Bedded Bliss (Found in Oblivion Book 1) (6 page)

“Get up there,” Ivy said. “I wasn’t sure about my outfit until Meri made me do it too.”

“Wait. Shoes.”

Chloe curled her toes into the ultra-soft pile carpeting of the changing area. “I have sandals.”

“You don’t have these.” Meri held up a pair of gold, strappy sandals with four-inch heels.

“Do you want me to kill myself?”

“You remember how to wear heels. You used to wear even taller ones to the club with—” Jinx pressed her lips together. “Sorry.”

Chloe took the shoes. “No, you’re right. I wore spiked heels for Snake because he loved my legs in them.”

Ivy came up behind her and met her gaze in the wall-sized mirror. “Time to wear them for you, don’t you think?”

She chewed on her lip for a moment before nodding. “Yes. Yes, it is.” She straightened her shoulders before sitting on the huge hassock to buckle the shoes. Her arches made a little scream of protest before she was rock solid.

This was supposed to be a fun weekend.

She remembered how to have fun. Sort of.
Fake it till you make it, girl.
That little voice was getting louder. She climbed onto the small dais and got a good look at herself.

Young.

Objectively pretty.

Her legs were damn good. Strong because she needed to be strong for her son, for her job. But also lean and tight because she didn’t know how to
not
be on her feet all day. It had been a damn long time since she’d actually looked at herself in a full-length mirror.

“You’re smoking hot, you bitch.”

She laughed and smiled down at Jinx standing to her left. “Not so bad yourself, bitch.”

Jinx’s smile broadened. “Now that’s the Chloe I know and love.”

Meri put her hands on her hips. “You girls are stunning. Now go kill it at Light.”

Chloe stepped off the platform. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.”

They went back up to the room with way more bags than they’d started with. She tried not to think about just how much had been charged to the room. Instead, the three of them freshened up makeup and hair and explored the hotel a little.

Light was on the main floor of the hotel. The sharp scent of chlorine and cocoa butter hit her as they followed the crowd of people. A deep bass seemed to vibrate up from the floor and a buzz started under her skin.

The music was a far cry from her days at seedy bars and clubs, but the overall feel was the same. People out to have fun. Okay, maybe not exactly the same. There was money and a little wildness running through the air like its own perfume.

And she really wanted to wear it.

The bouncer waived them through with an appreciative gaze. Jinx was wearing a little black outfit that was all movement with a trace of glitter. Instead of a skirt, she had on dressy shorts. And she was already tall enough, so she went with flat sandals that laced up her toned calves. She owned her sexuality.

The opposite sex noticed. Immediately, she had three different suitors breaking away from their friends to approach her.

Within minutes, there were drinks on their table and the three of them were surrounded by men outside by the pool.

The party had begun.

Chloe threw herself into the moment. Because she worked at a bar, she was conscious of the drinks placed on the table. She kept her hand over the top of her vodka tonic.

There were a lot of them.

And she let herself have fun.

She danced.

She laughed.

She only checked her phone three times all night. One of those times was to add the phone number of a guy staying at the hotel through the weekend.

The edge of the pool even got some play. She splashed her feet in the water with a vapid guy named Brad—owner of the number added to her phone. He was pretty and kept flirting with her. He didn’t do much else but talk about himself, but she decided to live in the moment.

The past didn’t matter. Only today.

It wasn’t like she’d carry any of this home with her. It was just a couple of nights to let loose, then she’d go back to her real life. Dutiful Chloe, with only memories to keep her warm.

But until then? She wasn’t going to regret one single thing.

C
hloe pulled
the pillow over her head. “Just five more minutes, Axl.”

A pillow thumped on her back. “Turn off that fucking alarm.”

“Wha?” She groaned. Oh, crap her head. The buzz and bleat of her phone dented her consciousness. She had her phone set for a daily alarm to get ready for work. She slapped it off and pulled the duvet over her head. “How much did we drink?”

“All the drinks.” Jinx wiggled next to her on the bed. She’d started in the bed with her sister, but somehow ended up in Chloe’s.

Chloe peeled off the duvet and squinted at her phone. Eleven? Really?

She sat up and swallowed down the immediate and all-consuming crash of nausea. She blew out a slow breath and flicked down her messages. “Who’s Brad?”

“Hot guy, dumb as a lump of platinum.”

Chloe laughed and her head almost fell off her damn neck. At least it felt like it. Not good. She vaguely remembered a guy with hair better than her own. “Talked about himself. Lawyer?”

“That’s the one.”

“Hmm.” Chloe filed that away to think about later. She found two texts from her dad and winced. They were already at the picnic and would check in later. “Crap.” She hadn’t even heard the phone ring or vibrate.

She scrolled back and nibbled on her lip. Because there’d been no calls.

A swirl of guilt tried to fight the high tide of nausea. Instead of thinking about that one too hard, she tossed her phone onto the bedside table and curled back down into the bed she was willing to sell an ovary for.

God, it was comfortable.

Even if she did have to share it with Jinx. Damn bony butt. She shoved her over.

Jinx grunted, but moved over and flopped onto her back. “Why is there sunlight?”

“We’re in the desert.”

Another pillow came for her head, but this time, she blocked it. Jinx laughed. “Ow. Stop, don’t make me laugh. My head is splitting.”

“Get up, lazy butts.” Ivy came in wearing running shorts and a tank.

“Fuck off.”

“I told you to drink that bottle of water before you faceplanted, but you didn’t listen.” Ivy sipped from her own bottle of water. “I ordered breakfast and met the waiter—hot, by the way—in the hallway. You’re welcome.”

Chloe hid her head under her pillow. “I can’t think about eating.”

Jinx stumbled out of bed. “Oh, it’s all grease. Bless you.”

“Definitely not eating.” Chloe curled into ball.

“It’s bacon,” Jinx spoke around her food, “and pancakes with real syrup.” She bounced onto the bed.

“Get off the bed with that.”

“Shut up, mom.” Jinx flipped back the bedclothes. “Bacon.”

Chloe yanked back the covers. “I don’t care.” But her stomach started to grumble. They hadn’t really eaten anything but the damn salads the night before. Which of course was why the drinks had hit her like a freaking sledgehammer.

And maybe the half dozen vodka tonics she’d had.

Holy crap.

“Bacon,” Jinx sang.

Chloe sat up and filched a piece from her plate and shoved it in her mouth. “Happy?” She groaned as the salt and deliciousness hit her tongue. “Oh, man.” She rolled onto her knees and when the contents of her stomach didn’t rebel, she stole half of a silver dollar pancake.

“Get your own.”

Ivy crossed the room. “Here you go.”

“See, one of the Johnsons loves me.” She took the plate from Ivy. “Thank you.” She folded her pancake around the bacon and dipped it in the little cup of syrup. “Glorious.” She inched back against the huge headboard. “Please tell me you didn’t go work out,” she said around another bite of salt and carbs.

Ivy grinned and plopped down on the bottom of the bed. “I ran off my sins. Kills the rest of the hangover.”

“Still not doing it,” Jinx muttered around her food.

Chloe held out her little breakfast sandwich toward Jinx. “Hear, hear.”

Jinx tapped her bacon against Chloe’s food. “Damn straight.”

Ivy rolled her eyes. “Well, you snooze, you lose. I get the shower first.”

Jinx collapsed back against her pillows. “Well, at least I don’t have to worry about her using up all the hot water for once.”

Chloe curled her arms around her knees. “I obviously have to make an appearance at the show tonight, but I think we’re pretty much open for anything else today.”

“Good. Because I was looking on my phone last night. You know when you two were sawing off logs.”

“I do not snore.”

“Sure, you don’t. At least you’re not as loud as my sister. She barely makes a peep normally. Put tequila into her and holy crap.”

“Is that why I got a bedmate this morning?” Chloe asked.

“It was either that or suffocate her.” Jinx picked at the edge of her nail. “I don’t look good in orange. We should do nails today. Mine are raggedy.”

Subject change. As usual with Jinx she said whatever came off the top of her head.

Chloe slid off the bed and padded to the cart of food. She took a croissant and a big bottle of water. “Want?”

“Coffee?” Jinx crawled down the bed with a hopeful look. “My sister did the ordering so it might not be included. She’s a sadist.”

“I don’t know how she survives without it, but no there’s two huge mugs on here.”

“Awesome. I don’t have to kill her after all.” Jinx leaped off the bed. They bumped hips as they reached for creamer and sugar on the small cart. It helped with the dead animal feel in her mouth, but she desperately wanted a shower.

And her toothbrush.

Luckily, Jinx wasn’t paying attention when Ivy came out, so Chloe sprinted for the bathroom and slammed the door in her face with smile. The fact that she rarely was allowed a long shower made her linger a little longer than she normally would.

A twang of homesickness started to grow, but she sloughed it away with an orange blossom scrub she’d found on the counter. Talk about high end cosmetics. Some were from the spa, but the ones offered by the hotel were just as luxurious.

Scrubbed pink as a lobster, she finally gave into the pounding from Jinx. She shrugged on her robe of glory and made a turban with her towel for her hair. A plume of steam escaped as she opened the door. “So impatient.”

“Dude, you were in there for days.”

“The day you have a two-year-old is the day I’ll feel sorry for taking extra time.”

“Bah.” Jinx gathered all her toiletries and sailed through the door. “If you used all the hot water, I’m cutting off your hair and selling it on eBay.”

“Is everything violence with you?”

Jinx turned around with a tight smile. “I said cut your hair, not scalp you, didn’t I?” And she shut the door.

Ivy was sprawled on the bed nearest the window. She swung her crossed ankles. “She’s in a surprisingly good mood this morning—well, afternoon now.”

“Not sure how you guys do the living together thing.”

“Eh. We just stay out of each other’s way on the shitty days. Otherwise she’s barely home anyway.”

Jinx worked more jobs than she did, and that included motherhood.

“So, my sister mentioned nails. There’s a cool mani-pedi place on the seventeenth floor we can try. There’s a bunch of eateries there too. Hydrate up for tonight.”

Chloe sat on the edge of the bed. “Yeah, the concert will definitely require that.” She was excited to see Brooklyn Dawn. They were one of her favorite bands. Oh, to be lush and blond with hair down to her ass. Not to mention having men drool over her. Lindsey York was amazing, and her voice was kickass.

There’d been a time when she’d longed for that kind of life. Dating a rockstar had been thrilling at first, then reality had splashed a bucket of cold water on that dream. She’d hated wondering where Snake was every night—hated that trust was in short demand.

She’d never had proof that he was unfaithful, but she’d been too afraid to dig for answers. He’d tried desperately to get clean so many times. She wanted to believe in him. Longed to believe in him with each hopeful smile he’d given her.

Swallowed every lie. For her own sake, and for the life that had been growing inside of her. Axl hadn’t been planned, but he was the very best of both of them. Snake’s charm and crooked smile, her helpfulness.

Ivy rolled to a sitting position and snapped her fingers. “Earth to Chloe.”

“Sorry.”

“Axl’s fine.”

Chloe rolled her eyes and gave her friend a sheepish grin. “For once it wasn’t Axl.”

“Oh.” Ivy nibbled on her lower lip. “Snake?”

“Yeah. Usually I’m too busy to think about him to be honest. I’m not used to being free to do what I want.”

“You deserve to have some freedom and some fun. Sunday we can go back to being responsible people.”

“You’re right.”

“See? I don’t get to hear that one often.” Ivy stood up and wiggled her hips until her shorts straightened out. “We may not be gambling types, but we are definitely exploring types. And we don’t even have to leave the hotel. Which is a good thing.” She picked up her phone. “It’s, ummm, one-hundred-and-fourteen degrees outside.”

Chloe flinched. “That’s hideous.”

“Yeah. So, air conditioned hotel it is. We’ll get all beautified and find some new outfits.”

Chloe scrunched up her shoulders. “I brought stuff.”

“Come on. When do you get spoiled? This is a once in a lifetime thing.”

“Nick is just being nice.” And he already spoiled her son plenty.

“Our mere thousand dollars’ worth of—”

“
Thousand
?” Chloe spluttered. “More like three.”

“It’s chump change to him. He probably spends that on guitar strings.”

Chloe hauled her suitcase onto the bed and pulled out shorts and a very cute Target top. This was plenty for her. She didn’t need three-hundred dollar shirts. “That’s not the point.” Where the hell was her bra?

“Just check your phone, would you?”

Chloe stopped digging and looked up. “What about my phone?”

“You got a text. I didn’t look at it really. Well, I looked to make sure it wasn’t Axl—”

Chloe crossed to the bedside table where her phone was plugged in. She perched on the side of the bed, and nibbled at the edge of her nail. “It’s from Nick.”

“Read it.”

She was afraid to swipe it up to look at it.

Just look, you idiot.

N
C
: Hey C - that tab seems way too small for three babes. You aren’t spending your own money, are you?

A
nother text came
ten minutes later, according to the stamp.

N
C
: I’ll kick your ass if you’re spending your own money. Consider it a late Christmas present, for fuck’s sake. Have fun. That’s an order.

NC: Don’t make me come down there.

C
hloe couldn’t help
but laugh. She could hear his gruff voice in her ear as she read the text. He really was the sweetest guy on the planet, with a grumpy bedside manner. Even back when they were kids fumbling in the dark, he’d been far kinder than a lot of the guys she’d been with.

C
A
: We’re behaving, that’s all.

H
e replied almost immediately
.

N
C
: Well, stop it.

CA: Who are you? You’re usually arguing for a sale price.

NC: Retail fuckers can give me a discount. They already marked it up 200%. This is Vegas. You don’t look at the check. You just sign. Don’t make me find Jinx. I know she’ll spend my money.

CA: All right. Jeez. Understood.

NC: See you at the show. Buy all the things.

S
he laughed
. “All right. Looks like we’re spending all the money today.”

“I heard that,” Jinx yelled from the bathroom.

“Of course you did.” Chloe quickly got dressed and put on a light touch of makeup. By the time Jinx got out of the bathroom, they were all ready to go.

Hangovers a thing of the past, they did a bit of retail therapy. Clothing, makeup, and of course the nails and feet deal killed a few hours. They refueled with coffee and frozen custard before another round of shopping. They put themselves in Meri’s capable hands. By the time they walked out of Luxe she’d been numbed to the idea of signing her name to every damn receipt that day.

She soothed herself with a walk through the shark exhibit, which they pre-gamed with a frozen drink called Shark Attack. There was much rum involved. And much more laughter as they shared an appetizer under a few thousand pounds of water with a terrifying number of predators swimming right over their heads.

Jinx dunked her deep fried mozzarella medallion in the spicy dipping sauce. “So, we have Warning Sign, Brooklyn Dawn, and Oblivion at the show tonight? How the hell are we going to survive that?”

“Earplugs?” Ivy asked.

Chloe elbowed Ivy. “I think she meant more of a triple threat of awesome.”

“You know I love a good show. Are you sure I can’t lure Deacon away from his wife?” Jinx chewed thoughtfully. “He seems to like blonds. I might even let him call me wifey’s name. What was that again? Helen?”

“Harper,” Chloe said with a laugh. She knew Deacon far too well. The girls had met him at the Christmas party at Nick and Lila’s new house. He was huge, tattooed, and disgustingly devoted to his wife. “Sorry, not a chance.”

“Damn. He’s probably a fucking stallion. Those thighs and shoulders…ugh. That back tattoo. So wrong.”

Chloe picked around the dregs of their sampler platter and found a crab fry. “It’s like lusting after a brother.”

“Even Nick?” Jinx grinned as she took another sip of Shark Attack number two.

Chloe coughed around the last bite of her fry. “Nick was a long time ago.”

“And we’ve never gotten the details.”

“And you never will.” Chloe gulped down half a glass of water.

“That bad?”

“Teenage sex is not something I think about anymore.”

Ivy sat back in her chair as she spun her drink in a puddle of condensation. “My best sexual encounter was at seventeen. Of course he was twenty-two.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Unfortunately, most have been duds ever since.”