Before I could decline, Nora was following this stranger like a lost puppy dog. Didn't she realize this was the shit Lifetime movies were made of? I wanted to scream at her to run in the other direction.
We rounded the corner into a dark hallway. The red accents along the massive corridor were nothing short of impressive. I was momentarily distracted until the man stopped at a black steel door and began pressing the keys of some fancy number keypad. The door popped open and I felt like I was walking into a completely different world.
It was brighter than the night club. The walls were bare and the hall was lined with various random doors. I could only imagine what kind of working girls were turning tricks on the other side of those doors. Pretty typical here in Vegas.
"Right this way, the personal bathroom back here is much nicer." His steps were heavy on the tile flooring, his muscles even more intimidating in the bright lights, and as much as I wanted to be scared of him, I just wasn't. Take that Mr. Big Bad Bodyguard!
"Thank you so much, Mr … what did you say your name was?" Nora fawned over him, batting her long fake eyelashes at him and flashing her million dollar smile. Whatever his name was from our conversation earlier in the night was obviously out, and Mr. Mystery was in.
"Dean, Dean Croft. And your name?" His stone face broke into a smile and I wanted to burst out laughing. It took Nora a whole five minutes for this guy to break character and show his true colors with her.
"Nora," she replied, giving him no more details. And the chase began.
I will give him one thing, the bathroom was gorgeous, and not having to wait in line with a gaggle of skanky gold diggers was a plus. I wasn't sure why I allowed Nora to drag me here, clubs really weren't my scene at all. In fact, I was more than ready to go home. The drinks would have me on my ass within the hour and there was no way I wanted to make a spectacle of myself in public.
"You almost ready to head out?" I asked Nora as we opened the bathroom door, back into the sterile looking hallway.
I stopped dead in my tracks when his eyes caught mine.
Standing next to the bodyguard, Dean, was the tall, dark, and extremely fucking handsome stranger from earlier. The one with the eyes. Those damn eyes.
"Ladies, I would like you to meet Mr. Verlinden," Dean said, while the other man pulled his large hand from his pocket and extended it in greeting. Nora eagerly shook it and when he released her hand, his gaze turned to me as I stood there with my hands by my side like a complete asshole.
I slowly extended my hand in greeting and before I could pull away, his warm hand took mine and pulled it to his mouth. His lips touched my skin and my stomach began to somersault. The electricity of his mere touch had my body exploding in a series of short circuits, starting with my fucking mind. Completely blown into a million pieces. If it was physically possible, I was sure someone would be mopping my brain up off the floor after it oozed straight out of my fucking ear. What the hell?
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Verlinden. Jennifer Sunshine," I said with a cocky demeanor. There was no way I could let him know that I basically just fucked him six ways to Sunday in my mind. Although by the smile on his face, he already knew.
My mind was in a blur and I barely noticed Nora walking away holding hands with the bodyguard. What a fucking traitor. I need to go home! The drinks! Jennifer down!
"It was extremely nice of you to allow us to use your personal facilities, Mr. Verlinden, but I was just on my way home for the night. I hope you have a nice evening." I turned to make my way down the hall toward the large black door we entered through when I felt his presence behind me again.
"Why don't you allow me to bring you home, Miss Sunshine?"
I wanted to laugh in his face. Yeah, exactly what I should do. Let some strange man drive me home. What was with everyone tonight and their fucked-up sense of safety? Did they not know how many fucked-up weirdoes were out there? Jesus!
"No thank you, I will just be taking a cab. Thank you again, Mr. Verlinden." I turned the handle and made my way back toward the overflowing crowds of Club Maroon.
"It's Mathis. Please, call me Mathis." His voice vibrated through me and I could feel his hot breath on my neck. The tight red halter dress clearly was a bad idea for the night.
"Mathis," was all I could say as I felt his arm wrap around my waist. I wanted to push him away, but my body just wouldn't allow me to move, let alone use any kind of force to push free. Damn the alcohol. Damn it all to fucking hell! I am so fucked.
"Let me give you a ride home, Jennifer. Maybe just a cup of coffee on the way?"
I never realized that would be the last memory I had of the entire night.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
What the fuck is that sound?
I slowly started to blink my eyes open when I realized the loud thumping in my ears wasn't my asshole neighbor blaring his techno bullshit for once. It was my own damn heartbeat and my head was pounding.
I looked around the room and panic flooded through my body. The flashy black and white suite was not my bedroom. Where am I? The last thing I could remember was Mr. Verlinden … damn it...Mathis offering to give me a ride home. I was clearly not home.
"Take the two pills on the nightstand and drink the entire glass of water. You will feel better in about an hour. I'll draw you a bath in the meantime. Lavender or vanilla for the soak?" His voice was familiar.
I blinked my eyes open again as the bright sun punched me in the face. It hurt, dammit. This is why I don't drink! Shit!
"Where am I? Why am I not home?" I turned my head and finally saw the body connected to the silky smooth voice. He was tall, a lot taller than I remembered from last night. His dark shaggy hair was damp and messy. His strong jaw freshly shaved. The scent of leather and man invaded my nostrils. He smelled absolutely delicious, even from across the room.
"Lavender or vanilla, Jennifer?"
I ignored the question and took the pills. When I finished the glass of water, I finally mumbled an answer. The moment I replied, he was up and through the door leading to the bathroom, drawing a bath for me. Is this reality?
When he returned to the room, he was holding a long plush white robe. "I hope it fits. It is the only one Dean could find so early this morning when I sent him out."
I pulled the sheet up to my chin and watched as he crossed the room to lay the robe on the bed. "Don't worry, Jennifer, I didn't take advantage of you last night, even though you are naked. Drunk women aren't my thing. But sexy women who skip bra and panties are right up my alley." He winked at me.
"Why am I not home? What am I doing here?"
"You are home, love. This is my apartment. We will be living here together. I will have Dean arrange for your belongings to be moved." His voice was so soothing. I hardly noticed what he just said.
I jumped from the bed, taking the white sheet with me as I wrapped it around my naked body. I began stalking toward the bathroom, lost in my head.
"I don't know what kind of game you are playing. But I am taking a bath and going home." I slammed the bathroom door behind me and turned the running water off. That was when I noticed it. The matching, shiny wedding ring and diamond set on my left ring finger. Before I could even comprehend what happened, I stalked back to the door and threw it open.
"What in the fuck is this?" I threw my left hand up in the air, waving it around like a lunatic. At this point, I was sure any ounce of sanity was completely gone. I lost it somewhere over the course of last night, when I apparently married a god damn stranger. All my years in Vegas I laughed at assholes who did shit like this. Now? I was one of them! How the fuck did this happen?
"Calm down, love. I promise I will be good to you, Mrs. Verlinden. Go take a bath, then we will talk." Like that he walked out of the bedroom and that was when I realized the sheet was gone. I was standing in the middle of a stranger's bedroom, yelling like a fucking fool … butt ass naked.
Can this day get any worse?
Chapter Four
My wife
Mathis
The look on Jennifer's face was priceless after she noticed the ring on her left hand. I was wondering how long it would take for her to realize that we were married when she didn't seem to listen to a word I had said. Which mind you, was frustrating as hell.
I had to hold back a chuckle as I shut her in the bedroom. A string of curses sounded behind the closed door.
A grin spread on my face as I listened to my wife spouting words that would make a trucker proud. My wife. Never in my life did I think I would be getting married. In Vegas. To a woman I just met. But, I knew I had to have her. Maybe it was taking advantage of her on my part. Okay, it was taking advantage of her, but by the end of last night when she practically fell into my lap, I had to think quickly. I didn't know anything about the woman, but I didn't want to lose her. Call me selfish, but I had to make sure she was mine.