Page 56 of Tasty Cherry

“Thank you so much. Now I don’t have to flip out that housekeeping or maintenance is going to stumble onto me.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“I’m grateful I had a free hand.” She waves off my concern. “He’s not a monster. This is how we have fun. Let me call him. I hope he’s just lost.”

But before she can even bring the phone to her ear, the door slams open.

“You better not be free,” a voice booms.

I turn, expecting some big brute of a man, burly and muscled and probably with a twirly mustache.

But he’s maybe a hundred and forty pounds soaking wet, with skinny arms and a clean-shaven face. “Who are you?” he asks.

Sebastian appears behind him. “She’s my assistant, checking on your…person. Do you have the keys?”

“Of course I have the keys.” He stares down at her. “You called the front desk?”

“I thought you might be lost.”

He jerks the covers off her. “You are going to be punished for that.”

Sebastian whirls around and retreats to the other room.

I want to help her, but the woman’s expression is all on the man. “Hurry, while we have an audience.”

Oh. No, thanks.

I race for the door as the man selects a strap from the wall. By the time I hear the first smack, and the woman’s happy cry, Sebastian and I are out in the hall.

“That was more than I expected,” he says. “Was she okay?”

“She sounded more than okay,” I say with a shaky laugh. “People like interesting things.”

“Are you upset? Sometimes this job comes with a side of trauma. It’s not for everyone.”

I shake my head. “That wasn’t traumatizing. It was a little—” I can’t say it. It’s too farfetched for someone who has only had sex one time.

But he knows. “Hot?”

“Does that make me weird?”

He shakes his head. “Not at all.”

Everything in my body starts to stir. “I’m not used to this.”

His gaze is rapt on my face. “It’s all new to you, isn’t it?”

“I think you of all people know exactly what my experience level is.”

“You’re okay, though?”

I press my hand to my chest. “My heart is jumpy.” I take his hand. “Here, feel it.” I want his hands on me. I’m desperate for it. I shakily take his hand and press it where mine was.

“I feel it,” he says, his voice gruff.

“And my cheeks are hot.”

“A little pink, too.” His interest is intense, and it’s making me feel like I might erupt. “I’m listening if you want to keep talking about it.”

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