“Maybe he won’t,” she said, stabbing the olive out of her Martini and pulling it from her toothpick.
“Trust me, he will,” Marcus stated dryly.
“You know him? I mean before today?” she asked surprised.
“Yes.”
“And you like him?”
“Very much, John’s a good guy. Why all the curiosity about Erica’s choice of a date?”
“I don’t know,” she answered truthfully, resting her chin on her hand as she saw Erica laughing. “I look around and see how happy everyone seems and I wonder how long it will last. Sam and Johanna are engaged, Mike and Brandy can’t take their eyes off each other, and Jeff is in such hurry to get Elena alone I half expect to see him carry her away at any moment. Kelsey is glowing and Ty is so puffed up with pride I can’t help but feel like it’s all a dream or a scene out of a movie.”
“And this disturbs you?” he asked smiling slightly. “Is there something fundamentally wrong with this picture you’re seeing?”
“No, but if something seems too good to be true, it usually is,” she responded signaling to the waiter for another drink. “At some point the curtain falls, the lights dim and the credits roll. What happens when the real world comes charging in? When all the glittering lights and beautiful costumes disappear?”
“Susan, you sound absolutely maudlin. If I didn’t know better I’d think you were jealous,” Marcus drawled taking the glass out of her hand and pulling her to her feet. “Come on, I think we’d better dance before you’re weeping in your drink.”
“I am not jealous,” she insisted, letting him guide her to the floor and into his arms.
“Okay, you’re not jealous,” he soothed, placating her as he snagged her closer. “You, of course, are seeing everything clearly; it’s just the rest of us who have a skewed perception of the real world.”
“Exactly!” she agreed, snuggling closer with a smile.
“As always, you are entitled to your opinion, my darling little pessimist,” he murmured in her ear as he twirled her across the floor. “Just don’t try to get away with raining on anyone else’s parade,” he laughed, slipping his large hand down her back and patting her bottom. “There’s not a big enough umbrella in the world to protect you from my wrath if you do,” he promised.
“Marcus, behave yourself,” she hissed, taking his hand and moving it back to her waist as a tiny jolt of fear shot through her. Damn, now her freaking panties were wet and she’d done so well tonight too. “Isn’t it time to go upstairs?” she asked, pushing her tummy against him.
Marcus threw back his head and laughed. “As your employer, I think it’s up to me when we retire,” he said.
“Don’t give me that ‘employer’ bullshit. You proved your point last night and you said you wouldn’t hold a grudge if I remember correctly,” she stated smugly as the music ended.
“So I did,” he conceded as they moved through the crowd to the table, his hand on the small of her back, guiding her. “Funny how you can remember what I said at the height of passion, but you can’t seem to remember what I told you about those shoes.”
“It’s a special occasion,” she shot back with a smile. “You didn’t really expect me to come to Vegas for the first time wearing those ugly little flats you insist upon?”
“Heavens no, that would be unconscionable,” he mocked, his eyes twinkling.
“What would really be unconscionable,” she whispered as they neared the table, “would be me going upstairs and putting that marvelous handheld massager I saw in the shower to such good use that security might be called.”
“Wow,” he replied. “After last night I thought you might actually behave for a while, unless of course you are looking for a spanking.”
“I suppose that’s always a possibility,” she purred.
“Well, goodnight everyone,” Marcus said abruptly as they reached the table. Picking up Susan’s purse he handed it to her and took her hand. “It’s been a long day and we’re going to retire. See you all in the morning,” he said over his shoulder as he towed the beaming Susan away.
As soon as the elevator doors closed behind them he backed Susan into the corner and lifted her leg over his hip. Sliding one hand along the inside of her thigh he encountered her wet panties and ripped the fragile fabric from her with a snap of his wrist.
“Marcus, how caveman of you,” she gasped, laughing as he stuffed them into his pocket.
“Yes isn’t it,” he agreed as the chime sounded and the door slid open. The elderly couple standing there waiting for the elevator was the only thing then stopped him from showing her just exactly what a Neanderthal he was capable of being. Instead he nodded to the couple and murmured ‘Good Evening’ as he took Susan’s hand and led her down the hall.
Chapter Seventeen
Over breakfast the girls debated their best plan of attack for the day. Finding Kelsey a dress was top priority, as well as checking out the various wedding chapels and seeing what would be available. Ty’s parents were flying in the next day for the ceremony and the bridal dinner, but they needed to return to their home in Arizona the day after. Everything was up in the air and what were their men doing? Apparently when the going gets rough, the men go golfing!
“The first thing we need to do is find Kelsey a bridal gown,” Brandy offered, sipping her Mimosa.
