Christian
Iwas walking The Strip with Sage Pardy holding my hand. Who would have thought she would voluntarily hold my hand?
Her hand’s so small and delicate. But strong.
She’s strong.
The lights and fountains sparkled in the night.
“Vegas is like another world,” Sage commented as she skipped in her blue boots.
She was wearing my jacket. She looks fucking good in it too.
“Do you like it here?” I asked her.
She nearly stopped, causing me to falter in my steps.
She was pouting.
Damn. Those fucking lips.
Why won’t she just let me kiss her?
“I hate it. I’d much rather be in a field with Arlo.”
I was so drawn to her. I didn’t even realize I’d taken a step toward her. “I think I’d prefer that, too. With you.”
She rolled her eyes again.
“You like rolling your eyes at me,” I told her.
“You like being annoying.”
“I’m just being myself. I like to play, be real. I can’t help how I feel. I’m just brave enough to say it.”
Did I just make her catch her breath?
I like how she’s looking at me right now. Under the loud lights of The Strip and the sparkling fountain. I think these are the Fountains of Bellagio.
“Wow, look at those lights!” She turned and skipped over to the fountain. The water and lights were changing color in rhythm.
It’s like a picture. “Could you paint this?”
“I could paint anything.”
“Paint it with yourself watching the lights.”
Where’s my phone? I think it’s in my pocket. Yep, it’s in my pocket. “I’ll take a picture so you can paint it later. Stay there.”
She had her back to me, a veil from that bachelorette party blowing in the cool breeze, my jacket, and she was wearing white …
And blue.
“Something borrowed. Something blue. Something old. Something new.”
“What?” She turned to me, pushing the veil out of her face.
“It’s all there.”
I looked down at my phone screen. The picture was blurry.
Or was that my vision?
Everything felt warm and fuzzy.
Her hand felt like it was meant to be in mine as we continued to walk down The Strip.
But then I stopped in my tracks, pulling her to a halt. “Look at that heart in the sky! Wouldn’t it be funny?”
“So funny.”
Her laugh sounded like bells.
Like wedding bells! My mom would like this.
Look at those fake flowers. I don’t think she’d like that.
Sage would look pretty with wildflowers.
Wildflowers in her hair.
I think that’s a song. If not, it should be.
Song?
Someone asked us if we had a song.
“We sure do!” I have a song for us. A song for her. It was playing the first time I saw her working at The Rooster. Only the second time I saw her. The first time I thought she was a figment of my imagination. A dream.
Is this a dream?
I don’t think anyone could paint this but they should.
I’m drunk.
She elbowed me.
“Ow! You have a pointy elbow.”
A song? Oh, yeah!
“Easy. ‘The Painter’ by Cody Johnson.”
God, she has beautiful eyes.
“I don’t think anyone could paint your eyes and get it right. That star, that flame.”
Someone asked me another question.
My name. What’s my name?
“Christian,” Sage said for me.
God, I love how she says my name, even when she’s annoyed with me.
The pen looked tiny in my hand. Those lines are as wobbly as shit.
“My signature’s shit.”
“Where do I sign?” she asked.
“Look at our names together. Doesn’t that look nice?”
The chilly December desert air felt so good on my heated skin as we walked out.
“Tick Tac.” She laughed. I loved her fucking laugh.
“Why Tick Tac?”
“Because you’re like a tick burrowing under my skin. I can’t get rid of you. And you pop those mints in your mouth and it makes you have the best breath.”
She was slurring her words. Was I slurring too?
“You like my breath?”
“Do you like the name I gave you?”
“Not particularly. Give me your phone. I have a better one.”
“Do I have a name too?”
“You do now.”
My pockets are full. I can’t carry all of this. I’m going to lose it.
Dollar dollar bills, y’all.
Look at that gift shop! “Only in Vegas do gift shops stay open past midnight.”
“They want people to spend their slot money.”
“I got something better.” Look at those bills folded in my hand. I can make them just like a fan.
“Let’s go in.”
Fuck, everything is so blurry. “I always wanted a ring like that. And it fits! I’ve heard tungsten is unbreakable.”
“Do you want tequila?”
“God no! How about some champagne instead?”
“Let’s bring it up to the room.”
“I love your giggle.”
“Woah! Elevators are like a free ride.”
“I can take you on a free ride.” I couldn’t help it. My mind was always in the gutter around her.
“Oh yeah?”
Holy shit! Is she interested?
God, she felt so good in my hands. Her waist was so tiny. I could practically wrap my hands around it and touch my fingertips.
“Do we have glasses?”
“Only these glasses by the bathroom sink?”
“Poppin’ bottles!”
“Wow! Look at everyone down there. They’re like ants.”
“I wish I could see the stars. There are too many lights here.”
“I don’t need the dark to see a star.”
God, her hair. It felt so good between my fingertips.
The champagne’s funny and bubbly on my tongue. What would she taste like on my tongue? She was so sweet before. Why can’t I taste her again?
“Your skin is so soft, Sage.”
Her arms are like satin.
“Let me just lay down for a moment. The room is spinning. Lay down with me.”
She’s so cozy and warm. She fits so perfectly. My little spoon.