by Ava Alise
The presentation goes on without a hitch, and Jayelle and Louise agree to meet with us tomorrow to finalize the deal and prepare for merchandising.
I'm soaring high on adrenaline as we leave the shop, feeling like a damn rock star. I can't believe it went so well. We file into the car with the same seating arrangement as before.
"You two kicked ass!" Jackson says, closing his door. A large toothy smile plays on my face as I try to hold in my excitement.
"Haha, go ahead, let it out," he says, noticing the look on my face.
I screech and kick my feet with joy, causing the driver to give me a dirty look. "What?" I smile at the driver. "You heard him, we kicked ass."
Drexel and Jackson laughs.
"Yea, that was such a rush," Drexel adds.
The driver makes his way through the streets. "Now, I can't speak in finalities just yet, but I think you two will be wonderful additions to the junior team. You came well prepared, conducted yourselves with perfected professionalism, and tended well to the clients. Great job," Jackson says.
Drexel and I both thank him with larger than life smiles. Jackson nods and tends to his ringing phone. We travel through the streets on a cloud and moments later, pull into the hotel.
"So, is this your first time in Miami?" Jackson asks, looking back and forth between Drexel and myself.
"Yes," we both say as we step outside of the car.
"I thought so," he says. "You two should join me for a drink tonight. There's a great bar a few blocks from here. It’s a pretty exclusive spot, hard to get in, but I did some work for the owner a while back. I get full access." He smiles.
"Nice," Drex says. "I'm game."
They both look to me, and any other time the party girl in me would be all over it, but instead, I hear myself say... "No. You two have fun. I want to spend some more time on the beach before we head back to the snow."
"Okay. Can't argue that, but tomorrow... dinner. I won't take no for an answer," he says.
"No problem." I smile. The elevator arrives, and we step on.
"Great," he says and turns to Drex. "Give me a few hours, I'll text you around six."
The air is heavy as Drex and I walk through the hall toward our rooms. I wonder what he's thinking... if he is as crazed as I am or if I'm just losing it.
My eyes find his as we come to a stop between the doors.
"All this time..." he says, leaning against his door. "I've imagined what it would be like to kiss you. Now that I have , I don't know how easy it will be to stop myself from doing it again."
The air leaves my lungs as he holds me with his emerald gaze, and then he turns and walks into his room.
My leg bounces up and down as I wait for Renee's face to appear on the computer screen. The stupid spinning icon is mocking me, and I'm about to burst. My heart is still in my throat from what Drex said.
He may find it hard to stop himself from kissing me again.
Shit.
Are we torturing ourselves for no reason? I mean, hell... we are kind of on vacation. Shit gets crazy on vacation, right? Would it be so horrible to give in?
Ugh!
Yes... yes it would, Kelsa. Get it together.
I mean, I have always wondered was it would be like to be with him. What I never expected was to actually poke the bear... or, more accurately, light the match.
"Hey, Kels!" Renee's face fills my screen.
"Hey, what happened to you yesterday?" I ask.
She sighs. "The witch is on her broom again, forcing everyone to pull double shifts for the fashion show she overbooked."
"Seriously?"
Renee has been working as an assistant for Mosia Shenzee, a kick ass fashion designer mostly known for evening wear. She got the job right out of college, and we were thrilled because working for Mosia would give her a wonderful opportunity to make a name for herself. It wasn't until Renee actually started the job that we learned Mosia is a Grade A bitch. She 'borrows' her assistants’ ideas, never gives them credit, but makes them work their asses off.
"You know you don't need her, Renee. Your designs are top notch, maybe it's time to consider going into business for yourself?”
"I'm totally unknown. I'd be better off going door to door with a rolling suitcase, begging people to let me hem their slacks," she says.
"Babe, your dresses alone will speak for themselves." I laugh.
"I don't know... maybe.” She shrugs. “But I can handle the witch, having ‘assistant to Mosia Shenzee' on my resume looks great. I'll meet more people in the industry working for her; it will all work out," she says.
I want to tell her she's delusional. That she needs to stand up for herself and go for it, but this is an argument we have had countless times. I'm sure she will step out on her own eventually. As much as she is a hopeful little dove, if there's one thing to know about Renee, she will only take so much. She just has to get fed up with it.
"So, is that why you sent the emoticons?" I ask.
The expression on her face tightens, and she tells me no with a quick shake of her head.
"Well, what then?
"Tom," she spits.
My brows rise. "Tom what?"
"He wants me back."
"And," I say through clenched teeth, holding back all four letter words that are running though my head.
"I laughed in his face, asked him if he was suffering from a concussion."
I laugh out loud. "What did he say?"
"He begged me to meet him for dinner so he can apologize. I kept telling him no, but honestly, Kels... I may need the closure."
"Well, whatever you do, you have my support 100%, and you know that."
We spend the next ten minutes talking about Tom until I can no longer hold in my news. I'm surprised I made it so long, but I didn't want to be rude.
"Things got a little heated last night between Drexel and me, and now I can't look at him without turning into a horny teenager." The light dances in Renee’s face, and her eyes go wide.
"Renee..." I say sternly. "I need you to remind me of..."
"Wait!" She cuts me off. "What exactly to you mean by 'heated'?"
"I..." Heat rises in my cheeks. "...we kissed."
She doesn't say anything, but the look in her eyes tells me she's waiting for me to elaborate.
I sigh. "… Let's just say it wasn't a peck." A large toothy grin slowly spreads across her face.
"No, no, no," I say, trying not to blush. "I need you to remind me that no matter how fucking amazing this guy is, he's a no go. No matter how great the sex, it's not worth complicating my life and career, especially now!" My mouth falls open as I'm about to tell her more things to remind me, but she’s shaking her head and that stupid grin causes me to stop.
"I am NOT telling you that, Kels. You have had a thing for this guy forever now. Maybe you should..."
"No!" I say, cutting her off this time.
I should have known this was coming.
"It's not worth it. You know my luck with ending up in shit relationships. Plus, that’s not the issue here; I'm trying not to fuck him... not date him."
Ten minutes goes by, and I come to realize that I inadvertently signed myself up for a patented Renee lecture. A love-filled lecture complete with happily ever afters and babies... there's always babies.
"Fine... I'll think about it."
I won't.
"Good, you should." She smiles.
"I will." I muster up the most innocent smile I can, and that’s the moment Renee stops buying my bullshit.
She sighs, rolling her eyes, but then stills and looks into the camera.
"Babe, don't hate me for bringing him up," she says, cautiously. "But you haven't taken a guy seriously since what happened with William. It's been almost two years."
My jaw clinches as my heart tries to remember how to beat. "It's not about him," I say, weakly.
Renee continues, concern lining her expression. "You have walked away from some great guys,
Kels. Some great guys, and it's always when things are getting serious. Maybe the thing with William is affecting you more than you realize. He has so much of your past. Don't let him have your future too."
"It's not about William!" I say, more surely this time.
She sighs and smiles resolutely. "Okay.” She nods “Well, call me later; let me know how everything goes with the meeting."
"I will," I say.
We end the call, and I place the laptop on the table.
I feel cut.
Wounded.
I know Renee had good intentions when she brought William up, I know she cares, but fuck if it doesn't feel like a gut punch. He's not taking anything from me. My choices are made by me, not some weird hang ups from the assholes of future’s past. Plus, this has nothing to do with a relationship... it’s sex. Why doesn't she see that?
I order room service, change into my robe, and find my way back to the balcony right as the sun is about to set. Drexel and Jackson should be headed out soon. A small part of me wishes I decided to go with them, but I know it's a bad idea. Drinks, dancing, and the way we flirt would have undoubtedly landed us in some bathroom pushing for round two, especially after what happened. It's probably best I keep my distance. Hell, maybe I should end the game and stop flirting with him all together? It's not helping my cause, but every time he speaks those dirty words, I can't resist. It's like bad candy, or eating that last spoonful of ice cream when you know you shouldn't.
So damn good.
I just have to make it back to New York without ripping his clothes off, and everything will go back to normal. Lying back in the chair, I spend the rest of the evening listening to the ocean.
The next morning, the three of us meet with Jayelle and Louise to sign the contracts. The meeting is quick, and the pair seems really excited about their decision. I'm happy to have been a part of it. Their excitement is contagious, and it's hard not to smile as we are leaving the shop.
The approving nods and smiles from Jackson today has me convinced I got the job, and I can barely sit still. Once we get back to the hotel, still riding off of adrenaline, I decide to get a workout in. Jackson and Drex are still talking about Jaylou's and Short's deal when I bid my goodbye and head upstairs to change into my workout clothes. Drex seems pretty tired this morning, and this nagging part of me wonders if it's because he had a late night. All morning I've been trying to ignore the pang of jealously that's played with my nerves every time I imagine Drex pulling a girl into his room. It's dumb; I shouldn't feel anything about it, and it annoys the hell out of me that I do. Shedding my work clothes, I pull on a tank and yoga pants, grab my phone and head toward the fitness center. I fully intend to work every bit of need I have for this guy out of my system, for at least until we make it back home. Then our interactions will be in the office or surrounded by our friends.
The hotel has a nice sized fitness room. It's bright, airy, and well lit, with rubber flooring and that trademark 'get pumped' music flowing throughout. Multiple treadmills, elliptical machines, and stationary bicycles line the perimeter walls of the space. The middle of the room is home for all the circuit machines, and there's a Yoga studio in the back. I make my way to the counter, grab a towel and a mat, and search for a place to begin my stretches. I land near the free weight area, which is off to the side of the room. If anyone else was in here, I'd probably have gone in the back room to do my yoga stretches, but I'm alone and I like to use free weights after yoga for strength training.
I'm about halfway through my warm up when the door to the fitness center opens and Drexel walks in. He's wearing workout shorts and another one of those mouthwatering tank tops which hug his chest and shows off his lickable arms. The colors of his tattoo shine brightly against his shirt, and I feel sad for him when I'm reminded of his brother's death. Drex doesn't see me in the corner of the room, and I watch as he grabs a towel and hops on the treadmill nearest him.
I'm half ass holding a plank as I watch him move from a steady jog to a full sprint, pounding the treadmill. He's a good distance away, but close enough that I hear the thumps of his feet pretty clearly as he runs. Heat courses through me, and I lie on my stomach and watch the muscles in his legs flex with every step. So much for my plan to distract myself. I'm totally not working out anymore, and if anyone were to see me watching him as intently as I am, they'd surly think I'm some sort of creep. I push myself through another yoga rotation before I hear Drex's footsteps slow to a stop. He walks through the row of machines, grabs a weight in each hand, and begins a shoulder exercise.
As much as I want to lie there and gawk at the way the sweat rolls down his body and the way his shoulders and arms flex, I don't want him to catch me. Instead, I try to focus on counting my holds as I move in and out of my yoga positions.
I try, but it's fucking impossible. Every time I'm in a hold that’s facing him, my eyes lick up and down every tantalize inch of his hard body. He's beautiful. My efforts are lost, so after a few minutes, I stop trying not to watch him, but I keep moving and counting.
His back flexes as he lifts, and I focus hard on my breaths.
Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen…
Sweat beads on his forehead, and he drops the weights and turns to get his towel, finally noticing me out the corner of his eye.
"You’ve been in here the whole time?" he says.
"Yep," I say, lifting out of the stretch.
"I thought I felt someone’s eyes on me." He smiles.
I laugh. "You wish."
Shit… he probably did.
He winks and steps over to an angled weight bench that’s really close to where I am. He takes a seat and begins using two hand weights to work his triceps.
"Well, since you're in here all bent over, I may as well watch." He grins.
I chuckle and slide my hips backward, bending in the middle yet again into the downward dog position. After thirty seconds, I sit back into a butterfly stretch to recover. Drex is still moving, though. His muscles flex, sweat rolls down his chest, and his eyes never leave me. I start to tingle all over.
Every time I break his stare I fall back into it. He grunts and groans as he pumps the iron, and I watch…. every flex, every grunt, every second of his eyes turning dark as he looks at me.
My body is burning, and I'm sure it has nothing to do with the workout. Attempting to shake it off, I fall back into full sit ups. By the time I get to set two, I feel hands on my knees stabilizing my base. I open my eyes and meet his sparkling greens.
"Looked like you needed some help."
"Thanks," I say, a little winded.
I don't close my eyes again. Instead, I watch the way the sweat drips off of him, the way his biceps contract as he holds me in place, and the subtle way he licks his lips while he watches. I push until my breaths come out forced and my heart races. He never moves way, even after my muscles are spent and I fall back to the mat, heaving to catch my breath. His hand slides up my leg and to my knee. The tingles running down my spine come stronger as I look up at him. I bite my bottom lip, and my brain zeros in on the feel on his hand.
"You're so damn beautiful, Kels," he says.
Slowly, his hand slides up my thigh and toward my hip. I’m done, gone. He could be flipping me over and stripping me with his teeth and I’d let him. I sit all the way up, getting completely lost in him and those damn eyes. My breath hitches as his hand slides past my hip and up the side of my body. My hand slides up his back. In a blink, he hooks an arm round my waist and plants me on my back. His lips crash onto mine as he slides on top of me. We kiss until we forget we aren't supposed to, until we forget where we are, until we don't want to stop. His hands caress me, his tongue teases me, and goose bumps cover my heated skin.
I moan as my head falls back, and he kisses down my neck. By the time my lips find his again, we teeter the thin line of losing complete control. Sounds of jagged breaths fills the space as my heartbeat soars. My legs wrap around his waist, and he pushes against me.
"I can't stop thinking about fucking you," he says in a gravelly tone. "It's driving me crazy."
It's this moment where zero fucks are given about our stupid, stupid rule. I don't care why we shouldn’t do it, nor do I care what happens after. Right now, I just want every part of him on every part of me. Fuck boundaries. Our lips meet again and I pull away, slowly sucking on his bottom him. His eyes are dark with lust, but my mind is crystal clear.
"Take me to my room," I whisper. He smiles against my lips, and we leave the fitness center.
The moment the elevator door closes, Drex and I are wrapped around each other.
"I want you naked in the next five minutes," he says through kisses.
"Only if you're naked it two."
I inhale a sharp breath as his mouth makes its way from my lips to my breast. His thumb plays with one hard nipple as he kisses his way back up my neck, pressing me against the wall. The elevator slows a few floors too soon, and we don’t realize it until it stops and the laughter from the other side of the doors reaches our ears.
We do the best we can to straighten ourselves before they open, but we’re still rewarded by curious looks from the two ladies who enter. I’m sure it doesn’t help that we are both breathing kind of heavy, and he’s holding me in place in front of him, attempting to block their view. His thin workout shorts do nothing to hide the huge bulge—that I can't wait to wrap my hands around—from anyone who wants to see it. I stifle a laugh as the two ladies turn from us and focus their attention on the closing doors. Drex’s thumb caresses my hip, and I lean back into him, grinding my ass against his hard on. Vibration moves through his chest, and with a silent groan, his hands tighten around my waist. What feels like a year later, the elevator makes it to our floor and we maneuver around the women and into the hallway.
The walk from the elevator is short, and we get to our doors rather quickly. I slide my room key out of the front pocket of my bag and prepare to unlock the door. Drex presses against me from behind; his hand crawls up my stomach, and he cups my breast. A quiet moan escapes me, and I try hard to focus on sliding the key card in the slot correctly, and not on the way his lips feel against my skin.