Not the Only One (Book 1 in t...

By eternalfelicity

73.5K 7.7K 10.8K

When we don't know who to turn to, sometimes we turn to the ones we least expect. Luke Salazar is a senior at... More

Author's Note - January 2020
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Thirty
Thirty-One
Thirty-Two
Thirty-Three
Thirty-Four
Thirty-Five
Thirty-Six
Thirty-Seven
Thirty-Eight
Thirty-Nine
Forty
Forty-One
Forty-Two
Forty-Three
Forty-Four
Forty-Five
Forty-Six - April 21, 2018
Forty-Seven - April 21, 2018
Forty-Eight - April 23, 2018
Forty-Nine - April 23, 2018
Fifty - April 28, 2018
Fifty-One - April 28, 2018
Fifty-Two - April 28, 2018
Fifty-Three - April 29, 2018
Fifty-Four - April 29, 2018
Fifty-Five - April 29, 2018
Fifty-Six - May 4, 2018
Fifty-Seven - May 5, 2018
Fifty-Eight - May 5, 2018
Fifty-Nine - May 5, 2018
Sixty - May 5, 2018
Sixty-One - May 9, 2018
Sixty-Two - May 10, 2018
Sixty-Three - May 13, 2018
Sixty-Four - May 14, 2018
Sixty-Five - May 14, 2018
Sixty-Six - May 16, 2018
Sixty-Seven - May 16, 2018
Sixty-Eight - May 17, 2018
Sixty-Nine - May 20, 2018
Seventy - May 25, 2018
Seventy-One - May 25, 2018
Seventy-Two - May 26, 2018
Seventy-Three - May 28, 2018
Seventy-Four - May 31, 2018
Seventy-Five - May 31, 2018
Seventy-Six - June 1, 2018
Seventy-Seven - July 29, 2018
Seventy-Eight - July 30, 2018
Seventy-Nine - August 11, 2018
Epilogue - August 2020
Author's Note

Twenty-Nine

776 91 155
By eternalfelicity

Miles

Easter Sunday had been uneventful. My grandma and grandpa came over, and I had to pretend, once again, that everything was hunky dory with my dad and me. It was exhausting.

I loved Grammy and Pops, but I was glad to see them go. They had no idea what kind of horrible person their son-in-law had turned out to be. They saw how successful he was, and that's it. 

Dad was taking a shower, and I had retreated to my room to call Rachel.

The phone rang twice, and she answered cheerily.

"Happy Easter, babe!" 

"Happy Easter. How was your day?"

"Oh, it was glorious." 

"Sorry, honey...but look: tomorrow is the first day of spring break! What do you have planned for us?" 

"Well, considering we live in the Spring Break Capital of the World..."

She laughed. "Oh, so we're going to go to Club La Vela?"

"Oh Jesus...hell no," I scoffed. "You wouldn't catch me dead in that place!"

"Me either."

"I do have an idea though."

"What is it?"

"My dad is going out of town again on Wednesday night. Let's have Luke and Brooke over to my house for dinner and swimming."

She squealed. "Yes! That sounds like so much fun!"

"Do you mind texting and asking them?"

"I'll text Brooke—you text Luke," she said slyly.

"What? No, no...I don't have his num—" Just then my phone vibrated against my ear. I took it down and rolled my eyes.

It was Luke's number.

"Fine, but he won't believe me."

"Try it."

"But—"

"Let me know what he says," she said, made a kissing sound into the phone, and hung up before I could protest further.

"Damnit," I muttered as I typed out a text to Luke.

Hey Luke...it's Miles.

Uhhh, hey

I know, I know, this is weird as hell for me too...but listen, I want to invite you and Brooke to my house Wednesday night to swim with me and Rachel.

Those infamous three dots popped up, and I was sure he was telling me to kiss his ass. One word finally appeared.

Seriously?

Yes, seriously. I'm not fucking with you, dude. I'm done with that bullshit.

Well, then...it's a yes from me. Gotta check with Brooke though.

Rachel is texting her. See you Wednesday.

Okay, see you then.

Well, that wasn't so bad. I pulled up my thread with Rachel and let her know he accepted.

This should be fun.

Miles

"Miles, where's your wallet? The pizza guy just pulled up!" Rachel yelled from the foyer.

"It's in my pocket!" I called back, my head under the kitchen counter as I tried to fix the leaking faucet. I was on my back, and I pulled my wallet out and laid it on my stomach.

I heard her footsteps as she ran into the kitchen, sliding in on her sock feet. I glanced up at her and smiled. She was just so damn cute.

"Here," I said, pointing toward it with the wrench in my hand.

She bent down and grabbed it, giving me a swift peck on the cheek. "You look hot with that wrench," she called over her shoulder.

"Thanks," I scoffed, tightening the pipe one last time.

I heard her interact with the pizza man and shut the door, padding back into the kitchen.

"Three pizzas—Jesus, Miles," she laughed as I stood up and brushed off the seat of my khaki shorts.

"What, you don't think that's enough?" I asked.

She scoffed. "Right."

"When are Luke and Brooke getting here?" I asked, stepping toward her.

"I told them to be here by 6. Which in Brookeworld will be 6:30 at the earliest," she said.

I took another step toward her, put a hand on her hip and pulled her flush against me. "Good," I breathed, leaning down and pressing my lips to that spot on her neck I know drives her wild.

Her body responded to my lips as she wrapped her arms around my neck, moaning softly.

Sweeping her up, I sat her on the counter and placed myself between her open knees.

Moving my lips from her neck down to her collarbone, she stretched her neck back, her chest moving closer to mine. I ran my hands down her sides until my fingers reached the hem of her tank top.

She inhaled sharply and raised her arms over her head, making it easy to pull it off.

She was wearing a pink lacy bralette, and I felt my shorts get a little tighter at the sight of the lace pressing against the fullest part of her breasts.

"God," I whispered. "You're so beautiful."

She smiled and unbuttoned my shirt—a delicious slow burn.

When she got to the last button, she pushed it off my shoulders and her eyes ran over my chest and abs. I was suddenly thankful for all those years on the baseball team—and not for all the scholarships I might get.

"Miles," she whispered.

"Mmmm?" I was too busy kissing her collarbone again to speak.

"Look at me."

I did, my eyes locked on hers, which were a dark and stormy blue.

"You..." she started, but her mouth closed like she couldn't say the next words on the tip of her tongue.

"What is it, baby?" I asked, running my hand through her hair.

"You make me so happy," she whispered. "I can't believe I'm here, with you, like this..."

"Me either, Rachel. I love—" Shit. "ahem... being here with you," I finished, hoping that I had covered well enough.

"Did you—"

An annoying ringing sounded from the front door. 

Shit. Luke and Brooke.

"Oh hell," she said, jumping off the counter and grabbing her tank top off the ground, pulling it over her head.

I stooped down and picked up my shirt, slipping my arms into it and buttoning it as we made our way to the door. I looked down and made sure I wasn't about to embarrass the total hell out of both myself and Rachel, and flung open the door.

"Hey!" Brooke said, dragging Luke across the threshold. "Jesus, Jefferson, you didn't tell us you lived in the rich part of PCB," she said, dropping her bag on the couch.

"It never came up," I said, and Rachel looked at me and giggled.

"What's funny?" Brooke asked.

"Oh—nothing," Rachel said, stifling another giggle.

Luke was just standing there gazing around the house.

"Hey man," I said, extending my hand.

"Hey," he responded, giving my hand a firm shake.

"Thanks for coming," I said to them, but more to Luke.

"Dude, thanks for inviting me."

"Okay, I hate to break up this bromance, but where's the pizza?" Brooke asked as we went into the kitchen. "By the way, Miles," she called over her shoulder, "your shirt is misbuttoned." 

Brooke

Okay, Miles' dad is rich as fuck.

This house is ridiculous! I mean, I knew he owned some condos, but this is just on another level. Why had Rachel never mentioned this? 

"Hey, Miles, can we swim now?" I asked as I finished my last slice of pizza.

"Yeah, sure," he said. "Luke, you can use this bathroom," he pointed to the left, "and Brooke, you can use the one over here," he said as he pointed to the right.

"You have two bathrooms downstairs?" I asked.

He laughed. "Yeah...I know, it's dumb."

"Shit," I said. "It's awesome!"

I picked up my bag and handed Luke his swim trunks, which were solid black.

Closing the bathroom door, I changed into my bathing suit.

This time, I brought my purple one-piece, abandoning the string bikini. I pulled my long hair into a bun on the top of my head and checked my reflection. My porcelain skin was soft and blemish free, my cleavage ample even in the one-piece. Damn, I look good, I admitted to myself as I re-entered the kitchen.

Luke was standing there alone. His jaw dropped when he saw me, and I felt my cheeks redden.

"You look amazing," he said, crossing the kitchen in two steps and pulling me to him.

I smiled. "Thanks, Luke...you're not so bad yourself," I said, running my fingernail down the center of his bare chest.

He leaned in, and just as our lips met, Rachel came into the kitchen, whistling.

"Damn, y'all, get a room," she teased, throwing a giant white towel over her shoulder.

I scoffed. "Oh, wow, you're one to talk."

She opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again.

"Exactly," I said, bumping her hip with mine.

Miles came into the kitchen just then and clapped his hands together. "Let's do this," he said, draping his arm over Rachel and Luke's shoulders, and I did the same.

I looked down the line at the three other people in the kitchen—this new friend group was strange, but I had to admit it felt right. 

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