Maid for the Rock Star

by Demelza Carlton

  Audra blinked, then scanned the room. Her glance landed on him and her eyes widened. Her mouth rounded in shock and he thought she whispered something, but he couldn't read her lips. He looked down and realised what had made her blanch.

  Ripping off the hospital gown, he shoved the wheelchair back and strode to meet her. Dismissing the raised voices behind him as white noise, he reached for Audra, crushing her against his chest in a desperate hug. "Get me out of here," he whispered, feeling her stiffen against him. She nodded and pulled away. Needing the contact, he seized her hand and brought it to his lips. "Thank you." He didn't want to let her go and she appeared to understand, allowing him to keep her hand in his.

  "You're Audrey, the girl I talked to earlier?" The matron marched to Jason's side, not willing to surrender him that easily.

  Audra's eyes hardened as she seemed to grow in stature. "Helen, I presume?" Her tone matched Madam Matron's authority, to Jason's delight. "You spoke, but didn't listen. My name is Audra and I'm here at Mr Felix's request. I understood he needed my help."

  Jason squeezed her fingers and was relieved to feel her return the pressure.

  "Do you have any medical training, Audra?" The matron's eyes flashed. "I'm not sure if I can release him into your care if you don't. He must be under constant observation for at least the next forty-eight hours before we can be sure he's out of danger."

  Jason felt an incredible urge to run screaming as far away from the predatory matron as possible. Couldn't anyone else see this was the start of a horror movie?

  Audra shrugged. "First aid training, as I've already told you. I'm pretty good with a defibrillator, too."

  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 deadl
ine 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."

  Pamela waved her away. "No, you just saved me from having to do the laundry alone. And possibly a murder charge from going to kill Penny afterwards."

  Audra blinked, trying to hide her shock. Surely placid Pamela wasn't contemplating killing Penny? Not that Penny didn't deserve it...

  "I hope you get to meet Jay," Pamela added.

  Meet him? She'd be forced to watch his every move. Audra managed a smile and hurried back to her room to pack her things. She found two volleyball uniforms and decided they'd have to do. In a couple of hours, she'd be in her pyjamas, anyway. Good thing she'd already set fresh linen and towels in the guest rooms at Maxima, though she'd never thought in a million years that she'd be the one using them.

  Hitching her bag over her shoulder, Audra wondered if Pamela was right: that maybe she should look at this as a fun assignment instead of unwanted work on her days off. How many girls got to spend two days with their high school heart-throb? Her sister Sam would kill to be where she was now. And she could never, ever breathe a word of it to Sam.

  Her steps quickened as she rounded the lagoon. Two days of watching Jay's hot body as he relaxed on the island. She'd done worse jobs. Just as long as she still had her job at the end of those two days...

  THIRTY-ONE

  Jay reclined on one of the veranda deck chairs, his bruised abs in clear view as she trotted up the steps to Maxima. "You took your time," he greeted her.

  Audra bit back an angry retort. "Your matron's orders were not to leave you alone for the next two days. I needed a change of clothes for tomorrow and the next day."

  A grin spread across his face. "You mean you'll be taking care of me personally for the whole time? Not dividing me up in a roster with your underlings?"

  Underlings? No one worked under her. Audra suppressed a snort. But a roster...why hadn't she thought of it? Too tired, perhaps. "I'm sorry, Mr Felix. You're right. I didn't think. You should have a more alert staff member with you the whole time. I'll talk to my boss and tell her – "

  "NO!"

  His outburst shocked her.

  Him, too, by the look of things. "No," he repeated in a more normal tone. "I want you. Tired or...whatever. There's plenty of beds here. Take your pick. Even mine, if you want it." He winked.

  Audra shifted uncomfortably. Trying not to be obvious, she glanced around to see if there was anyone within earshot who might've heard his offer. Probably not, but there could be someone on the beach, hidden behind the palm trees...

  "I won't work you too hard, I promise." The look in his eyes said otherwise. "If your boss sends someone else, I'll send them right back. All I want is you."

  Audra avoided his eyes. She knew that look – it adorned one of Sam's favourite posters. She hadn't realised it would heat her insides like she'd swallowed one of the chilli dumplings on the guest menu. No wonder Jay was the idol of millions. "Fine," she forced herself to say.

  He chuckled. "I am, aren't I?"

  Arrogant prick! She raised her gaze and found him staring at her. Deliberately baiting her.

  Grudgingly, she replied, "A bit of discolouration and damage around the edges, but otherwise in reasonably good condition." Her glance lingered on his bruised torso and the white patches stuck to his hands.

  He laughed louder still. "It'll be fun, Audra, I promise. I'm sure you've done worse jobs than me." His eyes glinted with innuendo.

  Sighing, Audra swiped the door controls and led the way inside the villa.

  "I meant it when I said you can sleep in my bed." He was right behind her.

  "Mr Felix – "

  "Jay."

  "Jay, then. I've already told you this, but I'll say it again. I'll lose my job if I sleep with you."

  "And will they let you keep your job if I die in some sort of medical complication while you're sleeping in another room instead of keeping watch over me like my guardian angel?"

  Like Leon nearly had...

  Tears sprang to her eyes. "I can't do this." Audra turned on her heel and bolted for the door.

  Jay blocked her exit, spreading his arms to catch her. "Wait, Audra." He seemed to notice her tears. "Shit, I'm sorry. All right? I'm sorry." His arms closed around her and it felt surprisingly good.

  If only she could stop crying. Shit. She was in Jay Felix's arms, dribbling tears and snot down his sculpted chest. This was so many levels of wrong.

  "You can do this, because I need you to. You stepped up to that matron and made her release me. Saved me from her. I swear she was going to torture me again in the name of medicine the minute no one was watching. If you don't, I'm going back to hell in hospital with her. Save me from a fate worse than death, Audra."

  She figured he was trying to be funny, but it wasn't working. She shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said softly, pulling away from him. Snot. Oh God. "I should help you clean that up."

  "I vote for naked in the shower. Now."

  For a moment, she wished she could.

  "Mr Felix."

  "I told you, it's Jay."

  Audra took a deep, steadying breath. "M
r Jay Felix, I intend to keep my job. Which means I will not shower or sleep with you. And while you might find car crashes funny, I don't." Her voice died to a whisper. "I'm sorry."

  His eyes hardened. "Honesty. I like that." His tone said otherwise. "I'll be honest, too. I'd like to spend a night in bed with you, making you lose control in ways you never believed possible. No, not a boast. A promise."

  Shit. The words, the tone, the voice...Audra wondered if her underwear was going to melt. Not that she intended to let him know if it did.

  "I left a perfectly good pub and a bunch of willing girls because the only one I wanted was you, Audra. Only along the way I got lost and crashed my car. So you came to me. I know what I want and I will get it."

  No you won't, you arrogant prick, she thought tiredly. He had to be lying about trying to find her. He was supposed to be bringing guests back to the hotel. Someone to share the fondue with. And the strawberries...

  "Tonight, I want dinner and you're going to join me. Then you're going to stay the night here in whatever fucking bed you like."

  "I'm not having sex with you," Audra said slowly.

  "Not tonight, no," Jay said, to her surprise. He flushed and glanced down. "Do you think I can get that matron arrested for assault? She said the thing was called a catheter but there's no way it's natural to shove something up a man's..."

  "Jay, stop. Please." She fought down her laughter. "Truce. I'll have dinner with you as long as you don't talk about your – " She waved at waist level. " – tackle box."

  He considered her for a moment. "Deal," he said finally. "Get room service. Order me a steak with all the trimmings and whatever you want."

  THIRTY-TWO

  The only steak Audra could find on the menu was a surf and turf that came with garlic prawns, so she made an executive decision and ordered that.

  "Just dinner for one? Anything else, miss?" the kitchen hand asked. "Dessert, maybe?"

  For one? No, she needed to eat, too. "Um, hang on. Do you have any mango chicken?" she asked hopefully. It'd be wonderful to taste it when it wasn't burned.