The men returned a few minutes later, and the women’s discussion was put on hold as the jet began to make its descent into Vegas. As Ari looked out the window and saw the bright lights of the Vegas Strip appear, excitement bubbled through her veins.
Whether she paid for it later or not, she was going to have one heck of a fun weekend. As they made their way down the stairs, Rafe reached for her as she hit the bottom step.
“Are you having fun with your games, Ari?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she countered.
“You never do lie well,” he reminded her.
“Obviously, I won that round,” she said, feeling not only satisfied, but victorious as well.
“Did you really win, Ari? Yes, you made me hard, but I bet right now, you are soaking wet, and aching for me to slam inside you. Plus, I still have your panties,” he countered with a smirk as he shifted his hand in his pocket implying they were in there. Ari looked around at the others in their party, hoping he didn’t have them, and really hoping that if he did, he wouldn’t pull them out. Her victory had been very short-lived.
Grrr, the man was driving her insane. Just once, she needed to win. Was that asking too much? With an angry scowl, she stomped off, refusing to give him the pleasure of seeing her grab for the trophy panties.
The sound of Rafe’s laughter followed her as she made her way to the waiting limo. Let him laugh now — she would figure out a way to bring him to his knees sooner or later. The victory would be oh so much sweeter because she’d been waiting so long.
Chapter Twenty-One
Stepping through the double doors onto the marble floors of the foyer, Ari was stunned. Such elegance! Such extravagance! She walked through the Venetian Suite to its tall living room windows to look upon the Las Vegas Strip twinkling far below.
“What a beautiful room,” she gasped as she looked around. The penthouse featured virtually everything a person could imagine. Two stunning marbled bathrooms with deep jetted tubs and separate all-glass showers, a spacious bedroom with an enticing king-size bed, a living room with a glowing fireplace, and a dining area with a table that had seating for their entire party, plus a few extras.
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“Yes, I always enjoy my stays here. The hotel and casino that we’re developing will have much of the same. I build only the best,” Rafe said as he took off his jacket.
“Ari, you have thirty minutes to dress. We’re heading out soon,” said Rachel, while appearing through a doorway with a big smile on her face.
“Where is your room?”
“Right next door; the rooms connect. I’ll be right back,” she called as she flew past and went through a doorway that Ari hadn’t even noticed.
The suite was bigger than most people’s homes. Ari was afraid of getting used to a life of such luxury.
“You have a moment to enjoy a glass of champagne and strawberries, don’t you?” Rafe asked as he approached holding a bubbling flute out to her.
With an appreciative smile, Ari accepted the glass and took a sip. She really didn’t like champagne, but she didn’t want to spoil the moment by seeming ungrateful. Walking to the table, she picked up one of the juicy red berries and took a bite, the sweet fruit squirting into her mouth. When she took her next sip of the champagne, its taste had greatly improved.
Maybe that was the trick with the awful stuff. She managed to finish her glass in between bites of berry.
“Thank you,” she said to Rafe before gathering some clothes and walking into her large bathroom. No, it wasn’t quite as nice as Rafe’s — what did she expect? — but, with the marble tile and counters, she wasn’t hurting.
Although Rachel had put her on a time crunch, Ari couldn’t resist taking a quick shower. Her toiletries were already laid out, after all, and it didn’t take her long to wash, dry and dress.
She felt a bit like a princess as she sat on the comfortable bench and applied her makeup in front of the vanity mirror. This was something she’d love to have in her own home someday — a place she could pamper herself in the most comfortable way possible.
But a glance in the cheval mirror made Ari cringe. Lia had insisted that she wear the outfit, but Rafe would have a fit when he saw it. Was Lia trying to infuriate her brother or did the girl just like really short, tight dresses? Either way, Ari didn’t know what was worse — arguing with Lia, or fighting with Rafe.
As she gathered up her courage to open the bathroom doors, she gave herself a pep talk. Tonight was supposed to be all about fun — something she hadn’t had enough of lately.
*****
“Are you sure you ladies wouldn’t like to have us along for protection?”
“If we wanted bodyguards, we’d hire some of the sexy men advertising themselves on all these nice billboards, Shane. ”
“Ouch! That wounds me deeply, Lia. ”
“I think you’re just pretending to be worried about us, but deep down, even a man as manly-man such as yourself, is dying to see La Rêve. I’m sure we’ll be safe among the other ten thousand people out walking on this stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard,” Rachel mocked.
“I’m not dissing your dancing show, but I’ll take the Ultimate Fighting Championship fight card that’s on this weekend any day over a chick concert, even if it is at a nice venue. ”
“Oh, you macho, macho man. How could we have been so wrong about you?” Lia said as the door opened.
Rafe was trying hard to tune out the bantering between his little sisters and Shane while he waited for Ari to appear. He wished that the three of them would leave so he could show Ari what happened to little teases. Her act on the jet deserved to be…rewarded.
He couldn’t even pretend he hadn’t liked it. He’d been ready to throw her on his bed and sink deep inside her, but he wanted more than that. Her growing confidence was like fuel to a fire. He wanted to take her so hard, she wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week.
“Are you kidding me?”
Everyone in the room had stopped talking and turned in his direction before Rafe realized he’d spoken the words out loud. At what must have been a furious expression on his face, Ari had the nerve to smirk at him before sending a wink his way and then swaying her h*ps as she walked up to Lia and Rachel.
“Is there a problem, Rafe?” the minx asked innocently.
Hell yes, there was a problem. Her dress was indecently short and hugging her in all his favorite places, and with her hair tied back in an elegant knot, the smooth lines of her neck screamed its own come-on to half of the world. Rafe knew that every single — and married — man who came within twenty feet of her would be picturing himself in the most X-rated positions known to man — and those images were for him alone.
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“Don’t you think you’re dressed a bit inappropriately for a nice show?”
As his sisters gasped in outrage and disbelief, Rafe knew he’d said the wrong thing. He’d never win this battle. Even if Ari gave in and decided to cover herself up, his sisters would drag her from the room first. Rafe really hated it when women banded together. They were more impenetrable that way than the freaking Great Wall of China.
“On that note, we’ll be leaving now, you egotistical a-hole,” Rachel said as she took Ari’s arm and pulled her from the room.
Rafe thought about chasing after her, but then he saw Shane’s face and sent a withering look his way before walking to the wet bar and pouring himself a double shot.
“You know, you were the object of their fury first,” Rafe reminded him. Shane’s laughter spilled out and Rafe had to admit the humor of the situation.
“Damn, Rafe. With you around, I look like a superhero. I think we need to start double-dating again like we did back in the day. You play bad cop, because you’ve got the role down pat. I’ll swoop in and save the poor damsels. ”
“
And how does that help me?”
Oh, I was just thinking of myself, but I guess there are some women out there who like ass**les. ”
If Rafe hadn’t known his friend so well, he might have been tempted to slug him, but even though Shane was wearing a deadpan expression as he spoke, the twinkle in his eyes gave him away.
“I need to get out of this room,” Shane said. “Let’s go play cards. ”
“I’ve never understood your desire to gamble, Shane. You sit there playing a game in which the outcome doesn’t affect you in the least. Who cares if you win twenty thousand? You have more money than you’ll ever need in this lifetime, and the next. ”
“Rafe, why are you always so serious? The point is to sit at a table with other people, let loose, drink a lot, and, most importantly, watch the entertainment. ”
“You expect me to go to the Pussycat Lounge again?”
“Come on, Rafe. You have to admit, the dealers are a whole lot easier to look at than at most places,” Shane answered with a laugh.
“I’d rather work. ”
“Tough. You dragged me to Vegas and we have nothing to do until tomorrow. Tonight we get drunk, eye the ladies and lose a bunch of money. ”
Rafe thought about refusing, but it had been a while since he’d enjoyed himself like that. Besides, he knew Shane wouldn’t let up, so he might as well go and at least enjoy a good cigar. He could be doing worse things than spending an evening with his best friend.
*****
“You girls have no idea how much Rafe is going to flip out if he finds out we’ve done this. ”
“Loosen up, Ari. The man doesn’t own you, and believe me, you’re going to want to see this show. ”
“I’m not protesting too much,” Ari said with a big grin as they walked in the front doors of the Excalibur Casino. Ari wouldn’t admit it, but she was beyond excited. Before meeting her three girlfriends at work, she’d never gone out on the town.
Now that she’d had a taste of the weekend social scene, she had to admit that she’d really missed out over the years. She would certainly avoid clubs with spiked drinks, but watching a good male strip show while hanging with friends seemed to be something all women should do at least once.
Ari loved Amber, Shelly and Miley, but she’d also grown quite fond of Lia and Rachel. When she and Rafe ultimately broke up, Ari was afraid that friendship would be lost. She’d tried to not get close to the girls, but they made that impossible.
“I really don’t want to put a negative note on the evening, but what happens when Rafe and I are no longer…friends?”
The two girls stopped and twisted around to face her, for once wearing serious expressions. Lia turned first with Rachel right behind as if choreographed, and both girls threw their arms around Ari, making her eyes fill with tears as the sisters held on tight.
“I hate to admit this, but Rafe has gone through a lot of women. We’re not stupid. We know about his so-called rules. We hate that about him — despise how he is with his women. However, before you came along, there wasn’t one of his girlfriends whom we wanted to know. We were relieved when he grew bored and off those bimbos went. They tolerated us and vice versa,” Rachel started. Ari gulped down the knot in her throat.
“That being said, you’re different, Ari. I honestly wouldn’t say this to you if I didn’t believe it. Rafe cares about you. I’ve never seen him act the way he does with you with any other woman — not even with his ex-wife. He may have thought he was in love with her, and he may think his heart was broken, but that’s not really it. He was humiliated, disillusioned — but not heartbroken,” Lia added.
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“Rafe is healing with you, even if he doesn’t realize it. Please, give it a shot — open your heart and search inside the man; ignore the hard exterior he has created for himself. Look at how good he is to us, and all the wonderful things he does for his community and the world. Give him a reason to trust again, and I know he’ll earn it,” Rachel finished.
Ari couldn’t help the tears that slipped from her eyes. These beautiful women were amazing. They really loved their brother, and they seemed to care about her, too. Could she listen to them and give Rafe a real chance? He’d warned her not to fall in love with him — told her he absolutely didn’t want that. How could she take such a risk?
“I don’t know if I can do it,” she finally answered.
“Well, to answer your question, Ari — you are our friend now. No matter what happens with Rafe, we won’t allow you not to be a part of our lives,” Rachel promised.
“Thank you. ” Ari knew they meant it — knew they intended to keep that promise. She also knew it would be impossible. How could she stay friends with them when she and Rafe were through? They were bound to mention their brother, and Ari wouldn’t want to hear how wonderful his life was without her. It would be too painful.
“OK, enough emotional drama for the night. We came to get blitzed and watch a show, so let’s go,” Lia insisted as she pulled out tissues and handed them over.
The three women stopped in the bathroom to freshen up, and then went to find the theater.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The lobby crackled with excitement as a throng of women stood in line for the Thunder from Down Under performance. Ari couldn’t keep from smiling as groups of females sporting bachelorette party banners called out to each other.
Rachel, Lia and Ari were next to the bar, and of course, Lia insisted on going in.
“I hate lines; let’s have a drink. ” She tugged at Rachel’s and Ari’s hands as she stepped into the open space and marched up to the front cashier.
Before they could order anything, the bartender jumped on top of the counter right in front of them with a bottle in his hand.
“Are you ladies having a good time?”
A chorus of cheers echoed though the bar and out into the line of people waiting to get into the theater.
“Who here is going to see the boys from Down Under?” the bartender asked with a wolf whistle. Again the crowd roared. It seemed to Ari that Lia and Rachel were the loudest of all. Not wanting to be the dud of the party, she opened her mouth and cheered with the rest of them, which earned her a big smile and wink from the man on the counter.
“I have a problem, ladies. I need to empty this bottle and I just don’t have any clean shot glasses. Can you help me out?” All the women yelled assent. “Who wants a shot?” Lia was the first one in front of him as she held her head back and waited for him to poor curaçao into her mouth.
Bending down, he tipped the bottle when it was lined up with her bottom lip, making the women scream again as the blue liquid cascaded down her throat. The excitement was catching, and when Lia pushed Ari to go next, she didn’t hesitate to throw her head back as she waited for the man to give her the shot.
Ari almost gagged, but she managed to swallow the bitter liqueur, then waited for Rachel to take her turn. Each time another woman took a shot, the crowd grew louder. Ari was laughing as she turned and made eye contact with a stunning man sporting a dark suit and tie.
“Are you here for the show?” he asked with a laugh.
“Of course. You?”
“No. I’ll pass on watching men strip, but how about I buy you and your friends a round of drinks?”
“I wouldn’t pass that up,” Ari replied, feeling the tiniest bit of guilt over flirting with the stranger. It was a girls’ night out, though, and a bit of harmless flirting wasn’t wrong, was it?
“Is that a cigar?” Rachel asked, making Ari scoot aside as she pushed up against the man; he didn’t seem unhappy in the least at having the petite Rachel practically in his lap.
He held the large brown cigar out, offering it to her, and to Ari’s surprise Rachel grabbed ahold of it and took a deep puff.
“That’s such a disgusting habit, Rachel,” Lia said with a laugh as Rachel blew a puff of
smoke from her mouth.
“I only do it when I’m drinking. The smell reminds me of grandpa and it’s so much fun to hold the sweet smelling tobacco,” Rachel said as she took another puff before handing it back.
“Sitting here with you three beautiful ladies would make it almost worth it to watch a male stripper show,” the stranger said as his eyes drank Rachel in.
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“Sorry, bud, only girls tonight. You can give Rachel a business card, though — then, if you’re lucky, she might call you back,” Lia said as she downed her second shot, vodka-based Sex on the Beach.
“Phillip Monsoon,” he introduced himself as he pulled a card from his wallet.
“And what brings you to Las Vegas, Phillip?” Lia asked.
“If you call me, you’ll find out,” he answered with a laugh. “It looks like they’re starting to let you ladies in. Would you like one more round before I lose your company?”
“How could we say no to that?” Rachel answered as she grabbed his cigar again and took a big puff.
“Tequila shots,” Lia called, and the dozen women at the bar all yelled their approval of her drink as the bartender pulled out enough glasses for them all, then flipped the bottle in the air before filling them in one long line.
To Ari’s surprise, Philip didn’t seem put out at all that Lia had turned his offer of three drinks into a dozen. The same sparkle remained in his eyes as he watched Rachel. It looked as if he was a little smitten.
The women all licked their wrists, poured salt, took their shot, then sucked on limes. Rachel sent Phillip a wink before they rushed to the door and entered the theater. As soon as they walked inside, all thoughts of Phillip were forgotten, at least by Ari.
Lia led them to the front of the room, right in front of the stage, and sat Ari front and center. The big screen showing a photo shoot of the performers had the ladies screaming. When the spotlight hit a shot of their na**d behinds, the crowd went wild.
Several minutes later, a gorgeous man wearing a button-up shirt, a tie and some worn-out jeans jumped onto the stage and welcomed them, asking whether they were having a good time. The crowd went wild again. His sexy Australian accent had Ari melting as her stomach twisted into knots in anticipation, and slight fear, of what was to come.
“You’re all just a bunch of horny women, aren’t you?” he called out. The women noisily agreed, not feeling the least bit ashamed. They’d come to see sexy dancers strut their stuff, and they wanted the show to begin.