Cam hoped this trip to Vegas would help make up for the fact that he’d taken her to bed without having taken her out on a date. In his book, that was pretty shitty and he still felt ashamed of himself.
They stayed at the Cosmopolitan, a high end hotel with an edgy quirk to it. For instance, the wallpaper in the bathroom looked like a random pattern until you looked closer and saw that it was really silhouettes of women. There was also a window between the bedroom and the bathroom, enabling whoever was on the bed to look straight into the shower. Cam loved that feature and honestly, so did Dakota. Fuck, watching her soap up her body drove him crazy, and she put on a little show with some moves she said they taught her at Eye Candy Maids.
They were good moves.
But he gave as good as he got, making a show of stroking his cock as he enjoyed her steamy dance. It ended up being a contest in restraint. Each of them seemed to want to be the one who outlasted the other.
Dakota ended up winning when Cam couldn’t stand it anymore, leapt off the bed and practically ran to the shower. He wasted no time in taking her there under the hot running water and they both came quickly.
They did not, however, spend all their time in bed. They availed themselves of many of the top restaurants in the city and even gambled a little at the blackjack tables. Cam was amused at how Dakota squealed when she won.
The only rough spot was when Cam reminded her about the team New Year’s Eve party, a traditionally dressy affair.
“You should shop while we’re here at one of the designer shops,” he said. They were in the Bellagio, having just partaken of some excellent gelato.
“Cam, I couldn’t. I’m sure it’s going to be way too expensive.”
“Let’s just look. Humor me.”
He knew she was reluctant to spend his money, but they were going to be married. She didn’t have to live on a tiny little budget anymore. Plus, he wanted to pamper her. It made him happy to see her happy and he had never met a woman who didn’t like feeling like a million bucks in a beautiful dress.
It took a little while for her to warm up to the idea and she appeared disinterested until she saw an elegant black cocktail dress in the window of a shop. Without a word, she went in and asked the shop girl if she could try it on.
Cam followed and hung out by the dressing room until she came back out.
“You look gorgeous,” he said.
It was fitted but not tight, and left her shoulders completely bare, which he loved. At her neck, the collar closed with a bow that made her look like a present waiting to be opened.
“I really like it too,” she said, turning around and looking at herself in the mirror.
“Then let’s get it,” he said.
“Don’t you want to know how much it is?”
He went to her and cupped her cheek. “Do you feel beautiful in it?”
She nodded.
“Then that’s all that matters.”
The night of the party, Dakota was nervous. She was wearing a dress that cost more than some people made in a month. She was terrified she was going to dribble something on it, but it wasn’t as if she could wear something else. First of all, she didn’t have anything else appropriate and second, Cam had paid all that money. To not wear it would be a waste.
She tried to comfort herself with the knowledge that they would make a very handsome couple tonight. Dakota hadn’t been the only one who got something to wear for the party. Cam had bought a new black suit. His shoes had been polished to a high-sheen and a ruby-eyed golden dragon tie clip flashed as a nod to her color palette, which in and of itself was a nod to the team hues. He also sported a red pocket square. He looked and smelled amazing and she wished they could strip each other’s clothes off and make mad, passionate love. He never failed to satisfy her.
The perks to being engaged to a man who made his living off his body…
After dropping Zinny off at Ellen’s, they drove to the Nordbecks’ home where the party was being held. Cam relinquished his keys to the valet and escorted her into the house.
“Cam, Dakota!” Paul said. He took Dakota’s hand and kissed her cheek. “Thanks for coming.”
“Wouldn’t have missed it,” Cam said.
“There are a bunch of people in black aprons who are passing out food. The bar’s that way. I’d say make yourself at home, but with you, Cam, that could mean dirty socks on the dining room table.”
“Very funny, Nordy,” Cam said affably. “I’m a new man since Dakota came into my life.”
Dakota blushed. That sounded so ridiculously corny, and yet her heart warmed at the loving look he gave her.
“Crab cake?” the server asked, offering the platter.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Cam said, popping one into his mouth.
Dakota took one and the proffered napkin. “Thank you.”
“Caterers, huh?” Cam said, still chewing. “Fancy.”
Dakota had to agree. She’d never been to a private party that was catered, unless you counted the Teacher and Staff Appreciation Day at Shiloh Elementary where they served pizza and giant foil pans of baked ziti and warm Caesar salad.
“Hey, I wanted to talk to Zapper about something,” Cam said, snagging what looked like bacon-wrapped shrimp from another tray. “Will you be okay on your own for a bit?”
She kissed him lightly on the lips and nodded. “I’ll be fine,” she lied. She was so worried about whether or not she’d be accepted, her hands were sweating. She probably should have told Cam about her fears but hadn’t wanted to look like an insecure wimp.
She wandered toward the kitchen area, curious about dinner—maybe rich people ate baked ziti too—and saw Natalie, the only person other than Paul that she knew, but as she approached the group of women, the conversation stopped. Cam had assured her the WAGS, wives and girlfriends, would be welcoming, but apparently he’d been wrong.
“Dakota,” Natalie said, her smile warm. “Let me introduce you. This is Amber and Brianna. Amber is with Spencer. And Brianna’s seeing…Yale, I think. Right?”
Brianna nodded. “Yale’s such a doll. I love him to pieces.”
Dakota knew Spencer Corbett and Yale Baxter from watching all the games. Both were exceptionally good players, Yale especially was known for scoring. Spencer was a defenseman, like Cam.
“Are you sisters?” Dakota asked. They both had long brown hair, pert noses, and big brown eyes, heavily made up. Both were tall. They were even wearing similar clingy dresses with their boobs popping out the top.
“No, but we get that a lot.” Amber laughed. “You look familiar. Have we met before?”
“I don’t think so,” Dakota said.
“Yeah, I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere…” Brianna said.
Natalie excused herself to see about dinner.
Dakota couldn’t think where she’d have met these girls.
Amber snapped her fingers. “Wait! I know where I know you from. You’re the girl who was Cam’s maid.”
Heads turned at her loud proclamation. Dakota felt her face flushing. Even though the girl wasn’t saying anything untruthful, she still felt sensitive about it, which, she decided, was stupid. She had nothing to be ashamed of.
“That’s right,” she said in what she hoped was a breezy voice. “I cleaned his house for a video he did for the team. Funny how love finds you in the strangest of circumstances.” She tried to laugh flippantly but wasn’t sure she was too successful.
Amber’s smile was as insincere as the host of an infomercial. “And then I heard he hired you to…ah, clean just for him.”
Brianna snickered.
Dakota’s embarrassment quickly turned to irritation.
“That’s true, but I don’t work for him anymore. Once we decided we wanted to take it to the next level, I quit.”
As she walked away, she heard Amber say, “Can you imagine doing a menial job like that?”
“Not in a million years. I barely survived working at Corner Bakery.”
Whatever, Dakota thought. Haters gonna hate. Cam loved her and was going to marry her, so whatever those girls thought of her didn’t matter.
Later during dessert, Cam tapped his wine glass with his knife. “Can I have your attention please? I have an announcement.”
Dakota’s heart started beating faster as he caught her gaze and smiled a smile that was just for her.
“A few months ago, I was a clueless slob who was in need of some help cleaning up his house for a video. Little did I know when Dakota showed up it would turn out to be a full-time gig. But something must have clued me in to the fact that Dakota was an amazing woman. Her being just a housekeeper didn’t last long.”
Hoots and wolf whistles abounded and Cam settled them down with outstretched hands.
“Hey, get your minds out of the gutter, jerks.”
“Get to the point,” Ian Zappala called out.
“Long story short,” Cam said, placing a warm hand on her shoulder, “even though I totally don’t deserve her, I asked Dakota to marry me last week and against all odds, she said yes.”
The table erupted in cheers and applause. Dakota flicked a glance at Amber and Brianna, and they looked as if someone told them all the Kardashian shows had been cancelled.
Cam had told her he wanted to announce their engagement to the team and she hadn’t wanted him to do it. She thought it was better to just let the news spread naturally, but he’d been right. Now that it was done, she felt like she was a legitimate member of the group. No longer was she the latest woman to catch the fancy of one of the players, someone he was banging for a while until he got bored and moved on. No, she was going to be his wife.