One

The ice cold water Peter’s father had showered their naked skin with had been harsh, shocking, just like his ultimatum, but the execution of punishment for Peter’s decision to choose Bella over his birthright to wealth and class turned out to be delayed for the sake of practicality. A broken rib took about six weeks to heal and his father wasn’t so insensitive as to turn Peter out to the streets in a state that could lead to life long debilitation and health problems.

For a little over a month, Peter had a place to rest his head, and during the day, his and Becca’s energy was divided between preparing for Becca to move out of her sorority dorm, working out Peter’s remaining credits with the local community college transfer counselor, job hunting, and of course, apartment hunting. Between packing boxes, helping Peter chase part timer interviews and apartment lot tours, Becca hardly had a chance to catch her breath, protecting Becca from realizing the full reality of how fast things were moving between her and Peter.

In negative musing daydreams, she saw herself landing in petty squabbles with Peter over bills and competing schedules. In them, Peter’s face would only close in on hers to scream and the only heat between them was rage. When roused to alertness, these terrors of the pitfalls of unhappily committed couples flew away as quickly as they had come on. All Becca had to do was see Peter’s smiling face as he arrived to help her pack, a grande of her favorite vanilla frappe and chocolate chip croissant from the university cafeteria offered in hand. Or feel the throb of Peter’s cock inside her as they fit in a quickie between afternoon classes.

The way Peter turned her heart in her chest hadn’t faded, and Becca had to believe it never would. They enjoyed each other too much, their bodies as much as their company, to ever let the rising responsibilities of life spoil it.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Peter’s warm voice broke into Becca’s competing hopes and anxieties from the passenger side of her trailblazer.

Becca broke into a closed smile, but didn’t turn her head from the road and risk letting her conflicted feelings show through. “I could do with more than a penny for incentive. This is the last available apartment in the area we can budget for, and it’s still going to be tight. The two of us still need to land decent jobs.”

Peter rested his hand on her knee and smoothed it up her thigh, squeezing just before the lace of her panties peeking out from her skirt. A million thoughts and unavoidable piling of responsibilities to face, and Peter’s fingers seared through them all to the center of her core.

“Don’t worry about the worst case scenario yet. You’re under enough stress as it is.”

Becca had to exhale slowly to control herself from squeezing her inner thighs together and locking Peter’s hand into her heat. “I don’t know how you can bring yourself to comfort me when I’m the reason so much change is being rocked into your life.”

“You know you’re right,” Peter mused, mocking a pensive pose with his right hand stroking over his mouth. “I guess I keep you around because you’ll have to make it up to me until we’re square. I have a very creative mind for punishment.”

Becca pulled them into a parking spot in front of the Oyster Cast Apartment office, shaking her head. She knew Peter was at least partially trying to put on a strong front for her, but it was working.

On the upswing of good humor and flirtation, they walked into the air conditioned building, appearing like a couple tested by much more time, but Becca’s glowing smile died at the jolt of the man rising from his wrap-around desk to greet them.

The landlords of every other apartment they had checked out in the previous weeks had been frumpy, older men and women with a suspicious chip on their shoulder when it came to young couples, but this man was a twenty-something shock of big, white teeth, caramel tan skin, and a resemblance to Superman if the icon had chucked the spectacles and world saving for commercial property investment. Good looking in a way that drew as much confusion and disbelief as it did awe.

“Y-you’re Mr. Smith?” Becca couldn’t help pointing a shaking finger as if he were an apparition.

“I certainly hope so,” His big smile stretched impossibly wider and he shook their hands. “You must be Becca and Peter?”

Peter recovered quicker than Becca. “That’s us. I’m sorry, it’s just that we didn’t expect someone so young…”

Trey Smith’s laugh was a hearty rumble in his chest, and it ran by Becca with what she thought was an insincere air. A sort of laugh one rehearsed in the mirror before a social call to make sure you didn’t offend with a dull look at a lame joke or something.

“I get that so often, I ought to put up a list of frequently asked questions about myself on the office door. If it’s any consolation to your second guessing my experience, I am, in fact, thirty six. I just have a great dermatologist on call and throw back a lot of green juice.” He gestured at the two leather cube chairs in front of his desk. “Please, sit and make yourselves comfortable.”

They waited a minute in the offered chairs as Trey ruffled through a pile of papers in the middle of his desk. Finding the document he was looking for, his attention returned to them both, and Becca was sure she caught a predatory glimmer to his gaze. “You’re interested in the second floor, one-bedroom, correct?”

“That’s right,” Peter said.

“Well, you’re in luck, because all the other interested parties ghosted and I have a fill ratio in my contract to the deed. You would get a twenty-five percent mark down on the rent if you choose to register here.”

Becca cut in before the light in Peter’s eyes turned into an instantaneous positive. “Um, sorry, a ‘mark down’? I’ve never heard of a discount for an apartment. It sounds a little-”

“Too good to be true?” Trey cut in, his deep set, brown hunter’s eyes flaring at her. “I completely understand the sentiment in this cut throat economy, but I’m just trying to keep my head above water. The development downtown has given me steep competition for university graduates and young people ready to go urban professional in their careers. As the continuing trend stands, and I don’t get enough renters at Oyster Cast, I’m going to lose money on the water and electricity.”

Becca was actually going to say “a little phony”, but she was glad to be saved from an impulsive faux pas. Trey had a point about downtown. So many of the good jobs were apexed there and the city apartments would be right in the heart of the nightlife.

“I see,” Becca demurred, avoiding his eyes to fidget with her nail beds.

“You’ve got me on the line,” Peter said, leaning in. “but of course Becca has an instinct for what’s the right fit for us, so I can’t make a decision until we both actually check the apartment out.”

“Of course!” Trey repeated his stock chuckle. “I wouldn’t have expected you to sign the dotted line before a tour. Follow me.”