Page 14 of Braden

“The emcee picks someone from the audience and the dancers take them onstage and do a-a risqué routine with them.” Elodie hesitated.

“And they picked you? Was it embarrassing?”

“Beyond embarrassing. And they wouldn’t let me refuse to go on stage. They didn’t listen to me at all.” She stopped walking, squared her shoulders and said in a rush, “I had an ugly experience in high school with a gang of bullies. They cornered me after school and I don’t want to go into details but until one of the coaches walked by and intervened it was very scary and invasive. I’ve had a lot of therapy but tonight brought it all rushing back and I kind of fell apart on stage.”

Braden gathered her close as the tears finally began to fall and she sobbed as if her heart was broken. Seeing they were close to the beach he picked her up and held her securely as he left the sidewalk and made his way to a set of big beach chairs away from the promenade. He sat with her on his lap and murmured reassuring words while she cried and soaked his shirt with her tears. Eventually she gave a few hiccups and dried her eyes on her shawl.

“We should complain to the club management,” he said as she turned her head to stare at the waves rolling in and the silver moons above.

Elodie shook her head. “No, the dancers were apologetic afterwards and said they’d been ordered to pick me. And they didn’t really touch me, or not much. It was a performance not an assault. I guess you could say I gave my consent by being there if you wanted to stretch a point. I was told Ivoria, who arranged the entire evening had specifically requested I be the audience member who was in the spotlight dance. I’m sure she did it to embarrass me—she was over the top upset about the volleyball match, remember?”

“And she’s dating Chet,” Braden added.

“Tam knows about the high school incident but no one else here does. I certainly never told Chet. So I don’t think Ivoria meant any real harm.” She shuddered and Braden pulled her shawl more closely over her shoulders. “It was the noise and the laughter and having men so much bigger than me all around and of course they were acting like we were making out⁠—”

“I get it. I wish I’d been there instead of stuck at a poker table listening to Chet boast about his winnings at various casinos. I would have stopped it, no slightest hesitation. Are you going to speak to Tamarind about it?”

“What would I say? I don’t have any proof Ivoria was being a mean girl. I’m sure a lot of women would be thrilled to have that group of guys dancing for them and pretending to be all hot and bothered by her.” Elodie managed a shaky smile. “The only one I want hot and bothered by me is you.” She turned her face up to him. “I do want that, Braden, if you do.”

“I’ve been fighting a losing battle with myself over you,” he admitted. “I know this is fake, just for the week but you’ve really messed with my head and my heart.” His cock pulsed and he knew she could feel it through the layers of their clothes.

“We could—we could act on it,” she said in a whisper. Reaching down, she did her best to stroke his arousal through the fabric.

Unable to hold himself in check any longer, he slammed his lips onto hers, his tongue begging for entry into her warm mouth. She parted her lips as she put her arms around his neck and he tasted her sweet essence. While they kissed he slid one hand to stroke the side of her breast and tease the nipple through the fabric of her silky dress and bra below. His arousal lengthened and pushed hard against the fastening of his pants as she shifted her delectable bottom over his thighs.

“Not here,” she said with a gasp, breaking off the kiss. Her eyes were wide and a little dazed. “Not on the beach.”

“The hotel then.” He set her on her feet and rose, adjusting himself which didn’t help his situation much but at least he could walk through the lobby.

They didn’t dawdle now, nor did they talk, although they held hands and Elodie clung to him. When they reached her hotel Braden paused to allow her to send Tamarind a message saying she had a headache and was going to her room, in response to several worried texts from the bride. The gravlift didn’t move fast enough for Braden and he wished the hotel had old fashioned elevators because at least then he could have been kissing Elodie while ascending to her floor.

Chapter Six

He took the room key from her and opened the door, only to stop dead on the threshold and prevent her from entering. Braden’s hand went automatically to reach for the weapon he’d usually be carrying but of course tonight he was unarmed. “Let me clear the rooms first.”

“What’s the matter?” She tried to peek around him.

“The whole place has been trashed. Someone was obviously searching for valuables.” Braced for anything, he went inside and verified no one was waiting to ambush Elodie before he allowed her to enter. She stood at the edge of the sitting room surveying the mess that had been made of her things, a bewildered expression on her face.

“Why would anyone do this?” she asked. “Of all the people in this hotel I’m the least likely to have anything worth stealing.”

“Call the desk and have them send security up here,” Braden instructed. “It could be there’s a ring of thieves targeting all the wedding guests tonight, not just you.” He was most disturbed by the mess in her bedroom and the way some of her lingerie and dresses had been slashed, as if the intruder had been angry at not finding whatever he or she was seeking.

Security came, accompanied by the hotel night manager and an IDA admin rep showed up soon after. The team took holos, ran sensors over everything to check for prints or DNA and apologized profusely to Elodie, who grew increasingly upset at the violation of her privacy, first by the unknown intruder and then by the hotel team. They had her check her things for missing items but she told them over and over she hadn’t had any jewelry or equipment to steal in the first place.

“Maybe the thief got the wrong room,” the Security chief said at length. “Unfortunately our holo cameras have been in and out tonight so there’s no record of anyone approaching your door.”

“You’re not sleeping here tonight,” Braden said.

“We’ll be happy to give Ms. Farantson another room,” the hotel rep offered immediately.

“We’ll be going to my hotel,” Braden replied. “If you’ve asked her enough questions for tonight, we’ll be on our way.”

“The resort police are going to have questions in the morning,” the security person replied.

“I’ll talk to them of course, but Braden’s right—I need to be out of here.” Elodie’s breathing was too fast and Braden was afraid she was going to have an anxiety attack in the middle of the chaos. He made sure she had her purse and her handheld and escorted her out of the room with no further discussion. He’d called for a ride, which was waiting for them at the curb and they set off for his hotel.

“We can deal with all of it in the morning,” he promised her as the vehicle rolled toward the area where the Ardannans were staying. “I can lend you one of my shirts to sleep in and we can stop in the hotel boutique to grab some things for you to change into tomorrow.”