Taming the Street Racer ✔️

21 | into the jungle

We pull off the highway and into a city I don't recognize. Several small motels line the road and I keep wondering which one we're staying at. But we pass every single one, driving deeper into the bustling city. As we drive further, the hotels seem to just get taller and the streetlights get brighter, illuminating the city's night-life.

I blink and suddenly we're pulling under a grand awning, stopping in front of impossibly shiny glass doors. Two men in black and red uniforms flank the sides of our car, opening both our doors and lending me a gloved hand. I politely refuse and step out of Grayson's car, catching a glimpse of the embroidery on the porter's stiff shirt. The Ritz-Carlton.

I turn to ask Grayson if he's made a mistake but he's already opening the trunk for the porters to take our luggage. I watch with confusion as one of them hauls out my hot-pink duffel bag and places it over his shoulder.

Grayson pulls me out of my stunned state by taking my hand in his and leading me to the grand entrance. As he checks us in, I'm taking in the lobby with a sense of awe. Everything - from the delicate chandeliers to the impossibly clean marble floors - screams wealth. It even smells fancy in here, a mix of lemon and money. I can't imagine how out of place I look, but I can't really bring myself to care.

This is a stunning surprise.

I press myself to Grayson's side as we make our way up to the room on the top floor. Everything seems to be either trimmed in gold or passed down several centuries, but Grayson doesn't even seems to notice the grandeur of this place.

The porters follow us down the hallway and to the double-door entrance of our room. Grayson uses his key and twists the crystal handle of the door, and I don't know if I can handle what I'm about to see.

When we enter the room, I'm speechless. The porters place our bags next to the door and accept a tip from Grayson before turning the leave. "Enjoy your suite," one of them says, closing the door softly behind them.

"You're insane," I say as soon as they're gone.

Grayson smiles, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind, burying his face in my neck. I relax in his arms. "And why is that?"

"Whatever you're doing must be illegal illegal because this is the kind of room Al Capone would have stayed in," I say, my voice losing some of its steam. I feel Grayson's chest move as he laughs.

"Now that I think of it, the Queen of England did stay in this room at one point in time."

I don't give him the satisfaction of laughing at his comment. I'm still in shock. "Don't even tell me how much this cost you because I honestly think I'd pass out."

"Well good thing I'm here to catch you." He kisses me at the base of my neck, making it a bit harder to remember what I'm so stunned about.

"All you need to know," he continues, "is that this is only costing me half of what I'm going to win tonight."

Holy shit, how much is the prize money tonight? "I think you mean if you win. Who knows? You could come in last place."

Grayson spins me around, pressing me against him. Now that I can look at his face, his eyes gleam with playfulness. "Are you doubting my skill, Riv?"

I look back up at him, challenging him with a stare. "Maybe I am. And what are you going to do about it?"

This time his eyes darken with something other than playfulness. "Are you sure you're ready to find out?"

Then he presses a series of soft kisses up along my neck, not waiting for me to answer. His hand finds its way up the back of my neck and he pulls me closer to him. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull myself closer to him, not wanting to feel any space between us. His lips have made their way onto my jawline and my mind is hazy.