Amy couldn't recall the last time she was this excited. She and Ty were going to be leaving on a trip in a few days. Ty was attending a conference and she was doing a clinic all in Las Vegas. This would be their first real trip together since their honeymoon. She had taken Ty to work that morning so she could run some errands and shop for a new dress. She would need a fancy dress for the big event happening on Saturday night, the last day of the conference.
Ty was at the clinic in between patients when his phone rang. He looked down to see it was Amy and answered.
"Hey, been thinking about you," he said with a smile.
"Oh yeah?" she asked.
"Just looking forward to spending some time with you at the conference. We haven't been anywhere since our honeymoon, and it's about time we went on a trip, just the two of us, don't you think?"
"Absolutely, I agree. That's kind of why I'm calling. I need your opinion on something," she said.
"Oh, what about?" he asked.
"I found two dresses for that thing on Saturday. I want to know which one you like the best. If you have time, I can send you pictures."
"Good timing! I'm between patients right now."
Amy sent him the photos and waited for his reply. Her phone started ringing right away.
"You made up your mind that fast?" she asked.
"No. I can't tell anything with them hanging on a hanger. I need to see you in them."
She smiled. "Really?"
"Yes, really. I want to see you in them, please."
"Okay, give me a few minutes to put them on and have the clerk take the pictures."
She hung up and headed to the dressing room. She put the red dress on first. It was tea length with thin straps, some crystals sewn around the empire bodice, and a loose, flowy skirt. The clerk snapped a couple shots with Amy's phone, and Amy sent them to Ty.
Then she took that one off and put on a long, black strapless gown with a fitted bodice that had a small crystal embellishment at her waist. The dress showed off all her curves and her blonde hair. The clerk came in and took the pictures and told her the dress was stunning on her. She thanked her and sent the photos off to Ty. She was just finishing dressing when her phone rang again.
"So what do you think? The red or the black one?" she asked Ty.
"The black one, definitely," he told her.
Amy smiled; she knew he would pick that one, but she wanted to give him the opportunity. He told her he had to go, and said "I love you" before hanging up. On the way to the counter, she stopped to look at the jewelry display. There were some beautiful pieces that would go with her dress, but one set stood out. It was several small diamonds in the shape of a heart with matching earrings. The clerk pulled it out so she could look at it. It was so beautiful, and she fell in love with it. But it was pricey, and she didn't think she should spend the money after buying the dress, so she chose a sparkly barrette for her hair instead.
She picked Ty up after his shift, and they decided to eat at Maggie's before going home. They found a table toward the back away from the crowd and sat down. They both ordered the special, Maggie's famous vegetarian chili, and hot tea. It didn't take long before they were enjoying their food. They were quiet as they ate, not really saying much. They decided to share a hot fudge sundae before heading home.
When they arrived at the ranch, Ty told her he needed to talk with Jack a minute and headed for the ranch house. She nodded and proceeded to take her purchases up to the loft. It wasn't long before Ty was coming up the stairs. He walked over and sat down, putting his arm around her. She leaned into his body, resting her head on his shoulder and enjoying the closeness. They filled each other in on the events of their day and sat quietly for a while before they were both yawning and decided they should go to bed.
The next few days went by uneventfully, and the day finally arrived to leave on their trip. They had browed a large suitcase from Lou, so they had room to pack Ty's suit and her new dress. She made sure they had everything they needed, from bathing suits to evening wear. Ty was giving her a hard time about packing way too much clothing. She told him, "A girl needs options," and he just shook his head, struggling to close the suitcase.
Lou and the girls were taking them to the airport to catch their flight to Las Vegas. It was a beautiful sunny day, so they didn't expect any delays with their flight. When they arrived at the airport, Ty unloaded their suitcases from the back. Lou gave them both hugs and told them to have a good time. She would plan on picking them up in a few days.
As they walked up to the ticket counter, Ty had this panicked look on his face and started searching his pockets. Amy stood there smiling; she knew what he was looking for. She reached into her carry on and pulled out their passports. Ty sighed, kissing her on the cheek.
"Thank you. You are a lifesaver."
They were seated in first class as the sponsors of the clinic were paying for her ticket, so they only had to purchases Ty's. The flight attendant came around, asking if she could get them a drink. Ty had a beer, and Amy asked for some juice. When she brought back their drinks she also had a basket full of snacks for them. When they landed, they headed for baggage claim to retrieve their checked luggage. Amy noticed a gentleman in a black suit holding a card with "Fleming" on it. She walked up to him, asking if he were looking for Amy Fleming. He smiled and tipped his hat. "Yes, ma'am."
He took their bags and led the way out to a shiny black limo, opening the door for them and then loading their bags in the trunk. They headed to the hotel where the clinic was being held. Ty was really enjoying all the frills and made the comment that he could get used to it. Amy just smiled as the memories of her tour in Europe crossed her mind. They arrived at the hotel and were greeted by Stacey, a young woman who was the PR person for the promoter. She introduced herself to Amy, and then Amy introduced Ty. Stacey escorted them to the elevator and used a card key to access a secure floor and then took them to one of the executive suites. She explained they had access to all the privileges the hotel offered, so they should feel free to indulge. They even had their own private hot tub off the balcony.
The suite was gorgeous, with marble floors and a setting area with a fully stocked bar. The bathroom had a huge walk-in shower and a large Jacuzzi tub. There was a king-sized bed in the bedroom with a flat-screen TV on the wall and doors leading out to a balcony with a beautiful view of the strip. Amy could hardly wait to see what the view looked like at night. The bell hop took their bags into the bedroom and came out, handing the room key to Ty. Stacey thanked him and sent him on his way. She asked Amy to meet her in the lobby around 3 so she could give her a tour of the arena and introduce her to the promoter. Amy thanked her and said she would see her at 3.
As the door shut, Ty turned to his wife with a questioning look. "Were you expecting all of this when you agreed to do the clinic?"
She shook her head. Ty noticed a worried look on her face. He walked over to her. "Hey, what's wrong?"
She shook her head and said, "Just curious as to who this promoter might be. I only know the company name, not his real name." Amy had learned from her tour with the prince that everything comes with a price. She was wondering where all this luxury was leading but decided to put those thoughts aside for now so as not to spoil the mood.
Ty had to register for his conference, so they unpacked their good clothes and then decided to head off to the hotel where the conference was being held. It was a nice hotel, but nothing like the one they were staying at. Ty signed in and got all his credentials and session schedules and information about the special event on Saturday evening. They were hungry by then, so they decided to grab a bite to eat at one of the restaurants in the conference hotel.
They returned to the room so Amy could change into her boots to tour the arena. She had traveled in jeans and a nice top, so she really didn't need to change her clothes. Ty decided to go along with her, so they walked to the elevator and went down to the lobby.
They greeted Stacey, who explained she would be showing them around the arena and then taking them to meet with the promoter. Amy smiled and said, "Okay, let's do it." The arena was big and really nice. It was the perfect setup for what Amy had planned for the clinic. She was planning to do a join up and then work with a few horses that were being brought in by their owners for behavioral problems.
Ty was quiet and stood off to the side, watching as Stacey and Amy walked the area. His thoughts wandered to an earlier time when Amy was a much younger version of herself and became known as the "Miracle Girl." She had changed and matured a lot over the years. The tour had been hard on both of them, but it forced Amy to grow and changed her from a shy young girl to the confident woman she was today. She could stand her own with both normal horse owners and the elite rich and famous. She'd gained the respect of her peers, and he was very proud of her for what she had accomplished. He was brought back to the present by a voice from the past.
"Been a while, Miracle Girl."
The hair on the back of Ty's neck stood up as he watched Chase Powers, dressed in his signature cowboy hat, flashy shirt, and fancy jeans and boots, stride across the arena. What the hell was Chase Powers doing here? He didn't think Chase had seen him standing over in the corner, so he remained quiet and out of sight to see where this reunion was headed.
Amy was professional; she didn't let her emotions show. She reached out to shake his hand and greet him. "Chase, nice to see you. It definitely has been a while."
Chase took her extended hand and pulled her into him, moving in to place a kiss on her lips. Amy let him get close enough so that her blow would make a major impact. Ty was about to move when he watched Amy double up her fist and hit Chase square in the gut, causing him to double over. Stacey gasped, trying to think of something to say.
"Ahh, Amy Fleming, this is Chase Powers, the promoter of the clinic."
Ty walked over to stand beside his wife, a smirk on his face. Amy said, "Chase, you remember my husband, Dr. Ty Borden!" Ty nodded, but didn't extend his hand.
Chase was still doubled over when Garret walked out into the arena.
"Amy, good to see you and Ty. I see you and Chase have reconnected." He smiled.
Amy shook Garret's hand and told him it was nice to see him too. She asked him what he was doing there. He told her that he was actually the promoter of the clinic, not Chase, and apologized for the confusion. He took them over to a small room off the one end of the arena so that they could sit and talk. He explained that he and Chase were business partners and had been promoting clinics in the states. He assured her she would be dealing with him, not Chase, while she was there in Vegas. Amy nodded and said she was looking forward to working with him again. She also told him she would not hesitate to walk if Chase became a problem.
Garrett smiled and said, "You've made a name for yourself in this industry, Amy. Not to mention a great reputation for Heartland and the work you do with troubled and abused horses." He went on to tell her he'd been keeping track of her career through the internet and newspaper articles. He was extremely impressed with her ability to read a horse and know what to do to help it. That's why he'd ask her to come to Vegas to do the clinic.
"It means a lot to hear you say that. I've worked hard to build Heartland's reputation, and if this work helps to further my reputation, then that's a bonus. I love what I do, and now that Ty is a vet, we're working together to treat both the physical and emotional problems of horses," Amy told him.
They spoke for a while longer and then said their goodbyes and left. Walking back to the hotel, Ty wrapped his arm around Amy's waist, drawing her into his side. He bent down and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I am so proud of you, Amy. Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
"Not lately. But you can make it up to me tonight." Her eyes twinkled as she stared into his.
They went to their room and dressed for dinner, planning on eating at one of the nice restaurants in the hotel. They enjoyed a great meal with a bottle of complimentary wine from Garret. Amy didn't normally drink, but felt it was only polite to have a glass because it was a gift. She thought it was actually pretty good and ended up having more than she should. By the time they headed back to the room, she was pretty tipsy. Ty had to steady her while they rode the elevator up to their floor. She stumbled getting off the elevator, and he picked up his very tipsy and affectionate wife and carried her down the hall to their room. He had only seen Amy drunk once before, when Jeremy spiked her punch, but he had to admit she was so cute when drunk.
Ty walked out on the balcony and looked at the lights illuminating the Vegas strip. Thinking it would be a good night for a soak in the hot tub, he went back in the room to ask Amy, but she was nowhere to be seen.
"Amy, where are you?" he called out.
The door from the bathroom swung open, and out pranced his wife wearing nothing but her birthday suit. Ty's eyes grew wide as his wife slowly made her way over to him, flaunting her naked body in front of him. It didn't take Ty's body long to react.
"God, Amy, you are so beautiful." He wrapped his arms around her petite body, leaning in to kiss her. He wasn't sure he should take it any further, not wanting to take advantage of her state of mind. Then he felt her hands on the zipper of his pants. That was a very clear indication she knew exactly what she was doing. He started unbuttoning his shirt when her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him down on the bed, planting a needy kiss on his lips that sent his mind and body reeling.
Hours later, Ty was exhausted from all the sex. He wasn't sure what was going on with Amy, but he wasn't complaining. He loved it when she took control, but he figured it was partly due to the wine. It was late and time to get some sleep as they both had a long day tomorrow. He grabbed his boxers and headed to the bathroom.
He came out a few minutes later to find Amy sound asleep. Ty stood watching her for a few minutes, her chest rising and falling with each breath, until he saw her shiver. He crawled into bed next to her, gently pulling her into him, covering her naked body with the blanket. He kissed her lips softly, whispering. "I love you." He laid his head on the pillow, letting her fill his dreams.
