The Right Kind of Love (18 page)

Sydney

“S
ydney you better hurry your pretty ass up in there. This girl is too excited to get to the strip.”

I opened the door with a towel around my body and hair. Bee was on the other side waiting for me to get out of the shower so she could get in.

“It’s all yours, babe.” I walked past her and went to my sink to start getting ready.

It hadn’t even been a month since she said she was coming, but Bee was already here visiting. We were taking in the strip tonight. Bee said she wanted to go to New York, New York first, so that was our plan. We both loved to gamble, and to be honest with you, I hadn’t been to the strip since I’d been here. I had gone to Harrah’s outside bar to hear Damien’s band play a few weeks ago, which was a total blast. The small venue is awesome.

We were meeting Shaina. I was thrilled that she had agreed to come out with us. It was going to be a fun-filled night for sure. If only I had felt better. I’d thrown up this morning and felt nauseous all day. But I wasn’t going to let that get me down. It had started a few days ago. I just couldn’t shake whatever stomach bug I was harboring.

Bee opened the bathroom door and came strutting out in a towel. “What are we wearing tonight?”

I was actually going to go for casual since we were going to be doing a lot of walking, drinking, and gambling. I finished up my make-up and headed toward the bed where I had my clothes laid out. “I’m just going to wear these jeans and black tunic with my black blingy flip-flops. I’m going for comfort since we’re going to be walking a lot tonight.”

“Cool, I think I’m going to wear jeans, as well.” She walked over to her suitcase and started getting dressed. Her glistening blonde locks swung and the slight wave she put into her hair made it bounce.

I shimmied into my skinny jeans. I loved the way they fit my curves, I knew they made my ass look good. I lifted my arms and slid my black tunic over my head and then stepped into my flip flops. I went to my jewelry and pulled out some more bling, placing it around my neck, ears, and wrist. Looking in my mirror and checked myself out. Not bad, not bad at all.

“Bee, what do you think? Do I look too casual?” I waved my hand in front of my body indicating she needed to get the full view.

“No, you are looking sassy tonight, girlfriend.”

“Why, thank you. You look awesome as well, babe.”

Just then, there was a knock at my door. We were both decent so I opened it up. Damien was on the other side.

“Hey, what’s up, Syd?” His eyes took me in.

“We are getting ready to hit the strip.” I gave him a warm smile.

“I like the strip.” He looked hurt.

“You do? You never mention it.”

“Can I come with you guys? I’m not playing tonight, and I just got off work. I don’t have to work tomorrow since it is a Sunday and would love to party with you guys.” He was pleading, and he seemed a little hurt that I had left him out. I honestly didn’t mean to as I just figured he had other plans.

“Yeah, totally, we would love for you to come.” What was I supposed to say? He and Bee got along exceptionally well. She thought he was the hottest thing since sliced bread. She continually told me all week that I needed to start eating his brand of Cheerios, which clearly meant that she thought he and I should hook up. But I wasn’t about hooking up. I wanted more. I wanted to know that there was no one else and that he wouldn’t come home with some other woman. Over the last month, he hadn’t brought anyone home at all. He did stay out a handful of nights, but that was about it. He at least wasn’t bringing his harem into our apartment, which was much better. A little part of me hoped that was because of our growing relationship. My belly fluttered just thinking about it.

“I can drive tonight if you want. I will cut myself off on the booze early, or we can just leave my baby, and we can take a cab back to go get my car tomorrow.” He was being so sweet.

“I thought that we could just cab it. It is only about a ten-dollar ride, and that way, we don’t have to leave any of our cars behind. My treat. You can ride with us.”

“We can cab it, but I’m paying.” I knew me paying wouldn’t fly with him. He usually never let me pay for anything. He really was good to me.

“Okay, go get ready, and then we leave here in fifteen minutes. I’m getting ready to call the cab company now.” He gave me a smile and turned on his heel to walk across the hall to his bedroom.

Since I told him about the rape last month, he had been a real sweetheart. The day after our heart to heart, he had a deadbolt and security system installed in the apartment. He took extra measures to ensure I was safe. When he had a show, he would make me ride with him to and from the bar with the exception of a few times. Those were the nights he didn’t come home. We had gotten even closer than before. There were times where I thought for sure I felt more, but then there were days where he still drove me insane. Even with his sweet-ass charming ways. I wasn’t sure what I felt for him anymore. But it didn’t matter. We were roommates. We were really great friends. I needed him in my life and pursuing anything could really fuck all that up.

He didn’t make it easy either. He would place long lingering kisses on my head, take me into his strong arms for close hugs, and was super attentive.

It felt good. Really good. And it made me feel things and made my body react and my heart race. It wasn’t just once in a while, either. It was like Damien had a remote control to make my belly whoosh whenever he was close. Which was a whole lot.

I walked over to Bee as she was finishing up with getting her glitz on. “You about ready?”

“Yes. Did I overhear Damien inviting himself along with us tonight?” I knew she was going to grab on to that piece and not let me off the hook without discussing it.

“Um, yeah, he’s going to join us tonight. He’ll be taking a cab over to the strip with us. Is that okay?” I questioned her.

“Absolutely. I’m just going to say this once. He’s got it bad for you, girl. The way he looks at you when you’re not looking says it all.” Damn I wish she hadn’t noticed that, because I was about to experience the Bee inquisition.

“Oh, well, were just friends. You know that, Bee.” I hoped like hell that would ease her off the topic.

“Friends, my ass. The situation going on between the two of you is about to erupt and it is only a matter of time.”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I guess I wasn’t going to get out of the conversation easily.

“Friends. Now new subject.” I went to my closet and came back with two of my party purses. “Which one should I carry tonight?” I held up my little Coach black patent purse and my other Coach little C’s silver and black bag. They both were adorable I just couldn’t pick out which one suited my outfit the best.

“All right, well, I’m going to let it go for now. Go with the patent. I love that bag. I remember when we bought it together at the outlet.” She slipped into her shoes, and I went back into my closet to put away the purse I wasn’t going to use.

“You ready?” I gave us both one last look. We looked freaking awesome.

“Yep, let’s do this.”

We walked out of my bedroom and headed for the kitchen. I pulled out my phone and called the cab company.

Damien came swaggering down the hall and my mouth dropped open. He looked sexy as sin. He was wearing low-slung jeans that were faded on the thigh and a black button up collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He finished the look with a pair of black motorcycle boots.

He looked
lickable
.

I felt the saliva pool in my mouth and my stomach did a deep belly flop.

A very delicious flip.

His hair was done just like I liked it. All messy like he just ran his fingers through it and left it that way.

And my palms itched to reach out and run my own hands through it.

He walked up to me. “You like what you see?”

“You look freakin’ hot, Damien.” Did I just say that to him?

Oh. My. God.

“Touché, Sydney, touché.” He gave me a wink.

And my mouth dropped open on that note.

Bee leaned into me and whispered, “Quit drooling. We need to go wait for the cab.”

I came out of my haze at her words. “All right, are you two ready to get this show on the road?”

We were at New York, New York. I was tipsy from all of the free booze I had been drinking, but it didn’t stop me from hitting the spin on the machine I was playing.

Damien and Bee were at a blackjack table, and Shaina and I were sitting at the slots. I had sunk a hundred dollars into the machine, but I could feel it—it was going to hit.

“Girl, you are working that machine hard.”

“I know, Shaina.” The wheels spun, and then all of a sudden, I hit the jackpot. My machine started going crazy with a win. I looked up at the top of the machine to see what I had one and my eyes widened.

“Oh, my God.”

Shaina stopped playing and looked over at my machine. “Holy shit!”

“Holy shit is right. I just hit for fifteen thousand dollars!” I looked up and the light was going off on the machine.

An attendant walked over to us. He congratulated me, and then told me to hit cash out to retrieve my ticket. He said payment was made with the cashier.

“Okay, I read somewhere that sometimes you can hit twice on the same machine right in a row. I’m going to give it another spin again and see what happens.”

“Go for it, girl”

I hit the spin button and couldn’t believe my eyes. I had hit again for the same amount. “Holy fucking shit. I just won thirty-thousand dollars, Shaina. I have to go tell Bee and Damien. They aren’t going to believe me. This is so freakin’ cool!” I got up from my chair and headed for the tables with Shaina at my side, but not before stopping at the cashier’s stand to exchange my tickets.

Bounding up to the blackjack table, I had a ginormous smile on my face and the winnings in the form of a cashier’s check in my purse. There was no way anyone was going to mess with this girl tonight. I had just won a shit ton of money, and I had my friends surrounding me.

“Oh, hell. Why are you smiling like that, Sydney?” Damien asked as he gave me a panty dropping smile back.

Shaina nudged me. “Girl, you better tell them or I’m going to bust. This is too good to keep a secret.”

I threw my hands up in the air. “I won!”

Bee spun around in her bar stool. “Oh, I’ve seen that look before. This has got to be good. Spill.”

“Well.” I bit my lip. I didn’t want to announce it in front of all of these people. I wouldn’t want to risk someone robbing me. They did give me a cashier’s check but still. “Well, I won thirty-thousand dollars. I hit the jackpot—twice.” I squealed and raised myself up on my tip toes. I was elated.

“Shut the front door!” Bee shouted.

“She’s totally serious. I was sitting right next to her. She’s hot tonight.” Shaina chimed in.

Damien cashed out his chips, and then came over to me. He grabbed me around the waist, and then picked me up and spun me around. Our foreheads were touching and we were both smiling like fools looking at one another. “Sweets, that is fantastic. I’m so happy for you!” He gave me one last spin and then set me down. “Maybe we can get a three-bedroom place now or even rent a house or something. Even though we have a spacious place, I feel like we could use the extra room for storage and other goods. I know I could come up with the extra, and well, there is certainly no doubt in my mind that you can, too. This is fucking fantastic.”

“We totally should, Damien. I think we should get a house so that Zeus has a backyard.” Was I just agreeing to move to another place with him? The man I thought was a complete pig. But he wasn’t much of a pig anymore. He’d proven to be a good, loyal friend.

“Only if you two make it a four bedroom. I decided I’m moving here. I just need enough time to get my stuff in order, find a job, and then Las Vegas, here I come,” Bee said completely shocking the hell out of me.

“You’re kidding me, right?” She better not be kidding.

“Hell, no. Would I kid about something like this? I decided I can’t be away from my best friend any longer.” She gave me a warm hug.