Leaving the Arroyo Hotel

A note from your author:

If you've read parts one and two of A Fortune Coincidence, you should like this part just as much. Maybe more, maybe less. I recently read a good article on Vocal about some tips (ha) to earn tips on Vocal. One of them was just simply asking. I thought that was a bit straight forward, but this is Vocal, after all.

So here's my statement to you: If you like what your about to read, consider leaving a tip. I do have a book that I'm hoping to get published pretty soon, and when that happens it will be my second book that I have written, published, and been proud of. My first work, Legacy of the Sea: Volume One, is on Amazon. This link here: https://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Sea-Rising-Tristan-Palmer-ebook/dp/B01LWA42N2/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=legacy+of+the+sea&qid=1610296220&sr=8-11 will let you check it out.

So there it is. I hate asking for almost anything, even extra pickles on a burger, but I this is a new year, so maybe it's time to take new risks, and ask new questions. I'm super close to having 100 reads on here, and that is an achievement in itself. I love that you all read my work, and it means the world to me. Thank you all.

Now, your feature presentation:

I was leaning next to a window in the hotel conference room, smoking my fourth cigarette. I had almost physically sweat during the meeting, watching my publisher, Dave, and two of his colleague, Smith Terreance and Jonas Jackson.

Starting off, I had done rather well, for myself, in staying put in my seat. But after around thirty minutes I got up to light my first cigarette, and stood next to the window that I opened. The hotel allowed smoking in the conference room, thank fucking god.

As we got into the bare bones of my pitch, I did explain that I hadn't thought of a very solid name for my series. I like it well enough, but admitted I had been originally hoping for something with more... kick.

Jonas cleared his throat then, looking over the cover page for my first book.

"You don't like Legacy of the Sea?" he asked me.

"I do now," I shrugged then, snuffing my cigarette, "It was the first thing I thought of, this series being a family trilogy kind of thing, you know? Father hands of his life to his son, and his son hands of his life to his own son. That kind of thing."

"The holy trinity of modern pirates," Smith muttered.

I chuckled then, and he glanced up at me with a smirk. Smith liked my work just fine, I was confident. Jonas didn't not like it, but he had more critiques to give for sure.

After the first hour, I moved from the window to press my hands into the back of an empty swivel chair, to more easily look Jonas in the face when he wrinkled his nose at the name I had chosen for the enemy in my second book.

"The Pyramidenbruderschaft?" his voice was questioning.

"The Brotherhood of Pyramid's," I translated it for him, "the bad guys want to take up more power around Germany, kind of like the bad guys wanted to do the same thing to France in the first book."

"But the German's seem way more serious," Smith mused.

"Exactly," I nodded.

There was more talking, more questions and more answers. When it was all said and done, Smith and Jonas agreed that my work was good, almost stellar if they'd said the word, and they agreed to publish it. I'd lit another cigarette, my last, and gone back to my hiding spot at the open window.

I blinked, my cigarette in my mouth when they said they'd published it.

"Your serious?" I asked.

"I am," Jonas nodded, looking up from my third manuscript.

"As am I," said Smith.

"This is, I'll admit, different than anything I've ever looked at before. Dave say's you've been more than adamant about getting it published," Jonas added.

"He's been up my ass for two months," Dave said with his arms folded over his chest.

"Ah," I rubbed the back of my neck, "it's my life's work, you know? I've been working on it for the last three, almost four years now."

"Right," Smith looked at one manuscript, somewhere in the middle, "you made a big setting change halfway through here, didn't you?"

"I did," I nodded, exhaling my cigarette, "I wasn't set on what was going on, so I took time to fix that. Then I didn't touch it four about three months, but that's how the writing process goes, you know?"

"Well, internal conflicts aside, we like it. We'll take it to the right people, and we'll be in touch, James," Smith's face had a smile on it.

I nodded, almost not sure if I'd heard them right. But that was it. They had accepted my work, and when it was all said and done, they stood up, and we all shook hands.

Jonas and Smith got up to leave, taking my work with them in a briefcase. Dave, my primary editor and writing-related contact, stayed behind to lean back in his chair. He took his glasses off to rub his eyes, then said to me,

"I told you it would happen."

I scoffed, snuffing my last cigarette on the window sill before flicking it out of the open window. Dave stood up as he took his jacket, then said,

"Congratulations, James."

He was pulling on his jacket as he took a stack of his own papers, then turned for the conference room door. I watched him go, and when he'd left and the door shut behind him, I let out a long breath, closing my eyes.

Opening my eyes again I left the wall, slowly moseying over to the chair where my jacket was hanging. I plucked it up and pulled it on, feeling like it weighted a thousand pounds. When I deep breath in, then back out, I felt the weight leave my body. I'd gotten my books published and signed, and now I was thinking about what bookstores to have my books set up in. There would be other conferences, book signings, and plenty of phone calls to make. But I had time to sort all of that out.

I had my jacket on now, and I let my hand touch my phone in my slacks pocket. I wondered if I should call my mother, but figured she would be the only one with anything good to say about it. Being a writer you don't have many friends, at least not in my case. You create most of them, and they live in your head until they get printed up on paper. Even then, some of the important ones don't every leave.

I was at the conference room door, and I put my hand on the handle, Melanie crossed my mind. I was still thinking of taking her out to dinner, like she had offered me yesterday morning. Or had that sex happened in the afternoon? I wasn't sure, but the time didn't really matter.

Pushing open the door I stepped out into the hallway, and turned left. I headed down the hallway and came to the end, back into the elevator area. The reception desk was to the left, and the lobby was ahead of me. I had already put my bag into my car, and now I turned left to check out. I was thinking ahead now, wondering when I should make the call to get my books rolling out to the stores.

Instead, however, I checked out through reception, and smiled at the girl with the black ponytail and smooth white blouse. I nodded to her as I turned to leave the hotel, and glanced at the bar. It wasn't time for a drink, but my mind showed me where Melanie and I had met, sitting at the bar. The vision I saw of her had her hand on my knee, laughing at a joke she'd told me. Imaginary Melanie looked at me, smiling with her red hair and equally red lips.

With a small shake of my head I cleared the pleasant fog, and headed for the revolving doors. I touched my cell phone again, and thought about calling her. I wanted too. I was going to, I decided as I stepped outside into the cold air.

My phone came out of my pocket, and I found her number in my phone. I pulled it up, and hovered my finger over the call button a moment. I pushed it, then put my phone to my ear.

I was walking to my car the first ring came.

I was walking faster to my car as the second ring came, then the line clicked as she picked up.

"Hello?" her voice sounded tired.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?"

"James!" her voice was breathy as I heard her sitting up from wherever she'd been asleep, "how are you?"

"I'm fine," I said.

"Aren't you still at the hotel?" she asked, sounding more awake.

"I"m leaving now," I said, "my meeting is over, so there's no point in hanging around."

"How did that go?" Melanie's voice asked.

"I got my deal, so very well," I said while I fumbled out my car keys.

"That's great!" her voice was the epitome of excited, "so..." she paused, "what are you up to now?"

"Not sure yet," I said as I got in my car and snapped the door shut, "I suppose I'm heading back home."

"That's nice," Melanie said.

"I suppose," I said, bringing my car engine to life, "but I was going to ask you, since I've got you here."

"Yes?" her voice picked up an octave.

"Well," I paused, suddenly nervous, "when did you want to go on that date?"

"Oh," Melanie giggled gently, "well, whenever is good for you, really. I'm not sure what you have to get back go, back home you know?"

"Oh, I'm sure my desk and bed aren't missing me that badly," I said.

Melanie laughed again, and I said,

"I could take you out now, if your not doing anything with your day."

"Really?" her voice was excited, I could hear it.

"Really really," I said, "if your not busy, that is?"

"No, I'm not," she said, "I'm just at my sisters, so I could send you my address."

"I'd like that," I said, turning my head to back out of my parking spot.

I heard Melanie move the phone away from her ear then, and I heard a squeal from her end of the phone.

She moved the phone back and said,

"Ok! I can send you my address, and you'll let me know when you get closer. I'm about an hour and a half away, I hope that isn't asking to much."

"It's worth the drive," I said confidently.

"Okay," she said with a giggle.

"I'll be there."

* * *

An hour and a half. To some people that might sound like a while to drive, but if your mind is occupied by an attractive redhead that you meet in a bar and wanted to have coffee with you, it's not that far at all.

I left the Arroyo hotel parking lot, then I was on the road. I was excited at the prospect of seeing Melanie again, in a different setting than a bedroom where we would possibly be having sex.

The drive to her sister's home was nice, even if the trees were bare of their leaves and the sky overhead looked like it was threatening snow the entire way.

I occupied myself with the radio while I drove, and I got a text from Melanie when I was about fifteen minutes away. I glanced at my phone in it's cradle on my dashboard. A picture of the woman, her red hair falling down her naked back as she sat on her feet, completely naked. I took a a sharp breath, feeling my heart race.

I texted her that I was getting close, and left my phone alone. My phone chimed a few seconds later with her reply.

"Ok!" with a winking emoticon face.

God she was something else.

Continuing my drive I got closer to her place, and eventually the neighborhood where she was staying crept into view. It was a nice place, just off of a boulevard. I took a right turn into the place, and remember what number her sister's house had been. I watched the even numbers start to drive past me, and slowed down when I got closer.

I came to a stop, and killed my cars engine. It was warm inside, and I decided to pick her up fairly quick so the heat wouldn't escape from the car, subjecting us both to the cold.

Getting out of the car I left my doors unlocked, not concerned about the crime-rate of a brick house, mailbox-out-front type of community. I walked around the front of my car, then up the smooth, brick pathway that lead to her sisters front door.

I came up a set of four brick steps, then stood in front of the door. I reached to thumb the doorbell, and heard the chime resonate from inside the house. The door was smooth white with clouded glass in an oval shape.

Hearing a yip of a dog I raised my eyebrows, then the door came open. Standing in front of it was a red-head woman, wearing light blue eyeliner, dressed in a white t-shirt and a piar of black jogging pants. I glanced her up and down, then asked,

"Melanie?"

The woman laughed, her face exactly the same as my red-head flame.

"No, I'm her sister, Terra. You must be James," she opened the door for me, "come on in, Melanie's almost ready."

"Thanks," my breath fogged the air as I stepped inside.

Her house was very modest. White walls, a muted grey ceiling color. There was a dining room to the immediate right, and beyond the front door was a living room with two couches, one on the wall and another making up a square of a corner. The hardwood floors were smooth and shone, and I stepped into the place, taking it all in.

I heard the yip of an animal again, and looked at a small yorkie dog, waging his tail at my feet. He yipped again and I leaned down, getting a gracious dog kiss on my hand.

"Oh, this is Peanut," Terra said.

"Well hello there," I greeted the dog.

Terra stepped into the living room, and turned her head to say,

"So, sis tells me your a writer?"

"I am," I nodded, straightening up to look at her.

"That must be exciting," she said before dropping onto one of the couches.

"It's a little boring sometimes, to be honest," I said.

I stood where I was a second longer, then heard feet from a different room. Heels, clicking over the hardwood floor. I looked left to where the sound was coming from, and Melanie appeared a second later, coming out of what I assumed was her bedroom.

She was fixing an earring on one ear, and dressed in a grey, silky shirt with black buttons near the neck. She wore a pair of tight black jeans, and black suede heels to match. She saw me, and her smiled appeared.

She stopped fussing with her earring to step up to me, a whole head shorter. Almost looking up at me she greeted me with a,

"Hi," that sounded like it came from three worlds away.

"HI," my voice was as distant.

I was looking at her red eyeliner and eye shadow, her hair pulled up in a loose bun behind her head. I've already said red was her thing, and being my favorite color I approved.

"You look great," I said.

"As do you," she smiled at me.

"Uh, probably not," I looked at my white dress shirt, black slacks and somewhat faded leather dress shoes.

"You look fine," Melanie reached out to put her hands on my chest.

I looked at her, my face getting red from her touch. She leaned up to kiss my cheek, and I let myself smile.

Terra leaned back on the couch then, and Melanie turned around to wave at her.

"Don't wait up," she told Terra.

"I won't" Terra smiled at us, "you kids have fun."

"Good to meet you!" I held up my own had as Melanie took my arm.

We turned for the front door again then, and Melanie took a jacket from a nice, wooden end-table that sat next to the door.

As she moved to pull it on I took one sleeve, giving her a hand. She turned her had to look at me from the corner of her eye, smiling at me.

I took my gentlemen-ness a step further by pulling up the front door, and letting her step past me. She smiled at me then, stepping out onto the brick sidewalk. Her heels clicked as she stepped down the steps, and I followed behind her, making sure the door shut with a click as before I stepped away.

Getting on foot on the first step I was stopped by Melanie, who turned to face me, and leaned closer to grab the front of my jacket. She pulled herself closer to me, and pressed her lips against mine.

Her lips were hot, and as they gently worked over mine I reached up to touch her face with a smooth hand. Her cheeks were soft, and she moaned at my gentle touch.

We stayed like that a moment, making out on her sisters front step. She was glad to see me, I told myself. I knew I was glad to see her.

As we came apart, Melanie took a breath, gazing at me. Her soft brown eyes and red eyeliner made her face shine more than normal, and I stayed still a moment, just starring at her.

"You alright?" she asked.

I only nodded, then stepped down the steps to take her arm as we started walking for my car.

"So," I cleared my throat, "what sounds good to eat?"

"Mmm," she pursed her lips, thinking, "well it's the middle of the day, cold as all hell. What about coffee? I know this nice little place just a little ways down the boulevard."

"That sounds great," I said.

We were at my car, and I pulled open the passenger side door. She smiled at me as she sat down, and I shut her door. I walked around, then hoped back into the drivers seat.

Bringing my car to life I moved my right hand over, pressing it against her plump thigh. I felt her shiver in the seat, but I figured she was just cold.

That was, as she took my hand, not the case. My hand was moved from her thigh to her private area, and she pressed my hand into her covered pussy. It was hot, and probably wet inside her panties. I looked at her, and she closed her eyes as I started to wiggle my fingers.

Well, this works too I thought to myself. I took my hand off the steering wheel and I leaned over, kissing her cheek. She responded by turning her head and kissing me on the lips, moaning as I rubbed her pussy over her pants.

She moaned against me, then pulled away to breath out,

"You wanna do this right now?"

I only moved my head to kiss her neck, and she put a hand on the back of my head. I was still rubbing her pussy, and I moved my hand up to sneak it into her pants.

She didn't try and stop me, and I tucked my fingers into the waistband of her underwear next, slipping my hand over her vagina. I moved my head further down, kissing the small bare area where her chest was.

Melanie rubbed the back of my head, her other free hand moving down to grab my crotch. My pants weren't thick, and my rising erection was easy to take hold of.

I pushed my fingers into her pussy then, electing a moan from her. I moved my face from the top of her breast to survey the street, and saw we were alone.

Starting to go in and out of her womanhood, I let Melanie's moans guide my hand. Slow down. Go up a little. She moaned at my gentle, upwards motion. I'd learned a few tricks from dating, and this was one of them. A "come here" motion made with the first two fingers of your hand, on the upper area of the inside of the vagina. It had worked before, and it was working now.

Melanie kissed the side of my head, then moved her hand from my head to the buttons on her shirt, undoing them with an easy motion. I saw the tops of her breasts, and she moved her hand down to lift up her shirt, exposing her belly and black and white tit covering bra.

This wasn't my original plan, but as she squirmed under my fingering assault, it would a welcome detour. I leaned down to take one of her bra cups in my mouth and pulled it down.

"James!" she breathed my name.

Her body shook and I kept up my steady pace with my hand. It was covered in pre cum, and the meanie in me wondered how long she would last before she came on my hand. I wanted that to happen, it was a massive turn on.

Her cock-rubbing hand was going easily, and I would have blue balls if I didn't do anything to move my own pleasure along.

I instead used my teeth to pull down her other bra cup, and free her tits in front of my face. I took one of her nipples in my mouth, and sucked on it. They were hard from the cold, and from pleasure.

Still fingering her, I listened to her moan above my head, her chin resting on top of my head.

"James!" she breathed my name again, "James I'm gonna cum!"

I pressed my fingers deeper into her. I wanted it bad now. I kept up the motion but went deep enough to bury my knuckles in her. She moaned, her hot breath moving my hair.

"James!" she squealed my name then, and her body shook.

It shook as I kept fingering her, and she jumped her hand from my raging erection to grab my wrist, stopping me. I left my hand there, feeling a warm gush of cum run over my hand.

"Oh my god," she moaned, her head laying on top of mine.

I licked her nipple, her breasts pressed to my face, and she shivered. I let go, giving her nipple a lick. She giggled, and I looked up at her.

She leaned down to kiss me, her lips eager and hot. I started to move my hand out of her, and she moaned, kissing me harder. I came all the way out, and she gasped, her mouth coming open.

"God," she breathed in my face.

"That was sudden," I said.

"Mhmm," she smiled at me, her hand rubbing my wrist, "I really like you."

Mmm. Sex-drunk talk. What you hear right after someone cums, and you sitting in your car in front of her sisters house.

I moved my hand out of her pants and she kept smiling at me, her eyes looking me over. My hand was slick and covered in cum, and I reached to pull a napkin out of my cars center console.

Wiping myself down, Melanie straightened out her pants and then her hair, and reached a hand to rub the back of my neck.

"You alright down there?" she asked me softly.

"Not the first time I've been teased," I looked at her, flicking the cum napkin behind my seat.

She bit her lip at me, then said,

"So, how about that coffee?"

I only smiled at her, then turned the key to my car and brought the engine to life. I looked ahead at the road and said,

"Lead the way."