When we don't know who to turn to, sometimes we turn to the ones we least expect.
Luke Salazar is a senior at Bay High School, and he's been pushed, shoved, and shut out for most of his life. Miles Jefferson has been the ringleader of a lot of that...
The limo dropped us off at school; I had left my Jeep there earlier so we wouldn't have to go back to my house and chance seeing my dad. I hadn't even bothered making up a lie – I was just to the point where I didn't care anymore.
But he wasn't going to ruin this for Rachel.
Rachel had given me a bag earlier in the week with stuff she'd need, and I had packed one as well. I actually felt pretty good about this plan.
There was only one problem: my dad had his hand in almost every high-rise hotel in this city. It was pretty difficult to find one that he wasn't at least part owner of.
But I finally found one – an older building on the quiet end of the strip. It was older on the outside, but damn, when I checked out the penthouse suite on the website... it was nice.
So I booked it... it cost way, way too much, and if Dad ever noticed the money missing from my checking account, he'd probably go ballistic, but I didn't care.
I looked over and Rachel had her head leaning against the headrest, her eyes closed. I couldn't help but laugh at her crown sitting crookedly on her head, and her eyes fluttered open.
"What?" she asked sleepily.
I reached over and brushed her hair off her cheek, keeping my eyes on the road. "Nothing baby. Your crown is just twisted."
She snorted and sat up, straightening it. "Well, we can't have that."
Right then, I pulled into the parking lot of the Gulf Winds hotel and condo complex. She leaned down to look through the windshield. "Damn, this place is huge," she commented.
"Yeah... it is. It's also one of the only properties in this town that my dad doesn't control," I said pointedly.
"Ah. I understand," she said as I pulled into a parking spot.
"Do not move," I ordered. She rolled her eyes and took her hand off the door handle.
I hopped out and opened her door, helping her down. "Thanks, baby, but you know I can get out of here by myself," she said.
"I know you can. But one thing my mother always taught me was to be a gentleman... I'm not going to disappoint her now," I replied, kissing her on the cheek and pulling the bags out of the backseat.
"Fair enough."
We made our way into the lobby, which was pretty much silent. The only person around was the desk clerk, and he smiled brightly when we came in, like we were the first people he'd laid eyes on in hours.
"Welcome to Gulf Winds," he greeted us. "Checking in?"
"Yes sir," I said, dropping the bags in front of the desk and pulling out my wallet.
"All right, Mr...." He eyed my driver's license. "Jefferson. Welcome. You two are going to be in the penthouse, on the top floor," he said, his tone impressed.
I could feel Rachel's eyes snap to me instantly.
"Thank you," I glanced at his name tag. "Frank," I said, smiling as I took the key from his outstretched hand.
"You're very welcome. You kids have fun," he called.
I snorted and Rachel bumped her hip against mine.
***
We stepped off the elevator into a small foyer, the door of the penthouse directly in front of us.
"Ready?" I asked her.
She nodded and we opened the door.
It swung open to reveal an even nicer suite than what had been represented on the website. It was large, open, with a plush-looking king size bed near the French doors that led to a balcony, a huge, square Jacuzzi tub near the center of the room, a glass-walled shower stall, a 65-inch flat screen TV in the living area with a leather sofa in front of it, and a mini-bar in the corner – stocked. The décor was white and what looked like rose gold. It really was beautiful.
"Wow," she breathed, looking around slowly and then meeting my eyes. "This is too much, Miles."
I lay my hand on her arm and turned her toward me, looking at her seriously. "There is nothing I wouldn't give you," I whispered, tracing her bare collarbone with my thumb.
I heard her breath hitch in her throat, and that sound was my undoing.
My hands dropped behind her back, sliding down the zipper of her dress as she pushed my jacket off my shoulders hungrily, then moving her fingers to the buttons on my shirt. She stepped out of her dress and pushed me backward toward the bed, unbuttoning my pants with a sense of urgency she'd never shown before. Kicking my pants behind me, I sat down on the bed, pulling her on top of me. She climbed onto my lap, straddling me.
I looked down at her, taking in the lingerie she was wearing – black, lacy... sexy as hell. "Damn," I whispered, brushing my fingertips against the soft skin on her breast.
Her chest flushed, just like the first time she came over to study AP Euro. "Do you like it?" she asked shyly.
I shifted under her. "Can't you tell?" I asked, relishing the flush that washed over her face.
She reached around behind her and unhooked the bra, letting it fall to the floor.
I hissed, pulling her against me and kissing her hard. She pushed me backward and climbed on top of me, her hair falling over her shoulders, grazing my bare chest.
I lowered my hands to her hips and pushed her underwear down until she could kick them off, then pulled mine down.
She sat up on my lap, positioning herself in the exact spot that she knew would drive me crazy.
"Rachel—" I groaned.
"Mmmhmm," she hummed, grinding herself against me, her blue eyes glittering.
I could hardly breathe. This wasn't our first time, but it felt just as precious, just as earth-shattering. I reached over and pulled out a condom, sliding it on easily. She glanced down, her eyes darkening with desire.
I reached up and pulled her to me, turning her over gently, putting one knee in between her legs. She looked up at me, her chest rising and falling steadily.
"Please," she breathed.
That was all I needed to hear.
***
Afterward, we lay in each other's arms, her head on my chest. I ran my fingers through her hair, my lips resting against her forehead.
"This is perfect," she said, running her fingernails up and down the center of my chest.
"Absolutely. I could stay here with you forever... nothing could possibly ruin this—"
Suddenly, I heard a crash as the door flung open and hit the wall.
"Miles Grant Jefferson. Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?"
My father.
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