Chapter 5

Brendon

This is a bad idea.

No, this is a horrible idea.

Variations of the thought spun wildly around my brain as I drove to the hotel. I couldn't believe I was going to a brothel based on Peter's recommendation. This was normally the last thing I'd do. Was I that bored that I was willing to do something this crazy just to fill the hours.

The restlessness that had been sinking into my bones for the past couple of years seemed to have reached its peak, though I was beginning to wonder if this was only the beginning. Who knew if my foray into the underworld would lead to some sort of addiction to prostitutes. My family would love that. Just another reason they'd want to keep me from sitting at the big table with the rest of the adults.

The hotel had underground parking, at least. That was always a bonus in the city. I locked my car and headed for the elevator, surprised to find when I reached the lobby that it was actually quite a nice place. The globe ceiling of the lobby hung with a plain but pretty glass chandelier, and every surface glowed in the flickering lamplight.

I walked reluctantly toward the girl at the front desk. She had long auburn hair and big, pretty brown eyes. Her face was bright pink, and when she saw me her eyes bugged and she swallowed nervously.

"Hello, and welcome to the Fox," she said. "How may I assist you?"

I reached in my pocket for the envelope of cash, remembering Peter's instructions. All I had to do was give her the money.

Her eyes bugged even further, if that was possible, when she saw me remove the envelope and slide it toward her.

"Oh, right. Sure. One second." She ducked below the counter, and I got the distinct impression that it was this girl's first day or something.

She popped back up a second later, shakily handing me a key card. "Uh, here you go."

I went to reach for it, and she pulled it back.

"Wait...I think I might've..." She ducked down again, only to pop back up with a wincing smile. "No, it's good. Here you go."

I took the keycard from her, and she smiled with a courteous nod. "The elevator is right over there."

I saluted and headed toward the elevator, rolling my eyes. The card had only a floor and room number. Floor ten. Room 69.

Room 69? Really? Could this place be more obviously a brothel? I supposed it was probably part of the fantasy, but this was all new to me. I tucked the key in my pocket for now.

The elevator doors whooshed open a minute later, and I strode out into the hallway with a sense of purpose. Unfortunately, a beautiful woman with auburn hair holding a bucket of ice was also striding with a sense of purpose, and I crashed into her with my full weight. She went tumbling to the ground, ice spilling all over the dark carpet.

"I'm so sorry," I said, kneeling to help her up.

The girl blinked up at me with emerald green eyes, and rose to her elbows.

"Holy shit, are you made out of stone?" she asked. "I feel like I just ran into a wall."

I chuckled, offering her my hand. She shook her head and turned over to her hands and knees, picking up the ice and tossing it back into her bucket.

"I hope you're not still going to use that," I joked, grabbing a few handfuls myself. I couldn't help but stare at her perfectly formed jean-clad ass. She turned to look back at me, a blanket of corn silk falling over her face.

"No, I'll have to get new ice, obviously. I just don't want to make a mess."

"It's just ice," I said, tossing some in the bucket. "It'll melt you know."

The girl turned around and sat back on her heels to grab the rest of the ice. It wasn’t just her ass that was stunning. She was just stunning, period. She had a perfect little cupid’s bow mouth and high, diamond cut cheekbones. Her button nose and big green eyes, combined with her elegant stature, made her look a little bit like a fairy.

"Yeah and then it'll melt and make a big wet spot. And then someone will step on that wet spot with their dirty shoes and it'll become a muddy spot."

"Okay, okay," I said, scooping up a handful of ice and tossing it into her bucket. "Point taken."

We finished scooping up the ice together. Her, with a self-satisfactory little smirk that made my cock take notice. Me, trying not to be obvious about how much I was staring at her.

When she finally finished piling up the ice, the girl straightened and rose.

"What's your name?" I asked, not wanting to let her walk away.

She narrowed her eyes at me, obviously contemplating whether to tell me or not. Finally, having made up her mind, she spoke. "Aurora."

"Aurora?" I said, savoring the word like a sweet treat. "That's a pretty name. Unusual, though."

She shrugged. "My mom loved Sleeping Beauty. What's yours?"

"Brendon."

Aurora and I both had wet hands from the ice. I brushed mine over my suit and held it out for her. She followed my motion and took my hand, but instead of shaking it I pulled it to my lips and kissed her knuckles. I wasn't usually the type to participate in such old-fashioned displays, but there was something about her that made me want to charm her. Plus, it's not every day you meet a Disney princess.

"What's the ice for?" I asked. "Have you got a bottle of champagne waiting to be popped?"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid it's nothing quite so exciting. I just wanted a frosty glass of water."

"Ah, I see." I winked. "You're one of those party girls."

"Oh yeah. I'm all about those parties," she said in a dry tone. "I go crazy on the H20 every Friday night."

"I knew it the second I first saw you," I teased. "I said to myself, Brendon, I don't care how beautiful that girl is, she looks like trouble."

Aurora blushed and looked down at the bucket in her hands, as if she wished she could stick her face in it. When she looked back at me, her eyes had filled with warmth and humor.

"And what about you? Is it your custom to knock over girls in hotel hallways with your rock-hard abs?"

"I'm actually wearing a lead vest under here." I tapped my chest demonstratively. "I've found it's much more effective. You get a better bounce back this way."

She laughed, and it was somewhere between a giggle and a snort. It was a laugh that put a smile on my face, and probably would every time I thought about it.

Maybe I didn't need to go to room 69 at all. Maybe I could just cut my losses with the five grand and hang out with this chick instead. Why would I want to sleep with a prostitute when I had the chance to have a drink with Aurora? Hell, possibly even more. The air between us was charged with electricity and sexual tension, and I could tell she was curious to see if my abs really were as hard as she thought.

They were, of course. I didn't spend hours at the gym each week is I could carry around a flabby belly like my brother Avery. He thought I was crazy for taking so many kickboxing and mixed martial arts classes, but there was no better way to hone your body into that of a prize fighter than fighting.

"You're a funny guy, Brendon," she said. "And you're actually the first person I've met in New York apart from the hotel staff. You're probably not from around here though, are you?"

The question in her eyes was almost pleading. She didn't want me to be from somewhere else any more than I would have wanted to find out she came from Atlanta. There was something about this girl that made my chest thump.

"Actually I am," I said. "I had some business in the hotel with a friend who's staying here."

The lie fell easily from my tongue. I couldn't very well tell her that I'd come to see an escort but had decided my time would be better spent with her. Neither she nor anyone else would ever know why I came here tonight. Except Peter, of course, but he could always be relied upon for his discretion. He wouldn't survive in his family if that weren't the case.

"How fortuitous," Aurora said with a big smile. "I thought New Yorkers were supposed to be rude and mean."

"I'm just setting you up for disappointment then," I replied. "It's a city of rough edges, though the people are good underneath it all. At least most of them are."

"I'm sure I'll figure it out," she said. "Though there's nothing more stereotypical than a small-town girl moving to the big city and realizing that she's in over her head. I had that moment earlier today in a big way. This place is insane."

"It can be," I said. "You just need to find a big strong New Yorker to help clear your path."

"Why would I want that?" she asked, grinning. "Clearing my own path is half the fun."

Who was this girl and where had she come from? I'd definitely lost all thoughts of the prostitute waiting for me in room 69. I was all about Aurora, and it seemed like she was all about me too.

"This ice is melting," Aurora said, staring down into the bucket. "I'm going to have to toss it into the sink in my room and then run out for more. Would you like to join me?" She smiled hopefully. "I'm just down the hall. Room 69."

My heart dropped like a stone into my gut. The girl at the front desk must've warned Aurora that I was coming up. Maybe they had some sort of first time special where the girl flirted and made you feel at ease with her first before any of the action started.

Fuck. How could I have been so stupid?

Of course a girl like her would be too good to be true. I mean, her name was Aurora for Christ's sake. What was I expecting?

"Room 69, huh?" I mused aloud.

This turn of events didn't have to be a bad thing. Sure, she wasn't the sweet, innocent girl I’d thought she was, but she was still beautiful and charming. I still wanted her, so much so that my cock was firm and tingling in my pants. I'd paid my money downstairs. Why not have a little fun while I was here?

Aurora was talking throughout my contemplation, something about the strange room number. "...feel like a total weirdo staying in a room that's a sex position but what can you do, right? I mean—"

I didn't let her finish. My mouth had covered hers before she even realized what had happened, and she tasted delicious. I groaned against her lips, tugging her tight against my body with my hands gripped firmly on her hips.

Aurora at least pretended to be surprised. She gasped, but was soon kissing me back with equal enthusiasm. The bucket of ice fell to the floor, spilling all over the carpet. Neither of us made a move to retrieve it.