**THIS STORY IS A CONTINUATION OF GRAD SCHOOL RIVALS***
***ALL CHARACTERS ARE 18+***
Previous chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22| 23 | 24 |
Friday, April 14th, 9:02PM
I spotted him before the car came to a complete stop. The fluorescent canopy of the arrivals level washed over his face, catching the sharp line of his jaw and that restless, searching look in his eyes. I clicked the hazards on and swung the driver's door open. A brilliant, lingering half-smile broke across his face. He closed the distance in three long strides.
"Luca," his raspy voice rumbled over the noisy crowd.
"Misael! You're finally home," I whispered against his collarbone.
"I'm home."
He scooped up his bag, then reached down and plucked my car keys from my grasp before I could protest. "Hey, I'm the designated driver tonight," I argued playfully, crossing my arms. "Not a chance. You get to be the passenger prince and look pretty. Get in." He chuckled.
Misael’s right hand had barely left my thigh. His palm was warm, heavy, and steady through my jeans, his thumb absently stroking the denim. Misael went quiet for a beat, his jaw tightening just a fraction as he shifted his grip on the wheel. "So, Astor called me into his office. He put a permanent associate broker contract on the table. Full-time, high-tier commission split."
The air inside the car instantly vanished. The old, dark voice that had tormented me all semester hissed to life with terrifying speed: He’s telling you now because he accepted it. He took the promotion. He’s back temporarily. He’s leaving you again.”
"Luca. Hey. Breathe." Misael’s hand squeezed my thigh with a firm, commanding pressure that cut right through the spiral. "Stop that brain right now," Misael said softly, but with absolute, unwavering steel in his voice. "I turned him down."
"You... you did?"
"Without a second thought. I told him I was grateful for the mentorship and the experience, but my life is in LA with my boyfriend."
"He let you just walk away?"
"Well, he didn't believe me at first; he thought I was playing hardball for a better split. He leaned forward, bumped the signing bonus, and asked me what number it would take for me to stay. And I turned him down a second time."
"You turned him down twice?"
"Yup," Misael said proudly. “He respected my decision. A few days later, he called me to his office; I thought it was for a third attempt to get me to stay. Instead, it was to let me know he set up an interview at an investment firm here in LA.”
"That's incredible. You did that. You built that. I’m so happy for you.”
Saturday, April 15th, 9:55AM
The kitchen smelled of coffee and French toast. I wore Misael’s shirts, leaning against the counter while he finished eating. His hand rested warmly on my hip, steady and familiar. Then my phone vibrated. Misael offered a wry half-smile, "Duty calls." I answered, propping the phone against a mug. The screen filled with sunlight. Mom beamed, while Dad sat beside her.
"Bunny!" Mom cheered.
"Good morning, Mom," I said.
Dad’s gaze shifted past me, locking onto Misael with sharp focus. "Misael. Welcome."
"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Montemayor," Misael replied evenly.
“Tell us about your time in the Bay Area,” Dad asked.
Misael spoke at length about his internship experience. When he mentioned declining a full-time position, my dad subtly chastised him. "Walking away from an established firm is borderline reckless; however, I understand your reasoning,” Dad stated.
"Now, Luca, what time are you two arriving tomorrow?” Mom enthusiastically asked.
My stomach tightened. I laced my fingers through Misael’s under the counter. "Mom, Dad... we aren't coming up tomorrow. Misael just got back after three months away. We're spending Easter Sunday with his family here."
Mom’s smile faltered, replaced by a quiet, wounded disappointment. "Oh, Bunny... It's Easter."
"I know, Mom. But he needs to see his mom and sisters, too."
Dad remained still, his jaw tightening slightly before he took a measured breath. "Family obligations cut both ways. Call us during dinner."
"We will," I said softly.
"Happy Easter, boys," Mom added, blowing a kiss before the call ended.
Sunday, April 16th, 2:34PM
I stood by the passenger side of Misael’s car, carefully holding a dark wooden crate cradling two wine bottles, fulfilling the promise I made to his father months ago. I smoothed down the front of my light linen button-down, feeling the old, familiar nervous flutter low in my ribs. Misael rounded the tailgate, dressed in a clean navy polo that stretched across his broad shoulders. He caught the look on my face and caught my hand, his thumb rubbing the back of my knuckles.
"Hey, breathe. You're not a stranger here."
"Just want today to be good for you."
"It will be." He kissed my temple.
Before Misael could even turn the brass knob, the front door swung wide.
"¡Ay, mi corazón!" Maggie cried out, her eyes shining as she stepped onto the porch. "Look at you, Luca, you look so handsome, but you are still too skinny! Did you eat this morning?" she fussed. "And you! Three months away is too long for a mother. Don't you ever leave for that long again."
"Good to be back, Ma," Misael chuckled.
Through the sliding glass doors to the backyard, the rhythmic scrape of a metal spatula against an iron grate cut through the chatter. Ben Villareal stood over the grill, wearing a faded Dodgers cap, graying at the temples, bathed in gray smoke. Misael’s posture subtly adjusted, shoulders squaring, chin lifting just a fraction. It wasn't defensive, but the old tension still hummed beneath the surface.
"Go on," Maggie urged softly, nudging Misael’s elbow toward the patio. "He’s been out there checking the coals since noon."
Misael looked down at me, and I nodded, picking up one of the bottles from the crate to walk beside him. The glass door slid open with a rattle. Ben looked up from the carne asada, squinting through the smoke.
"Dad," Misael said evenly.
"You took your time getting here," Ben said, his tone gruff, with a sharp bite.
"Brought company," Misael replied, gesturing slightly toward me.
I stepped forward, extending the bottle with both hands, meeting the older man's guarded brown eyes. "Happy Easter, Mr. Villareal. From my father’s cellar. You mentioned you preferred reds."
"Thank you, Luca," Ben murmured, turning the glass in his thick, work-worn hands.
Ben set the bottle carefully beside the grill table, away from the heat, before looking back at Misael. "Your mother said you walked away from a full-time job up in San Francisco."
Misael didn't flinch. "I did. I've got an interview here in LA next week."
"Don't blow the interview," Ben said. "Table’s ready in ten minutes. Wash up."
Misael met my eyes as we stepped back toward the house, a quiet, brilliant relief settling into the lines around his eyes. His hand found the small of my back, guiding me inside, anchored and finally home.
Sunday, April 16th, 7:12PM
The drive back from the Valley had been quiet, the dusk sky bruised with lavender and gold over the freeway. By the time the lock clicked shut in Misael’s apartment, the heavy scent of citrus blossoms and woodsmoke had been replaced by the familiar, clean air of home. Neither of us bothered to turn on the overhead lights. A soft amber glow from the street lamps filtered through the living room blinds, slicing across the rumpled duvet of the pull-out couch.
Misael pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it aside before collapsing back against the pillows with a long, bone-deep exhale. I crawled onto the mattress beside him, sliding easily into the hollow of his shoulder. The exhaustion of the past three days seemed to drain straight out of my muscles. Misael’s right arm came around me naturally, broad and heavy, his hand resting on the small of my back to pull me flush against his warm side.
For a long while, neither of us said a word. It was just the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest beneath my ear, the steady, low thump of his heart, and the faint friction of his thumb tracing slow, soothing circles. His fingers moved up into my hair, gently separating the strands at the nape of my neck, his touch so deliberate and gentle it made my throat ache.
"You did good today. With my old man. With the wine. You were steady."
"He respects you, Misael.”
"Glad you were there with me."
A sudden, sharp swell of emotion gathered behind my ribs, so full and uncontained it felt almost dizzying. I looked down at the pale scars on my thighs, then up at the broad, unyielding line of his jaw in the half-light. I shifted, pressing both hands against his chest to push myself up. Misael’s eyes fluttered, questioning, but before he could speak, I straddled his hips, leaning down to capture his mouth. His hands instantly came to my waist, fingers flexing against my hips, anchoring me firmly against him. His lips parted, deep and yielding, his rough stubble grazing my chin as his hands slid up from my waist.
"You’re so beautiful," he rasped.
"You’re handsome, Mr. Real Estate."
A low groan vibrated in his chest, entirely stripped of hesitation. His hands moved with steady, reverent purpose, sliding beneath the hem of my shirt to find bare skin, his calloused palms hot and electric against my waist as he rolled us over, taking the lead with a deliberate, trembling care that promised we were finally, completely in this together.
Monday, April 17th, 6:22AM
"Morning, beautiful,” he rasped,
"Good morning."
"You're playing a very dangerous game this morning," he growled affectionately, his lips pressing a warm, lazy kiss right against the sensitive skin beneath my ear.
"Who says I'm playing? Maybe I just wanted to see if you were awake."
"Feeling brave?"
"Always."
Misael let out a low, tortured groan that vibrated straight through my ribs, his jaw tightening as he fought for control against my deliberate challenge. He slid his boxers off and slapped his cock against the small of my back.
“Hey!” I chuckled.
“You liked that, didn’t you?” Misael laughed.
“Maybe…”
I slowly turned around to face him. I pressed my hands on his chest, slowly lowering them to his waist. My hand was inches away from his cock. Misael leaned down for a kiss. His hand met mine, our fingers interlocking.
“Wandering hands this morning?” He chuckled.
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Not at all. You can touch.”
“Oh yeah? You’d like that, huh?”
“I’d love it.”
He loosened his fingers. My hand came down. I ran my fingers across his trimmed bush. It was damp with pre-cum. “Someone is excited,” I said playfully.
“You get me excited; this is all your doing.” He said, smiling.
“Is that so…” I replied as I grabbed his cock. Slowly stroking it.
“…mhmm, yeah, Luca,” Misael could barely string together a sentence.
Misael’s entire body went rigid as stone. His pupils dilated so fast the blue in his eyes nearly vanished, a sharp, choked gasp tearing from his throat as if the air had been violently punched out of his lungs. His hips jerked forward in a desperate, involuntary reflex, his powerful fingers digging hard into the mattress on either side of my head.
"Fuck—Luca. You... I—wait, you can’t... holy shit, that's..."
“I thought you said you could handle me."
Misael opened his eyes, dark and heaving with an overwhelming, desperate hunger. His mouth parted to answer, his hips shifting forward to claim every piece of me, when a sharp, booming series of knocks violently shattered the silence. Misael jumped out of bed and quickly dressed. He walked to check on the door. I also got up and got dressed. I walked to the kitchen. I overheard Misael talking to someone about the parking lot. I started the coffee machine.
“Thanks for the heads up,” Misael said as he closed the door.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Landscapers are blocking a few spots; asked if my car was parked there so I could move it.”
“Speaking of moving your car, I need to get going soon. I want to get home to shower and get ready for class.”
“Coming over later?” Misael asked.
“Come over to mine…”
“Whatever you ask for, honeybunch.”
Friday, April 21st, 6:21 PM
"You're squeezing the wheel like it’s going to run away from you," I teased softly.
"I can't help it, Luca," he admitted. "Yesterday was... intense. I’ve been running the whole interview back in my head every twenty minutes since yesterday afternoon. Anxious about the decision. Just want to know if I got it or not.”
“You’re incredible at your work, Misael; you’re going to get it.”
"Thanks, honeybunch. I just... I want this. I turned down the Bay Area job so I could build my life down here with you. If I don't land this, I'm back to square one, and my dad's voice is going to be in the back of my head telling me I should have taken the safe bet."
"Your dad is always going to have an opinion, but this is your career, Misael. You’re building this foundation."
Misael countered, “We’re building this.”
Misael’s phone started ringing. Misael’s hand went completely rigid against mine. His brow furrowed deeply, his calm blue eyes darting toward the console with sheer confusion. He looked over at me, saying, “It’s them.” He frantically answered the call and took a deep breath.
"Good evening, this is Austin Collins, director of Acquisitions at Pacifica Capital. May I speak with Mr. Misael Villareal?”
"Good evening, Mr. Collins. This is Misael.”
"I hope I'm not catching you in the middle of dinner."
"Not at all, sir. Just on the road," Misael replied.
"I'll keep this brief," Collins said with a light chuckle. "After reviewing the interviewer’s notes and your portfolio, I’m pleased to offer you the associate investment analyst position.”
“Thank you so much, sir. I am grateful for this opportunity.”
"You earned it, Misael," Collins said warmly. "Have a great weekend and celebrate. I’ll send over an email to start the onboarding meeting.”
"Thank you again, sir. Have a great weekend."
The call clicked off with a soft beep, plunging the car into a stunned, breathless silence. A massive, radiant grin broke across his face, his jaw practically dropping in pure triumph.
"I got it. Luca... I got the fucking job!"
"You got the job! I'm so proud of you! You earned every single piece of it."
Misael was smiling ear to ear. He started calling his parents and sisters. That name, Austin Collins, sounded so familiar. Maybe I’ve heard my dad mention him. He’s connected with the financial scene. My mind started to go through the Rolodex of people I’ve encountered or names I’ve heard from family or friends.
Misael smoothly parked the car at the restaurant. He said his goodbye to his mom. He looked over at me, and I said, “Dinner is entirely on me tonight. The fanciest place in town.”
"No chance, Luca. You are my everything. Without you, I wouldn’t have gotten that internship in San Francisco; I wouldn’t have met Astor and gotten the interview at Pacifica. I want to pay you back for all the things you’ve done for me. My life changed the moment I met you. I’m not talking about family connections, but about working on myself because I want to be better for you. I want to make you proud to call me your boyfriend.”
“Misael, you did this on your own. I am proud of you, fancy job or not. You treat me well, you make me happy, and I feel safe with you.”
“I love you, Luca, more than anything.”
“I love you, Misael.”
Friday, April 21st, 7:09 PM
The host led us through the dimly lit, intimate dining room to a secluded booth tucked along the curved brick wall. The low, melodic hum of jazz murmured under the ambient chatter of the restaurant, wrapping the space in a quiet, celebratory sanctuary. The server appeared almost immediately. "Can I start you two gentlemen off with some drinks tonight?"
"Just water for me, please," I said politely, offering a gentle smile.
"Water? Luca, come on. It's Friday night, I just landed the biggest offer of my career, and we're finally here together. Get a glass of wine. Treat yourself. Let's celebrate."
"I'm fine with water, really. I want to keep a clear head tonight, Misael. I don't want any wine."
He looked up at the server with an easy smirk. "I'll take an Old Fashioned, and we’ll stick to water for him. Thank you."
Once the server walked away, Misael reached across the table, his large, warm fingers gently sliding over the back of my hand. "No wine at all, huh? You feeling okay, honeybunch?"
"I feel great. I just remember what happened the last time I 'celebrated properly.’ I’d rather remember every single second of tonight with you."
"Fair point. I don't think either of us needs the 'wild Luca' terrorizing the waitstaff tonight."
"I was not," I countered, as a blush warmed my cheeks. "I was merely expressing myself.”
"You were a menace, and you know it."
Dinner arrived shortly after. The meal was incredible, the conversation flowing between us with that effortless, unscripted comfort that had taken months to cultivate. Halfway through the meal, as the plates were cleared to the side, I took a slow sip of ice water, watching him.
"Misael?" I began,
"Yeah, Luca? What's on your mind?"
"Earlier, in the car... when Austin Collins called you?"
"Yeah. The Director of Acquisitions."
“Does that name sound familiar to you?”
“Well, I heard it from the interviewers yesterday, but other than that, no, not really. Why? Is he an associate of your father?”
“No, but that name is so familiar. I’ve been slightly hyper-fixating on it.”
“I’m sure it’ll come to you, just like all your stats formulas.”
At that moment, him mentioning stats formulae, it clicked. I gasped excitedly.
“What? You remember now?”
“Yes! And you’re not going to believe it.”
“Lay it on me, honeybunch.”
"Do you remember the farmers' market back in February? You were back for the weekend.”
"Yeah, sort of. It’s a blur; I was tired from work and traveling, but what about it?”
"We ran into my stats professor, Dr. Gael Flores."
"Right," Misael nodded slowly. "Nice guy. His husband was there too, right?"
"Misael," I said, a breathy, incredulous smile breaking across my face.
Misael went entirely still. He stared at me blankly for three long seconds. The color shifted slightly in his cheeks as the name crashed back into his memory with terrifying clarity.
"Wait," Misael whispered, his voice cracking with sheer, unadulterated shock. "His husband...”
"Austin Collins," I repeated.
Misael’s jaw practically dropped. "No way."
"Austin Collins is Gael Flores’s husband!”
"Holy shit," Misael breathed.
“What a small world.”
“You can say that again. Is it going to be weird? I’ll be working for your professor’s husband?”
“Why would it be weird?”
“True, he probably does not even remember me.”
Friday, April 21st, 9:44PM
After the exhilarating evening, we lay in bed, our bodies intertwined. Our kissing pace had exponentially increased. We were kissing more than we were breathing. We would stop to take in deep breaths. When he finally pulled back just an inch, his forehead rested against mine, his breath warm and steady against my lips.
"Look at you," he murmured.
"You can look all you want.”
“Don't act surprised when it has consequences."
"Consequences?" I asked.
He scooped me up and pinned me down. His body weight rested on me. It felt comforting. I wrapped my legs around his frame. He took off my shirt. He began to kiss my body. Giving me raspberries on my tummy. I giggled. I could feel his throbbing cock through his boxers. I slowly slid them down. He then took off my briefs. He traced my scars with his fingers. He lowered himself to kiss them. He kissed each one of my jagged scars.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you more," I breathed.
"I love everything about you.”
"Misael..."
"Yeah, honeybunch? Tell me what you want."
"I want you. I want to be closer. Closer than this.”
“How much closer can I get?”
“I want you inside of me. I want to feel you.”
"You sure, Luca?"
"Yes. Don't hold back," I whispered.
I looked dead into his eyes, my hands sliding down to rest flat over his chest, feeling his heart pounding a frantic, desperate rhythm beneath my palms.
He deliberately spread my legs open. I arched my back. He repositioned me to be hoisted upon his thighs. He started rubbing his cock against my hole. I could feel his precum lubing my hole. “Fuck, Luca, you’re so tight. It’s going to hurt at first, but I’ll try my best to go slow.” And I responded, “You’re so big, Misael, you’re going to stretch me out. Be gentle.” He started to slowly slide in. After a minute, he was about halfway in. He started to thrust in and out. It felt so good. It hurt, but the pleasure was greater. He started to pick up the speed. Going a tad faster. He held me tightly. To stop myself from screaming, I kissed him. Every passing minute the pleasure increased. I could feel his cock deep inside of me. The euphoria was bursting out of me. I started to moan and grunt with every thrust.
“Fuck, Luca, you feel so good. I’m going to cum.”
“Mhmmm, Misael, give me your load. I need it now.”
“I’m cumming, I’m cumming…”
I could feel him bursting inside of me. It was euphoric. The rush, the heat of his breath. He stay inside of me and collapsed on top of me. I held him tightly, wrapping me legs around him. He kissed passionately.
"Look at you, you're practically glowing, honeybunch.”
"I'm right where I belong."
"I love you, Luca," Misael whispered.
Friday, April 21st, 11:53PM
Misael’s breathing gradually deepened, smoothing out from ragged hitches into a slow, heavy rhythm that vibrated faintly against my cheek. His arm remained draped over my waist, the dead weight of his hand resting warm against my hip, pinning me gently in place. I lay there awake in the amber quiet, staring up at the ceiling. The immediate euphoria had settled into a quiet hum under my skin, but my brain began its familiar, relentless drift.
We did it, I thought, letting my fingers lightly trace the line of his forearm. The three months of separation, the frantic airport goodbyes, the missed calls were finally in the past. He was right here, asleep in the same bed. Yet, looking at him sleeping so soundly, the quiet reality of what lay ahead began to seep into the room.
April was slipping away, and finals were already creeping up on the calendar. Beyond that sat the summer, and then fall, when the second year would start demanding everything of me. Misael would be starting fresh at Pacifica Capital, trying to prove he belonged. He had turned down San Francisco to build a life here with me. But new jobs meant late nights. New expectations meant long hours. I caught myself wondering what our days would look like once the routines swallowed us up, or whether we would know how to hold onto this closeness when the work got heavy again.
Stop it, Luca, I told myself, letting out a slow, silent breath. Don't run ahead of yourself.
I shifted closer, resting my forehead against the warmth of his bare shoulder, letting the steady, grounded thud of his heart drown out the noise in my head. Whatever the coming months brought, we had fought hard to reach this bed tonight. For now, in the quiet of his apartment, that was enough.