which was displayed on a ninety-foot-high barrel vault canopy that stretched four or five city blocks.

  As they wandered down Fremont Street, hand in hand, they took turns pointing out various sights and sounds, including iconic hotel casinos such as the Golden Nugget, Golden Gate, Four Queens, and Binion’s. When Cinder spotted Vegas Vic, the oversized neon cowboy that talked and waved at passersby from his spot over what used to be the Pioneer Club but was now a souvenir shop, he all but melted with glee. “We have to get a selfie.”

  With a chuffed laugh of agreement, Ellis posed with Cinder, grinning and flashing a thumbs-up beside Cinder’s “hang loose” shaka sign—the pinky and thumb salute.

  They continued their journey by exploring the souvenir shop, popping into each of the casinos to play a slot or two, and making sure to be in a prime location to view the next light show. Cinder nearly lost it when one of his own songs accompanied a fascinating display of colorful graphics as they danced across the mammoth screen. “Must’ve been one of the umpteen releases my agent has me sign on the regular. I had no clue I was part of this. Pretty amazing.”

  Ellis wrapped his arms around Cinder from behind, resting his chin on the top of his head. “It’s one of the main reasons I wanted you to see it. I figured you knew.”

  Shaking his head, Cinder relaxed against Ellis’s firm warmth and sighed with a level of contentment he hadn’t experienced in a public setting in, quite possibly, ever. Everything with Ellis somehow felt both brand-new and as comfortable as a well-worn pair of sweats all at the same time. It was like magic. A magic he had no intention of giving up.

  “There’s one more thing I want you to see before we grab dinner.” Ellis pulled away and took Cinder’s hand. He guided him through the heavy throng of tourists until they reached the end of the canopied area. Casting Cinder a sidelong glance, Ellis pointed at a gaudy-looking building made to appear like a slot machine and boasting SlotZilla on its front. “Do you know what that is?”

  Scrunching his nose, Cinder shook his head. That attraction hadn’t been in his research. At least, not that he could remember. “Nope, doesn’t ring a bell.”

  Nodding, Ellis turned to face Cinder. “There is absolutely no pressure to do anything—tonight or ever—but I thought I’d introduce it to you as an option. Something to consider.” He tilted his head, a serious mask replacing the easygoing countenance he’d rocked all evening. “You’ve seen all the people zip-lining under the canopy, right?”

  Had he ever. Cinder had marveled more than once at the balls it must take for those daredevils to harness up and fly over the crowds like that. “Sure.”

  “Well, SlotZilla over there is the origin point of the zip lines. I thought, if or when you might decide to face your fear of heights like we talked about last night, this might be a fun and unique way to do so. And I could fly down right at your side.”

  Cinder blinked as, sure enough, four people emerged from the topmost level of SlotZilla, harnessed to a zip line in the Superman position—face down and soaring. His stomach did an immediate about-face turn before sinking to his toes.

  Could he really do that? Did he have the cojones to attach himself to a flimsy wire and catapult toward the earth?

  Glancing at Ellis, who offered a tentative half smile and squeezed Cinder’s hand in quiet encouragement, Cinder nodded to himself. He could do it. He’d meant what he’d said the night before. With Ellis at his side, he believed he could do anything. “Let’s do it.”

  With a slight raise of his brow, Ellis licked his lips and swallowed. “Ah, I wasn’t suggesting we do it right now. I meant it when I said there was no pressure. I just wanted you to know this was here so you could file it away and think about it for future consideration.”

  Insides settling with the jolt of confidence and certainty bolstering his resolve, Cinder shook his head. “Nope, I’m ready. I meant what I said too. If you come with me, I could face a mountain. This is nothing.”

  Ellis ran a hand over the buttons of his shirt and rolled his shoulders back, as if giving himself time to process Cinder’s declaration. Eventually, he pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded. “Okay. I mean, I’m all aboard if you are, and we can always turn back if you change your mind.” He tipped his chin toward the towering slot machine. “There are two options. We can fly seated, which is a two-block line that only reaches seven stories high, or we can fly superhero style facing the ground, which is five blocks long and peaks at eleven stories.”

  Scoffing, Cinder marched toward the building, hauling Ellis in his wake. “Go big or go home, my dude. Let’s Superman this bitch.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Watching the normally reserved Henry bounce around like a giddy, human-shaped ping-pong ball was quite possibly the highlight of Ellis’s year. Not only had they made it down the zip line unscathed, but they’d gone twice more before Henry would even consider breaking for dinner.

  Thankfully, by the time they’d finished a decadent meal—on Henry, despite Ellis doing everything in his power to talk Henry out of his insistence on paying—the initial excitement had waned enough that Henry agreed to call it three and done. For tonight, at least.

  As they clambered into the SUV with the full intention of heading back to Henry’s to wind down from their adventure with a snuggle on the couch and a good movie, Henry’s cell chirped in his pocket. He dug it out and grinned when he saw whoever it was texting him. “Mind if I make a quick call? I gotta tell Kumi I essentially leapt off an eleven-story-high building. Three times. She’ll never believe it.”

  Waving him on with a satisfied smirk, Ellis sat back to enjoy the scenery as they weaved through the city. He jumped when Henry smacked him on the shoulder and indicated the phone he held away from his ear; the mouthpiece covered by his palm.

  In a stage whisper, he asked, “Do you mind if we make a quick pit stop at Kumiko and Lizbeth’s? They offered us a nightcap in exchange for finally getting to meet the man I, and I quote, ‘can’t shut up about.’” He rolled his eyes skyward, then offered a shit-eating grin. “I mean, they aren’t lying. You do seem to come up an awful lot in conversation lately.”

  Ellis’s cheeks turned molten, and he slid lower in the seat, as if the supple leather could swallow him whole if he made himself small enough. But if Henry’s closest friends wanted to meet him, he couldn’t say no, and now seemed as good a time as any. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

  Henry narrowed one eye and mouthed, “You sure?”

  Forcing as genuine of a smile as he could, Ellis nodded. “Of course.”

  After studying Ellis with a skeptical eye, Henry pursed his lips and returned to his phone conversation. “We’ll stop by but won’t be staying long. I’ve promised my man an evening
stretched out on the couch under a fluffy blanket. He has an early morning, and we have important things to get up to before I tuck him into bed beside me.”

  The heat at Ellis’s cheeks bled over his entire face, even spreading its mortifying tendrils to the skin of his scalp and throat. He buried his face in his hands and groaned.

  Henry signed off his call, directed Emmitt to make a detour to his friends’ house, then snaked an arm around Ellis’s waist and pulled him close. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you, but once you meet these ladies, you’ll realize what I said was tame at best. They’ve already got us swinging by the chandelier and having hot monkey sex in their mind’s eye. Alluding to a little below-the-belt action won’t shock or scandalize their couth sensibilities because the Matsura-Hodges duo doesn’t have any.”

  From the front seat, AJ covered a laugh with a very unconvincing cough, and Emmitt pressed his lips together as if holding his own laughter in. With a resigned sigh, Ellis tossed Henry a pinched frown. “Hot monkey sex?”

  “Yes, hot monkey sex. Ask these two.” Henry motioned between Emmitt and AJ, who shared a guilty look before returning to their standard stoic expressions. “Their inability to keep their giggles to themselves should say it all, but Kumiko and Lizbeth—especially Lizbeth—are self-appointed Lecherous Lesbians. I’m not sure it’s possible to live up to the epic greatness they’ve attributed to my sex life in those raunchy little brains of theirs. So just, ya know… Don’t take anything they say too seriously.”

  When the slightest blush colored Henry’s cheeks and he averted his gaze, Ellis narrowed his eyes and poked him in the chest. “That sounds like a guilty preface to me. Please don’t tell me you’re worried about your friends calling out your prior sexual adventures. I’m well aware you have a past slightly more colorful than my own. That doesn’t bother me. We all have a history.”

  This time, AJ didn’t even try to cover his snort of laughter. Henry shot him a glare and fished a balled-up receipt out of his pocket to toss over the seat in a show of childish defiance. “Keep your opinions to yourself, my dude.”