Chapter 3

• A demanding flurry of knocks at the door followed a few seconds later.
• Anders approached it nude and pulled it open, unafraid and unconcerned with his nakedness.
• Blair raised herself up on her elbows and listened intently.
• "We've had reports of a fight, sir."
• "No, not a fight, just fucking my old lady." We had a rare night away from the kids, as you know." Anders sighed. "Chance to release the tension, stop muffling her screams of pleasure beneath the duvet."
• There was a momentary silence. "I'm pleased you're enjoying your stay at Regency, but please remember we have other guests."
• "Don't worry, the wife is knackered; multiple orgasms do that to a woman." I'm going to put her down for a few hours now."
• A throat clearing occurred. "Okay. Thank you very much, sir. "Good evening."
• The door slammed shut.
• When Anders returned to the room, he slid into the bed and gripped her tightly. He placed a soft kiss on her brow, which contrasted with the way he'd made her ass hurt.
• "You got rid of hotel security fast."
• "What else could the guy say?" Anders laughed. "I told him you were thoroughly satisfied, my job was done."
• "Cocky but true."
• "Seriously, though, you gotta be careful," he went on to say. "I'm waking up like this. Not every man has good intentions."
• "You think what we just did was wholesome?" She took a glance at his profile. On his face, shadows swirled. "You just poked your thumb where the sun doesn't shine, and my ass cheeks hurt like hell."
• "You deserved a spank."
• "Why?"
• "For taking chances. You should reconsider hooking up with a random guy next weekend. You may receive more than a few smacks."
• "Maybe I liked you giving me a spanking."
• He sighed. "That wasn't a spanking by any means. If you truly irritated me and had me worried about you, a spanking from me would mean you wouldn't sit down for a week. Your ass would feel stung by a hundred bees. It had been licked by real flames."
• Blair remained silent. His comments appeared to fill the room like another presence pushing in, and then there was quiet as if they were testing something fragile between them.
• "If you were mine," he said nearly inaudibly but menacingly, "and a spanking was in order, you'd be over my knee, bare buttocks in the air, and I wouldn't stop until you were humiliated, disgraced, and pleading for mercy." Until you'd learned your lesson and I was confident you'd never disrespect me again." He took a breather. "That is if you were mine."
• ************************
• "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Blair looked at the digital clock next to the motel bed. How in the world had she slept till lunchtime? And today, of all days, it's lunchtime.
• Her mother would be outraged, and she was typically dissatisfied with Blair.
• "Ah good, you're awake." Anders stood in front of her. He was dressed nicely, almost as if he had re-ironed his shirt and trousers. A lingering aroma of hotel shower gel and shampoo was too soapy and pine-scented. "Check-out time is 12 p.m. You have two minutes."
• "Why didn't you wake me?" She sprang out of bed nude.
• "Figured you'd need the rest after that early morning orgasm." He took his phone and wallet out of his pockets and slid them into his pockets. "Orgasm number four if I'm correct."
• She grabbed up her trousers, stooping. "Oh bloody hell." They were torn and useless. "Thanks for that." She hurled them in the direction of the trash can. They only landed on half of it.
• "I did warn you."
• She grumbled and grabbed her bra, frantically putting it on, and then looking for her shirt.
• "I need to go," he added as he tapped his watch. "Got somewhere to be."
• "Oh yeah?" She pressed her arms against her shirt and looked in the mirror. She sighed. Her hair was in that 'well and completely screwed' look she wore on Sunday mornings.
• "Yeah, so I'll see you around." He motioned to the door.
• "Whatever." What had happened to her trousers? She coughed as she searched farther.
• "Blair."
• They were crushed by the full-length mirror, I saw. She dashed around the bed, grabbing them.
• "Blair." His voice was deep and resonant.
• "What?" She grimaced at him and fumbled her hands to turn her trousers the proper way up.
• "I mean it, don't get your kicks with strangers." You're a great girl, gorgeous, and a fucking wildcat in bed, and I have the wounds to prove it." He pulled a face over his right shoulder. "I'm sure you could have any guy you choose, a long-term relationship wouldn't be a bad thing." His black brows furrowed. "Would it?"
• "Why? "What do you have to offer?"
• "Er…no." He'd obviously talked rapidly.
• "My point exactly."
• "I don't mean..."It has nothing to do with my job and—"
• "I enjoy one-night stands as well. Guys want to fuck, and females like to fuck; we like to fuck, too, you know."
• "I understand. For the record, you're a fantastic fuck."
• "Gee, thanks for the compliment."
• He groaned and moved passed her to the door. "I'm just saying be careful, okay, maybe get in the habit of telling someone you trust where you're gonna be and what time you'll be home."
• "Who are you?" "What about my bloody mother?" She wriggled her way into her trousers. "Who, by the way, is only going to add to my hangover because I have to go and see her now."
• He pushed open the door. "You're fortunate to be visiting relatives. For the time being, I'll have to say goodbye to mine."
• "You have?"
• "Yeah, this work thing." He motioned for her to exit the room.
• She grimaced, grabbed her shoes, phone, and pocketbook, and strolled into the carpeted corridor barefoot. "Security job, right?"
• "Right."
• Blair entered her flat. She was assaulted by the musty odour of mould. The landlord was a pain in the a$$ about fixing the roof. The area was quickly becoming uninhabitable. No wonder she woke up with a cough most mornings and the clothing in the back of the closet needed to be washed before and after she wore them.
• She stripped undressed and padded to the toilet after putting her keys into a bowl purchased in Benidorm the previous year. The music banged over her. Her neighbours lovneighborst their Sundays early, which gave her another incentive to locate a Saturday night connection and remain out.
• She looked in the mirror. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but nothing a couple of coffees couldn't remedy, and her knotted hair needed to be coaxed out. She sighed when she noticed a bruised purple hickey on the right side of her neck. When her mother saw it, she would roll her eyes and mumble.
• "Damn." Blair braced herself and stepped into the shower—it was always chilly these days, and she had no clue why. But it did mean she wouldn't linger, and time was running out.