Page 174 of Under Her Skin
The way Spike’s dark eyes narrow has me wishing I’d never said a word. “Just how much did you two talk, Tilly? And what else did you do with this deadman?”
“Not a lot. See, he didn’t know you went to prison for killing a man in a bar fight. That proves we didn’t talk verymuch.”
“Fuck me! Really? A bar fight?” I say as I try to take a step back, but Tilly is right there, and I’d have to push her out of the way to retreat to moderate safety, and that would look reallybad.
Spike is standing right in front of the door and I close my eyes and say a little prayer to let someone walk in and knock him out of the way. Spikelaughs.
“Praying before you die,prick?”
Iopenmy eyes and am about to say something witty as a small amount of light fills the frame of the door and someone pushes it with a great amount of force. Spike comes flying at me as I sidestep him and quickly turn back to grab his arm, the one with the knife at the end ofit.
Thanks to all my working out, I’m kind of buff and easily pull the knife out of his grasp as he fumbles to regain his balance. I twist his arm back and face plant him on thebar.
“Blake!”
I turn my head to find a beautiful young woman with my name on her lips and nearly fall down as I see that it’sRachelle.
“Rachelle,what in the hell are you doing here?” I ask with most likely a very surprisedexpression.
“I came to get you and drag you to Vegas to marry my stupid ass.” She crosses her arms in front of her and looks at the large man I have pinned to the bar. “A newfriend?”
Tilly pops around me and says, “No, he isn’t. Look Blake, let him up, I’ll take care ofSpike.”
Though I really don’t want to let the man up, I feel that I should so I can wrap the woman I love in my arms and let her take me to Vegas. I look at Tilly. “You can’t handle this man, Tilly.” I glance around and find another large guy and shout, “Hey,you.”
He points at himself and mouths, ‘me?’
“Yeah, you.” I say as I nod my head. “Can you come and make sure this guy stays put while I get the fuck out ofhere?”
He nods and makes his way to me. He takes the position I vacate, holding Spike down and I finally wrap Rachelle up in my arms. “Let’s get the hell out ofhere.”
Out we walk towards my truck. “We should hurry,” Rachelle says. “I doubt that guy is going to be able to keep the monster sized man held thatlong.”
Knowing she’s right, I hurry along and open the driver’s side door of my truck and lift her up to get in. She slides over to the middle and I get in. Turning the truck on, I look over at her, suddenly verysober.
“I’m glad to see you,Rachelle.”
Her smile fills my heart and I can’t wait to make this womanmine.
As we pull out of the parking lot, I drape my arm around her narrow shoulders and pull her close to me, leaving a kiss on the side of her head. She smiles up at me and says, “You really do seem glad to seeme.”
“I really am glad to see you. I found myself second guessing the decision to leave Los Angeles a lot.” I squeeze her a little as I feel so happy I can hold heragain.
“Ideserved it,Blake. I’m sorrier than I’ve ever been in my entire life about anything. I hope one day you can forgive the stupid girl I am.” She looks away and frowns. “I tried to call and texted you alot.”
“I tossed my phone,” I tell her. “I thought I should drop you and all our friends if I was to truly get over you. It proved impossible to stop thinking about you though. I’m pretty damn sure I would’ve been going back to find you tomorrow. And I accept your apology, Rachelle. And please don’t call yourself stupid, you are anything but that,baby.”
She smiles and pulls something out of her purse and they glimmer in her palm under the dashboard lights. “I stopped in Round Rock and got my great-grandparents’ wedding rings. They aren’t fancy, just plain gold bands, but I’d like us to use them to get married tonight. If you’re up to it, and still want me, thatis.”
“I still want you! Don’t think I don’t.” I pause though as I don’t want her to feel like she has to marry me. “Rachelle, I don’t want to push you into something you’re not readyfor.”
“I am ready.” She looks back at me with a frown covering her beautiful face. “Blake, I need to do this. I need you in my life, permanently. I want you like I never knew was possible. You’re right about having the security that goes along with marriage. I want that, I want what you want to provide for me, for our family we’ll have oneday.”
Her words fall on my ears like snowflakes in December. Light, and beautiful and something I’ve been waitingfor.
Rachelle
Straight back to the airport we went and got on Kip’s jet. Thankfully, Blake accepted my apology and agreed to get married tonight in Vegas. Kip, Peyton, Max, and Lexi are on their way there as we speak and we’re all going to meet up at this little weddingchapel.
