Chapter 1
Troy Bolton opened the door to his small South Beach apartment, just having finished his morning run. He stripped off his t-shirt, drenched with the moisture of his body and let it drop to the floor. He felt the light ocean breeze from the open patio door cooling his bare skin, so he stepped out onto the balcony to survey the scene below. Joggers and dog walkers made their way down the beach path where he had just been running. Coffee shop owners were setting out chairs on the sidewalk and letting in customers, desperate for their daily caffeine high. It was still too early for retail shops to be opening. Troy had a couple of hours to study before he would be off to work himself.
He had moved to Miami 2 years ago to complete his "working MBA." While he had been in undergraduate school in Boston doing his business degree, he had started working as a bartender to pay for extra expenses. Always being the top of his class with a perfect average had afforded him a Dean's scholarship, but he had a penchant for some luxury items and he had discovered bartending could provide a pretty lucrative income if you were good.
He wasn't just good; he was a total natural at it. His memory was perfect so he had no problem quickly memorizing the recipes for any known drink. He also had an amazing flair for pouring and mixing. Watching him work was like watching Picasso paint or Beethoven compose. It was so much an art form in his capable hands that he could easily make a career out of bartending. To top it off, he was incredibly smooth with the bar patrons, particularly the women. He could take the tension out of anyone's day just by flashing his million dollar smile and striking up an easy conversation. Within an hour of opening, the bar would be crowded with people drawn to Troy's magnetic personality and the thrill of watching him mix drinks. The bonus for the women was that he was drop dead fucking gorgeous. There was no way any warm blooded female couldn't fall under the spell of his mesmerizing azure blue eyes. His arms, which he often showed off with tight fitting t-shirts, were sculpted like Michelangelo's "David" and left every woman wondering if the rest of his anatomy was just as chiseled as that famous, perfect sculpture. Troy knew how to use every aspect of himself, both his looks and his charisma, to keep the tips and customers rolling in.
At the end of every shift, he usually had several propositions to choose from. Troy wasn't exactly a player but he certainly got enough "no strings attached" sex to keep him satisfied. Troy had much more of a playboy persona than was actual reality, but this only served to bring in more patrons to the bar, both male and female, so he kept it up. Women couldn't wait to see the legendary Troy Bolton for themselves and guys just wanted to observe how he operated, like they were taking lessons. Truth be told, although Troy could count on a few steamy sexual encounters a week, his studies were also important to him so many evenings he turned down offers so he could go home and hit the books or be able to turn in earlier so he could study in the morning. He graduated with his business degree summa cum laude, something that most of his bar customers would never have suspected.
Troy had moved to Miami after finishing his undergrad degree because he knew the bar scene was hopping and he could earn easy money while finishing his MBA. Troy's business sense was uncanny and he knew he was destined for greatness in the financial world. His business intelligence went way beyond book knowledge. He could have taken a scholarship and completed his MBA via the academic route, but he felt the experience he gained and the connections he made while working and completing his masters were more beneficial. He had saved up a good sum of money which he hoped to invest in the bar he was currently employed at: The Oasis. Plus, he was still enjoying the fringe benefits of bartending and hooking up with as many women that he wanted. Troy knew how to give women pleasure and any woman who had been with him came back wanting more. To keep himself focused on his future, Troy traditionally avoided repeat encounters. He didn't have time for the hassles of a relationship and he felt if he had sex with a woman more than once, it would give her an expectation that he wasn't prepared to fulfill. He was a one night stand guy and he intended to keep it that way. This kept his personal life compartmentalized and uncomplicated.
Troy Bolton was brilliant, devastatingly handsome, and cocky as hell and had the world at his feet. So he thought. Troy's perfectly self-controlled world was about to be rocked.
Gabriella Montez eyes fluttered open with the stirring in the bed next to her. Frustrated that his movement had interrupted a perfectly good erotic dream, she slid out of bed and put on her silk robe. Before leaving the bedroom, she looked back at the object of her latest sexual encounter and sighed. Hot body, nice cheekbones, great hair but God, dumb as hell. How come these young rich heirs were never smart? Well, she knew the reason to that one. Most of these men had everything given to them without having to work. Why waste time in school when you can just spend dad's money and still have millions in the bank? For Gabriella Montez, growing up as a wealthy heiress definitely had its benefits and the lifestyle had affected her, for sure.
The public saw her as a rich, spoiled woman who pushed her attitude around to get her way, showing little regard for the feelings of others. When it came to men, she had a long string of conquests in her wake. Most had been wealthy, good looking sons of her father's business associates. Only a couple of times had she strayed from the stereotype; once with an extremely hot restaurant valet who she had fucked in the front seat before he parked her car and once with a tattoo artist who she had visited to ink the tiniest rose on her inner thigh. She had found the experience extremely erotic and pulled him into the back of the tattoo studio and given him the ride of his life. These two experiences were exhilarating for her because they were outside the box and touched her passionate side more than any other encounters ever had.
Her biggest secret though was that she had a love for literature and writing. Despite her position in life and the fact that she never would really need to work, she wasn't satisfied living off her father's earnings. She had attended a small private university where her name was unknown and majored in romantic literature, graduating top of her class. She had the utmost respect for higher education and hoped that someday she might be able to put her brains to use. In addition, being around high rollers most of her life and absorbing what she could from her father's conversations, she had acquired a pretty keen business sense as well. But for now, she was living the life that was expected from her breeding, carefree and self indulgent. No one would have suspected the intellect that was hidden beneath the Gucci clothes and Cartier jewels.
Of course, she was stunningly gorgeous. Her tanned olive skin was complimented by thick, wavy black hair that she either wore cascading down her shoulders and back or in messy updos. Her makeup was always light, never overdone. Her long lashes only needed a hint of mascara and the faintest gloss was all that her full lips required. Her body was toned and fit from daily yoga sessions. She had never succumbed to the temptation of plastic surgery to enhance her breasts as so many of her peers had done. She liked being on the slightly smaller side as she could easily go without wearing a bra and have it not be distasteful. This allowed to her wear backless dresses and tops without worry and she was proud to show off her strong sculpted back. Her beauty was exotic and natural but her sexuality still radiated off her and made every man in the room want her to be in his bed. She had always had her choice of men and although she wouldn't have minded the occasional stimulating conversation, the hot blooded, hot assed guys she hung out with and took home for the night weren't offering her that. So, for now, she was enjoying the ride.
Gabriella stepped out onto the expansive patio of her penthouse and looked out over the ocean. She breathed deeply and drank in the warmth of the sun on her face. The freshness of the air invigorated her and she gathered strength for what she would have to do next: kick the guy who she had thoroughly fucked last night out of her bed. She didn't want him there any longer and she needed to get on with her day. She didn't even want him there for breakfast. No sense wasting any more of her morning on a guy she wouldn't have anything further to do with.
Gabriella was immeasurably beautiful, financially independent, intelligent and she was fully in charge of her life. She had not met a man who was easy on the eyes and who could challenge her intellect. Not yet.