by E. L. Todd
The man was staring at her, a slight smile on his lips. His eyes bore into hers, the intensity unmistakable. Derek walked over to her and stood beside her.
“Hello.” Derek extended his hand. “I’m Derek.”
The guy shook it. “Vince.”
The girl waved. “Hi, I’m Suzie.”
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Derek said politely.
Vince looked at Paola. “Congratulations. I can’t say I’m surprised.”
Her cheeks blushed.
“Let’s have dinner tonight,” he said. “For old time’s sake.”
Derek didn’t like that at all. “We have an early plane tomorrow. We should get to bed early.”
Vince looked at him. “Who’s this guy? Your boyfriend?”
“No,” she said quickly.
Derek felt the sting.
“So, you’re free tonight?” Vince said.
“Sure…”
“We’d love to go,” Derek said quickly.
Vince eyed him. “I was just asking—”
“And Suzie, too,” Derek said. He feigned innocence. He felt incredibly rude for barging in on her personal life, or whatever it was, but he wasn’t letting her go after holding her in his arms. It was one of the greatest moments of his life. He wasn’t letting this asshole take it away.
“Sure,” Suzie said.
Vince looked annoyed. “Let’s get Italian. I know that’s your favorite,” he said.
“Okay.”
Derek stared at her, seeing the lack of confidence. She wasn’t herself around him. She was different, hurt, scared. “We’ll meet you soon. We need to shower and get ready.”
“Can I talk to her?” Vince snapped.
Derek glared at him. “She’s standing right in front of you.”
“Well, stop interrupting her.”
“She wasn’t speaking,” Derek snapped.
Paola held up her hands. “Okay, stop.”
Vince glared at Derek, and Derek returned the venomous look.
“We’ll meet you at the restaurant in an hour,” Paola said.
“How about just you?” Vince suggested.
“I don’t want to be the third wheel…” Suzie said.
“Yes, we’ll meet you in an hour,” Derek said, gently touching Paola on the arm. They walked away and headed toward the hotel. Paola was quiet, her earlier excitement gone. Their medals hung around their necks, matching.
“We totally swept this competition,” Derek said. “Tony will be happy.”
“I know.”
“And we’re twenty grand richer.”
“Yeah…”
He noticed the sadness in her voice but didn’t ask her about it. He wanted her to be happy and enjoy this moment.
When they got back to the hotel, he walked her to her door.
“I’ll see you soon,” she said.
He nodded. “I look forward to it.” After he went inside, he showered and got ready, wearing dark jeans and a shirt that outlined his chest and stomach. He wanted to look as attractive as possible, especially in front of that douchebag, Vince.
When he was ready, there was a knock on the door.
Derek already thought Paola was gorgeous, but he wasn’t prepared for the sight of her. She wore a tight fitting blue dress, which highlighted the green color of her eyes. Her breasts were noticeable in the curve of the dress. Her hair was styled and parted, looking shiny and soft. The dress reached her thighs, showing the rest. The heels she wore made her ass look even better. Derek felt his jaw drop when he looked at her. His erection was hard the second he laid eyes on her. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he blurted.
Her eyes widened when she looked at him.
His hand reached out and touched her waist. “Yowza.”
She looked at him. “You look nice.”
“Forget about me,” he said. “You look—oh my fucking god.”
Her cheeks blushed.
“You seriously don’t know how hot you are?”
She looked away.
“That makes it a million times better.” He kissed her forehead then moved his lips to her neck where he gave her a few kisses before he pulled away. “Shall we, Mrs. Sports Illustrated.”
“What?”
“You remind me of a Sports Illustrated model.”
“Are you joking?” she asked.
“No, I’m definitely not.” His hand moved to her lower back and caressed the fabric. “No.”
She looked at him for a second before she walked out. Derek walked alongside her then grabbed her hand. When she pulled it away, he felt his heart sink. He put his hands in his pockets and acted like she didn’t just smash his chest in.
They arrived at the restaurant and spotted Vince and Suzie in the back. Derek and Paola walked toward them. When Derek saw the expression on Vince’s face when he gawked at Paola, he felt anger that he’d never known. As Paola moved to her chair, Derek and Vince both reached for it at the same time, wanting to pull it out. Derek gripped the back and glared at Vince.
“I got it.”
Vince returned the hateful stare and sat down.
Derek moved to the chair next to Paola. It suddenly got awkward and quiet. Suzie glanced between Vince and Derek.
“So,” she said. “What’s new with you? Other than kicking ass at that competition?”
Paola smiled. “Nothing. School is good.”
Vince stared at her, his eyes going to her chest.
Derek wanted to stab him with his fork.
“Are you still planning to go to medical school?” he asked.
“I’m not sure…I think I may pursue my surfing career.”
“But that isn’t stable,” Vince said.
“It’s her decision,” Derek snapped. “She perfectly capable of thinking her decisions through.”
Vince gave him a look of menace but didn’t make a retort. He turned back to Paola. “UC San Diego has an awesome program. You should go there.”
His words seemed to make Paola upset. She didn’t say anything, but Derek could see the emotion in her eyes. Her strong exterior crumbled and she clenched her hands together under the table. It didn’t seem like Vince noticed or cared.
“I still live in La Jolla. My apartment is like a mile from the campus.”
Paola picked up the menu and looked at it.
Derek knew she was uncomfortable. “I can’t believe Paola didn’t get a perfect score. That judge was a prick.”
Paola smiled but didn’t look at him.
“I know,” Suzie said. “I wanted to throw a seashell at his head.” She turned back to Paola. “How’s your father?”
She shrugged. “Good.”
Derek hadn’t known Paola that long, but he knew she was lying.
“Cool,” Suzie said. “Is the island still beautiful?”
“I love it,” she said. “It’s wonderful waking up to paradise every day.”
“I miss it,” Vince said. He leaned back in his chair, his large shoulders stretching from side to side. His hair was dark and short, and he had a noticeable chest. He and Derek were about the same size.
The waiter came and took their order before he walked away.
Paola ordered a margarita and Derek ordered a beer.
“I shouldn’t be drinking this,” Paola said. “Derek and I just had pizza last night and ice cream.”
“You have to be careful if you want to keep your body,” Vince said.
“Fuck you,” Derek snapped. “She can eat whatever the hell she wants.”
Suzie flinched at his words.
Paola leaned toward him. “Calm down. We’ll discuss it later.”
“What’s there to discuss?” Derek said. “I’m not letting this douche talk to you like that.”
“Maybe we should do outside…” Vince said.
“Let’s,” Derek said.
Paola grabbed his arm. “I used to be a model,” she whispered. “That’s what he was referrin
g to.”
He looked at her. “You used to do modeling?”
She nodded. “I don’t like telling people that.”
“Why?”
“Can we talk about this later please?”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
She looked away.
Vince was glaring at him, and Derek returned the look.
Suzie leaned forward. “So, do you still talk to anyone from high school?”
“Danielle and Julia,” Paola answered.
“Cool,” Suzie said. “How are they?”
“Good. They go to school with me.”
They discussed their high school memories while Derek listened to her stories. It seemed like a lot had changed in her life. She used to be vibrant and upbeat, not quiet and reclusive like she was now. He wondered if it was because her mother passed away. He completely understood that. After his parents died, a part of him did as well.
When the waiter brought the check, Derek put the cash in the sleeve for both of them before she could move.
Vince glared at him. “I got it.”
“No,” Derek said. “Allow me.”
Suzie rolled her eyes. “What are you? Apes?”
Paola laughed despite the seriousness of the situation. “I’m paying for my own dinner. Take your money, Gentlemen.”
Neither one of them moved.
Paola sighed and threw Derek’s money back at him. When Vince tried to hand it to her, she pushed it away. “I got it,” she snapped.
After the money was settled, they left the restaurant.
Vince tried to pull Paola aside on the sidewalk, but Derek kept moving toward them.
“Go away,” Vince snapped.
Derek flexed his body and stood next to Paola.
Paola looked at him. “Derek, can we have a moment please?”
He nodded then walked to Suzie. He watched them converse privately on the sidewalk. “What’s the dirt?” he asked Suzie.
“I’m wondering the same thing...”
“She and I are together—in a way.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know…”
“And who’s this guy? An ex-boyfriend?”
Suzie looked uncomfortable. “I don’t divulge my friend’s secrets.”
“That isn’t a secret. That’s public record.”
“Then you can ask her.”
Derek sighed in frustration.
Vince hugged her for a long time before he pulled away.
She turned and walked back to Derek. “You ready to go?”
“Let’s get out of here,” he mumbled. “It was nice to meet you, Suzie. “ He deliberately ignored Vince but he didn’t care. They walked down the street and headed back to their hotel. Men gawked at Paola as she walked by, and Derek grabbed her hand. She didn’t pull it away this time.
When they came to her door, he pushed her against it, blocking her in. “Come inside my room.”
She looked hesitant.
“Let’s sit on the balcony together and talk—that’s it.”
That seemed to calm her down. “Okay.”
He opened the door and allowed her to go inside first. They walked to the balcony and took a seat on the bench, looking out at the ocean.
Paola crossed her legs and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Derek put his arm around her shoulders and placed his other hand on her thigh, immediately feeling the heat between them. “So, what’s his story?”
“There isn’t much of a story.”
“If he’s your ex-boyfriend, there’s a tale.”
She looked at him. “How’d you know that?”
“It’s pretty obvious. Now tell me about it.”
She sighed. “We were high school sweethearts. When we applied to colleges, we both got into Hawaii U, but only he got into UC San Diego. I assumed we would both stay in Hawaii so we could stay together, but…he wanted to leave. We tried to stay together, but long distant relationships never work. We just broke apart, but we’re still friendly.”
“He sounds like a fucking idiot,” Derek said. “He could have received the same education in Hawaii. And he doesn’t treat you right. I don’t like the way he talks to you, looks at you.”
Paola placed her hand on his. “There’s history there…”
“Ancient history.”
“When my mom died, I needed him but he didn’t come back. Instead, he broke up with me because he started dating someone else. He couldn’t wait a few weeks to end our relationship. He had to be with her right away. They ended up breaking up and he’s wanted me back ever since.”
“He’s a piece of shit,” Derek snapped. “That’s…you are too good for that.”
“It still hurts sometimes.”
“I’m surprised you even agreed to see him.”
“I don’t know why I did it either.”
“Suzie seems nice.”
“Yeah.”
“So, what’s the story with this modeling thing?”
“Oh…that.”
“Why are you embarrassed about it?”
“Well, it’s not exactly admirable.”
“I’m not following.”
She took a deep breath. “My mom didn’t have health insurance and my dad’s didn’t cover it. With all the treatments she had, all the hospital admissions, her medication, her funeral…the cost piled up and I had to pay it. So, I became a lingerie model for the cash.”
He stared at her. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
She blinked her tears away. “People called me a slut and a whore.”
“You did it for your family,” Derek snapped. “Don’t ever let anyone make you feel bad about that. And they are just pictures. It’s not like you did porn. Who cares what they think. I think you’re fucking amazing for doing that.”
“Really?” She sniffed.
“Absolutely.”
“Well, I couldn’t do it anymore because my dad found out and he was embarrassed so I started to pursue surfing. I’ve been using my winnings to pay it back.”
“How much do you owe?”
She calculated the total in her head. “About fifty grand.”
“Wow.”
“I owed three hundred thousand.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah…”
He grabbed her face. “Now you only owe ten. You’re almost done.”
“No, I owe thirty.”
“I’m giving you my winnings.”
“What?”
“I’m not arguing with you about this. That’s final.”
“Derek—”
“You’re wasting your time.”
She looked away, wiping her tears away. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Don’t thank me, baby. I would do anything for you.” He kissed her forehead then pressed his face close to hers.
She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.
Derek knew she was in pain, but he was in heaven. He loved feeling her hold him, want him. He ran his fingers through her hair, feeling the silky strands. His hand glided down her neck, touching her gently. The ocean was heard in the distance, along with the sound of seagulls.
“Thank you for not judging me,” she whispered.
“There’s nothing to judge. I like you even more. You are selfless, passionate, caring, so many more things. I would never hold that against you. And your dad is an asshole for not understanding that.”
She sniffed again. “I feel like I have no one.”
“You have me.” He grabbed her hand and placed it over his chest. “Breathe with me, baby.”
She buried her face in his neck and concentrated. Within a few minutes, her breathing was back to normal. They sat together for an hour, saying nothing. When he glanced down, he realized Paola had fallen asleep. He gathered her in his arms then carried her to his bed. When he laid her down, her dress moved up slightly. The pervert inside him wanted to look, but he didn’t. He pulled it down then
pulled the sheet over her.
She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I’m sorry if I fell asleep.”
“It’s okay,” he whispered, sitting at the edge of the bed.
Paola pulled the sheet off then ran her fingers through her hair.
“You can sleep here. I can sleep on the couch.”
“No, it’s okay,” she said.
The room was dark. The sheets were rumbled. When Derek remembered what he did last night, he felt the heat flush through his body. To shake the thoughts, he looked away. She moved closer to him then rested her head on his shoulder.
When he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead, she moved and his lips landed on hers. When she didn’t pull away, moving her lips against his, Derek immediately reciprocated. He wasn’t planning on making any moves tonight, not when she was upset and not when they were alone in the hotel room, but she made the move first. He couldn’t say no to that.
Her fingers moved into his hair as she kissed him, becoming more intense. Derek moaned into her mouth, loving the gentle caress of her small lips. When she lay down, pulling him with her, he felt his heart accelerate.
Derek moved on top of her and kept kissing her, feeling his body shake as he touched her. The natural connection between them was powerful and fantastical. Never in his life had he felt so raw, felt his heart become so vulnerable to another person. When he kissed her neck, she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her dress moved up, revealing her underwear. Derek wanted to look down but he didn’t. He kept kissing her but his hand moved to the fabric of her thong, fingering it.
When his thoughts turned more sinister, he stopped touching her underwear and kept his hands on the sheets. He wanted to do more, but he knew he couldn’t. He would settle for just kissing her tonight.
Her hands moved to his shirt to pull it off. He let her take it away. Paola’s hand ran up and down his chest, and he was pleased to know that she enjoyed his body. Her moans became louder as they kissed and she unbuttoned his jeans.
Derek felt the confusion bubble in his mind. He wanted this happen but he couldn’t let it come to pass. She was too upset, too vulnerable. He felt like he was taking advantage of her. They hadn’t even had a first day yet—officially. He grabbed her hands and pinned them behind her head while he kissed her, stopping the escalation.
