Chapter 45
ELLIE
My fist taps on the door, and Travis pulls it open, leaning against the frame. “What can we do for you?”
My eyes roam past him, where Penn is lying on his bed, his phone propped up beside him. This is one of the first free nights we’ve had where we all have hotel rooms and don’t have to be up at the crack of dawn to hit the road.
“Ellie!”
“Liv?”
“Oh yeah, they’re watching a movie. It’s date night.” Travis rolls his eyes.
“Hi!” I wave to the screen. “Well, sorry to interrupt, I was coming to see if you guys wanted to play Phase 10.” I hold up the cards I purchased from the gift shop downstairs five minutes ago.
“Phase 10?” Travis repeats.
That’s all they had besides Go Fish.
“Please God, take him with you,” Penn says. “He’s killing the mood.”
Travis’s mouth falls open. “Liv said she wanted me here!”
“Because she’s too fucking nice.”
“Penn!” Liv shrieks, and I already know her face is turning ten shades of red right now. “Travis, I promise you’re not killing the mood.”
He walks to the bed, where Penn has the phone resting on a pillow, facing the TV. “It’s ok, Liv, your boyfriend is a dick, but I still love you.”
“Get out of here,” Penn says, smacking him with another pillow.
“I’m going!”
“Bye, Liv!” I blow her a kiss as Travis shuts the door behind him. “Should we invite the others?” I gesture to Tanner and Liam’s room, which is right next to theirs.
“Liam went to bed an hour ago, and do you really wanna invite Tanner? He reads the rules out loud.”
I nod and we continue walking to my room. Cinnamon is curled up on her bed in the corner, sleeping. I empty the box of cards on the table and start shuffling. “I assume you know the rules?” I ask, and he gives me a look. “Ok then.”
“How about we raise the stakes?”
“What do you have in mind?” I start dealing the cards, watching his expression carefully as it morphs into a devious grin that I know all too well.
“Strip.”
“There’s no such thing as Strip Phase 10.”
“There is too! You can turn any game into a strip game.”
I deposit the last card and place the deck between us. “You’re lying.”
He pulls out his phone, scrolls for a minute, and then sets it on the table. “See, it’s a real game.” He points to the phone, smiling smugly.
I lean forward, reading the rules on his screen. Dammit. It is a real thing. Who came up with that? This is a family game!
“Well, what do you say, May? You in or are you scared?”
I scoff. “Scared of what?”
“Losing.”
“Game on,” I say, flipping my hair over my shoulder.
It’s been a while since I’ve played, but so far the odds have not been in my favor. Cue Hunger Games music.
Travis hasn’t stopped grinning as he wins round after round, still comfortably in his jeans and T-shirt, having only lost his hoodie and shoes. I would’ve worn more layers had I known.
I’m currently in a tank top and sleep shorts. I’ve lost my shirt, shoes, socks, earrings, and my hair bow. He said those last two were cheating, but I argued and won.
I’m running out of things to take off, but I’ve been patiently waiting for my next turn. I can’t hold back the Cheshire grin that spreads across my face as I smack my cards on the table. “Phase three complete! Take it off!”
“Thank fuck, I was starting to get hot.”
My smile falls at his flippant tone, and he yanks his shirt over his head. My throat suddenly dries up as my eyes fall to his nipple rings. I’d almost forgotten about them. I haven’t seen his since we got them done.
Good Lord, he’s fine. His lightly toned abs and arms are decorated in colorful ink. It’s all over him. From swirls of color, the massive skull on his bicep, and even the red roses across his chest are sexy.
“Eyes up here.” He snaps his fingers, and my gaze shoots up.
“Huh?”
His head is tilted sideways, a brow arched high as he gives me a knowing grin. I shake my head and draw a card. When I finally lay my next phase down, Travis pushes from the table and slowly, very slowly, undoes his belt, flinging it behind him on the bed.
“Your turn.” My tone is dismissive, like I’m unaffected by how hot he is.
Another newsflash: I’m not. I’m so affected I can barely focus on the cards in front of me.
It’s probably why I’m losing so badly. I want to flip this table over and ride his face to kingdom come.
Feel his tongue ring flick my clit at warp speed while he—
“Phase nine.” His words interrupted my filthy thoughts. I’m sitting in my frilly white bra and matching underwear while he’s shirtless in jeans. Looking good enough to eat.
I sigh. Undoing my bra, I let it slide from my body. He licks his lips, staring at the bars, the same way I was doing minutes ago to him.
“Fucking hell,” he breathes out, continuing to lick his lips.
The silver ball poking through his tongue catches the light, and it sends a tremor through me.
I cross my arms over my chest, feeling a chill break out over my skin as the air conditioner kicks on behind me, making my nipples harden.
They’ve finally accepted the piercings I shoved through them a few weeks ago.
I’m not ready to have them played with yet, sadly, but they are no longer revolting every single day, so that’s a plus.
The next card I draw is useless, so I add it to the discard pile.
Travis’s grin widens, his eyes shining with delight when he tosses phase ten down, winning the game.
I growl. “Bullshit! You’re cheating!”
He chuckles. “You dealt!” I snarl, and he laughs harder. “Don’t be a sore loser, May. Take. It. Off.”
I slam my cards down and shove my chair back to stand, ready to lose my last bit of clothing and dignity as I peel my underwear off.
The table blocks his view, but the little shit stands, bracing his hands on the wood and leaning forward to look.
His eyes trace the thong as it slips down my bare legs.
I toss the fabric on the table, and he stares at it, his throat bobbing with a swallow.
Then, he snatches it, and I watch with wild eyes as he puts the material to his nose and sucks in a long, heavy breath.
“Goddamn, Ellie, you are my favorite scent.”
An embarrassingly squeaky whimper slips out as heat floods my core, but I retake my seat and pretend to study my cards. Travis is still standing with my underwear in his hand, his gaze lighting my skin on fire, making me want to grind into the chair.
My eyes flick up as he adjusts himself in his jeans, slipping the thong into his pocket. My vision blurs with need seeing the tip of his hard cock peeking through the waistband. Mother of Pearl. I want it.
At this point, the game’s over, I have nothing else to lose. He won, but I can’t stop. Unable to admit defeat, I draw a card and add it to my growing hand when there’s a knock at my door. I freeze, eyes bulging impossibly wide when I hear Calvin’s voice carry through the room. “Ellie, it’s Calvin.”
Travis’s eyes narrow, shooting me an accusatory glance, but I’m too panicked to address it. What the fuck is he doing here? I’m naked! With Travis. Well, he’s only partially undressed, but either way, this looks bad.
“Hello!” Calvin calls again, and I snap into action, pulling my shirt and shorts on, wasting no time with undergarments.
“What the hell is he doing here?” Travis whisper-yells.
“I don’t know! Hide!”
“Hide? Fuck no.”
I snatch the hotel robe off the bathroom door and tug it on. “Travis, this doesn’t look good! Please hide. I could lose my job!” I hiss, trying to keep my voice low so Calvin doesn’t hear.
“You’re not going to lose your job. We’re just playing cards.”
“Naked!” I shriek quietly. “Please hide.” I shove him into the bathroom and shut the door, hoping like hell he stays in there.
“How can I help you?” I ask Calvin, leaning in the doorway to keep him from striding in.
“Took you long enough,” he complains.
“I’m sorry, am I on the clock?” I pretend to check the watch I’m not wearing. “Oh, that’s right, no.”
“Do you think my job ends? I’m always on the clock. What a luxury you have.”
My blood pressure starts to spike, something it always does in his presence. I hide it as best I can. “Cool, what can I do for you at this hour?”
“I was scrolling through social media when I saw all kinds of comments on the last post about Travis urinating on a cop. Why haven’t you turned those off?”
“This was so pressing to you that you felt the need to barge into my room at eight o’clock on a free night?”
“Isn’t part of your job keeping their image online nice and clean? Not doing so hot, are you?”
“Listen, Cal, social media is my domain, not yours. So back off,” I snap.
“They are in a punk rock band. Their image was never going to be squeaky clean. Turning off the comments only makes it seem like we’re hiding from it, which we’re not.
A public apology was issued on all accounts.
There’s this thing called free speech, and neither I nor the guys want to hinder that on their page. ”
He doesn’t say anything, but his cheeks have turned red. I can’t help but feel satisfied.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to no longer look at your face.” I slam the door shut and drop my head, blowing out a breath, willing myself to calm down.
A minute later, a warm body encases mine, and I relax.
“Damn, Ellie.” Travis’s breath falls against my ear, making me shudder.
“What?” I grumble against the door.
“Did you at least sterilize the knife before cutting his dick off?”
I spin around, and he presses forward, keeping me pinned between him and the door. The heat from his closeness sends a tingle between my thighs. “He’s an ass.”
“He is,” he agrees. “He also wants you.”
My face twists in disgust. “No way. He treats me like shit.”
“Because he wants you.”
“He acts as if I’m incompetent and can’t do my job.”
“Because he wants you.”
“But—”
“He wants you,” he reiterates, sounding annoyed. “But he can’t have you.” He drops his head in the crook of my neck, sending my heart into a tailspin. What does he mean by that?
My hand slides to the back of his head, threading my fingers through his hair, unable to fight the urge to touch him. It’s been so long.
“It’s in his contract.”
I pause. “What?”
He slides my robe aside and buries his head against my shoulder, placing a kiss there. “He can’t touch you, or he’s fired.”
My brain works to register what he’s saying, but it doesn’t make sense. Why was that in Calvin’s contract? Travis—yes, given our history. Does everyone think I’m a big slut who can’t keep her panties on?
“Why?”
His lips graze my skin again. “Why what?”
I shove him away. “Why is that in his contract?” He looks confused as he stumbles back. “Why did you guys hire me if you were afraid I was going to sleep with everyone?!”
“It’s not like that, calm down,” he says, reaching for me.
I slap his hands away. “Just go.”
“What? Ellie, stop. You’re being dramatic.”
I step around him, grabbing his clothes from the floor, and shoving them into his chest.
He sighs. “Seriously?”
“Yes.”
He starts throwing his clothes on, glaring at me the whole time. I open the door, slamming it behind him as soon as he walks out.