Chapter 1
I hated that I felt like this. I was terribly conflicted about absolutely everything. We were given the rest of the day off, given the particular circumstances, but I chose to return to my room after spending some time on the beach. Which may have been a mistake. I tried to take a shower, but it just made me feel stickier. It was like suddenly, I had a pang of guilt from last night. Was it the sex? Or was it just Jen’s betrayal?
I tucked the towel around my body. By now, the luxury was beginning to feel a little more normal. I wasn’t sure I was happy about going back to the scratchy 20-year-old towels that I had at home. I didn’t have much to look forward to when I went back, even if I did win the money.
I flopped on the bed, which was as always mysteriously made. I looked up at the ceiling, wondering if even the support staff watched us to see when to come and go from our rooms.
As I laid there, my eyes began to feel heavy. The toll of the night before began catch up to me. Yes, I had fallen asleep. But Brett... Brett, I thought as my eyes began to grow heavier. How badly had I misjudged him?
I awoke with a start when an alarm went off. It took me a minute to reorient myself. I was in my living room on my old couch with an afghan on top of me. It was so comfortable, the way the couch conformed to my curves and the worn blanket caressed my skin. I heard Suzie cough. And then her hacking started. I bolted from the couch as I saw her coughing up blood. The blood just kept coming. I screamed for my mom and rushed to Suzie’s side. I tried to get her to drink some water. I called for my mother again, and when she finally showed up she was coughing too. Then she vomited blood over all me.
I jolted from my bed and gasped. I felt the satin sheets beneath me and fluffy down comforter on top of me. A tear trickled down my cheek. It didn’t matter how I felt about Jen, or Brett, or even Chad. I was here to get money for my sister. I was here to save her life. It didn’t matter if I was really a vixen or not.
A slight knock at my hotel room door startled me out of my thoughts. I slid off my bed and walked on the padded, soft carpet to the door and took a glance out of the peep hole. I sighed.
“Come on Lana! I know you’re in there,” Chad said, as he rapped his knuckles on the door once more.
“I was just tired.” I cracked the door open only slightly.
“You trying to keep me out?” Chad flashed me a smile, and I opened the door all the way. He pushed past me and sat on the bed. “Brett wear you out last night?”
I chuckled. “He has such a big mouth.”
“Actually,” Chad said looking out the window. “I figured it was him, because the other three guys and I all know who we were with now, and no one was with you. So that leaves our resident jerk.”
“That doesn’t sound like him. I thought he would be bragging that he bedded ‘Blondie’ finally.” I decided to leave the fact that Brett saved our butts to myself. I’m not quite sure why, but I didn’t want to make Chad jealous.
Chad laughed. “I got Elizabeth.” He shrugged. “I guess it wasn’t too bad. I would have preferred you.” He paused for a moment before he clarified. “Because I would have gotten that one right.”
The way the sun coming through the window glinted off Chad’s dark hair almost took my breath away. I can’t believe I didn’t chase after him harder. I feel angry that I never got that email from him. His dark eyes, playful but deep, always had this way of piercing my heart. I looked down, a little uncomfortable with the sustained gaze.
Chad took my hand into his and curled his fingers tight around mine. “You got this, Lana.”
I looked back up at him. I knew he was right. If anyone had a good reason to win, it was me. Who else needed the money as badly as me? “I just have to work on being less intimidating.” I smiled and winked at him.
I kept his gaze this time, forgetting about my problems. They disappeared into an abyss in his eyes. He leaned closer to me, allowing me to catch the scent of his citrus cologne. He pulled me closer, his hand cupping my face as his lips came down to meet mine, the soft warmth of them surprising me, the gentle pressure surprising me more. His other hand slipped to my waist, pulling my body to him, the pressure deepened, and his tongue slipped between my lips. I wrapped my arms around his back and up to his shoulders, digging into his skin. I was about ready to jump on top of him when the chime sounded.
Chad pulled away and I groaned in disappointment.
“Attention contestants,” the annoying voice overheard announced. “Dinner will be served on the veranda across from the beach tonight. See you at six sharp! I hope you’ve been enjoying the time off, because tomorrow we start getting more strenuous!”
Chad and I looked at each other nervously. “So how experienced are you?” I asked nervously.
“Well I’m no porn star like Brett!”
I punched Chad playfully in the arm. “I guess I should have expected that the first week would be rather tame…”
“I’m sure there will be an orgy at some point,” Chad said with a wink. I chuckled, but I knew he was only half-joking. There very well could be a group sex at some point, at least a threesome. I wasn’t sure I could stomach that idea just yet. Then I thought of Suzie and swallowed my naivety.
“I’ll let you get ready. You look like a hot mess right now.” While he strode across the room, I couldn’t help but stare at his gorgeous back side. I took in every last second until the door clicked behind him.
I flopped back on the bed and sighed. I ran my fingers through my hair and realized how sticky it was. I pulled myself off the bed and looked at myself in the full length mirror. I nearly gasped, partially because I couldn’t believe Chad would kiss me in this state. I sniff tested my underarms and gagged. My hair was a knotted mess, and my whole body was clammy and oily. The shirt I had put on after my shower was riddled with sweat.
That must have been some dream I had.
I rushed into the shower, lathered as much conditioner as my hair would hold onto my scalp and let it sit. I scrubbed the rest of my skin with a rose-smelling salt scrub. Once I’d scrubbed myself pink and the conditioner had time to work some of its magic, I began the job of untangling my long blonde hair with a comb.
I looked at the clock to check my time as I wrapped a towel around me. It was 5:45. I must have taken quite a long nap, I mumbled to myself.
I leapt to the closet and leafed through the clothes till I found an outfit labelled for tonight. The blue sequined bikini set my eyes off perfectly, and the shimmering silver coverlet, even more sheer than the dress from last night, matched the stilettos. I hated wearing heels of any kind, but these shoes were about as high as the Sears tower. I gulped as I looked at them. I would need a few minutes of walking to practice so I didn’t immediately fall on my face.
The clock glared at me and told me I better learn to walk gracefully in the next ten minutes.
