As Luck Would Have It (5 page)

CHAPTER
six

That night, Sydney decided she’d wear the chiffon one- shoulder splash print dress with pointed hems to the club with Marcus. She paired it with her new strappy black pumps. She stuffed her ID and room key into a matching clutch.

After she showered and dressed Sydney tossed her hair up into a French twist and was ready to go. Because she had some time left before she had to be at the club she decided to check Facebook. She was astonished to see a message from her sister, Natalie.

S
yd, it’s been almost three days and I haven’t heard from you. Not even, “I’ve landed and I’m okay“. Nothing. I’ve been trying to reach you on your cell. Maybe you lost it. I’m hoping you’ll check Facebook and call me. The kids want to talk to you.  ♥Nat

Sydney scrambled for her cell. She hadn’t even checked it once since she left Delaware.
Damn it, I forgot my charger.
The phone was dead, and she hadn’t even noticed. She could have just used the hotel phone, but then there would be a whole lot of questions to answer. Questions Sydney wasn’t sure she had the answers to. It was easier to just message her back on Facebook.

A guilty feeling washed over her. She had never kept anything from her sister. Natalie was her best friend. Sydney felt like she was dishonoring their special bond as sisters. It wasn’t like she wouldn’t eventually tell her what happened while she was in Vegas. She just couldn’t tell her now.

Nat, I’m so sorry to make you worry. I forgot to pack my phone charger. The plane ride was interesting. Vegas is not what I expected. I changed hotels when I got here. I couldn’t stay at the Venetian. Tell the kids I love them, give them big hugs and kisses for me and I’ll see you when I get back into Philly. Luv U, Syd

Well, she hadn’t lied. She just hadn’t told the complete story. But she would. Nat would know something was up as soon as she saw her.

It took her a while to get to The Bank. When she got there, it was a mob scene. It seemed like thousands of people were waiting to get in. She’d never really done the club scene when she was younger. She’d always thought she wouldn’t be picked to go in and never bothered. She waited to the side of the line until Marcus arrived.

She scanned the crowd to make sure she had beaten him there. That’s when she saw a man in a stunning gray pinstriped, double-breasted suit. He had on a light gray shirt with a matching pinstriped vest and a satin purple tie. His gorgeous shoes were definitely from Italy. Then she noticed his eyes, piercing gray and looking right at her. Marcus Matthews,
holy shit
.

She couldn’t even speak when he approached her. He grabbed her hands and placed a kiss on her cheek. “You look hot in that dress. I was hoping you’d wear that one.”

“Hot isn’t even descriptive enough for you. You’re fucking on fire. Stifling!” She wished she’d packed an extra pair of panties at this point, because the ones she was wore were already soaked.

He leaned in for a passionate kiss, his tongue swiping at her tonsils. “You keep talking like that, I’m gonna have to find a fitting room and have my way with you.”

The smile on Sydney’s face as she remembered the fitting room in Frederick’s brought just as much joy to Marcus as the actual event had.

“Unless you called in another favor, I’m not sure we’re even getting into this place. You’d have no problem, though.  I’m sure I’m out of my league here.”

“You have more class in your little pinkie than any girl here.” He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a tube of lip gloss. “Somehow your bag got mixed up with mine, and I thought you might need one.” He opened the tube and began applying a coat of gloss to her lips. When he was done, he kissed her and rubbed his lips together. “Hotness, you won’t have a problem getting in anywhere looking like that.”

He guided Sydney through the crowd of people to the entrance and gave his name to the bouncer. The bouncer checked his sheet and opened the red velvet robe for them to enter. As she passed him, she heard him mumble, “Lucky bastard.” She couldn’t help but look back.

“Somebody else you’d rather be with?”  He asked in a snippy tone.

“Hell no! As far as he’s concerned, I’m here with the luckiest bastard,” she said as she squeezed his ass cheek and kissed his lips.

It seemed liked there were even more people inside than waiting outside. Sydney wasn’t sure she’d be able to take much of the crowd.

“You have that look again. Don’t worry. I did call in a favor, and we have a VIP booth reserved.”

She touched her hair in a weird way. ”Your hair looks amazing. What are you doing?” Marcus asked.

“I’m searching for the bug you somehow planted in my brain. There’s definitely something in my brain that’s communicating with something in your brain. Every time I think, you reply out loud. It’s more than freaky, and it’s really starting to scare me. I feel like I’m going crazy.”

“Babe, you’re not going crazy. We just have a connection that’s unexplainable. Accept it for what it’s worth. We’re in Vegas. Let’s call it luck and enjoy each other’s company.”

That comment solidified the idea that this was only a Vegas thing. She would only have Marcus for the next four days, and she was going to enjoy every minute of it.

They barely made it to the VIP booth reserved for them unscathed. Sydney trailed behind Marcus like a little kid. She couldn’t even keep track of the number of girls who asked Marcus to dance as they walked through the crowd. “With someone,” he replied each time while holding up Sydney’s hand to prove it.

“Whew, I thought we’d never make it here in one piece,” Sydney said as she slid into the booth.

“Babe, I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. I’ve got you covered.”
I’d like to fucking cover you with my body right now
.

The waitress wasn’t too far behind. Marcus ordered a bottle of champagne and a bottle of Silver Patron.

“That’s a lot of liquor for just the two of us. Are we expecting more people?”

Marcus moved closer to envelope her in his arms. “Syd, it’s just you and me. I don’t want to share you with anyone.”

“We’re gonna be absolutely wasted if we drink all that.” Sydney noticed Marcus’ smirk. “Is that what you had planned?”

“Not exactly, but now there won’t be any inhibitions to get in the way.”

Not knowing how to reply to that, Sydney turned to look at the dance floor. It was packed with people. She loved to dance. There was no way in hell she was going down there to dance, though. She felt like she was the oldest women in the club.

“If you wanna dance, we can dance right here.” Marcus spun her around and started swaying his hips to the beat of the music.

“If we go down there to dance, other men will try to cut in, and that won’t end well.” Marcus had the most serious look on his face.

“I’m not the one that got asked to dance more than a dozen times while making his way up here.”

“You saw that I told them I was with someone. Women are brassy that way. They‘ll get right in your face. Men will wait till you’re out there moving your junk before they approach you.”

The waitress came back with their bottles. Marcus poured them each a shot of Patron. “Here, I can see the inhibitions are rearing their ugly little faces already. How many times do I have to say it before you’ll believe it? You’re the sexiest woman I know, and I don’t care to know anyone else.” He kissed her and ran his tongue across her bottom lip.

“I actually like the sound of it when you say it, especially when it’s followed by a kiss like that. I’ll probably make you say it a thousand more times before I leave.”

That hit him like a ton of bricks.
Before she leaves?
He took a second shot of Patron. He couldn’t imagine being in Vegas without her. In fact, he couldn’t imagine ever being without her.

“Let’s not ruin the night talking about that. We’re here now, and I just want to hold you.”  He spun her back around to watch the dance floor again, standing very close behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist.

The smell radiating off her body was so enticing that he couldn’t help but nibble on her earlobes. “You smell so good, I just want to eat you.”

Sydney spun around so fast she almost gave herself whiplash. “Not here. Not now. There’s a ton of people around.” Her expression was panic stricken.

“Babe, I won’t do that right here in the open. I have class. I’d just wait till we got home.”

“Yeah, that was real classy at the mall today,” Sydney interrupted, cocking her head to one side and puckering her face.

He kissed her forehead, then the bridge of her nose, both cheeks, and finally her lips. Pouring two more shots and two glasses of champagne, they watched the dance floor like a scheduled show was about to start.

Every now and then, a song would come on that Sydney liked, and she would sway her body to the beat. One bottle of champagne and a half a bottle of Patron later, Marcus had to sit down. The alcohol wasn’t getting to him as much as the swaying of Sydney’s hips. Just watching her gave him a constant hard on.

However, the alcohol was playing a huge role in Sydney’s behavior. From the moment she sat on Marcus’ lap, she couldn’t keep her hands off him, starting at the top of his freshly shaven head and running the whole way down to his belt buckle.

“You’re treading thin ice, Syd,” Marcus warned, catching Sydney’s hand at his buckle. “Your little dance routines have had my dick stiff for a while.”

Sydney ignored the warning and continued seducing Marcus with her lips. She grabbed his head, brought it down to her level, and kissed the top. She trailed kisses over his forehead down to the tip of his nose. By the time she reached his lips, Marcus had his hands under her dress and on her thighs.

He walked his fingers right up to her sex. Her panties were soaked. “Hotness, wet much?”

“What do you expect? You’ve been poking my ass with your dick all night. Fuck the underwear. I’m not wearing them anymore. This happens every time I’m around you,” she rambled, slurring her words.

He pulled her panties to the side and slid two fingers into her wet heat. She gasped, clearly shocked that he was following through on his warning. He withdrew and then thrust his fingers back into her pussy, savoring the feeling of her getting wetter.

Her lips completely covered his, their tongues tangling. She dug her nails into the back of his neck, trying to get her tongue deeper into his mouth.

He felt her pussy getting tight, and then she threw her head back and let out a moan that was sure to rock the club. He could feel the contractions of her muscles as she came. It seemed like an eternity until she opened her eyes and rejoined the human race.

“Syd, we need to go. Now. I need to get you naked so I can fuck you all night long.”

Sydney grabbed her clutch from the table and allowed Marcus to lead her toward the entrance. When they left the VIP booth, a group of men were leaning against the wall. Marcus heard one of them call out, “That was hot.” He turned to get a better look at the speaker but Sydney pushed his shoulder to keep moving.

The moment the elevator doors closed, Marcus began undressing himself. Sydney was still reveling in her recent orgasm. By the time they reached the door to Marcus’ suite, all that was left to remove were his pants. He closed the door behind them, threw his clothes on the floor, and grabbed the hem of Sydney’s dress to pull it over her head. Sydney slid off her panties while Marcus removed his pants.

They stood naked, just staring at each other, and then Sydney threw her arms around his neck, hoisting herself up and wrapping her legs around his waist. “I believe you promised me a fucking.”

Shaking his head in disbelief, Marcus bolted for the bedroom. When they reached the bed, Sydney didn’t even let go of him. She just leaned back and dragged Marcus with her. For a split second, she felt the ball of his barbell brush against her clit, and then pushed into her.

They fucked for hours. Marcus on top, then Sydney on top. Marcus standing and Sydney on the edge of the bed. Sydney face down and Marcus ramming her doggy style. Sydney’s legs were stretched in so many directions that she felt like a rubber band.

Afterward, they sprawled on their backs in exhaustion next to each other.

“I never go back on my promises,” Marcus commented without even opening his eyes.

“I’ll never doubt you again.” She could barely keep her eyes open.

Marcus turned on his side and propped his head on his hand. “Sydney, stay the night with me.” He brushed her hair away from her face. She was already fast asleep. He gently kissed her swollen lips, reached for the sheets, and covered them.

CHAPTER
seven

Even though Marcus felt covered by hot flesh, he was totally content. He couldn’t remember the last time his sleep had been so restful.

Sydney had her head in the crook of his neck, her arm draped across his chest and her leg bent over his leg. She must have been very comfortable because every time she exhaled, she let out a little sigh.

Marcus was mesmerized. He couldn’t bear to move her. He brushed her hair off her face so he could look at her. He ran his knuckles over her cheek and traced her lips with his finger. He placed the softest kiss on her lips. She didn’t even stir. She didn’t seem real to him.

He lay there for a little while longer just holding her. It was so peaceful that he fell back asleep again. He didn’t have any client meetings today, so he had the choice to spend the whole day in bed.

Sydney awoke with a jolt. She didn’t know if she was having a dream or not. Even awake, she wondered if she was still dreaming. She was in bed with the Adonis. Rolling to her belly, Sydney crossed her arms on his chest, rested her chin on her hands, and just watched him as he slept. 

It wasn’t long before those gray eyes were staring back at her through long, thick lashes.

“Morning.” Her greeting sounded more like a question than a statement. She had no idea what time of day it was.

“Yes. And good morning to you,” Marcus replied with a kiss to her nose. “Did you sleep well?”

“I feel completely rejuvenated. A shower would be great. I feel sticky all over.”

“You’re welcome to clean up in my shower.”

Sydney swept her gaze over his room. “Damn, this is nice. You’re not part of the Mob or a drug dealer or any kinda shit like that, are you?” She blurted, uncertain if she really wanted to hear the answer.

“Seriously? What would make you think any of those things? And no. To all of them.” Now Marcus was waiting for an explanation.

“I don’t know. You went and spent all that money at the mall yesterday. Then there was the VIP Booth at the nightclub last night, plus the liquor. Did we drink both bottles? Don’t answer that,” she said quickly placing her hand over his mouth. “I already know the answer or I wouldn’t be here right now. “

He kissed her hand and held it on his chest. “I bought what we needed at the stores. The VIP Booth was a favor. The liquor I had to buy because it was part of the deal. We didn’t drink both bottles, just one and a half. And you’re here because I asked you to stay.” He stopped to catch his breath. “I work with computer programming and development. I started my own company when I graduated college and have done very well for myself.” He looked to see if she was satisfied with his answers. Not sure, he added, “Oh, a lot of my clients own car dealerships and clubs here in Vegas. That’s how we got the car and the booth.”

Satisfied with his explanation, she leaned over him, “Okay. I just wanted to make sure no crazy shit followed me home.” She tried to kiss him, but he pushed her back.

“Syd, I’m getting the feeling that you think this thing between us is just a Vegas fling.” Marcus sat up in the bed. He wanted to make sure she knew how serious he was about this.

“Well, isn’t it?” She had the saddest look on her face.

“My heart’s telling me no, but now my brain is questioning it.” He bent his head back and took a deep breath. Looking her straight in the eyes, he asked, “Do you really think it was just a coincidence that we were on the same plane? Of all the hotels you switch to, it’s the hotel where I’m staying? And that freaky thing you say is going on between your brain and my mouth. Doesn’t that say something about what’s going on here?”

Sydney sat up so that she could see eye to eye with him. “Marcus, first of all, I didn’t mean to make you upset. I just don’t think you understand who I really am. I’m a forty two year old widow, who was married to the same person for almost twenty years and has four children. I‘m not kidding when I say I have a lot of baggage. I came to Las Vegas to try and get my life together so that I can continue to live the life God has dealt me. I’m just fucked up.” She couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. Her immediate instinct was to cover her face with her hands.

Marcus removed her hands from her face and began to kiss every tear drop that ran down her cheeks. “Sydney, I know all that already. You explained it to me the first night we had dinner together. If I didn’t make it perfectly clear to you that night, let me make it even clearer for you now. I have never felt as complete as I do when I’m with you. When I’m not with you, I feel like a part of me is missing. I know it sounds corny. I’ve felt this way since you left the plane and panicked because I didn’t know who you were or where you were staying. When I ran into you in the lobby, I was actually heading out to find you. I was going to start at one end of the strip and work my way through the hotels, but then, there you were. I’m not a religious person, but when I hear you speak of God, I know we’re meant to be together.”

“Philippe has only been gone six months.  I don’t know if there are guidelines to follow as to when or if you can move on. I will always love him, but we definitely have a connection. I’d have to be stupid not to realize that. Right now, I just don’t know how to justify my behaviors.”

“Why do you need to? Just follow your heart and see where it leads you.”

She attempted to be just as serious as Marcus. “My heart is losing a horrendous battle with my crotch.”

That was his breaking point. “Woman, as much as I’d love to stay in bed and discuss your crotch, we have a reservation at Rehab, and I’m not sure how long they’ll hold our spot.”

“I know I’m fucked up, but rehab?” she sounded disgusted.

“Babe, it’s a pool club. You never heard of it? It’s at the Hard Rock Hotel. I reserved a cabana.”

“No. Guess I’ll need my bathing suit.”

Marcus’ eyes grew real wide, and that silly grin appeared on his face. ”Hey why don’t I go and get all the stuff from your suite and just stay with me for the rest of the week?”

Oh My God, he’s asking me to move in with him.

Marcus saw the surprise on Sydney‘s face. “Sydney, it’s not a big deal. Even if you don’t want to share the bed, I’ll sleep on the pull-out in the living room.”

“Actually, I hate sleeping by myself. I’d love to share the bed with you.”

Marcus was halfway out of the room before Sydney even finished her sentence.
Fuck! She’s gonna move in with me! Get it together, Marcus, it’s a hotel room.

Sydney called from the bed, “And babe, you might want to put some clothes on. You’ll need my room key. It‘s in my clutch.” A few seconds later, she heard the door close.

Sydney wrapped the sheet around herself and ventured into the bathroom. “Holy crap, this fucking bathroom is amazing.” There was a soaking tub that could fit four people comfortably, a shower with two heads and a ledge to sit, and a separate room for the toilet.

She only intended to take a shower, but the tub was too tempting. She turned on the faucet and added some bath gel to it before sliding into the warm water.

Marcus returned a short time later with all the shopping bags and Sydney’s Vera bag. The moment he stepped into the bedroom, he smelled fresh rain coming from the bathroom. He walked to the bathroom door and found Sydney covered up to her neck in bubbles, head back and eyes closed in his tub. His eyes shot to the ceiling.
“Thank you.”

Turning her head slightly, opening only one eye to look at him before closing it again, she said, “Hope you don’t mind I decided to take a bath instead of a shower. My legs are really sore.”

Marcus dropped his sweatpants and stepped into the tub. “Hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to join you.” Sitting across from Sydney, he began to massage her foot. “You seemed real flexible last night.”

Keeping her eyes closed and enjoying the massage, she replied, “I was on the gymnastic team all through middle school. When I got to high school, I was asked to join the pep squad. I actually cheered through college because I missed gymnastics, and the school didn’t have a team.”

Marcus worked his hands up her leg. “What college did you go to?”

“University of Cincinnati. They had the best Interior Design and Architectural program. That’s where I met my husband.” Startled, Sydney opened her eyes. “It doesn’t feel right to be naked in a tub with you while talking about my late husband.”

Marcus’ hand reached the top of her thigh, “I can get out and we can continue our conversation, or-” He was cut off when Sydney leaped onto his lap.

“Or how ‘bout we just stop talking?” she suggested, placing a wet kiss on his lips. Straddling Marcus, Sydney rubbed her hardened nipples against his chest and gyrated against his erection. Marcus grabbed her hips and lifted her onto his dick, “If you’re gonna grind me like that, you might as well get as much pleasure out of it as possible. Plus, I love being in that hot wetness.”

Hands pressed to his chest, Sydney bucked wildly over him. Water sloshed all over. Marcus rubbed Sydney’s clit with his thumb. She threw her head back and moaned, “Hmm, yeah Marcus, I’m almost there.”

“Hold on babe, I’m about to,” Marcus replied, still rubbing her. They climaxed at the same time, Marcus’ head tilted back and Sydney’s forehead pressed against his chest.

“Oh, fuck.” He tried to hold Sydney’s hips still. “Stop moving, or I’ll never stop coming.” She stopped immediately, even as she felt his dick pulsating inside of her. She’d never experienced such intense love making before. To her, this had to be love.

“We’d better get out before I look like a prune in my swimsuit.” She stood up, dripping wet.

Marcus was in a daze. He stared up at her naked body.  “I could stay here just like this forever. The view is absolutely breathtaking.”

Sydney leaned down and smacked his shoulder, “Come on, you’re the one who said we can’t stay cooped up all day. Now that we’ve established an arrangement, I wanna see Vegas.”