Vegas cups my chin in his hands, gazing in my eyes. “I can be patient, Tina. But I’m warning you now. When I see something I want, I get it, and baby, I want you. You’re mine. I’m willing to wait for you to figure that shit out on your own, but I’m not going anywhere. You might think I’m fucking crazy and hell, maybe I am. When I look at you though. You know what I see? I see my damn future staring back at me.”
My breath hitches in my throat. Such intensity burns behind his eyes I know he believes every word, and I feel the meaning deep in my bones. This is crazy, but he’s right. I feel it too. That there’s something between us. Whether it’s lust or love I want to find out.
“You riding with me or want to follow me in your car?”
“Can I meet you there? I need to stop by Camriegh’s and change?” I wave my hand down his t-shirt and sweats I wore to sleep in when I slept over last night.
“I kinda like you in my clothes. All right do what you gotta do then text me. I’d rather you arrive at The Roadhouse with me.”
“Okay,” I tell him softly. I lean up and kiss him on the cheek. “Bye, Willard,” I singsong and the old man grunts in response.
“I see you two are making nice with each other,” Vegas says, followed by a chuckle.
“We’re getting there.” If by getting there I mean he only argued with me for twenty minutes about cleaning out the fridge and organizing the cabinets. Then yeah, we are best buds.
I go out and get in my car, starting it up. Before I pull out, I fire off a text to Cam to see what she’s up to. I feel like I have hardly seen her since I arrived in Drag Creek.
Tina: Are you home?
Cam: Getting ready to go over to Saw’s.
Tina: Vegas wants me to go to the clubhouse with him?!?
Cam: Wow. And you think I move fast. Are you guys like dating?
Tina: I don’t know. Maybe.
Tina: It’s crazy but he says that when he looks at me, he sees his future.
Cam: That’s heavy. And shocking but if he makes you happy then why not?
I smile and tuck my phone back in my purse. I spy Vegas watching me until I back out of the driveway. I don’t know that I want to start seriously seeing anyone, but I’m having fun exploring whatever is happening between us. And I can’t help but think what if. What if he could be the man I am supposed to be with. Everything happens for a reason. What if I broke up with Matt so I could meet Vegas?
I get to the apartment and frown when I see that Camreigh’s car is already gone. I was hoping I’d catch her before she left. I don’t care what Sawyer has to say about it, but we’re totally having us a girl’s night soon. I get upstairs and let myself in. This apartment hardly looks lived in other than a few dirty clothes in the bathroom hamper and a tube of toothpaste left on the sink.
I start the shower and go dig into my bags for something to wear. I have no idea what to wear. I wish Camreigh was here. Not that she has much experience with going to the clubhouse either, but she’s always good at this sort of thing. I can’t decide. I’ll figure it out after my shower. Stripping down, I get under the spray of the water, and my thoughts shift to laying in the bed with Vegas last night and how good he made me feel. He could have tried to take things further, but he didn’t. He treated me with respect. Not what one might expect from a tough biker, but despite his rough appearance, he has a sweetness to him. As I’m washing my hair, I hear the door to the apartment open and close. Cam must have forgotten something.
“That you, Cam?” I call out, rinsing the suds from my hair. I wait a second but get no reply. “Cam?” I peer around the shower curtain. Did I lock the door behind me when I came in? I can’t remember. I shut off the water and wonder if I’m just being paranoid. I don’t hear any movement.
Wrapping a towel around my waist, I tiptoe to the bathroom door. My pulse hammers in my ears. I don’t know why I feel like I am starring in a horror movie, but I have this creepy feeling I can’t shake. Taking a deep breath, I step into the short hallway and look toward the bedroom. Camreigh’s door is closed now. I look toward the living room and nearly jump out of my skin when I see someone sitting on the couch.
“About time you came home. I’ve been waiting for you all day.” Matt smiles at me, and I feel sick to my stomach. He’s wearing my shirt. The one that he stole when I was at the lake with Vegas. What the serious fuck is wrong with him?
“What are you doing here?”
He laughs, but the sound is void of any humor. “What am I doing here? What are you doing here, Tina? You just up and left me without a word.”
“I left a note. We both know that it wasn’t working.”
He stands up and runs his fingers through his hair. “We were doing fine until you started pressuring me. I need to know something. Did you fuck that guy last night?”
“It’s none of your business. I think you should go.” I grip the towel tighter, wishing he’d just leave.
He nods and a sly smile crosses his features. “You’re willing to throw away over a decade for what? A little physical pleasure?”
I shrug. “I know what I want and what we had isn’t it. I’m not going to apologize for that.”
He takes a step toward me. “Maybe we should just do it. Right now. We can cancel the big wedding and use that money toward our honeymoon instead. We can go to the courthouse tomorrow if we have to.”