Around the World in 80 Men Series: Boxed Set 21-30 (23 page)

The
men hugged briefly as Angel asked about Cedric's flight, Cedric told
him that it was hell and was glad to be on solid ground. Angel
pulled him to the Morgan and Clay who were still standing in front of
their chairs, then she ran up to the blonde man and jumped into his
arms. He grabbed her tightly and spun her in a circle. “I've
missed you!” She spoke into his shoulder, then he placed her
back to the floor.

“I've
missed you, ya crazy girl.” Cedric took her hands in his, and
brought them to his lips. “It's so good to see you... we're
going to have so much....,” his eyes moved to the area of her
finger that held the one thing that he never that he wasn't supposed
to see, “what the fuck? Why are wearing this?” He let
go of her hand that wasn't wearing the ring, and held the culprit
with both hands. “Why didn't you send it back?” He was
just about to ask Angel the same question when Clay interrupted the
growing scene. Morgan was speechless, she wasn't as prepared as she
thought she'd been, and just stood in front of Cedric, in silence.

“Can
the three of you catch up later? Let's get your luggage and get out
of here, this airport gets crazy after one o'clock... and I don't
plan to be here when it does.” Clay walked to Morgan's side,
and put his arm around her waist. “Baggage claim is this way.”
He kept walking, knowing that Angel and Cedric would have to follow
him. He leaned down and spoke quietly into Morgan's ear as they
quickly walked through the growing crowd. “If Angel tells
Cedric the truth, the game is over. We need a little more time.”
The way he spoke to her was as if he was only letting her know that
she could expect something to happen, and she was excited to find out
what that something would be. She nodded as if she already knew, and
the two picked up their pace, forcing Angel and Cedric to do the
same.

Chapter
Ten

“
Mister
Shaw?” A deep voice sounded behind Morgan and Clay right as
they approached the baggage area, and both of them turned around.

“Yes?”
Clay titled his head, waiting for a response from the
stranger
.

Morgan
put her hand over her mouth and forced out a weak cough, anything to
hide the giggles that had surfaced at lightening speed.
It's
Dick! Or is that Jack... ass?
It didn't matter what his name
was, he worked for Clay and Morgan finally saw the
something
her
client had mentioned.

“I'm
with Caesars, and I was sent here to see to your guests.” Clay
turned back to the moving luggage, and got his smile under control.
He'd never seen his man look so serious, and the whole situation was
becoming far too difficult to take seriously. He did, however, get
himself together quickly, and turned back around to face the lying
employee of
Caesars
. Morgan caught on, and she jumped right
in with her part.

“No!
I want Angel with me! No offense Cedric, but I'm not going one
minute without my Angel if I don't have to.” Morgan slipped
her arm through Angel's, and smiled sweetly at her best friend.

Clay
turned to his friend, the one who he'd called right after making
arrangements with the hotel. He'd already made plans to separate the
two men and he was glad that Morgan had caught on so quickly.

“Mister
Hanson, it seems as if we have a change of plans.” Clay's tone
also forced a twitch of a smile from the other man. “You'll
just be taking,” he put his hand on Cedric's shoulder, “Cedric
here.” Dick...or Jack...nodded and grabbed Cedric's bag from
his hand, taking on the part of the perfect concierge. “The
rest of us will meet you at the casino,” he told Cedric with a
small nod and another pat on his shoulder. Clay shook the man's
hand, and thanked him, then started to walk away with his arm around
Morgan, and his hand at Angel's elbow.

Angel
had no idea what was going on, nor did Cedric, but they both just
nodded at the strange Vegas customs, and did as they were told.
Morgan tried to explain more as they weaved quickly through the
crowd. “Sorry, I know you would have wanted a limo ride to the
casino, and the whole royal treatment thing that's done for a guest
of Clayton, but I'm not letting you out of my sight right now.”
She put her head on Angel's shoulder, and squeezed his arm in a
pseudo hug.

Angel
began to understand. Clayton had made the reservation for he and
Cedric, and Caesars had obviously been bending over backwards to
accommodate the guests. Morgan, as it was being made clear, didn't
want Angel to go with the limo driver and have the five star
treatment as Cedric was obviously going to have, she wanted him with
her. He wanted the limo ride, he wanted Cedric, he wanted to tell
her that he would meet her later, but the smile on her face right
then was more than enough to keep his lips closed. He had missed her
beyond words, and he wouldn't disappoint his best friend. But he
still wished he could ride in a limo.

“Are
you hungry?” Morgan was talking to Angel, but her eyes went to
Clay with a
help me
look. Clay nodded slightly.

“I
don't know about you, but I'm starving,” Clayton answered
before Angel could, and feigned hunger by rubbing his stomach.

“Me
too. I knew we should have eaten breakfast,” Morgan chimed in.
“Angel?”

“Yeah,
I'm hungry, but I want to eat with Cedric too,” Angel spoke
quietly, hoping he wouldn't offend Morgan by wanting to expand their
lunch date.
Then again, the bitch is mad. He saw the ring and he's
going to want fuckin' answers..answers I don't have.
Right then,
Angel was more thankful that the two of them separated them than
Morgan and Clay were. He didn't want to explain anything, not until
he had the chance to talk to Morgan. If he could get the ring back
from her, then he could give it to Cedric and everyone would be
happy.
But the only way I can get that shit back is if I convince
her not to tie the muthafuckin' string with Fin-lay-me-down.

Yes,
he needed more time and suddenly, a
long
lunch sounded
perfect. “Nevafuckinmind. His ass is getting drove around like
Miss Nebraska. Limos and shit...” Angel stepped forward,
through the double doors leading outside the airport, then turned
around and put his arms up to stop Morgan and Clay. “Fuck that.
You know what? I want pizza.” Morgan and Clay both laughed and
then looked at each other quickly. The place with the little raviolis
would be perfect. It was away from Caesars and it would give Clay
enough time to follow through with the rest of the plan.

Clay's
car was waiting out front for them, with a driver and all. Morgan
had to look away from the humor in Jack's... or Dick's, eyes at the
sudden appearance of their escort. Clay had obviously called both of
his friends, and now they were going to be chauffeured around
beautiful Las Vegas.
Morgan had to stifle her giggles as she
climbed into the back seat, but Angel was busy at the back of the car
telling Clayton to be gentle with his bag so he didn't notice the
giggle fest in the backseat anyway. It was too perfect, Morgan
thought. She had no idea what else Clay had up his sleeve, but she
couldn't wait to find out. The thought made her giggle even more.

“What's
your ass going on like a hyena about?” Angel sat down hard in
the back seat and slid close to his best friend and Clayton sat down
next to him with a sigh nobody but himself could hear. He wanted the
joke to be over, mostly because he wanted to be with Morgan one more
night...alone.

“I'm
just so excited!” Morgan grabbed Angel's cheeks and pinched
them and he yelled out in pain as the car moved forward and they
slammed against the back of the seat. She quickly let go of his face
and her hand moved to her mouth again to prevent another wave of
laughter. Angel's shocked face was priceless. “Sorry...Angel...”

“Bitch,
you just pulled the cheeks off my face!” He swatted her hand
away when she tried to rub out the pain and she fell over, onto his
lap in more laughter. A flash of sunlight from the window hit the
ring on Morgan's finger as her hand moved to Angel's leg, and his
heart sunk when he saw it again. For just a short moment, he'd
forgotten about it. “Tell me, baby girl, you ain't for real
marrying the Scot are you?” His hand moved to her head and he
pushed a chunk of hair behind her ear, then wiped one of her tears of
laughter from her cheek.

“Angel,”
she spoke through clenched teeth, and she nodded her head slightly
toward Clayton. He got the point. Right, of course. He was stupid to
talk about her marrying someone while she was with a client.
But I
didn't claim to be smart.
Angel knew he'd piss Morgan off, but
she'd get over it. He had to get the ring back, whatever it took.

“Stick,
this is stupid,” he began and Morgan pushed herself up from his
lap, then brought her eyebrows together in confusion, playing her
part. They'd foreseen that too. Morgan knew, as a last resort, Angel
would try to talk her out of the marriage, but she wasn't going to
back down. “Just last week you said you weren't going to marry
any of them! What the fuck, Stick!?

“Angel..I...I
really thought you'd be happy for me...” Morgan felt a twitch
of a smile.
Broken toe, flat tire, volcanoes, burglar in the back
of Clay's home.

“I
don't understand, Boo.” Angel took her hand in his and his
thumb moved the ring back and forth along her finger. “I
would
be happy for you if I knew this shit was real.”

Morgan's
heart raced fast.
If it was real? What does he mean? Does he know?
Don't look at Clay, don't look at Clay. Fuck, I looked.
Clay's
eyed widened, but his look told her to keep playing along. “What
do you mean? What could be more real than love?”

“Oh,
I know you love Finny, but baby, you're just...” He took a deep
breath. “It's too soon, bitch. Too muthafuckin' soon. Your
feelings might feel real, but you
love
Tan Man, you
love
Sean. This marriage shit...it's just a reaction from your heart,
you don't really want it.” Morgan let out a breath of relief.
He doesn't know.

She
almost smiled again.
Floods. Meteors. Dead cell phone battery.
Her
eyes went to Clay and she gave him another
help
look.

Clayton
cleared his throat as Angel was about to speak again. “Well, it
looks like you two have a lot to talk about, but I'd appreciate it if
you waited. She's mine for one more day. If I'm her last client, I
want to make it count.” He winked at Morgan and she nodded and
gave him a quick thumbs up.

Angel
groaned quietly and fell back against the seat. “Fuck me.”
Morgan resisted the temptation to ask him what was wrong, especially
since she already knew.

“Just
one more thing,” she told Clay, then leaned in close to Angel
for one final touch. “He went through all of that to send me
the ring and show me how much he loved me. It made me realize how
much I love him. I'm going to marry him, Angel. Just be happy for
me.” She wanted to make Angel feel just a bit more guilty. On
one hand, she felt bad for seeing him go through the turmoil, but on
the other hand, she remembered how many hours she'd spent crying over
the stunt he'd pulled and the bit of karma she was feeding him didn't
feel as bad. Morgan grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Please, be happy for me. Who else is going to be my maid of
honor?” Finally, Angel cracked a smile and nodded.

His
Sticky Buns was going to get married and he realized, there was
nothing he could do about it. “I'm happy if you're happy.”
He was sad because he knew that might be the end of his relationship
with Cedric and he was already trying to think of ways he was going
to pay the Belgian butler back.
Fucking fuck!
He'd do what
he'd have to do to keep Morgan happy, but it didn't suck any less.
I'll have to make muthafuckin' installment plans. Buying a goddamn
millionaire's engagement ring....fucking Finlay. I won't tell, but
you owe my ass big time time, you Scottish bitch.

The
three of them made light conversation the rest of the way to the
Italian restaurant, and by the time they arrived, the three of them
really were hungry. Morgan and Angel got out first, and started
walking to the front door.

“
You're
going to love this place! It has the most amazing little raviolis!
Just wait until...” As they walked into the restaurant,
Morgan's phone went off inside of her purse. She looked at it, then
back to Angel and smiled. “Just wait until you try them,”
she finished her thought, then dug her phone out. It was from Clay,
giving her a brief rundown of what was to come. Morgan gave a quick
reply, confirming she understood and she looked back at the man and
smiled once more.
“My friend Jessica,” Morgan
shrugged and brushed off the text.