She reminded herself that if Parker was here, she would nod politely and go about her business because it was her business, not his. She would chat with Kate, ask her questions, and get a better look at the place. He’d caught her off guard last week, but this time she was prepared.
She wasn’t going to be scared off or warned away. It was none of his business.
A hand touched her arm and she whipped around, her heart in her throat.
It was only Kate, and Amanda felt herself blush at the blind panic that had momentarily gripped her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“No, no. It’s fine. Hi,” Amanda said, extending her hand. Kate took it and squeezed it gently before releasing it.
“I’m so glad you’ve decided to come back,” Kate replied with a wide smile. Her teeth were perfectly straight and pearly white. She was impeccably dressed in a plain silver sheath dress that fit her like a glove and ended several inches above her knees.
The way she looked and dressed and carried herself was like a supermodel. She had an air of Heidi Klum about her. Slightly too old to strut the runway anymore, but still beautiful and poised.
Her dark hair was a solid fall of glossy mahogany strands with no signs of grey. She had either won the genetic lottery or she had a very good, very expensive, colorist.
“Thank you for putting me on the list,” Amanda said with a shrug. “I didn’t get much chance to…” Dear Lord, how did she finish that sentence? Look around? Would that make it sound like she was a voyeur?
“I know what you mean,” Kate said with a knowing smile. “You still have questions, yes?”
“Yes. That’s it exactly.” Amanda sighed.
“Come with me and I’ll show you around and answer any questions you have.”
“That would be great. Thank you.”
The bartender came over and handed her the Old Fashioned she’d ordered and Kate asked him to put it on her tab before linking her arm through Amanda’s and leading her out into the grand foyer where the rest of the guests mingled.
Kate placed a perfectly manicured finger against her lips and glanced around the room as if she were trying to decide where to move the furniture.
“Well, where should we start?” she mused, almost to herself.
Amanda wasn’t sure how to answer that question, either. She had so many questions, but she wasn’t sure where to start, so she asked the first question that came to mind.
“How do you know… what it is you like?”
Kate gave her a sympathetic smile.
“Research and a whole lot of trial and error.”
Wonderful…
CHAPTER FIVE
Parker noticed her as soon as she walked through the door. Not because he’d been looking for her. No. Absolutely not.
But, once he’d seen her, he couldn’t look away. She’d wandered into the bar on those long legs and his heart kicked hard in his chest. She'd smiled at the bartender as she placed her order and another feeling ripped through him.
He gripped the railing of the second-story balcony until his knuckles were white. If only he could as easily get a grip on himself.
He was torn between storming down the stairs and trying to rush her out the door again, and keeping his distance until he could be sure he wouldn’t lose it.
Before he could make up his mind, the first option disappeared in a puff of well-dressed smoke. Kate Monroe arrived, taking Amanda by the arm and chatting with her as they made their way into the main area.
He was surprised and confused that they seemed to know each other, but it didn’t really matter. The last thing he was going to do was go down there and start a scene in front of one of the owners.
He didn’t give a fuck about his own job here. Hell, getting fired from this place would be a gift. But he wasn’t here on his own, he was here as a member of Connor’s team. No way he was going to do anything to make the company look bad after everything that Connor had done for him.
So, he stayed where he was, biding his time. Eventually, Kate would have something or other to take care of and Amanda would be alone. The problem was, what to say to her?
Clearly, she hadn’t paid any attention to his advice from the weekend before. What else could he say to her to make her understand that this place wasn’t what she thought?
Just the thought of what could happen to her if she kept coming here made his skin crawl. And what if she happened to come when he wasn’t here and there was no one to look out for her?
His vision blurred and he squeezed his eyes shut until it cleared.
What the hell was wrong with him? He couldn’t remember ever having this sort of reaction before. He was protective of women on general principle, but there were plenty of women in the place. There was no reason he should be stressing over this one in particular.
Except she was Alexandra’s sister, meaning she would soon be Connor’s sister-in-law. Which made her family, in a weird way.
Only, what he was feeling wasn’t familial, though. At all. He was… shit. He was jealous. And feeling possessive.
It wasn’t so much that he felt she was in danger, although she really might be if she got involved with the wrong person, it was more that he didn’t want to think about her with the right person either.
He didn’t want to think about anyone giving her what she was looking for. Well, anyone else anyway.
As he wrestled with himself, he watched her. And then he noticed something. After last week, he’d been looking out for her. She, on the other hand, was looking everywhere but up at the second level. Which meant she either didn’t care about running into him again, or she wanted to look like she didn’t care. He wasn’t sure which he was hoping for.
It would be easier for him if he could believe she didn’t care. But even a lunkhead like him could occasionally tell when someone was flirting with him. And last weekend in security, she'd definitely been sending out some kind of signal.
It didn’t necessarily mean anything to her, which is what he’d kept telling himself. He was afraid that if he even let himself think that she was genuinely interested he might forget who he was and where he came from.
Nothing good could ever come of that. He needed to remember what he was, and stay in his lane. She was way out of his league. End of story.
But…being Alexandra’s sister, he couldn’t just ignore her. He had to keep an eye on her.
Just to make sure she was safe.
Ah, fuck… I’m so screwed.
He swallowed hard and squeezed his eyes shut for a second, trying to get his shit together. When he opened them, she was right there in his eye line as if even with his eyes closed he’d been tracking her.
He crossed his arms and planted his feet, telling them that under no circumstances were they to move toward the stairs and carry him across the floor to where she was. Nope. He was staying put and keeping a discreet eye on her from a distance. That was his job, that was his responsibility out of respect to Connor and Alexandra. Nothing more and nothing less.
He was less than thrilled to see her with Kate, but he didn’t have the cranial capacity at the moment to worry about when and how that connection had been made. He’d puzzle over it later when he wasn’t grinding his molars and reminding himself to stay put.
At least she wasn’t with that greasy schmuck from last time. He didn’t think he’d be able to stop himself from going down there if that asshole had been hanging all over her. His blood pressure shot up just thinking about it.
He did a quick scan and relaxed a little when he didn’t see him in the crowd. It was still early, especially for this crowd, but for now, he was nowhere to be found.
He caught sight of Ian on the floor below, looking meaner than usual. He was frowning into the crowd with a particular focus and Parker knew without a doubt that he’d spotted Amanda. The big bastard took a step forward, hands clenched at his sides, his face promising murder if anyone got in his way.
> What the fuck is his problem?
Then it occurred to Parker that maybe he wasn’t the only one carrying a bit of a torch for Amanda.
Oh, fuck no…
Before he could remind himself that he was supposed to be glued to the damn floor, his feet were hustling down the staircase. He made a beeline across the floor and intercepted Ian before he reached his target.
“What are you doing?” Parker asked quietly.
Ian said nothing but jerked his chin in Amanda’s direction. “See her?”
“Yeah. And it’s none of your fucking business.”
Ian's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms over his chest, the muscles in his shoulders going tense. He looked Parker over as if sizing him up.
“It’s not safe.”
“I’ve got it,” Parker replied, crossing his own arms and matching Ian’s glare. For a moment they stood in silence, simply staring at each other. Ian’s eyes flicked back to Amanda over Parker’s shoulders and Parker resisted the urge to lay the big man out flat. Or at least die trying.
“You better,” Ian muttered, turning back toward his spot in the corner. Ian didn’t need to voice the threat he was making, his face said it all. Oh, they were going to have words soon enough, but for now, he had more important things to worry about.
Parker turned and found Amanda watching him, an amused smile on her face and one perfect brow arched.
Now that he’d tamed the beast, his plan had been to retreat to a safe distance and continue watching, for her safety and his. Instead, he found himself being drawn in by a wave of Kate’s hand.
“Ah, good,” Kate said with a smile. “Parker, I’m glad you’re here. I have a few things I need to take care of and I was wondering if you would keep an eye on my new friend here.”
He and Amanda spoke at the same time.
“Of, course-”
“That’s not necessary.”
“No problem at all.”
He and Amanda looked at each other and his mouth quirked up in a smile at how uncomfortable she seemed. She gave him a saccharine smile and batted her eyelashes sweetly. And damned if he didn’t want to laugh at her defiance.
“Thank you,” Kate smiled. “I know it’s not exactly part of your job description, but I’d feel so bad leaving her all on her own when she’s my guest.”
“It would be my pleasure,” he replied with a nod.
“Maybe you can show her the second floor, explain things in a… general way.”
Translation: Tell her the second story rules but don’t freak her out with the details.
He didn’t even want her stepping foot on the second floor, let alone be the one to give her the grand fucking tour. He shouldn’t have been so damn quick to agree.
“You’ll be in good hands, Amanda. And I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Amanda smiled and nodded as Kate walked away, heading for the office at the end of the hallway beside the stairs.
“I didn’t realize you were a tour guide, too,” Amanda said, cocking her head to the side and looking him over from head to toe.
“I’m not,” he replied, putting a hand on the small of her back and guiding her toward the stairs. At least her outfit this evening, revealing as it was, had a layer of material between his hand and her skin. He did not want to experience that particular brand of torture right now.
“What’s upstairs?” she asked as they ascended the curving staircase.
“Bedrooms,” he replied, keeping his eyes trained ahead.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“Actual bedrooms?”
“Mostly. Some of them don’t actually have beds in them, but most do.” He risked a glance at her and he could see the wheels turning in her head. Jesus this was going to be a long fucking night.
✽✽✽
Bedrooms without beds? Amanda couldn’t quite picture what might be in there instead.
She was no Pollyanna, but she wasn’t exactly an expert on kink, which is what she assumed he was referring to. She pictured all sorts of things as they climbed the stairs, but one image stuck in her head: a medieval torture chamber with shackles and racks of whips and chains.
She was equal parts terrified and intrigued. Then again, that was the point of coming here, wasn’t it? She didn’t know what she was looking for exactly, she just knew there had to be something… more.
“Can I look?” Amanda asked though she wasn’t quite brave enough to look at Parker when she asked.
“If you like,” he replied. Was it her imagination or did his voice have a little more gravel to it than normal? Of course, it was hard to tell with her heart pounding in her ears. This was all so strange and exciting, and his warm, strong hand on her lower back gently pressing her forward didn’t help. Like, at all.
She could feel her face heating and knew it would be flushed. It was apparently a family trait. Alexandra was the worst. She blushed at the drop of a hat. Amanda didn’t get embarrassed or flustered easily, but apparently, she wasn’t completely immune. Or maybe it was just Parker.
“First rule-” Parker began.
“Don’t talk about fight club?”
“Smartass,” Parker muttered as he led her down the hallway to the left. “You’re not wrong, but not what I was going to say. First rule,” he repeated, giving her a stern look that told her not to interrupt. “Treat these rooms like airplane bathrooms. Green light means it’s free, red light means it’s occupied.”
He pointed toward the first door they came to and she noticed an electronic lock next to the door, the kind you’d swipe your keycard through to get into your hotel room. Except this one was lit with a red light. Each door had the same lock, some were red and some were green.
“You need a keycard to access the rooms. All of these are pretty much the same.”
He opened the next door with a green light with the keycard in his pocket and held it open while she slipped inside. He followed her and soon they were in an empty room that looked much like a hotel room. Together. Alone. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly and silently as she looked around.
“This is nice, but it’s just a normal bedroom,” she observed, keeping her back to Parker until she could collect herself.
“It is, mostly. But with a few additions.” Parker walked over to the bedside table and pulled open the top drawer. Inside were neat baskets of a variety of condoms and what appeared to be a selection of lube.
“Oh. Convenient.” She cleared her throat and pointed to a door in the wall beside the bed. “Is that a bathroom?”
“Yup. Each room has one.” He opened the door and flicked on the light, revealing a large shower that was probably big enough for four people. There was an array of travel-sized soaps and shampoos lined up in the shower and a selection of lotions and oils arranged neatly on the bathroom’s double sink.
“Wow. Can you book these by the week?”
“Yes, actually.”
“Seriously?” Amanda asked, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.
“Well, you can reserve a week’s worth of nights if you’re willing to pay top dollar for it. Limited supply, high demand.”
“I see.”
“Do you?” Parker asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Yeah,” she said with a shrug. “It’s an overpriced hourly rate motel.”
He scoffed, but she noticed he didn’t disagree with her. He moved over to the king-sized bed and pointed out something attached to either side of the headboard.
“Except most hotels don’t have reinforced steel rings attached to their beds and a drawer full of restraints in every room.”
He nodded toward a dresser that was standing against the wall opposite the door to the bathroom.
Amanda opened the top drawer and her mouth went dry. As promised, she found rows of neatly organized nylon ropes, leather straps and cuffs, and a few things that looked like metal bars.
“So, what do people… do with this stuff?” She h
ated having to ask. She felt like a total novice when it came to all this and she hated that feeling more than anything.
Whenever she started something new, she made it her mission to learn everything as quickly as possible. Being out of her depth was torture for her.
She worked hard to master anything and everything that she ever tried because she hated feeling stupid and uncertain. But she liked to think she’d taken a weakness and turned it into a strength. She worked hard and pushed herself to master whatever made her feel inadequate.
“You really want to know?” Parker asked. She jumped a little. She hadn’t realized he was so close behind her.
“Yeah. That’s kind of the point, isn’t it?”
“You tell me,” he whispered. He was standing so close she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. He smelled delicious, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t from any fancy cologne. It was just clean and soapy with an underlying scent of man.
Could this possibly be the best scent in the world?
“It is,” she murmured. “The point, I mean.”
“Then I’ll show you,” he said softly.
“What?” she rasped, turning to face him. His eyes were intense but he made no move to toss her on the bed and tie her down…
Damn shame...
“Follow me.” He put his hand on the small of her back once more and she suppressed a shiver at the contact. The warmth that bled into her skin where he touched her was downright delicious.
He led her down the hallway to the landing at the top of the stairs and then crossed over to the hallway on the other side.
There was another string of rooms, some with red lights and some with green, but there was also a set of double doors in between two rooms on the left-hand side. No lock, no lights.
Parker stopped and opened one side, gesturing for her to enter.
Amanda had no idea what to expect, but even if she’d had several lifetimes to think about it, she was sure she wouldn’t have come even close to what she actually saw when she stepped into that room.
Her Keeper Page 6