12
Chapter 12
Jake’s POV
I paced upand down in the hotel lobby waiting for Paisley to return from the party. I probably should have just gone myself—it did look like it was a whole lot of fun if Claire's live streams were anything to go by—but I just had too much on my mind. There was so much I needed to work out, and it was the only time I could get to do it. Sure, it was taking time out from work, but the other guys were there to keep Claire and everyone else safe, so I wasn't too worried.
Plus, I was starting to think that maybe Claire was right not to be worried about the perceived threats. It didn't seem like anything had threatened her safety while we were here in Las Vegas, so maybe the online stuff wasn't anything to be worried about. RedEye wasn't an essential expense for her.
Actually, I wasn't so much thinking that RedEye was no good for Claire as I was thinking that it didn't so much suit me anymore. I'd always enjoyed the security side of things. It was a great transition from the armed forces. But now, with Paisley absolutely consuming my mind, I couldn't imagine keeping on with it anymore.
I didn't want to keep watching out for the safety of others when I was distracted. Instead, I wanted to move my life in a different direction. In a direction I hadn't ever really considered before. Until now.
I kept thinking about what life would be like to have a relationship. And not just any relationship, but a real relationship that could lead to marriage and a happily ever after. I had never met someone who made me think about white dresses and pregnant bellies. Meeting Paisley had changed absolutely everything.
So now, after some time thinking, I had come to a conclusion, and it was one that I needed to share with Paisley right away. Hence why I was hanging out in the hotel lobby, waiting for her to come back from the party.
"No, Claire," I suddenly heard her say. I instantly knew it was her because of the way my heart skipped a beat. "I think I'm just going to go back to bed. I'm exhausted. But you keep having fun at the party. I'll see ya tomorrow."
Oh my God, Paisley was here. She was here and she was alone. I couldn't believe how much of a perfect moment this was. It was the opportunity I'd been waiting for ever since I finally landed on my decision.
"Oh, Jake!" Paisley's eyes lit up the moment she saw me. She was sparkling and happy; Paisley didn't look like she was leaving the party for sleep. "You're here. I've been wondering what happened to you. I haven't seen you—"
"No, I'm here because…" All of a sudden, my words balled up in my throat. I might have been planning them all night long, but now it wasn't so easy. "I was thinking it might be cool to have a midnight walk along the Strip. I mean, Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps. Might as well explore that."
I felt like an idiot. I was certain Paisley could see right through me. She had to know there was something else going on. But instead of calling me out on my odd behavior, her face broke out into a smile.
"Yes, I would love that!" She clapped her hands together in excitement. "I want to see the Bellagio fountains. Apparently, they are amazing at night."
Relief flooded me. I reached out without really thinking about what I was doing and slipped my hand into hers. Luckily, Paisley gripped onto me happily.
The neon lights that could only be found in Las Vegas flashed around Paisley and me. It definitely didn't feel like midnight, which was really exciting. But that wasn't what had my heart thundering hard against my ribcage. That was all her.
"Hey, have you been in this casino yet?" I asked Paisley as we walked. "You interested in trying your luck on some of the machines?"
"Oh, yeah!" Paisley grinned. "You know I haven't had the chance to gamble while I was here. I suppose I should give it a shot, right?"
I tugged her inside, giggling as we went. My God, this was the giddiest that I had ever been. I didn't even look at what machine I sat down at, it didn't matter. As long as I had Paisley by my side…no, not by my side, on my lap with her arm slung over my shoulder like we're already a couple.
Holy shit, I was the luckiest man alive. Paisley had to like me too, which just made me so freaking happy I could scream.
"So, what do I do?" Paisley chuckled. "Just pull this lever?"
We worked together, giggling and chatting the whole time. It felt so amazing to bond with her in this way. She looked absolutely stunning in the dress I knew she had made herself. She was so talented, I knew that if Paisley did agree that she and I were absolutely meant to be together, I would encourage her to move forward with her fashion dreams.
I slid my eyes closed for a second and smiled to myself as I imagined myself protecting Paisley, but not in a RedEye way. In a way that allowed her to grow and blossom into the shining star I just knew she could be. The words were on the tip of my tongue, absolutely ready to burst free at any given moment, but with all the sounds of the casino machines exploding around us, I knew it wasn't the right time.
Maybe by the fountains. Perhaps that was the moment to tell her that I had managed to fall head over heels in love with her.
* * *
"No, no, no,"Paisley insisted, laughing her head off as she pressed some bills into my hand. "We played together, we won together. I want to share the winnings. Come on, it isn't like we hit the big time or anything. If this was in the millions, I might be less interested in sharing it with you." She laughed some more. "Just take it."
"Fine." I rolled my eyes in an over-the-top fashion. "But I'm buying the first round of drinks. Where do you want to go for some champagne?"
"There." She pointed to the Paris themed hotel. "Then we can go up in the Eiffel Tower. Don't you want to see the Strip from that point of view?"
I nodded empathically. Hell, I would go anywhere with Paisley. This was the first time we'd ever really gotten to spend by ourselves, properly alone, and it was amazing. This night had absolutely convinced me that Paisley and I were meant to be.
Inside the swanky looking bar, I ordered each of us an expensive glass of champagne. Playfully, Paisley linked her arm through mine and we drank our drinks that way. The way I had only ever seen people do in weddings. Movie weddings, at that. It brought us so close together that I could almost kiss her.
I breathed her in, inhaling her beautiful scent, falling into my fantasy some more. I leaned in a little closer, just enough to lightly brush my lips against hers. The fireworks that exploded in the pit of my stomach were so intense that I couldn't keep the groan inside. The moan of passion slipped inadvertently out of my lips.
"Shall we go up the Eiffel Tower now?" Paisley asked me with hooded, desire filled eyes.
I nodded and let her drag me outside the building.
I was so flooded with desire that I could hardly focus. I couldn't drag my eyes off of Paisley no matter what was going on. I barely even knew what was going on until we were on the mini elevator and gliding up the Las Vegas version of the Eiffel Tower. That was the moment Paisley finally gave me what I was aching for. She enveloped me in a tight squeeze and kissed me hard, passionately. Her tongue invaded my mouth and the sensation of her was electrifying. Finally, I could feel as well as see how much she wanted me too.
"Oh, Paisley," I muttered quietly as soon as we pulled apart. Not that I was ready to fully let her go. I kept her in my arms and rested my forehead against hers so I could see that gorgeous desire in her eyes as we talked. "I wanted to bring you out tonight so we could talk. There are some things that I want to say to you, that I haven't had the chance yet." I breathed deeply, registering the question in her eyes. "I am in love with you, Paisley. I really am. I want to be with you."
"You…you want to be with me?" Much to my surprise, Paisley stepped backward, clearly in shock. "What do you mean? You're in love with me?"
"I…I am." Should I not have said anything? Now I really wasn't so sure. I thought it was the best idea ever, but now I had no idea. The flickering confusion in Paisley's eyes had me anxious as all hell. "I know it's a little quick, and I don't want to put any pressure on you or anything, but I just want you to know. Because our time is so short, I need to tell you now."
"Yeah, I know, because we won't all be here soon," Paisley agreed. But she was pacing across the small elevator space, all worked up. "Once Claire's residency is over, we will all go our separate ways."
I swallowed hard. That was exactly what I was trying to avoid. But now that Paisley was looking at me so confused, I kind of wanted that to happen right now. If a hole could open up in the ground and swallow me whole, that would be amazing.
"It's okay," I muttered with my eyes on the ground. "If you don't feel the same way as I do, I completely understand. I just wanted you to know."
"No, it isn't that." Paisley's eyes almost popped out of her head. "It's just complicated, that's all. I…haven't exactly just been flirting with you."
The way that she said "flirting" let me know there was more going on here. It wasn't just flirting. More had happened. Truth be told, I'd already worked out as much. There was definitely something between her and Sly, that much was clear, and then there was the disappearing act she and Ollie pulled on the camping trip before the full moon appeared. With Vinnie, I wasn't so sure, but I could see in his eyes that he had feelings for her as well.
But that didn't change a thing. At least, not for me.
"You seem to know a lot about the shifter world," I commented, trying to pull Paisley's attention back to me. "So, do you know about their love lives?" Paisley shook her head, but could barely meet my eyes. "Well, we don't always have romances that have typically been considered traditional. In fact, we often form a sort of pact. Or perhaps it would be better for me to refer to it as a harem."
"A harem?" Paisley gasped in shock. "What do you mean?"
"I mean…" I started with a soft smile. How did I word this properly? "You wouldn't need to pick between Vinnie, Ollie, Sly, and me. You could be with all of us."
"All of you?" She clutched her hand to her chest. "Really?"
I wasn't sure that I needed to say anymore. I let her turn away from me and look over the Las Vegas Strip, allowing all the neon lights to bathe her in their light. I couldn't look at all of that though, I could only watch her. I knew that I really was acting like a crazy person. People just didn't fall in love that fast. Someone like me really didn't fall in love this fast. I hadn't ever been in love before, but I'd always been told that one day I would just know. And with Paisley, I did just know.
"The fountain is about to begin," she suddenly declared. "Should we go and watch the show? It's such a beautiful night, isn't it?"
I nodded silently and we descended back down to the ground once more. A silence clung to the air between us, but it wasn't an awkward one. I knew I had just dropped a bomb in her lap and she needed a moment to digest it.
I could be patient and wait until she was ready.
We found a seat by the fountains and waited there. I could practically hear the wheels turning in Paisley's brain as she processed everything. A few times, I parted my lips as if I was about to say something more, but I forced myself to stop. It wouldn't do either of us any good for me to keep chatting away.
All of a sudden, a group of people sat across from us. A woman with four men. It quickly became obvious that fate had intervened and put these people in front of us to show us how normal a harem could really be if we all wanted it. Maybe once upon a time, a harem would have been frowned upon, but not anymore. People in this decade were much more accepting. Maybe not of shifters, although we hadn't so much given people a chance with that, but certainly of relationships.
I looked at Paisley out of the corner of my eye to see what she thought about the relationship sitting across from us. She was trying not to look, but of course couldn't help herself. She needed to see this just as much as I did. This was fascinating for her, the sort of romance she was probably scared to consider because it wasn't traditional, but I hoped seeing these people let her know that it would be fine.
If it was what she wanted, we could make it work. Together.
These men were shifters as well, I could sense it within them, and I was sure they could sense it in me as well. But they were too deeply in love with the woman sitting beside them to notice me. Just like I could be with Paisley, if she would let me.
Eventually, Paisley sidled a little closer to me. She rested her hand on top of my thigh, pulling me a little nearer to her. She even rested her head on my shoulder as we waited for the fountain show to start.
I didn't know exactly what this meant. It wasn't an, "Oh sure, I will be with you forever in our happily ever after," and it also wasn't a definite agreement that she wanted to be involved in a harem either, but it was something. I would take that.
I rested my hand on top of hers and stroked her hand with my thumb. The electrical chemistry continued to sizzle between us and it felt wonderful. I was so grateful that she hadn't taken off running the moment I mentioned my feelings. That would have been horrible. My heart wouldn't have been able to take it, much less my confidence. I didn't think I would ever be able to look anyone in the eye again.
This wasn't a guarantee that I was about to give up my unfulfilling life to be with Paisley, but it was a step in the right direction for sure.
Eventually, as the jets of water started bursting out in time with the romantic song playing loudly, Paisley turned to look at me. There was a brand new look in her eyes now, one that made my heart race faster.
Paisley wanted to kiss me again. She had her eyes sliding closed and her lips pursing. She was edging herself closer to me by the second. I took my time meeting her lips because I wanted to savor this look for the rest of my life.
I needed to commit this to memory, just in case this wasn't the beautiful beginning I wanted it to be, but the end instead. I knew already that no one was ever going to compare to Paisley, that no kiss would ever feel as good as this, so I needed to hold on to it in my heart. Whatever happened next, I was going to have to make sure I could carry this with me. Forever.