Hey, Readers here is the next chapter! Thank you to everyone who continues to read this story and to everyone who commented on the last chapter. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Happy Reading!
Chapter 33 Waking Up In Vegas
Tris POV
Fingertips gently rub against my cheek, a gentle male voice rouses me from sleep, as breath fans over my ear, sending a chill down my spine, even under my pink blanket. "We're here, sleepyhead, wake up." My eyes slide open. Bright blinking lights blind me as I ask, sleepily, "Where are we?"
"Vegas, baby!" Tobias grins at me, doing his best Elvis impression.
I giggle as I reply, "Don't quit your day job."
"Don't plan on it." He smirks.
Tobias and I left Travis behind that morning driving the Raptor after the moving company packed everything yesterday leaving the house completely empty. Yesterday after the movers left and Tobias went to work for a short time, I took a trip to a hairdresser to add a red ombre to my already black hair, needing to add some color to my life, not being able to stand the completely black hair anymore. When I returned home, Tobias was back already, his jaw practically hit the floor when he rounded the corner, he pulled me to his chest, and whispered, "You look like a fallen angel, and I'm not sure which look I love more, but this one definitely makes you look more of a badass." My cheeks heated as his words fell onto my ears as Tobias handed me a few pieces of paper stapled together from his pocket, his official orders, as he smiled.
Tobias was given almost a week after his current command released him to report to his new command in Maryland, once his orders were made official. The thought of spending almost a week with Tobias uninterrupted sends butterflies flying throughout my stomach once again. Tobias was insistent that we drive cross-country, and that we wouldn't need the whole week to do it. I, on the other hand, was beyond excited to drive cross-country with him, to see the different parts that we would be driving through.
"We're in Vegas?" I ask, excitedly, having never been to Vegas before. Tobias never mentioned any pit stops we were making, he was keeping all of our stops secret.
"Yes, Tris, we are."
"Are you nuts, Tobias?" I ask, groggily, as he shrugs his shoulder, "Nope, but I'm crazy about you." He smiles at me, turning the music off as he pulls up in front of a hotel called the Bellagio. My eyes glance at the still water as I ask, eyeing him, "Is this the hotel with the dancing water fountains. The ones that are synced to music and lights?"
"Perhaps." He shrugs his shoulders once again as he pulls one bag from the truck. He says, "We are staying here for two nights, Miss Prior. You once told me you wanted to see different sights in the United States, well first stop is Vegas, next stop, the rest of the world. I plan to show you some of the world on this trip." My mind floats back to a conversation Tobias and I had on the phone when I was in New York, he asked me what I wanted to see most, and I told him the world. Then he asked what specifically in the world, I mentioned Vegas and the Grand Canyon right away.
"You listened when I talked about Vegas?" I whisper as he pulls me against him, as he whispers, "I always listen when you talk, Tris." He murmurs against my lips. His lips are soft and full. He kisses me in front of the hotel, and I feel like I am in a movie. As we pull away from each other, music begins to play, and the fountains begin to come to life, jumping to beat of the music.
"Oh, my!" I whisper, breathlessly from the sight of the fountains. Tobias and I stand against the railing, mesmerized, watching the fountains dance. When the show ends, he says, "Come with me baby, let's go check into our room."
"Will you let me pay for the room?" I ask, handing Tobias my credit card. He shakes his head, no. I push the card into his hand as I say, "You can get the next place and all the meals in Vegas. I want to pay for the room, please."
"Are you sure?" He asks, unsure.
"Yes" I whisper as Tobias checks us into our room, I look around the massive lobby, taking in the sights and sounds of the Vegas strip in awe. Tobias appears behind me, he reaches for my hand, our suitcase in his other hand. He glances at me as he asks, "You ready? I have our room key."
Stepping out of the elevator, this place looks expensive. I can't afford this. Sliding the key card through the lock, the door opens revealing our room. A massive king-sized bed with a fluffy white comforter, a plush silver and blue rug, white blackout curtains, and the wall paper matches the rug on the floor. It all takes my breath away. Jumping on the bed, exhausted from the day of traveling, I moan as the feeling of a soft, pillow-top mattress caresses my body. I mutter, "I don't know where you are sleeping, Tobias, but I found where I am."
A grumble sounds near my ear, "Oh, you are sharing that bed." He bounces onto the bed with me, encircling me in his arms as I giggle. As the bed settles, he groans, "Remind me again, why you didn't talk me out of driving cross country?"
"Because you told me it would be fun. You know, we only drove for like ten hours today."
"Shoot me now." Tobias mumbles as I grin, giggling, "Never," crawling into his side, then I crawl on top of him, loving the way his body feels under mine. Tobias struggles to get out from under me, and up from the bed, he moans, "We should go find something to eat."
"Room service?" I ask, peaking at him from under my lashes.
"Whatever you want, your wish is my command." He smiles at me as I respond, "What I want is a nice, warm bubble bath, and I think, I will have just that, while you order something for us for dinner."
"Yes, my lady," Tobias laughs as I smirk at him, shutting the bathroom door. As I sink into the bubble bath, I feel the tension of the day slip away from my muscles, my eyes close, getting lost in the warmth of the bath. A knock startles me awake, "Tris, dinner is here," Tobias says through the door, "I hope you are in the mood for burgers."
"Sounds great!" I yell, toweling off, throwing on Tobias's old Air Force shirt with his name on the back of it with a pair of black shorts. As I open the bathroom door, I hear a whistle. My cheeks heat as he says, "Nice shirt," the intonation in his voice can be heard that he finds what I am wearing sexy. My eyes meet his, and he smirks at me. My eyes scan over his body, he has changed as well, into a pair of basketball shorts, and a tank top. I sit on the bed as he passes me the food. Handing me a flute of champagne, I raise an eyebrow, and ask, "What is this for?"
"We are celebrating!"
"Celebrating, what?"
"Freedom for a short while."
"What type of freedom, might I ask. I thought you loved the military and getting to be a pilot?"
"I do, but I hate having to shave daily. I hate having to get a haircut every week because my hair for some unknown reason grows way too quickly. I also get to pick out my own clothing while traveling, and I don't have to be in uniform which is a plus." He dings his glass with mine. Together we take a sip, looking into each other's eyes, and after we have drunk our glasses, he pulls me down to the bed, curling his body around mine for the night. He whispers, "I love you, Tris. Tomorrow, we will go explore the gardens and maybe the casinos if you want."
"That sounds like a plan. Goodnight, Tobias, I love you." I reply, and soon I am fast asleep, dreaming about tomorrow and our day in Vegas.
Tobias and I spend the next day exploring Vegas as he promised. We explore the botanical gardens seeing all the different flowers. Whenever I turn around, I find Tobias with his phone in hand attempting to take a picture of me with a flower or a plant. That night, we go to various bars and casinos as it is our only night in Vegas. Tobias and I play a few slot machines, and he is good at them, winning the jackpot on one of the machines. I, however, am garbage at them. I end up losing the ten dollars I put into the machine. The drinks continue to flow as we continue to bounce around the different bars on the strip, and soon the room is spinning, and the words are slurring together. Tobias eyes me like he has a secret again, he pulls me close, he whispers into my ear, "Let's have the ultimate Vegas experience."
"I thought we were having that." I giggle at him, pointing to the drinks, the slot machines, the bar, and the dance floor. He shakes his head as he responds, "I love you, Tris Prior. I don't have an engagement ring or anything, I am probably being really stupid right now, but I want to marry you. Will you marry me right here, right now? Can we get married right here in Vegas? Just you and me?"
"Tobias, you are drunk! We are drunk! We can't do that!" I laugh as I tug at his arm as I continue, "Plus, are you crazy? Christina, Will, and Caleb, they would all kill me for not inviting them to the wedding." I sober a little at the thought of marrying Tobias.
"Crazy in love with you, Tris Prior. I know how I feel about you. I have already lost you once, and I don't want to lose you again. I want to tie myself to you legally. I want to be with you forever and always. What do you say?"
"Okay. Forever and Always. I will marry you, Tobias Aaron Eaton." I shout, grinning at him like a crazy person, the alcohol in my bloodstream clouding my judgment again. Tobias pauses as he whispers seductively into my ear, "What's your middle name? I don't think I have ever asked you before."
"Elizabeth."
"Beatrice Elizabeth Prior, will you marry me, right now, this very minute, right here in Vegas?"
"Yes!" I scream at the top of my lungs, causing a few people nearby to stare at us. Tobias yells back to them, "Don't worry, she just agreed to marry me!" He has a wide smile on his lips, grinning like a fool at the small crowd of people.
Tobias whispers excitedly, "Let's get married tonight! I don't want to wait another minute," his lips hover against mine for a moment then he hungrily kisses me. "Be my valentine for every day for the next million years, Tris." He whispers against my lips as he pulls my hips against his. "Tobias, I think you have had too much to drink," I reply lightly, my fingers drag down his shoulders playfully as he responds, "I have not. I can even count backwards and walk a straight line for you." As he is speaking, he begins walking heel-to-toe, counting backwards at the same time. My head begins to spin, giving me a headache, watching him, as I laugh, "Okay! Okay! I believe you!" He smiles, tilting his head, he says, "Good, I love you. Now let's get married!"
Tobias pulls me into a small white chapel. He eyes me as he asks, "Do you want to get married in what we are in, or do you want to rent clothes?" I eye him in his black suit, he has been wearing it all night, and I giggle, "No, you look ready for a wedding."
"I do, but are you sure, you don't want a wedding dress?" He asks, his eyes staring into mine as if he is attempting to reach my soul. My eyes float down to my little black dress. I wore it to dinner, thought, it would look cute for casino hopping, and bar hopping, little did I know I would get married in it. Without another thought, I say, "Let's get married." The courage mounting, my heart pounding in my ears, from fear or excitement, maybe a little of both. Before I know it, Tobias and I are standing inside Graceland wedding chapel, and Elvis is going to marry us. If Caleb could see me now, he would laugh at me.
The whole ceremony is a blur from beginning to end, and I can't tell you one thing that happened during it. All I remember is the feeling of nausea as it consumed my stomach, and wanting to vomit from the amount of alcohol I had consumed. Tobias and the room begin to spin as the ceremony comes to a close. Next thing I know, Tobias and I are back in the hotel, he is pinning me to the wall, he spins me as we fall onto the bed together. He cushions my fall with his body, and shifts his weight, as we kiss each other madly, desperate for each other. His lips against mine, feel like something I have never experienced before tonight. It must be all the alcohol in my system.
His lips and hips move in sync against mine then together with mine. His lips move to my neck, erratic breaths and groans leave my mouth as he hitches my leg around his hip. My fingers grip his shoulders, trying to take his jacket off as his fingers slide down the curve of my spine, drawing me closer to him, his other hand rolls my skirt up over my stomach. Once my skin is bare to him, his fingertips lightly drag over me, tickling my bare stomach. His lips move along my neck, he places open-mouthed kisses on my skin as he attempts to unzip my dress, but his fingers won't work. I giggle as he runs his nose along my neck, new stubble tickles along my neck as he plants those open-mouthed kisses on every inch of my hot skin. My skin boils hotter with every kiss that he places on it. He looks up and his eyes connect to mine, his eyes hold a mixture of lust, promises, love, and devotion as he whispers against my lips, "That is the best sound in the world still. I love you, Tris with everything that I have."
The sunlight hurts my eyes as they open, and a pounding headache wakes me from my slumber, "What the hell happened last night? Are the first words I utter as I look at Tobias, sleeping peacefully next to me, his face turned into the pillow facedown. My head feels like a hammer is pounding into it, and I wish it would stop. Why am I wearing part of Tobias's dog tag? Bits and pieces of last night slowly flashback to me. Holy Shit! We got married by Elvis!
My eyes fly open in shock as I run to the bathroom in time to throw up in the toilet. "Tobias!" I yell, but he is right next to me, he moans, "Please, lower your voice, my head is pounding. I glance at him, and burst out laughing, he is wearing his boxer briefs, sunglasses, and his hair is a mess. It is going in every direction. He grimaces, "You think I look bad, you should see yourself." At his words, my eyes fly to the mirror, my hair is standing up looking like a crazy person with my bra and panties, and sunglasses on. I giggle, "We both look like a hot mess!" My eyes land on his dog tag once again, wrapped around my neck, as I ask whispering, "Did we get married last night?"
Tobias glances at the dog tag, then slowly says, "I think so."
"And you gave me your dog tag in place of a wedding ring?" I ask, breaking into laughter.
Tobias's face drops as he says, "Shit! I am so sorry, Tris! This is not, how I envisioned anything going at all when we went out last night. You didn't deserve a shotgun wedding. You deserve a big wedding with a white dress, not a drunk wedding, that neither of us can really remember. I messed up! I didn't even have a ring for you."
"You! Christina is going to kill me! She already told me that whenever you finally propose to me, she wanted to be the one to design my wedding dress! How am I going to tell her that we decided to get married on the fly!" I say, panic lacing my voice, as I place my head into my hands. Arms wrap around me as I hear, "I'm sorry, Tris. We will figure a way to fix this. I promise."
Suddenly, an idea comes to me, "Wait, we could just pretend that none of this ever happened. That we never got married in the first place." I say, liking my idea even more, now that I have spoken life to it. Tobias asks, his voice dropping, "You don't want to be married to me?"
"One day Tobias, but I-" Tobias stops me mid-sentence as he says, "No Tris, I don't want to hear another word." He walks away from me, grabbing his clothing from the floor, throwing them on as he goes, and walking out the door. As the door slams shut, I fall to the bed in a fit of tears. Tobias and I have been in a good place since I came home, we have talked a lot about the future, but now this, this has the potential to derail us forever.
Tobias POV
I angrily slam the button for the elevator and wait when it doesn't come I bang it again. I need to fix this if this is the last thing that I do. Tris is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can't let this Vegas wedding, marriage, whatever you want to call it ruin our relationship. I need to fix this! I need to fix this right the fuck now! God this stupid elevator is slow. It is as slow as ice thawing. I have seen the US Government move faster than this elevator with reaching a deal with a budget in a time of a shutdown.
Tris looked beautiful last night under all the lights of the dance floor. The moment that I saw her underneath those lights in her dress looking like a fallen angel with her black and red-tipped hair, I got the stupid idea to ask her to marry me, right there and then. I should have bitten my tongue and ignored the urges like I normally do. I have wanted to propose to her so many times, it is why I have a damn engagement ring hiding in one of my suitcases. I have had the damn thing burning a hole in my pocket since before Tris came back from Will and Christina's. One day, on the way home from work, while Tris was in New York, Christina skyped me, and together we picked out the perfect ring for Tris. I can't wait to see that ring on her finger, and now I may have messed all of that up if I can't fix what happened.
I drive to Graceland Chapel, the place we got married last night, images flash through my mind, as I find Elvis standing in the entryway, he smirks at me as he says, "Oh Romeo, you are looking a little worse for the wear this morning. Did Juliet keep you up all night or did you finally realize your marriage was a mistake, after all?"
Anger surges through me as I gruffly say, my head pounding, not wanting to put up with his shit, "Shut the fuck up! Listen, my girlfriend and I were here last night, and we made a mistake!"
"Not, my problem dude, but for a price, we can change that whole marriage thing."
"How much do you want?" I ask, not wanting to know the price, not caring about the price, if it means Tris will be happy again. My bank account isn't great at the moment from moving, having to pay for most of this move out of pocket and waiting for reimbursement. My heart is breaking inside at the idea of not being married to Tris anymore, but if it will make her truly happy, then I will live with it, somehow. A voice breaks my inner turmoil as I hear, "Ten thousand dollars, and I can make that marriage license go away forever."
"Are you nuts?" I ask, knowing that I don't even have five grand in my bank account at the moment, I will need to wait until payday to figure out a solution to this problem.
The Elvis smiles sardonically at me as he says, "Nope, but I know you are desperate!"
"Not that desperate!"
"Have fun when Juliet finally comes to her senses and cheats on you or divorces you, Air Force Boy, then you will be wishing that you had paid up! Maybe when you have to leave to go overseas she will cheat on you, that is always when all the cheating happens, it always does. I hope she leaves you, she isn't going to be able to deal with your lifestyle. A divorce will be much more expensive. God, I hope she takes you to the cleaners with your divorce." The Elvis says baiting me, I turn to him, seeing red, and punch him in the jaw, knocking him back into the wall, and I walk out the door as I hear, "Bye Romeo!"
An idea comes to me to check at the county's clerks' office about a marriage certificate, but first I swing by the hotel to pick up Tris. As I am walking into the hotel, I see a little store in the corner of the lobby, and in the case, I see a rose gold bezel art deco diamond band. It will match her engagement ring perfectly that is hiding in one of my suitcases, and I need to have that band on her finger now. Unlocking the door, the room is completely dark with the curtains drawn, I whisper quietly, "Tris."
There is no answer. I hear sniffling, and as my eyes adjust to the lack of light, my eyes are immediately drawn to her. She is curled up in the fetal position on the bed in my old Air Force t-shirt. My heart sinks in my chest. I did this to her. I messed up big time. Hearing her cry over this situation, hurt worse than anything I have ever experienced in my life, worse than finding out Stacy was cheating on me the first time, worse than when my father used to beat me. I pick her up, gently rock her as she continues to cry into my chest, gripping my shirt in her fists for dear life.
Tris POV
Maybe being to married to Tobias won't be so bad. So what if this isn't going according to my life plan. Maybe life has other plans for me. When has anything gone according to my plan in my life? I have often thought about being married to him, and about what it would feel like to be Mrs. Eaton, last night we made that official. I feel the bed sink next to me. "Tobias?" My voice is hoarse from crying as I hear, "Baby, please, stop crying. I will fix this. Get dressed, and come with me."
"But, I thought you were angry."
"No, not at you, never at you. At myself, love. I was stupid. Come with me, please." He whispers, kissing my temple. As I get dressed leaving Tobias looking at his phone, I feel drained from last night, and the roller coaster of emotions from this morning. I hear, "That bastard!" Shouted from the other room.
"What?" I ask, peaking around the corner from brushing my hair. "Nothing, come with me!" He says, grabbing ahold of my hand, dragging me out of the room. I jokingly giggle, "As long as it isn't to get married again."
Tobias kisses my cheek as he says, "I think, I have a way to fix this!"
"Actually, I kind of like the sound of Mrs. Eaton, don't you?" I ask, quipping an eyebrow at him shyly. He smirks at me, his eyes lighting up, "Yes, a million times! I love the sound the name Mrs. Eaton for you!" He answers, picking me up, spinning me around the room with him. My heart speeds into high gear as I hear my new last name fall from his lips, and a smile spreads across my lips.
Tobias holds a box out to me once he places me securely onto my feet, as he says, "It's not an engagement ring, but since we did get married, you deserve a wedding band. I saw it, and thought of you." I open the box to reveal a beautiful rose gold diamond band. "It's gorgeous, Tobias!" I whisper, "Would you like to do the honors?" I ask, giving him my left hand. He grins as he takes my hand, slipping the band onto my ring finger, a smile on his lips. He kisses my knuckles, then says suddenly, "I love you, but I do want to look into something before we leave Vegas today."
"Okay, I love you too," I whisper. As we check out of the hotel room, Tobias drives us to the county clerk's office, and I wait in the truck as he goes in. He returns looking dejected as he says, "We never got a marriage license last night, Tris, technically, we aren't married. We only had a ceremony." My heart drops with this new knowledge "Tobias, I don't need a stupid piece of paper to be legally married to you. Last night, we got married, we both know it." I whisper leaning over, breathing in his scent. He smells like metal, soap, and Tobias. His eyes look sad as my lips gently brush his, trying to reassure him, as he asks, "Really?" He sounds unsure about my answer as I stare into his eyes. I don't have an answer for him, instead, I pull on his dog tag, pulling him closer to me, to kiss him. As we part, I ask, "Now, what are we going to do for your wedding band?"
"I can't wear one when I fly, the g-forces are too strong for one." He whispers as my eyes drop sadly as he says suddenly a hint of a smile in his voice, "I have the perfect idea on how to solve the wedding ring problem, but it will have to wait until we are closer to the East Coast. How do you feel about a tattoo, Tris?"
"Really?" I ask, surprised at his idea about a tattoo as he replies, "Really!"
Thoughts and opinions, please review. I can't wait to hear them. Did anyone expect to Tris and Tobias to have a fake wedding in Vegas? Did anyone expect Tobias to actually have an engagement ring yet for Tris and not use it after the fake wedding? Next chapter will be up on the weekend of September 14. Also, I do have a Pinterest board that I post pictures to that has some inspiration for each chapter, the link can be found on my profile.