Next thing I knew we were behind the large check-in area.
I held Pres’s hand with both hands.
I was nervous.
“Margaret,” Pres said.
A woman with thick framed glasses looked at him.
She suddenly became flustered.
“Mr. Levilitz,” she said.
“Pres,” he said.
“Of course.”
“My room?” he asked.
"Yes," she said.
“Room?” I asked Pres.
He didn't look at me.
Margaret handed him a card and Pres started to walk again.
“Any bags?” she called out.
“No,” Pres said.
And we just kept walking.
To a set of golden elevators.
“Pres?” I asked.
"Just relax, sugar. You’ll find out soon enough.”
That soon enough was a long elevator ride. And walking down a hallway that was laced with fancy carpets, doors, trim, light fixtures… everything that screamed a night here costing more than two months of rent at the shithole apartment I used to call home.
At the end of the long hall, Pres opened the door and led me in.
“Barr has a nice room,” he said. “Kip has a guesthouse. Me, sugar? I have a fucking suite.”
My jaw dropped at the sight of the room.
It was… whoa.
It was a fully furnished and fancy apartment. But in a hotel. I mean there was a living room. A kitchen. Couches. A bathroom. A bedroom. A second bedroom. And the windows… the view…
I stood and could see out to the ocean.
The last flicker of day was hanging around outside.
“Pres, how does this work?” I asked.
“I own it," he said.
I looked back. “What?”
“I own it.”
“The room?”
“The hotel, sugar,” he said. “My mother isn’t some trophy wife waiting to die. And she knows who my father really is. He's off scrambling to pull his shit together because she took everything from him and gave it to me. But I don't want to talk about my family.”
I looked forward again and stared out the window.
Holy shit. Pres owned a hotel.
Most people his age were lucky enough to own their own piece of shit car. Or lucky enough to rent an apartment.
But not Pres.
I put my hands to the window and leaned forward.
“Feels like I'm falling," I whispered.
"I know that feeling, sugar.”
Pres was right behind me.
His hands touched my waist.
His body touched mine.
“This is my private space. Nobody ever comes here. Except you now.”
“Pres…”
“You need the night away from it all. There's still a lot of reality to face.”
"There's a lot of reality here,” I whispered.
“Yes, there is, sugar.”
Pres’s hands inched around to the front of my body and pulled me closer.
His lips touched my neck and I shut my eyes.
I began to melt.
My fingers curled as though I could scratch the glass.
His hands grabbed the bottom of my hoodie and he lifted.
My lips quivered as he took the hoodie up over my head.
His hands then helped themselves to my chest.
Cupping me, keeping me tight against him.
I gently rocked my hips, well aware of how hard he already was.
Pres moved his hands down to my hips and turned me around.
My hands made a sudden move for his shirt. Demanding it off.
He let me take his shirt off.
His naked upper torso was something worth dying for.
I slid my hands over his broad shoulders and stepped closer.
My lips sought his chest and I kissed him once. Then I shut my eyes and smelled his skin. The hints of his cologne. His bare skin.
His arms were suddenly around me, hugging me.
I dug my nails into his shoulders, knowing what I wanted.
What I needed from him.
Pres picked me up and walked right for the bedroom.
My body was on fire.
We stole kisses from each other on the short journey.
And the moment I touched the bed, all bets… all rulz… they were gone.
He guided my pants off with ease. His left hand held the back of my head while his right hand carefully climbed up my leg, cutting to the inside. Going for exactly what he wanted.
The pressure of his touch to my core stole my breath.
“Pres…”
“It's okay, sugar,” he whispered.
He stole another kiss as his fingertips touched the top of my panties. He moved down and around a curve meant for his touch. As he took me to another level of pleasure, I worried that my sudden desire to finish was going to ruin the night. But as Pres made circles, dipping his fingers into me, I kissed him back as hard as I could and lost myself.
It had been too long.
And this had been building too long.
I clawed at the back of his head, pulling him closer, needing more.
Pres threw the covers out of the way and finished taking both of our clothes off. He reached for the nightstand and killed the lights, leaving us with nothing but the light from outside the bedroom. Which was enough to show more than a silhouette.
I was exposed to him.
His lips touched my lips and moved down.
I heard the tear of a wrapper and I bit my lip.
The mouth that once warned me to catch amnesia was now kissing my breasts. Moving from one to another, tongue flicking at places that made me jump and shiver.
Pres pulled away when he was fully ready.
I looked at him, on his knees before me, strong, tall, hard.
He reached for my hands and interlocked our fingers tight.
He lowered his mouth down to mine for a wild kiss.
He paused as he pressed forward with his lower half.
The sudden rush of pressure made me gasp.
Pres paused.
We stared at each other as he offered more.
And more.
And more.
And with each offering we were closer together. Falling more in love.
But most of all…
It felt so fucking good.
* * *
I wore nothing but the expensive comforter from the bed.
I was back at the window, staring out to the darkness.
A smile on my face.
I felt okay. Alive. Happy.
I felt loved.
Pres was in a pair of shorts and nothing else.
His reflection on the glass of the window was like a fucking dream as he approached me.
He peeled the comforter away enough to expose my shoulder.
He kissed me once and put the comforter back in place.
I put my head back to his chest.
He held me.
The silence was so nice to have for once.
Just quietness.
And nobody knew where we were.
I never felt so free in my entire life.
“Pres?"
"Sugar?"
“I'm hungry."
“You name it and I'll make it appear.”
“Would you judge me if I went to town on a pizza?”
“Never, sugar,” he said. “You should go check out the jacuzzi. Then meet me back in bed."
“That's so hot, Pres.”
“Oh, sugar, we're just getting started with hot.”
Pres kissed the top of my head and walked away.
I helped myself to the fridge for a drink.
Then I went to the bathroom and was jaw dropped again.
The jacuzzi was next to a window.
I couldn’t help myself.
I was going to be a full blown rich bitch for the night.
So I enj
oyed a relaxing tub.
I drank with my pinky in the air and laughed.
Pres popped his head into the bathroom to let me know when the food was here.
I dried with a towel that was made from a cloud.
I put on a robe that was made from the same cloud.
And the next greatest sight of my life was Pres in bed with a pizza.
I laughed.
“What?” he asked.
“Rich snobs and we're eating pizza.”
“In bed,” he said.
“Like slobs.”
“Someone else will clean everything up though," he said.
“So we can be as dirty as we want," I said.
Pres grinned.
“Shit," I whispered, realizing what I said and how it sounded.
I blushed as I got into the bed next to Pres.
We ate pizza. Drank things we weren't supposed to be drinking.
And we didn't care.
I was tired but didn't want to sleep. I didn't want the night to end. Even though tomorrow would be the same. Pres would be mine. I would be his.
But still…
Pres flung the pizza box out of the bed like an awkward frisbee.
He rolled to his side and his left hand masterfully cut right into the robe I was wearing.
His hand touched my chest and he grinned.
“I'm tired,” I whispered.
"I don't believe that for a second," he whispered.
He kissed me and his hand moved down. And moved fast.
When he touched me, I was right back on fire again.
Gasping for a breath.
“See?" he whispered. “Far from tired, sugar.”
I swallowed hard and caught my breath.
It was going to be a long night.
* * *
At some point we fell asleep.
My head resting on Pres’s chest and I shut my eyes.
Quitting for the night.
I was done for.
My body recovering from the accident. And then needing to recover from him.
My only regret was that it took so long for it to happen between us. Because what I had been missing since coming to BFH was… whoa.
When my eyes opened I was alone in the bed, so I jumped up.
“Pres?” I called out.
There was no sign of him.
I grabbed the covers and wrapped them around me and walked to the door.
My heart was sinking, fearing something bad.
Really bad.
But the second I opened the door, I heard voices.
Three voices.
Their voices.
The Rulz.
I strutted from the room wearing the covers.
“Well, good morning, girl,” Kip called out.
“Almost good afternoon,” Barr added.
Pres leaned against the corner of the counter and folded his arms. A grin on his face as his mind obviously replayed everything that had happened last night.
“Morning,” I said. “How's it going?”
“You tell us, love," Barr said. “You forget where your clothes are?”
“Nope,” I said. "Just enjoying myself.”
“I don't doubt that," Kip said. “Your throat scratchy from moaning Pres’s name all night?”
“Ah, don't be jealous, Kip,” I said.
“Of what?” Kip asked.
“Pres finished what you started. What you couldn't finish.”
“Damn,” Barr said. "That's cold."
Kip stood up. "I can finish anything, girl. Let's go right now. Then you can compare and have the truth."
"That's a good point," Barr said. "Tinsley loves the truth.”
“You two can fucking leave," Pres said. “You say anything like that again and I’ll throw you out that fucking window.”
I looked at Pres and smiled. I kissed the air.
He kissed the air back.
My protector... whoa…
Barr and Kip stood up and put their eyes right back on me again.
“Whatever you two are thinking, just stop,” I said.
“I’m not thinking a thing, girl,” Kip said.
“No brain?” I asked. “That would fit your look.”
“She gets a little action from Pres and turns into this vicious rich bitch chick.”
“Did you just call me a bitch?” I asked. “Right in front of Pres?”
“Nah, sugar,” Pres said. “I think you can handle this one.”
“Can you, girl?” Kip asked.
I flirted with the covers separating me from being totally naked in front of the Rulz. I slowly grinned and started to open the covers.
Enough that both Kip and Barr’s eyes went wide.
Pres stepped forward, his hands balled up into fists.
I moved forward, hoping I looked seductive. Then again, what did that matter? If I was going to drop the covers and be naked it didn’t matter how I strutted.
I looked down and saw the way the covers were showing off some skin but not too much.
“See?” I whispered. “That shut you up.”
Barr grinned.
Kip’s blue eyes were wide and focused on me.
“Put your tongue back in your mouth,” Barr said to Kip. “She’s fucking with us.”
“Yeah, right,” Kip said. “I know that. Nice body, girl.”
“I bet you’d like to surf it,” I said.
“I think we’re all done here,” Pres announced.
He was pissed.
He was jealous.
It was fucking cute as anything to see.
He pointed to the door and a second later, there was a knock.
“Whoa, man,” Kip said. “You psychic?”
“Yeah,” Pres said. “I can predict your future if you really want to know.”
“I’ll get it,” Barr said.
He walked to the door and ripped it open.
A man in a suit stood there with a pushcart overflowing with food.
I gasped and got out of sight.
“Thanks, man,” Barr said. He reached into his pocket and gave the man in the suit a tip. He slammed the door and turned with the cart. “Breakfast is served.”
I looked at Pres.
He was still pissed.
“You did this for us, Pres?” Kip asked.
I nodded to Pres.
“Yeah,” he said. “I did it all for you. Thought we could share a breakfast together before we faced reality again.”
I smiled. I mouthed I love you to Pres.
He mouthed it back.
Then he motioned for me to put on clothes.
Which I agreed with. I wasn’t going to eat breakfast naked. At least not in front of Barr and Kip.
I went to the bedroom and before I could shut the door, a hand slammed to it and forced it open.
I jumped and turned.
Pres entered the room.
He slowly shut the door. And locked it.
I swallowed hard. “Good morning, Pres…”
He rushed to me and took my chin with one hand. “Good morning, sugar.”
He lowered his mouth to mine.
His other hand pulled at the covers and off my body they went.
“What about breakfast?” I whispered.
Pres grinned bigger than I ever saw him in my life. “I’m going to have mine right now…”
twenty-one
twenty-one
“That was the best bacon I ever had,” Barr said.
He took a drag of his cigarette.
“I can’t complain,” Kip said. “Might have to stay here more often.”
Pres looked down at me and nodded. “Yeah. Everything tasted perfect.”
Heat rose to my cheeks as I broke away from him.
“I’m going to get in the SUV and wait,” I said. “You three can kiss each other goodbye.”
“Hey, love,” Barr said. He reached for my hand. “You’re staying, right?”
“BFH?” I ask
ed.
He nodded.
“Maybe.”
“She’s not leaving,” Kip said. “She’s got nowhere to go.”
“Why does it matter?” I asked.
“Just don’t want to see Pres heartbroken,” Barr said.
“Bullshit,” I said.
“Don’t listen to him,” Pres said.
The eyes Pres gave Barr stuck with me.
I got into the SUV and watched the Rulz from the mirror.
It was a good chance to catch my breath and collect myself. No matter what was happening here they were still the same. They were the Rulz. I had fallen in love with Pres. Harder than the others. My love for Barr and Kip was different. Real, yes. But not the love I had for Pres. And I believed when Pres said he loved me. This wasn’t some one or two day and night thing that would eventually lose steam. It would grow deeper, hotter, and put everything we ever wanted in life at risk.
Of course I was going to stay in BFH. I really had nowhere else to go. But there was no way I was going to leave Pres. Or Barr. Or Kip. Or everything else waiting for me here.
I still needed to figure out how to navigate a rich town and rich life while being poor. Sure, Pres would spoil me. That was a given. And, yeah, Claire would do anything for me. But that’s not who I was or wanted to be.
My eyes studied them.
Something was happening.
The seriousness in their faces bothered me.
Barr and Kip walked away.
Pres got into the SUV.
“What was that?” I asked.
“Just talk,” he said.
“That’s a lie. I’m not going to deal with lying, Pres.”
“Not a lie, sugar. You know everything.”
“That was about BC. Or HCH.”
“And if it was?”
“I’m in trouble?”
“You just need to take care of yourself.”
He started to drive.
I stared forward.
Rich or poor, Pres was right.
I needed to take care of myself.
“I guess I need to find a hardware store,” I said.
“For what?” he asked.
“Need to stock up on screwdrivers. Have a funny feeling some more bitches and assholes are going to need clear messages from me.”
“Damn, sugar, you don’t know what that does to me.”
“I bet I could find out,” I said.
I turned sideways in my seat.
“Sugar,” Pres said.
“Pres.”
He looked at me while driving.
You’d think my heart would be in my throat, all things considered.
UNTamed: a bay falls high novel Page 19
