Surviving (Surrender 2)

He holds me until we both fall asleep.

*****

I wake up first and climb out of bed to start my day. The sooner I get my shit done, the faster I can enjoy Vegas. I log on and start answering my emails. Since Nashville is two hours ahead, my group has already sent me the notes I need to correct. Declan sleeps soundly until there is a loud knock at our door. I open it to find Kelly waiting.

“Good Morning, Kelly. What can I do for you?”

“I need to get Declan and the others so we can go to the MGM and go over the show tonight. Can I come in?”

“How about I wake Declan up, and he will meet you in the main lobby in thirty minutes? He’s not really a morning person.” I lie, but she’s on my last nerve.

“Fine, but we can’t be too long. We only have so much time before all the other acts need to rehearse too. Wouldn’t want to mess up this chance.” She glares at me.

I nod my head and shut the door without answering her.

He’s awake when I get to the bed and pulls me down for a long wet kiss.

“Dec, you have to get ready and go. I’ll wait here for you because I am still waiting on a few assignment notes.”

“Please come with us.”

“I can’t. But let’s go to the pool when you get back. We can relax a few hours before we go to MGM.”

“Okay, but you better have brought something other than that pink string you wore in Atlanta.”

“Yes babe, now get up.”

My computer dings with a new message and I go back to work. When he comes out of the bathroom ready to go, I lose focus. He’s standing wearing my favorite green running shorts and a black tee.

“Sparkle, quit looking at me like that. I have to go to get this shit out of the way.”

He leaves with a quick kiss and a promise to call when he has an idea of what time they’ll be back.

After three hours, I’m bored and hungry. I call Declan to see if he’s coming soon or if I should go ahead and eat.

When his phone goes to voicemail, I get ready for the pool. I leave a note in case he doesn’t get my message. I eat at the pool bar and talk to Charlie the whole time. She has a thousand questions, and I try to tell her what I know about tonight. She talked to Blake an hour ago, and I get curious as to why Declan hasn’t called me back.

When we hang up, I call Declan again. This time Kelly answers his phone.

“Hello,” she says even though I know she saw my name on the caller ID.

“Kelly, is Declan around?”

“Raven, he’s actually busy working. This isn’t a vacation. Do you need something?” she asks in the bitchiest voice I’ve ever heard.

“Nope, I’ll see him when he gets back. Tell him I called.” I hang up seething mad.

I sit in the only empty chair I find and pop in my headphones. In my mind, I’m not mad at Declan at all, but I wonder why she has his phone. I must fall asleep because I jolt awake when someone puts their hand on my knee. Looking up to the shadow over me, there’s a very unhappy Declan Collins.

“What the fuck? I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for almost an hour.” He spits out. “And where’s the rest of your bathing suit?”

Whoa, he’s mad at me? “What do you mean? I left you a message, talked to Kelly, and left a note in our room. I turned my phone on silent when I laid down figuring you would find me here.”

“If you talked to Kelly then you know I got held up and wanted you to come down and meet us.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t Kelly call you?”