The Agreement (An Indecent Proposal)

by J. C. Reed

  Of course, I still had to tip him, stupid me.

  Absentmindedly, I held out a twenty-dollar note to tip him before he left, and then I noticed my suitcases behind him, outside in the hall.

  “Your suite’s on the top floor, ma’am,” he said in thick New York accent. “Please follow me.”

  The penny dropped. “Wait, did you just say suite?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said, and for a moment I thought I recognized a spark of panic in his eyes. “It’s the best we have. Mr. Wright wanted the presidential suite, but it was already booked. I’m sorry for any inconvenience caused, but you’ll find our executive suite offers a truly VIP experience and…” The rushing in my ears muffled his voice.

  Oh my God.

  My face paled at the realization that Chase had asked for the most expensive room in the hotel. No expenses spared. The initial bad feeling had blossomed into a full-blown itch on my skin. I didn’t even dare to look to Jude, knowing that she was probably inwardly laughing her head off.

  “Ma’am?” The bellboy’s voice drew me back to reality. I glanced at him and realized he was waiting for me.

  I nodded, but didn’t move from the spot.

  Would he find me rude if I announced that I’d be staying with Jude?

  “I’ll be fine. Go. I’ll see you later,” Jude whispered. Before she turned away, I caught her smile, which was supposed to be comforting, even though the twitching of her lips implied that she was having a hard time not laughing.

  I couldn’t blame her. The situation would have been hilarious—and just a little bit romantic—were it not happening to me.

  Holding my head high, I grabbed my bag and followed the bellboy back to the elevator, suppressing all my conflicting emotions—most of which were urging me to call a taxi and return to L.A.

  My heart hammered hard as we reached the first door on the top floor and the bellboy opened it, his easygoing chatter all the while amplifying my initial assumption that Chase had spent a whole lot of money on something that should have been of no importance to both of us.

  I stepped into a wide hall that led into a living room with state-of-the-art furniture and floor-to-ceiling glass windows, more confused than before. This didn’t look like any suite I had ever seen.

  It was far too big and luxurious for that. But then again, I hadn’t slept in many suites in my life. From the plush bedding, French doors, and the beautiful, warm décor to the expensive carpets and rich draperies, everything screamed style and elegance. It looked so darn expensive, they should have charged for viewings.

  “If you don’t like it, we’ll be happy to offer you something more suitable for your needs,” the bellboy offered, misinterpreting my deadly silence and cranky gaze.

  Damn right I wasn’t happy. I had wanted affordable, not yet another invisible reminder of my low credit score. But, as angry as I was, I wasn’t going to make a scene. It wasn’t the poor bellboy’s fault that Chase was driving me crazy with his unnerving way of showing off. Forget crazy. He was driving me insane, and not in that ‘screaming his name in the waves of lust’ kind of way.

  “It’s great,” I forced myself to say through clenched teeth. “Thank you.”

  “If you need anything, we’ll be happy to assist you. The suite comes with a twenty-four-hour in-room dining experience that includes champagne service.”

  What the fuck was champagne service?

  I listened as he explained a few more things and then he left. Completely exhausted, I slumped down on a chair near the fireplace and looked around, still incredulous.

  What the hell had Chase been thinking when he booked a suite for me?

  That I’d need it to host a dinner party just for myself?

  I buried my head in my hands. The suite probably had at least two bedrooms. Plenty of space. For what? Once I closed my eyes at night, I might as well sleep in a storage room and not know it. What a complete waste of money! Didn’t Chase ever learn how to save up and put it all to good use?

  You’re blowing it all out of proportion.

  I knew I was, but the knowledge didn’t change the way I felt.

  Chase had meant to be generous, but I knew there had to be a different reason for his charity.

  I knew men like Chase—seemingly generous on the outside, but there were always hidden intentions, always demands that would surface later.

  Because nothing was ever free.

  Not this time.

  I had every intention of repaying him. And I’d tell him the moment I’d see him.

  A crack, followed by a thud, jerked me out of my thoughts. I jumped up, startled, and caught movement from the corner of my eye.

  Someone was here. Outside, in the hall.

  My heart began to beat unnaturally fast, imitating the speed of the racing thoughts inside my head. An intruder? No, it couldn’t possibly be, because this was a hotel, and breaking into a hotel was a rare occurrence. Then a room mix-up. Or a double booking. Or maybe the bellboy had returned to inform me about my pay-TV options.

  Clutching my handbag to my chest, I tiptoed out the living room and toward the closed doors down the hall. A door opened and I bumped into something hard and big. My mouth opened to scream but the sound remained lodged in my throat. And then arms went around me, the scent of shower gel and aftershave wafting over and enveloping me like a sheath.

  I looked up at Chase, my blood boiling.

  Dressed in nothing but a towel that hung low on his hips and barely managed to hide an inch of his sculpted body, he looked like a beautiful statue that had come alive.

  Basically naked.

  And within a hand’s reach.

  “Good to see you, Laurie.” He laughed and his arms tightened around my waist, as though to steady me even though I needed no support.

  “What are you doing here?” The words came out so thin I cringed. Behind him I glimpsed a spacious bathroom, lined with Carrera marble, and equipped with a whirlpool big enough to host an entire family, and a glass-enclosed shower.

  “Obviously, I crash here. Just as per our arrangement.”

  “But…” I struggled for words, numbed by the absurdity of the situation. Could I throw his ass out even though he had paid for the suite?

  Hardly.

  Oblivious to my thoughts and obviously misinterpreting my long and hard stare, Chase grinned. “No worries. The bathroom’s large enough for two. It even has a whirlpool that will fit both you and me. We’ll have to squeeze together a bit, but that won’t be a problem. I’ll gladly let you sit on my lap.”

  I looked past his broad and very naked shoulders. The whirlpool was so huge, you could practically swim in there.

  The word “lap” managed to stir something within my core.

  “Let go of me.” I took a step back, my gaze traveling down his chest to the damp, white fabric that seemed to draw all attention to a generous bulge. I knew I was staring, but for some inexplicable reason my eyes just couldn’t look elsewhere.

  “You want a close-up?” Chase asked. “Because I’d be more than happy to oblige.”

  All heat drained from my face.

  I stared at him, shaking my head.

  Sometimes Chase amazed me with his bluntness, but right now he amazed me with his stupidity. Did he really think that by looking so deliciously sexy or choosing a suite with a whirlpool he’d manage to make me want to sleep with him?

  Definitely not.

  I wasn’t that desperate.

  “You’re crazy,” I whispered. “Just because you’re naked, I harbor absolutely no intention of sleeping with you, Chase. I hope you know that.”

  “Yeah, you told me.” He laughed. “It’s easy for you to say now. But come tomorrow, you might not feel the same way, which is why I’ll stay near you in case you change your mind about our wedding night.” He winked. “And then I’ll be here, baby, making all your dreams come true, and then some.”

  He didn’t even make a secret out of his inflated ego.

 
; “Crazy.” I pointed a finger to my head, annoyed with my monosyllabic answers.

  “One day you’ll see.”

  “Dream on.” I scowled and took another step back.

  Obviously, he was laughing at me, and given the fact that the entire situation was ridiculous, I couldn’t blame him. But the knowledge angered me nonetheless. His arrogant comment and his exasperating confidence demanded a comeback…if only my brain functioned well enough that I could think of one. Instead, I turned sharply and headed for the next door, keeping my head high.

  Chase laughed behind me. The low, sexy tone both grated on my nerves and sent a tiny shudder through my belly. My hand clasped around the doorknob and I pulled, but the door didn’t open. I tried again, then with more fervor.

  Why wouldn’t the damn thing open?

  I could feel him behind me a moment before he leaned over me and whispered in my ear, “You’ve got to push the right buttons.”

  His warm breath tickled my neck, sending more shivers through me. He stood so close I could smell his aftershave—the one that always sent my head spinning. Ever so slowly, he inched forward, his hard abs pressing against my back as he reached for a bolt and slid it open. I could almost feel him through my clothes, as though they had magically melted away. Maybe it was the knowledge that he was half-naked, his lips dangerously close to my ear.

  Skin on skin—the sensation was so delicious I marveled at how good it felt and how much I wanted more.

  My breath hitched in my throat as he leaned closer, his body melting into me. His hardness rubbed against my lower back as his hand traveled down my chest, settling on my hips. My heart stopped and I forgot to breathe. I closed my eyes, unable to think or move.

  “Why are you running?” His voice was deep and…hoarse.

  It was a mere question, nothing sexual about it, but his words, mingled with his gentle tone, managed to scare me even more than his immediate proximity and his touch.

  “Why are you really here?” I countered with a question of my own, because there was no point in denying the obvious.

  “I’m getting married tonight,” Chase whispered against my skin. “I’m getting married to a mysterious but very frustrating woman.”

  I laughed. Oh, I knew all about frustration around him. “That wasn’t my question. I meant here, in this room with me.”

  He let go of my hips and moved back, putting some safe distance between us. I could almost feel his arrogant smile. For the umpteenth time since I’d met him, my blood began to boil.

  “It’s a suite, meaning there’s more than one bedroom. You have yours and I have mine. We’ll be neighbors or, if you prefer, roomies, because we share the bathroom and the living room.” He pointed to the door on the right. “You’ll find my bedroom’s next to yours, in case you want to pay me a visit. Any questions?”

  I eyed the door to the right, full of mistrust. “What do you mean next to mine?” I asked, confused. “There’s just one door to one room.”

  His lips twitched. “My room has two doors. One through the bathroom and one through yours.”

  The fluttering sensation in my belly turned into churning conviction.

  “Your room’s connected with mine?” I asked, and shook my head in disbelief. If I locked the bathroom door and forgot to unlock it, the only way out for Chase would be through my bedroom. And if I wanted to take a shower, he could enter anytime.

  “You can’t be serious.” I turned to regard him, my eyes ablaze with the kind of anger that burned a wicked trail through my entire body. “I said different rooms, which means separate doors, different entries, different everything.”

  I sounded so ridiculously fraught, it was almost painful to listen to myself, and yet I couldn’t stop the sudden wave of desperation washing over me. Chase was everything I dreamed of. But dreaming was one thing and having it in real life was another. He kept challenging me, pushing my limits, forcing me to accept the unacceptable.

  I was attracted to him, yes, but I couldn’t let him fuck me, because once we passed that threshold I’d enter uncharted territory.

  I’d be out of my depth.

  Lost.

  And he’d hold all the power.

  Over my body.

  Over my mind.

  “Last time I checked there were doors. Quite solid ones, actually.” A flicker of amusement lit up his gray-blue eyes. “They have knobs, which means you can open and close them.”

  I swallowed a few gulps of air to calm myself. “Fine. You can keep the suite. I’ll sleep in Jude’s.”

  “It’s a single. Not only won’t she share, but hotel policy says single rooms are for single occupancy only. Tough luck, beautiful.”

  Someone knew a lot about hotels.

  “I’m getting my own room, Chase,” I said, raising my chin defiantly. “You can’t lock me up in here, and you know that.”

  “That’s a tempting outlook, though.” His eyes shimmered with danger and humor. “I’d love to lock you up in my bedroom, preferably tied to a bed, and have my wicked ways with you. I’d f—”

  Whoa!

  “It’s not funny,” I said, interrupting him before he got me so heated I’d end up begging him to fuck me on the spot.

  “You can’t avoid me for the rest of your life. May I remind you, we have an agreement, which you agreed to?” Chase crossed his arms over his chest, managing to draw my attention back to his defined muscles and taut skin, as he regarded me coolly.

  “Still doesn’t mean I have to spend the night in here.”

  “Suit yourself, sweetheart. But I’ve got to warn you, they’re completely booked. There’s a convention in town. Something about…” He paused in mock concentration.

  Irritated, I waved my hand. “I don’t care. I’ll find a solution. I always do. Once I explain the situation, they’ll have to give me a different room. Or else I’ll check into another hotel.”

  “I’m glad to hear you have such a strong belief in yourself and your persuasion skills.” That galling trace of amusement again. “But unless you’re a celebrity or can buy out the place, I doubt they’ll budge.”

  Damn, he had a point.

  I bit my lip hard as I considered my options.

  I could try and risk yet more ridicule because

  a.) I wasn’t a celebrity, and

  b.) I couldn’t even afford to pay for one room, let alone the entire hotel.

  Or I could take a blow to my pride for the time being and just sleep in the room next to his. How hard could it be?

  We wouldn’t even have to see each other until the wedding, and then again at checkout tomorrow. That is…if I devised a good plan for this whole roommate thing and stuck to it.

  Like who used the bathroom when.

  No bedroom visits.

  No running around half-naked. And just to make sure he wasn’t defying my wishes yet again, I’d listen for any sounds before venturing out to avoid the whole colliding-into-each-other-half-naked-and-drooling-over-his-hard-body situation. If I focused on being very careful and blocked him out of my mind, I wouldn’t even know he was here. It shouldn’t be that difficult, considering I had avoided hot guys like him before.

  Only, I had never met anyone as hot as Chase. Or as willing to let me know just how much I had to fight to keep my legs closed.

  “So, what will it be, Laurie?” he asked. “I’m not forcing you to do anything you don’t want to. But you can’t keep running away from me forever. Sooner or later you’ll live with me, anyway. Those last few hours of avoiding me won’t change a thing.”

  “Okay. You win.” I smiled sweetly. “But just to be clear. You do not enter my room unless you knock or I open the door to let you in.”

  “Got it. You want professional and platonic; I’ll give you plenty of cool and friendly.” He was making fun of me again. Ignoring him, I walked past him into the hall, back to where the bellboy had dropped my baggage. Chase’s footsteps echoed behind and I could almost feel his irritating grin. The ba
ck of my skin prickled from his stare as I grabbed my suitcase, then pulled. It didn’t move from the spot. I pulled again, realizing the tiny wheels must have tangled with the thick rug.

  Dammit!

  As I kept pulling, I could almost see my dignity flying out the window.

  “Let me.” Chase’s hand brushed mine, sending another electric tingle through me. Without waiting for my reply, he lifted the suitcase as though it weighed nothing and carried it down the hall to the first door and opened it, pointing inside.

  “This is yours. I took the liberty of choosing the one with the better view. You know, first come and all that.” His intense gaze traveled down the front of my shirt and he licked his lips slowly.

  Oh, Christ.

  Did he have to be so obvious that he wanted me?

  “Whatever.” I rolled my eyes and pointed at the suitcase. “Just put it down. I’ll manage from here.”

  “As you wish. If you need anything…” As he dropped the suitcase to my feet, his gaze brushed my top again, lingering far longer than was necessary or decent. I grabbed the suitcase and pulled it after me, then slammed the door in Chase’s face.

  His laughter rang loud and clear, but I didn’t care. Whatever game he was playing, I was going to win, no matter what. Even though Chase had the uncanny ability of leaving me in lust and longing, I had one advantage: I had declined myself so often in my life that I had enough practice to say no even if I didn’t want to.

  Chapter 18

  I had barely made it into my room and unzipped my suitcase, filling the wardrobe with my clothes, when a soft knock at the door interrupted me, followed by the door opening.

  “What now?” I yelled, and looked up to see Jude standing in the doorway. Her forehead creased in a questioning frown as she settled on my bed and tucked her legs beneath her the way she always did when she harbored no immediate intention of leaving. Her blonde hair swayed around her as she leaned forward, eyes focused on me.

  “Don’t start,” I whispered, referring to Chase’s choice of a room: too expensive, too everything for me, not least because it wasn’t a real wedding.