"So that gives you the right to kidnap me?"
Barrett shook his head. "No, it doesn't. But you promised me an evening, and I'm taking it. I've booked us a wedding at the Elvis Chapel. If you decide not to go through with it, that's fine. I'm not forcing you. If you decide you don't want our wedding night to be at a suite in the Venetian, that's all right too. I'll fly you home." He sighed. "Let me tell you about what I want tonight to be like. May I?"
She nodded, still angry.
"I want us to get off the plane in Vegas, and immediately go to the Elvis Chapel, where one of The King's minions will marry us himself. Then I want to check into the Venetian and take you to that nice little Italian place I mentioned, which is right there in their mall. Then I want to take a gondola ride with you, being serenaded in Italian." He stroked her cheek. "And at the end of all that, I want to go back to our room, and I want to make love to you. I want to kiss every inch of your body, and make you feel like the most beautiful woman alive. I want to hold you when we're done and sleep with you in my arms. And I want to wake you up in the morning with a kiss, earlier than I would like so we can get back to my son, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Having more babies, because poor Dalton Dalton needs love and siblings." When he finished he watched her expectantly, obviously waiting for her answer. "Please, Ashley. Marry me and make me the happiest man alive. I promise you, if you do, you'll be the happiest woman alive."
She sighed, not able to resist his huge brown eyes. Finally, she nodded. "I guess we're getting married by Elvis tonight."
He pulled her head down, kissing her madly. "Thank you. I won't let you regret it."
Chapter Six
Barrett held Ashley's hand tightly as he led her from the private airstrip ten miles south of Vegas toward the waiting limo. The Elvis chapel had kindly sent a car for them, and it would drop them off at the Venetian after the short ceremony.
Ashley had said very little since agreeing to marry him, and he worried that she was thinking about changing her mind, but if he hurried everything along, he was certain it would all be fine. It was more than wanting a mother for Baby Dalton. He wanted her as his wife.
Once they were settled in the back seat of the car, he turned to her, his arm curled around her shoulders. "You're going to be the best mother a boy named Dalton Dalton could ever have."
Ashley frowned. "No. We're changing his name, and we're doing it legally. I'm not going to be able to hold my head up in public otherwise."
Barrett shrugged. He wished he'd thought of changing the baby's name, but he was so used to weird names in his family, it just hadn't seemed that important to him. He hated it, but it did seem to be a family tradition. "To what?"
"I don't know yet. Most parents have eight months to figure it out, or even longer if they start thinking about it before they conceive. We'll decide together."
"As long as it doesn't have to be tonight, because I've got better things to do than worry about what I'm going to name my child, who has a name already. Yes, it's an unacceptable name, but it is a name."
"Promise me we'll change it?"
"As soon as we find a boy's name we agree on, we'll change it right away," he said, staring into her green eyes, his fingers stroking her cheek. He lowered his mouth to hers, softly kissing her to seal his promise.
She sighed.
"Thank you for agreeing to marry me," he said softly. "I know you have reservations, but I'm going to make you happy. I swear."
"You'd better..." She grinned as she made the threat. She knew they were physically compatible, and she liked him a great deal. He already owned a piece of her heart and hoped she could keep the rest from him, at least until she was more certain. Regardless, she knew she loved the baby, and they'd make a good family.
He laughed, touching the tip of her nose with his index finger. "You know, I don't even know what you did before you came here. You were in New York with your aunt, but what did you do? Were you working? A professional wastrel? A street performer, dancing while making balloon animals in Central Park?"
She chuckled. "No, not a professional wastrel or a street performer. I graduated from college a year ago. I took my time, because I didn't always have enough money to take a full load, and I was working my way through—determined not to have any student loans. Last fall I was a first grade teacher in Montana, which is where I grew up. I lived at home with my father and step-mother. I was just filling in for a teacher who was out on maternity leave, so when she went back to school, I found myself at loose ends."
"You didn't want to keep teaching?" he asked. It seemed odd that someone who'd gone to college for that long to be a teacher would give up on the dream so easily.
She shrugged. "I tried, but I felt like all I was doing was teaching them to take standardized tests. That isn't really teaching! I figured if I became a nanny, I could teach young children anyway. Being a stay-at-home mom or a nanny is ninety percent teaching, in my opinion."
"So how'd you end up in New York?"
"Well, after the other teacher returned to work after Christmas, I decided to move in with my aunt. I'd never really spent any time in the city and I wanted to see what it was like. I realized I couldn't just sit around there, so I decided to substitute teach while I was deciding what I was going to do."
"Did you enjoy it any more than you did teaching first grade for that semester?"
She shook her head. "Not really. I enjoyed the children, but I didn't feel like I was able to make any kind of difference. I became a teacher to make a difference in kids' lives. I don't see how it can happen the way things are set up now."
The limo stopped. Ashley saw a sign that read "Elvis Chapel," and her heart started racing. "What if I can't go through with it?" she asked, her eyes wide.
He laughed. "If you can't go through with it, then I'll take you back home, and we'll go on as we have been. And I'll fly you out here next week, and the week after, and the week after, until finally I wear you down!"
She smiled. "Let's do it."
He got out of the car, holding his hand down to help her out. She was a bit unsteady in her heels. She hadn't worn heels much, being more of a slacks kind of girl when she needed to dress up.
He slipped an arm around her waist, nodding at the driver who was holding the door of the chapel for them. They went into the tiny reception area and signed the log, going into the chapel. A couple of the chapels employees were on hand to serve as witnesses.
The person who greeted them at the front explained that Elvis would perform the ceremony and do all the vows with them, but then that they would speak the vows again for the "real minister." The man playing Elvis would just pretend to be a minister.
Ashley shook her head, unsure why she was being married by Elvis anyway. The wedding was incredibly cheesy, but fun. Ashley laughed a lot. After Elvis had done his final serenade, and Barrett kissed her, she looked down at the ring on her finger. She'd done it. Her aunt was going to kill her. She'd married sex on a stick. She was thankful there was a real minister for the vows after the Elvis ceremony, because that part of the wedding felt real to her while the rest didn't.
The limo drove them to the Venetian, and Ashley couldn't take her eyes off the view of the strip. She could just imagine how it would look after dark when it was all lit up. She hoped their room had a good view, because she knew she was going to want to stand at the window and look out for a while.
They checked in, and a valet took them up to their room. She was amazed at the beautiful room. She'd never stayed anywhere like it. There was a pretty little living area, a huge king-sized bed that she blushed just looking at, and a bathroom complete with the largest bathtub she'd ever seen and a television. How odd.
She unpacked her suitcase into the top drawer blushing when she saw a piece of lingerie that she'd never seen before. "Who packed for me?" she called over her shoulder as she folded the garment and put it into the drawer.
"Brook. Why?"
T
hat explained it. Brooklyn probably decided she needed something sexy so she made it happen. Her heart softened toward the other girl. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur. Later she wouldn't remember the dinner or the gondola ride. She was too lost in her new husband's eyes. There was just something about him that made it impossible for her to concentrate on anything but him.
After the gondola ride, he slipped his arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head. "Are you sleepy yet?"
She shook her head. "No, but we can go back to the room if you want." She was nervous, but waiting would just make it worse.
The walk through the mall attached to the Venetian seemed to take forever, and then they had to walk through the casino on their way to the bank of elevators. She stopped and looked at one of the slot machines that had one of her favorite old TV shows on it. She'd never played a slot machine, or really even seen one close up before. "I thought they would all have sevens and cherries on them."
He laughed. "You've never played a slot machine?" He didn't want to waste time in the casino when they could be making love, but he fished out his wallet, handing her a hundred dollar bill. "Go for it." He couldn't let her go to Vegas for the first time without at least playing one slot machine.
She blinked at the cash. "No, I wasn't asking for money." All at once it occurred to her that she was married to a billionaire. How on earth had that happened? She hoped he knew she had no desire for his money.
He saw the confusion on her face. "I won't miss it. Sit down and play." He took another bill from his wallet and sat in an empty chair next to the machine she'd noticed. "Just play 'til you're out of money. No biggie."
She looked at the cash in her hand, arguing with herself for a moment, before she slid into the chair beside him. She carefully fed the money into the machine, trying to figure out what buttons to push. There were so many options! "What do I do?"
He leaned over and pointed to 'max bet'. "Just keep pushing that 'til you run out of money."
She pushed the button, and watched as the pictures flew across the screen. There were five of them, and they all matched for her. A loud siren sounded and there was a light atop her machine that started blinking.
He groaned. "You would have to hit a jackpot the first time." He was never going to get his wife into bed. "How much did you win?"
"I don't know. How can I tell?" she asked. Her eyes were round with surprise and excitement.
He leaned over and looked. "Twenty-seven thousand. We need to wait for an attendant." Barrett hoped she wasn't going to hold him to his word. He'd said she could play 'til she was out of money, but it would take a while to lose that much.
After she'd been paid, she stared at the check in disbelief. "I've never had this much money all at once in my life."
He laughed. "At least a third of that will be gone in taxes, so you're still not really holding that much."
She poked him in the side, surprised at how hard his stomach was. "Don't spoil it!"
"Well, I told you that you could lose it all tonight. Do you want to keep playing?"
Ashley looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "No, I think I'm done. I'm not stupid enough to think I'll keep winning. This is enough for me. I can buy a car with this!" She tucked the check into her purse and gripped his hand. "Besides, I don't think this is where you were planning on spending our wedding night."
Barrett breathed a sigh of relief, glad she understood what he was thinking. "No, it's really not." He led her toward the elevators and pushed the button to go up.
Chapter Seven
Once they were in the elevator, they were completely alone, so he pulled her to him, kissing her softly. "I thought we'd never be alone."
She laughed, her hands clutching his broad shoulders. "I'm not sure if I'm glad we're alone or nervous, but it's one of those."
The elevator stopped on their floor, and he walked to the right door, using the keycard to open it. "Both?" he asked as he pulled her in and locked the door behind them.
She bit her lip, suddenly more nervous than she'd realized. "Do you mind if I get a quick bath?"
He pushed her against the door, kissing her passionately, his body pressed up against hers. "Now?" Please let her mean after.
She nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm just really nervous and a bath will calm me."
He groaned, pushing away from her. "Yeah, go for it. I'm not trying to rush you." It was a lie, and he knew she recognized that fact.
"Yes, you are. But I can understand why. I'll make it quick." Really she just wanted a really quick shower so she could smooth lotion all over and put on the nightgown Brooklyn had sent. She wouldn't take more than a minute or two.
He nodded, walking to look out the window. He could wait. A few more minutes wouldn't kill him, even though, at that moment, he felt like it would. He stared at the cars passing below, trying not to think.
When he heard the bathroom door close, he pulled out his phone and quickly dialed his brother, Cage. "How's the baby?"
Cage laughed. "Let's just say Brook is not a natural mother. She's doing all right though. Baby isn't crying. Right now."
"I guess that's a plus. You sure he's okay?"
"Yeah, we got it. Enjoy your night away."
The phone went dead in his hand, and Barrett looked at it for a moment, wondering if he should put Ashley on a plane and take her right back to Texas. He shook his head. He would have one wedding night, and he wasn't going to blow it. Cage was a good uncle. The baby would be fine.
He undressed and got into the bed, listening and noting the water had stopped. He folded his hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling, wishing he knew how long she took in the bath. However long it too, he promised himself he wouldn't rush her. What he wanted to do was go see if the door was locked and join her in the huge bathtub. Visions of her sitting there surrounded by bubbles filled his mind, and he could think of nothing else.
The door opened then and he looked up, his eyes widening as he saw her. She was wearing a short white silky gown with spaghetti straps. It barely came to her thighs and showed her sexy body to perfection. He pulled himself into a sitting position, staring at the vision before him.
"Remind me to kiss Brook when we get back to Texas."
She laughed self-consciously. "I probably won't do that..." She nervously approached the bed on the opposite side to where he was. He'd pushed the covers to the foot of the bed, only covering up with the sheet. She had a feeling he'd only bothered to cover at all for her modesty.
She slipped between the sheets, unsure if she was supposed to go to him, or wait for him to come to her. Oh why did no one ever explain these things in romance novels? She rolled to her side facing him, waiting for him to either make a move or tell her what to do. It didn't take him long.
Barrett turned to her, his hand reaching out to stroke her cheek. "Are you going to stay way over there?"
"I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. It's not like I've ever done this before."
He had suspected that might be the case, but having her confirm it made him nervous as well. "Why don't we meet in the middle?"
She slowly scooted toward him on the bed, keeping the sheet clenched tightly against her chest.
He could feel her tension, and decided, even though it would surely kill him, he would take things as slowly as he could. Cupping her face in his hands, he lowered his mouth to hers, sipping softly at her lips. He made no move to touch her anywhere else, simply kissing her, as he'd done several times before.
Her lips parted for his, her hands going to his shoulders. She loved the smooth skin of his back across her palms.
Barrett lifted his head, his eyes looking into hers. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I hope you know that."
"You make me feel beautiful," she said, blushing slightly, but feeling more confident by the minute. "I like touching you."
"I'm glad, because there's nothing I like more.
Well, that's not true. I expect to like touching you more, but I'm not sure if you'll ever let me."
She laughed. "I think I'm letting you now, right?"
He studied her face. "I don't know. Are you?"
She nodded, her eyes never leaving his. As nervous as it made her, he was her husband, and he had the right to touch her anytime he wanted. And she had the right to enjoy it, gosh darn it!
He pressed his lips to hers, his tongue invading her mouth to stroke his, even as his hand slid down to cup her breast. His thumb found her nipple through the silky fabric.
She let out a soft moan, arching into his hand. No one had ever touched her there, not even him. She was surprised she liked it so much. Her hands roamed his back, gently scraping it with her nails.
Barrett took that to mean he was allowed to do more. He pressed her back against the mattress, kissing a path from her neck, down her shoulder, to her breast where he caught her nipple between his lips.
Ashley knew that she didn't want the fabric separating them anymore, so she sat up in the bed and pulled the nightgown over her head, tossing it to the floor before laying back down.
Barrett watched her with a mix of astonishment and pleasure. He grinned at her. "I guess that means you don't want anything to come between my lips and your breast?" he asked, knowing it would embarrass her, but enjoying her pretty blush.
She tried to sit up. "Maybe I'll just put it back on..."
He laughed. "No, I think I prefer you this way, honestly."
Pushing him onto his back, she kissed him, her hands stroking his chest. "Behave yourself then."
He pulled her down on top of him, his hands stroking her back and down to her bottom, cupping it in his hands. "I want you," he whispered against her lips.
She looked down at him with wide eyes. "Oh? What do you want to do about that?"
His hand moved down between them, down across her belly to her core, stroking her there, making certain she was ready for him. He pulled her thighs to either side of his, positioning her where he wanted her. "How about this?" he asked, pushing inside her as he pressed his lips against hers.
The Nanny (The Fabulous Dalton Boys Book 1) Page 6
