Page 33 of Ring Me

Don't think about the past, I told myself now. Conner doesn't think you're gross, or dangerous, or corrupt. I had to remember his kind words. They were all that mattered.

Wandering into his bedroom, I stretched out the sparkly strapless dress. The silver sequins glinted in the lights. I hadn't had time to examine his bedroom last night or this morning, and I found myself glancing around curiously as I got dressed.

He had a bedside table—in it I found Magnum condoms, which I blushed at and quickly shut away again. On the wall across from the King bed was a long white desk with an expensive looking computer on top. I'd always had a laptop. It suited my needs, but I was mildly envious of people who had such nice electronics.

Once I had the dress zipped, I bent over the computer for a closer look. Was it in sleep mode? Would a simple poke of the mouse bring the screen to life? Don't snoop, I scolded myself. I didn't want to go digging into his privacy anymore than I wanted someone digging into mine.

That was partly why I'd signed up for the RingMe app. It promised anonymous matching, secure data protection, and inherent privacy controls. I could fill in my preferences without explicitly telling anyone, and the app would match me to someone with the same desires.

It had hit the mark with Conner.

Purse in hand and faux-fur coat over my arms, I checked the time, then jogged to the front door. I froze when I got there. Wait, I almost forgot. There was one more thing I had to do.

Pulling the engagement ring from my purse, I slid it carefully back onto my finger. Now I was ready.

****

I SAW THE GLISTENINGwater before we turned into the parking lot.

Gasping, I pressed my hands to the car window. “Conner! Is that a riverboat? It's huge!”

He laughed, cutting the engine and helping me out of the car. “The Annie May, it's the biggest floating casino boat that's still operating.”

“Now I get why you told me to dress up,” I said, giving him a nudge with my elbow. In response, he took it, linking it with his own.

“I hope you don't mind. I thought it would be fun to go out and do something special, and an excuse to see you looking so glamorous doesn't hurt.” He swept his eyes over my body. I felt beautiful when he stared at me.

“Stop,” I laughed, shaking my head so hard my hair whipped into my eyes. He looked incredibly pleased at my reaction. I gave his arm a tug. “You clean up nice, too.”

Conner had dressed himself in polished black shoes, matching dark pants with a seam ironed up the leg, and a tucked in wine-red dress shirt. A single button vest was straining over his broad chest. I wondered if he had a tailor, how else could he get such a precise fit on his body?

“Looking good for you is my responsibility,” he said, shooting me a cocky grin. “Make sure you show off your ring tonight. It'll help warn away all the thirsty men.”

“What, worried I'll get flirted with?”

“More like, worried I'll throw someone overboard and get us kicked off the boat.”

My heels tapped on the solid wood of the dock. There was someone gathering tickets at the bottom of the sloped plank that led onto the boat. I craned my neck to study the white paint of its hull. There were railings decorated with bright lights, and towards the end, a huge red paddle. I was surprised that a proper riverboat had been converted into such a luxury vessel.

The man dressed in white and navy-blue took Conner's tickets, scanned them, then smiled at us both. “Go right ahead, and please, enjoy your time with us.”

Another person in the same colored attire offered us glasses of champagne as we walked up the plank and onto the boat. I clinked my glass on Conner's. “Cheers.”

Gentle music floated into my ears the closer we got to the first deck. A crowd of people dressed in elegant outfits blocked my view; Conner politely, but persistently, pushed us through the group. Suddenly we were in the middle of a Vegas casino set in the 1940s. There was a band standing on a platform. All of them wore glittery red jackets, each of them performing energetically on their instrument. I saw trumpets, a double bass, and a few saxophones.

A bunch of people were dancing near the stage. Others were leaning over poker tables, or huddled by roulette wheels. Gorgeous men and women alike traversed the boat with trays of drinks balanced on their hands. “Wow,” I whispered. “This is something else.”

Conner motioned at a waitress. “Two gin and tonics,” he said, before glancing at me. “Right?”

“You remembered.”

“Of course I did. How could I forget anything about that night.”

I ducked my head, unable to look at him. Oh, yes... that night was very hard to forget. I'd replayed it multiple times.

“Better finish these,” he said, swallowing what was left in his champagne glass. I copied him, enjoying the pleasant burn of alcohol as it rippled through my blood. “Want to play a game while we wait for our drinks, or do you want to dance? Or something else?”

“What else is there?” I meant it as a joke, but his smirk lit a fuse next to my heart. “If there's something you want to do... a game you want to play...” I said curiously. “I want to hear it.”

---