It was the party of the year, or so she was told by her best friend Melissa. The two had been friends for a long time, each practically knowing what the other would say before they said it. Nothing uncommon amongst close friends, especially two who shared so much with each other.
Roxy and Melissa had already planned their trip to Vegas; even before Melissa found out about the Halloween party that would be held at the Palms Resort. Live music, costume party, prizes and lots and lots of people would be involved.
Melissa wasn't normally the one to indulge, usually Roxy had to talk her into things, but for some reason, it was the other way around this time.
"C'mon Rox. It's Vegas! You know. What happens there stays there! It'll be fun."
Roxy wasn't one to shy away from a good time and she needed a break from work. Long hours were spent on her business. From inspections to quotations to finalizing the sale. Roxy did it all. She was a female in a male dominated business which she felt that gave her an edge. She could more easily relate to the wives or girlfriends of the perspective customers.
"Hell. Why not?" She told Melissa, knowing full well she couldn't say no anyway.
The weeks passed uneventfully for Roxy. Not having a man in her life was a boon and a bust. No man, meant not being tied down. No unnecessary commitments. No drama. Men can be so over dramatic at times she thought.
Unfortunately, it also meant little to no sex. Unless she was looking for a quickie, she just wasn't getting it enough. Roxy's good looks, long brown/auburn hair, toned body and infectious personality allowed her to be choosey as she had male suitors anytime she would go out. With Melissa as her wingman, the two were frequently surrounded by men.
Melissa was a bubbly, long blonde haired spark plug. Flighty at times. Typical blonde Roxy would say. But someone she could lean on at a moment's notice. The two went online and booked accommodations and flights. Checking the expedia.com web site, they found a deal at the Polo Towers and Diamond Resorts.
Given its central strip location and unbelievable price, the two women quickly booked their trip. Friday to Monday. A weekend they were sure not to forget. At least that's what they promised themselves. They even upgraded their room. The online photo read:
"1 king and 1 sofa bed, 600-sq-foot room, balcony with city views. Layout - Bedroom, living room, and dining area Entertainment - WiFi, flat-screen TV with premium channels, and DVD player Food & Drink - Kitchen with refrigerator, stovetop, microwave, and dishwasher"
They teased about flipping a coin to see who got the king size bed and who got the pull out sofa that came with the room. They both laughed saying they wouldn't be there much anyway. Besides, who sleeps in Vegas? October 28th couldn't come soon enough.
The day finally came as the women checked into their Spirit Airlines flight from Denver to Las Vegas. Their Friday evening non-stop departure of 6:41pm allowed them to work and still get to Vegas in plenty of time. It doesn't start getting exciting until the later evening anyway so getting to Vegas just before 8pm was no problem.
After a short taxi ride, they checked in, changed clothes, and hit the streets. They walked down the Vegas Strip where lights were flashing and cars were speeding past. People were everywhere. The bustling pace never ceased to amaze Roxy. She felt free. Free from work, free from being the boss, free from dealing with customers. Simply free!
They walked up and down the strip going from resort to resort and just taking in the sights. They would stop at a bar, flirt with the cutest guys they could and let them buy them drinks before excusing themselves and go to the next bar. It was five thirty in the morning before they returned to their room and passed out.
Melissa was the first one awake. She laughed at Roxy and herself having slept in their clothes from last night. At least there weren't any strange guys there with them. She looked at her watch and was surprised to see it was only 11:30am. She felt invigorated, with a slight headache. She decided not to wake Roxy, so she stripped and went to the bathroom to shower.
Roxy heard Melissa get up and start her shower. She slowly sat up on the bed with vague memories of the night before. Her head in her hands she stayed on there until she heard the shower stop. She swung her feet off the bed and got up, holding onto the wall for support as she made her way to the bathroom. She opened the door seeing Melissa wrapped in a towel.
"You look awfu,l" Melissa exclaimed.
"I feel worse. What did we drink last night?"
"Just about everything they put in front of us. I had to practically drag you away from the last bar. You were about to make a big mistake and go to a hotel room with some guy you met."
"Oh God! I didn't do anything stupid did I?"
"No, I was there to keep an eye on you. But I had to fight off a couple of guys myself."
"Was he cute?"
"Yah. Not bad actually. Seemed like a decent enough guy. You don't remember?"
"Tall, goatee. Nice lips and dark eyes is about all I remember. Didn't he say something about a costume party? Someplace off the strip?"
"No. That was you telling him about the party we're going too"
Melissa watched her friend struggle with the memory, having a little fun in the process. She had all the information about where and when. She even remembered the guys' names; Rick, Tony and JD. She assumed they were made up, but she didn't care. They were going to use made up names too. After all, it's Vegas baby! Nobody uses their real names.
"You were speaking with the one they called JD."
"YES! That's it. I remember now. He was cute!"
"The other two weren't bad either Rox. So get showered up. We have some shopping to do."
Roxy quickly undressed and showered. She didn't bother washing her hair as it was going to get messed up later anyway. They knew of a little costume shop, Paradise Costumes, that was near downtown. They offered angels wings, showgirl costumes, roman soldiers, Latin lady fruit hats, and much more.
They took their time and Roxy found the perfect costume. Red Riding Hood. She showed Melissa who burst out laughing.
"Perfect!" she exclaimed.
"Look what I found," she held up a Chicago flapper dress, with matching turban with feather trim, and a bead necklace. They made their purchases and went back to the hotel for a little R & R by the pool.
By nine that night they were ready to party. They took a taxi, even though it was expensive, it also provided the best means of transportation other than a limo. Neither wanted to splurge that much for what proved to be a fifteen minute taxi cab ride.
The driver, from some foreign country, tried to ask questions, but the girls only gave cursory answers. He dropped them off at the Palms and drove away, satisfied with the nice tip they gave him.
It wasn't what they originally expected when they first made plans to go to Vegas, but they couldn't have picked a better place to go.
The Crib was a large complex at 20,000 square feet. It's "High Society" atmosphere would make any hip-hop mogul jealous. It featured a DJ booth with a salt water fish tank, a hydraulic bed, and show shower. It had all the amenities necessary for a good time.
They walked in to find the place already packed. The doorman stopped them saying there was a strict limit to the number of people that could enter. Disappointed, they both flirted with the gargantuan man who remained unmoved by their feminine whiles. They were about to leave when a man dressed as the Big Bad Wolf approached.
He greeted the doorman by first name and asked if it was okay if the girls came in with him.
"Sure Mr. Daugh. I didn't realize they were with your party."
"Thank you," was all he said before turning towards Roxy and Melissa.
"Ladies. Come on in and have some fun."
He looked at Roxy in her Red Riding Hood outfit and smiled.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm The Big Bad Wolf and you MUST be Red Riding Hood."
"How could you tell?"
"Well, the hood's a dead giveaway." he said before adding, "Welcome to the party. If you need anything, just ask. The DJ will be playing around ten, the bar is open all night, and there's a limit on how many people can be here at any one time, so when you leave, you probably won't get back in."
He added, "I'm glad you could make it. After last night I wasn't sure you'd want too."
"Oh, so you're the guy I was hitting on," said Roxy.
"C'mon Rox. Let's go party and leave the poor man alone," Melissa said as she pulled Roxy's arm to the bar.
JD watched them walk away before turning to the doorman.
"Mike, if you see them leaving, try to stop them. Just tell them I wanted to say goodbye or something."
"Sure thing Mr. Daugh."
Roxy and Melissa went straight to the bar and ordered their first drink. Minutes later, a couple of guys approached. They were from Oklahoma, or so they said. Their costume was a minimal attempt at being cowboys. Hat, with a flannel patterned shirt and boots. Roxy and Melissa were unimpressed, but played along.
"Howdy cowboy," said Roxy in her alluring way.
"Ma'am," said cowboy number 1 as he raised his hand to touch his hat.
"Where's your gun?" purred Melissa to cowboy number 2.
"They wouldn't let us bring them in," he said, missing the opportunity that she laid out for him.
"Too bad," she said and motioned for her and Roxy to move away.
Cowboy 1 looked at cowboy 2 and shook his head.