Page 29 of Playing By His Rules

While eating her fruit and croissant, she checked her email and tried not to feel too depressed that she’d had no bites on the resume she’d sent out to various interior design companies. Then she texted her sister to give her an update on her whereabouts. She was also honest about Rick’s offer and told Andrea she’d probably come by the apartment today before noon to pack a bag of clothes and toiletries for the rest of the week, intending to be back before Rick returned from his business meeting. Considering the amount of money he was paying her—which he’d taken care of last night after their fun in the playroom, along with swapping cellphone numbers—she wanted to be around whenever he came back up to the suite. For that staggering amount, the least she could do was be at his beck and call.

Around eleven in the morning a knock sounded on the door. Figuring it was probably housekeeping, she walked over and opened the door to let the maid in. Instead of finding a woman in a uniform on the other side, a pretty young lady stood in the hallway. Her silky looking blonde hair was cut into a sleek bob, she wore a form fitting, stylish dress, and patent leather heels, and carried herself with confidence and sophistication. The kind Madison envied because it came so naturally to some women, but not for her.

Next to the woman was a staid looking bellman whose trolley was stacked with embossed gift bags, along with expensive dresses and outfits hanging from various hooks on the cart.

“Hi . . .” Madison greeted them, pulling the lapels of her robe closer around her neck since she’d yet to get dressed. “I think you have the wrong room.”

“Is this Rick Dunne’s suite?” the blonde woman asked.

“Uhh, yes,” Madison said, still certain there was still some kind of mix-up.

“Then we’re at the right room,” she said, flashing a bright smile. “My name is Everly, and I work in the clothing boutique down in the lobby. I’m here to deliver a few things to a Ms. Corbin. I’m assuming that’s you?”

Madison’s brows furrowed in bewilderment. “Yes, I’m Madison Corbin, but this has to be some kind of mistake. I didn’t order anything from the boutique.”

The woman laughed lightly. “No, of course you didn’t. But Mr. Dunne did. These things are for you,” she said, waving a hand at the abundance of items on the trolley. “If you’ll let me in for a few minutes I can explain while James unloads the cart for you.”

More than a little confused, Madison stepped back so that Everly and James could enter the suite, and the bellman began placing all the purchases in the living room area as if she’d just gone on a major shopping spree. It was a known fact that the mark-up in hotel boutiques were insanely high, and Madison was certain she was easily looking at a few thousand dollars in clothing and other accessories.

Madison shook her head and met the young woman’s delighted gaze. “I don’t understand . . . I can’t accept all this.”

“I don’t think you have much of a choice. It’s all bought and paid for,” Everly said, clearly enjoying Madison’s wide-eyed shock. “There’s all sorts of casual outfits and a few formal dresses, which had been selected at Mr. Dunne’s request. Also, matching shoes, undergarments, and toiletries for a week’s stay.”

Madison’s head spun as she took in all the shopping bags and the expensive outfits laid out across the back of the couch. “How do you even know my size?”

Everly laughed. “Mr. Dunne came in with this dress this morning for us to use as measurements,” she said, taking the purple dress she’d worn the night before off the rack, which was now sheathed in what looked to be a dry cleaner type of plastic bag. “He also asked us to have it laundered, so it’s fresh and clean.”

God, he’d thought of everything. Dazed by all his forethought, Madison merely nodded.

“Anything you don’t like, or that doesn’t fit, you can exchange for anything else in the boutique.” Everly then handed Madison a white envelope she’d been holding. “He asked me to give you this, as well.”

Madison accepted what she assumed was a message from Rick, then followed Everly and James back to the door, who rolled the now empty trolley out into the hallway.

“Enjoy your new things,” the young girl said, and with a finger wave they were off, leaving Madison with her entire new wardrobe.

She walked back inside the suite, and finding an empty spot on the couch, she sat down and opened the envelope Everly had given her. Instead of the note she’d been anticipating, she withdrew two tickets to one of the most expensive shows in Las Vegas—“O” by Cirque du Soleil, at The Bellagio hotel, for that evening. Her jaw nearly dropped to the floor when she saw that the seats were in the front row of the upper orchestra of the theater, which was the best and most sought-after location in the house, from what she’d heard. And the most expensive. Rick had to have paid a premium to get the tickets when they booked out months in advance.

He’d already spent a small fortune on her to secure her company for the week, but this was way over the top and unnecessary. She went back into the bedroom, picked up her cellphone from the nightstand, and sent him a text.

Oh, my God, Rick. What have you done? This is too much. I can’t accept all these things.

Knowing he was probably occupied with work, she didn’t expect him to acknowledge her note so quickly. But within a few minutes her phone chirped with an incoming message.

Yes, you can. The gifts aren’t up for discussion or debate . . . unless you want another spanking for being so difficult?

She could almost hear him speaking those words in that deep, firm, growly voice of his that made her body tingle in response. Biting her bottom lip, she typed out a brazen response.You tempt me to be bad.

Three dancing dots appeared on her screen while he wrote a reply.That just earned you three swats on your bare ass later tonight, for making my dick twitch inappropriately beneath the conference table I’m sitting at. Now, get dressed if you aren’t already. You have another appointment at noon down at the hotel salon. Check in under your own name and they’ll take care of you. And not a word or argument about it, understand?

Oh, she really wanted to protest all his generosity, which was something she wasn’t used to, but did her best to be gracious.Yes . . . sir.

Good girl. I’ll see you later this afternoon. Wear the red dress and be ready by four. Dinner reservations are at five, before the show.

Setting her phone back down, she returned to the living room, trying once again not to be completely overwhelmed by everything that he’d purchased for her. Instead, she emptied the bags from the boutique, placing the gorgeous, sexy lingerie in drawers in the bedroom, and hung up the outfits in the closet . . . including the red dress he’d bought for her to wear tonight. She came across a cute pair of white capris with eyelet trim at the hem and a pink top, along with strappy white sandals, and wore that outfit down to the salon for her scheduled appointment.

Nearly three hours later, a team of beauty experts had revived life back into her dry, lifeless hair with a much-needed trim while adding in a few layers. A deep conditioning treatment had given the wavy strands falling around her shoulders and down her back a silky texture and an incredible glossy shine. After that, a make-up artist had used products and colors that complimented her eyes and complexion without giving her a heavy-handed look, while two other women gave her French manicures on her toes and fingernails.

She returned to the suite with half an hour left to finish getting ready before the four pm deadline Rick had given her. She put on the red dress he’d requested she wear—a knee-length chiffon cocktail dress with a low-cut bodice and a hemline that swirled around her legs when she walked—and slipped into a pair of black designer heels that elevated her height and elongated her toned calves.

---