Place Your Bets

Sam squeezed Lara's hand and pulled her to the decorative wall that surrounded a small fountain. The gentle spray caressing their warm faces, much to the dismay of Lara, didn't this woman know it would ruin her makeup.

Sam got the hint and put her hat on Lara's head, sure it was lame she thought, but Lara only smiled back at her, she had to admire her quick thinking

Sam pulled Lara next to her body, having to restrain the perpetual need to sacrifice all control, what was it that this woman possessed that made her so heady, so alive that it was impossible to see a future without her in it.

God knows Sam had never believed in this kind of feeling hitting home so hard, so soon, it was always her style to be composed, so inwardly concrete.

Sam noticed that Lara had begun to shiver with the spray floating across onto her arms.

She took off her jacket and looped it round Lara's shoulders.

Her warm smile saying thank you. she embraced Sam with a new founded comfort, one that left her feeling the warmth of Sam's oozing temperatures.

Sam couldn't actually believe she was nervous, and Lara couldn't believe that Sam was as patient as this.

Sam looked at Lara and began to speak, the fountains across the street boomed into life and the music chimed out in synchronization with the explosions of water, pressure spouting it higher and higher much to the crowds delight.

They turned and looked, mesmerized by the velocity of water, pressure and artistry that bestowed them, and just as Sam thought she would be able to speak they began again.

She turned to see the expression on Lara's face, she had the look of wonderment that belonged to a child, but even Sam had to admit that she probably would have taken the same expression.

The music died down and the water calmed, lowering into a few feet high with a gentle flow.

Lara turned to Sam "You were going to say something just when the fountains began".

" I was going to ask if you liked room service" she replied with a confident grin.

Lara took a moment to consider the question, making Sam inwardly not as confident as she tried to appear, her stomach was flipping, her hands were thankfully on her own jacket which hung on Lara, otherwise the clammy feeling would have betrayed her look.

Lara looked nervous herself, then her expression changed to one of regret and embarrassment.

She began to give the hat back, but Sam stopped her.

"Lara what's the matter, have I said something wrong?" said Sam with real concern in her voice.

" No, no not at all" she paused for a second , willing the begrudged words out " Its just well, you know I am here on conference business". Sam quietly nodded "Well I have to start early tomorrow morning on the presentation".

Sam couldn't believe it.

She broadly smiled at Lara, quite relieved about the statement, and it must have shown, the tension in her body relaxing giving her away, Lara gave her a questioning look.

Sam could only replied "I thought you were going to say that you already had a girlfriend or something" the relief was amusing to them both.

"I'll get you a cab, where's your hotel?" Sam asked

"Just around the corner, so don't worry, I'll walk".

Sam took her hat back and grabbed hold of Lara's hand, and proceeded to hook it over her own arm.

"Well I figure if I am to play a gangster then I should behave like a gentlemanly one, and walk with you".

No fuss came from Lara as Sam took the first step and they began to stroll down the street with just a sense of ease and peace between the two of them.

They got to the hotel within a few minutes, the conversation died down, and they both looked a little awkward.

Neither of them wanted to do this next part.

Lara gave Sam's jacket back to her, thanking her for a wonderful evening.

Both knowing that this was their last night in Vegas wasn't making it any easier.

"So what time do you leave tomorrow?" Lara asked

"Midday, to the airport". Sam was trying to hide her disappointment.

How could this be happening?

I mean you meet a woman that sets your world ablaze and that's it. Some sick joke that is, she thought.

Something she felt made her feel like she had too much to lose if she let Lara go. So it was right there that she told herself, "Not this one, its not going to happen with this woman".

Lara could see the turmoil in Sam's face and pulled her close, she kissed her with a fierce passion that could only mean goodbye.

"I will call you at the hotel before you leave tomorrow, 8AM be ok?"

Sam couldn't take in what she was being told for a moment, then sense came back to her, all the distraught emotions disappearing.

She spoke up to the sky, and said a firm "YES".

" I take it that is an ok then" Lara couldn't help but laugh.

Sam had really well and truly lost the cool façade, she could only look at Lara with an expression of pure gratitude and tenderness.

They both laughed, both with relief, and an understanding of each others emotions.

Saying goodnight would be a mixture of highs and lows, so they kept it brief.

As Sam began to walk back to her hotel she looked back and saw Lara looking at her too, Sam raised her hat in Lara's direction.

Lara smiled back, then was gone.

It was morning, Sam rolled over in the cool sheets, she looked over at the clock, it didn't register at first what time it was, her slowness in the mornings irritated her sometimes.

She focused on the numbers, and then it sunk in, 8.45AM.

The feeling of numbness caught her for a split second. She reached for the phone and called reception, asking if someone had tried to call her.

No-one had, her emotions caught up with her brain, the disappointment with herself for being sucked in rushing to the surface, she exhaled with a trembling force that had to be covered by the pillow, the tears stung her eyes.

She got up, went to the bathroom to wash her face, looking in the mirror she told herself she wasn't going to be brought down by this.

She walked across the bedroom she grabbed hold of the hat, and flung it on the bed.

What the hell was she thinking anyway? It was nothing more than a vacation flirt.

So why was it getting to her?

Her eyes began to water again, she let them fall until they were gone. She wiped her eyes and cheeks, the tear residue leaving her face feeling dry.

She walked over to the jacket and lifted it off the back off the chair, and flung that beside the hat.

As she did so a piece of white paper went falling to the floor.

She walked over to where it had dropped, picked it up and unfolded it.

The message inside brought on different kind of tears, ones of unquestionable joy and remorse.

Joy for what it said and remorse for thinking so badly of Lara.

Scribbled on the paper was, "Sam call me at the weekend. Lara x".

That and the numbers below were all that was written on the note, but that was all that was needed.

The weekend couldn't come soon enough.