Chapter 2
“Look, it’s not that I don’t want to visit a hospital full of sick kids, but what if they get me sick or something?”
Mark could practically hear his manager roll his eyes. “You’re being paranoid, Mark. Besides, we need to do a little rebranding because your image has taken quite a hit after that fiasco with the Harley.”
Mark grunted as he began to stretch his muscles. “I already told you what happened. I was on my Harley smoothing out, and this woman comes up to me and asks me for a ride, I’m a warm blooded man, and she was hot as hell, why would I say no?”
“Because her boyfriend would start pummeling you, and it would end up all over the internet?” His manager offered sarcastically.
“Thanks Rob, as if I didn’t know what the outcome was, but how was I supposed to know she had a boyfriend? She came up to me.”
“Well, I’ll agree to that, but you couldn’t just walk away when he started trying to bait you?”
Mark bent down to touch his toes, and he let out a deep breath. “I suppose I could’ve, but really, the guy was asking for it.”
Rob sighed on the other end of the line, and Mark could picture him fumbling around for a cigarette in his pocket. In fact, Mark had a feeling Rob wasn’t a smoker until he met Mark. Managing him was a lot more stressful than he thought, and this was his way of venting.
Mark actually did like the guy, he wasn’t trying to make his life harder, he just hated the press; especially when they stuck their nose in places where it didn’t belong.
Mark knew he had a reputation, and wearing leather jackets, driving a Harley and having multiple tattoos put him in that stereotype, and he didn’t care one bit.
It meant he could get away with a lot of stuff he’d otherwise be busted for.
Besides, it wasn’t like he lied about who he was. He never did. Mark made it a point to never lie.
“Anyway, look, just go to this hospital on 9th street, they’ll let you in through the back, the press will get an anonymous tip, shake a few hands, kiss a few babies, and we’re home free. Who knows? You might even care about these kids.”
“Is that wishful thinking or a PR thing?”
Rob chuckled, a deep resigned sort of laugh that seemed to say ‘what am I going to do with you,’ “Just don’t be late.”
He clicked the phone shut, and Mark stared at his phone for a minute before he placed it back in his gym bag. He began to work out, but he kept his eye out for the pretty brunette-Laurel-from the other night.
If he was going to get through today then maybe he could break that rule just once.
After all, she didn’t seem to mind that he didn’t take her out, nor was he planning to. Mark bent down to his tie his shoe laces and froze in his place when a soft voice said, “Nice view.”
Mark had a retort ready, but when he looked up, he found himself staring straight at a pair of breasts that immediately had him thinking of other things.
Mark immediately dusted off his shorts, slowly stood up and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I could say the same of you,” he responded smoothly, he watched as the blonde raised an eyebrow at his comment, making no effort to mask her interest in him.
Mark took his time studying the blonde who was almost as tall as him. She wasn’t really his type with her average waist, and small ass, but those breasts. He found his eyes gravitating towards them, and the blonde could see that. She pretended to be stretching, so she could push them closer together, and Mark found himself wondering if she’d let him do that.
“I’ve seen you before.”
“Been to one of the games, have you?” Mark asked conversationally as he bent down to do a squat. He noticed the way her eyes lingered on his ass, and he looked at her over his shoulder, and their eyes met head on, each making their intentions clear.
“You play a good game, you have very deft hands.”
Mark chuckled at the word before he stood up. “Deft, huh? Well, my hands can do other things too.”
The blonde eyed his hands appreciatively before she let her gaze travel over his body. “Oh, I bet they can. Mine can too.”
She gave him a slow wink, and Mark knew that he’d met his match in this field.
This was definitely going to be interesting.
“I do believe that sounds like a bet-” He paused. “What’s your name?”
“Justine, and yes Mark, it is.”
Mark licked his lips, feeling very much turned on by her boldness. He took a quick peak at his watch and realized that he had plenty of time for a quick round, or three, or four.
He began to retrace his steps just like the other day, and the manager didn’t even blink when he saw a different woman standing next to him this time.
He rushed her down the hallway and locked the door.
“So what are the terms of the bet?” Justine asked as Mark shut the door. Justine sat on the edge of the jacuzzi and opened her legs just a bit.
Mark strode towards her purposefully and gently nudged her legs aside, so he was standing in between them, pressed up against her.
“The terms of the bet,” he breathed against her neck as he placed a feather light kiss there, “is to make the other person beg for it.”
Justine’s brown eyes connected with his, and she placed her hand on top of his shorts and gently stroked. “I think I understand. Any rules?”
“None,” Mark responded swiftly as he helped her out of her shirt.
***
Mark cursed as he sped down the hallway, knowing Rob was probably going to kill him for being late, but he couldn’t help it. Justine had been quite the pistol, and they had just finished with round 4 by the time Mark had realized that he was late.
He began a stream of curse words as he ran around the room grabbing his stuff before he quickly ushered her out. He dropped the keys off with the manager and gave Justine a quick wink before he flew out the door.
He skidded to a halt in front of the hospital and switched off the ignition as he reached in the bag for his baseball cap and sunglasses. He slipped on his leather jacket and put on his disguise which frankly wasn’t much of one, but it was the best they could do. He looked left and right before making his way to the back door.
He knocked twice before the door opened. He took off his glasses, so the person could see him, and they wordlessly let him through.
The nurse who had opened the door for him led him brusquely down a dimly lit fluorescent hallway, and Mark found himself wondering why hospitals had an odd pungent sort of smell that clung to the walls. They made a series of turns, the nurse never once stopping to make sure that he was keeping up. He got the sense that this nurse didn’t like him very much.
The nurse finally stopped in front of the children’s ward. He took out what looked like a pager and pressed a button.
“Dr. McAndrews will be here shortly,” the nurse announced. Mark had his nose pressed against the glass as he took in the sight of all those children lying on their beds looking very miserable.
He felt a deep aching sadness. Kids shouldn’t be locked up inside a room; they should be outside playing, screaming, running around and just living.
He tried to shake off the feeling because he knew that this was a PR stunt, but suddenly he felt like he didn’t want it to be. He just wanted to go in there and make those kids smile.
“Nurse Russ, I’ll take it from here,” a smooth voice announced a while later. Mark ignored the voice thinking it was probably some snooty doctor who would look down at him for choosing to be an athlete and waste their time while they were busy saving lives. Most doctors had a superiority complex.
He heard the sounds of receding footsteps, so he figured he’d better turn around and acknowledge the doctors presence, lest have Rob hammer into him about being rude…again.
He turned around fully prepared to get a holier than thou lecture, but he was stunned speechless when he took in the sight of Jenny standing in front of him writing on a clipboard.