Looking to Score(45)

I snuck out of the apartment like a walk of shame ninja, closing the door with a soft click. I texted my mom to let her know I was on my way, and to be honest, to gauge whether she was already awake or if I was going to be pounding on the hotel room door, trying to get her up. While I was waiting for her to respond, I called an Uber. My mom replied with a simple thumbs up as I got into the car and started the twenty-minute drive over. Good enough.

I couldn’t bring myself to look at Instagram; who knew what was going to show up there after the party last night? As good as last night felt, I couldn’t deny that I was feeling nervous about the consequences. To try and calm down the ball of anxiety growing in the pit of my stomach, I passed the time in the car by popping in my headphones and watching a manifestation video.

By the time we pulled up to the five-star hotel my parents used as their drunken love nest last night, I was feeling slightly more composed. I hopped out of the car, smiled at the valet as I passed by, and made my way into the lobby.

This hotel was stunning. The floors were the first thing to catch my eye. They were a cool white and gray marble that complimented the gray textured wallpaper perfectly. The front desk was black and had a beautiful bright pink orchid sitting on top, and a man dressed in a black suit stood behind it. He looked me over and was clearly not impressed with my wrinkled clothes and last night’s makeup. I gave him a small wave and let him know that I was meeting my parents in their room.

When I found their room, I knocked lightly, not wanting to wake other guests. My mom flung the door open and gave me the same look the front desk clerk did. “Is that what you were wearing yesterday?” my mom said, her voice carrying down the hall. I looked down at my white tank and jeans.

“Uh, yeah,” I said as I pushed past her into the room and shut the door. “I was just so exhausted from all the fun we had at the game, I fell asleep in my clothes and slept straight through my alarm,” I said weakly.

“If you say so!” my mom said, still looking at me suspiciously. She looked surprisingly good for as drunk as she got last night. I knew her well enough to know that it was expertly applied makeup and sheer determination not to admit that she couldn’t party like she was twenty anymore.

“Hi, pumpkin,” my dad said, sticking his head out of the bathroom door. “Can you help your mom finish packing while I finish shaving? Then we can go get some breakfast.”

My mom was busy shoving everything into her bags, trying to make them fit. I stopped her, took everything out, and folded it meticulously. Since they were only here for a couple of days, it only took me a few minutes to have my mom’s bags perfectly packed and ready to go.

“So you just stayed in your clothes,” Mom prodded while Dad was out of earshot.

“Yep,” I answered, popping the p for emphasis.

“Are you sure? Because that looks like a hickey on your neck,” she said, preening like a detective that just solved a case.

“Mother. Let’s not discuss this right now.”

My phone started ringing, and I absently answered it, not bothering to check the caller ID. I was just thankful for the interruption. “Hello?”

“Where are you?” Oakley rasped. His voice was heavy and sleepy, like a low purr.

“I’m busy, what’s up?”

“What’s up?” he snapped. “What’s up is I woke up and you were gone.” Wasn’t he used to that? I eyed my mother and excused myself into the hallway. I knew she’d probably press her ear to the door, but I didn’t want to make eavesdropping easy on her.

“I had plans,” I said in a low voice. “I didn’t want to wake you up.”

“Plans? Plans with who?” he growled. Was that possessiveness in his tone?

I scoffed. “None of your business. I didn’t think you’d care.” Wasn’t this what one-night stands were supposed to be? You fuck, then sneak out the next morning. Usually I was hella hungover when it happened.

“Of course I care. I was going to fuck you in the shower,” he replied. I imagined him pouting on the other end of the line.

“Shower sex never works. The space is small, and it just turns into a game of human Jenga with us flailing around.”

“I’m a pro at shower sex. You just need someone strong enough to pick you up and hold you against the wall, Solver.” I swallowed. My mouth suddenly felt very dry. All the moisture had gone to my lady flower. “Where are you? I wanted to have breakfast.”

“I told you. I have plans, Oakley. I’m too busy. And what happened last night can’t happen again.”

He chuckled. “Oh, it’s happening again, babe. And again...and again...multiple orgasms is my forte.”

“Oakley Davis, you are incorrigible. Look, I got to go…”

The door behind me opened up, and I nearly fell when the support holding me up had vanished. My mother, in all her glory, appeared with a grin on her face. “Oh honey!” she said loudly. “I’m so excited we’re having breakfast at the HILTON HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN OFF THE CORNER OF MAIN AND FIFTH STREET IN TWENTY MINUTES.”

I couldn’t hang up in time. Yep, that bitch was definitely listening in and was loudly letting Oakley know where we were. “I’ll be there in fifteen,” he chuckled before hanging up.