by Hart, Rebel
I nodded. “They’re in the box.”
“Let me know how it goes!”
“Will do, Mom!”
Then I was back out the door with my purse bursting at the seams with money.
I climbed into the SUV and music hit my ears. Classic rock. A station Clint had gotten Michael hooked on. They were all singing at the top of their lungs as I closed my door. I wasn’t in a singing mood, though. I clutched my purse tightly against my chest as I gazed out the window. Clint’s hand settled onto my knee as I saw my mother peeking her head through the curtains, watching us pull away. And as we got further away from the house, I felt myself growing less and less stressed.
Maybe college wouldn't be terrible after all.
Especially if it came with this kind of peace.
“This is going to be awesome,” Allison said.
Michael nodded. “Are you two okay with me and Allison rooming together?”
I paused. “What?”
Clint squeezed my knee. “Mike and Ally are wanting to bunk together. But don’t worry. The bedrooms have two beds each.”
Allison furrowed her brow. “Why would she be worried about something like that?”
I cleared my throat. “That sounds good. I could use some time with Clint anyway.”
He looked at me. “You could?”
I smiled softly at him. “Yeah, I really could.”
When he smiled back at me, a weight lifted off my shoulders. I slipped my hand on top of his as everyone started talking around me. Michael said something that made Clint laugh. Allison said something that made Michael roll his eyes. The music blared as we headed for the highway, pulling further away from my house. The only place I had called home for the past eighteen years. I had orientation tomorrow morning on campus. Then a tour of campus just after lunch. But, after that? The rest of the time was ours to do with what we wanted.
And as I let my eyes linger over Clint, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
12
Clinton
I gawked at how massive the campus was as we passed it. While Rae clung to my hand and her purse full of money, I stared out the window, listening to Mike and Ally chatter on about their own plans. We made our way to the hotel as the sprawling campus faded into the background, and I felt myself filling with nerves. Why did I feel so anxious all of a sudden? Why were my hands sweating? Why did I feel so overwhelmed?
It wasn’t my fucking orientation we were going to.
As we pulled into the parking lot for the hotel, we got out. And the sheer number of guys walking around that passed me by made me bristle. Young boys in groups, staring at me and glancing over at Rae. Whistling softly at Ally and making Mike take her into his arms. I walked to Rae’s side and guided her into the hotel. Away from the prying eyes as dread filled my gut.
I didn’t like how many guys were around campus.
“Hi there! You guys all checking in?”
The peppy front desk attendant chirped her voice across the lobby as we made our way for her.
“Uh, yes. The reservation’s under my father’s name. Dale Vance.”
The woman started typing. “I need your I.D. as well as a valid credit card.”
Mike pulled out everything he needed for the woman. But she looked displeased. She kept checking his I.D. and looking up at him, and I watched her eyebrows rise. I looked down at Rae. I saw her shuffling on her feet. She tucked herself against me, and I felt her trembling softly.
I kissed the top of her head to try and calm her down.
“I’m sorry, but you need an adult here to help you check in.”
Mike nodded. “There should be a note underneath the reservation explaining everything.”
The woman shook her head. “Doesn’t matter if there is. The law states--”
“Michael Vance! I was wondering when you’d be here to check in.”
A very bubbly older woman came out of the back room and walked out to us. She hugged Mike softly, and the three of us looked around at one another.
“Mrs. Autumn. It’s really good to see you again,” he said.
She ruffled his hair. “When did you get taller than me? What is happening right now? Are you actually college age?”
He chuckled. “College bound for Stanford.”
She gasped. “Your mother’s alma mater. Oh, I know she’s so proud of you right now.”
I furrowed my brow. “I didn’t know your mom went to Stanford.”
Mike shrugged. “She doesn’t talk about it much because she didn’t have the best time. Her dad kind of forced her into the family tradition.”
Ally paused. “You don’t feel that way, do you?”
Mike smiled at her. “No, baby. Not at all.”
The woman grinned. “Baby, huh?”
Introductions were made and I shook the woman’s hand. And slowly, I saw the girl behind the counter sinking into shame. I felt bad for her, honestly. Being run over by the likes of her manager and the son of some rich guy. But Mrs. Autumn got us checked in and assigned to the rooms we’d be in for the weekend. We went and gathered our things from the car before heading up.
Where Mike and Ally quickly disappeared.
“Well, I guess this is our room,” Rae said.
I snickered as the door slammed, closing us off from our two friends.
“Yeah, I guess it is.”
“You want to do the honors? Or should I?”
I kissed her head again. “It’s your weekend. You can go in when you’re ready.”
With a heavy sigh, she slipped her key into the hotel room door. And when the air conditioning slapped us in the face, the two of us sighed with relief. I helped Rae get her things into the room, and as she flopped onto the bed I walked over to the window. I pulled back the curtains and looked down the five stories all the way to the ground. More boys walked by. Laughing and punching one another in the arm. Having the time of their lives during orientation weekend.
Boys that had their life together.
Unlike me.
I’ve just got my notebook and bullshit side jobs.
“So, do you wanna talk about it?”
I turned away from the window as my question lingered in the air. Rae sat up and looked my way, then heaved a heavy sigh. A sigh I heard much too often nowadays.
A sigh I didn’t know how to fix.
“I don’t know. It’s just--”
I walked over to her. “What happened with your mom?”
She scooted over, giving me room to sit. “She called me at Allison’s and started rattling off all sorts of nonsense. How she was in my room supposedly cleaning or whatever and wondered if I left my charger cable for my phone behind.”
“Why was she in your room in the first place?”
“I don’t know, but she flat-out lied to me about it. She said there was ‘a smell coming from a box under my bed.’”
“She didn’t.”
“I’ve had that box with me this entire time. Have you smelled anything?”
I sighed. “Oh, Rae.”
She shook her head. “I’ve let up lately on the money I’m giving Mom and she’s actively snooping around for it. I know she suspects something. That’s why I gathered all of it up and shoved everything I figured she might find into that purse.”
I nodded slowly. “I figured that’s what it was.”
“What the hell am I going to do? She’s literally going through my room trying to find shit. What the hell is wrong with her?”
“Rae, your mother is sick. Maybe not physically. But, mentally? Possibly. Is she still going to therapy?”
“With as easy as it was for her to bold-faced lie to me about some stupid shit? I don’t even know anymore.”
“Is she telling you she is?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
I wrapped my arm around her. “I don’t want to seem as if I’m walking all over what you want. But I really do feel that one of the reasons you need to give at least this first semester
a chance is to get away from your mother. Figure out how to live your life without her influence and her presence.”
“I know.”
“And who knows what’s going through her mind right now?”
She snickered. “I’ve got an idea as to a few things.”
I kissed her temple. “I know you do. But we’re away for the weekend, so one of the first things we can do is find a branch of your bank to put all that money in.”
“Well…”
I paused. “What? What is it?”
She sighed. “I know what you’re going to say, so don’t do it. Okay?”
I nodded. “Okay…? What’s going on?”
She cleared her throat. “I thought I could trust my mother, so I kind of gave her a card to my bank account.”
“You did what?”
“I know! I know. I know it was stupid. But she was on such a good path with getting rid of D.J. for good and going to therapy and putting in job applications. I figured it would be easier for her to just get what we needed if she had a card to the account instead of me always having to, you know, give her money.”
“You didn’t.”
She stood up. “I know it was stupid. But that’s why I started storing money not in my bank account. I know she’s run it a few times already and it’s probably been declined. I’ve only been putting in there exactly what is necessary, then storing the rest away elsewhere.”
I sighed. “Fucking hell, your mother.”
“Yeah. Tell me about it.”
I paused. “Okay. Well, we go to a branch of your bank and we open up another account. One that doesn’t have any cards attached to it. Or put it in your savings account. There’s a way for us to store this money without your mother getting access to it that doesn’t require you to haul it around in a purse all weekend. That’s just as dangerous.”
“I know,” she whispered.
I took her in my arms. “It’s going to be okay, Rae. I promise you.”
She leaned against me. “I don’t know some days.”
“You know, I might have something that’ll cheer you up.”
She sniffled. “Really?”
I nodded. “Mm-hmm. Can I get over to my bag for a second?”
“Does that mean I have to let you go?”
Her words warmed my soul. “Not at all.”
I dipped down and gripped her ass cheeks. I hoisted her against me as she giggled into my neck. With her arms and legs tightly wound around my body, I carried her over to my bed. I sat her down on my lap as I reached out for my suitcase, clumsily unzipping it.
Before reaching out and pulling out a bottle of champagne.
“Clint!”
“Sh sh sh sh sh,” I said, chuckling.
She lowered her voice. “Where the hell did you get that?”
I grinned. “A ‘congratulations’ from Cecilia. She bought it for us.”
“Your stepmom is a fucking saint.”
“Yeah, Ma is pretty awesome. I told her I wanted to celebrate with something special. And she came back with this for us. She scolded me, of course, did the whole one-finger pointing thing and told me to drink responsibly.”
Rae laughed. “I bet that was a sight.”
I smiled. “It really was. I wish I would’ve gotten it on video for you.”
“So want me to go unwrap some of the plastic cups over by the coffee machine?”
“And I’ll do the honors of popping open the bottle.”
As Rae scrambled off my lap, I stood. With a smile on my face and the cork pointed in the other direction, I effortlessly popped the top. The love of my life came over and I filled up our clear plastic cups. Then I ushered her over to the balcony.
Where we had a view of the hotel pool and hot tubs as yet more boys walked by.
“To your future,” I said.
I raised my glass and Rae followed my motions.
“Wherever it takes you and whatever you decide to do with it, I’ll always be here.”
She smiled. “Promise?”
I slipped my free hand along her waist. “Promise, promise.”
“Then I’m going to toast to our future. Cal State or not, it’s the two of us against the world.”
And when she clicked her cup against mine, I felt more at peace than I had in months.
Rae turned to look out over the part of L.A. we could see, so I stood behind her. With my arm around her stomach, we silently sipped our drinks. I drew in the fresh air. I listened as guys and girls from all directions laughed and cracked jokes. I knew there would be mounds of parties thrown here. Probably in this hotel alone, but definitely around the campus. I wasn’t sure if Rae would be up to any of them. But if she wasn’t, I didn’t mind spending our evenings in with room service and her body cuddled against mine.
After all, I missed having her like this anyway.
It felt nice to get away with her.
Imagine what you’d feel like if you moved with her.
I shook away the thought. I rested my chin on top of Rae’s head and finished my drink. She handed me her cup and I went inside to refill them, already feeling the champagne loosening me up. I kicked the air up another notch and filled our glasses again before I turned around. I figured I’d go back out onto the balcony to find Rae. But instead, she stood in front of me.
While slowly easing the balcony door closed.
“I think opening a new account for that money is a good idea. Maybe putting some of it in an investment or whatever?”
I nodded. “Okay. I’m sure we can work that out tomorrow after your orientation.”
She sauntered toward me. “Then, maybe we could come back here and have some lunch. Maybe order in, since Michael and Allison will probably want to do dinner out tonight.”
I swallowed hard. “Sure. Whatever you want.”
Her hands slid up my torso. “Whatever I want?”
I nodded. “Oh, hell yeah.”
She grinned. “Good.”
She plucked her drink from my hand and slammed it back. I mean, she fucking chugged it. I tipped mine up and did the same, feeling my cock already aching for her. With her flushed cheeks and lust filling her eyes, she pushed me down onto the bed. She crawled on top of me, her eyes connected with mine. And as she straddled my fucking stomach, her shirt came over her head.
Revealing her luxurious curves as I licked my lips.
I watched in awe as she unfastened her bra. It slid down her shoulders as her shirt fell to the floor. Her lovely tits came spilling out, her nipples already puckered. Already begging for my lips. And as a smirk settled across my face, I rose up.
Until Rae pushed me back down.
“Uh, uh, uh. Stay there,” she said.
My eyebrows rose as she slowly slid off my body. I watched her as much as I could from my position although she stepped out of my view a couple of times. She took off her clothes, casting them to the side. And when she came back into view, she bent and ripped my pants off, literally pulling them down my legs before pulling my cock out through the slit of my boxers.
Rock hard, and ready for her.
“Rae,” I grunted.
“You stay just the way you are, handsome.”
I lay there on my back, watching as she straddled me. Her pussy hovered above my lips as her hand fisted my hair. I smelled her. I salivated for her. Those enticing pussy lips glistened for me and I wrapped my arms around her legs, wanting nothing more than for her to drop down.
Then she did exactly as I wanted.
13
Raelynn
I groaned. “Oh, yeah. Just like that.”
I sat myself against his face and my head fell back. With his large hands gripping my hips, I rocked against his lips. I felt him give his face as an offering, reeling as I sat my pussy lips against his face. Electricity washed over me as I rocked. His tongue parted my folds as my chest flushed with heat. I ran my fingers through his hair, gripping him as he held me close. Feasting on me. Swallowing me do
wn. Pushing me to heights I hadn’t known in so long.
I’d never neglect this part of our relationship again.
“Clint. Don’t stop.”
He answered me with a growl before he continued teasing me with his tongue.
I lifted my head and looked down at him. His eyes peered back at me with hunger and need. My thighs quaked. My toes curled. And my gut ached for me to fall over the edge. I panted for air as I felt myself climbing. As I rolled quicker against his face, my breathing became broken. My eyes rolled back as he held me close. His tongue pressed deeply against my clit. And as I fell over the edge, I collapsed.
Falling against the mattress.
I whimpered as my body twitched. I felt Clint manipulating me before he spread my legs wide. He tossed them over his shoulders, his cock falling between my swollen folds. And when he slid against my walls, my jaw unhinged.
“Ooooh, fuck.”
He snapped his hips against mine. He folded me in half. He rested his body against the back of my thighs as my eyes rolled back. I felt him filling me, and it was all too much. Being able to let go with him--knowing no one could walk in on us--felt surreal.
I didn’t want it to end.
“That’s it, Rae. Take it. Let it wash over you.”
“Clint. Yes. Harder. I need you--hard--yes! Clint! Shit!”
My back arched and I fell over the edge. Much quicker than I wanted, but we had all weekend. His face fell to my breasts as he stilled inside me. Pulsating, but not exploding. Growling, but not releasing. Swiveling his hips, but refusing to let himself burst.
Which meant our time wasn’t over.
“Clint,” I whispered.
My legs slid lazily from his shoulders. He rolled us over until my body rested against his. I heaved against the crook of his neck, feeling my heartrate skyrocketing as his girth stayed inside my body. Resting there, as if it had found its home.
Just like my cheek found its home against Clint’s heartbeat.
“You’re breathtaking,” he whispered.
I snickered. “Take me any way you wish.”
He growled just before the phone rang. Which caused me to giggle as he fumbled with it. The ringing sound filled our room and I forced myself to get up. I smirked down at him as he held the phone to his ear. Planting my knees into the mattress, I shifted myself as he held back his groans. He shot me a look before he drew in a quick breath. But the second he opened his mouth, I slid up his girth.