Maid for the Rock Star (21 page)

Audra shot to her feet. "If you touch me, I'm going to–"

Jay didn't move. He just kept staring at the sky. "Like I said, you don't like me. Go on, get it all off that gorgeous chest. It looks sexy as sin when it's heaving in fury."

"I used to like you," she hissed. "Loved your music and the band. I had posters of you in my room. Shit, I even bought tickets to your last concert. Spent half my paycheck on them. But you know what? I'm putting them on eBay when I get home. A dickhead like you isn't getting another cent of my hard-earned money."

"Sell 'em. I don't care. I'll give you VIP ones with backstage passes instead. You should've said you wanted to go."

Audra's mouth gaped, but she couldn't seem to form words. Finally, she found one that framed the tangle of questions in her head. "Why?"

"Because whatever you think of me, I like you, Audra. And I want to see you again when you're not working or angry at me."

Delusional. Not going to happen.

Audra dragged her towel to the other end of the beach and did her best to ignore everything Jay said for the rest of the day. It was her job to keep him alive. Beating him to death with a palm frond would make her lose her job as readily as sleeping with him, so she forced herself to resist. Some parts of her job were so much harder than the others.

FORTY

Audra lost count of the number of times she checked the time on her wristband. Counting down the seconds until her forty-eight-hour stint in hell was over. She'd read two books and said exactly twelve words to Jay in that time, but now she had five minutes left and she'd be free. She drummed her fingers on the kitchen counter, counting down the seconds until she could leave Maxima and Jay.

The crack and fizz of a bottle opening startled her. "We made it. Want a beer to celebrate?" Jay grinned as he held out the drink.

Audra almost didn't take it, then changed her mind and snatched it out of his hand. Five minutes and he could die for all she cared. No, four minutes and thirty seconds.

"Upset that I didn't die on your watch?" he asked cheerfully, taking a deep draught of his own beer.

She shook her head.

"Right. Because you'd have had to clean up the mess."

She met his eyes. "I'm not the arsehole here. I care when people are hurt or if they die. I worried when you weren't back that first night, gave up my days off to be here for you when the resort couldn't spare anyone else, and I would've done my damnedest to save you if you'd collapsed. Even though you threatened me with sexual assault. I have it all recorded on this." She tapped her ID. "Every damn word."

Jay's hand closed over her wrist. "No you don't. I remember my briefing when the manager took me on a tour of the resort, because I was thinking of buying the place. Those things only record when you're close to a guest's ID." He held out his bare arms. "Mine must've gotten lost when I crashed my car, or they cut it off in hospital. So you can relax. No one'll ever know what you called me and I won't say anything, except to thank you for taking such good care of me. I owe you a thank you gift, too. I'll get one on my next trip into town. Want to drop any hints, like your bra size, maybe?"

Audra recoiled in horror. "Keep your gifts, arsehole. I'll stop by Reception and have them send you a new ID. I won't put any other staff in danger now I know what you are. A bullying, manipulative – "

"Hey! I only said I could have done it. Not that I would, or that I ever have. For the fucking record, I've never slept with a girl who wasn't willing. Enthusiastic, even. I don't get off on forcing women. If you say no when you really want to say yes, it's not my fucking fault. That's your choice."

Audra pressed her lips together. She wanted to spit some more insults at him, but grudgingly she admitted the truth. He hadn't threatened her – hadn't even touched her. And she didn't think he would, either.

"Tell me one thing, though," he continued. "Now you know your boss will never know your answer. If you wouldn't lose your job for it, and were free to do as you pleased, and I asked you to spend the night with me...dinner and drinks and the offer of mind-blowing sex if, and only if, you want it, any and every way you desire. Would you do it?"

"No," she spat. Her heart twisted uneasily at the blatant lie.

"Then I have nothing more to say, except thank you for your care and...your honesty."

Audra met his eyes, only centimetres from her own, and her resolve wavered.

Something warm touched her lips, tracing the top one and then the bottom. His thumb, she realised, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath to shout at him to take his hands off her.

"Aw, fuck it," she heard him say.

Warm breath wafting over her lips gave her a moment's warning that she didn't heed. His lips tickled hers as they brushed lightly over them. She inhaled sharply, tasting the sweetness of mango beer as he sealed her mouth with a kiss. Gentle at first, then more firmly as he drew in a breath. His tongue caressed hers, enticing her to taste and be tasted. And then they were entwined more closely than when they'd tangled on the bathroom floor two nights ago, but eagerly, willingly. Audra's hands ached to hold him, pull him closer, so she could take as much as she gave.

No. She'd end up giving more. Her job, her life, her dreams...for one night with this arsehole?

YES, her heart screamed.

Traitor.

Audra wrenched away from Jay.

"Stay for dinner. And a drink," Jay panted. Triumph flashed in his eyes. "I knew you liked me."

"I've been nothing but professional, Mr Felix," Audra said coldly, summoning every half-learned lesson from her high school acting classes to make her sound believable. "I've merely done my job and no thanks are necessary. I like you no more or less than any of my other guests. And now that I'm off duty, my time is my own and I won't be spending it with you."

Even as her heart screamed at her to take it all back and tell him the truth, Audra turned on her heel, grabbed her bag of belongings, and strode out of Maxima and Jay's life.

FORTY-ONE

As soon as she was out of sight of the Pearls, Audra slowed her pace to match her exhaustion. She'd barely slept, jumping at every noise as she half expected Jay to make good on his threat. Bluff. Whatever it was he'd said on the beach. It wasn't until his kiss...assault...tonight that she'd admit to herself that it wasn't him she didn't trust, but herself. She wanted him. It didn't make any difference, though. She needed a job more than she needed a night of hot sex. And that's all it would ever be, she reminded herself. Jay Felix was a man whore of the first degree.

But he wanted her...

Just because she refused him. She was a challenge, that's all, and he'd grow bored and move on after she gave in. Every girl wanted him. He was her high school crush, like a million other girls, she was certain. If she stayed away long enough, he'd forget about her completely and never trouble her again.

She'd kissed Jay Felix. If she had a bucket list, that would've been on it. Not sex, just a kiss. And he'd even initiated it.

"Oh, look, the slut's back."

Audra raised her head to peer blearily at Penny.

"Did the VIPs send you back for a refund because fucking you's like doing a blow-up doll?"

Audra wanted to punch the bitch, but she was too tired to even lift her arm. She had to get a new ID for Jay, then she could go into her room, lock the door and sleep for the next twelve hours. Tomorrow, she had a job application to write to get her the hell out of here.

"Or are you picking up more lube because you've run out, trying to get him to fuck your tight arse?"

The door to Reception closed, shutting out Penny's taunts. Audra trudged to Dennis' office, where she found him reclining in his chair as far back as it would go, his feet up on the desk.

"I need a new ID for the guest in Maxima," she announced. "He says he lost his somewhere on the mainland. Whatever he did with it, he needs a new one. He can't open his mouth without suggesting sex."

Dennis raised one eyebrow. "Did you give it to him?"

Audra laughed dully. "What? A well-deserved slap or a kick to the balls? No. He deserved both, though. Sex? Not a hope in hell."

"Do I need to download the recordings from your ID?"

She shrugged. "No need. He didn't have one, so nothing got recorded. He knew about the voice recordings, too, though I didn't think guests were made aware of that. Maybe he lost his on purpose. He sure said a few things he wouldn't want to come up in court."

Dennis nodded. "Just making sure. I'll call Reception and get them to issue a new one for him. Maybe we should chain it around his neck like a collar."

Audra managed a weak smile. "Collaring the VIPs. Sounds like a service we can offer those whose tastes run that way. You should mention it to Hana. She's the activities coordinator."

"Maybe I will." Dennis waved her away. "You look like I feel. Go grab some grub and then get to bed."

Audra gave him a limp salute and headed off.

Annette's voice rang out, "Audra? Is that you? Can you come in here for a moment, please?"

Audra swore under her breath and hitched her smile back up. "Yeah, it's me. What can I help with?"

"It's the Pearls. I just got a call from there."

Audra crossed her fingers behind her back.

"The VIP in Maxima was so impressed by you that he wants a live-in maid for the rest of his stay. For the next fortnight. He specifically requested you."

"I'll kill him," Audra blurted out, bunching her hands into fists.

Annette's jaw dropped. "You'll what?"

Audra took a deep breath and forced herself to relax. She had to keep a cool head and present this in the right light. Her job depended on it. "I've just worked a full week, including extra hours and being on call, before I worked fifty-five hours straight, without a break, with this guest. That's more than a week's work in two days. Not even mine shift workers do that. And he's a demanding one. I'm so tired that I'm scared I'll say or do the wrong thing right now. Give me a couple days' rest and maybe I can return to the Pearls, if I'm still needed, but right now...I'm an occupational health risk to guests and staff alike."

Annette seemed to consider her words carefully. "Jackie's back next week and she can take over from you then. Can't you just see out this week?"

Heloise knocked on the door. "You needed a new guest ID?" She handed the wristband to Audra, who fumbled and dropped it on the floor.

Audra slid to the floor after it, cracking her head on the desk. "Fuck." It took her a moment to add, "Sorry. Like I said, so tired I have no filter between my brain and my mouth. Right now, I'm not sure I'd even notice if I called one of the VIPs a demanding arsehole instead of just thinking it."

"But who can I send? Penny just came to me to say Pamela's been taken sick with a sudden attack of gastro."

Penny poisoned her, Audra was sure of it. Audra had heard Penny talk about the housemate who tried to steal her boyfriend and how she'd slipped poison into the girl's food. Somehow, Pamela had managed to piss her off, too. What if it was because she'd caught Penny banging the chef in the laundry?

"Send Penny," Audra suggested. "She's been dying to work in the Pearls ever since you gave them to me."