By the time I got back to my room, it was cleaned, and the maid was nowhere to be found. I looked around, even in the front room, but there was no trace she’d ever been there. I had a towel wrapped around my waist, and I sighed at what a waste it was. I’d wanted her to look at me some more because she had the oddest reactions when she saw me naked. Well, not odd entirely. She definitely looked at me as if she wanted me. There was no fucking denying it. It wouldn’t take much to get her to play along.

“Next time!” I pulled off the towel as I went back to the bedroom, as if giving her a good eyeful of what she’d get in time.

I looked through my closet for something to wear. I hadn’t packed much to begin with, and I’d have to remember to send my clothes down to laundry or I’d have to buy more outfits. There was a store in the hotel lobby where I could buy more clothes if I wanted to, so it wasn’t like it was an especially large problem.

“He’s going to be mad I’m late,” I said aloud, checking the time.

After so much relaxation the past couple days, it was time to get back to work before Trent specifically called me up to ask if I was getting things done. I wondered if Kevin was keeping up with the work since he arrived, or if I was being excessively lazy. Not that Kevin was lazy, he was just as easily distracted as I was, if not more so.

I got dressed in a pair of slacks, then pulled on a white button-down shirt, before grabbing a coat to go over it. Then I put on my loafers and left my room. I could have had some breakfast, but I was allowed to order from the kitchen, and it was easier than just making something myself, or eating whatever junk food I still had in my fridge. I didn’t play competitive sports anymore, so I’d gone a bit—well, a lot—lax about my diet. I knew it was self-destructive though, so I usually made sure to have at least one good meal a day.

Besides, the food from the kitchen, particularly the pastries, was pretty amazing stuff.

I made my way to the elevator, then up to what was usually Dad’s office, on one of the highest floors in the hotel. The office that Trent was currently using.

Dad’s secretary looked up as I neared, and I sent her a nod in greeting.

“Is he busy?” I asked, gesturing toward the door.

“He’s looking over some files. You can go in, Mr. Thompson.”

I rolled my eyes. “As I’ve asked before, you can call me Mason. There are too many Thompsons around now, best not to get all confused.”

It wasn’t the first time I’d asked, but I knew she wouldn’t listen to me anyway. She didn’t even call my dad by his first name, and she’d been working for him for over half a dozen years.

I opened the door and walked inside. I could have knocked, but I wasn’t nearly that polite.

“Busy, as always,” I said, closing the door behind me.

Trent was looking over a file on his desk and something on his computer. I didn’t know exactly what work he did, but pretty much every time I walked into his office, he was working on something. He was the opposite of me, more work than parties, and even those, I knew he usually ignored unless it wasn’t a possibility. Besides working for the family, he’d started up his own successful business and he was only 31.

I was pretty sure some of that success came from the family name, but he definitely worked hard enough I could believe most of it was his being a workaholic. Dad had told me all about big brother’s best qualities. And while I resented Dad for comparing us, I didn’t particularly hate Trent, or I wouldn’t be able to stand being in the same room as him.

“Sorry,” he said, not sounding the least bit apologetic. “Dad left a lot of work behind and I’ve been trying to get through it as quickly as possible, but I’ve been in between meetings the past few days…”

“You could let Kevin do some of it, or I could handle some of the meetings, if you wanted,” I offered like a fucking chump. Next thing I’ll be doing is a fucking curtsey. I was being so accommodating that it was making me feel sick.

He spared me a glance before returning to his computer.

“As much as I appreciate that, I’m fine doing this much. I only need to keep it up until Dad is ready to come back…”

His words trailed off, and I noticed when his eyes glazed over. He was no longer focusing on what was on his computer, and I wondered if he had the same thoughts I did about how odd this whole thing with Dad was.

“Have you had any word yet?” I asked.

He looked up at me, a slight frown on his brow. “If you’re asking about Dad, still nothing. I’m too busy to push it for now. I’ll give it another week or so, then go back to the mansion.”

“You went there?” I asked.

His lips pursed. “The day I arrived, yes. I’ve been staying at the hotel ever since.”

I nodded because it was completely expected. It was a surprise he’d even stepped foot there, considering he hadn't since he left for college. I went back occasionally to see my parents and my sister, and so did Kevin. Then I remembered Emily had mentioned something about him arriving before I did. I was partying way too hard if I’d forgotten that little nugget.

“Can I help you with something?” he asked, folding his arms on the desk and giving me his full attention.

I shrugged. “I came to see whatever else needs doing around here. I’m done with the last task, so I was thinking of making some rounds in the departments…”

He nodded slowly, considering.

“That would be useful, actually. I haven’t had the chance to get out of this office much if it isn’t for some meeting. Make the rounds. I’ll be getting some reports from the departments and you can help me assess them.”

“Sure,” I said, turning around to leave. “I’ll get to that now. I’ll send some quick reports tonight and we can talk tomorrow.”

“Good luck,” he called as I left, and I could hear he was already getting distracted with his own work.

The floor I was on only held the executive offices. Other offices were on the lower floors, and I made my way down to the closest one. As I was passing through the hallway, a maid walked past me, and that was all it took to bring back the image of that maid from earlier.

Laura. I’d asked the woman they’d sent yesterday—who’d been more than ready to throw herself at me, even though I’d turned her down—about the other maid. She’d told me her name was Laura, though I didn’t get a second name or much information about her besides she was a generally happy person. Not that I’d seen that particularly.

A smirk crossed my lips as I thought of how she’d looked at me this morning. She’d been smiling of course, but I hadn’t missed the hostility in her gaze, like I’d personally offended her. And even then, she’d been looking at me, checking me out the entire time. I almost got the idea she resented me for being so good looking.

She was so fucking fun to tease, which is why I’d tried to be fast with my showering, just so I could see her reaction to seeing me in nothing but a towel and still wet at that. She did her work pretty fast though. Not that I’d messed up my suite so badly after a group of maids had cleaned after my latest party. I’d only had a small gathering with some of my friends who’d hung around after the party, though they’d probably be leaving soon. Just as well, because I had work to do.

So far, no one had reported my partying to Trent, and I only knew that because I knew he’d complain if he’d actually heard something.

Laura, though… it wasn’t usual for me to get someone so stuck in my mind, but I had to admit she was interesting. She was spunky, and as much as she played at being polite, I knew she wasn’t the kind of woman who’d take my shit. Every time I saw her, she was seemed to be looking at me with irritated eyes, with just a hint of interest that told me she at least found me attractive. She’d been looking around at the mess I made with disdain and resignation. Every time I saw her expressions, before she tried to hide them, I was left smiling.

Her body doesn’t hurt, either.

She wasn’t like one of the skinny girls that usually made a play for me. She had some delicious curves I couldn’t help but want to lay my hands on, and she wasn’t throwing herself at me for my looks, or my money and connections, so she was a challenge.

“I can't touch her,” I muttered, a frown replacing the smirk on my lips.

In spite of my attraction to her, she was still a maid at my dad’s hotel. It would be so fucking hypocritical of me to try to do more than tease her, when it was me who kept warning Emily against fraternizing with the help. She was just making friends with them. I wanted to take this woman to my bed and keep her there for a while. It was always me who cautioned her about being friends with them, because it was bad for keeping up her image, and the family image. I couldn’t just eat my own words and pursue this woman.

How long would I be able to hold out though? The more I got to know about Laura, even if it was only in bits and pieces in our short, impersonal encounters, it only fueled my desire for more. As odd as it felt, I was really growing to like her, considering my eyes always looked toward her, and I had no idea when I’d even started doing it. I just realized one day, that when I had my room cleaned and she was among the maids doing the cleaning, my gaze always found her.

I knew she was a bit older than me, but age was just a number, right?