I look down at the purple sundress I’m wearing. It’s low cut with spaghetti straps and stops about midthigh. I’ve paired it with my cowboy boots. Sara and Laramie are going to be wearing the same thing. When we learned Sara was coming on the trip, we wanted her to feel included, so we reached out, and the three of us went shopping. It was Laramie’s idea that we dress alike, and Sara and I readily agreed. She chose these, and we tried to argue that she should be the only one wearing white. She then told us that these were the exact outfits she wanted us to wear to the wedding when we both stood up with her. There were lots of tears, and of course, we bought the dresses.
“You don’t get to decide that,” I counter.
“McKenna,” he says. His voice is a low growl. “You can’t wear that. How in the fuck am I supposed to let you walk around Vegas looking like a wet dream?” He runs his fingers through his long hair.
I can’t explain what his words make me feel. I’m all gushy inside and speaking of wet…. I shake out of that train of thought and focus on the fact that although he looks pained, his eyes haven’t stopped taking me in. Almost as if he’s trying to catalog the exact image in his memory for a later date.
“I’m sorry to break it to you, buddy, but your sister picked this outfit. All three of us are wearing the exact same thing, so you’re just going to have to deal.” Not only that, but he doesn't have a say so, regardless of what he thinks. He’s not mine. I’m not his. Even if I want to be.
He stands from the couch and doesn’t hide the fact that he grabs his crotch and adjusts before stalking toward me. “And this,” he says, gliding his fingers over the hair of my side ponytail. “How am I supposed to resist you like this?” He leans in and presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth. He blows out a heavy breath, closing his eyes. “Are you ready to go?” he asks.
“Yes. Do you need to change or anything?”
“You think I should?” he asks.
I take in his black fitted T-shirt, worn jeans, and cowboy boots. “No.” I shake my head. “You look fine.” I step away from him, needing a little space. I grab my small crossbody, making sure I have my ID, cash, room key, and cell phone.
He grins wickedly. “Come on, let’s get this night over with.” With his hand on the small of my back, he leads me to the door. We don’t speak as we make our way down the hall to Laramie and Colby’s room. We reach their door, and I raise my hand to knock, but I’m frozen when his lips find their way next to my ear.
“You look beautiful, McKenna. I didn’t get the chance to say it, but you take my breath away,” he says softly. My hand drops to my side, and he chuckles, reaching around me to knock on the door. His hands land on my hips as we wait.
A few seconds later, Colby answers the door. He sees me and shakes his head. “Not you too,” he groans.
“Right?” Rip asks, guiding us into the suite.
“I’m so excited!” Laramie exclaims when she sees me.
“It’s not a good idea.” I hear from behind us.
Turning to look, all I see is Rip’s chest, so I lean to the side to look around him. Corbin and Sara are standing in the doorway, and he’s not looking thrilled.
“What the bride wants, the bride gets.” Sara shrugs.
“Change of plans,” Colby announces. “We’re all going out. One big party,” he informs us.
“Good,” Rip agrees.
“Perfect,” Corbin says.
“No. No, we’re not. This is not how it’s supposed to work. The girls are going out, and you guys are going out, and we’re going to meet up here in the hotel lobby at eleven.” Laramie kisses Colby quickly before grabbing her purse. She looks inside, and I know she’s going through the same mental checklist that I went through. “Ladies?” she says, heading toward the door.
I pull away from Rip or try to; his grip on my hips is tight. “Keep me posted,” he says, his lips next to my ear, causing a shiver to race down my spine.
“Promise.” I smile up at him, trying to reassure him. It’s nice to know that he cares. That all three of them care.
He leans in close and kisses me. Just a soft peck on the lips, but it’s the first time he’s done this in front of our friends, other than the bonfire at our own fake wedding. Well, our second fake wedding. “Be safe. You call me if you need me.”
“Okay.” It’s lame as far as replies go, but that’s all that I’ve got. He releases me, and I follow Laramie and Sara out of the suite. I assume they had their own goodbyes and were too busy to see mine.
“What was that?” Laramie asks.
“That was hot,” Sara replies.
“It was a peck on the lips.” I downplay their comments.
“It might have just been a peck, but he looked like he wanted to eat you alive.” This from Sara, with Laramie nodding her agreement.
I wanted him too. “Nah, just nervous about us going out on our own.”
“I know my brother. He wants you,” Laramie says, adamant that she’s correct.
I wish she was. “Enough about Rip. This is your bachelorette party. Let’s do this.” Luckily all conversation about Rip and me halts, and we make our way to the hotel bar to get this night started.
Chapter 15
Rip
The guys and I followed the ladies down to the hotel bar. We stayed back, so they didn’t think we were spying on them. I’ve heard stories of Sin City, and the thought of something happening to any of them has me on edge. When they left the hotel to explore the strip, it took every ounce of willpower I could muster not to trail along behind them. Since then, I’ve checked my phone what feels like a million times waiting for a text from McKenna.
The three of us decided to stay here. We thought it made more sense to let the ladies know where we would be if they needed us. The bar at our hotel made the most sense. Besides, this is the place where we’re meeting up with them to finish the night out as a group.
“It’s been twenty minutes,” I say, taking a drink of my lukewarm beer. It’s only my second of the night. I’m taking it slow until the girls are with us again. The last thing I need is to be sloppy drunk, and McKenna or my sister to call and need me. Not on my watch. Not until they’re with me.
“They’re still at the casino down the street,” Colby says, staring at his phone.
“That”—I point to his phone—“is genius.”
“Yeah, and it was Lara’s idea. She read an article that this app saved a guy working on a ranch a few towns over. He wasn’t answering, and his wife was worried, so she pulled up the app and located him. She was able to go to his exact location and call for help. He’d fallen and broken his leg or something. I don’t really remember the details, but Laramie was insistent that we get the app.”
“We’re getting that,” I mutter to myself.
“We’re?” Corbin asks.
“Kenna.”
“What’s up with that?” Colby asks. “Are the two of you together?”
“We will be.”
“What does that mean?” Corbin laughs.