“Okay, okay,” I soothed her. “Relax. This is what we’re going to do. Take your car home, pack a small bag, tell Kari what’s going on, and I’ll swing by and pick you up in an hour. Sorted.”
She shook her head, “No, I can’t tell Kari. She’d kill me.”
“Well, she’s either going to kill you for telling her or kill you for not telling her, your choice.” I couldn’t help the smile spreading across my face. I was actually going to marry Ginny, the woman I loved. It was such a foreign thought but I couldn’t get over how right it all felt.
“Okay. Wow, we’re really doing this aren’t we?” she smiled. “Do I have time to shower?”
“Only if I get to join you,” I couldn’t help saying.
“If you join me, we’ll never get to Vegas,” she cooed, and she was right. If I touched her naked body again, we’d be shaggin’ in no time.
I’m getting married today. Not exactly how I imagined it’d be but I’m glad it’s happening all the same. Mum’ll be absolutely gutted, and father will probably disown me…but what they don’t know, won’t hurt them.
I shook the thoughts from my head. Today was about Ginny. After one brief check of the room, I made my way out to the car park and warmed up the Harley. Before clipping on my helmet, I gave Ginny a call, the engine rumbling between my legs.
“Hello fiancé,” she giggled.
“Hello fiancée. I’m on my way but I just wanted to make sure you’re wearing long trousers.”
“Are you kidding me? It’s like, ninety degrees outside!”
I revved the engine a couple of times and heard her gasp on the other end of the phone.
“Oh my God! The Harley? Eeeep! I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.” I loved that she sounded nervous. I couldn’t wait to feel her arms wrapped tightly around my waist.
“You’ll be a natural, I’m sure. Are you ready? I’m on my way.”
The best thing about motorcycles is they announce themselves. I’d just pulled up to her house and was about to switch off the engine when Ginny came running out from the front door. I’d never understood when people said someone was glowing until I saw her. She was bloody fucking radiant.
I looked her up and down as she came towards me. She’s all mine. The jeans she was wearing hugged her arse like a second skin. It would be a shame that I couldn’t see her sweet body from behind while we were on the bike. She’d tied her curled hair up with a ribbon and looked like she’d just stepped out of the 1950’s, or a production of Grease.
“Come here you,” I said, pulling her towards me for a kiss. “Are you all set?”
“You’re sure all my stuff will make it to Vegas? Can’t I bring a bigger bag?”
I laughed and glanced behind me. “See this one saddle bag on here? That’s it. That’s all you get. If it fits, it goes. And whatever else we need for the wedding, we’ll just buy over there, okay?”
“Alright,” she replied, eyeing the back of the motorcycle.
“Here, let’s get this on you and we can get going,” I said handing her a cherry red helmet. “Let me help you put on this brain catcher.”
Her eyes went wide and she gasped. “A what?”
“It’s just what this sort of helmet is called, it’s okay!” I chuckled. “It’s not going to have to catch any brains.”
“Yeah, well let’s not call it that, shall we?” I loved it when she pouted.
I slipped the helmet onto her head and tightened the straps under her chin. I could tell she was scared but her eyes told me she trusted me. I put my hand on top of the helmet and wiggled it back and forth.
“Feel snug?”
She nodded nervously. “Yup.”
“Alright, so you’re just gonna put your foot here, hold onto my shoulders for balance, and swing up. I’ve got the bike steady, don’t worry.”
I tried not to laugh as she made the most adorable squeal. She settled in nicely behind me, arms clamped around my waist as if she were holding on for dear life. She’ll probably strangle me once we start moving, I thought. I felt strong, protective, like I was guarding her or something.
“You okay back there?” I asked patting her leg.
“Yeah, I think so,” she replied, voice shaky.
“Alright. I’ll take it easy until you feel comfortable and then maybe I’ll let ‘er rip out in the desert.”
“NO!” She yelled over the engine. “No ripping at all!”
Chapter 6 — Ginny
The three-hour trip was fabulous, riding through the desert, my arms wrapped around Tristan. Since California had been in a long drought and the desert was dryer than normal, it seemed like we were in huge a fish tank, minus the water. The shimmering brown and tan colors of the Mojave Desert were like rocks on the bottom and the few Joshua trees spaced here and there were the foliage. I imagined we were the fish, swimming across the bottom as I took in the beauty of the Mojave. The sky was beautifully clear and blue and I smiled when I thought about the last time Tristan teased me about the ‘guaranteed sunshine’.
Riding into Vegas with Tristan on a 2015 Harley Davidson was like a dream come true but a dream I didn’t even know I had. As we got closer to the famous Las Vegas Strip, my heart sped up and the butterflies in my stomach were flip flopping so bad, I had to swallow hard to keep them at bay. The loud rumble of the Harley echoed off the buildings as we exited the 15 freeway and rode down The Strip. I felt like a total bad ass. I’d like to think people stopped and stared at us, but maybe that was all in my head.
Tristan turned his head back and asked, “Where do you want to stay baby?”
I squeezed my arms around him tighter and laid my head on his shoulder. “I don’t care, I’ve heard the Bellagio and Caesars Palace are nice. I’ve never been here, though. This is so exciting!”
“Neither have I. And don’t get too excited, let me get you into a room first,” he answered and put his hand over mine. The warmth that came from his hand caressing mine made me tingle inside.
We pulled into The Bellagio and stopped at the front entrance. I’d never been to such a fine hotel, except the one Tristan stayed in at home, but this was more elaborate. Water was shooting up from a small lake and it seemed to dance in time with music coming from somewhere. “Wow, that’s so cool.”
He turned off the motorcycle and slid the kickstand down with his foot. My whole body felt like it was still vibrating and I wasn’t sure I could stand up. He got off the bike, looked over at the valet, pulled off his helmet, then unfastened mine and kissed me. “Stay here baby, you’ll be okay.”
“Okay, it won’t fall on me?”
“No, babe, it won’t fall over. Just sit here and don’t wiggle,” he grinned.
That didn’t sound too promising, I held my breath as he walked over to the valet and I just about melted on the seat. I was here, with the most gorgeous man on the planet and he wanted to marry me. Me!
“Excuse me, where can I park my bike?” Tristan asked the man. His English accent seemed more pronounced, or maybe I just hadn’t heard it enough. It still made me swoon when he spoke. In fact, his whole persona made my heart pitter patter. The tattoos, the accent, his height. God, he was six feet three inches and towered over me. Talk about feeling protected. Like a man should make his girl feel. I knew I could go anywhere with him and feel safe, especially after the fight with Brad. I didn’t like to think Tristan had fighting skills, but his protecting skills were epic.
I tried not to drool as he came walking back to the Harley to get me. He held my hand as I got off the bike, tucked his helmet under his arm and led me into the lobby.
“I have to go park my bike in the garage, so why don’t you relax here, stretch your legs and I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Can’t you get someone to valet it?” I asked. I couldn’t stand the idea of being apart from him, even for a moment.
“I’d never let another man touch my bike,” he laughed. “I’ll be quick, I promise.” He scooped me up close to him with
one arm and kissed me, leaving me breathless and dizzy.
My ass felt flat and numb, so the last thing I wanted to do was sit on it again. I tried to primp my now flat hair in a mirror, but gave up. The helmet, sweat and wind had officially killed my curls.
The lobby of the Bellagio was incredible. I’d been to Vegas before but never in one of the fancy, expensive hotels. The vast room was filled with people but still didn’t feel crowded. I made my way deeper inside and my mouth almost fell open when I looked up at the ceiling.
Backlit and suspended from the ceiling were hundreds of incredible glass sculptures. I felt almost mesmerized by the greens, purples, reds, and blues. As I walked closer, they almost seemed like floating jellyfish or open umbrellas.
“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” I shook my head, startled out of my fog to see an old woman seated in front of me. “They’re all hand blown.”
“Seriously?” My head snapped back up to gape at the ceiling again.
“Over 2,000 of them too.”
“They’re amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“My husband told me all about it when we first came here. He was always reading the newspaper and knew everything about everything,” the woman said wistfully. I sat down beside her and smiled.
“Newspapers, huh? He hasn’t updated to the internet yet?” She reminded me a bit of my grandmother and I felt very comfortable with her.
“Oh no, my Patrick died long before iPads and anything like that.” My heart sank.
“I’m so sorry,” I stammered.
“Oh it’s okay darling,” she said patting my knee. “Just imagine the view he’s getting of those sculptures from above.”
I smiled and just blurted out, “I’m getting married tonight.” I almost apologized and walked away but the woman’s face just lit up.
“Oh congratulations! You’re going to make a beautiful bride. Where’s your honey?”
“He’s parking the motorcycle,” I said with a blush.
“Oh, a bad boy. Good for you!” I couldn’t believe she just winked at me. I giggled at the idea of Tristan being a bad boy. “Want a little advice?” she asked.
“Absolutely, anything!”
“Hold hands when you argue, always kiss each other hello and goodbye, and make sure to keep the sex interesting. I found my Patrick really enjoyed oral sex, but I’m sure you kids these days know all about that.”
I gaped at the woman. She seemed to enjoy shocking me but I had to admit, it was good advice. Before I could come up with a reply, I saw Tristan approaching over her shoulder. He cocked his head slightly and smiled, probably because I had such a goofy look on my face.
“Darling, we’re all set.” He smiled at the old woman and continued, “Of course, I can give you two ladies a minute.”
The woman’s eyes went wide as he spoke. She turned to me and gave me an appreciative nod. “No need. We were just having a little girl chat.” She took my hand in hers. “Again, my congratulations. He’s a very lucky man.”
“Th-thank you,” I stammered, still reeling from our conversation.
Tristan wrapped his arm around my waist and led me toward the bank of elevators. “Have a good chat?” he said with a playful smile.
“You have no idea.” I could only shake my head.
Chapter 7 — Tristan
Ten minutes later, I slid the key card into the lock to our hotel suite. “You ready for this?” Ginny bit her lip, mmm...she made me crazy when she did that. I bent down and kissed her. “Well?” I asked, holding the door open slightly.
“Are you?” she teased and pushed the door open. “Wow!” She glanced at me quickly and like a moth to a flame, she ran straight to the huge wall of curved windows. “Oh Em Gee! Our room actually looks right at The Strip! And the fountains!” She turned back towards me and said, “Oh my God, Tristan, it's beautiful! Look!”
I walked up behind her, slipping my arms around her waist and held her from behind. “I wanted to get the Penthouse Suite but they’re fully booked. I hope this is good enough?”
She spun around, her face in a silly scrunch. “Good enough? Are you kidding me? The last time I stayed in a hotel when I wasn’t with you, I was in a Motel 6 in Kansas City. This is amazing.”
Her attention moved from the view and her eyes darted around the rest of the room. “Holy shit, we each have our own bathrooms and they have their own TVs! Will you look at this bed, it’s huge!”
I enjoyed watching her bounce around the room, like a kid in a candy store. I loved that about her, fresh, amusing and she made me see things in a new light. “So, I take it you like the room?”
She came over to me and wiggled into my arms, pressing her chin against my chest and looked up. I had to smile as she looked into my eyes.
“I love the room, but you know I don’t actually care about any of this stuff, right? I’m just happy we’re together. I’ll always be happy to be with you.”
I ran my hand down her hair and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “That’s good to hear, because I gave it all up.”
“What do you mean, you gave it all up? Gave what up?”
“Well...I suppose we should have this chat before we go any further. Let’s go and sit down. You should know what happened in my other life since we’re going to be married.”
She looked bemused as I guided her to the sofa in the living area of the suite. She never let go of my hand and I hated the seriousness of it all. Especially right before we were about to get married. But I knew I had to tell her sooner than later. And sooner was now.
“You’re freaking me out a little here. What is it?”
“I know, I’m sorry. I should’ve told you sooner but everything’s moved so quickly…” I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, then I started.
“Before I told Kari I was coming over here, I liquidated a lot of my assets back in the UK. The apartment, the car, all of the properties I owned, my investment portfolio, all of that. And I’m done with Armstrong. I decided whether or not you took me back, I needed to cut ties I have with my father and the business.” He looked down and smiled as he squeezed my hand. “Of course, I’m glad you took me back. I know I fucked up in London when you were there and I’m sorry, Gin.”
The pale look on her face startled me. After a few moments, I wanted her to say or do something. “Say something, babe.”
She looked over at me, the color coming back to her. “You gave up everything? Like everything?”
My heart was pounding and I wondered if the wedding was off. I nodded my head and tried to lighten things up. I teased, “Yes, you’re looking at an unemployed, homeless man.” I gently squeezed her hand again, hoping to comfort her in some way. But I would have understood if she called everything off. I was dumbfounded at her reply.
“Well,” she took a deep breath as I dried my sweaty palms on my jeans. A crooked little smile formed on her ruby red lips. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I got that promotion at work. We’ll just live off that.”
I laughed a little. Did she really think she’d take care of me? On one hand, it was funny, but on the other hand, just knowing she would do that for me brought a huge lump in my throat. I swallowed hard and smiled. “You’d do that for me? You’re such a sweetheart but I still have plenty of money. I don’t think we’re ever going to have to worry about that.” She looked into my eyes and my fear of telling her faded away. I knew that no matter what happened, we’d be all right.
“What about your mom? Is she going to be okay? Will she be all right with us getting married?”
“I’m sure everything will level out eventually. I doubt Dad is going to chuck me out of his life forever. Once they take the time to see how much I love you, they’ll come around.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Their loss.” I brushed a strand of hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “I suppose we should think about getting ready for our wedding. Anything in mind to wear?”
>
“Holy crap…you’re right,” Ginny squeaked. “What are we going to do?”
“Well I had a quick chat with the front desk clerk when I booked the room, and she said there are a few ladies boutiques downstairs, or we can go to Caesars Palace. She said they have shopping there as well and we can get you whatever you need. Let me give them a quick call and see what else they have.” I kissed her lips and stood up. “Now where’s the bloody phone…”
Watching Ginny flit around the boutique trying on clothes took me back to the day in England we went shopping to get ready for my parents’ party. That seemed so long ago and it was such a disaster. Now, she would be my bride. The most lovely bride at that.
“Now, you know you can’t see my dress before the wedding?” she teased, poking her head out of the dressing room.
I chuckled as I sat there looking at her beautiful face, knowing she would be all mine in just a few short hours. “I know, just have them ring it up and charge it to the room. They can package it up and deliver it. I’ll even close my eyes.”
“Good, ‘cause it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.” She quickly disappeared into the room and left me with my thoughts.
I sat down on a chair that must’ve been there for the men who came with their wives to shop. I started flipping through some brochures that were on the table in the center of the four chairs and one caught my eye. Elvis. Perfect! We would have an Elvis wedding. I pulled my phone out to set things up then realized I had a European phone. No service. I’d been using wi-fi at the hotel . I’d have to get an American phone as soon as I could.
I stood up and walked over to the register. “Excuse me, miss, may I use the phone?” I asked. I lowered my voice to a whisper, “We’re getting married and I’d like to book this Elvis wedding, but I don't want my fiancée to know.”
Her eyes lit up and a big smile crossed her face “You’re getting married? Congratulations!” She leaned into me, whispering “You know, I can book the whole day for you. Stylists, the wedding, flowers, pictures, reception, everything.”
Oceans Apart 4 Page 4
