Playing the Player, page 6
I had been sleeping in James’ bed and he had caught me, that’s what was happening.
I wasn’t sure what was more shocking—seeing him again after all these months or hearing him accuse me of stealing from him.
“He took my uniform,” I said, dumbly, on my knees on the bed in nothing but my bra and panties. He had slept in this bed. I had slept on the bed where he had slept. It wasn’t a creeper’s bed. It was the man who had shown me the best time I’d had in years, both in clothes and out.
The man who lived in Miami and I’d had to bolt out on because of work.
“That does pose a problem. He’s still in the other room, right? I didn’t hear the front door close. Maybe he’s just messing with you and he’ll give you your uniform right back.” Christina stuck her hands in her pockets and started pacing. “How do you know this guy anyway?”
“I met him at a bar in December and we hooked up.” I ran my fingers through my hair, swallowing hard. “I can’t believe I did this. I can’t believe I got caught.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t stall him any longer.” Christina bit her fingernail. “Should I go out there and try to talk him down? Why does he think you stole his ring?”
“I have no idea.” My brain was still foggy from both being ripped out of sleep and the shock of seeing James. An angry James.
My alarm had just gone off when Christina had frantically texted me a guy was coming into the room. I had thought my best bet was to hide under the covers until he left, but in hindsight that was a bad idea. Possibly my worst yet, after taking off my damn uniform and sliding into a guest’s bed in my underwear.
“Oh my God, why am I so screwed?” I moaned, standing up so that I could appropriately pace back and forth dramatically. “How did this even happen?”
“You had sex with a rich guy and didn’t tell me. I’m still stuck on that. Get me up to speed.”
“I ran into him, literally, with my bag, and we hung out and then went to the apartment he was staying at. He’s a luxury boat salesman from Miami.” With a great smile, a generous spirit both financially and sexually, and big… hands. “I woke up, I was late for work, I had to leave without saying anything or leaving my number.”
“You left like a dude?” Christina looked impressed. “Damn. I wish I could do that, just once. But you know me. I sleep with a guy once and I let him move in with me.”
“I know,” I said, dryly. “And I really wish you’d stop doing that. But I’m telling you, Chrissy, I have no idea what he’s talking about. He was wearing some big-ass ring but he took it off at some point. It probably fell behind the nightstand. But I didn’t steal it, you know that.”
“Of course I know that. If either of us were going to steal shit, we wouldn’t be working seventeen jobs and living in a tiny box of an apartment with neighbors who probably cook meth.”
There was a couple next door to us that was highly sketchy. “Exactly. So I’ll just calmly go out there and explain to James that this is all a big mistake. I’ll just be firm and polite and professional.”
“Professional? Girl, you’re in your underwear.”
Fair enough. “Go finish cleaning the room before Cindy wonders where the hell we are. I need a towel.” I went into the bathroom attached to his room and yanked a bath towel down off the shelf and firmly wrapped it around me. James was very tidy. He had his toiletries lined up left to right in what might be the order of use. But there was definitely some kind of pattern to it. No dirty towels on the floor or the countertop.
When I went back into the room, I flipped open the lid of his suitcase sitting on the valet rack. No clothes. When I dropped the lid back down, I saw the suitcase had the signature logo for Gucci. Even I knew that iconic symbol. This suitcase had to set him back a pretty penny. The closet revealed suits and shirts and pants all neatly hung up. Shoes were lined across the floor, and damn, the man had a lot of shoes. Sneakers, dress shoes, hiking boots. Curious now, I opened a dresser drawer and found shorts and T-shirts, folded like a display counter at the mall. Another drawer contained folded underwear and socks. Then finally there was a whole drawer of accessories. Cuff links, a money clip, four ties, a gold chain, and a pocket square.
So basically all I could conclude was he was a psychopath.
No one was that neat on vacation, were they? It wasn’t like I had a ton of experience jetting off for fabulous vacay weekends with friends. Maybe I would be like this too. Then I thought about my room at home. About Mississippi, my bag. And the state of my work locker downstairs and realized I was probably, by definition, a dirty girl.
But that was also in part because I worked all the time. When I wasn’t working, I was visiting my mother at the assisted-living facility, Oak Harbor, or sleeping. I didn’t have time to hang my clothes, let alone fold underwear. Underwear doesn’t need to be folded. It goes on your butt. It’s a service garment that no one sees, for the most part. Throw those undies in a drawer and move on with your life.
The process of invading his privacy made me feel more stabilized. It wasn’t hard to imagine that a guy who unpacked like this would have a hard time processing the fact that he’d lost his ring. Which he obviously had, since I didn’t steal it. He must not be able to comprehend that he had misplaced anything, given the psycho orderliness of his life. I took a deep breath, checked the knot on my towel, and opened the door to confront the man who had given me a year’s worth of orgasms in one night.
Christina was arguing with James. “I can’t do that. I can’t just not clean all these rooms when it’s a five-bedroom suite. If one of the other guests is upset the room isn’t cleaned, it’s on me. I’ll get in trouble.”
James was leaning against the wet bar, a drink in his hand. He was dressed in a sweater and golf pants, both expensive looking. My uniform was over his shoulder. “Does that mean you’re actually in housekeeping?” he asked Christina. “Or is this all a ruse to steal from guests?”
Christina’s cheeks turned red. “If this was a ruse, trust me, I would not be standing here talking to you. Some of us have people counting on us. I can’t lose this job.”
James’ jaw worked. “I will tell whoever needs to be told that I didn’t want the room cleaned. Just leave me alone with Mia.”
“Why, so you can ‘teach her a lesson’?” Christina’s shoulders went up and her fists clenched.
“What?” James looked startled and horrified. “No! Of course not. Jesus. No. I would never physically harm a woman.” He looked nauseated by the thought.
I didn’t know James well, but nothing I had seen from him the nine hours we’d spent together had given me any indication he was that kind of guy. But Christina knew enough shitty men to fill the Bellagio fountains, so she wasn’t sold that easily.
“I’m not leaving,” Christina told him, firmly. “Girl code. Never leave your bestie alone with a douchebag.”
“Why am I a douchebag?” he protested. “I haven’t done anything.”
Feeling like Christina had regained the upper hand for me, I stepped up to the bar. “I don’t know, those pants are kind of tight. That’s a little douchey.”
Unfortunately, it sounded more flirtatious than I intended. It didn’t have the right effect.
“At least I’m wearing pants,” he said, his eyes sweeping over my bare legs to settle on my pussy briefly before rising to meet mine. “How’s Trix?”
Heat pooled between my thighs. God, I regretted telling him my nickname for my vagina. But I had been firmly in the afterglow of my nine millionth orgasm when I had, so I’d had no control over myself.
“Oh, damn,” Christina said.
“You’re the one who stole my uniform!” I said.
“You’re the one who got naked and crawled into my bed.”
“I was not naked,” was my only leg to stand on.
“Take off your towel and remind me,” he said.
We stared each other down. Memories flooded my mind, all involving his very large body over me, under me, in me. My mouth went dry. I was speechless.
It was at that moment the door to the suite flew open and to my complete and utter horror, two men strolled in. One was a big, hulking man, the other was a thinner, but equally fit, guy.
I didn’t wait for anyone to react or notice me. I was back in that bedroom so fast the Flash had nothing on me. My heart was pounding with a rapidity that couldn’t be healthy, but holy crap, I had almost gotten caught in a towel by guests. Guests that I hadn’t slept with. I cracked the door open slightly and listened.
“You could have sent us a text, you asshole,” the one man said. “We were waiting for you.” Then he turned to Christina. “Is he giving you a hard time? Just say the word and I’ll punch him.”
“Leave her alone,” James said. “She’s the maid. She’s just trying to do her job.”
At least he believed Christina wasn’t in on some elaborate scheme with me. I would hate myself if she got in trouble, or worse, fired, because I’d let down my hair (and taken off my dress) one night in a thousand.
“Like… the maid maid or the stripper maid?” the other guy asked.
“The maid maid,” Christina said. “If I was the stripper maid, I would have better nails.” She held up her hand with her short clear nails as proof. “Now, just to be totally clear, should I clean this suite or not?”
“Why do you have a maid’s uniform on your shoulder, JJ?” the first man asked. “And who was that woman who ran into the bedroom in a towel? Was she a maid too?”
“Will you just mind your own business?” he told his friend. He turned to Christina. “We don’t need the suite cleaned,” he said firmly.
She looked at the other two men. “Would either of you like your room cleaned?”
“I feel really confused,” the one said. “Like I’m not sure what is happening here and if this is all about fresh towels or something else so I’m just going to say no.”
“I’m fine, too,” the other one said. Then he spotted me in the doorway. “Hi, I’m Cash. Is JJ doing all right by you?”
“Shut up, Young,” James said. “She can take care of herself.”
At the moment, I wasn’t sure that was true. I had no clue what I was supposed to do now. The only thing I could think to do was to close the door on them. I didn’t like that look on James’ face. He looked both angry and hurt and I still had zero clue why he would have thought I’d stolen from him. I just knew I wanted to get out of this suite with my panties and my job intact.
Not that he looked like he wanted to have sex with me.
But I didn’t trust myself not to if he turned on the charm. Our night together had provided the fuel for many a solo session fantasy.
A second later, the knob turned and the door opened.
James filled the space with his big masculine frame. My heart started to race.
“What am I going to do with you?” he asked, shutting the door behind him, leaving us alone, standing very close to each other.
“Let me go back to housekeeping?” I asked, hopefully. When had I ever been eager to clean? But right now I’d trade scrubbing a toilet for this weird tension in one second flat.
He shook his head. “Not until I have some answers.”
Yep. We were going in circles. “I don’t have any answers.”
James leaned against the door, blocking my exit. “Then I guess we’ll be in here until I do.”
* * *
JJ
* * *
“You can’t keep me hostage here all night,” Mia said, her chin going up.
“Try me.” I was furious and I needed to hear the truth, from her pretty, lying little mouth, that she had used me.
“This is ridiculous,” she said. “I have a job. I need to get back to work or I’m going to get fired. Plus, I need to get to my second job in less than two hours.”
“Then talk fast.” I crossed my arms over my chest, and my ankles, as I leaned on the door.
She made a sound of exasperation. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You have a lot of confidence for a woman in a towel,” I said. Her uniform was still over my shoulder. “The ring, Mia. Where is the ring?”
“What ring? Oh my God!” She threw her arms up in the air, which almost made her towel slip off. I waited to see if it would fall, but she caught it. She carefully redid the knot.
“I was wearing it the night we met. Then I took it off because I was worried it would scratch your bare skin.” I watched for her reaction. “Because I’m a nice guy,” I added, feeling determined to drive that home.
Not everyone might agree with that. Some might even call me a player, but I wasn’t a liar and I was generous. It wasn’t my fault that most women wanted more than I was willing to give them.
Apparently, this woman just figured that my reputation meant she could steal from me.
Mia stared at me. “That class ring you had on? That’s what this is about? Why would I steal that?”
I frowned. She was a very convincing liar. I was starting to doubt myself. “Because it’s worth a lot of money. Like my watch that was next to you on the nightstand when I came into here.”
“I never saw your watch. I just wanted to sleep for ten freaking minutes. I’ve been working for twenty hours straight. Besides, how much could a watch be worth?”
Was this a trick? A way for her to gauge value? Fine. I’d tell her. It would prove her motives if she tried to steal it from me. Good luck getting it off my wrist. She’d have to kill me to get it away from me. Not even twelve straight hours of sex could talk me into removing it from my person. “A hundred and eighty thousand dollars.”
Her jaw dropped. “A hundred and eighty grand for a watch! How is that even possible? Is it a Tardis so you can time travel with it? Does it give you a blowjob while you’re time traveling inside it? And good grief, how can you afford that? Are you the Jeff Bezos of boat salesmen? You sell a boat every minute?”
I stared at her. She really thought I was a boat salesman? Now I was one hundred percent confused. I had no idea what the fuck was actually going on here.
“I like nice things,” I said, because I wasn’t sure what the hell else to say. I’d seen her at the stadium on her social media page. It seemed unlikely that she didn’t know who I actually was.
She snorted. “There is nice, and then there is absurd. That kind of money for a watch is completely and utterly absurd. I could buy a house for that kind of cash.”
“I don’t need your opinion on my lifestyle. I spread my wealth around. I’m not a greedy man.”
That didn’t seem to soften her. She just rolled her eyes. “Great. Good for you. You’re awesome, James, congratulations.”
My jaw twitched. Why was she getting under my skin so damn bad? Because she was. Normally, opinions about my free-spending lifestyle just made me laugh. I had a ton of money and I spent some of it. You only live once. I wasn’t hoarding it in a bank somewhere. I was stimulating the economy, and donating quite a bit to various charities, and I never felt like I had to justify or explain any of that.
Just to Mia.
Maybe she thought I was overextending myself. Or stealing from the boat dealership. But she couldn’t really think I was a boat salesman, could she? I decided I had to feel it out.
“Do you like football?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Pro football. I saw you wearing a team jersey at the stadium on your social media.”
“You stalked me on social media?” She looked outraged at the very idea.
“I wouldn’t call it that. You left without a word and stole my wallet and my ring. I was trying to see if you’d given me a real name.”
“I didn’t steal your stuff! Get that through your stupid thick head!”
“You didn’t have an issue with my thick head in December.”
“That’s disgusting.”
I actually laughed at that. She couldn’t pretend to be modest after I’d heard her beg for more. “Anyway. Do you like football?”
“I don’t know anything about football. And clearly I know nothing about you because you did not seem like the type of man to keep me trapped in his hotel suite in my underwear.” Her nostrils flared a little as she used her hands to punctuate each word. “I’m going to get fired.”
There was no way I could actually keep her there. That was, in fact, kidnapping and I was pretty sure the league would frown on that. But I wasn’t quite ready to let her walk out of here. She hadn’t admitted to anything. “Relax. I’ll talk to your boss, tell her we needed extra attention in our suite.”
She wrinkled her nose. “That makes me sound like a sex worker. And with all due respect to sex workers, I don’t think the hotel is going to cosign on that kind of thing. Besides, I have a second job I have to get to.”
“What, counting cards in the casino?”
“You’re hilarious. I didn’t notice that the first night we met. I guess you were hiding certain parts of your personality from me.”
“Oh, that’s ironic coming from you. I admire the way you got me to whip out my wallet so you could count my cash.”
“I didn’t get you to whip out anything!” she said, her voice shrill.
I raised my eyebrows at her. “Not true. You got me to whip out several things. And you were very efficient, I might add.” That word was burned in my memory banks. She’d said it casually, maybe even teasingly, but it was like taking a punch to the nuts. That word could suck my dick. I hated it now. It pissed me off in all the ways a man could be pissed off.
There was a knock on the door. “Hey, Beckett, we need to talk.” It was Miles.
I opened the door about a foot.
What I wasn’t prepared for was for Mia to use the opportunity to jump on my back like a spider monkey, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I demanded, stumbling an inch forward before regaining my balance. I was used to taking hits designed to knock me off my feet. A woman with no experience on the field and about half my weight wasn’t going to be able to take me down. But what I didn’t understand was what she was trying to accomplish.
