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Stephanie
“Ihave never seen so many camera flashes.” I gasp as Bobby pulls me through the massive lobby of the Bellagio in Las Vegas a week after I arrived in LA. Between press conferences, meetings with music executives, and recording a new album, his schedule makes me dizzy, but it’s given me some time to figure out some things about my own career. Like how quickly I can transfer to my law firm’s satellite office in Santa Monica. I want him to know I’m in this, and that I’m willing to uproot my life for him, no matter where it takes us. For the first time, I’m willing to risk it all for him. For our future. “And you’re running so fast, I don’t even know how the photographers can even tell it’s you!”
He snickers and keeps pulling me along. He’s got a good six inches on me, and even in my heels, I’m huffing and puffing to catch up. “If you’re trying to rush me up to the room, I’ll be too exhausted to have sex with you after this marathon.”
“While I would like nothing more than to do just that, we have to take care of one thing first.”
“What exactly would that be? Maybe get some water since I’ve done more cardio in the past ten minutes than I have in the past ten months, and I can’t breathe?”
“No, gorgeous. Although I do see a drink of something in our future.”
“Great.” I roll my eyes and try to control my panting as we approach the famous staircase. I know it well even though I’ve never actually been to the Bellagio. But I have seen Ocean’s Eleven about a thousand times. “Oh, God. Stairs, now?”
He stops and grins down at me. “Babe, this is it. I promise. Once we get up these stairs, I’ll carry you back to the room.”
I tap my finger against my cheek. “Well, that does sound tempting.”
He holds out his hand and I lace my fingers with his, taking another gulp of air. “Why did you make me wear these shoes if you knew you’d be running me all over the place? Do you like to see me suffer?”
“No, but something tells me I’d be the one suffering if I had let you wear the flip flops.” He winks at me, and I shrug. There is probably a deeper meaning to his words, but all of that running basically sucked all of the oxygen from my brain. We get to the top of the stairs and follow a long, dimly lit hallway that snakes around a corner. The movies don’t do this place justice. Deep red jacquard threaded with gold covers the walls, while polished brass sconces give off a soft glow. The aura is pure romance. At least up here it is. Downstairs, the casino is a mess of bells, whistles, and blinking lights. The antithesis of romance. It’s more along the lines of broken dreams.
“It’s so beautiful here.” I gaze into the ornate crystal chandelier hanging over our heads. “Do you want to go to the art museum?”
He smirks at me. “Haven’t you seen it enough in the movie?”
“It’s always nice to see stuff in person.” I giggle. “Besides, what else do we have time for? You have that press conference before the show tonight. Don’t you need to start getting ready soon?”
He furrows his brow. “You mean I don’t look good like this?”
I inch closer and trail a finger down the front of his dark gray button-down shirt. “You look too good. I don’t want you sending any mixed messages to the girls who haven’t heard you’re off the market.”
“You’re right. I might have to make an announcement, just to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
I nod, standing on my tiptoes to nuzzle his ear. “I think that’s a great idea. And after the show, we can take a shower together, and you can fuck me like I’m the last girl on earth and you only have one more day with that perfect cock,” I whisper. “What do you think of that plan?”
His grip around my waist tightens. “I like it. And I can only think of one thing that can top it.”
I pull back, my mouth open wide. “How could it possibly get any better than that?”
Bobby looks at me for a long minute, wearing an expression I can’t quite read. But his eyes…they’re twinkling like emeralds, like he’s got a secret—
“Do you know why I came out here, Steph?”
I nod slowly. “To win Song Slam?”
Bobby shakes his head. “That was only part of it. Winning the competition was important because I had to prove myself – to show you that I can provide everything you need, everything that’s important to you and your future.”
“But I don’t care about—"
He shakes his head. “I know that security is important to you. I know it’s why you work fourteen hours a day, why you’re always looking to advance at your job. I get it. It’s how you grew up, it’s what you experienced. And I also know that I messed up your groove because I showed you a different way to live, one that doesn’t come with any guarantees of success even if you work hard.”
“Yes, you did.” I look at the burgundy carpet. “I know I made you feel like I didn’t believe in you before, but that life is so empty without you in it. Bobby…” I raise my gaze to meet his. “The last two months have been hell for me. Yeah, I’ve been successful at work, but I’ve had nobody to share it with because you left. The money and the status? I’d give it all up in a second because you’re more important than any of it.” I rush into his arms, burying my head in his neck, breathing in the spicy scent. “I’m so sorry I made you feel like you had to leave to prove something to me,” I whisper.
“That’s only part of it.” He strokes the back of my head, dropping a kiss on top before pulling back to look at me once again. “I needed to be sure that your feelings were real, Steph. Leaving killed me, but I had to know if you were really ready to take the next step into the unknown. That’s why I didn’t answer your calls and texts. You needed time to figure out what you really wanted, and I didn’t want to interfere, no matter how much you begged me to. I wanted you to figure out your feelings, and you coming out here shows me you did. I came out to LA because I had to prove myself to you…that I can build a future for us. And now I can.”
I gasp as he falls to one knee and holds out a tiny red velvet box. My hands fly up to my mouth. He flips the top open and a gold band with…oh my God…is that…? It is. A small sparkly donut shines up at me. Flecks of color reflect off the top like glittering sprinkles. It’s perfect. For me and for us. My eyes flit from the ring to his hopeful expression.
“I know it’s not the diamond you deserve, but I promise you here and now that the world will be yours.” He grins. “I just need a little time, but I will deliver on that. My quest, from this day forward, is to make you happier than you have ever been. Stephanie, will you let me do that? Will you be my wife?”
