Chapter Seven

"James, when are you going to tell me where we're going?"

Carlos sat with his arms crossed, leaning back against the white leather seat. He aimed a frown at James, who sat beside him, leering at the taller man with a half-annoyed, half-amused gaze. James turned his head, locking eyes with the man beside him, and reached for the wine glass that balanced on the table attached to the door on his other side.

The two men sat in a limousine, the windows so dark that recognizing anything on the other side of the glass was an impossible task. The cabin was lined with white leather seats, and string lights hung from the roof of the vehicle. A flat-screen television hung from roof overhead, playing a series of up-beat music videos where the sound blasted from speakers that were embedded in the sides of the cabin. The string lights gave just enough light to be able to see the other end of the cabin, but dark enough so that it still held an aura of mystery.

James smirked to himself, holding the glass up to his lips as he took a sip, ignoring Carlos' question. He crossed his legs and leaned back against the seat, placing a hand on Carlos' knee before giving him a playful look. Carlos rolled his eyes and squinted as he gazed through the window, trying to make sense of the blacked-out scene around them. Here and there, a glow of light from the outside would flash by, but was gone too quickly to distinguish what it was. James knew that even though Carlos pretended to be annoyed, he was excited for the adventure before them.

"Come on, James!" Carlos threw his hands down, "You've got to give me something!"

"You want me to give you something?" James asked, leaning forward until he was barely an inch away from Carlos' face, "I'll give you something."

Carlos snorted and pushed him away, "Not that kind of something! I mean some kind of information about where the hell we're going."

"You're going to have to wait and see." James replied, pulling away and taking the wine glass in his hand once more. The pinkish-red liquid swirled in the glass as the driver of the limousine turned a corner, and he handed the class to the man beside him. Carlos narrowed his eyes but took the glass, taking a long sip of it. James turned to a keypad on the door beside him, pressing a button near the top and hearing a faint ringing noise.

Through the radio in the keypad, he heard the deep voice of the driver speak. "Yes, sir?"

"Hey, I was wondering how long before we get to our destination."

"About two minutes, sir."

"Perfect." James pressed the button once more, and the radio feedback cut out as he hung up the call. He heard the soft clink of the wine glass as Carlos set it back on the table, and turned back to the man with a smile. "We're almost there."

"Finally." Carlos replied, looking excited once more. James reached for the remote on the seat between them and switched off the television, causing the music to cut out abruptly through the speakers. Leaning across the seat, James kissed Carlos briefly, earning a glare from the shorter man. James knew that Carlos was growing impatient, but he also knew that the surprise would be worth it.

Soon, the limousine came to a halt, and James heard the slam of a car door as the driver exited the vehicle. Now that the music had stopped, the sounds from outside were much clearer, and James could barely suppress a smile as he heard the sounds of excited chatter and many people outside. The door beside Carlos was pulled open, flooding the cabin with light. Blinking against the glare, James took Carlos' hand and lead him out of the limousine and onto the pavement outside.

The light, as they realized, came from the bright lights of neon signs. Night had fallen, and the sky was streaked with the last violet rays of the sun. Glancing at the man beside him, James watched as Carlos realized where they were.

They stood outside the Rosemary Casino and Resort - the very casino where they had first met. It towered over them, and through the glass doors of the entrance, James could see the rows of slot machines and gambling tables strewn across the massive floor. The sidewalk outside was flooded with people, and as they glanced around, they found themselves on the Vegas strip.

Neon lights shone from every inch of the buildings surrounding them, and the extravagant theatrics around them made James' heart beat a little faster. He hadn't been lying when he said he loved Vegas. It was one of his favorite cities - next to Dubai and Tokyo.

"Why are we here?" Carlos' question jolted James from his thoughts, and the brunette turned towards his companion with a wide smile.

"You'll see." James responded. He took Carlos' hand again, and lead him into the lobby. As the glass doors swung shut behind them, he gazed across the rows of gambling games and slot machines, until he located a sign that pointed him in the right direction. Dragging Carlos across the lobby, dodging the crowds of people, he ignored the short man's questions as he lead Carlos to their destination.

Finally, they came to a break in the wall, where a massive archway led into a smaller hall, though crowds of people still milled about. Instead of the red carpet like the lobby before them, a clean, pale marble stretched out below their feet. This hall looked much fancier than the gambling room, with marble statues lining the walls and velvet curtains hanging from the twenty-foot high windows.

"I didn't know this was here." Carlos breathed, gazing around in awe.

James didn't respond and instead lead him to a set of tall, dark brown doors. A man in a tuxedo stood beside the velvet ropes that cut off the people from the doors, and gazes expectantly at the two men as they padded up to him. James let go of Carlos' hand for a moment to dig into his jacket pocket, earning a confused glance from the Latino. Finally, his fingers enclosed around two strips of paper, and he pulled them from his pocket to gaze at them.

They were two tickets to a Cirque Du Soleil show. Carlos stared at the tickets with wide eyes as James handed them over to the man in the tuxedo, who investigated the tickets before tearing off the perforated edges. "Your seats are in the third row balcony, to the right of the amphitheater. R301." The man advised before unlooping the velvet rope, and pushing the door behind him open to let the two men through.

James led Carlos through the doors, and they found themselves in a dimly lit corridor. On the walls, posters of many, many shows glared at them, and Carlos gazed at them in silent awe as they padded to the end of the corridor.

"You look as though you've never been to a Vegas show before." James muttered, catching Carlos' eye. The shorter man blushed slightly, clearing his throat before responding.

"I've always been too busy to attend one." Carlos explained, "And my dad wasn't exactly a fan of theatre."

"Pity." James replied, "You've missed out."

At the end of the corridor, another man in a tuxedo smiled at them before pushing open a door similar to the one they'd entered through. As they passed through the threshold, they found themselves in a massive amphitheater. The walls were lined with massive, velvet curtains that rippled slightly. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling overhead, and the marble floor turned into dark carpet, that dimpled slightly under their feet. Rows and rows of seats lead down to the stage, where the curtains were still drawn. People milled about, finding their seats and talking to friends amongst the audience.

To their right, a staircase led to the balconies above. This time, Carlos took the lead, and James followed him up the steps. They climbed three flights of the steep stairs before they reached the third floor balcony, where a large number "3" was plastered to the wall. The balcony was empty, and James smiled with satisfaction.

"I bought out the entire balcony. I wanted us to have some alone time." James explained as he and Carlos climbed into the front row seats.

"You didn't have to do that." Carlos replied, looking baffled. "I'm happy as long as I'm with you."

James smiled and wrapped his arm around Carlos' waist, pulling him closer. He felt a strange flutter in his heart, but pushed it away quickly. It was only natural that he would react that way, being so close to someone else. There was no way he was beginning to develop feelings for Carlos Garcia.

"I wanted to," James replied. "You know, Carlos, I really like you."

Carlos turned to look at him, brown eyes meeting with hazel. He smiled up at James, the corners of his eyes wrinkling as his smile stretched across his cheeks. "I really like you too, James."

"I know we've only been together for three months, but…" James broke off, breaking his eye contact with Carlos and glancing down at the floor, "I feel like we've known each other forever."

To his surprise, Carlos nodded, placing a hand on James' knee. "I feel the same way, James."

Carlos leaned forward and pressed his lips against James', his eyes fluttering shut. The taller man smiled into the kiss, his cheeks rosy when Carlos pulled away. He opened his mouth to reply, but was silenced when the lights around them dimmed and music began to play from the speakers on the sides of the theatre. He pressed his forehead against Carlos' before turning to look at the stage, feeling Carlos' gaze burning into him.

"That was incredible!"

James chuckled as Carlos bounced in his seat, his eyes lighting up with the chandeliers that brightened as the show came to a close. "I can't believe you've never been to a Cirque Du Soleil show before." He muttered.

"It was amazing!" Carlos exclaimed, gripping James' arm as if to convey his excitement, "I never knew that people could do flips like that! It was so beautiful and amazing! Oh, I wish we could watch it again!"

"Slow down," James laughed, wrenching his arm from Carlos' grasp, "Maybe we can see another one before we leave."

"That would be great, James!" Carlos said, smiling with a toothy grin.

Below them, the auditorium was emptying out, and only a few people remained in their seats - mostly talking to their friends about how great the show was. James stood up, reaching for Carlos' hand and pulling the shorter man up from his chair. He led Carlos to the stairs, feeling the man behind him stop abruptly when they reached the top of the stairs.

"James." He whispered.

James turned around, squeaking with surprise when Carlos pushed him against the wall. The velvet curtain behind him rippled, billowing around the two like a canopy. Carlos put his hands on James' shoulders, smiling up at him with pure happiness in his eyes. He stood up on his toes and kissed James again, his eyes fluttering shut at the contact.

James reached up and placed one hand on Carlos' cheek, his eyes shutting as well. He had enough experience with people in the past to deliver the perfect kiss, and from the smile he felt on Carlos' lips, he knew he was doing a good job. He placed his other hand on Carlos' waist and they remained that way for a few moments before Carlos finally pulled away, blinking at James with wide eyes.

"James." He whispered again, their noses almost touching.

"Yeah?" James asked, surprised to find himself out of breath.

"I think I love you." His words caused James' heart to flutter, and he found a smile stretching across his face. He'd done it. He'd gotten Carlos to fall in love with him. This was the moment he'd been waiting for for the past three months, and he finally had the man wrapped around his finger like an engagement ring.

"I love you too." James replied, and Carlos laughed, his smile reaching his eyes this time. James took his hand and led him down the stairs towards the bottom floor.

"Come on, I have something to show you."

"James!"

The brunette paused in the archway that lead from the auditorium to the main lobby, hearing his name called from the bar nearby. Standing behind the shiny counter, Max was waving at him with a dish rag swung over his shoulder. Crossing the lobby towards his friend, James stopped at the counter, giving Max a look that hopefully told him not to mention the bet.

Carlos came to the bar beside him, and smiled at the bartender. "Hello!"

"Carlos, this is Max." James introduced him, and the two men shook hands, "He's been a friend of mine for a few years."

"If you're a friend of James, you must be cool." Carlos replied, and Max cocked an eyebrow in James' direction.

"Yeah, man." Max responded, "Me and James have been through lot's together."

James sent a silent prayer of thanks that Max hadn't given away his secret, though he didn't miss the mischievous glint in his friend's eye.

"You guys want anything to drink?" Max asked, gesturing to the rows of bottles behind him.

"Two shots of jack." James responded, and a moment later he and Carlos held small glasses in their hands. They both downed the drink, and James watched with an amused look as Carlos' hand wobbled when he set the drink down. It seemed the wine from earlier and the jack was beginning to take it's toll on him.

"Lightweight?" He asked, and Carlos shoved him playfully before turning away from the bar.

"Now, what was it you wanted to show me?"

"This way." James led Carlos across the lobby, passing the slot machines on the way. He was tempted to sit down and pull the lever - he was feeling lucky tonight - but he wanted to put his plan in action. Carlos had already told him that he loved him, so he knew that this was the perfect moment for the next stage of his con.

They passed by several tables, where people crowded around, yelling at each other as they lost loads of money. James had never really fallen into the pit of gambling - he knew when it was time to stop. Usually his own intuition made the decision for him, if he wanted to place bets or not, and usually it was right. Within moments, he saw the table that he was looking for, and veered in the direction of it. He heard Carlos grunt at the unexpected turn, and the thump of his feet as he caught up to James.

He stopped at the side of the table, turning to face Carlos, who was giving him a confused look. "Do you remember this table?" He asked, slipping his arm around Carlos' waist and pulling him closer.

The shorter man narrowed his eyes at the table, and after a few moments his eyes widened and lit up as he remembered. "This is where we met!"

"Exactly." James replied, "You had never gambled before."

"Don't make fun of me!" Carlos protested, catching the tease in James' voice. "Just as well, you were lucky to win twice."

"Don't you remember my speech about luck?" James asked, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.

"Oh, sure." Carlos crossed his arms, "I'd like to see you win again."

"Okay." James turned to the table, scanning the bids already placed. Only five other people stood around the table, and their bets were rather weak. A couple beside him and Carlos were debating over whether to place their bet on 18 or 17, while an elderly man on their other side placed his entire pile of chips on the board. Two other women stood on the end of the table, one with frizzy, red hair and the other wearing a headscarf tied tightly around her head. They were both smoking, and only placed a few chips for each round.

Turning to the boxman, James handed him a few hundreds, receiving a pile of chips and franks. He felt Carlos tense beside him as he surveyed the table, trying to decide where to place his bets. He knew that an odd number would be more likely to win, and as he watched the red-haired woman toss the dice, he noticed that one was weighted. With a grunt, he watched as the couple scoffed in disgust as they lost, and watched as the man running the table retrieved all of the tokens, passing them to the winner.

As they placed their bets once more, James reached for his chips, grabbing about $150 worth, and placed it on a square in the corner of the table. Carlos' breath hitched, and James nudged him reassuringly. Even if he lost, $150 wasn't too much. However…

Reaching into the pocket of his jacket, he felt around in the fabric for the one thing he wanted to bet with. Something cold touched his fingertips, and he knew he found it. Gripping the small object, he pulled it from his jacket, careful not to snag it on the fabric. Holding it before him, he gazed proudly at the object, and placed it on the square beside his chips.

It was a ring. The band was a thin silver, and a crystal diamond was brandished into the tip, set between a cage of shiny, silver brackets. It glistened in the light from the chandelier above, and it clinged slightly as it slipped from his fingers and onto the green felt of the table.

"W-what is that?" Carlos asked.

"I'll tell you if I win." James replied.

The people around the table placed their bets as well, betting higher now that they were gaining confidence. James watched as the couple placed a bet of over $500, while the two women bet a sum of about $2000. The elderly man was still counting his chips, but placed a few hundred worth on the table as well. James felt a twinge of anxiety, but pushed it away. He knew he was going to win.

Gripping the dice, he felt the white cubes in his hand carefully. Between his index finger and his thumb, he held the weighted die, noticing it was weighted in one corner. Holding them up to his lips, he kissed the dice gently and took a deep breath before tossing them onto the table. They clinked against the far edge of the table, and came rolling back before him. With a surge of satisfaction, he realized they were the same as the square he'd bet on.

The people around the table groaned as they had lost, and the boxman passed the tokens toward James, who gazed at the piles with a satisfied smirk. He knew better than to bet again, though the temptation was strong. Grabbing his tokens, he stacked them on the edge of the table before finally retrieving the ring.

He held it between his fingers, turning to face Carlos, who was watching in bewilderment. He took a deep breath, reaching for Carlos' hand, which was shaking slightly. He placed the ring in Carlos' palm before locking his eyes with the shorter man's.

"Will you marry me, Carlos Garcia?" James asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Carlos looked stunned, staring at the ring in his palm. It glistened in the light, and the diamond seemed to glow. He stared at the ring for a few moments before looking back up at James, who was watching him expectantly.

"Y-yes." Carlos stuttered, "I mean, of course! Of course, I'll marry you."

James smiled, taking the ring again and holding Carlos' hand gently in his own. He turned Carlos' hand over, his thumb snaking across the dark skin. Gently, he slid the ring onto Carlos' fourth finger, watching as it fit perfectly.

Carlos reached up with both hands, cupping James' face as he pulled the man close. James' held back, pulling away from Carlos' grasp. The shorter man looked hurt for a moment, before James gripped him by the wrist and led him to a stairwell that stood only a few tables away from them, embedded in the wall. He led Carlos up the stairs to the second floor, where a mezzanine overlooked the entire lobby below. Now alone, James leaned forward and kissed Carlos, gripping both of his cheeks in his hands. Carlos placed his hands over James', and he felt the cold band of the engagement ring against his skin.

"Come on." James said, pulling away from Carlos after a few moments, surprised by the depths of emotion in those brown eyes.

Padding down the corridor, James led him to an elevator, which opened as soon as he pressed the button on the side. Together, they climbed into the elevator and James pressed his lips against Carlos' again, holding his fiance close as the doors closed behind them.

As the doors closed, the curtains beside the mezzanine shook, and a man stepped from his hiding place. It was Fredrickson, holding a camera in his hands with a smirk on his face. He looked down at the screen of the camera, flipping through the many photos he had taken of James and Carlos.

Click. There was one of them on the balcony, talking about the show. Click. There was one of them on the stairwell. Click. There they were at the bar with Max. Click. At the Craps table. Click. The ring. Click. James proposing. Click. Kissing on the mezzanine. Click. Them getting on the elevator alone.

He couldn't wait to show these to Kendall and Logan when he got back to LA.

SO sorry that it took me so long to update this story! I've been so busy with school, and it's been taking up all of my time! As I explained in my most recent chapter of My Name is Katie Knight, I finally have a break to write! My term ended on Thursday and I have a break until Monday, so I'm trying to update with a few chapters in this time~

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed Chapter Six! Thank you to wickedbad, lalalalalalala123, theguestreviewer, and the guest for reviewing the last chapter! They really keep me motivated to keep writing. I hope you guys liked this chapter! I liked how romantic it was between James and Carlos, and the possible feelings James might be developing for Carlos?

I'd like to see your opinions on where the story is going to go from here! Please let me know how you feel about the development, and any ideas you have for future chapters!

Much love, Carnie