“Here.” Andrew hands me a bikini top. I look at it, and then at him. “It’s Jasmines; she left it behind last night. She just bought it, so I wanted to make sure she got it back.”
I take it from him without a word and finish packing her stuff. I look around the room, making sure I grabbed everything of Jasmine’s when Molly stands up. She’s put a robe on, thank fuck. She may be good looking on the outside, but she’s a total haughty bitch, and I feel repulsed at the glimpse I caught of her earlier.
“Her toiletries are in the bathroom. They’re the ones on the left.”
I nod and grab Jasmine’s stuff from the bathroom. Her toothbrush, comb, and brush, shampoo and conditioner all lined up in total Jasmine style. This stuff’s personal, as if I’m catching a glance of who she is intimately. The feeling warms my insides. Soon these intimate things will be in my bathroom, next to my things.
Collecting myself before exiting the bathroom, I turn to them one more time. They have both taken up residency on the edge of the bed. “Remember what I said. I would hate for anything to happen to either of you.” I shrug. It would actually make my day if something happen to Andrew. Molly, well, she was already doing enough damage to herself.
They both nod, wordlessly.
I leave the room; they seemed to have received the message.
When I reenter my room, I hear the shower and water running off Jasmines body. My body instantly responds, trying to lead me to the slightly ajar door; I’m sure it’s an invitation. Less than one week is all I have with her. I can’t go in there because I know there’s a good chance I will take her virginity in the shower. As much as she might want it, or thinks she wants it, I know I have to leave her when we return home. It’s the only real way to keep her safe; to distance myself from her. My heart aches and constricts at the thought of pushing her away, and not being with her.
I’m still standing motionless in front of the bathroom door when the water shuts off and the curtain slides open. My instinct is to move – avoid detection – but I like the sound of her toweling off. The thought of her naked body only a room away, a room that is not even properly sealed, does wild things to my body.
“Alex?” Her voice calls to me.
“Yeah.”
“Did you get my stuff?” I can still hear her drying off.
“Yeah.” I’m full of cool things to say.
“Are you alright?” She opens the door, holding the towel so it drapes down the front of her body, covering most of her breasts and other sweet places, but doing nothing for the sides of her hips, thighs, and legs that are hanging out on either side.
I’m smiling at her like a drunken fool, unaware when her eyes go wide in worry.
“Alex! What happened to your hand?” She rushes forward, barely remembering to hold onto her towel.
Damn.
“Nothing. Nothing is wrong with me.” God, I’m an idiot. I’m still in la la land after taking in her luscious figure. She holds my mangled hand up so I can see it. “Oh, that’s what happens when you punch people in the face. Your hand gets messed up.” My eyes are traveling the length of her several times, not caring about my busted up hand.
“That was last night. I don’t remember seeing it looking like this this morning, and there’s fresh blood, too. What happened?”
I can tell by the look on her face that if I try to get out of telling her, I’m in trouble. The thought makes me laugh. Picturing a gang banger like me, getting in trouble from a tiny female like Jasmine, plasters a smile on my lips. “I ran into Andrew… In your room.”
“What! Was he waiting for me?” She’s fiery. I can tell she wouldn’t mind kicking his ass again.
“No. At least, I don’t think so.” I smile. “He was fucking Molly.” Her face falls flat. She looks upset. “What’s wrong? I thought it would be nice for you not to have to worry about him anymore.”
“It is nice. It’s just… I wish that he had actually liked me, instead of only wanting to get into my pants.”
“He’s not worth your time Jas; you’re too good for him. He and Molly are perfect for each other.” She points her sad smile at me and nods. Seeing her worry about Andrew’s feelings drives me crazy. “Besides, you have me.” ‘Until we leave Hawaii.’ I finish silently.
Her eyes grow even sadder. I don’t understand why. “Do I?” She asks. “Do I really have you, Alex?”
She’s sees right through me. She knows I’m planning to end this when we leave here. Damn, she’s good. How would I explain to her that it’s the only way to keep her safe from her mother… from me? I can’t bring myself to admit to her what I have planned.
“Are those my clothes?” she changes the subject. We both play the same game, we know where this is heading, whether we want it to or not.
“Si.” Handing her the bag I filled with her things, she walks back into the bathroom, closing the door; rescinding the invitation that she offered earlier.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jasmine
My heart constricts at Alex’s silence, confirming my suspicions. He has no intentions of this being a permanent thing. I take my clothes and dress in the bathroom, giving me time to realign my emotions.
After dressing, I do my makeup and comb my hair; trying to string out the last minutes I have in here. I know I have to face him again sometime, I mean, I am locked in his damn bathroom. I want him, and I know he wants me just as badly. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me. He may not love me, but I know that he cares about me, or at least I hope he does. He’s right though, I realize. This could never work out between us when we return home. Margret would never allow it, and for whatever reason, Alex is still working on his issues. He can’t quite drop his guard enough to let me in, not the way I need him to. A compromise is what we need, I realize, as I open the door and step out.
While I’ve been in the bathroom changing, Alex did his own changing next to the bed. He turns to face me, hearing me exit. A smile finds my lips easily, along with the flush in my cheeks. He’s wearing a pair of dark khaki shorts, and a solid black, short-sleeved shirt. His hair looks like he climbed out of bed minutes ago.
“Hi.” I say shyly, like this is our first tango.
Relief flashes in his eyes. “Hey.” He replies and begins to walk toward me slowly. “Are we alright?” I can tell he wants everything to be fine.
I meet his eyes and nod. “Yeah.”
He pulls me to him when he finally reaches me. I can sense that he wants to say something, but I’m scared of what he’ll say, and ruin the new plan that I formed moments ago, so I speak first.
“I know when we get home things will be different.” I begin, his body tenses and stops moving completely. “Margret would freak and who knows what she’d do. And you, I’m not sure what you’re working through, but it’s obvious you are not ready for… whatever this could be.” A lump rises in my throat. I feel like I’m breaking up with him, when we have yet to even have a date. “It’s different here though.” I meet his eyes again. “No one knows us, and the people we do know, we can hide from… we can be together here, until we go back home.” I watch him process what I’m offering. “I’m not ready to let you go.”
His eyes rest on mine solidly for the first time since I started talking. The desire, the lust, and yes, even some kind of love, I see it all there, and it’s enough to answer my question. He doesn’t want to give me up, either.
He wraps his arms loosely around me, a confused look on his face. He’s unsure of what to say, shaking his head slowly. “Jasmine…I…”
I put my hand over his mouth, “Shh. Let’s just enjoy it. No wasting time, starting now.” My last words are a whisper as I move my lips to his.
His response is immediate. One hand pulls on my lower back, bringing our hips together, while the other tangles in my hair. His lips are desperate; as if this is the last time he’ll ever kiss me.
Reaching down, I undo his belt, preparing to take this all the way, when Alex sti
lls my hands, looking at me with a flushed face. “Jasmine, no. I will not take that from you.” It must have taken a lot for him to say those words, because every other part of his body is telling me yes, he does want to take that from me, badly. “We can do anything else, everything else, just not that.”
I search his eyes. There’s so much emotion in them and I know mine are reflecting the same desires. “Alright.” I pull him back to me, my heart breaking as I tuck my head under his chin. “Why does it feel like we’re breaking up and never going to see each other again?”
He squeezes me tighter, careful of my ribs. “In a way I guess we are… breaking up, I mean.” His voice is a whisper, as if saying the words loud will make them real. “Right now though, I have you here, in my arms… and I don’t plan on wasting it.” He steps into me, backing me up against the wall of our room, careful of my back, and presses his lips to mine. A kiss that means a thousand words, a thousand gestures, and I melt into him. My body goes limp, only being held up by Alex’s strong arms. I breathe him in, remembering, storing every scent. I trace my hands along every angle of his body, putting them to memory.
I moan between our lips and he smiles in response. “See what you do to me.” I tell him.
His smile is sad. “Let’s go get lunch.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Alex
Jasmine’s moan against my lips is almost my undoing. Her words are spoken a whisper away from my skin, tickling me, telling me what I do to her, are almost enough to drive me over the edge. I’m proud of myself for controlling my hormones. Instead, I ask if she wants lunch.
I know she wants me. Hell, I want her more than anything I’ve ever wanted, except, all I can think about is our upcoming expiration date and how I will not take advantage of her. Having sex with her, knowing we’re not going to be together in less than a week, is taking advantage of her, whether she wants to think it is or not.
I back away from Jasmine. Without taking my eyes off her, I trail my fingers down her arm, to the tips of her fingers, not breaking our connection until our arms are out of reach of one another.
I pick up the phone next to the nightstand and dial zero for the front desk. “Front desk.” A female voice chimes.
“Yes, hi. I’m wondering if you can help me out. I’m looking for a secluded place for lunch to take a lady friend of mine to.” I smile at Jasmine, enticing one from her.
The lady giggles, as if she’s in high school again. “That’s very sweet of you.” She coos. “I think I know just the place.” She says, and describes where to go.
I hang up the phone and turn back to Jasmine. “Out of the way.” I wiggle the piece of paper with the directions on it at her. “Let’s go.” I take her hand and pull her along with me.
We separated in the hall, thinking it will be better to walk out alone and then meet up on the next street over. I have to admit, this new game is somewhat sexy, the secrets, the hiding, the daringness of our relationship. We have a relationship. I’m in a relationship with Jasmine. The reminder repeats with every beat my heart takes, whispering through my mind. It’s a dysfunctional relationship, but it’s ours, even if it’s only for the rest of the week.
I kiss her one last time before I send her on her way, watching her cute ass as she goes. Her bare legs, that I wish I still had wrapped around me in bed, are hanging out of another pair of frayed jean shorts. She’s wearing a white tank top today, with a light see through, silk shawl to wrap around her shoulders. Cream, with little flowers sporadically spread across the material. She’s still wearing her hair down, and I can see where the sun has bleached more strands, making her sparkling blue eyes pop. She astounds me each time I catch sight of her.
On my way to meet back up with her, I encounter Carlos. He’s next to the pool, talking to some girls, and I see a black and blue face sitting next to him... Mario. I really did a number on him. His left eye is swollen shut; he has cuts over his eyebrows and across his nose. His lip is busted and swollen, and just about every inch of his face is a different color. Hard to believe my hand barely bruised.
“Que pasa?” I ask Carlos when I’m close enough. The girls’ he’s with immediately turn their attention to me.
“Nada.” He says, and then looks at the girls. “Alex, this is Madison, April, Ebony, and Jade. Ladies, this is Alex.”
Each one of their body languages change, informing me that Carlos has ran his mouth about me. Their eyes read lust. Their body language tells me I can pick one and have her in my room right now if I wanted to, and the thought repulses me. The only thing I can think of is getting to Jasmine. She’s probably already there and waiting for me. The last thing I want is her running into anyone, especially Andrew, and having to deal with him alone if he decides to ignore my warning.
“Ladies.” I say to them and dip my head. “I’m out Carlos.” He slaps me five.
“Where are you off to in such a rush?” His knowing eyes are boring into me. He knows exactly who I’m rushing off with, and why I wouldn’t give these girls the time of day.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I smile at him, a silent thanks for not saying anything about her.
He nods, understanding my gesture. “Catch you on the flip side.” He says, and turns back to the girl he’s wooing.
I catch a glimpse of Mario looking at me, but when I turn to him his eyes hit the floor. Regret knots in my stomach. He shouldn’t have taken it that far, so maybe now he‘d think twice before putting his hands on a women.
Jogging the remaining distance, I meet up with Jasmine at a gift shop. The store holds silly things like lays, fake coconuts, and shot glasses that read Hawaii.
I walk up behind her, reaching over her shoulder, and grab one of the shot glasses. “I think this is the perfect keepsake for you to take home.” My tone is light and playful.
She takes the glass from me, so I drape my arm over her, my first act of public affection. I can tell it’s making us both nervous, but elated at the same time. I pull away and she turns to me. “I already have a flask.” She smiles, putting the glass back on the shelf. “What took you so long?” Her eyes are curious.
“I ran into some of the boys.”
“Oh.” She says and continues to browse.
“Are you ready to get further away from here? Go have a late lunch?” I want to touch her again, pull her to me, and kiss her in front of everyone. Claim her as mine. Mine.
Instead, I turn us in the direction of the restaurant.
“Yes. I’m so hungry.” She leaves the shop without purchasing anything.
We walk a few more blocks until every senior drops off the island, and then I slip my fingers into hers and hold on tight. She glances at me out of the corner of her eye, a small smile twitching at her lips, and squeezes my hand in return. We round the corner to the restaurant and Jasmine stops, sucking in a deep breath.
“What?” I ask. Does she see someone from school?
It takes her a moment to gather herself before she speaks. “This is the place Andrew took me for dinner last night.” Her voice is quiet, remembering last night’s events. “I didn’t realize it was this far out.”
“You want to go somewhere else?” I offer.
She looks at me with sad eyes. “No. I liked this place. I want to make a new memory, a better memory. I don’t want this place tarnished by Andrew.” The last sentence is powerful. She really dislikes him now. Good.
“That’s alright with me.” I gesture for her to continue walking to a table.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jasmine
An overweight woman seats us today, only this time, there are no derogatory statements made about her weight. In fact, she couldn’t make it through two chairs and Alex rushed ahead of us and moved them apart so she could move through the isle. His actions melt my heart and the last of my resistance. He owns me, if he would just take me.
He reaches back and grabs my hand, leading me to our table. When we reach the chairs, he pulls mine
out for me to sit in, and then slides me in when I do. Looking at him like this makes it hard to believe that so many people are terrified of him. He would never admit it, but he’s so sweet and kind. I watch as his eyes devour me, tracing my face, my body, and they see right through me, to the real me… not the fake me that everyone else sees, but the real one; the one that’s broken and hurt, the one that loves him unconditionally.
We’ve made a compromise, one that will free us from one another once we return home. No strings attached. How am I going to give him up? Just the thought of leaving him hurts, and the thought of him leaving me is heart breaking.
“What are you thinking?” He asks, breaking my train of thought.
“Hmm?”
“Are you thinking about Andrew?” A jealous twitch follows Andrew’s name.
I laugh, trying to let go of my worries and enjoy the now. “No. Not even close.”
His smile stretches. “Good.” He picks up his menu. “What do you feel like eating?” He asks.
I scan the menu, unsure of what I’m hungry for, when a pita wrap catches my eye.
“I think I’m going to have this.” I point to my menu and Alex finds it on his.
“That sounds good.” Unlike Andrew, he actually takes the time to see what I like, instead of ignoring me.
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