Page 60 of Until You Say Stay
I head for the balcony, needing some fresh air and about five minutes where I’m not thinking about last night. The sliding glass door opens silently, and I step out into the warm Miami evening. The view momentarily makes me forget about our sleeping situation and the kiss and all the other complications I’ve created for myself.
The ocean stretches endlessly before me, beaches below dotted with colorful umbrellas and tiny figures enjoying the last hours of sunlight. The setting sun turns everything golden, the water sparkling like it’s filled with diamonds.
Jack joins me, leaning against the railing. “Not bad, huh?”
“Wow,” I breathe, feeling the breeze lift my hair. “I think this is one of the most incredible views I’ve ever seen.”
He nods, looking out at the horizon. “Yeah, it’s pretty amazing. I always love staying at this hotel. Though this isn’t usually my room.” He looks over at me with a hint of a smirk.
I laugh. “You mean you don’t usually book the giant heart bedroom for your race weekends?”
“God no,” Jack says with an exaggerated shudder. “I have a reputation to uphold. Can you imagine what the other drivers would say?”
I smile at him and look back out at the water. “You know I’ve never seen the Atlantic before. I wanted to travel when I was younger. But my dad and mom, we weren’t poor, but we could only afford a trip every year or two, and we always used it to visit my grandparents in SoCal. Or my extended family in Mexico. This is… this is so cool.”
He smiles at me, his expression softening. “Well, I’m glad your first view of it is a good one.”
We stand in silence for a moment, taking in the panorama before us. A gentle breeze carries the scent of salt and something tropical—jasmine, maybe, or frangipani from the gardens below.
Jack checks his watch. “I should probably head out soon to meet Thomas. The restaurant’s downstairs.”
“Go,” I wave him off. “I wasn’t kidding about that pool. I plan to be horizontal with something fruity and alcoholic within the hour.”
“Sounds like a solid plan,” he laughs. “I’ll try not to be too late.”
“Take your time,” I tell him. “Seriously. I’ve got a date with that giant bathtub after the pool. I might just turn into a prune and never come out.”
Jack grabs his phone and wallet, heading for the door. “If I find you dissolved into soap bubbles when I get back, I’ll be sure to tell a heroic story about how you died.”
“My legacy is in your hands,” I say solemnly, then break into a grin. “Now go, before your manager thinks you’ve stood him up.”
Once he’s gone, I flop back on the ridiculous heart-shaped bed, staring up at the ceiling. This weekend is going to be… interesting. Sharing a bed with Jack Midnight. Pretending to be a couple in front of his entire racing world.
No problem at all. What could possibly go wrong?
After Jack leaves, I take advantage of having the suite to myself. A long, hot shower washes away the travel grime and Miami humidity, and I dig through my suitcase for my favorite bikini—a deep cobalt blue that looks fantastic against my light brown skin if I do say so myself. I love the way I feel in it—confident,sexy, and unapologetic. I bought it after the divorce in a fit of rebellion against Brandon’s constant criticism of how I dressed. “Too revealing,” he’d say. “You’re trying too hard.” Fuck that.
I slip it on, turning to check myself out in the bathroom mirror. Not bad, Reyes. Not bad at all. The top shows just enough cleavage, and the bottoms showcase the results of all those squats at Dominic’s gym. I throw on a light cover-up dress for the walk to the elevator, grab my phone and room key, and head up to the rooftop pool.
The rooftop is what can only be described as paradise. The infinity pool stretches toward the horizon, its edge seeming to melt into the ocean beyond. Now that the sun has set, the entire space is transformed into a luxurious nighttime oasis. Soft lighting glows from beneath the water, casting everything in a dreamy blue hue. Around the pool, cabanas draped in white fabric, and sleek lounge chairs are arranged for optimal sunset viewing. Miami’s skyline twinkles around us, a vertical constellation of lights against the darkening sky.
A few other guests lounge around, but it’s not too crowded. I find a perfect spot near the edge of the pool, drop my things on a plush lounge chair, shed my cover-up, and slip into the water. It’s the perfect temperature—refreshing in the still-hot night air. I float on my back for a while, staring up at the stars, letting the water carry away the day’s stress.
After enough floating to turn my fingertips pruney, I climb out and settle into my lounge chair. A server in a crisp white uniform appears beside me with a warm smile.
“Good evening, miss. Can I get you something to drink?” he asks.
“Something tropical with rum, please,” I say, returning his smile. “Bartender’s choice. I trust your expertise.”
“I love an adventurous spirit,” he says with a wink. “I’ll be right back.”
He returns minutes later with a gorgeous sunset-colored cocktail in a crystal glass, garnished with fresh fruit and a perfect twist of orange peel. It looks like liquid art.
“A house specialty rum cocktail with local passion fruit, mango, and a hint of ginger,” he explains. “We call it the Miami Sunset.”
“It’s beautiful, thank you,” I say, accepting the drink. I take a sip and nearly moan. The rum hits first, warm and potent, followed by the perfect sweet-tart balance of the fruit. When I get back home I’m going to pester Maren to add this to the menu at The Black Lantern.
I position my drink with the twinkling Miami skyline in the background and snap a photo for Maren. She made me promise to send “excessive updates” about every detail of the trip. “Visual evidence or it didn’t happen,” were her exact words before I left. This view should definitely qualify.
