Player in Paradise Read Online Free Page A
Author: Rebecca Lewis
dinner on the beach, and I’ll be with the rest of the team at a table close by.
There’s a knock on the door…the adjoining door. I glance in the mirror t o make sure I look presentable. Hair’s in place, makeup is good, dress is a little wrinkly, but it will do.
“Who is it?” I joke, opening the door.
“Does this look alright? I’m having a hard time without my stylist here.” He stands in front of me waiting for my opinion on his loose khaki pants, white button-down shirt and brown leather sandals. His wavy locks are perfectly tousled and his five o’clock shadow is beginning to show. He actually looks like he just stepped out of a J. Crew catalogue.
“You look great,” I manage to sputter out.
“Thanks.”
I twirl my hair around my finger, trying to think of something else to say. “Have a nice dinner.”
“I’ll try.” He grabs the door handle. “See you later.”
During dinner I count the number of beers that Austin consumes. Only three, thank goodness. After they finish with their meal, he stops by our table. “Anyone up for a drink at the Tiki bar?”
“Austin, that’s not a good idea. Let’s just call it a night,” I say.
“Well, I’m going to the bar.” He stalks off before anyone else can respond.
I follow him through the restaurant to the p ool area and grab the seat next to him. “Fine, one drink.”
Yes, I caved, but I can’t physically force his stubborn ass back to his room, although I’d like to.
“She’ll have a sex on the beach,” he shouts to the bartender.
“Oh really?” I ask, slightly embarrassed.
“Yes, ” he turns to me and winks. “That’s exactly what I think you need.”
The bartender slides me the drink and I sip it slowly, avoiding any further eye contact. “We have an early morning tomorrow,” I remind him.
“I h ate early mornings,” he announces.
“Me too.” I chew on my straw. The drink is strong and I’m already feeling the effect of the vodka in my system.
“So then why did you schedule something early?” He maneuvers his head to look me straight in the eye as he asks the question.
I quickly stare back down at my drink. “The earlier the photographers get pictures of you having fun with Cassidy the better.”
“Everything’s about wo rk with you, isn’t it?”
I sip my cocktai l fervently as he grills me.
“Austin, my job is to keep you on the radar. If you don’t want to be a celebrity any more, then you don’t have to do any of this.”
He shrugs and orders a shot of tequila.
I swivel to face him. “I said one drink.”
“One drink for you, many drinks for me.”
“You’re bad.”
“The baddest,” he says, with a devilish smile.
I shake my head, laughing. “You’re going to get m e fired, you know that, right?” I’m joking, but I’m also afraid that it’s the truth.
He grabs my hand suddenly. “I won’t let that happen, trust me.”
No, no, no – the skin touching skin thing – that can’t happen. That will only lead to other bad decisions that I can’t afford to make. I quickly release my hand from his grip. “Ok, you’re leaving the bar now.”
“But we’re just getting to know each other,” he says, grasping for my hand again.
I lean back out of his reach. “No, you’re drunk. And we have all week to get to know each other.”
He pouts, but I stand up and try to pull him off his bar stool. Thankfully he follows my lead and slings his arm around me as we struggle to walk back inside the hotel. We’re almost at the elevator when a pair of scantily-clad women stroll up to us.
“We’ll take him off your hands,” one of them says. “ Come join us at the club across the street.”
I can feel him about to jump ship so I wrap my arm around his waist, pulling him closer to my body. “He’s with me.”
“Your loss,” the skank says, shooting me a nasty look before her and her friend walk away.
“I’m with you now?” Austin asks, raising one eyebrow.
“No, but if
There’s a knock on the door…the adjoining door. I glance in the mirror t o make sure I look presentable. Hair’s in place, makeup is good, dress is a little wrinkly, but it will do.
“Who is it?” I joke, opening the door.
“Does this look alright? I’m having a hard time without my stylist here.” He stands in front of me waiting for my opinion on his loose khaki pants, white button-down shirt and brown leather sandals. His wavy locks are perfectly tousled and his five o’clock shadow is beginning to show. He actually looks like he just stepped out of a J. Crew catalogue.
“You look great,” I manage to sputter out.
“Thanks.”
I twirl my hair around my finger, trying to think of something else to say. “Have a nice dinner.”
“I’ll try.” He grabs the door handle. “See you later.”
During dinner I count the number of beers that Austin consumes. Only three, thank goodness. After they finish with their meal, he stops by our table. “Anyone up for a drink at the Tiki bar?”
“Austin, that’s not a good idea. Let’s just call it a night,” I say.
“Well, I’m going to the bar.” He stalks off before anyone else can respond.
I follow him through the restaurant to the p ool area and grab the seat next to him. “Fine, one drink.”
Yes, I caved, but I can’t physically force his stubborn ass back to his room, although I’d like to.
“She’ll have a sex on the beach,” he shouts to the bartender.
“Oh really?” I ask, slightly embarrassed.
“Yes, ” he turns to me and winks. “That’s exactly what I think you need.”
The bartender slides me the drink and I sip it slowly, avoiding any further eye contact. “We have an early morning tomorrow,” I remind him.
“I h ate early mornings,” he announces.
“Me too.” I chew on my straw. The drink is strong and I’m already feeling the effect of the vodka in my system.
“So then why did you schedule something early?” He maneuvers his head to look me straight in the eye as he asks the question.
I quickly stare back down at my drink. “The earlier the photographers get pictures of you having fun with Cassidy the better.”
“Everything’s about wo rk with you, isn’t it?”
I sip my cocktai l fervently as he grills me.
“Austin, my job is to keep you on the radar. If you don’t want to be a celebrity any more, then you don’t have to do any of this.”
He shrugs and orders a shot of tequila.
I swivel to face him. “I said one drink.”
“One drink for you, many drinks for me.”
“You’re bad.”
“The baddest,” he says, with a devilish smile.
I shake my head, laughing. “You’re going to get m e fired, you know that, right?” I’m joking, but I’m also afraid that it’s the truth.
He grabs my hand suddenly. “I won’t let that happen, trust me.”
No, no, no – the skin touching skin thing – that can’t happen. That will only lead to other bad decisions that I can’t afford to make. I quickly release my hand from his grip. “Ok, you’re leaving the bar now.”
“But we’re just getting to know each other,” he says, grasping for my hand again.
I lean back out of his reach. “No, you’re drunk. And we have all week to get to know each other.”
He pouts, but I stand up and try to pull him off his bar stool. Thankfully he follows my lead and slings his arm around me as we struggle to walk back inside the hotel. We’re almost at the elevator when a pair of scantily-clad women stroll up to us.
“We’ll take him off your hands,” one of them says. “ Come join us at the club across the street.”
I can feel him about to jump ship so I wrap my arm around his waist, pulling him closer to my body. “He’s with me.”
“Your loss,” the skank says, shooting me a nasty look before her and her friend walk away.
“I’m with you now?” Austin asks, raising one eyebrow.
“No, but if