Chapter 21
Present
The parking lot was almost deserted. Shadows stretching long under the flickering street lights. A soft summer night breeze in the air. The distant noise of traffic and tire noise.
My team had gone off to celebrate our win at the after-party, piling into million-dollar cars with loud music and laughter trailing behind them.
I leaned against my black Ferrari, the sleek carbon catching the faint glint of moonlight, arms crossed as I waited. My eyes were fixed on the gym doors, where the last people were making their way out.
There she was.
Natalia lingered just outside the doors, saying goodbye to her cheerleader friends. She was smiling, laughing at something one of them said, but I could tell by the way her eyes darted toward the parking lot that she knew I was here. Probably hoping and praying they wouldn’t notice me.
Finally, the group broke apart, and she turned, starting down towards my car parked in the shadows. Her steps were slower than usual, almost deliberate, like she was still deciding whether this was a good idea.
When she got close enough, I let the corner of my mouth lift in a slow smirk. “Took you long enough.”
Her cheeks flushed slightly, though she rolled her eyes. “I didn’t know I was on a timer.” She stopped a few feet away, arms crossed, like she needed the distance to steady herself. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the after-party? Big win and all?”
I shrugged, pushing off the car and stepping toward her, closing the gap between us. “Not really my scene.”
Her fingers played with the strap of her bag, a small tell she was nervous. “And lurking in a dark parking lot is?”
“Waiting for you is,” I said smoothly, watching as her eyes flicked up to meet mine, after everything, still somewhat uncertain.
She opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again, glancing toward the parking lot exit where the last few cars were pulling out. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”
“Do what?”
“Wait for me like this.” Her eyes darted back to mine, and I could see the faintest hesitation there. “You don’t have to–”
I stepped even closer, cutting off whatever she was about to say. “Natalia,” I said, my voice low; my gaze locked on hers. “You really think I’m going anywhere without you tonight?”
She let out a small breath, her hands tightening on the strap of her bag. “This isn’t–”
Frowning, I raised an eyebrow, daring her to finish the sentence.
“ Smart .”
“Maybe,” I agreed, my tone casual. “So what?”
Her lips parted slightly, like she was going to argue. Instead, she glanced toward the car, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”
“You like it.”
She didn’t answer, but the way her lashes fluttered as she looked back at me, was everything I needed to know.
I stepped aside, opening the passenger door with a slow, deliberate motion.
Her eyes stayed on mine as she shook her head again, softer this time.
I sighed heavily. “Get in the car, Natalia.”
“Not when I don’t even know what this is.”
This.
Us.
“Whatever you want it to be.”
Fuck, I was desperate for this girl. There was a dark need inside me to have her with me. No matter what.
She wanted us to date in secret? Fine.
Friends with benefits? As long as I was the only one benefiting her.
Exclusive? I’d forgotten other girls even existed since I met her.
If only she knew, she could have anything she wanted from me.
She glanced down. “I don’t like that answer.”
I frowned, before I understood. She thought I meant whatever.
“I want you to be mine. No one else’s.” Stepping forward, my hand snaked around her waist, keeping her close to me. “And I want to be yours.” Her eyes met mine again. “How’s that?”
“Still a little vague,” She mumbled, the pink on her cheeks intensifying.
I couldn’t have stopped the smirk upturning my lips even if I’d tried. “Will you be my girlfriend, amai ?”
Natalia pushed past me, swatting at my chest before getting in the car. “Okay, pump the breaks, playboy .”
A breath of amusement escaped me as I brought my hand up to rub my jaw. Did she just make me pint on purpose? She was gonna pay for that later tonight.
Shutting her door, I made my way around the hood to the driver’s side. As I got in and started the engine, the low rumble filling the silence, I glanced over at her. She was looking straight ahead, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, but the faintest smile played on her lips.
“Good choice,” I said, shifting into gear. She looked over at me, raising a perfectly shaped brow. “Getting in.”
The way her shoulders relaxed told me she wasn’t regretting it.
Not yet.
“So, where are you taking me?”
“Dinner and a movie sound good to you?”
“From a dark library, to a dark locker room, to a dark parking lot, to a dark cinema?” I smiled, tilting my head. “I’m sensing a pattern.”
Trevor chuckled, pulling out of the campus parking lot and heading downtown. “You’ll like it.”
“And if I don’t?”
Stopping at a red light, he glanced at me, the crimson forming shadows over both of our features. “We’ll do anything you want.”
“Anything?” I asked softly, my voice carrying the insinuation, as I leaned over the center console, closer to him.
His midnight eyes dropped to my lips, and I felt them buzz in anticipation. “Anything specific you had in mind?”
When he leaned in and lowered his head to me, leaving a few inches between us, I leaned in too, brushing my lips to the corner of his mouth. “ Mhm… ”
“ Mhm? ” Turning his head, Trevor caught my bottom lip between his, kissing me with the sweetest pull. “You’re trouble…” He murmured into the kiss.
“Just the way you like it…” I smiled against his lips, laughing softly.
His hand wrapped around my throat, pulling me back in as he kissed me deeper. “You even taste like trouble. No wonder I can’t stay away.”
I exhaled a laugh, pushing him away from me and leaning back in my seat just as the traffic light turned green. Trevor’s burning gaze stayed on me for a moment longer before he faced the road and pulled off.
“Where are you taking me?” I laughed, my voice light as Trevor tugged me through the bustling crowd on Fifth Avenue.
His hand was comforting in mine, our fingers intertwined as if they were meant to fit together. The summer night wrapped around us, the air soft and balmy, filled with the hum of the city that never seemed to sleep.
He glanced back at me, a mischievous grin lighting up his face. “You’ll see.”
I couldn’t help but smile, my heart fluttering with anticipation.
We walked down the sidewalk, the sounds of car horns and chatter blending into the background. The familiar scent of city life mixed with something more familiar – the faint aroma of the food we carried in takeaway bags from the diner near Sinai Hospital.
The city lights faded slightly behind us as we took a right into Central Park, the trees above casting soft shadows along the pathway. The noise of the streets dulled, replaced by bicycles and distant laughter. Trevor slowed his pace, and I squeezed his hand gently, feeling the peacefulness of the park settle over us.
I loved Central Park. There was something about a nature sanctuary in the center of the Concreate Jungle that was New York City. The yellow, red, auburn leaves during fall. The snow covered ground and infamous ice rink during winter. The blooming during spring…
The path opened into a clearing, where a large white screen stood against the backdrop of the night sky. A few groups were already gathered on blankets and folding chairs, waiting for the outdoor movie to begin. The soft glow of fairy lights sparkled from the trees.
And the calm, romantic nights in the park during summer.
Trevor turned to me, his eyes searching mine. “What do you think?”
I glanced around. The quiet buzz of conversation and laughter. The gentle breeze that carried the promise of an unforgettable summer night. Perfect in every way .
My heart swelled, and I felt a smile spread across my face. “ I love it .”
His grin widened, and he pulled me closer, his arm wrapping around my shoulders as we found a spot on the grass. “How’s this for a first date?”
I laughed, holding onto his biceps. “Great.”
Trevor took his varsity jacket off, throwing it over the grass so we could use it as a blanket. We settled in, the food in front of us, the city skyline peeking through the trees above.
When the opening credits began to roll, I leaned into him, the warmth of his body grounding me in the moment. “ Sleepless in Seattle ? Good choice.”
“A classic.”
Under the golden city stars, with Trevor by my side, everything felt… Right.
I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be.
The quiet hum filled the space between us as the elevator ascended to Trevor’s condo in SoHo, off campus. It was around midnight. The movie had ended a while ago, but the warmth of the night lingered in my skin, the memory of his hand in mine as he drove us here keeping me light. I leaned against him, his arms around me, his varsity jacket hanging loosely off my shoulders – the unspoken intimacy between us, undeniable.
When the elevator doors slid open, he guided me inside with a gentle hand on the small of my back. His place was fancy; sleek, dark and masculine but welcoming. The golden city lights outside the window cast soft patterns across the walls.
Trevor set down our sports bags in the living room as I shrugged off his jacket. Looking back up, I caught his eyes on me; holding that same smoldering intensity from earlier, but now, it was tempered with a softness that always seemed to catch me off guard.
Blushing, I looked away, my eyes catching the pitch-black hallway probably leading to his bedroom. The all-consuming darkness sent a shiver down my spine, leaving goosebumps in its wake. I hated the dark.
“I could sleep with you tonight,” Trevor’s smooth voice brought me back, making me realize he was now standing right in front of me. Taking a step closer, his fingers brushed lightly down my arm, helping me relax. “Hold you tight in my arms all night.” Leaning in, he whispered, kissing my neck, “Make sure no monsters come crawling from underneath the bed.”
I couldn’t help but smile, lifting my shoulder when his kiss lingered. “Maybe I’ll let you,” I replied, my tone teasing, though my heart beat faster at the thought of it. I ran a manicured finger down his chest. “Though, I think the only monster I got to worry about grabbing me in the middle of the night, is you…”
He chuckled softly, pulling me gently into him by the waist, the warmth of his body seeping into mine. I bit my lip when he leaned his forehead against mine. For a moment, we just stood there, wrapped in the quiet comfort of each other.
“You always this difficult to convince?” He murmured teasingly, his lips brushing against mine; his hands going underneath my shirt, squeezing my waist.
“Only when it comes to you,” I whispered back, my sharp nails digging into his large biceps.
Trevor tilted his head, capturing my lips in a kiss – wet, slow, deep – filled with all the promises the night held. The city outside seemed to fade away, leaving only us, wrapped in each other. When he picked me up effortlessly , holding me up with one arm only, I wrapped my legs around his hips, and my hands around his neck. Not once breaking the kiss.
As he carried me to his bedroom, the world beyond those walls ceased to matter.
For the first time in my life, I felt truly safe in the dark.
Here.
In his arms.
With his heart beating steady against mine.
I felt safe.