Vegas Knights (22 page)

"Who?" He was baffled.

"Liz. She's Liz. What an idiot!"

"Who's Liz?"

"Rick's ex-wife, Liz," she babbled. "Elizabeth. Liz is Beth. Beth is Rick's ex-wife. E-
Liz
-a-
Beth
Knight. You were right. She was playing me. She never set up a show, never called in a favor. She didn't care about me, she only cared about getting me out of town and out of Rick's life. God, how did I not see it?!"

Understanding dawned on Brute's face. "Shit, sweetie, how could you? It sounds like she was quite the actress. But why would she do that if they were at the end of the divorce?"

Kelly shook her head, unable to fathom the viciousness of Beth's —
Liz's
— actions. "I have no idea. Rick did say something about how she was forcing all the delays just to piss him off."

Brutus nodded. "And what would piss him off more than luring his new lady love away? Brilliant."

Kelly shot him a dark look.
 

"I'm sorry, but the woman is an evil genius," he insisted. "Listen, you don't deserve any of this pain but I can't stay in here much longer or my boss is going to have an aneurism."

He handed her a bottle of mouthwash. "Here. I brought this in just in case you were praying to the porcelain god. Clean yourself up, splash some cold water on your face, and come back to the land of the living, m'kay?"
 

His devilish grin gave her hope that the world wasn't a bottomless pit of suckage. He opened the door just enough to slip out, but before closing it, he poked his head back in. "Oh, and you have a delivery."

Kelly assessed her reflection. There was no hiding that she'd been bawling her eyes out, but who was she trying to impress out there anyway? She'd never see any of these people again in her life — at least she hoped not. She'd collect the money Greta sent and go directly to the bus station, do not pass go.
 

Depending on how much there was, maybe she could even afford the train. That would be nice. Long rides on the bus were highly overrated.

As for Beth/Liz, Kelly would just have to accept the fact that she'd been duped. The reason didn't matter as much as the outcome: tearing Rick and her apart. Liz was the winner and Kelly was the loser she'd always assumed she'd be from the moment she met her hot biker.
 

It was time to face the world. She was face-down in the sink splashing cold water on her eyes to minimize the puffiness when the door opened. "I'll just be a minute," she burbled through the water. Whoever it was closed the door quickly, obviously not meaning to interrupt.
 

She didn't want to hold up anyone who needed to use the restroom, so she reached out blindly for the paper towel dispenser but couldn't find it.
 

"You need some help with that?"
 

Kelly froze. Her heart leapt into her throat and her entire body flushed at the sound of his deep voice. Heedless of the water stinging her eyes, she turned to gape at him, water dripping off her chin. "Wha..."

She'd meant to ask him what he was doing there, how he'd gotten there, how he found her. But he was leaning against the door, arms crossed in the sexiest manner, and she lost the ability to form words. She launched herself into his arms and their lips met in a desperate, crushing kiss.
 

Rick's hands burrowed into her hair, grasping her as if she might try to run. It was hardly necessary, since there was nowhere on earth she'd rather be than in his arms. Salt from the tears streaming down her cheeks flavored their kiss, until Rick broke free.

"Kelly, I'm sorry," he murmured in her ear. "You have to know I never meant...I never thought it would...I'm sorry." He buried his face in her neck, his nuzzling sending currents of need through her.
 

Her arms were clenched around his neck so tightly she worried she might be cutting off his circulation, but she was unable to loosen her hold. She never wanted to let go of him again.

They stood swaying, breathing each others' scent, in the tiny bathroom. Kelly's body would occasionally contract in a half-sob, half-laugh as she tried to process everything.
 

Rick finally pulled back, his gaze raking every inch of her face. "Are you okay? I searched for you everywhere in the Lower East Side. Checked all the hospitals, called as many hotels as I could find, walked the streets half the night until the Soto Gallery opened so I could find out if you'd been there. I've been out of my mind."

He held her face in his hands like a priceless treasure, drinking her in, brushing back stray hairs. She grinned as he peppered her damp skin with kisses, just as he'd done in her dream. "How did you find me?"

"Greta. I went down there yesterday afternoon to see if she knew where you'd gone. She only knew what I did, that you had some mysterious show here set up by this Beth person."
 

A storm swirled in his sea-green eyes. "Kelly, I need to tell you something about Beth."

"I know," she said, silencing him. "That's why I'm in here. I figured out who she was just a few minutes ago and had a bit of an anxiety attack." Shame filled her at the tears welling in her eyes, so she ducked her head to his shoulder. "I feel like a fool," she whispered into his chest.

He crushed her to him. "Don't! Don't ever say that. You are not a fool for trusting someone. Liz is the fool. Her life is empty and shallow and meaningless."

"I don't understand why she did it. What was the point?"

Rick cleared his throat. "The penthouse. She wanted the penthouse."

"She what?"

"I guess when I rolled back into town, she found out I'd brought you along. She set up the photographer at the restaurant and fed the item to the paper. I think she hoped it would embarrass you enough to leave.
 

"When that didn't work, she decided she'd better get to know her opponent, so she arranged to meet you in that bar. When you told her you'd flirted with the bartender..."

Kelly's hand flew to her mouth to cover her gasp, her eyes full of guilt and apology. Rick smiled. "Don't worry about it, beautiful. I don't intend to ever put you in the position that you
want
to flirt with anyone ever again — except me, of course."

He kissed the tip of her nose and continued. "So when she found that out, she paid him —
Brandon
— to volunteer as a model at the studio and try to seduce you.

"That didn't work either, which must have really pissed her off because both ploys would have worked on her. Above all else, Liz values image. After that, it's attention, usually from men."

The light went on for Kelly. "Oh! And that's when she gave me the plane ticket for New York and the bullshit story about the show."

"You got it."

But a piece of the puzzle was missing. "I don't get it. How did she know who I was or where to find me? And she had that ticket before I ever told her I'd brushed off Brandon."

Rick's expression grew grim. "Syndee."

Everything fell into place with that one word, though Kelly could scarcely believe it. Syndee had never pretended to be her friend, but she did give her some good advice, and even encouraged her to choose Rick. At her questioning look, Rick explained.

"Greta got it out of her when I went to the gallery. Seems she was a little jealous of the attention Greta gave you. Plus she was broke. She fed Liz info on you for cash."

"But how did she even know who Liz was or that she'd buy what Syndee was selling?"

Rick smirked. "They used to be, um,
colleagues
."

"Colleagues? Syndee's an artist. I really can't see Liz painting in overalls... Oh!"

Rick nodded at Kelly's sudden understanding. "She was a stripper with Syndee, right?"

"Yup."

Kelly burst out laughing, not because Liz had been a stripper, but because Liz did everything in her power to make people believe she was better than that. At least Syndee owned it. Kelly respected her for that, and for trying to warn her.

"God, this is all so crazy. I still don't think I understand why Beth...
Liz
went to all the trouble. Just for the penthouse?"

"I don't think it was
just
that. I think she was using all those delay tactics to buy time to get you out of town because she could see I really care about you. I think the thing she wants most is for everyone to be as unhappy as she is.”

"So after I left, she just caved?"

Rick's laugh was bitter. "Not hardly, but I offered her the one thing I knew she couldn't resist: the penthouse. That did it."

"You gave her the penthouse? Wow, that must have hurt."

He squeezed her. "Not really. It was a small price to pay to finally be rid of her. Besides you hated it, so why would I want to keep it?"

"I didn't
hate
it. I just didn't really feel comfortable there."

"Exactly. We can stay at the cabin till we figure out where we want our homebase. Or if you want to make a go of it as an artist in New York, we'll find a place here."

Kelly blinked and looked up into his face. "
Our
homebase? As in, live together?"

Rick tucked Kelly's hair behind her ear, lifting her chin on the downward sweep of his finger. His eyes devoured her. "If you'll have me. Kelly Saunders, you're the most beautiful, amazing, talented person I've ever met. I love you, and I don't intend on ever losing you again."

His lips descended on hers, drawing her into the vortex of his love. Time ceased to exist, pain vanished, doubt evaporated; there was only love. It enveloped them, wrapped around them like a swirling fog, consuming them.
 

Kelly was conscious of nothing and everything. Tongues darted and mingled and probed, but she couldn't have identified their owners. Hands caressed and clutched and pinched, but each touch was transmitted to both bodies. Scorching heat spread between them, but it was
their
heat.

Even when Rick ran his hands down her plump ass and lifted her onto the edge of the sink, she was just an extension of him. Only when a strong, calloused hand ripped her drenched panties aside did Kelly return to herself. She wanted to feel every inch of him as he filled her.

With her lips locked onto his and her legs wrapped around his firm ass, Kelly felt the slick bulb of his cock against her quivering entrance, pressing in. She arched her aching breasts against his solid chest, sighing his name. "Oh, Rick..."

At his name, he lost control and thrust deeply into her, claiming her as his. Groans escaped them both as he pounded into her and she clenched her inner walls around him.
 

As their tongues danced and their bodies merged, their eyes drank each other in. Never wavering, barely blinking, they held their gaze as their cries grew louder and they crested the peak of their love together, tumbling over the precipice and falling into the warm embrace of oblivion.

Awash in the glow of rapture, they held one another, panting. Kelly's heart was nearly bursting with joy at fully realizing the depths of Rick's feelings for her.
 

Her grin was hidden in the crook of his neck but her body shook with a silent laugh. Once started, it was impossible to stop, just like their lovemaking had been. In a flash, she was giggling uncontrollably, not bothering to hide her giddiness.

"What's so funny?" Rick asked, pulling back slightly without letting her escape his hold.

Kelly could only shake her head, she was laughing too hard. Tears — this time tears of joy — streamed down her face as she tried to get control of herself. A few deep breaths calmed her enough to speak.

Grinning like a fool, she said, "There goes another pair of panties!"
 

Rick's head flew back in laughter. "God, you're amazing," he finally managed.

Kelly drowned in his eyes, in the love she saw there. "I can't believe you're here."
 

Rick's gaze flicked down to her lips and back to her eyes. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be." He dipped his head to give her a slow, gentle kiss that made her inner walls clench around his semi-turgid shaft.

"Mmm..." he moaned as he pulled free from her. "Much as I'd like a repeat performance, I think we've monopolized this room long enough."

Kelly rested her sweat-slickened forehead against his shoulder and nodded. He helped ease her to her feet, then knelt down to help her step out of her ruined panties.
 

"I'd better buy stock in Victoria's Secret if you keep seducing me like this," he smirked.

"I prefer shopping at Hips and Curves, if it's all the same to you."
 

He gazed up at her, eyes twinkling. "As you wish."

Hand in hand, they emerged from the bathroom with all eyes in the cafe trained on them. Slow clapping started in one corner of the cafe and quickly spread. Wolf whistles and hoots added to the applause, causing Kelly to blush furiously and Rick to wrap his arm around her with obvious pride.
 

Brutus walked up wearing gaudy yellow rubber gloves and holding a can of Lysol. "Suppose I'll need to go disinfect now, eh?" he shouted over the ruckus.

Kelly hugged her friend. "Thank you so much for rescuing me, Brute."

"Darling, there isn't another person on the planet I'd rather rescue."

They kissed their goodbyes.

"
Fous pas tout en l'air
," Brutus said to Rick, eying him warily.

Rick shook his head soberly. "
Je n'en ai pas l'intention
." He grabbed her friend's hand and pumped hard.

Applause followed them out the door. "What did you just say to each other?" Kelly asked above the thundering racket.

"He warned me not to fuck this up. I told him I didn't intend to."

Warmth for her friend's concern for her made Kelly whirl back around. "Brutus!"

He raised a hand.

"I'll send for you!"

He smiled sadly, gave her a nod and moved into the bathroom.

The door closed on the cafe and Kelly turned to Rick. She could barely believe what she was seeing. He was leaning against an ice blue Peterson-Knight road bike, similar to the one they'd ridden cross-country on but as shiny as if it had just rolled off the showroom floor.