Maid for the Rock Star (16 page)

THIRTY

Pressing her lips together to stop herself from swearing where guests could hear her, Audra hurried to the staff accommodation to collect some clothes for her stay in Maxima. Her first stop was the laundry room for fresh uniforms. She found Pamela struggling alone with the laundry trolleys and moved to help.

"Where's Penny?" Audra grunted as she shoved at an overloaded trolley. It looked like there was twice as much as last week.

"Shagging her chef, where else?" Pamela waved at Audra's trolley. "I caught them in here, going for it on a load of clean uniforms. I think I startled him, because he made a mess all over them. Spurted like a fountain."

Audra couldn't hide her horror. "You mean we'll be wearing cum-stained uniforms this week because of Penny?"

Pamela giggled. "Not you, you're in civvies for two days. Maybe Penny, but how's that different from normal? I found a couple that were still clean right down the bottom of the pile, so I have enough until we get these back. The rest are headed back to the mainland for a wash."

Now Audra understood why there was so much laundry. "Change of plans. Annette cancelled my days off because of some emergency in the Pearls. My two days off just became two days as a live-in maid. But if there aren't any uniforms..."

Pamela shrugged. "You could wash today's one. Oh, unless it's already in here..."

Audra nodded. "Yep, all mine are in here. Now covered in whatever Penny coaxed from the sous-chef. I'd rather work naked than in a dress that's been stained by that skanky bitch."

Pamela smothered her giggle. "That'd be tempting fate! Jay Felix from Chaya's staying at the Pearls – I just saw him walk up from Reception. I can remember swooning over him when I was in high school. Never thought I'd see him in the flesh...and what flesh! I've never wanted to lick a man so much in my life when he walked past. I know you can't, but...if you get a chance to get his autograph, can you ask for one for me, too?"

Audra nodded, all her breath taken with the effort of shoving the laundry trolleys down to the dock. It took them two trips, but Audra couldn't leave Pamela to do it all on her own.

"I'd offer you mine but..." Pamela gestured at her body. "They'd be way too big for you." Wiping the perspiration from her forehead, her eyes lit up. "I know! Do you still have the shirts from that volleyball tournament Hana ran at the start of the season? With the matching shorts?"

Volleyball? Slowly, Audra nodded. "Yeah, I do. Annette said to keep them for the next one, but we haven't had enough guests yet to form teams." The shorts were on the short side, but they were better than nothing. Not to mention better quality than anything Audra owned. She sighed. "You're a lifesaver. Thank you."

Pamela waved her away. "No, you just saved me from having to do the laundry alone. And possibly a murder charge from going to kill Penny afterwards."

Audra blinked, trying to hide her shock. Surely placid Pamela wasn't contemplating killing Penny? Not that Penny didn't deserve it...

"I hope you get to meet Jay," Pamela added.

Meet him? She'd be forced to watch his every move. Audra managed a smile and hurried back to her room to pack her things. She found two volleyball uniforms and decided they'd have to do. In a couple of hours, she'd be in her pyjamas, anyway. Good thing she'd already set fresh linen and towels in the guest rooms at Maxima, though she'd never thought in a million years that she'd be the one using them.

Hitching her bag over her shoulder, Audra wondered if Pamela was right: that maybe she should look at this as a fun assignment instead of unwanted work on her days off. How many girls got to spend two days with their high school heart-throb? Her sister Sam would kill to be where she was now. And she could never, ever breathe a word of it to Sam.

Her steps quickened as she rounded the lagoon. Two days of watching Jay's hot body as he relaxed on the island. She'd done worse jobs. Just as long as she still had her job at the end of those two days...

THIRTY-ONE

Jay reclined on one of the veranda deck chairs, his bruised abs in clear view as she trotted up the steps to Maxima. "You took your time," he greeted her.

Audra bit back an angry retort. "Your matron's orders were not to leave you alone for the next two days. I needed a change of clothes for tomorrow and the next day."

A grin spread across his face. "You mean you'll be taking care of me personally for the whole time? Not dividing me up in a roster with your underlings?"

Underlings? No one worked under her. Audra suppressed a snort. But a roster...why hadn't she thought of it? Too tired, perhaps. "I'm sorry, Mr Felix. You're right. I didn't think. You should have a more alert staff member with you the whole time. I'll talk to my boss and tell her – "

"NO!"

His outburst shocked her.

Him, too, by the look of things. "No," he repeated in a more normal tone. "I want you. Tired or...whatever. There's plenty of beds here. Take your pick. Even mine, if you want it." He winked.

Audra shifted uncomfortably. Trying not to be obvious, she glanced around to see if there was anyone within earshot who might've heard his offer. Probably not, but there could be someone on the beach, hidden behind the palm trees...

"I won't work you too hard, I promise." The look in his eyes said otherwise. "If your boss sends someone else, I'll send them right back. All I want is you."

Audra avoided his eyes. She knew that look – it adorned one of Sam's favourite posters. She hadn't realised it would heat her insides like she'd swallowed one of the chilli dumplings on the guest menu. No wonder Jay was the idol of millions. "Fine," she forced herself to say.

He chuckled. "I am, aren't I?"

Arrogant prick! She raised her gaze and found him staring at her. Deliberately baiting her.

Grudgingly, she replied, "A bit of discolouration and damage around the edges, but otherwise in reasonably good condition." Her glance lingered on his bruised torso and the white patches stuck to his hands.

He laughed louder still. "It'll be fun, Audra, I promise. I'm sure you've done worse jobs than me." His eyes glinted with innuendo.

Sighing, Audra swiped the door controls and led the way inside the villa.

"I meant it when I said you can sleep in my bed." He was right behind her.

"Mr Felix – "

"Jay."

"Jay, then. I've already told you this, but I'll say it again. I'll lose my job if I sleep with you."

"And will they let you keep your job if I die in some sort of medical complication while you're sleeping in another room instead of keeping watch over me like my guardian angel?"

Like Leon nearly had...

Tears sprang to her eyes. "I can't do this." Audra turned on her heel and bolted for the door.

Jay blocked her exit, spreading his arms to catch her. "Wait, Audra." He seemed to notice her tears. "Shit, I'm sorry. All right? I'm sorry." His arms closed around her and it felt surprisingly good.

If only she could stop crying. Shit. She was in Jay Felix's arms, dribbling tears and snot down his sculpted chest. This was so many levels of wrong.

"You can do this, because I need you to. You stepped up to that matron and made her release me. Saved me from her. I swear she was going to torture me again in the name of medicine the minute no one was watching. If you don't, I'm going back to hell in hospital with her. Save me from a fate worse than death, Audra."

She figured he was trying to be funny, but it wasn't working. She shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said softly, pulling away from him. Snot. Oh God. "I should help you clean that up."

"I vote for naked in the shower. Now."

For a moment, she wished she could.

"Mr Felix."

"I told you, it's Jay."

Audra took a deep, steadying breath. "Mr Jay Felix, I intend to keep my job. Which means I will not shower or sleep with you. And while you might find car crashes funny, I don't." Her voice died to a whisper. "I'm sorry."

His eyes hardened. "Honesty. I like that." His tone said otherwise. "I'll be honest, too. I'd like to spend a night in bed with you, making you lose control in ways you never believed possible. No, not a boast. A promise."

Shit. The words, the tone, the voice...Audra wondered if her underwear was going to melt. Not that she intended to let him know if it did.

"I left a perfectly good pub and a bunch of willing girls because the only one I wanted was you, Audra. Only along the way I got lost and crashed my car. So you came to me. I know what I want and I will get it."

No you won't, you arrogant prick, she thought tiredly. He had to be lying about trying to find her. He was supposed to be bringing guests back to the hotel. Someone to share the fondue with. And the strawberries...

"Tonight, I want dinner and you're going to join me. Then you're going to stay the night here in whatever fucking bed you like."

"I'm not having sex with you," Audra said slowly.

"Not tonight, no," Jay said, to her surprise. He flushed and glanced down. "Do you think I can get that matron arrested for assault? She said the thing was called a catheter but there's no way it's natural to shove something up a man's..."

"Jay, stop. Please." She fought down her laughter. "Truce. I'll have dinner with you as long as you don't talk about your – " She waved at waist level. " – tackle box."

He considered her for a moment. "Deal," he said finally. "Get room service. Order me a steak with all the trimmings and whatever you want."

THIRTY-TWO

The only steak Audra could find on the menu was a surf and turf that came with garlic prawns, so she made an executive decision and ordered that.

"Just dinner for one? Anything else, miss?" the kitchen hand asked. "Dessert, maybe?"

For one? No, she needed to eat, too. "Um, hang on. Do you have any mango chicken?" she asked hopefully. It'd be wonderful to taste it when it wasn't burned.

"Can you hold for a moment, miss?"

"Sure."

A muffled discussion on the other end of the phone ensued, before the kitchen hand's voice returned. "No, miss. We don't seem to have any mango chicken tonight."

"Again? That's happening a lot lately."