Aria was the first to admit her big mouth had gotten her into plenty of trouble over the years. It was in fact what landed her in this job in the first place. But today might be a new record. Bitching openly about her job to a guest at the resort was grounds for immediate reprimanding. Something that would completely ruin her.

Now as she stood in his hotel room, the man who could easily get her punished was looking at her with blazing green eyes, full of expectation. He’d been arrogant, demanding, and dismissive. But she couldn’t ignore the fact that he also happened to be well-built, powerful and gorgeous. She’d noticed it when he joined her the first time to flip the couch over but had written it off as just another sap who’d been pulled into a job he didn’t realize would be hell on earth. Sure he was good looking and must work out a ton, but she didn’t have time for any kind of nonsense.

Now the tables had turned. He was a man who had the means to secure himself the presidential suite. His steely glances weren’t some misplaced confidence he hadn’t earned. It was likely that he was a successful rich man who now wanted to play some kind of game with her. She’d be a toy he’d use up and throw away as it pleased him. If nothing else this job had made her keenly aware of how people with money saw someone like her. If they bothered to look at all.

Even knowing the chasm between their circumstances, it was impossible to ignore the draw she felt toward him. When her hand rested on his bicep after he flipped that couch, she could feel the tightness of his muscle against her skin. She buzzed with the idea of slamming that door shut and making use of the couch he’d turned right side up. If he could move furniture that effortlessly, just think what he could do to her.

Shaking off the images she tried to focus back on the problem at hand. Her job, her future, was in the balance and he was the one with the control. Aria would have to forget the tingling pulsing through her body and deal with the risk he truly posed.

“So tell me more,” he said as he made his way over to the wide selection of Scotch and poured some into the glasses she’d regularly had to replace. She’d been in this room plenty of times but never with a guest. Never with a man she couldn’t stop drinking in and picturing in very compromising ways. Would he strip her down by the piano? Would they linger in the enormous walk in shower? Her thoughts derailed as he kept ruining things by speaking. “How long have you been working here?”

“What’s your angle?” she asked, eyeing him skeptically. “How do I know this isn’t going to come back to bite me? This is my life we’re talking about.”

“I give you my word,” Monroe said, raising his fingers up, implying Scout’s Honor was somehow binding. He smirked when she rolled her eyes. Damn he had that smirk down perfectly. Women must have been lining up to fall for his very convincing act.

“I’ll need a little more than that,” she scoffed, fighting to keep her cheeks from burning red every time their eyes met. “I don’t know you, but you’re expecting me to unearth something much bigger than me and my job. I’m not ready for that. I want to see more of who you are first. The real you. Not these cute little smirks and sly remarks.”

“Should I start stripping?” Monroe asked, his fingers wrestling with the top button of the uniform shirt. “This uniform is like sandpaper. I’ll be happy to get out of it and show you all of me if that helps.”

Her mouth went dry at the thought of him shedding all of his clothes. Mustering a rebuttal, she tipped her chin back confidently. “You’ve seen one you’ve seen them all,” Aria dismissed, pretending to be unimpressed by the width of his shoulders and the way his biceps fought against the snug uniform shirt. “I’m a very good judge of character. If I spend enough time around you, I’ll know if I can trust you.”

“I’m pretty good at my job too, and while you seem to be the easiest route to get what I need, you certainly aren’t the only one.” His arms were folded across his chest now, and a smug smile crept over his lips. As much as she wished this had never happened, she wasn’t entirely ready to walk out of here either. Being with him in here made her feel almost human again. Nearly worthy of the conversation they were having.

“Fair enough.” Aria shrugged, making her way out, praying he’d stop her. “I’d like to say it was nice meeting you, but I think lying is an awful habit.”

Aria had ignored plenty of lessons in her life. She’d turned her nose up to good advice. One thing she’d learned: nothing was more enticing to a man than the woman who left him. The one who got away had an allure that couldn’t be ignored. All she had to hang on to was the hope that would ring true in this moment.

“Really?” Monroe asked, a shocked urgency in his voice as she passed. “You have no idea who I am or what you might be walking away from.”

“Or what I might be walking into,” she countered, glad to be the one wearing the smug grin now. “You’re making my point. I have this process for figuring people out. It’s foolproof. I’ve been tricked, lied to, and taken advantage of. I found a way to identify who is most likely to do that to me again. But it’s not something I can do on the spot.”

“Some kind of formula? A math equation to know if someone is good or bad?” Monroe mocked, but Aria didn’t falter. She knew what she was doing and she knew it worked. For the past few years it was the only way to protect herself here and she wouldn’t abandon that now.

“Exactly. You can either stick around long enough for me to figure out if I trust you, or you can deal with someone else. I don’t have time to stand around and be mocked though, so if you’ll excuse me.”

“It’s a big resort.” Monroe shrugged, but his face still showed concern. “I’m sure I can do what I came to do without your help.”

“Then I would keep that itchy uniform on. You’re underestimating the reality of fear. If you hadn’t been parading around in that uniform, there’s no way I’d have said anything to you. You can expect everyone else here will do the same.”

“I wasn’t parading,” Monroe cut back, furrowing his brows. “Trust me, I didn’t ask for a tray of food to get dumped on me.”

“I have to go.” Aria sighed. “Have a good night. Enjoy your stay, and if you need anything at all, just call. We’re always on duty.” She practically sashayed out of the room and down the hallway. It wasn’t about leaving; it was about making an exit.

As she made her way toward the back of the property where her bunk was, Aria half expected him to come racing up behind her. But Monroe was clearly a strategic man. He had the forethought not to correct her when she thought he was a new staff member and wanted her to talk freely to him. But he’d come. One way or another he’d show up and play by her rules.