Bride 2 Be

Chapter Seven ~ The Search Begins

Chapter Seven
The Search Begins

Lisa's hand ached, giving her no choice but to yank it out of Calvin's firm grip as he led her down Las Vegas Boulevard at an insane pace and into the hotel. Intuition told her that this was a waste of their time, but for her sister's sake, she would cling to hope, no matter how small it would be. Calvin glanced back at her over his shoulder, making brief eye contact, but remained silent as they made their way through the lobby and to the chapel. Lisa's stomach bubbled as fear and anticipation mingled, and her head pounded. She wondered if eating so much was a good idea but knew they could be chasing after Penny and Edward for hours. Calvin walked into the chapel waiting area like he'd done this a thousand times before. The man radiated confidence, and truth be told, she admired that about him. He never seemed afraid of anything, a quality she wished she could hone in herself, making some of the more laboring business meetings a walk in the park.

Calvin took her hand again, pulling her snug up against his body before he smiled, his face lighting up like candles on a birthday cake. "Darling, we made it," he said, his voice dripping in sweetness. "Penny and Edward will be thrilled that we arrived in time to witness their nuptials."

The change in his voice and attitude made Lisa's jaw drop in shock, though she managed to hide the surprise, biting her bottom lip and playing along. The woman who stood behind the tall desk watched them, and she nodded when Calvin turned his attention to her.

"How can I help you?" she asked.

Calvin moved forward, resting a hand on the counter. "We are here to witness my brother's marriage. I really hope we didn't miss it," he said, staring at his wristwatch.

"Name?"

"Edward Grayburg and Penny Green," Lisa interjected.

The woman made eye contact with Lisa, and it took everything in her to look away, or she'd wind up in a fit of laughter. The gaudy blue and gold eyeshadow the woman wore looked revolting on the young woman's green eyes and her dark complexion. Lisa fidgeted with her hands and stared at Calvin, amazed that he'd kept his cool the entire time, even looking at her face and smiling at the woman.

"Well, it says they were supposed to be here an hour ago, but they never showed." She leaned forward across the counter and smiled up at Calvin.

"Oh, no. Looks like they had a change of plans. Thank you for checking." Calvin put his arm around Lisa and led her out of the chapel. Once they hit the lobby, Lisa burst out laughing, unable to hold back any longer.

Calvin stopped walking and pulled her toward him, his eyes drawn together. "Did I miss something?"

Lisa gaped at him, unable to believe how clueless he seemed about why she would be carrying on this way. "You're kidding, right?"

He shook his head, released her, and waited. "Didn't you see her makeup, her eyes in particular?"

A tight smile tugged his lips. "Oh, I guess I wasn't paying attention to that."

"Kind of hard to miss."

"We need to head past the hotel to the Hotel Paris." He checked his watch, pulled his phone out of his pocket, and checked it. "I thought this guy would be calling with a list as long as my arm by now," he muttered.

"Could be a good thing, Cal." His eyes twinkled when she said his name. Lisa stared up at him, dying to get another taste, but refused to make the first move. She didn't want him to be uncomfortable around her or think she was loose. She enjoyed his company, and under different circumstances, Lisa would love nothing more than to pursue a relationship and see where it would take the two of them, throwing caution and their solid business principles right out the window. She liked this side of the man before her, much better than the uptight, take-charge man in the boardroom she'd grown accustomed to.

"Let's get out of here," he whispered.

She loved the sound of his voice when it dropped an octave and became sensual, making her shiver as he led her through the lobby and outside into the warm Las Vegas night air. His big hand rested in the middle of her back as they walked back down the boulevard. She enjoyed being next to him and felt relaxed and at home in his presence. It amazed her that she wanted to get to know him better, feel him close to her, and learn how to please and make him smile. In a matter of hours, they managed to establish a connection. The knowledge made her dizzy because she knew that the relationship she wanted, intended to have, would have them naked and involved on a greater personal level. Her body ached to be touched, throbbed with a need to find fulfillment, to find it with him and know him in the most intimate of ways.

Lisa sighed, leaning into him to bask in that closeness as they continued walking. Rational thoughts returned, reminding her of why she was here in the first place. She had to pull her head out of the clouds and concentrate on finding Penny and Edward. She forced herself to focus on the bright signs that lit the street as a distraction. People appeared everywhere, going from one place to the next, lingering outside on the street in clusters, watching the line of cars slowly traveling up and down the broad road. Cameras flashed, and people held video recorders as they walked and drove, trying to not miss a thing. Lisa had never seen this kind of nightlife before. The lights were hypnotic, flashy, and so bright they almost blinded her at times. Even the noise would take some getting used to; nothing like her quiet little town of Endurance.

Edward remained silent as they passed their hotel, continuing to the next stop. She hated the silence and wanted to hear his soothing voice. "Do you think we'll find them there?"

"I hope we do, but no, I think they will have us traipsing all over Las Vegas looking for them."

Lisa stopped walking and turned to him. "Then why bother? They could be married by now, off starting their honeymoon." As the words left her mouth, the thought made her cringe.

Calvin pulled her into his hard body and wrapped his arms around her tight. She loved the feel of him, moved her arms around his torso, and held on for dear life. He had a way about him that made her want to get lost in his strength forever. He kissed the top of her head. She never knew this side of him, and under other conditions, she doubted she would've gotten this close to him. Lisa had Penny to thank for that. If, during this trip, she found the opportunity to make love to Calvin, and afterward, they returned to being business associates only, she wouldn't complain. Her heated body begged for more, a craving she had never experienced before, yet her mind still controlled her actions, though Lisa knew she couldn't hold back too much longer. She wanted him, and she always got what she wanted. I will have him at least once.

Inhaling, she stepped back and out of his arms, hating the lonely feeling that seeped right in. "We should keep going," she whispered.

His hand moved forward, his finger raising her chin so she looked him in the eye, which was never a good idea. Those eyes called to her, making her heart melt, her body take flight, and her brain mush. "Are you sure? I can continue on alone."

The thought of him out there alone didn't sit well with Lisa. They were in this together. She wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head. "No, I'm fine, Cal. Please, let's just keep going."

"All right," he said and started walking.

Lisa stayed close to his side, yet he didn't touch her. Knowing that she wanted him to hold her hand again felt foreign. They headed to the Paris Hotel. Lisa began to pray as they grew near, hoping Penny and Edward would be inside. She wanted this chase to end. She swallowed, finding it harder to focus on Penny.

A crowd stood outside the Paris, smoking, laughing, and shouting at one another. It reminded Lisa of a fire drill in high school when they all had to pile outside and wait for the all-clear signal. She smiled, recalling that carefree time in her life. With age came complications, responsibilities, and reality; now, complicated seemed tame.

Calvin moved closer and retook her hand. Heat crept up her arm, and she found herself snuggling closer to him, wanting to press her body up against his and kiss him again. The idea of another sizzling kiss occupied Lisa's mind, made her breath catch, and if she couldn't get a grip on her emotions fast, she would take control and do it again. The fierce need remained, hummed through her body tauntingly, and kept her attention.

Lisa stared at the Eifel Tower in disbelief. On the drive down the Las Vegas Strip, she only focused on one side of the street, missing everything on the opposite side. The replica of the tower looked real. She would swear she were in Paris instead of Nevada if she didn't know any better. Heading into the hotel, her heartbeat picked up, and her eyes darted from one corner to the next in the lavish hotel. The dark blue carpet with intricate gold designs running through it was a spectacular sight. Everything about this hotel screamed Paris, France.

They went through the lobby and to the wedding chapel, and Cal went through the same speech. Lisa waited, hoping to get an answer and end the running around. Her feet did ache, but not enough to give up, nor would she let on to Cal. Admitting that he was right or that she should've gone back to the hotel alone and waited would be too much. She called him, brought him into the wild goose chase, and she couldn't let him handle this mess alone.

The second dead end had them back out onto the strip. Just as Lisa decided to return to their hotel, Calvin's cell rang.

“Grayburg,” he barked. He stared at Lisa the entire time but gave nothing away. She waited for him to speak, to say something more and clue her in, but he remained silent.

"Thank you," Calvin said. He ended the call and forced a smile. "They booked every wedding chapel in Vegas within a two-hour time frame. We still have thirty minutes left, but I'm unsure where to go from here."

Lisa watched him and saw the confidence beginning to fade. She didn't like that; instead, she enjoyed seeing him in control because that meant he held out hope. Now, hope also started to melt away. "Okay, so we have to think like Edward would; tap into his train of thought."

His brows knitted together as he stared at her. "What do you think I've been doing?"

She smiled up at him, "I didn't realize." She wondered why they were on this insane hunt if he knew his brother so well. "Would Edward go to a place you expect him to be?" She shook her head. "I doubt it. In fact, he's probably at the wedding chapel that you would automatically rule out."

Calvin's face stared back at her; a spark glinted in his eye, and his jaw dropped and closed in the blink of an eye. The Grayburgs were used to having money, enjoyed being in the most expensive places, and reveled in it. She could see that he had trouble with any other possible scenario.

"That's what I would do if I were in his shoes. So, the question now becomes, which chapel do you believe he would never go to?"

In one swift move, he reached out, yanked her into his hard frame, and crushed his mouth to hers. The kiss was quick and left Lisa standing on shaky legs in shock. Traffic, voices, horns, and music disappeared as her brain fought to make sense of that spontaneous move.

"You're a genius," he said.

She blushed, "I wouldn't go that far. I've dealt with Penny's spur-of-the-moment indulgences for the last few years. I learned a few moves of my own. My sister tends to keep me on my toes. I find myself constantly trying to out-think her."

Calvin pulled the cell phone out of his pocket and quickly called someone. He took her hand, and they headed back toward the MGM Grand; the fast pace made her breathe hard. "The limo will meet us at the hotel, and then we can head to A Elvis Chapel."

Lisa stopped dead in her tracks and gasped. "Elvis? You can't be serious."

He turned and smiled at her. "Edward hates anything Elvis-related, especially copycats. He will find humor in getting married by an impersonator."

They started walking again. The entire idea seemed preposterous, but Calvin appeared positive that he would go there to get married. She would follow, hope he was right, and with any luck, get there in time to stop the wedding. Her feet ached and throbbed as they reached the front of the hotel. The limo awaited them, and Calvin picked up his stride. They only had a short window of time to try and catch up with Edward and Penny. He opened the door for her, and she slid inside, thankful to give her feet a rest. The cool breeze of the air conditioning hit her, a sharp contrast to the Vegas heat they had spent the last hour enduring.

"If we arrive in time, what do you intend to say to Edward?" Lisa asked. She ran a conversation with Penny in her head a dozen times but knew that if she found her sister, she wouldn't remember one word of it.

His big hands slid over his thighs, resting on his knees. She tried not to focus on that innocent action, the yearning to have those hands gliding over her body, hitting her like a ton of bricks. The constant need to be in Calvin's presence, to want his touch, his mouth on her, and to be in his arms was becoming a problem. She couldn't continue to keep her own wants and needs at the forefront. She had to forget the images that flashed before her eyes of him naked, hard, and ready for her. Not to mention the feel his heated mouth upon hers.

"First, I'll hit him and then ask questions."

Lisa turned towards him, stunned that he even had a violent bone in his body or considered that as his first course of action. She had never known him to be that way. From everything she knew of him, doing such a thing would be out of his character. "Now that I can't even wrap my mind around."

He raised a brow. "Why is that?"

Lisa shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at him. She had to hide her arousal, and the only way to do that would be to cover her breasts. "I've never seen you angry before. Even during some negotiations with suppliers that I personally wanted to storm out of, you remained calm and in control, not letting one bead of sweat appear on your brow."

He smiled. "That's business. Edward is my brother. We fight all the time."

He said those words as if she should have expected it. Lisa recognized that her relationship with Penny couldn't compare to that of Edward and Calvin. She could see that Calvin held his brother in high regard, and she assumed they were close growing up. Penny purposely kept a comfortable distance from Lisa, never having that bond Lisa always hoped they would have, that they should've had after the tragedy they endured.


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