Page 55 of Bright Lights and Summer Nights

I’m tempted to tell her there’s no way Preston’s family would ever be my in-laws, but I don’t. I put my phone in the locker and shut it for good. I don’t have to state the obvious to her that nothing will transpire between Preston and me after this week.

But I will enjoy the perks of his family’s insane amount of money and enjoy this spa day. Like Peyton mentioned earlier, I earned this spa day. I’ll be on my way to the US Open in no time with the way I played today—aside from the purposefully missed serve that Preston noticed. I’m pleasantly surprised with how well I played. Sitting in a sauna and relishing in my almost victory is exactly what I need.

A massage will be ideal too. Hopefully, I get someone with strong hands ready to really work at the knots. It’s been a long time since I had a professional massage, and I’m ready for it.

My slippers slap against the marble floors as I search for one of the sauna rooms. According to the spa attendant, there are multiple saunas, so it creates a more intimate experience for the guests. When she walked me back to the locker room after my facial, she said the ones to the right were all in use, but if I went to the left and continued down for a minute, I’d find a row of sauna rooms that were all empty.

I accidentally walk into a break room, interrupting what looks like an intense lunch group gossip session for some of the people who work at the spa before finally entering one of the saunas. When she told me they were private, I expected small rooms the size of closets. This sauna doesn’t seem to be on, so instead of trying to mess with the controls, I head to the one next door. It’s fogged over, clearly on and ready for me to sit back and relax.

I pull the door open, barely able to see anything in front of me because of the steam. Stepping in, I relish in the way the steam clings to my skin even through the fabric of my plush robe.

Maybe wearing the robe wasn’t the best idea. I slide my feet out of the slippers and leave them in front of the door. I’m placing them neatly to the side when I notice a very large set of slippers already in here.

“Oh shit,” I mutter, my back going straight with panic.

“Breaking into my sauna, rebel?” a smooth voice I’d recognize anywhere asks from behind the steam. I squint, trying to see through all of the moisture in the air to find Preston. I think I make out his tall frame in the corner, but I can’t be entirely sure.

“How’d you know it’s me?” I ask, inching toward the door.

“I’d recognize your voice anywhere,” he answers honestly. “You going to join me?”

A small squeak comes from my throat because there’s something about the setting in here that makes it far more…intimate. His voice is deep and throaty and sends tingles down my spine.

“Oh, I don’t have to stay. I’ll find my own sauna. I didn’t expect to?—”

My words get cut off when he walks through the steam. He turns down the temperature of the sauna a few notches before grabbing my hand. “You’re not going anywhere,” he declares, tugging on my hand and pulling me deeper into the space.

My heart races, and I don’t know why I’m suddenly nervous to be alone with him. The man was fucking me with a vibrator last night and has seen every inch there is to see of me.

Maybe it’s the looming threats he’s made. I’m ready to see if he follows through with them. The anticipation makes the sauna feel way hotter than it actually is.

Preston leads me to a stone bench that’s part of the wall. Over here, the steam is a little thinner, but not by much.

“Enjoying your spa day?” he asks, gesturing for me to sit. I do, even though it feels weird because he’s still standing with his eyes pinned on me.

All I can do is nod as I try to keep my eyes on his, but it’s hard when he’s shirtless. Not only shirtless, but the man is wearing nothing but a plush white towel wrapped around his hips.

And oh my god, he has the body of a Greek god. Actually, scratch that—I think the gods would’ve been jealous of the perfect slopes and planes of his body.

He chuckles, the sound barely audible over the spa music that plays through speakers I can’t see. “You like what you see, rebel?”

I jump, my eyes finding his. The corners of his lips twitch with the hint of a smile.

“I wasn’t staring,” I lie, sitting back and trying to play it cool.

“You were. And that’s okay. I like it when you stare.”

My mouth falls open. Is it hot in here? I guess it is a sauna. That must explain why my whole entire body feels flushed, and not because I’m fairly confident Preston’s muscles have muscles, and I have the strongest urge to run my tongue along them.

He takes a step closer to me. I’ve seen him in a suit and clothes that no doubt probably cost an ungodly amount of money, but I think the hottest thing I’ve ever seen him wear is this towel. It’s knotted low on his hip. The deep v that disappears underneath his towel is so pronounced I want to lick it and feel it against my tongue.

“You’re normally so chatty. Why so quiet now?”

I swallow, the pronounced outline of his abs now so close to me I could reach out and touch them if I wanted to. “I’m just very relaxed.”

He laughs again, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite sounds. It’s because I know he doesn’t do it too often that it makes it that much more special when he does. “Are you enjoying the spa?”

I nod. “Yes. Are you?” My voice breaks a little at the end because he’s taken another step closer to me. My knees now brush against the towel around his waist.

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