Scandal (Dirty Laundry Book 2)

by Jackie Paxson

  “Ms. Pendergrast would not be happy with that, sir.”

  “I don’t give a shit what the hell Maureen thinks.” Max wiggled in the uncomfortable seat.

  “We go?” The driver asked in his broken English.

  When one of the crew reached for the door to shut it, Jeannie stopped it. “I am not letting you ride in this death trap.” Her voice rose to an earsplitting pitch.

  “This no trap. This nice van,” the driver insisted with a worried look on his face.

  “See, Jennie. It’s a nice van. Go. Away.” Max’s voice deepened with his irritation.

  “Absolutely not. I’m going to have to run—”

  She was digging around in her purse when Max’s voice boomed through the van.

  “Get the fuck away from the van. Ride in the SUV or don’t. I don’t give a shit. All I want is you to get away from that fucking door so we can leave. I don’t want to have to remove you myself.”

  If a pin dropped in that moment, each person would have heard it. Jennie paled. But, in just a split second she straightened her back, picked up her bag and got into the front passenger seat. When she was buckled, one of the crew in front of them slid the door closed. All passengers felt it when Max’s stress deflated. He visibly relaxed next to her.

  “Van nice. No crash van. You see. Joaquin take good care of you.” He winked then took Jeannie in from head to toe.

  She clutched her bag to her chest. Joaquin let out a laugh that rattled the windows. Chrissy caught his eye in the rearview mirror. He winked then threw the van into drive. Dust flew as he sped away from the airport.

  “What is wrong with you?” Chrissy asked.

  “What?” Max asked.

  “Why do you have to treat Jennie or Jeannie or whatever her name is that way?” A thought occurred to her. “What is her name, anyway?”

  “Like I told you on the plane, I don’t want her here. I am a grown ass man. I don’t need someone telling me I can’t ride in a van. As for her name, how the hell am I supposed to know?”

  A headache began to pound behind her eyes. Chrissy knew Max was talking too loud. She glanced to the front and saw the defeated look on the young woman. Her heart broke for the young woman. She was only doing her job and Max was acting like an ass.

  “She’s just doing her job,” she whispered hoping Max could take the hint. He couldn’t.

  In his outdoor voice inside the van, he said, “That’s bullshit, Chrissy. I am twenty-eight years old and don’t need my hand held to ride in a fucking car.”

  Closing her eyes, she used a technique she often used with Mariah. Counting to ten before answering his stupid comment didn’t work. She tried it again. Words she didn’t want to say almost came flying out again. Then she put her head on the seatback in front of them and counted to ten out loud.

  “What are you doing? Are you ok? You look kinda green. You’re not going to throw up, are you? That really would be embarrassing,” he chatted loudly.

  The girl in front of them turned around quickly. A look of disgust was plastered on her face. Placing her back to the window she kept one eye on Chrissy, ready to leap away at any sign of vomit.

  Fan-freakin-tastic. During Max’s unending talking he had everyone worried she was going to ralph. Ugh! Couldn’t he just shut up?

  “I’m not going to get sick you idiot. I’m trying to calm myself down, so I don’t throat punch you for just being an idiot. It’s a technique I use for my unruly six-year-old. So, congratulations, Max. You are no better than a six-year-old.”

  A pout puckered his too pretty face. He mumbled something then scooted an inch away. One deep breath and her body would have still touched him.

  “My name is Zelda.” A mousy voice broke the silence.

  “What did Jessie just say?”

  “God, you are a stupid ass. Her name is Zelda.” Chrissy let out a sigh she’d been holding in.

  “Like the video game? That’s pretty badass,” Max said.

  A guy probably in his late teens/early twenties looked at Max and nodded vigorously. It really was true what they said about where male brains were. Max was clearly sitting on his.

  “My mother named me after Zelda Fitzgerald. She was a big fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald.”

  “Who is that?” Max asked.

  Chrissy moaned, leaned forward and began banging her head on the seat in front of her again.

  “Hey!” The girl in front of her turned around again giving her another scathing look.

  “Sorry,” Chrissy said to her then turned to Max. “Do you read anything but movie scripts? F. Scott Fitzgerald is a famous writer. He wrote The Great Gatsby.”

  “I’ve heard of that book. But you are wrong. The guy that wrote that was Robert Gatsby.”

  “Dear Lord, please stop speaking, Max. I just can’t take it anymore.”

  Max leaned over and whispered, “I’ll get you saying that in more ways than one.”

  She felt her face flame. Choosing to ignore him, she went back to her phone that had quite a few missed messages.

  Talia: Glad you made it safe. Call me soon to dish.

  She was definitely going to have to call Talia even if it was only to check on how she was feeling.

  Jeremiah: Join the mile-high club with Max?

  Chrissy plotted out a way to poison or smother Jeremiah in his sleep. She couldn’t decide which.

  Annie: Have fun! The kids are great. Mariah and Tristan are watching a movie.

  Sadness clenched at her heart. She missed her munchkin even if it had been only a few hours.

  “You can tell Jeremiah that I wanted to, but you said no.”

  Chrissy had been so lost in her thoughts she’d momentarily forgot he was sitting there. When he spoke she jumped. She pulled her phone to her chest.

  “Do you mind? Can you please not snoop?”

  Max put his hands up in surrender. “Fine.”

  Chrissy nodded her head then pulled her phone from her chest.

  “I’m not gonna give up. We have quite a lot of time to work together. I have plans for you.”

  Her eyes snapped to him, but he lounged against the seat content to let the van take him to his destination.

  “Asshole,” Chrissy murmured.

  A smile crossed Max’s face. She let out a huff, shoved her phone into her bag, then watched the scenery roll by as the van bounced around.

  Chapter 20

  Mad Max vs. James and the Giant Suite

  Chrissy felt nauseous when the van finally stopped in front of their destination. The driver, Joaquin, must have hit every possible pothole available. Everyone but Max appeared to be affected by the erratic van ride. With deep breaths, Chrissy walked around the outside of the large resort. It appeared to be vacant except for them. When her stomach finally stopped rolling around like a marble in a toilet paper tube, she was able to appreciate the sight before her.

  The five-story resort looked like a grown up version of a treehouse. Trees grew and intertwined with the structure. Lanterns hung from intricate archways. Though it was daylight she just knew it would look spectacular at night. If this was what just the outside looked like she could only guess the luxury that awaited them inside.

  “Are you just going to stand there and gawk at it?” Max stood next to her.

  “Screw you. I’m not used to views like this.”

  “I’ve seen better,” he muttered in a deep voice. When she met his eyes, they smoldered while he stared at her.

  For a moment she was caught up in his gaze. Her fingers tingled wanting to run them through his hair. Then down his shoulders and over the rock-hard abs she knew were there. The side of his mouth lifted as if he could read her thoughts. Clearing her throat, she shook her head regaining her focus. She could feel heat on her face from the blush that bloomed there.

  “We need to go check in.” Chrissy picked up the bags she hadn’t realized she’d dropped.

  “Go ahead and run little rabbit. I like a chase,” Max grumbled
.

  She spun toward him. “Stop that.”

  He raised his hands then said, “What?”

  “You’re being a creeper. If you ever want a chance you will stop with that.”

  He cocked his head to the side and looked at her. “But I do love the chase.”

  A very unladylike frustrated noise left her. She marched into the resort passing people who had been watching their little show. Fantastic! Max was going to pay for that.

  After the haze of anger lifted from her eyes, she took in the immensely beautiful foyer. Her sandal clad feet clicked on the beautiful marble floor. Tropical trees were incorporated in the structure allowing for birds to fly unbidden from tree to tree. A beautiful marble waterfall was the centerpiece. Koi fish swam undisturbed in the pool the water flowed into. To the right of the waterfall was the check-in desks with smiling women waiting for them. Chrissy walked up to the first available woman and smiled back.

  “Hello! Welcome to the Birds of Paradise Resort. How may I help you?”

  Chrissy crinkled her brow. How could she help her? Did she not know there was a film crew joining them? She didn’t have time for that nonsense. She closed her eyes and with a deep breath calmed her over reaction. Thanks to Max her nerves were frayed.

  “Chrissy Benson. I’m checking in.”

  The woman in front of her clicked on the keyboard. She bit her lip then continued to type. With a furrowed brow she looked at her. “Could it be under another name?”

  “No. I was the one who booked the rooms.” A cold feeling fell over her. She couldn’t remember if she included herself in the reservations.

  “Ma’am? I’m sorry but we don’t have a reservation for you. Unfortunately, with the movie crew renting out the entire place we don’t have anywhere we can put you.”

  “Oh, my God.” She’d just flown all the way to Costa Rica and had no place to stay.

  “She can stay with me,” Max’s voice bellowed.

  “Absolutely not.” She’d rather stay in a tent in the jungle. Risking her life with the jaguars would be better than risking her panties to Max.

  “What’s going on?” James joined their little group in front of the reception desk.

  “They screwed up Chrissy’s reservation, and she doesn’t have a room. I have a villa. She can stay with me.” He dangled his keys in front of them.

  “I said I won’t be staying with you, Max.”

  “Ok. Ok. Ok. Chrissy, why don’t you take my suite and I can bunk with Max. It will be like old times.”

  “NO!”

  “I can’t do that!”

  Chrissy and Max spoke at the same time. She looked at Max then at James. A smile began to form on her lips when she finally decided what she needed to agree to.

  “James, do you have more than one room in your suite?” She knew he did because she’d booked the rooms.

  “Of course. There are like four rooms.”

  “Ok. If it is ok with you and it doesn’t cross too many employee and boss rules, I’d like to take one of the rooms in your suite.” She avoided looking at Max.

  “Uh…sure. If you’re sure that won’t make you uncomfortable.”

  “Not at all. You will only be here for a short time, anyway. I can just stay in the suite once you leave. We do have the whole resort booked, after all.”

  “That makes sense.” James nodded.

  “NO!” Max growled.

  “Ok. Then it’s settled.” Chrissy picked up her bags and began walking toward a bank of elevators hidden from view. When no one followed she turned and looked at James. “I’m really tired. If you don’t mind, I’d love to relax a bit before our big welcome dinner.”

  James looked once at Max then jogged over to Chrissy. “I don’t know if that was the stupidest thing you could have done or the most brilliant.”

  “I have no idea what you are talking about.” She held her head up high. As they watched the elevator doors close, she saw a seething mad Max staring at them go.

  A luxurious bubble bath was exactly what her travel weary bones needed. Once she and James entered the suite, he let her pick her room. She picked a small one that faced the ocean. A breeze wafted in blowing the gauzy curtains. The queen size bed looked like a cloud had floated down and taken residence as a bed. In the corner hung a chair she knew she’d use to read when she had spare time. But it was her private bathroom that had her moaning like a whore in church. A huge clawfoot tub sat in the middle of a large bathroom. White marble coated everything. In the corner was a large shower with ten showerheads and a bench. Naughty images floated through her mind, but she banished them.

  She scurried out of the room and retrieved all of her toiletries. It wasn’t necessary once she saw the assortment of lotions, soaps, bath salts, shampoos and conditioners that sat on the counter. Not knowing which to try first she picked up one that looked like oil. It was a bath oil. Taking the lid off she took a sniff. An aroma of flowers and the sea filled her senses. Decision made she turned on the water allowing the tub to fill. She generously poured some of the oil into the tub. As the tub filled with water and the bathroom became a paradise of relaxation, Chrissy lit a few small candles around the room.

  Stripping down she turned the water off and stepped gingerly into the steaming tub. As she sunk into the water her body began to relax. She let out a small moan that floated through the bathroom. Wetting a washcloth she placed the warm cloth over her eyes allowing the flower/ocean smell to seep into her pores.

  “Chrissy?” James’ voice disrupted her quiet.

  “Yes?” Chrissy attempted to keep the annoyance out of her voice. He was her boss, after all.

  “Just wanted to remind you that we have to be downstairs by five.”

  She rolled her eyes under the washcloth. Of course, she knew. She was the one who organized it, after all.

  Without saying all of her thoughts she said, “Thanks for the reminder. I will be out in time.”

  “Ok. We can go down together when you are ready.”

  “Sounds good, James.”

  “Ok. I will leave you alone now.”

  “Ok,” She called out hoping it was his last words disrupting her quiet time.

  When she didn’t hear anything after a few minutes she relaxed back into the bath. Her muscles ached from the tension she’d been holding. Her interactions with Max always made her tense. He knew what buttons to push to make her want to either throat punch him or ride him until he made her scream. That one thought flooded her with warmth, and it wasn’t from the bath.

  Chapter 21

  Slip Sliding Away

  Closing her eyes, she let her hands wander over her water softened skin. Her mind drew her to the times Max had run his hands over her body. She squirmed in the tub sloshing some water onto the floor. One of her hands slowly caressed one breast. The nipple puckered at the memory of his mouth on the hard bud. Chrissy bit her lip to keep from moaning.

  Pinching her nipple, she relived the sensations his mouth caused in her body. While one hand played with her nipple, her other hand delved under the sudsy water. She was slick from remembering Max’s kisses and touches. She shouldn’t want to have him touching her again, but her body betrayed her.

  His words floated through her mind. “I’ve seen something more beautiful.”

  She shuddered at the memory causing more water to splash over the edge.

  Her fingers dove between her wet folds. She spread her legs over the edge of the tub to give herself more access. As two fingers slowly pushed in her thumb strummed over her tight clit. With each strum she could feel herself getting closer to the edge. Letting her mind float over to a fantasy where Max was kneeling next to the tub.

  “You’re wet for me, baby,” he would say as his hand went under the bubbles.

  “Yes.”

  His talented fingers would caress her thigh leading to her wet apex. Chrissy felt her mouth go dry with the thought.

  Her fingers became his again.

  �
��Mmm…I love when you are wet for me. It makes me so hard.” His fingers would slowly push into her.

  “Oh…”

  “You like that?” He’d slide a second finger in.

  “I can’t wait to taste you again. Have you come all over my tongue.” His breathy words would tickle her ear as he kissed her sensitive lobe.

  “Yes,” Chrissy breathed.

  “You’d like that? Coming apart on my tongue?” A confident look would cross his face. “Of course, you would. You probably want my cock just as badly.”

  Chrissy could feel the orgasm building quicker with each swipe of the fingers.

  “Come on, baby. I love watching you fall apart. Let go and let me catch you.”

  “Uhhh…” She let out a cry when one finger caressed her g-spot. Her legs were straight out of the tub as the orgasm crashed through her.

  “Good girl. That’s my good girl.” His voice floated faintly through her mind.

  As a few aftershocks continued to have her convulsing in the tub she lay her head against the tub and closed her eyes. Her body was boneless thanks to that orgasm or rather orgasms. A thought occurred to her that she may have been a bit loud, but she couldn’t care at the moment.

  “Chrissy?!” James knocked frantically on the door.

  “Yes?” She sat up a little too quickly getting dizzy from her O-high.

  “I heard what sounded like a cry. I wanted to make sure you were ok.”

  “Oh. Uh…I’m fine. Sorry to disturb you.” Great. Her boss just found out what she sounds like when she has multiple orgasms.

  “Ok. We need to leave in fifteen minutes. Are you ready?”

  Holy crap! She’d been in her Max fantasy for longer than she’d thought. “Yep. I’m almost ready. How about I meet you downstairs?”

  Silence met her question. Shit. She was about to take it back when James said, “Ok. I will wait for you outside of the restaurant.”

  Relief washed over her. “That sounds great. I won’t be long.”

  “Ok. See you in a few.”

  She listened to his retreating footfalls. With a sigh she sat back in the tub now filled with cool water. Apparently, her fantasy had had her so hot and bothered the cold water hadn’t mattered. Chrissy lifted herself out of the tub still feeling a bit weak in the knees. Her brain was clearly still orgasm addled or she would have realized that the water on the floor meant she had to be careful. Instead when she began walking her feet slipped out from under her. She slammed into the floor causing all the air to whoosh out of her lungs.