Gamble - Part One

by Aubrey St. Clair

  As if summoned by my thoughts, my phone began to ring and the caller ID said it was Harry calling from Toronto. I hadn't heard from him in a few days, my anger dissipating enough that I felt I was ready to talk to him. Briefly.

  "Hi Harry," I answered.

  "Lila. Hi. Thanks for answering." There's a silence on the phone. I don't really know what to say. "So, uh, how ya doing?"

  "I'm okay. Look, Harry..."

  "I know, I know. I was a dick. I know. I guess I just... I wanted to apologize. Sometimes I just get carried away in the moment..."

  "You hurt me, Harry. You offered me up as a prize in a poker game." I thought I was mostly over it, but being with Chase so soon after it happened likely just distracted me from the pain. The pain of feeling like I was worth so little to Harry, but also the pain of losing our relationship even though I knew it was over even before we got to Vegas.

  "I know. I'm sorry. Can we get past this?"

  I walk towards one of the bikes on the showroom, running my hand idly along the leather seat and up to the chrome handlebars as I talk. "Not in the way we were. We're done, you understand that don't you Harry? It's not just about the poker game. It wasn't working before that."

  "I know." I hear a sadness in his voice, a resignedness to the way things are now that I didn't hear last time we spoke. "I'm just hoping me can still be friends."

  "In time. We can talk about it more when I get back."

  "Do you know when that will be? What are you doing out there anyway?" That second question isn't one I want to answer, so I focus on the first.

  "I'm not sure. But when I'm back I'll give you a call, okay? We can talk about things then." By then maybe I'll be ready to talk about Chase. By then I might understand myself where this is going.

  "Okay. I'm really sorry, Lila. I'll always care about you, you know that, right?"

  "I do," I say. My anger toward him is gone, and so is the love I thought I once felt. But I don't wish him any harm. He'll always be a part of my past even if he isn't part of my future. "I feel the same way, Harry. But I gotta go now, okay? We'll talk soon."

  I hang up, happier that I took the call than I thought I'd be. It was good to get a bit of closure with him. I feel like he gets that it's over now, and he accepts it.

  "Ready to go?"

  My head snaps around to see Chase standing in the door to the office. I'm not sure how much of that conversation he heard, if any. His face gives nothing away, as usual.

  * * *

  I'm hunched forward with my arms locked around Chase's stomach as the motorcycle thunders down a desert road. I have no idea how fast we're going, but I'm absolutely certain it's faster than the speed limit. It's also faster than I'm sure I've ever gone on land. I'm terrified, but at the same time exhilarated. My blood is pumping quickly, pushed through my veins by a pounding heart, and I would need a crowbar to loosen my grip. But at the same time, it's exciting. And the vibrations of the bike coming up from between my legs is achingly distracting, making my thoughts turn to Chase and whether or not our ride will end at a place where I can fuck him silly.

  We continue racing through the desert, a cloud of sand forming behind us in our wake even though we're technically following a road. After a while we begin to pass a few signs that whip past me before I even have a chance to read them, but they lead us to a small little airport before Chase begins to finally slow. As he pulls us to a stop I'm finally able to focus on where we are.

  I rip off my helmet. "Are you kidding me? Skydiving? You want to go skydiving?"

  Chase pulls his helmet off as well, a huge grin plastered across his face. "You'll love it."

  He wears that grin all through our training session, where our instructors go through all of the things to know about jumping. I'm terrified, but unwilling to give Chase the satisfaction of chickening out. There are six other people in our class, but Chase seems to be the only one barely paying attention to the instructors, spending more time looking at me and smiling. I ignore him as best I can, desperate to absorb every shred of information they provide so that I can stay alive. I'm not sure at all that I can do this, but it's a relief to hear that first time divers don't go alone, instead jumping attached to an instructor who is in charge of pulling the chute.

  Even after hearing that I still focus on the lesson as if my life depends on it. I'm pretty sure it does.

  "You're sexy when you're concentrating," Chase whispers to me, leaning close enough to my ear that I can feel his hot breath raise the hairs up along my neck.

  "Shut up and pay attention," I whisper back, not removing my eyes from the front of the class. I'm surprisingly disappointed when he listens to me and pulls his body back away from mine, but it's for the best. I don't need any distractions right now.

  When the instructors have finally bombarded us with as much information as they can, they lead us to the staging area where we get outfitted in jumpsuits and ridiculous looking goggles.

  "How sexy do I look now?" I say, turning to Chase with the bug eyed plastic glasses on my face.

  He's holding his own goggles, but he laughs and leans forward to kiss me hard on the lips. "It would be impossible for you to not look sexy."

  I stick my tongue out at him, still mad that he's dragged me here. I consider pleading with him to just put me back on his bike and ride us home, but I want to prove to him I have a wild side. Even if it's new.

  The instructors begin to pair off with students and I look around, waiting to see who was going to be attached to me in what could end up being the final moments of my life. No one approaches, so I turn to Chase who doesn't have anyone yet either. "Who are we jumping with?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

  "Do you really think I'd let someone else experience the thrill of this with you? That I'd want anyone else's body attached to yours while you free fall at 120 miles an hour?"

  Is Chase telling me that this has all been a practical joke and we aren't going to jump after all? I feel something in my stomach, but I'm not sure if it's relief or disappointment. Maybe both.

  "So we aren't jumping?" I ask.

  He laughs. "Oh we're jumping. Together. You and me," he reaches forward and twirls me around, pulling my body against his so that my fabric covered ass slaps against his hips. "Locked together in free fall."

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  "What?"

  "You don't think this is my first jump, do you?"

  My eyes widen as I spin back to face him. He looks serious, even though he's flashing his half grin at me.

  "I've been coming here for years. I jump on my own all the time. I'm more than qualified to take you down. I cleared this with them yesterday."

  "Are you kidding me?"

  Chase spins me around again, and pulls me back against his body, putting his arms around me and kissing my neck before he brushes his lips against my ear. "This is how close we'll be on the way down. Do you really want someone else against you like this?" His voice is a whisper that makes my knees weak.

  He knows the answer and doesn't wait to hear it. "You're going to love this."

  He's still repeating that same phrase to me an hour later as we stand on the plane 14,000 feet in the air above the desert waiting for the doors to open. Chase is strapped against my back, but he's holding my sweaty palm in his own warm and calm hand and rubbing my arm with his other. "You'll do fine. Trust me. You're going to love it."

  I can only nod at this point, unsure whether or not opening my mouth would be such a good idea. I'm not sure whether I fear screaming or throwing up more, but in either case, keeping my mouth shut seems wise.

  One of the instructors yanks the doors open and the plane gets immediately louder. I watch as one attached couple approaches the door. The instructor sits with the student in front of them and then before I know it he pushes off and they disappear from view, hurtling toward the ground. My heart skips a beat and I feel Chase squeeze my hand tighter.

  It's seeming more and more insane to jump out of a per
fectly good airplane.

  Someone motions to us and Chase gives me a little push to get my legs moving towards the opening. The ground below seems impossibly far and I immediately regret looking down. I feel dizzy, but Chase is still holding my hand and keeping me steady as he negotiates us into a sitting position on the edge of the plane doorway. My eyes are shut now. I'm only happy he's behind me and can't see that.

  Chase yells something but I can't hear him over the roar of the plane engine and the wind rushing by our ears.

  "What?" I yell back.

  Instead of an answer, I feel Chase push away from the plane and my stomach jumps as I flail around, trying to find something to anchor onto. There's nothing there but emptiness, and I finally let out the scream that I had been holding back. I'm sure it's loud and embarrassing, but I barely hear it over the rush of wind in my ears. All of a sudden Chase's arms wrap around my body, holding me close and reminding me that he's right there behind me. The thought relaxes me appreciably and I'm grateful that he's the one back there. I'm still terrified and keeping my eyes screwed shut, but I no longer feel quite as alone and disoriented.

  Chase's mouth is next to my ear, yelling at me to open my eyes. How did he know they were closed?

  Taking a deep breath to try and calm myself, I do as he asks. The ground below looks the same as it did in the plane, instead of hurtling toward me menacingly as I had expected. In fact, I don't even feel like we're moving at all. It's beautiful, though. Chase was right, and I'm immediately glad he talked me into it.

  A few seconds later his lips press against my ear again. "Hang on!"

  Before I know what he's talking about, I see the chute fly out from behind us and open up above, right before I feel our bodies jerk hard. The wind in my ears immediately stops roaring as our fall turns into a float.

  I take a moment to enjoy the sudden quiet and peacefulness. The wind is now pushing us along instead of roaring past us, and it gives me the feeling of floating. The sense of relief that I feel now that the chute has opened successfully is tremendous, although the adrenaline is still rushing through my veins.

  "Amazing, isn't it?" Chase's voice surprises me, but it's comforting being reminded one more time that he's still there. At least he no longer has to scream, but his mouth is right next to my ear.

  "Utterly beautiful," I reply. The world below us looms slowly larger as we continue to drift. I see the airport, and the area where we're supposed to land, but it still feels like a long way off.

  "Welcome to my world," he says. His lips touch my neck and I lean my head back into it with a little purr.

  "Thanks for inviting me."

  "I can't imagine anyone I'd rather be strapped against as I leap out of a plane." His mouth nibbles on my ear now and he puts his arms around my waist, squeezing me. I feel a bulge press against my ass.

  "Well hello there," I say, slipping my hand behind us and giving his cock a squeeze through his jumpsuit. As elated I am at how beautiful the world looks right now, I suddenly can't wait to land.

  * * *

  "Fuck, fuck, fuck," I moan, pressing Chase's face against my hot core as he continues to lick all the best spots. After the adrenaline rush of the jump and then the vibrating motorcycle ride home, I almost couldn't make it to the room before I was practically begging Chase to lick me.

  His skillful tongue draws a shuddering orgasm from me within minutes, and then he scrabbles to roll his condom on while I wait impatiently. I let out another string of curse words as soon as I feel his cock spreading my folds and sinking him hip to hip with my body.

  "Fuck me. Do it hard and fast, don't slow down."

  He practically growls as he begins to comply, his hips slamming hard against me with each powerful thrust. My fingers pull along the tattooed skin of his back, trying to draw him in even deeper. His breath is hot and frantic against my shoulder, he's concentrating too much and moving too violently to even kiss me. I reach further down his body, filling my hands with his hard ass and squeezing, still pulling him forward with each thrust.

  Within minutes his body stiffens with release, a groan fills my ear and his hands slip behind my back. He hugs me forward as he pushes deeper and then rolls me on top of him while he stays buried inside of me. I rest my head on his chest as I wait for his body to relax.

  "I love the feel of your weight on me," he whispers. I let out a satisfied little hum in response. I only lift my head as much as I need to in order to see the clock. It's not even five, but a day full of over stimulation has left me exhausted. I don't mean to sleep, but the next time I open my eyes the clock says six thirty. Chase is no longer next to me, but I can hear his voice in the other room.

  I push myself up, wondering if he's ordered dinner and talking to the waiter. I walk to the door and listen, not wanting to expose myself in case he isn't alone, but his voice is the only one I hear. By the pauses in the conversation, I can tell he's on the phone.

  "I don't know how much time I have, so it'll have to be quick."

  Pause.

  "Because I don't know how much longer she'll sleep for, it's already been almost two hours."

  Pause.

  "Don't be like that, Denise."

  Pause.

  "Okay, I'll see you downstairs in a few."

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  By the time I pull my clothes on and get down to the lobby, I'm not sure if I'll even be able to find Chase or Denise. I don't want them to see me, so I can't simply stomp through the lobby looking for them. Part of me doesn't even want to find them, though. In the back of my mind I've been waiting for something to ruin this relationship. It's been too good, Chase seems almost too perfect. I've almost expected something like this to happen, and now that it has I almost don't want to find out any more. As if not knowing will keep it from being real.

  But if he is fooling around with Denise still, it's better to know now before I get even more invested. It's been less than a week, after all. Despite spending almost every moment together since we met, I still feel like I can get away from this relationship relatively unscathed. I mean, it will still hurt. Especially because it's Denise. What does he see in that bitch anyway?

  As the elevator doors slide open, my heart begins trying to pound its way out of my chest. I have to steady myself along the wall of the hallway that leads to the lobby for fear my anxiety will bring me to my knees. It's foolish to be this agitated. It's only been a week. Get a grip!

  I make it right to the end of the hallway that opens up into the lobby when I see them. Chase and Denise are standing by the front door, talking and smiling at each other. She's carrying her purse as well as a bigger satchel type bag, and is dressed and made up as immaculately as the other night, looking just as sexy meeting in the middle of the day as when she's at a club. Whether she always dresses like that or is just doing it because she's meeting with Chase I haven't a clue. I feel an immediate urge to march up to them and demand to know what's going on, but I squelch it. I'll just end up looking like a fool, especially if the meeting is innocent. Besides, barging up to them isn't going to force them to tell me the truth. They'll never admit it if something is going on. My best bet is to watch them.

  I keep my eye on them as they talk. So far, although they're smiling a lot, there are no overt signs of anything physical between them. No little touches or accidental brushes of their hands against each other. I'm watching for it all, at the same time being painfully aware how much like a stalker I'm acting. Especially given Chase's level of fame. How many times has a fan of his acted like this? Did any of them ever spy on us as we spent time in public, hoping and wishing that Chase would spend time with them instead?

  I shake my head. This is different. Chase and I are in a relationship, aren't we? We've never actually defined it, although he did call me his girlfriend the other day when those two women were flirting with him at the photo shoot. But then we never talked about it again. Did he mean it, or did he only say that because I interrupted them and he thought
I was pissed? Did he just mean to mollify me?

  The two of them now start to walk out of the lobby, so I continue to follow and watch from a safe distance. I totally feel like a stalker now, and I'm just glad that we aren't in the actual casino with all of the cameras everywhere. I'd probably be picked up as a security threat.

  They make their way to a little cafe near the food court and go in. There's no way I can follow without being seen, it's too small. The best I can do is position myself near the open door and pretend to be waiting for someone. Once they're seated I can only make out the sides of their heads over the booth next to them. I do see Denise reach down and take something out of her satchel but I can't tell what it is. A folder, a magazine, or maybe just some papers. She's too far away and the view is too obscured for me to tell.

  So far they haven't acted like they're secret lovers, but then what are they meeting about? Chase's words from the night at the club when I first met Denise ring through my head, bouncing around mockingly.

  ...it's not like we hang out with each other socially.

  What the hell is this, then?

  Maybe they're just talking about her trip to LA. But again, why the secrecy? Besides, she was just supposed to visit some of her friends, why would he be interested in that?

  Another couple sits down in the booth next to them, and now I can barely see them at all. I'm frustrated, and become more so the longer I wait. They're in there for almost thirty minutes before I finally see Chase stand up, with Denise quickly following. She pulls him in for a hug and he hugs her back, but nothing more. I duck into a little store so that he doesn't spot me as he exits the cafe, but he's carrying a heavy plastic bag and walking quickly, not looking around at all. He certainly doesn't look like he feels guilty, but Chase rarely shows any emotion other than when we're having sex.