Page 74 of Fake Dark Vows
When the song finishes, he shakes the other guy’s hand and walks back to the bar, smiling. He falters when he notices me. “How long have you been standing there?” He places a protective hand on the small of my back and guides me towards the bar.
“Long enough.” I slide onto a stool and order a soda and lime—playing it carefully. The combination of liquor and Elvis has already done enough damage. “Where did you learn to play like that?”
“As a child, I was forced to endure lessons at home. My mother believes that music is the food of life.”
“She’s probably right.”
My heart does this funny fluttery thing when I look at him, and it has nothing to do with wanting to rip his clothes off and bang him on the bar counter. I’m happy that he isn’t still angry with me, that he chose to come down here and play piano rather than prolong a discussion that would’ve ruined tonight for both of us. A glimmer of hope flickers inside me like a tiny flame trying to emerge through the rain.
We have seats in the VIP area of the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. It’s plush and regal and—like everything else in Brandon’s life—expensive, but I promise myself that I won’t think about that tonight. I’ll enjoy being Mrs. Weiss, even if it is only temporary.
I’m so excited for the show to begin that I sit on the edge of my seat, soaking up the sights of the stage, the lights, the curtains, the people. I don’t even hear Brandon ordering drinks until he hands me a glass of champagne.
“To Rod,” he says, his fingers brushing mine and leaving their mark behind. “May he forever rock the long, shaggy perm and leopard print pants.”
I can’t help laughing. “You’ve seen the videos?”
“Of course, hasn’t everyone?” He pauses. “Today. I watched the videos today.”
I suck my bottom lip, suppressing my smile. “You never heard him sing ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?’ before today?”
Brandon grimaces and sips his champagne.
“I can’t believe you just admitted this at a Rod Stewart gig, but I’ll let you off because…” My voice trails away.
“Because?”
Because when Brandon shrugs off the Weiss boss persona and sees the real world, he’s a lot of fun? Or because I’m grateful that he chose not to continue the discussion from earlier?
“Because we’re here in Vegas tonight, and I’ll never forget this for as long as I live.”
We settle into a comfortable silence until the curtain is raised, and Rod appears on stage, disappointingly in a shiny silver suit.
I lean closer to Brandon. “He didn’t brave the pants.”
“Are you disappointed?” he whispers in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
“A little.”
“I’ll try to make it up to you later.”
I keep my eyes focused on the stage and wait for the butterflies to stop dancing around inside my chest. I can’t quite believe that my body is sending all these messages to my brain, and it occurs to me then that I’ve never looked forward to getting naked with someone this much before.
Rod opens the show with a cover of ‘Addicted to Love’. By the time he gets around to ‘The First Cut is the Deepest’ Brandon and I are both singing along, and I know I’m going to wake up tomorrow with no voice. “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?’ is still the showstopper, and the entire audience is on its feet, singing along and performing their best imitation of the iconic dance from the original video.
It isn’t until the show is over, and the lights come back on, that I blink the arena back into focus and peer around at the sea of smiling faces. That’s when I realize that people are staring at us. I glance over my shoulder, but everyone else in the VIP area is making their way towards the exit; back again, and more people are casting furtive glances our way.
“What’s wrong?” Brandon asks.
I cast my eyes down, suddenly self-conscious. “People are watching us.”
Brandon shrugs. “We’re a very watchable couple.”
“Do you… Do you think they know who you are?”
“Possibly.” A grin spreads across his face. “We could always give them something to talk about.”
I can’t take my eyes off his lips. My pulse is racing of its own accord, and I lean closer to him, our noses almost touching. “Like this,” I whisper, as my lips meet his.