10

Ace surprised me when I came home and cooked me a delicious Italian pasta dish with homemade breadsticks. We relaxed together on the futon and eventually made-out before moving to the bedroom. I laid beside him in his arms after making love and stared up at the ceiling. For the first time in forever, I felt guilty after having sex.

I should have felt guilty for my romp with Alaric. I should feel remorse or shame for taking his money in exchange. Instead, I felt guilty for being with Ace; as if I was somehow cheating on Alaric by having sex with my own boyfriend.

It was ridiculous and insane and made no sense at all; but it felt like it should be Alaric’s arms I should be laying in. It should be his bed and his home. 

His broad smile kept flashing through my mind. The taste of his lips taunted me, growing a constant need inside me for him. The feel of his body on body on mine, of his hands exploring every single inch of me, set my body aflame with desire. 

I shook my head as I rolled over and cuddled into Ace. I had to get over this stupid obsession I had. It was nothing more than a stupid crush. If I knew the real Alaric, it would kill that dream. Reality always crushed dreams. No one was that perfect in real life. Life was ugly and hard and cruel.

My medical bill came in the mail the day before our rent was due. We were still two hundred dollars short. Ace had picked up some extra cash to contribute, but we still weren’t there. It didn’t help he was trying to fix my stress over the situation by sending me flowers and candy which all costed money.

I worked my normal lunch shift at Kiki’s, begging every waitress to pick up their shift. No one bit. It seemed they all needed the money as much as I did.

I clocked out and headed out into the hot humidity of Florida. I pulled my phone from my pocket to call Ace. I was hoping he could give me a ride so I didn’t have to ride the bus today. I found his name in the contacts just as I heard my name called by a familiar voice with a British accent.

“Stella!” 

I lifted my face as my heart skipped a beat as Alaric jogged over to me in his tight, black skinny jeans and vintage black rock band shirt. His hair flowed flawlessly around his face as his smile brightened his face.

“Hey,” I replied with a smile. “I was just leaving but Jessica would love to see your hair again. She’d be happy to get you whatever you want.”

He walked up to me and didn’t stop until he was only inches away from me. “I’m pretty sure she can’t give me what I want.”

I lost myself in his green eyes as the Florida sun raised the temperature between us.

“Can I take you to my place?”

I bit my lip as my insides tingled at the thought of another escapade with him. Not only would it soothe the fire burning within me for him, but I could pay my rent!

“It’s going to cost you more” I replied coyly.

“Oh yeah?” he smiled playfully as he slowly raised his hand, making sure I saw it clearly before gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. He leaned down, his breath playing on my ear and causing me to shiver. “How much to take you home and ravage you?” 

My phone slipped from my fingers and I grabbed his arms to keep myself from crumbling to the ground. He laughed wholeheartedly as he stepped back and scooped up my phone.

“That much?” he laughed.

He handed me my phone as I blinked rapidly and tried to get my wits back within me. “Five hundred” I stated, wondering if he would truly pay that much. Was I worth that much? Was I setting the bar too high? 

“Done,” he replied back with a hardness mixed in his voice.

My breath caught as I looked at him in disbelief but he simply smiled at me, his face softening as he took my hand into his. 

“Come on,” he urged as he led me toward a black sports car. “I’ll drive.” 

He opened my door for me and I thought how very odd it was for him to be so polite to a prostitute he was paying for. It astonished me even more as he questioned if the temperature was comfortable for me in the car, and again a few minutes later if I minded if he put his window down.

Rock music played softly from the speakers as I relaxed in the leather seat. It felt like a dream, sitting beside him in his car as the scenery blew past us. He drove into a gated community, entering a passcode before driving into the exclusive neighborhood.

My eyes widened as I stared at the beautifully manicured lawns and tall palm trees rustling in the gentle, summer breeze. We drove past a large, crystal blue pool.

“Have you ever been skinny dipping?”

I turned toward him and giggled. “No.”

“We should go,” he winked back at me. “Not during the day though. We’ll have to do it at night sometime.”

I shook my head ruefully at him as he pulled into a parking spot in front of a large condo unit.

“This is home” he explained as he turned the car off and got out.

I went to open my door, but he ran around the front of the sports car hollering at me and waving his arms. “Wait! Wait! Wait!” 

I laughed as I watched him run over to my door and politely open it with a smile. He gave a slight bow as though I was some kind of royalty before taking my hand into his. He threw the door closed and led me up to the front door. He unlocked the door and pulled me into the condo behind him.

The entryway was large and open. The walls were a light gray, the floors a dark wood. He pulled his boots off and I quickly followed suit and removed my tennis shoes. He waited patiently before leading me into the home.

The interior was huge. The living space was probably the size of my entire apartment. It was spotted with oversized, light brown leather couches and a couple cushy chairs. A large screen television hung upon the gray wall, framed by a couple large growing plants that resembled small palm trees. The room flowed into a dining room with a large, rectangular table with a glass chandelier hanging above it. Beside it was the huge kitchen with stainless steal appliances and granite countertops. A bar with stools ran along the dividing space between the kitchen and dining space.

“This is … beautiful,” I whispered as though speaking any louder would ruin the magic of the moment. I had never in my life been in a home as expensive as this. How in the world did he ever afford this on a fireman’s salary? And all the money he paid to be with me? He was hiding something and it caused an unease in my stomach. I silently begged this not to be his parents house. He wouldn’t bring a prostitute to his parent’s house, right? I would be mortified. 

“It’s just a condo,” he replied humbly as he led me through the living room and toward a hallway. We walked up two flights of stairs to the top floor. He opened a door and waved his arm out for me to enter.

I cautiously entered as though I may make the fancy home dirty. I entered a massive master suite. A giant, black bed with an intricate wood headboard sprawled out in the middle of the room against the wall. A massive flat screen hung on the wall across from it. A door stood open, revealing a large en-suite. Straight ahead, were huge windows sprawling from floor to ceiling with two glass doors in the middle. Behind the glass, I could see a balcony.

I gasped as I stepped toward the doors. “You have a balcony!” 

I walked across the room, pulling the doors open and walking out onto the silver balcony. It was wide and long with a couple lounging chairs and a plant decorating it. I stepped to the railing and wrapped my fingers around the hot metal. I stared out at the lush gardens, green palm trees, and sparkling blue pool.

“You can see the pool” I remarked as though he didn’t know.

I felt his body brush against mine from behind. “That way I can see the skinny dippers.”

I turned toward him, laughing along with him. I leaned against the railing as his eyes danced over my body. I remembered I was here for a job, and I pushed myself up from the railing and into his personal space. I placed my fingers on his hard chest and trailed them down to his pants. His hands quickly caught mine within his.

“Later,” he said softly. 

I looked at him in confusion as he glanced out at the view before his eyes settled back upon me. “Would you like a drink?”

I stood in front of him flabbergasted for a moment. “A drink?”

“Yeah,” he smirked slightly at me. “Are you thirsty?”

“Sure” I drew out slowly. “Water?”

“Okay,” he nodded slightly as he spun around and walked back into the condo.