Blaze a Trail (The Flanagan Sisters, #3)

by Claire Boston

  “Nope.”

  It didn’t matter. Wherever it was, it was going to be somewhere she’d never been before.

  The engines hummed and she gripped the armrests of her chair to stop herself from bouncing up and down in excitement. They were really doing this.

  “Are you a nervous flier?” David asked.

  “I don’t know. I was three the last time I flew anywhere.”

  “No kidding?”

  “I’m so excited.” She grinned at him as the plane taxied out of the hangar. Then after a moment’s pause, the engines roared to life and the plane hurtled along the runway. This was actually happening! Her ears popped as they lifted off the ground and climbed to cruising altitude. Zita peered out of the window at the ground getting smaller and smaller beneath them. “That was so much fun.”

  He shook his head. “I’ve never thought of takeoff as being fun.”

  “You don’t like it?”

  “No, I’ve just never paid it any attention.”

  “I guess you fly a lot.”

  “Yes. These days, it’s mostly for business, but we used to go on family vacations when I was a kid.”

  Zita had dreamed of flying somewhere exotic when she was a child, but she’d always thought it was just that — a dream. Until now. The plane leveled out and she peered out of the window. “We’re flying northwest.”

  He smiled but said nothing.

  Lewis came down the aisle and asked, “Would you like a drink? Champagne? A cocktail, perhaps?”

  Zita glanced at David.

  “Anything you want,” he said.

  “A cocktail, please.” She felt like being decadent. “Something fruity, if you have it.”

  Lewis nodded and turned to David.

  “I’ll have whatever she’s having, and can we have some cheese and fruit, please?”

  “Certainly.” He disappeared into what Zita assumed was the galley.

  “This is amazing,” she said.

  “I’m glad you like it. There’s in-flight entertainment, or a bunch of books in the compartment over there, or if you want, you can take a nap in the bedroom at the back.”

  “There’s a bedroom?” Her smile grew wider.

  “Yes.”

  She got to her feet and held out her hand. “You should show it to me immediately.”

  His eyes widened and then he grinned. “If you insist.”

  ***

  After she and David had made sure the bed was satisfactory, they returned to the sitting area. As they sat, Lewis appeared with their drinks and food. He must have been waiting for them. A flush spread over Zita’s cheeks. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Lewis winked at her and she laughed.

  She took a sip of the watermelon concoction; it was extremely refreshing. She could get used to this service. “How long until we land?”

  “Tired of flying already?” David asked.

  “Just wondering whether there’s time for another nap,” she said, enjoying his wicked grin in response.

  “Let’s finish our food first,” he suggested.

  They chatted as they ate, and Zita relaxed from the slight buzz the cocktail gave her. She was flying far enough away that she wouldn’t be available if her mother needed her. She acknowledged the anxiety and reminded herself both Carly and Bridget were in Houston and could help.

  As the plane descended and the captain told them to put on their seatbelts, Zita checked the time. They’d been flying for over four hours. She glanced out of the window at the lights of a city. But which city she had no idea. The plane banked and Zita gasped.

  The bright lights of the strip were clear even in the dusk. Las Vegas.

  She threw her arms around David. “Thank you! I’ve always wanted to go to Vegas.”

  “I know.” He kissed her. “Wait until you see where we’re staying.”

  “I don’t care where we’re staying. The fact we’re in Vegas is enough.”

  “In that case, let me change the booking to a motel off the strip,” he joked.

  She swatted him. “You know what I mean.”

  When the plane came to a complete stop, Zita got to her feet and hugged David again. “Whatever happens, thank you for this weekend. Thank you for taking me away from the madhouse for a couple of days.”

  “You’re most welcome.”

  Lewis opened the door and lowered the stairs. Zita stepped outside where a sleek black limousine was parked.

  “Compliments of the hotel,” David said, gesturing her forward.

  This was so far removed from the life Zita was used to. She greeted the driver who held the door open for her, and she slid inside the car. It was so spacious. She scooted over for David, and in almost no time, they were on their way.

  Zita held his hand as they drove into town. There was so much light, all bright and flashy, with people walking the streets. It was bustling and magical.

  They pulled into a hotel and the foyer took Zita’s breath away. It was so lavishly decorated in gold tones and everything sparkled. The centerpiece was a gorgeous Roman statue and huge artworks covered the walls. She walked up to the registration desk with David. The cost of the lobby alone would be enough to feed a family in El Salvador for several years.

  She frowned. It was such a lavish lifestyle. Was it right to spend so much money on herself when there were so many people around the world who had nothing? In her heart she knew that just giving poor people money wasn’t the solution, there had to be education and support systems and more, but it didn’t stop her from feeling a little guilty.

  David took her hand and they followed the bellhop to the elevator. The doors opened onto a plush hallway. They walked down the corridor and the man paused outside a door, holding it open as Zita walked inside.

  Her jaw dropped. She wasn’t quite sure where to look first. The bed was enormous, covered with crisp white sheets and mountains of golden pillows all dying to be jumped on. On one side, were three cushy couches surrounding a coffee table, holding a vase of the most beautiful array of white and yellow roses, and the flat screen television on the wall had to be at least fifty inches.

  “What do you think?” David asked.

  She turned to him and noticed the bellhop was gone. “This is amazing, David. I’ve never seen anything like it in real life.”

  “I may have splurged,” he admitted. “I wanted you to have the best.”

  It most certainly was the best. She hugged him, holding him tightly as her emotions flew all over the place. She didn’t care about the room or the private plane, she loved him for himself, but the fact he wanted to spoil her made her all gooey inside. She would push her guilt to the side and enjoy the weekend for what it was.

  “If you think this is good, wait until you check out the bathroom,” he murmured in her ear.

  She lifted her head. “Is the bath big enough for two?”

  He grinned. “Why don’t you check?”

  She kissed him quickly and then moved to the bathroom. She stared. “Feck,” she breathed. The bathtub was enormous, large and oval with spa jets, and next to it the shower recess with its two shower heads had to be big enough for a basketball team. It said opulence and indulgence all at once. “I have no words.”

  He chuckled. “I haven’t made any dinner reservations yet. I thought you might want to choose.”

  She wasn’t hungry. She wanted to soak in the tub, preferably with David. “I choose a bath with a naked boyfriend.” She wound her hands around his neck and kissed him. “Is that all right?”

  “Whatever you want.” He kissed her back hard and lust speared through her. Perhaps they could do something else before the bath.

  She stripped off her T-shirt and reached for his belt, backing him up against the bathroom wall. “I want you.”

  Chapter 15

  David sank into the warm bubbles and pulled Zita toward him so she lay against his chest. The sex had been hard and fast, and had left them both satisfied.

&n
bsp; Zita sighed as the water reached her chin. “This is amazing.” She ran her hands down his legs and he stirred.

  Would he ever get enough of her? He wrapped his arms around her and placed his hands on her stomach, kissing the top of her head. She felt so right against him. Her body fit to his, and was warm and lithe. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

  “How could I not?” She lifted his legs so they curled around her. “I’ve got my sexy boyfriend all to myself for the whole weekend.” She sounded contented.

  He was relieved. He’d worried she might have been too concerned about what was happening at Casa Flanagan to relax. Watching her excitement over the plane and the hotel room had made him realize how lucky he’d been in his life. He took this kind of luxury for granted, and her reaction had humbled him.

  He massaged her shoulders.

  “David, that feels incredible.” Zita tipped her head to give him better access.

  He loved how responsive she was. She made him feel good about himself, and he’d been missing that. His relationships until now had been so superficial.

  “I might stay in this bath forever.”

  He chuckled. “The water will get cold eventually.”

  “All right then, but I’m not leaving this room,” she said, her voice low.

  “We can stay here the whole weekend if you want,” he told her. “The room service menu is good.”

  “We should definitely get room service for dinner.”

  “Whatever you want.” He pressed a kiss against her neck.

  “Careful, if you’re too agreeable, it might go to my head.” She sat up and turned around, lying with her back on the opposite side of the tub. She took his foot and started massaging it. “You deserve some pampering as well.”

  Her fingers felt so good, but he didn’t need pampering — that wasn’t the point of the weekend. He tried to take his foot away, but she held it tight.

  “You said whatever I want,” she said. “And I want to pamper you.”

  He couldn’t argue. “All right.” He picked up one of her feet and started massaging.

  She grinned. “You can’t help yourself, can you?”

  “No. I love touching you.” The emotion that came with the realization was so strong he closed his eyes. He’d never felt so strongly about someone before. Opening his eyes, he looked directly at Zita. It hit him like a punch in the gut.

  He loved her. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

  Loving her was like having the happiness of every brilliant day of his life rolled into one.

  He frowned. But what if she didn’t feel the same way? They hadn’t known each other for very long.

  Zita closed her eyes, and leaned her head back. “It feels so good.”

  He ignored his concerns. She was right, it did feel good, right, content.

  He would bask in their weekend together and tell her how he felt when the moment was right.

  ***

  Was it was possible to overdose on indulgence? If so, Zita was in danger of doing so. After their bath the night before, they’d ordered room service and spent the night talking. Now she was snuggled among a mountain of pillows and a thick quilt, watching David sleep. He looked so peaceful, and her heart swelled. He’d done all of this for her. He had to care for her to go to so much effort.

  Not able to resist, she brushed the hair off his face and pressed a kiss against his cheek. His eyes opened and he smiled at her. “Morning, beautiful.”

  Her heart sang. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

  He stretched. “What time is it?”

  “Only eight.” But she wanted to make the most of their time together.

  He pulled her close, his hand running down her side, and her whole body woke up. “What do you want to do today?”

  Sex was definitely on the agenda, but she didn’t want him to miss out on doing something he wanted to do. “Do you have a preference?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve been to Vegas before.”

  Of course he had. “Is there anything you’d recommend?”

  “Why don’t we go to the concierge after breakfast and see what’s on offer?”

  “Good idea.”

  They got up and showered, taking advantage of the two shower heads and unlimited hot water before going down to the lavish buffet breakfast in one of the hotel’s restaurants. Every breakfast food imaginable was available, and by the time Zita finished tasting a bit of this and that, she was stuffed.

  Afterward, they spoke with the concierge and he gave them pamphlets for shows and tours. One of the circus shows caught Zita’s eye and she read the information.

  “We could ask if there are still tickets,” David said.

  “All right.”

  As the concierge called to reserve seats, another brochure caught her eye. She grinned. “We should definitely do this. I’ve always wanted to try it.”

  David raised an eyebrow. “A Segway tour?”

  “Yeah. Don’t you think it looks like fun?”

  “I can vouch that it’s fairly easy to do,” the concierge said. “I’ve booked you two tickets for the nine-thirty showing of the circus. Would you like me to check if the Segway tour has any availability?”

  David was frowning at the brochure. He didn’t want to do it. Zita ignored her disappointment. “Don’t worry. I can do it another time.”

  “No,” David said with a sigh. “We’ll do what you want, though I’ve got to warn you, I’ve never been great on two wheels.”

  Intrigued, she asked, “You don’t like bikes either?”

  “Too many falls as a kid.” He turned to the concierge. “Can you get us a couple of tickets?”

  After they were booked, Zita arranged a couple’s massage for the afternoon, just in case it was harder than they expected. They had only a few minutes before being picked up, so they dashed back to their room to get their things.

  On the way back down, Zita got an attack of the guilts. David had grown quiet. “We can cancel,” she said, bringing her arms around him. “If you don’t want to go, we can always do something else.”

  “Don’t be silly.” He hugged her back. “I’m just worried my manliness rating will plummet.” He kissed her nose.

  She laughed. “You’ll always be manly to me.”

  “Let’s just wait and see.”

  It didn’t take long to reach the location and run through the instructions. Zita listened carefully and then leaned forward to get the machine moving. After a couple of false starts, it was surprisingly easy. She glanced back at David to find him doing donuts in the practice area. Relief flooded her. She laughed. “You’re getting the hang of it.”

  “Who knew it would be so easy? I’ve got to get me one of these. Beats walking to work.”

  Pleased it wasn’t as bad as he’d feared, Zita relaxed and tested out the machine. When the rest of their tour group arrived, they set off down Fremont Street learning about the history of Las Vegas via a headset in their helmets. The day was overcast and cool, so it was pleasant rolling along the street and seeing some of the iconic buildings Zita had seen in movies. David rolled next to her, pointing out things of interest and laughing. She was glad she’d chosen to do this. He looked like he was having fun.

  When the tour was over, they had lunch at a little Indian restaurant. When the waiter had taken her order, Zita asked, “Are you really going to get a Segway?” The tour guide had said they were expensive, way out of her budget.

  “I might. It was a lot of fun. Thanks for suggesting it.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

  “It was a blast.” He chuckled. “I always thought I’d be too uncoordinated.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “You never struck me as the uncoordinated type.”

  “That’s because I’ve done nothing athletic in front of you.”

  “I wouldn’t say that.” She winked at him and he grinned.

  “I might have coordination in some areas.”
/>   “I’ll say.” She sipped her cocktail.

  He blushed a little.

  Zita adored him. He was such a gorgeous mix of confidence and humility. She took hold of his hand. “Thank you for bringing me to Vegas.”

  “Thank you for coming.”

  Their meals arrived and they chatted. She wanted to tell David how she felt about him, but she didn’t want to ruin the weekend if he freaked out. Normally, she didn’t hesitate to tell people she loved them, but this was too precious, too scary, too real.

  But she wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret for much longer.

  ***

  It took Zita a couple of days to get back into the rhythm of Casa Flanagan when they returned from Las Vegas. Elena was getting more emotional each day as her hearing drew closer. She oscillated between clinging to Xaviera and not letting anyone near her, to not wanting anything to do with the baby.

  On Wednesday, both Carmen and Zita sat down with Elena while Xaviera was sleeping.

  “Niñita, we know you are anxious about your application,” Carmen began. “But you need to decide what you want to do about Xaviera.”

  “She’s my baby. I will keep her.”

  “You will keep her even if you get deported?” Carmen asked.

  Elena hesitated. “My parents wouldn’t be happy.” She bit her lip.

  “Elena, there are many cases where a parent is deported, even though their child is an American citizen. The child cannot apply on behalf of their parent until they are adults,” Zita told her.

  Elena’s eyes widened. “They would separate a family?”

  Zita nodded. “Make your decision about what you want to do with Xaviera, not based on your application to stay, but on whether you want to raise her.” She touched Elena’s arm. “It’s a very big commitment and you’re still young.”

  “If you want to keep her, we will support you like we are supporting Alejandra,” Carmen said. “But if you want to give her up for adoption, we will make sure she goes to a good home.”

  Elena’s eyes filled and she burst out crying. “You think I am a bad person,” she sobbed. “But I never wanted her. I was raped so many times, I don’t even know who her father is.”