Maid for the Rock Star(18)

The matron launched into a long list of things Audra had to watch out for. It was Jason's second time hearing the lecture, so his eyes glazed over only a few seconds in. He hoped Audra had a better memory than he did. Not to mention a longer attention span. He wondered whether she'd be as good in bed as in his fantasies. He couldn't wait to find out. He found his mind drifting back to the present at the sound of Audra's voice.

"Drowsiness, blackouts, pain, numbness, seizures, nausea, discharge, fever...all pretty standard. Believe me, I've been on medical watch before."

She had? Jason made a note to ask her about it. Or maybe she didn't want to talk about it. He definitely didn't want to talk about his accident. Mistaking the policewoman for an angel...

The matron opened her mouth to say something else, but Jason had had enough.

"Everyone done talking about my health as if my gorgeous body isn't standing here in front of you?" He waved a hand to indicate the perfect physical specimen under discussion. "Because I'm taking my fine arse back to my hotel."

Audra tried to withdraw her hand, but he tightened his fingers around hers. For all his bravado, he hurt like hell and all he wanted was to get the fuck out of there. And they weren't going to let him go without her. He heard her sigh and her hand relaxed again.

The pilot grinned and held the door open. Just as Jason stepped through, he heard the police inspector call, "Stay out of trouble now."

Every cell in Jason's body wanted to flip the cop the finger and tell him to get fucked, but he didn't have the energy. Instead, he hunched his shoulders and followed Audra and the pilot out to the helicopter. They paused at the door, but he just kept going, climbing into the cockpit and sinking into one of the seats before he slumped against the glass bubble between him and the world outside. "For fuck's sake, get me out of here."

Something landed in his lap as Audra took the seat beside him. "You need a lifejacket." She tapped the yellow pack fastened to a belt around her waist, then jerked her thumb at the pack in his lap.

He thought about not bothering, but she just sat there, looking expectantly at him until he finally gave in and clipped the belt around his bare abs. He grinned when he realised that her eyes had stayed on his muscles. "Like what you see? You can touch them, if you like."

Audra shook her head. "Those bruises must hurt like hell. You really took a beating. By the look of it, you're lucky to be alive. Were you even wearing a seatbelt?"

"Yes," he snapped. "Yes, I was wearing a seatbelt, and no, I wasn't speeding. A fucking huge cow came right at me out of nowhere and it was swerve or die. I like living. But I clipped another car and then rolled mine, so I got all banged up. Not in a good way, either. Woke up in hospital. Don't want to talk about it unless that matron's been arrested." He clamped his mouth shut.

"All right."

Her reply took him by surprise. Any other girl would be berating him for being stupid, asking more questions or cooing over his hurts. No wonder she was special enough for him to remember her name.

He reached for her hand again. "Thank you, Audra. Like I said, I owe you."

She nodded. "Shou? Can we lift off, please? Mr Felix needs rest and the sooner we get him back to the hotel, the better."





TWENTY-NINE



Audra settled Jay on one of the couches in the foyer. He'd found a pair of sunglasses in the helicopter and the mirrored lenses lent an air of mystery to the man as they hid his eyes and his soul from public view. He seemed to straighten from his exhausted slump as he noticed everyone's eyes on him. Well, if Audra didn't have other things to worry about, she'd certainly spare more than a glance at Jay Felix wearing nothing but a pair of board shorts, ripped abdominal muscles guiding the eye downward to a tempting trail of hair leading into those shorts, hinting at the impressive package they concealed. The last of the glowing evening light darkened shadows and gave a rosy glow to the ripples of muscle, making him look even more impressive, while hiding some of the bruising. She felt an overwhelming urge to lick something.

"I need to speak to my supervisor about my schedule, Mr Felix. Maybe – " Audra scanned the foyer and thanked whatever deity favoured her as Hana walked in. " – Hana, could you walk with Mr Felix back to his villa? You don't need to wait for me. I'll see you back at Villa Maxima."

Hana flashed an impish smile and greeted Jay. "Welcome to Romance Island Resort, Mr Felix. Have you come for some snorkelling and diving? Heli-fishing? Once you've met some of the resort sealife, you'll never want to holiday anywhere else again."

Jay's mirrored lenses turned to Hana and Audra breathed a sigh of relief. She hurried out of Reception to the corridor of offices behind it. She prayed her luck would hold and it did – Annette still sat in her office.

Annette greeted her with a smile. "How'd it go? Everything taken care of?" When Audra stared in puzzlement, Annette explained, "Heloise told me one of the VIPs requested maid service on the mainland and sent a helicopter for you." She rubbed her hands together. "Nice work. He'll pay a premium for that. He even requested you by name, Heloise said. We'll have to keep you on in the wet season if the VIPs like you that much. How was your first helicopter flight?"

"Wonderful," Audra admitted. "I only wish it'd been for longer."

"See if you can persuade the guests to charter a helicopter for a day trip with catering. The price includes a member of staff to take care of the catering and you get first preference if you made the guest's booking." Annette winked. "So, is everything taken care of to your guest's satisfaction? I have you rostered for two days off, I think." She scanned the roster sheet and nodded.

Audra swallowed. "About that. The guest was hospitalised and released early on the condition that someone keep him under observation for two days. Forty-eight hours."

"Perfect, then. You'll have no other duties for the next two days, so he's all yours." Annette rose. "Are you coming to dinner now?"

Her job application. Scrubbing toilets for another year while her degree went to waste? Audra felt her whole life slipping through her fingers. "But...my days off..."

"Postpone them. After the two days playing nurse, then you can have your time off." Annette eyed her. "I expect flexibility in my permanent staff, especially those who have to cater to the whims of the VIPs in the Pearls."

Audra's heart sank and she nodded silently. The deadline was four days away – even if her days off were delayed, she'd still get the job application in on time. Next year, she'd be reading rain gauges, not cleaning rosters. All she had to do was last forty-eight hours as a self-proclaimed rock god's babysitter. How hard could it be?





THIRTY



Pressing her lips together to stop herself from swearing where guests could hear her, Audra hurried to the staff accommodation to collect some clothes for her stay in Maxima. Her first stop was the laundry room for fresh uniforms. She found Pamela struggling alone with the laundry trolleys and moved to help.

"Where's Penny?" Audra grunted as she shoved at an overloaded trolley. It looked like there was twice as much as last week.

"Shagging her chef, where else?" Pamela waved at Audra's trolley. "I caught them in here, going for it on a load of clean uniforms. I think I startled him, because he made a mess all over them. Spurted like a fountain."

Audra couldn't hide her horror. "You mean we'll be wearing cum-stained uniforms this week because of Penny?"

Pamela giggled. "Not you, you're in civvies for two days. Maybe Penny, but how's that different from normal? I found a couple that were still clean right down the bottom of the pile, so I have enough until we get these back. The rest are headed back to the mainland for a wash."

Now Audra understood why there was so much laundry. "Change of plans. Annette cancelled my days off because of some emergency in the Pearls. My two days off just became two days as a live-in maid. But if there aren't any uniforms..."

Pamela shrugged. "You could wash today's one. Oh, unless it's already in here..."

Audra nodded. "Yep, all mine are in here. Now covered in whatever Penny coaxed from the sous-chef. I'd rather work naked than in a dress that's been stained by that skanky bitch."

Pamela smothered her giggle. "That'd be tempting fate! Jay Felix from Chaya's staying at the Pearls – I just saw him walk up from Reception. I can remember swooning over him when I was in high school. Never thought I'd see him in the flesh...and what flesh! I've never wanted to lick a man so much in my life when he walked past. I know you can't, but...if you get a chance to get his autograph, can you ask for one for me, too?"

Audra nodded, all her breath taken with the effort of shoving the laundry trolleys down to the dock. It took them two trips, but Audra couldn't leave Pamela to do it all on her own.

"I'd offer you mine but..." Pamela gestured at her body. "They'd be way too big for you." Wiping the perspiration from her forehead, her eyes lit up. "I know! Do you still have the shirts from that volleyball tournament Hana ran at the start of the season? With the matching shorts?"

Volleyball? Slowly, Audra nodded. "Yeah, I do. Annette said to keep them for the next one, but we haven't had enough guests yet to form teams." The shorts were on the short side, but they were better than nothing. Not to mention better quality than anything Audra owned. She sighed. "You're a lifesaver. Thank you."