Mockingbird (A Stepbrother Romance #2)(24)

"I need to freshen up a bit. Make yourself comfortable."

That's code. I slip my winnings and a bit more from my pocket and leave it next to the sink, and walk out into the room.

When she emerges from the bathroom, I'm sitting on the bed, still dressed. She's discarded her slinky red dress for sultry red lingerie, stockings and a garter belt and a bra with little bows where her nipples must be, the whole nine yards. I look up and get hard instantly. God damn is she hot.

This is wrong.

She drops the sheaf of bills I left in the bathroom on the bed.

"You keep that."

"Uh," I say.

"I'm on my dinner break. You're dessert."

She falls to her knees in between my legs and undoes my fly, and her hand slides over my rock hard shaft, only a thin layer of cotton between her touch and me.

I grab her wrist.

"Stop."

"What? Come on, I"m giving you a freebie."

I zip up.

"Oh my God. Are you a cop?"

I sit back down and sigh. "Believe me, that's about the last thing I am. Besides, I'm allowed to lie if you ask me that. I mean I would be, if I was a cop, which I'm not. Sit."

I pat the bed next to me. She gets off her knees and sits next to me, and I can't stop staring at her impressive cleavage.

"Look, if we're not going to do it, maybe you shouldn't stare at my boobs like that."

"Sorry. I didn't think you'd get high and mighty about it."

"What, just because I let guys pay me for sex, everybody gets to stare at my boobs? No."

I sigh. "I guess I should go then."

"I wasn't kidding about the dinner break thing. You look like you need to talk."

"Uh, okay. Can you, ah, put on some clothes?"

She shrugs, making her breasts bounce nicely in their bra. She puts on quite a show walking over to the dresser, where she bends at the hips and I look away before I stare at her ass too long. When I look back she's slipped into sweats and walks over to drop on the bed.

"I could really use a pint of ice cream," she sighs. "So what's up."

"Um," I say.

"Okay, let's say, hypothetically, I'm a criminal."

"Soliciting a prostitute is a felony, yeah."

"Not like that. I steal things. Big things. Look, this shit is complicated and I can't tell you much."

"I had you pegged for somebody like that. You're not even old enough to gamble."

"Yeah."

"I'm old enough to be your mother."

"You are not."

"Barely. What are you, nineteen?"

"Twenty."

She shrugs. "I'm thirty-seven. "

"Wow. Really?"

She gives me a sharp look.

"Right. Anyway there's this girl, and I don't know what to do."

"I take it you're trying to rob her?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. That's a hell of a thing, isn't it?"

"Not her, but when we do the job it'll hurt her mother a lot, and I’ll have to leave, but I really like her."

"How do you mean, like her? Like you liked me down at the bar, or like-like?"

"You just said like about fifteen times."

She rolls her eyes. "Whatever. Answer the question."

"I've never… I've been with a lot of girls. Just putting my hand on her hip feels better than sleeping with some of them. There's just something about her that…"

I stop when I realize I'm being laughed at.

"You really are young, aren't you? Oh honey."

I sigh. "Yeah. I don't know what to do."

"Do what feels right. You only get one shot."

She's lying back on the pillows, her arms folded under her head. Dressed in sweatclothes, she just looks like somebody's mom, maybe after a night on the town.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah?"

"Is somebody making you do this?"

She snorts. "What, like a pimp? No. Look, I was an engineer for ten years. I lost my job in the recession, my husband divorced me…"

"Kids?"

"Yeah. I have custody, but kids are expensive, and it's more expensive to move. I get some child support and alimony but it's not enough, so I suck dicks for $500 a pop. A grand for everything, extra $500 for Greek, but only if I trust the guy. Repeat customers only."

"Oh," I say. "Not judging you or anything."

"Good. You go ahead and keep not judging me."

"I… will?"

She shrugs. "I was going to let you go Greek… Jesus, listen to me. I was going to let you do anal if you wanted."

My eyes widen. "Uh, thanks? Just so you know, it's not you. You're very attractive."

"I know, I gave you a hard on. That's a pretty solid indicator. Get it? Solid indicator?"

I have to laugh at that.

"I think I'll get going. Enjoy your lunch break."

"Dinner."

"Whatever. What's your name, anyway?"

"I tell people it's Jenna but it's really Laura."