She narrowed her eyes at me, clearly not sure if she should trust me or not. I smiled at her, trying to charm her into helping me.
“Did you really tell her to- what did you say- go for it?”
She threw up her hands.
“Ugh. You are incorrigible. Come up to the house for some lemonade.”
For the next hour we talked about Nev. About what a mess I’d made of things. About what I was going to do to fix it.
I won her over. But I’m not going to lie. There was begging involved.
Lots of begging.
Nevada
I stared at the neon lights blinking softly outside our window. For some reason we’d lucked out and gotten the room right under the damn sign. The blinking, buzzing, ancient 1950’s neon sign.
Sure it looked cool when you drove by. Retro sleaze. But staying here was something else altogether.
I sighed and rolled over on the lumpy bed to look at my mom. She was using my laptop. Hers had been company material.
She was trying to find a job. I still had one but it was a major fucking bike ride from this place. This rat hole. I stared at the television blankly.
Thank God for cable.
Finally I forced myself to get up.
“I’m getting a soda. Want anything?”
She shook her head.
“No thank you, love.”
I wondered how she could be so nice to me when I’d gotten the two of us into this mess. No matter what else had been going on, this was my fault. I was getting really good at beating myself up.
I was basically an expert.
I nodded and grabbed my wallet. Then I shuffled outside. I was wearing bunny slippers but I didn’t care. Nobody was there to see my in my tank top and old PJ shorts.
This place didn’t really get hopping until late anyway. Then it was an adulterers playground. Well, plus lunch.
Lots of people checked in for lunch.
I closed the door behind me and froze.
Clay was outside.
I lurched back against the wall and out of the glow of the neon light. He was down there. He’d found me.
He’d found me here.
The scummiest hotel in Sonoma.
The humiliation of it all was too much.
I stepped forward slightly, unable to stop myself. He looked unbelievably handsome down there. He was arguing with clerk. They wouldn’t give him our room number from the sound of it.
Clay was trying to bribe the clerk, who shockingly, was not taking the thick wad of cash. He cursed and the clerk went inside. Then he looked up and saw me.
“Nev!”
I panicked, running back toward our hotel room along the open air hallway. Running because I couldn’t see him. Not like this.
Running because I was afraid I would throw myself into his arms and beg his forgiveness.
Not that I had anything to apologize for.
Right?
His hand closed over my shoulder just as I reached the door.
“Nev, please wait.”
I stopped, breathing heavily. Then I turned and looked at him. He looked awful. Gorgeously, achingly awful.
He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. Like he was tormented about something. Like he was in hell.
His eyes pleaded with me. I nodded and stepped away from the door. Then I looked around for a place for us to talk and pointed.
Down there, by the scuzzy looking pool. Lounge chairs. How appropriate. My mother didn’t have to ever know.
I saw the curtain twitch.
Scratch that.
Well, at least she didn’t have to worry that I would run off with him. That much I could be certain of.
He followed me down to the pool and watched me sit down on one of the grubby old lounge chairs. I wrapped my arms around my shoulders, suddenly cold.
He stared at me. Not speaking. Just staring at me as if I were water and he was lost in the desert for days.
No. Weeks.
Months.
Years.
“What do you want Clay?”
I forced myself to be tough. To act as though he hadn’t broken my heart. To act as though he still wasn’t breaking it.
“Nevada… why didn’t you answer my texts?”
I tossed my head.
“You don’t owe me anything. I’m not your girlfriend. I’m not even your friend.”
“You are. Both of those things. More.”
I looked at him. He meant it. Maybe he was just as fucked up as I was…
“That’s nice Clay but it changes nothing. We’re from different worlds. I don’t belong with you. I can’t deal with this anyway. I need to find a job.”
“You have a job.”
“Yeah well it’s not enough. I need another one. I don’t have time to date.”
“I’m not asking you to date me Nevada. I’m asking you to belong to me.”
A shiver ran through me.
“You already do. Whether you know it or not. Let me take care of you.”
I stood up.
“No. I’m not your plaything. What kind of girl would I be if I let you take care of me?”
He reached out for me but I stepped away.
“You would be human Nev. You would be smart. Why make things harder on yourself and your mom?”
He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and held it out to me. It was thick. I knew there were thousands of dollars in there. If not more.
I stared at the envelope as if it was a snake that might bite me.
“No. I’m not a whore.”
I brushed past him and he grabbed me, spinning me to face him.
“You’re the furthest thing from that I can imagine.”
Then he kissed me. Hard. And he wouldn’t let go. His hands gripped me. I tried to fight him but he held me tight.
Finally he lifted his head, his eyes glazed.
“Don’t do this Nev. Don’t shut me out.”
I slipped from his grasp, not looking at him.
“Don’t come here again.”
And then I ran back to our dirty little room.
Chapter Seventeen
Clay
I scanned the crowd, hoping for a glance of Nev. I was in between sets on day three of the tournament. She was here somewhere. Working. Giving me the cold shoulder.
Frigid really.
I hadn’t given up though. I had kept my word and stayed away from the flea bag motel they were staying in. Every night though, as I lay in my big comfy bed, I texted her.
Wish you were here.
Goodnight Kitten.
Come back to me.
So far she hadn’t written back. But I could sense that she was wavering. Especially after earlier. I’d caught her watching me win yet another match. She’d ducked her head and scurried away. But I had seen her. And after that I felt like I could do anything.
Like every fucking super hero ever rolled into one.
I’d won my next three matches without breaking a sweat. I was already in the finals. I was just waiting to see who I would play to become club champ.
I had a strong suspicion it would be Matt.
I could not fucking wait for that.
Especially considering I still wanted to ram my tennis racket down his throat. Just for thinking he could date Nevada.
Of course now she might be dating him now. Or anyone. She wasn’t talking to me so I had no way of knowing.
But I didn’t think so.
God, I fucking hoped not.
I would not be able to handle that shit.
I hydrated and stretched while I waited for my match. No surprise there- it was Matt. We grinned at each other as we took the court. But not in a friendly way.
More like sharks bearing their teeth.
Or wild dogs.
Or in his case, a hyena.
I was laughing to myself and I tossed the ball in the air for the first serve. The club was packed today. I could only hope Nev was watching.
&n
bsp; I was doing this for her after all.
She might not accept money from me, but there was a cash prize of ten thousand dollars. If I won and gave it to her, or her mom, or Frannie- well, she knew I didn’t need the cash.
Maybe she’d take it.
I fucking hoped so.
Throngs of socialites were in the stands. As well as the golf crowd. And of course, the young hotties. Everyone was there to watch me take down the club champ.
For a while it seemed to be going well. I was beating him. Slowly, but winning. Then I noticed Matt accepting a drink between sets. A girl stood by the side with a tray.
Nevada.
Matt reached out and stroked her cheek.
I barely saw her jerk back. I barely saw her storm away, hellfire in her eyes. I barely saw her drop the generous tip he’d given her on the floor.
I couldn’t see any of that because I was seeing red.
Bright red.
The color of fresh blood.
I picked up the ball to serve again.
Nevada
I was at the bar, running another set of drink orders. I’d nearly quit after what just happened. Matt touching me like that in front of everyone.
Hell, him touching me at all.
And the creepiest part was that I knew, I knew he was only doing it to piss Clay off.
Matt was using me to get to him.
The thought made me want to throw up, truth be told.
I heard a ferocious cheer from the crowd. It must be over. I really hoped it was over.
And I hoped Clay beat the pants off of that fucking asshole.
Man, I’d really developed a potty mouth this summer. It was a good thing I didn’t usually say those things out loud. My mother would not be amused.
I carried my drinks over to the patio and waited while the couple signed for their drinks. I glanced down. A 5% tip. This was standard at the club.
For some reason the richest people were also cheap ass sonofabitches.
I scanned the crowd, looking to see if anyone needed service. Then someone grabbed my arm and yanked me backwards. I stumbled as Matt dragged me around the building to where they kept the trash and out of use golf carts.
“What the fuck, Matt?”
He grinned at me, looking somewhat demented.
“Well, if it isn’t little miss Nevada Jones.”
I crossed my arms.
“What do you want?”
“I was just wondering if you are down to fuck.”
“Excuse me?”
“Now that Clay is done with you. That’s what he’s telling everyone.”
I stood there, staring at this cretin in disbelief. Clay wouldn’t do that. Would he?
“I heard he broke you in real good.”
He stepped towards me and I took a step back. I felt disgusting. Like he was pouring his hate all over me.
“You’re just another notch in his belt. You must know that sweetie.”
I swallowed back tears. I knew it wasn’t true. Well, not entirely.
Fuck, maybe it was true.
“Another cute little whore. But it’s different for you. Because you’re poor. Rich guys like him will just eat you up and spit you out. Not that I blame them.”
He lurched forward and grabbed me.
“I’m sure you taste delicious.”
“Let go of me you pig!”
“Fuck no. I think I deserve a taste.”
He started kissing me but I turned my head. That’s when I saw him.
Clayton Westfield was running at us.
Full blast.
He hit us like a ton of bricks.
I stumbled backwards and watched in horror as Clay proceeded to pummel the fuck out of Matt. He fell backwards and Clay put his foot on his shoulder.
“No man, don’t!”
“What did you call her?”
“Nothing!”
He must have applied pressure because Matt cried out.
“Ow, fuck! A whore! I called her a whore!”
Clay smiled at him grimly.
“That’s what I thought.”
And then he pushed down. I heard a snap. Matt started screaming.
I looked up and realized a crowd had formed.
Brett was holding the trophy.
He walked over and handed it to Clay.
I guess he’d won.
“You better get out of here man.”
Clay nodded and looked at me. We could hear sirens.
“Nev? Come with me?”
My boss was watching. I could tell by the look in his eyes that I was fired. I stepped around the writhing body on the concrete and put my hand in Clay’s.
What else could I do?
Chapter Eighteen
Clay
“Ouch! Careful Nev!”
I was bitching, but I was loving this. We were sitting on my car down by the lake. We’d stopped at a convenience store for first aid and a six-pack of beer.
She gave me a look that clearly said ‘hold still and shut up’ so I did. I did love being tended to by such a pretty nurse. I had a few cuts and scrapes from tangling with Matt but it was mostly my hand that was messed up.
I’d hurt it where I’d smashed his stupid face.
It was so, so worth it though.
So far it was a very good day. Winning the tournament was just the icing on the cake. No, the best part was that Nevada was here.
Talking to me.
Not hating me.
Even though she should.
I took her hand away from my face and kissed the inside of her wrist. She stared at me, clearly not sure if she was going to let me kiss her. I stared at her lips hungrily.
And then she sighed.
I was in. I knew it. Triumph filled my chest.
I fucking heard trumpets.
I pulled her between my legs and leaned down. I kissed her slow at first, holding her tight. But then the kissed deepened.
I grunted, already feeling my cock engorge with blood.
It was a while later when I lifted my head, pulling her face to my chest. I just held her for a while. I was feeling supremely excellent, all things considered.
But I had one major problem.
No bed.
“Nev, can I take you somewhere?”
She lifted her cheek from my chest and stared at me.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea Clay. Besides, where would we go?”
I smiled at her hopefully.
“A hotel?”
She rolled her eyes at me.
“As long as it’s not the Sunset Inn.”
I brushed her hair away from her face and nodded. I picked up my phone and found a five star hotel about twenty minutes away. I opened her door for her and jumped into the drivers seat.
I drove to the hotel like devil was on my tail. Maybe he was. Not being with her this week, not knowing if I’d ever get to hold her again, well to me, that was hell.
Nevada
I looked around the swanky hotel room. There was a king sized bed, as well as a seating area with a gas fireplace. The balcony looked out over the countryside with a spectacular sunset.
Clay came up behind me and started kissing my neck, sliding his hands all over me.
I sighed. I knew it was wrong to be meeting him like this. To be here.
But I couldn’t help it. I could not resist him. I could not resist his touch.
This was inevitable.
But it was the last time.
Maybe that’s why it was so different. He was touching me so gently, so tenderly. I’d always wondered what the difference between fucking and making love was.
Now I knew.
Slowly, he undressed me. I was wearing my club uniform so it should have been quick but it wasn’t. He kissed each inch of my skin as it came into view.
Then he started to touch me, tease me, like only he knew how to do. I knew I would never feel anything like this again, so I tried to savor it, to memorize the fee
lings.
But it was too hard to concentrate on anything. He lingered over me endlessly, making me climax twice with his hands and mouth. When he finally slid inside me, I was so ready, so turned on, that I came instantly.
I shuddered as he began his slow assault on my senses. Featherlight touches as he held himself above me, driving his cock into me again and again. He moved with precision, each thrust ending with an upward tilt of his hips, until the tip of his cock touched my womb.
I arched off the bed as I came again and he shifted positions, sitting up and dragging my hips to meet his. Now he was rocking his hips in small circles as he dragged his fingertips over my chest and stomach. I felt another orgasm approaching and he shifted again, finally laying on top of me.
Now things changed for real. I’d thought it was intense before but now- now he was fucking me and making love at the same time.
Hard but tender.
Rough but true.
I must have passed out during my final climax. The last thing I remembered was Clay above me, his head thrown back as he convulsed on top of me. I’d never seen him so vulnerable.
As I lay there next to his sleeping body, I realized how much that scared me.
Clay was never going to let me go.
He wasn’t just gaming me.
And if I let him keep me- if I stayed- I would forever be his poor little piece of ass from the wrong side of the tracks.
I needed to make my way on my own. I couldn’t let him pay for school. He’d signed his tournament check over to me despite my protests. I stared at it on the bedside table. Then I padded over to the desk to write him a note.
It was time to wake up from this dream.
I had work to do.
Chapter Nineteen
Clay
I still could not believe it. I still could not believe she had left me there. Alone. After the night we had shared. With just a short note, sitting on top of the check I’d tried to give her.
Thanks for the offer but I will pass
Try not to bash anyone’s face in hot stuff
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