Page 15 of Sinners Retreat

I move toward the phone on the nightstand between the beds, but my brother stops me before I can reach for the receiver.

“No use trying to make a call. The phone doesn’t work. It makes this god-awful sound whenever you mash a button. I’m afraid you’ll have to waddle down to the front desk and ask fora key.” He makes no effort to hide the way his chest shakes with laughter when he’s doomed me to roam the halls in the nude.

I turn to look at him. We’re roughly the same size, and while I don’t enjoy wearing a t-shirt on a first date, it beats the hell out of what I’m wearing now.

“Give me your suitcase,” I say.

“What? Absolutely not,” he says, and all humor has left him now. “You’ve already taken my room. I won’t have you stretching out my shirts too.”

When I say my brother and I are roughly the same size, I mean that in the most hopeful sense. In reality, he could stand to spend some time in the gym. He isn’t skinny by any stretch of the imagination, but I don’t blame him for worrying that I’ll stretch his clothing.

“I just need to wear something long enough to pop down to the lobby,” I say. “I’ll pay for it if I ruin it.”

Bennett sighs, then points to his suitcase atop a large red chair. “Damn right you will.”

I rush to unzip the luggage. I’ve frittered away far too much time already, and I’m cutting it too close for comfort. Kindra strikes me as the kind of woman who won’t wait around for a man who’s running late, even if his excuse is as good as mine would be.

Near the top of the monsoon wreckage of clothing thrown into his bag, I find a maroon t-shirt and a pair of black sport shorts. I can only assume these are my brother’s pajamas for the evening. He dresses much too casually for my taste.

I rush to the bathroom to dress. The shirt is at least one size too small, and the shorts display my dick outline like a neon sign. It’s still better than the alternative, but I can’t help dreading the walk of shame I’m about to embark upon.

“Hurry back,” Bennett says as I leave the hotel room.

The cheeky asshole can kiss the tip of my dick.

Angling my offensive front away from a pair of children returning from the pool, I head toward the elevators. They pay me no mind, but their exhausted mother finds the strength to look twice. I swallow and continue on.

Lady Fortune smiles upon me, because the lobby is blessedly empty. Aside from an elderly man sitting by the empty fountain, it’s just me and the employees behind the desk. I approach the dark oak counter and display my best smile.

“I’m afraid I’ve locked myself out of my room. Could I have a spare key, please?”

The spunky blonde behind the computer monitor smiles and nods. “Of course. I’ll just need your room number and identification.”

“Unfortunately, my identification is in my room,” I say.

“No problem!” Her enthusiasm makes me want to throttle her. “Just return to your room, grab your ID, and I’ll have the key made by the time you return.”

“How can I return to my room when I don’t have a key? You see the problem with your plan, don’t you?”

“Oh, goodness. Silly me,” she says as she smacks her fingers against her forehead. “I can get a housekeeper to allow you into the room long enough to grab your ID.”

Gathering all of my remaining composure, I take a deep breath, glance at her shiny silver nametag, and lean closer to the counter. “Listen, Stephanie, I only checked in an hour or so ago. I’m sure at least one of your fellow employees remembers me.”

The ancient housekeeper from earlier appears around the corner. While I’m loathe to bring her into this and risk exposing myself further, I see no other option.

“That woman there just brought towels to my room,” I say as I point toward the housekeeper. “She can clear this up.”

Stephanie motions the woman over. “This gentleman says you brought some towels to his room just now. Is that true?”

The woman looks me up and down, then says, “I’ve never seen him before.”

I grip the counter to stop myself from screaming as she gives me a sly wink. The woman has made good on my request that she keep what happened private, but goddamn her secrecy in this moment.

Just when I think things can’t get much worse, footsteps approach behind me, and a familiar voice reaches my ears.

“Fancy meeting you here.”

Chapter Seven

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