Chapter Twenty-Eight - Lucky
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The next sixty minutes pass by in a haze of color. Becca and I go from station to station, scoring tokens and annoying each other as much as possible. Tony follows us like a Labrador retriever and captures every moment on camera.
The other finalists run around in the background, but I’m having way too much fun with Becca to notice them.
The more time we spend together, the more I learn about her.
Like the way she crinkles her nose when she’s unsure, and the way she curls a strand of her hair around her index finger when she’s thinking hard about something.
Everything about her makes my insides light up as bright as the neon signs around us.
I’m seriously such a sucker for this girl, and I don’t even mind.
When time is called, our token bucket is near over-flowing.
Despite a few bad runs, we’d done really well at roulette and the slots.
We don’t know how we stacked up against the other finalists but it doesn’t matter—we’d absolutely rocked our plan and I can’t wait to see what the audience thought of our antics.
Back in the visitor’s center, a long table has been set up as a counting station for the tokens.
“Here you go,” I say, placing our bucket in front of one of the Starlight producers. “Team Bucky, in it to win it!” I give the lady a wink and she laughs. Becca, on the other hand, looks like she wants to smack me.
It’s all for the camera’s benefit, of course, but there’s something so absolutely adorable about that expression that I’m tempted to blow our cover.
I’ve been dying to kiss her again. Our time together in Tombstone wasn’t near long enough.
Pretending to hate someone you secretly have major feelings for is hard.
Especially when she looks like a damn goddess in the bright, neon lights.
Becca wanders over to the far wall, stopping to read a framed poster about Paul Revere Williams, the architect who designed the La Concha Motel.
That’s when I notice it—a hallway just past her that’s almost completely hidden by a massive potted tree.
I glance around, making sure the cameras aren’t on us, but even Tony looks like he’s off-duty for now. His camera hangs off his shoulder, and he’s taking large swigs from a water bottle. Some of the other finalists are milling around, but no one’s eye is on us.
I decide to seize the moment. It’s Vegas, after all. If you’re not down to take a risk, then what are you doing here, right? I’m going for it.
I sidle up to Becca. “Hey, Holly G.”
She looks at me, and I nod towards the alcove. “I need to talk to you.”
She catches on, probably thinking I’m referring to Operation I Hate You. She throws a glance over her shoulder, and when the coast is clear, she scoots around the tree and into the dark hallway.
I wait a second or two and follow her.
As soon as we’re out of sight, I grab her arm and pull her towards me, brushing my lips against hers.
She starts to melt against me, but then her eyes widen. “Lucky!” She hisses, pushing against me. “What are you doing? Someone will see.”
I grin wildly, noting the red EXIT sign at the end of the hall. “Want to get out of here for a little bit?”
“What? Where would we even go? The cameras are everywhere.”
I nuzzle Becca’s nose with mine. “I doubt they’re monitoring the parking lot, Holly G.”
It only takes her a second to respond. “Okay,” she breathes, her lips grazing the edge of my jaw. It sends a shockwave through me.
“Come on,” I say, interlacing her fingers with mine. “Let’s go.”
We creep down the hall, peering around the corner to check for cameras. The door isn’t that far, and the visitor’s center is full of people. Luckily for us, no one seems to have noticed we’re missing.
Dashing like we’re on fire, Becca and I make a run for it, shooting out the door as fast as we can, feet pounding the concrete as we cross the street and high-tail it over to where Clementine is parked.
“Think they saw us?”
I do a quick scan of the parking lot, but it doesn’t look like anyone is following us. “No, I think we’re okay.”
Becca’s face erupts into a massive smile that damn near stops my heart. “Good, because I’ve been wanting to do this all day.”
She yanks me to a stop and jumps up, throwing her arms and legs around me.
I catch her, my hands gripping the underside of her thighs and hoisting her up.
I can’t help chuckling a little at the jump because she’s so short, but then her lips crash against mine and my entire mind goes utterly still.
I can’t think of anything but Becca and the rapid beating of my heart.
Kissing her feels like breathing, like seeing the sun after weeks of darkness, and I never want to stop.
Becca’s fingers curl around the hair at the nape of my neck, tugging just enough to cause warm shivers to roll down my spine.
I pull away, grinning against her mouth. “You have no idea how amazing that feels,” I whisper, skimming my lips down the soft skin of her neck. I press a soft kiss just below her ear.
Although we’re in the parking lot, the lights from the Neon Boneyard illuminate the sidewalk, casting pools of color around us.
Becca looks absolutely incredible with the pinks and the oranges from the neon highlighting her cheeks and bringing out the sun-streaks in her hair.
I lower her to the ground so I can get a better look.
“Hey, you want to know something?” I gently tilt her head back so I can look her fully in the face. “You’re beautiful.”
Becca’s whole face brightens. “I think the neon must be seeping into your brain. She laughs, shoving my shoulder playfully.
“No, it’s not the neon,” I say, moving my hands to her hips. “It’s you. Everything about you is absolutely stunning.”
“Thank you,” she whispers, smiling that big smile she saves for moments like this. The smile she shares with the rest of the world is nothing compared to this one, and it knocks the wind right out of my lungs.
I reach to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, my thumb moving slowly back and forth across her smooth skin.
“Holly G, there’s something I want to tell you. I know we haven’t known each other for very long, and as far as the rest of the world knows, we can’t stand each other. But you see me, and I . . .” The words get stuck in my throat and I have to swallow hard to free them.
“And you what?” Becca asks softly, her arms wrapped tightly around my waist.
I press my forehead against hers. “I’m falling for you, Becca.”
A tiny gasp escapes her lips, and for a split second my heart stops beating. But then there’s that smile again and she restarts my heart when she says, “I’m falling for you, too.”
I thought I finally understood what a true rush felt like when I first kissed her, but it’s nothing compared to this, the feeling soaring through me.
So I kiss her, and with the colors swirling around us, everything I thought I knew about adrenaline changes.
No matter where I go or what crazy shit I do for my channel, nothing will ever come close to kissing this amazing girl I’m falling for under the neon lights.