As soon as the men were gone, Rachel leaned in.
“Good job, Lia. Way to get them out of here.”
Ari was glad they hadn’t seemed to notice her seductive little ploys. Or maybe they just weren’t saying anything.
“I got the tickets for Thunder from Down Under, and we’ll be in the VIP section. Mmm, I hope we get to do some touching.”
“Rachel!” Ari said with shock as she looked toward the back of the jet, praying Rafe couldn’t overhear.
“Don’t be a prude, Ari. This is a girls’ trip. Now I know Rafe will put his foot down if he knows where we’re really going, so we’re telling him we're going to the La Rêve performance and then dinner. He’ll probably figure it out when I post pictures of me groping the hot guys, but by then it will be too late for him to stop us,” Lia said with a big smile.
Ari gulped at the thought of Rafe’s reaction when he saw pictures of that kind. After the way he’d acted over Prince Adrian, she was going to make sure her hands weren’t anywhere near any strippers’ body parts.
“He doesn’t own you, Ari. Besides, a little jealousy is a good thing. It reminds your man not to take you for granted. Don’t let him walk on you — and don’t forget that you’re a stunning, sexy catch. Make him chase you.”
“I’m not worried, Lia. It’s just that your brother can be…well, I guess, intense,” Ari finished lamely.
“That just means better sex.” Rachel sent her a wink before she got up and headed to the bathroom.
The men returned a few minutes later, and the women’s discussion was put on hold as the jet began to make its descent into Vegas. As Ari looked out the window and saw the bright lights of the Vegas Strip appear, excitement bubbled through her veins.
Whether she paid for it later or not, she was going to have one heck of a fun weekend. As they made their way down the stairs, Rafe reached for her as she hit the bottom step.
“Are you having fun with your games, Ari?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she countered.
“You never do lie well,” he reminded her.
“Obviously, I won that round,” she said, feeling not only satisfied, but victorious as well.
“Did you really win, Ari? Yes, you made me hard, but I bet right now, you are soaking wet, and aching for me to slam inside you. Plus, I still have your panties,” he countered with a smirk as he shifted his hand in his pocket implying they were in there. Ari looked around at the others in their party, hoping he didn’t have them, and really hoping that if he did, he wouldn’t pull them out. Her victory had been very short-lived.
Grrr, the man was driving her insane. Just once, she needed to win. Was that asking too much? With an angry scowl, she stomped off, refusing to give him the pleasure of seeing her grab for the trophy panties.
The sound of Rafe’s laughter followed her as she made her way to the waiting limo. Let him laugh now — she would figure out a way to bring him to his knees sooner or later. The victory would be oh so much sweeter because she’d been waiting so long.
Chapter Twenty-One
Stepping through the double doors onto the marble floors of the foyer, Ari was stunned. Such elegance! Such extravagance! She walked through the Venetian Suite to its tall living room windows to look upon the Las Vegas Strip twinkling far below.
“What a beautiful room,” she gasped as she looked around. The penthouse featured virtually everything a person could imagine. Two stunning marbled bathrooms with deep jetted tubs and separate all-glass showers, a spacious bedroom with an enticing king-size bed, a living room with a glowing fireplace, and a dining area with a table that had seating for their entire party, plus a few extras.
“Yes, I always enjoy my stays here. The hotel and casino that we’re developing will have much of the same. I build only the best,” Rafe said as he took off his jacket.
“Ari, you have thirty minutes to dress. We’re heading out soon,” said Rachel, while appearing through a doorway with a big smile on her face.
“Where is your room?”
“Right next door; the rooms connect. I’ll be right back,” she called as she flew past and went through a doorway that Ari hadn’t even noticed.
The suite was bigger than most people’s homes. Ari was afraid of getting used to a life of such luxury.
“You have a moment to enjoy a glass of champagne and strawberries, don’t you?” Rafe asked as he approached holding a bubbling flute out to her.
With an appreciative smile, Ari accepted the glass and took a sip. She really didn’t like champagne, but she didn’t want to spoil the moment by seeming ungrateful. Walking to the table, she picked up one of the juicy red berries and took a bite, the sweet fruit squirting into her mouth. When she took her next sip of the champagne, its taste had greatly improved.
Maybe that was the trick with the awful stuff. She managed to finish her glass in between bites of berry.
“Thank you,” she said to Rafe before gathering some clothes and walking into her large bathroom. No, it wasn’t quite as nice as Rafe’s — what did she expect? — but, with the marble tile and counters, she wasn’t hurting.
Although Rachel had put her on a time crunch, Ari couldn’t resist taking a quick shower. Her toiletries were already laid out, after all, and it didn’t take her long to wash, dry and dress.
She felt a bit like a princess as she sat on the comfortable bench and applied her makeup in front of the vanity mirror. This was something she’d love to have in her own home someday — a place she could pamper herself in the most comfortable way possible.
But a glance in the cheval mirror made Ari cringe. Lia had insisted that she wear the outfit, but Rafe would have a fit when he saw it. Was Lia trying to infuriate her brother or did the girl just like really short, tight dresses? Either way, Ari didn’t know what was worse — arguing with Lia, or fighting with Rafe.
As she gathered up her courage to open the bathroom doors, she gave herself a pep talk. Tonight was supposed to be all about fun — something she hadn’t had enough of lately.
*****
“Are you sure you ladies wouldn’t like to have us along for protection?”
“If we wanted bodyguards, we’d hire some of the sexy men advertising themselves on all these nice billboards, Shane.”