Chapter 21
Zoe
We stay in bed all day. The mob museum forgotten. It’s not until my stomach starts growling that we finally pull away from each other. I’m sore between my legs, but it makes me feel alive. Who knew sex could be so amazing?
Riggs pulls away from me. “Get dressed. I’m taking you to dinner, and then we’re going to see some old neon signs.”
Excited, I quickly shower and don a lightweight dress. I want to look good for Riggs, but with the heat, I need to stay comfortable, too, which is why I slip on the Birkenstock sandals I wore on the plane ride here. In the mirror, I see the young girl who arrived, reminding me that all the problems I ran from when I got on that plane from Dallas will be waiting for me when we get home tomorrow. Not only that but by marrying Riggs, I’ve no doubt added new ones to the mix.
Riggs and I walk to the Aria from the Bellagio, holding hands as we take in all the sights, talking and laughing. One topic we avoid is what will happen when we get home. I assume I’ll move out of my apartment into his house, but other than that, my future is a giant question mark. To make matters worse, I’ve dropped out of school and don’t even have a job. I push those worries aside, vowing to enjoy dinner and the last night of our honeymoon.
When we’re shown to our table, Riggs pulls out my chair. His hypnotizing smile mixed with the way his eyes never once peruse the gorgeous hostess makes me feel like the most special woman in the world. My body comes alive with butterflies when he places a chaste kiss on my shoulder before pushing in my chair. How did I get so lucky?
The waiter brings us margaritas at Riggs’s request. No one questions that I’m not yet twenty-one when I’m with him. I could probably get away with some gambling, but I’m too scared to press my luck.
Riggs holds up his glass. “A toast to the beautiful life ahead of us.”
I clink my glass to his, smiling. Ever since Riggs made love to me, I’ve felt a shift between us. He’s no longer holding back, and our marriage feels one hundred percent real. It’s like he’s figured out what I’ve known since we first met. Riggs and I are destined to be together forever. This is fate.
Riggs leans over, kissing me as I try to focus on the menu. “You’re distracting me,” I scold.
He chuckles. “I can’t help it, baby. You smell and taste so good.”
I wrinkle my nose, pretending to admonish him as I push him away. “We need sustenance.”
He slowly drags a finger up my thigh, flicking it across the dampening seat of my panties. “You provide all the sustenance I need.”
I’m about to suggest dropping his napkin on the floor so he can climb under the table and feast on my pussy when the waiter is back at our side, clearing his throat. If he notices where Riggs’s hand is, it doesn’t show on his face.
I’m so distracted by the finger circling my clit that I’m glad Riggs orders for both of us. It’s all I can do to keep from moaning when the waiter leaves and Riggs moves my panties aside so he can slide his finger inside me. He leans close, pulling my earlobe into his mouth and sucking as he brings me to the edge of pleasure.
“Are you sore from earlier?”
“A little,” I pant, riding his hand and chasing the pleasure that’s so close I can feel it threatening to overtake me.
“Do you want me to stop?” The smirk on his face tells me he knows exactly what I want him to keep doing.
“Please, no,” I whimper.
“Tell me what you want.”
“Make me come.”
He adds another finger, pressing the heel of his hand to my clit. I grip the side of the table, biting down on my lower lip as I see stars. My pussy quivers around his fingers until he’s milked all the pleasure from my body.
He pulls his fingers out of me, rights my panties, and sits back as if he didn’t just make me orgasm in an expensive restaurant. While I’m still catching my breath, he licks his fingers. If this is what married life is, I’m glad I signed up for it.
The waiter sets a plate of appetizers in front of us. Starving from my earlier activities with Riggs, I take a big bite of the steamy empanada. I can’t stop the moan that rolls off my tongue at the explosion of flavor. Shrimp isn’t always my favorite, but this is prepared to perfection.
Riggs grins as he takes a bite of his. His pink tongue slips out, catching some juice on his lip, and I moan again. I swear, my husband is trying to kill me. Who would have imagined eating could look so sexy?
He reaches over, brushing his fingers across my lips as I chew. The feel of his skin on mine sends a rush of warmth across my cheeks. “You had a little crumb,” he says with a smile.
We stare at each other, heat building between us. This is more than just sexual attraction. It’s a connection of our souls. I don’t care what my mom, the tabloids, or anyone else thinks. Our physical age isn’t important. It’s the way our hearts have intertwined to now beat as one that matters.
Riggs is my soulmate.
As dinner continues, we exchange smoldering glances while trying to talk about what we’ve seen during our vacation. Each day has been special, but today was my favorite. We finally feel like husband and wife.
For dessert, we share a piece of Tres Leches. As he feeds me from his fork, images of him licking it from his body have me squirming in my seat. Riggs shoots me a warning look, telling me he knows exactly what I’m thinking. Knowing him, he’s thinking the same thing.
I wipe my mouth with my napkin as Riggs motions for the bill. “This was wonderful,” I say, patting my full stomach.
He winks. “Just wait until you see the lights at the museum.”
“Are we walking there?”
He shakes his head no. “It’s too far. I’ve scheduled a car to pick us up here.” He stands, holding out his hand for me to take.
Outside while we wait for our car, I notice two of the guys at the bell desk whispering and pointing toward us. I must stiffen because Riggs turns to look at them. Their eyes widen, and they practically trip over themselves as theyrush over to us.
“I knew it was you,” the younger guy says, extending a fist for Riggs to bump. “I grew up watching you race.”
Riggs smiles, graciously bumping fists with him.
The kid looks at me, then lets out a low whistle. “Damn, I read online that you got married to a young 'un, but they didn’t say she was this gorgeous.”
I blush as the older guy elbows him for saying that.
Riggs takes a protective stance, blocking me from their sightline. “Is there something I can help you with?”
The kid snaps his focus back to Riggs. “Oh, right. Can I get your autograph?” He holds up a white sheet of paper.
“I don’t sign blank papers.”
I tilt my head, wanting to ask why, but decide to save my question for later.
The older guy hands Riggs a brochure about a show on the strip. “Here, sign this.”
Riggs takes the pen and the brochure, signing it quickly. When he’s finished, the younger guy is back with a similar pamphlet for Riggs to sign. As he’s signing for them, a line forms and people take out their phones to snap pictures or record us. This is the first time I’ve seen the famous world champion athlete side of Riggs. It’s intimidating. My heart pounds as we’re surrounded by what feels like a hundred people.
When the crowd moves closer and begins edging me out, Riggs stops and places an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close. “If you’ll excuse us. My wife and I are on our honeymoon.” He turns, guiding metoward a sleek sedan.
Once inside the car, I feel like my heart rate has returned to normal. A glance out of the window tells me the crowd was more like fifteen people, but in the midst of all the excitement, I felt suffocated.
He takes my hand, kissing my knuckles. “Sorry about them.”
“I didn’t like that,” I admit.
“It doesn’t happen often, but once a person recognizes me, others tend to want in on the action. They think I’m famous, so they’ll swarm me even if they have no idea who I am.”
“Is it always like that when you’re trying to have a quiet evening out?”
He chuckles. “Baby, we’ve been all over Vegas for the last week, and this is the first time anyone has recognized me. It’s almost never like that.”
I smile, relaxing further. He’s right. That scene was uncommon. “Why did you tell the kid you don’t sign blank papers?”
“Even though I don’t use my real signature for autographs, people could use that blank paper and print anything on it. Then it would look like I signed whatever they wanted.”
“Oh. Wow. I didn’t think of that.”
He pulls me closer, tracing his thumb down my arm. “Let’s forget about all the fan stuff. We have some old neon signs to look at.”
I grin, closing the distance between us. When our lips touch, I’m reminded of my sweet husband. He’s not the famous guy from earlier. He’s mine. “I can’t wait.”
The sun is starting to set when we get to the Neon Museum, casting a warm glow over everything. Riggs holds my hand as he leads me to an area where two other couples wait.
“Hi,” a woman around my mom’s age says. “Are you newlyweds, too?”
Riggs chuckles. “Is it that obvious?”
She points to the man with silver hair next to her. “We got married yesterday. It’s easy to recognize our own kind.”
I’m not sure if she’s referring to the newlywed or the age gap part. Her new husband looks like he could be her father just as easily as her husband. What does she see in the old guy? I cringe at that thought. I hate when people judge Riggs and me, yet here I am doing the same thing.
The other couple looks to be in high school. They don’t say anything. Instead, they tap at the screens of their phones.
Once it’s dark enough outside for the neon lights of the working signs to be more dramatic when illuminated, our guide arrives. His name is Harry, and I immediately like him. As we follow him along the path, the vibrant neon lights mixed with the lights on the ground create a world of nostalgia. I wish I could’ve seen the old Vegas that’s represented here.
We follow behind Harry, marveling at the dazzling array of neon signs that once adorned The Strip and Freemont Street. We stop at the famous Stardust sign to hear stories of mobsters, showgirls, The Rat Pack, and more old Vegas allure. As we continue around the path, Harry quizzes us. I excitedly rush to answer before anyone else on the tour, earning laughs from Riggs and the other newlyweds. The high school couple seems more interested in posing in front of the signs and snapping pictures for their social media.
The darker it gets, the more the signs come to life, generating colorful reflections on the ground beneath our feet. Riggs pulls me closer, and we share a tender kiss, inspired by the beauty surrounding us.
Harry clears his throat and continues the tour. We follow along, encountering signs from now demolished Las Vegas hotels. Each sign has its own rich history. My favorite part of the tour is when we come across the genie lamp from The Aladdin.
Riggs scoops me into a hug and dips me before giving me a kiss I feel all the way to my toes. “If I had a magical lamp, I’d ask the genie for infinite wishes, and each and every one of those wishes would be for you.”
While I swoon so hard I almost pull a muscle, Harry snaps a picture with Riggs’s phone, giving us a memory of one of the best moments of our honeymoon.
By the time we’re in the car on the way back to The Bellagio, I’ve made a decision. When we get back to Dallas, I’m going to do everything in my power to keep the magic we’ve felt this week alive.
When it comes to Riggs, forever doesn’t seem like enough.