A/N: My PPSS girls are boss & made sure this was perfect-o before approving it for public consumption.
I didn't do any review replies from the last chapter because I had family in town. I figured you'd want an update more than some lame response from me anyway. Love you mucho for sharing your thoughts with me, though =D
EPOV
"All right, love birds," Emmett says as he pushes his way into my room. Our room – mine and Bella's – I suppose, since all her stuff is here now and she hasn't left since we returned from the restaurant. "Time to get ready."
I notice that Emmett is dressed in nice slacks and a neat blue button up shirt. Bella is rifling through her bag and pulling things out.
"Oh! Casino?"
"Damn, boy. Did you drink away your entire brain last night?" he taunts.
I look at Bella and shake my head. "Not entirely."
He recaps the plan for me: the guys are going to gamble and the girls are going to some show for the night. Tomorrow we head to the airport, and then it's back to school for everyone.
Bella and I have talked, but not enough. Not about the stuff we really need to, like how to handle everything. I likely won't see her for the rest of the night, and the same goes for the morning, and I feel a little sick to my stomach at that thought. Still, it's Vegas, and if I mope for the rest of the weekend, well, that would be a complete waste.
"Half hour!" Emmett calls as he walks out our door, and I head to the closet where my garment bag is hanging.
"You want me to iron those for you?" I hear from behind me. I look over my shoulder, and Bella is pulling an ironing board from out of the wall. I had no idea there even was one in this room, but I can see one of the ornate mirrors on a hinge that had hidden it. "I have to press my dress. I can do your stuff if you want."
"Umm, sure. That would be great."
She gives me a small smile and gets to work as though it's no big deal. It isn't, though, is it? It's just a small gesture. Not something that should send a tingle through me.
For the next twenty minutes, I try not to stare as Bella gets ready. She's surprisingly relaxed, especially compared to earlier, and I find myself wishing I could get a piece of that calmness she mysteriously possesses.
Her routine seems effortless. I've now seen Bella without any make-up or special girly hair styling, and though those things certainly enhance her features, I think I prefer her the natural way. The dress she's wearing is a bold red, yet the design is sort of conservative. Not that I know much about dresses, but her tits and ass aren't hanging out . . . yet I still can't keep myself from looking.
"Are you ready?" she asks from near the door.
"Yeah, sure. Did you get a key?"
She glances into her purse and nods.
"Have your wallet?"
I pat my pocket and tell her I do.
She smiles sweetly, and my chest tightens. I don't think I want to be away from her tonight, and I'm not sure what to do with that feeling.
"You're getting kind of creepy over there."
"I am?"
"Yes," she says, with a hint of laughter in her voice. "I'm beginning to think you have a staring problem."
I grin and shrug, and though I'm not really sure why, her cheeks turn pink and she looks down. I have a weird urge to call her Mrs. Masen, just to see what it feels like, but I hold my tongue.
We leave the room, walking side by side down the hall until we find Emmett and Rosalie's door. Bella looks at me, biting her lip as we wait, but the moment is gone as soon as Rosalie appears, clad in rich purple and about a billion sparkles.
We're separated by a group of giggling, giddy girls, so Emmett and I head out with the one other guy who came on the trip. We each have our preferred game in mind, and the night is young, especially in Vegas.
Our outing is a lot of fun, even without much cash to toy with, but I find myself thinking of Bella a lot. I try to distract myself by staring at other pretty girls, who seem to come in droves around here, but they do little for me. My mind drifts to our conversation earlier when she filled me in on what she knew of our night. I hate that I can't remember so much. I've calmed down considerably from being freaked the fuck out when I woke up, but there's still a feeling of general discomfort that lingers. I don't know how to act around her. She seems to have loosened up and to even be flirting a bit, but what does she expect me to do? Just pick up where we left off last night? My body would love that, but my head is too jumbled for that to be a good idea.
When everyone loses all their gambling money, we decide to head back and meet the girls at the bar in the hotel. It's crowded but not like a club, and I see the girls. Jessica has her hand on Bella's shoulder, and they're both laughing. Bella's head is tipped back, and the taut skin on her neck reminds me of seeing her in the shower earlier. I instantly want to be close to her, to hear her voice, to smell her. That reaction scares me a little.
We hang around a bit longer, and I find myself feeling similar to how I did last night, when I was still "there." No matter who I'm talking to, my eyes always drift back in her direction. When she moves, I move with her.
It's too intense, too precarious, too much.
I excuse myself after finishing my drink, claiming I'm still working out all the liquor from Friday night. I can feel Bella's eyes follow me, and a quick glance back confirms my suspicion.
Alone in the room, I shower and fall into bed. I feel restless but fall asleep anyway. I'm not sure what time it is when Bella climbs under the covers with me. She doesn't say anything but moves close. I roll over to face her, and we look at each other in the mostly-dark. Neither of us speaks; our eyes just lock for a minute or two, and then I seek sleep again. Just before I drift off, her hand curls around the inside of my elbow, resting there gently.
