Las Vegas Savior
Chapter 26

John walked down to the jewelry store he had noticed on the corner and looked over the selection they had to offer but didn’t see anything that he thought Emily would like. He wanted to replace something special for her. He used his phone and found that there was another jewelry store a couple of blocks over so he walked down and finally found what he had been looking for.

It was a nice setting and while he wished he had her input on it and after checking with the store’s return policy, he decided to go for it and chose a stone to go in the setting he had picked out. He asked the clerk what the protocol is on buying a set or if it should be left up to the woman to purchase the man’s ring.

“Well, nowadays couples come in and buy the rings together and yes, she should be the one to pay for his ring. But if you are going old school and if she doesn’t like the ring you’ve chosen then we can either exchange it for something she will like better or we will refund your money if you come back with the receipt within 30 days. After that, it’s store credit only.” The clerk informed him.

John paid for the ring and realized that he was going to have to get online and pay down on his credit card when he signed the receipt. The clerk gave him two velvet boxes, one with the engagement ring and another with the matching wedding band.

He also found a luggage store next to the jewelry store and they were advertising a sale. Knowing that she was going to need something better than that ratty old backpack soon, he went in and found a nice set for a very reasonable price. Being that he now had to carry the box with the suitcases inside, he decided to catch a cab back to the hotel since there was one parked outside the store when he left.

He had a huge smile on his face as he rode the elevator back up to their floor. He was only slightly nervous as he let himself back in the room and found her filing her nails.

“Uh-oh, she’s sharpening her claws.” John teased.

“Hey! I was beginning to get worried and was just about to call the FBI to go look for you.” Emily teased as he came into the room.

“Well, I got my dad’s stuff ordered from the medical supply place and I bought you a new suitcase! You are going to need one if we keep shopping.” John teased her as she stood up and put her arms around him and lifted her face for his kiss.

“Did you get your calls made?” He asked, trying to clear his head when all he really wanted to do was lay her down and make love to her.

“Yes! Connie cried and Jake said he’s about to rotate home. He’s going to retire soon!”

“That’s great! Changing jobs is something I wanted to discuss with you before I make any final decisions.” John found a good opening for the conversation he hoped would have a good outcome.

“Please tell me you are thinking about giving up the FBI and being an agent?” Emily said hopefully and John’s eyes opened wide. It amazed him how much they thought alike and then realized he would feel the same if the situations were reversed.

“Well, I think I’ve mentioned before that I never started out wanting to be an agent in the first place but the opportunity presented itself and it meant a chance to travel some, although I had hoped for more overseas stuff. Heck, I’ve barely been out of the state and much less the country.

Anyway, I started out as a mechanic and I love working on cars but I don’t know if there is an opening with the Sacramento office or not. Even if there is, I may have to start back at the bottom and work my way up again. Or I could consider relocating to an area where they need someone. Like here.”

“Vegas?”

“How would you feel about that?”

“Well, I haven’t ever thought about it really. But I’ll be happy anywhere you are. Vegas has all kinds of possibilities. What do you want to do?”

“I just want a job where I can give you the kind of life you deserve. I like Sacramento but I have no family there so it means traveling every holiday. I know I couldn’t live in Seattle. Too much rain there for me.”

“I know what you mean. That was the one thing that I didn’t like about living there. Otherwise Seattle is a nice place. But like I said, I’ll be happy anywhere you are and if Vegas is where you want to live, then this is where we will stay. How about this? We get access to a computer and check out not only the job market, but the housing market as well?”

“Well, actually Commander Standish sort of offered me a job here. Working as a mechanic but I don’t know any of the details yet. Also, Jim Foster is not just my commander but my good friend and I feel like I need to give them a chance first. I know they already have a mechanic but who knows, he might want to become an agent and we could just switch places. Pay scales vary by area so that is also a consideration.”

“Well, then I say you check into what the job here offers and then check with your job in Sacramento and then you decide where you want to be and we’ll go from there. Okay?”

“I wonder if the hotel has computer access for guests to use?” John asked.

“I think I saw somewhere that they have a business center here in the hotel. They would have computers we could use.”

“I wonder what their hours are?”

Emily looked for the information in the book of services offered by the hotel and found the business center. “It says they are open between 8 am and 9 pm. I guess it’s too late to go down there now but we could go after breakfast in the morning.”

“Good. Well, if we have a choice between the two, which would you choose?”

“Hard call for me to make since I’ve never been to Sacramento and don’t know what it’s like. I guess we’ll have to do some research into the cost difference between the two places.”

“Sounds like we need to start some lists!” John smiled at her. “But for now, I’m going to go get a shower.”

“Okay.” Emily said as she pulled the pad of paper near the phone over and started making a list of all the things she could think of that they would need to check into before they made a decision.

She tried not to think of what was going to happen when John came out of the shower. She wanted it to happen naturally and over thinking it was only going to make her nervous so she forced herself to focus on her list.

She knew she couldn’t wait to get her things out of storage in Seattle and then realized that it might be cheaper for her to just have the storage place ship her belongings to wherever they decided to settle. The only issue there being that she might have to wait longer to get some of the things that she wanted soon, like her laptop and her clothes. She wondered how long it would take them to get her things if she waited and made a note on her list to call them first thing in the morning.

John was undecided on how he wanted to propose. He had wanted to take her out to dinner, maybe to that little Italian place they had gone to. It was a very romantic setting and would be perfect if he could get down on one knee and ask her to be his wife. The ring he had bought was practically burning a hole in his pocket.

He took the boxes out of his pocket and flipped the one with the engagement ring open. He stood looking down at it and made his decision. He would wait until he could do it right and prayed she would be in the mood for Italian.

He closed the box and stripped out of his clothes. He adjusted the water temperature in the shower and then stepped under the spray. He bathed, then shaved and pulled on the pajama bottoms but left the top off. He bundled the rings inside his clothes and put them in his suitcase.

He had tossed his jacket over the back of the chair and he grabbed it up and slipped the ring boxes into the pocket as he hung it up in the closet.

“So how long is the list?” He teased as he walked back into the bedroom.

“Here. Look and see if there is anything I’m missing?” She said and held the list out to him. “Wow, he’s got a nice body too.” She thought as she watched him walk towards her. She had tried to imagine him naked and while her imagination had been close, it had fallen short of how good he actually looked, at least the top half of him.

He had only a small bit of hair on his chest and down his stomach where it fanned out slightly before disappearing into the waistband of his pajama bottoms. He had large light brown areolas around his nipples on a chest that was well defined above evidence of a six pack stomach. His arms were well muscled without looking like he lifted weights but were well proportioned for his broad shoulders and chest. Emily tried not to stare as he stood toweling his hair dry with one hand while he looked over her list.

“What is this notation about the movers?” He asked as he walked back into the bathroom to comb his hair.

“I realized that since they packed everything up and have been storing it for me, they might be able to just bring it down to wherever we decide to settle instead of having to go up there. The only drawback to that being that I’ll have to wait longer for some things I would really like to have asap.”

“Like what?” He asked as he came out of the bathroom and walked over to where she was sitting on the sofa in front of the window.

“My laptop, my phone, my clothes and shoes. Except that I bet most of my old clothes won’t fit me anymore because I’ve lost so much weight.”

“Well, maybe you can get them altered to fit again. You said you had spent good money on them so it might be worth it to get them altered instead of buying new but either way, you are going to need new clothes. You can’t keep going for long on what you have.”

“True. Well, tomorrow, we’ll have to do some serious research and you need to call your boss and talk to Commander Standish and see which place offers you the best deal and then we can decide on the rest.”

“Well, I don’t have a whole lot of furniture but I’ll have to move as well. My apartment in Sacramento is not big enough for two people so we’ll have to replace something bigger anyway. Or do you think you want to live on your own for a while? I don’t want you to feel like you don’t have choices here.” He said as he stood in front of the window and looked out at the lights of the city.

She came to stand next to him and he put his arm around her and pulled her close. “He smells so good.” Emily thought as she put her arm around his waist and her head on his shoulder.

“I think it would be silly for us to pay for two separate places when we can rent one and share expenses. I’ve got enough furniture to fill a one bedroom place so I’m sure between the two of us, we have what we need to get started. We just have to decide where that is going to be.” She said as she nuzzled his neck and turned to face him more.

They kissed, slowly at first but it soon turned more passionate as their hands seemed to be everywhere at once, touching, exploring, savoring, exciting each other more. John smiled as his fingers found the edge of her night gown and pulled it up to replace that she had not put panties on after her shower. He pulled her nightgown up over her head and stepped back to admire her.

“God, woman, you are beautiful!” He whispered as he stepped forward, picked her up and carried her to the bed. He quickly shed his pajama bottoms and joined her on the bed as she held out her arms to him, welcoming him.

John had wanted to make love to her slowly the first time but the desire they shared was overwhelming them both. He had expected her to be shy at first but she surprised him when she guided his hand down to touch her more intimately. He found her wet and hot as she pushed against his hand, wanting more.

When her wandering hands found his rock hard shaft, he jerked as her fingers lightly felt his length, stroking him until he could stand it no longer. He rose above her, pushing her legs wider with his knees. She guided him to her, urging him to enter her. He fought for control as he buried himself inside her moist warmth.

Emily gasped as he filled her and he pulled back, afraid that he had hurt her but she wrapped her legs around his waist and urged him to enter her again. John watched her face as he drove into her again and again as they rode the wave to the crest and saw as much as felt her reach her climax and he drove into her once more as he found his own release.

He collapsed on top of her and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. He started to roll to the side but she wouldn’t let him leave her. “I’m too heavy. I must be crushing you.” He said as he lifted up onto his elbows.

“I’ve wanted you here like this since the first night I met you, so I’m not letting you get away.” Emily admitted with a slight blush.

“Oh, you have? Well, I must admit that I do like it but then I love everything about you.” John smiled down at her. “Are you sure I’m not too heavy?”

“No, not yet.” She whispered then she kissed him on his neck. She could still feel him inside of her but he was beginning to go soft so she flexed her pelvic muscles and he was instantly hard again.

“Oh, you little devil.” John grinned at her, then lifted up and began to move inside of her again when she grinned back at him. She moaned and her eyes began to roll back in her head as she lost herself in his love. They fell asleep in a tangle of arms and legs, content and fulfilled.

The next morning, Emily was up early and started the coffee before going to get a shower. She had just stepped under the spray when John came into the bathroom. “Can I join you?”

“Sure, come on in.” She said as she welcomed him with open arms. They made love standing up in the shower and then bathed each other. John helped her wash her hair and loved the feel of the soft silky strands running through his fingers as he helped her rinse the shampoo out.

They toweled each other dry and Emily watched as he shaved the stubble off of his chin. “Ever thought of growing a beard?” She asked.

“Yeah but it’s too much work to keep it neatly trimmed and shaped and the FBI frowns on the scraggly look. Why do you think I should?” He said as he looked at himself in the mirror.

“No, I like being able to see all of that handsome face. I just know what a hassle shaving can be. At least I don’t have to do my legs every day. I can usually wait a day or two before it gets noticeable.”

“Well, it is a hassle but it’s also a habit, like brushing my teeth.”

Emily poured coffee for both of them and passed him a cup and asked “Are you as hungry as I am?”

“Definitely. Want to go down to the restaurant?”

“Sure. We can eat and then go to the business center.”

They got dressed and Emily made sure she had the list she had made before they left the room. They enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and then walked over to the business center. The attendant assigned them a computer and John sat behind Emily as they began their search.

As it turned out, the cost of living in Vegas was lower and Emily wondered if the reason he was considering it was because he wanted to be closer to his parents and couldn’t blame him. She had enjoyed meeting them yesterday and they seemed like nice people.

She could not remember how many times over the years that she had wished she could talk to her mother, to hug her again. Peggy Travers had been so warm and welcoming, right from the beginning that Emily had quickly gotten over her nervousness of meeting them and had enjoyed their company.

“Bring up an aerial map of Sacramento.” John told her. Once it came up, he took a moment to get his bearings and said “I work here.” He pointed to a place on the screen and Emily nodded and then he said “And I live here.” He pointed to another area not far away. “Wow, you live almost within walking distance.” She used the mouse to make the area around his home get closer and John directed her to his address. She pulled up a street view and said “Looks like a nice complex.”

“I chose it because it’s close to work. I have a ten speed bike that I ride when the weather is nice. Helps to keep me in shape but my apartment is too small for two people and my complex doesn’t usually have many openings. I lucked out on getting my place when I first moved there because the guy that had been living there got married and moved out.” He said and grinned at her.

“Well, I guess the main thing that will make our decision for us is jobs. If you don’t want to be an agent anymore but want to stay with the government, then I say you need to call the commanders and replace out what they have to offer.” Emily said.

“I think you are right.” John agreed.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to get online and check my bank account. It’s been a while since I’ve had computer access.” Emily said.

“Okay. While you do that, I’m going to call Jim and talk to him about whether or not they have an opening.” John said with a smile as he stood up and walked outside to give her some privacy while she checked her account.

Emily was pleasantly surprised when she reviewed her accounts. She had more left in her savings than she had realized. The only thing coming out of her account for the past year was the storage fees for her stuff. She had not used her credit card for a long time and the payments had been set to come out automatically from her checking account so it was completely paid off and she now had a very generous credit line available to use again.

She had always been frugal in her spending and only used her card for when she ordered things online or for emergencies so the balance had never been very large. She had not realized that it had been paid off. The amount she had left in her savings was not a large amount but at least she did not have any debt beyond the storage fees and the sooner she could get stuff out of storage, the happier she and her bank account would be. “Wow, I’ve got money left. Amazing.” She thought to herself.

She used her credit card and paid the fee for using the computer and left the business center. She found John sitting on a bench outside talking on his phone. She wandered over to one of the shops on that level and looked around while she waited for John to finish his call. He came in and found her a few minutes later with a big smile on his face.

“So? What did you replace out?” She asked.

“Well, Jim said there’s not currently a position available so I would have to remain an agent until one does open up. Now I just have to call Commander Standish and replace out what the job here offers.”

“How about we take a ride over and talk to him? That way you can see what the setup is and what you would have to work with.” Emily said.

“Sure, we can do that.” John said with a smile. They walked over to the garage and got in her car.