BUY ME - Riley Alexa - Страница 15

I make my way over to the mirror, and have to agree. It does look perfect. But this underwear has to go. There is no way I can walk around like this all day. I quickly pull it off and toss it on the floor. Thongs are the only underwear provided, so I’ll just have to go without until I can buy some more.

It’s then I remember I’m a millionaire. It was almost like I had forgotten for a moment, as if I was going through the motions. I could buy hordes of underwear now if I wanted to. I need to call Tim, my foreman, to let him know we have the money to pay a few bills that have piled up. Hell, we could even replace some equipment that’s been hanging on by a thread now. Tim has worked hard for the farm. He seems to have a deeper passion for it than I do, and I know he has been worried about us losing it. At times I think he loves the place more than I do.

The farm has been all I’ve ever known. My home. I’ve been fighting to keep it alive, and now that I have money in my pocket my mind is racing with ideas. Maybe I held onto it so tightly because it’s all I’ve ever known, like a security blanket, or maybe because I thought I didn’t have any other choice. Today, it seems like I have a lot more.

Maybe not the choice to wear this blue dress today, but in thirty days I can do anything I want. Maybe just hand the farm over to Tim, wipe my hands clean. The opportunities are now endless.

The sound of someone clearing their throat makes me jump.

“Sorry, I knocked, but there wasn’t an answer so I let myself in,” the tall, stunning brunette standing in the doorway of the closet says as she holds up a key card.

“Mandy, I’m guessing?” I say, taking my hand from my chest now that my heart has stopped trying to leap from it.

“That’s me,” she says, striding towards me, her long legs eating up the distance between us. She extends her hand, her perfectly polished dark purple nails catching the light. She’s stunning in that very uptight kind of way. Everything about her seems to be precise and in place. She is perfectly put together. From her crisp white button-up shirt to the tight pencil skirt that matches her nails and shoes to a t.

Reaching out, I take her hand in mine, and her face lights up, a warm smile spreading across her face and revealing perfect teeth. Yes, ‘perfect’ is the word I would use to describe her. At first glance she looked like she would be cold, but looking up into her face, all I see is warmth.

“I’m so glad you’re finally here. You’re even prettier than the pictures,” she says.

“Pictures?” I question.

“Oh! We’re on a tight schedule. I have you set up at the spa,” she glances down at the Blackberry in her hand, “now!” She quickly clicks some buttons, shifting from one extremely high-heeled shoe to another.

I can tell my question is one she doesn’t want to answer, and I don’t want to make things awkward.

“I just need to grab some shoes,” I say, trying to just change the subject.

Her face lights up. “Now that is something I can definitely help you with.”

She looks at my dress and starts pulling shoes off the glass shelves. “Any of these would match perfectly.”

I eye a pair of silver heels. Maybe if I wore those Mandy wouldn’t dwarf me all day, but I’m not sure how long I’d last in them. I’d kill for some flip flops right now.

Mandy picks up a pair of wedges. “Sit,” she says, pointing to the ottoman.

I do as she says, and she kneels in front of me. “Heel virgin, I’m guessing?” she asks as she starts to slide the wedge onto my foot. I almost laugh at her question. I seem to be an everything virgin lately.

“You could say that,” I respond, because I am one, unless the heels on cowboy boots count, and I’m guessing they don’t.

“Then wedges are the perfect place to start, and the ribbons lace around your ankles, makes them sexy,” she says, giving me a quick wink before standing and pulling me to my feet.

“Come, to the spa we must go. I’ve been given strict instructions to pamper you and not let anyone near your hair with scissors,” she tells me over her shoulder as she strides from the closet. I trot behind her, trying to keep up in the shoes. She stops in the entryway, picking up a few binders. She pops one open and hands me a little wallet and a cell phone. “These are for you.”

Making her way over to the elevator, she slides her card in and the door opens. I follow her in.

“Everything you need is in there. That room key does everything for you. There isn’t a door in this entire building that won’t open for you. Keep it close because I’m not kidding. There are only two other keys like it, Aaron’s and Justin’s. Not only is it your key to get everything you want in this building, you flash that thing in the jewelry store downstairs and they will load you with diamonds until they cover every inch of you.” She says it like it’s no big deal.

I just stare dumbly at her, not quite sure how to respond to that. Why would they give me a key like that? There must be a mistake or something. Maybe when they told her to get me a key to their room, she thought one like theirs.

“I think I just need a key to the room.”

“Nope,” she says as the elevator doors slide open and she quickly exits through them.

“Does everyone around here walk so fast?” I whisper, mainly to myself but Mandy hears me.

“Sorry, I’m kind of excited about the spa. I can go anytime I want, but I’m kind of a ‘go-go’ person and never really seem to let myself find the time. Today I’ve been actually ordered to go to the spa, so I’m a little excited.” The same warm smile she flashed in the closet slips across her face.

“I’ve never been to one before.” A virgin once again, I think, but I keep that part to myself.

“Well, I say we order some champagne and get this started.”

I nod in agreement.

8

JUSTIN

While Stella is having a day with Mandy, Aaron and I have to conduct some business. We are at the point in our casino career where we’ve started to move to being a bit hands off and delegating where we can. Some things still require personal attention, and it’s part of what we love about owning the Cortez.

Some things we don’t love are favors we do for friends. The poker tournament is going strong again in the morning as some of the games have lasted all night. Thank God today is the last day we are hosting, because the media circus surrounding it is a nightmare. Don’t get me wrong, we love publicity, but we get plenty of that without the celebrity drama.

After Aaron and I make the rounds and avoid Natasha as much as possible, we go out front to our waiting driver. We had Mandy set a meeting with Charles, so he’s expecting us at the Snake Eyes soon. On the way over, Aaron is silent as he looks out the window.

“You okay?”

He doesn’t look at me when he responds, just keeps staring out of the window at the passing Vegas strip. “I just can’t stop thinking about her. Every minute we’re away, I’m counting down until we can see her again.”

I smile so big my face hurts. When I don’t say anything, he looks at me and sees my big goofy grin. He rolls his eyes and goes back to looking out the window.

“Try to tell me you don’t feel the same.”

I can’t keep the excitement out of my voice. “Of course I do, I’m just not brooding about it. I’m happy as fuck we’ve got her waiting on us. I hate the time we have to spend away from her too, but doesn’t it feel amazing? Doesn’t it feel like your heart is about to burst any second because it’s so full of love?”

Aaron looks over at me, and his smile slowly grows to mirror my own. “I never thought it would feel this good. Jesus. We’re in love.”