Bride 2 Be

Chapter Six ~ Developments

Chapter Six
Developments


CALVIN ORDERED ROOM SERVICE as soon as they arrived in the suite and called the PI, who seemed to be evading him. Since Edward and Penny knew someone had followed them, he wouldn't be surprised to learn that Edward had paid the PI off, so he couldn't pinpoint their Las Vegas location.

While Lisa freshened up in the bathroom, he poured a whiskey from the bar and stood at the window looking out over the city's neon lights. The searing kiss he shared with Lisa stuck in his mind, as vivid as the signs below. When she climbed onto his lap and took control, he only wanted to sit back and let her. No woman had ever been that bold with him, taking what she wanted, setting the pace. Most of the women he knew intimately waited for him to make the first move or clung to him desperately, thinking that was all that was required. He hated it for the most part. All the casual sexual encounters were not even worth a second thought.

One kiss, one moment with Lisa, and he realized how much he missed over the years. He knew some women only came on to him because of his money and the fact that he was John Grayburg's son, but he never let that bother him before. Now, for some unknown reason, it did. Things changed for him in the back of that vehicle. He never expected it to, and the more he reflected on it, the more Calvin became aware of things he wanted. Most notable would be a woman who saw him, not the name, power, money, or corporation, but him as a man.

He wondered if she felt anything for him or if she kissed him as a form of gratitude for trying to save her sister. He had difficulty believing that could be the case, but the thought lingered. He had to play it safe with her. They were business associates, and her Boutique had a lot riding on the bankroll Grayburg Corporation provided. Without his family's backing, Anna's Originals wouldn't be half the company it is today.

The bathroom door opened, and she stepped into the room. He watched with interest, the sway of her hips tantalizing, stealing his focus. He wondered how she managed to remain single all this time. Lisa Green was easy on the eyes, hot passion in his arms, and had an intoxicating smile. When their eyes intersected, he found it hard to think or breathe. Any man who could capture her heart would be fortunate.

"Feeling better?" he asked, swallowing the rest of the liquor in one gulp, suddenly nervous.

"It would be great if I could shower, but since we don't have a change of clothes, it will wait. Have you heard from your man?"

He shook his head, crossed the room back to the bar, poured each a drink, and brought the drink to Lisa, who sat on the edge of the enormous bed. Standing before her, Calvin watched embarrassment flush her cheeks, giving her a pink glow. He could tell where her mind wandered, what she couldn't get out of her head, and knew it kept her in the bathroom longer than necessary. That impromptu kiss meant something to them both. Now, what are we going to do about it?

She took the glass but refused to meet his eyes. He hated that she couldn't look at him when she stared into his eyes earlier, almost lost when he gazed back. He wanted her to feel comfortable in his presence. He even entertained the idea of kissing her again, seeing if it would go further than that because, in all honesty, he wanted it to. He knew it might not be the best idea, but he still throbbed, fire coursing through his veins and keeping him hard. He wanted Lisa, and if he knew anything about her, she wanted him too. All he had to do was play his cards right and continue to be a gentleman, and she would come to him, needing more of what they had shared an hour before.

"Thank you," she uttered. She moved the glass to her lips and took a small sip.

Calvin continued to watch her, hoping she would smile, look at him, and give him a sign that things were good between them. When she continued to keep her eyes downcast, he turned and moved back to the bar, giving her some space to relax. "I have a feeling we are on our own."

Lisa turned toward him, and he smiled. That tiny gesture gave him hope.

"No help on the ground, then?"

He shook his head. "I called the front desk, and they are not in this hotel. We could eat and then head out looking for them, or I can make another call and see if I can get someone else here to do some legwork."

She stood and made her way to him, her glass half-empty. "Why not do both? Get someone to start looking, and we can hit the strip ourselves."

A knock on the door stopped the conversation. "Okay, you get that, and I'll make a call. As soon as we eat, we can start searching."

Lisa smiled, turned, and headed toward the door while he began dialing his personal PI. His private eye, separate from the one the family used, one they knew nothing about, gave him a slight advantage. Sometimes, he needed to know that someone was loyal only to him.

"Thomas, I need assistance; I'm in Vegas, trying to locate my brother. I must find him."

The bellhop wheeled in the cart, but all he could do was watch Lisa. His eyes followed her as she moved toward the dining area, staring as she helped remove the plates from the cart and set them on the table, then escorted the young man out of the room. He couldn't stop himself from drinking her in, or the way his body reacted to her being so close. When she turned from the doorway and caught him watching, she blushed, her cheeks rosy red. He wondered if her chest had also become red but tore his eyes away and tried to focus on the conversation with Thomas. He hung up the phone and left it on the bar. Moving toward the table, he took a deep breath, reminding himself not to stare at her, to eat, and then head down into the streets of Vegas and do what they came here to do.

"Thomas is going to find us a trustworthy soul here in Vegas," he said. Lisa raised an eyebrow, and he laughed at that expression, was helpless to contain it. "What?"

She shrugged, took the lids off the two plates, and set them aside. "You say that as if everyone in this city can be bought and cannot be trusted."

"That's because it happens to be true. Have you ever read the statistics for Las Vegas?" He shook his head, picked up his fork, and dove into the scrambled eggs. After savoring the first bite, he continued. "This place is a haven for gamblers, con men, drunks, drug abuse, and prostitution. It's unfortunate but also very true. They would sell their soul to the devil if the price were right and wouldn't even think twice about it."

Calvin concentrated on his food; the aromas from the breakfast spread laid out before him, reminding him of home. Eggs mingled with hash browns and salty bacon, all at the top of his favorites list. He missed living in the penthouse and sharing a meal with the rest of the family. Now that he lived alone, most of his meals he spent in silence, no one to talk to, laugh at, or bother. He hated that part the most. Leaving the television on didn't have the desired effect he'd hoped for.

Calvin grabbed a piece of toast and smothered it in strawberry jam. Taking the first bite made his mouth water. He could never get enough strawberries, and it didn't matter what form they came in; it was his favorite delicacy. He shoved the rest of the bread into his mouth and then realized Lisa watched him. He chewed as quickly as he could without looking like a barbarian and then swallowed hard.

He looked at her plate; most of the food remained. "Something wrong with the food?"

Lisa shook her head. "No, it's perfect. You certainly enjoy it."

"I'm a strawberry addict," he admitted. He took another piece of toast, slapped on the jam, and held it out for her. "Go on, take it. I promise you will love it."

The corner of her mouth rose as she reached forward for the offering. Calvin sat watching, wanting to see her face when she relished the sweet treat. She looked at him momentarily and then sunk her white teeth into the bread. It felt good to share a meal with someone again. "Good?"

She swallowed, wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin, and smiled at him. That grin, the happy expression on her face that lit up those brown eyes, warmed his heart. He wanted to keep her happy, watch as excitement danced in her eyes, and see if she would relax enough to let all her barriers down and be herself.

"It's perfect. I haven't had a breakfast like this in a long time," she admitted. "I bet you used to get this type of cooking every day while living with your parents."

"Yes, and I confess I miss it too. There is nothing better than a home-cooked meal." Calvin stared at her, remembering that her parents died years ago. "It must be hard for you."

Her eyes met his, locked, while she searched for more information. "What must be?"

"Losing your parents, having the added responsibility of taking care of your sister as you dealt with that type of loss. It's not easy to start a business on your own with no outside help, no family for support, knowing full well you could fail. If you make one misstep, you must pick up the pieces alone. That's difficult to do even when you have someone in your corner. It takes a special kind of courage."

Her eyes widened as he spoke. Lisa shifted in the chair, picked up the fork, and began to eat again. He knew he hit a nerve and wished he would've been a bit more sensitive. He wanted to let her know how he saw her. From here on out, he would need to choose his words cautiously. Letting her know just how incredible she was wouldn't be an easy task, but Calvin believed she needed to hear it; not only that, but Lisa needed to realize it as well. They finished the food silently, and he stole random glances in her direction. She finished most of the food on her plate, which made him happy. He didn't like women who picked at their food, pretending they weren't hungry when they really were, knowing they would go home and binge eat.

His phone rang, dragging him from his seat. He hoped Thomas' contact would be on the phone and give them a lead. Lisa looked lost. Calvin needed to find a way for Lisa to see Penny before the ceremony. He also wanted to stop it from happening but knew it might be out of his hands. The PI gave him two possible wedding chapels to check out. He scribbled them down on paper, feeling her eyes on him. He glanced at her but had to look away from the intense longing he noticed on her face. Hanging up the phone, he kept his eyes averted, not able to look at her, or else he would be marching over to her, taking her into his arms and kissing her senselessly. The strong pull towards Lisa grew with each passing minute. Never had a woman stayed in his mind this way—not even Jules.

"We have two possible wedding chapels to check out. It looks like Edward gave his name to both. I imagine we'll be adding a few more places before long." Calvin raked a hand through his hair and sighed. Let the wild goose chase begin.

"I guess we better get started," Lisa said.

They headed out of the room and down the hall to the elevator bank. As they got onto the elevator, he noticed the heels she wore and shook his head. "I hope you can walk in those."

Lisa rested her hands on her hips and tapped her toe. "These are very comfortable. I'll be just fine."

"If you say so." Once the doors opened, he took her hand and led her through the elaborate lobby and outside to the Las Vegas strip. They headed toward The Mandalay Bay Hotel, which had a wedding chapel. He hoped they would find them on their first try but figured that would be too easy. Knowing Edward, he wanted them to become aggravated and, in the process, give up. It's too bad his brother never understood those words were not in Calvin's vocabulary.



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