Step Read online

  "Oh. I'm sorry."

  He shrugged in a nonchalant way that I instantly recognized as a defensive maneuver. "He was weak."

  "He was human," I corrected. "We all make mistakes, Step." I pointed to the bedroom where I had discovered him passed out on the floor. "Even you."

  "And you?" He studied me for an unnerving moment. "What was the last mistake you made?"

  Not liking the intense turn this discussion had taken, I joked, "Taking this room assignment."

  Step stunned me by slipping his arm around my waist and hauling me close. He dipped his head and smiled. "Give me a little more time. I'll change your mind."

  His lips were on mine again, and I clutched at his arms. He didn't need more time to change my mind. In fact, I was thanking my lucky stars that Juanita had given me this suite. I didn't know what was happening between us but I liked it. The illicit thrill of what I was doing rocked me to the very core. This wasn't me. I wasn't the girl who did crazy things like this but I couldn't find a single good reason to stop him, not yet.

  He took his time loving my mouth, flicking his tongue against mine and then sucking gently on the tip. I would have dropped to the floor if Step hadn't been holding me up. Those powerful arms of his easily supported my body. I shivered when his lips moved along my jawline. He pushed aside the lapels of the robe and skimmed his lips down the curve of my throat.

  When he tried to kiss my breast, I gently pushed his head to the side and closed my robe. "No."

  He stopped instantly. Though he seemed to be one of those alpha dominant types who enjoyed running the show, he respected my boundaries. Our gazes clashed as we exchanged heated breaths. "Did I—?"

  "I'm at work," I interjected quickly. "We shouldn't be doing this."

  I could tell he wasn't thrilled with that answer, but he nodded and stood up straight. "I shouldn't have pushed."

  I bravely reached for his hand. "It's just the wrong time."

  Step smiled and lifted my fingers for a sweet kiss. "I can wait for the right one."

  "Well," I gently tugged my hand free, "you may be waiting a long time. I have two more suites and probably a dozen more rooms to clean before the end of my shifts."

  "Jesus, Jem," he said with shock in his voice. "That's a lot of work for one little woman."

  I bristled at that remark. "I'm not that little."

  "What are you? Five flat?"

  "Five-two," I replied. "Thank you very much."

  He crossed his arms and laughed. "No wonder my neck is aching. I'm a full foot and three inches taller than you."

  "Well, yeah, because you've got all that Russian DNA running through your veins."

  He chuckled. "We aren't all big and tall." He paused. "Well, okay, in my family, we are."

  "Do you have a large family here?" I asked as I headed for the bathroom to change back into my hopefully dry uniform.

  "No. It's just me and my brother and our cousin." Step followed me into the neat and tidy bedroom but no farther. "We have a lot of friends here. The Russian community is pretty tight."

  I slipped behind the door but left it cracked so we could talk. "How old were you when you came to this country?"

  "Seven," he said, his voice taking on a faraway quality. "Talk about a culture shock!"

  I didn't know enough about Russian politics or history to really understand what that meant. I had a vague idea of what it would have been like. "Did you speak English?"

  "Only a very little," he said. "I got lucky and met Dom that first day of school. He was a big, rough bastard even back then. After he laid out the first kid who made fun of me, we were inseparable."

  "He sounds like a good friend."

  "He's the very best." His voice sounded louder, as if he had moved closer to the door. I glanced at the mirror and caught him peeking at me as I fastened the hooks of my bra. I held my breath when he pushed the door open and stepped into the bathroom. What was he up to now?

  Step took down my uniform from the hook on the back of the door and rubbed the fabric between his hands. Satisfied it was dry, he walked toward me and carefully helped me into the dress. His huge hands looked so strange handling the tiny white buttons lining the front, but he showed a tremendous amount of finesse in the way he deftly slipped them into place. He fixed the collar and trailed a finger down my neck. "I wish you could feel how much I want to rip this off of you and throw you down onto the bed we just made."

  I gulped at his frank admission.

  "Would you like that?" Step slid his hand along the back of my neck and caressed my skin with slow swipes of his thumb.

  "Yes," I admitted softly, "but I sure would hate to have to change those sheets again. Those tucked corners are a bitch to get right on these king size beds."

  He chuckled low and rough and then captured my mouth in a long, slow kiss. "You're driving me fucking crazy, rybka." He nuzzled our noses together. "You’ve got me cleaning floors and making beds and fixing drapes—and I don't think I've ever enjoyed spending this much time with a woman."

  I smiled up at him. "We've set the bar pretty low for our first date."

  "You're right. I'll cancel my plans to take you to Samovar. We'll hit up a drive-thru on the way to a round of miniature golf."

  He was teasing me, and I loved it. "You're not the way I thought you would be."

  "What do you mean?" His thumb swept along the curve of my lower lip.

  "I've been listening to your songs for years, and I've sort of followed your career through Benji. I had this idea of what type of person you would be. Then I found you on the floor this morning, and you were kind of a jerk to me, and I was sure you were going to be an asshole."

  The corner of his mouth lifted. "I deserve that."

  "Maybe," I said uncertainly, suddenly doubting my judgment of him. I had no doubt that he had done some really jerky things in his life, but I could see that there was a core of goodness in him. "I'm glad I gave you a chance."

  "Give me one more chance tomorrow, and I'll prove that I'm not as awful as my reputation would have you believe." He nipped at my lower lip before kissing me insistently. His big hands glided down my back and cupped my bottom.

  A frisson of wild delight coursed through me, and it took every ounce of my willpower to push him away. "I need to go. I'm running behind, and I have a lot of work to get done."

  "Do you want me to help you?"

  "Are you serious?"

  "Yes." He was absolutely sincere in his offer. "It's my fault you're late." He caressed my backside. "I can help you catch up."

  "I appreciate the offer, but I can't risk it. My supervisor would write me up, and the hotel manager would have my ass."

  "I'll break his arm if he gets anywhere near my ass." He gave my bottom a possessive squeeze that sent the most incredibly powerful and confusing thrill right through me. Was I really getting excited by this? The pulsing ache between my thighs confirmed that, yes, I was.

  I closed my eyes as Step kissed my cheeks and throat. He kneaded my bottom and then gave it a soft swat. "You better get out of here while you can. I'm about five seconds away from throwing you over my shoulder and carrying you to bed."

  I heeded his warning and scurried out of the bathroom. I could hear him moving around the bedroom while I finished packing up my cart. He emerged as I was pushing it toward the front door and trailed close behind. I had only taken three steps into the hall when he suddenly grabbed and spun me around before claiming another kiss, this one heated and frenzied.

  I felt his hand tucking something into my pocket as he ended our explosive kiss. When I glanced down, I caught the sight of crisply folded hundred dollar bills and a business card. I grasped his wrist to stop him. "What are you doing?"

  "It's your tip."

  "Step—"

  "No," he said with a shake of his head. "This room was a disaster, and you took care of me." He gestured to his bandaged cut. "I want you to have it."

  I wanted to argue with him, but I could tel
l this was a fight I wouldn't win. Thoughts of the groceries I could buy and the nice birthday gift I could get Benji ran through my head. "Thank you."

  He touched my lips with his finger. "You don't need to do that." He kissed my forehead. "The business card has my private number on it. Call me tonight when you get off work."

  A soft, disbelieving voice in the back of my head wondered how many other girls had been slipped that phone number. I thought of all the stories I heard around the locker room from some of the maids who let the wealthy businessmen who frequented the hotel enjoy their company. How was this any different?

  You're not special. Don't get your hopes up. He'll probably cancel the date once he realizes the mistake he's made.

  "Don't do that, Jem." He frowned down at me.

  "Do what?"

  "I can practically hear your thoughts." He brushed a few wisps of hair that had escaped my twist behind my ear. "You're thinking that I do this with all the hotel maids, but you're wrong. There are only three women who have that private number—and I haven't dated any of them. Two of them are like little sisters to me and the third is like my mother. Do you understand, rybka?"

  I nodded. "Yes."

  "Good." He patted my bottom. "You better go."

  "Yes, I really should."

  "Call me. Tonight. As soon as you get home," he called after me as I pushed my cart away from his door and toward the south penthouse suite on the opposite end of the floor.

  "I will." I waved back at him and then kept moving forward. Still a bit dazed and bewildered by my strange morning with Step, I entered the empty suite and got to work. This set of rooms looked as if it had barely been touched so it didn't take me long to leave it gleaming and squeaky clean. After locking away the cart for that floor, I hopped onto the employee elevator and rode down a couple of floors to the next big suite I had been assigned.

  When I stepped off the elevator, I found Richard and Amanda talking quietly near the supply room. I wasn't sure what she was doing on this floor since she had been assigned rooms on the lower floors, but I wasn't about to get involved in her nonsense. I checked out a cart from that floor's closet and stocked it with all the necessary items.

  "You're running behind this morning," Richard said as he checked his watch. "Is there a reason for that?"

  "One of the suites was in pretty bad shape." There was no reason to lie to him. Maybe I had a thing going with Step and maybe I didn't, but that didn't change the facts. He and his guests had caused a significant amount of damage to the hotel's property. There wasn't any way he was getting out of that. "Presidential-North," I clarified.

  "Turn in your report before the end of your shift. I need to bill the guest."

  "Yes, sir."

  Richard stood there for a moment longer. "Is there a reason your hair is damp?"

  I reached up and self-consciously touched my hair. "I had an accident while cleaning the shower."

  "I see." Richard narrowed his eyes. "Your uniform is wrinkled. You know my policy."

  "Yes, sir." I smoothed out the new folds and creases. "I'll make sure that my uniform is perfect when I come to work on Sunday."

  He nodded stiffly. "See that it is—or else I'll dock your pay."

  "Yes, sir."

  "Get back to work."

  "Yes, sir." I swallowed nervously and pushed my cart toward the Ambassador suite. I glanced back and discovered the manager studying me intently. Something told me I hadn't seen the last of him today.

  Chapter Five

  Step

  I couldn't stop thinking about her. I paced the suite like a caged lion and tormented myself with memories of our kisses. My palms fucking burned with the feeling of her plump ass filling them. I was in absolute hell.

  Jemima had demolished the mental block that had prevented me from getting hard. My cock had been stiff for hours, and my balls ached. I needed some relief. I considered going into the bathroom to take the edge off, but I wanted her. I wanted to feel her hands on my shaft. I wanted her warm lips wrapped around my dick and her soft, pink tongue flicking at my cockhead.

  Jem. Jem. Jem. I wanted Jem.

  A knock at the door interrupted my manic pacing. "Mr. Vasiliev? This is Richard Horton, the general manager of the hotel. May I speak with you for a moment?"

  Shit. I should have checked out an hour ago, but the thought of retreating to my lonely penthouse a few blocks over hadn't been very appealing. For one, it was empty. For another, she wasn't there.

  I crossed the suite and opened the door to find a shorter, slightly pudgy man standing there. He didn't smile at me, and he had a security officer behind him. "Yes?"

  "May we come inside, Mr. Vasiliev?"

  I stepped aside and waved them into the parlor. "What can I do for you?"

  "I'm Richard Horton, the manager, and I think we need to have an uncomfortable conversation, Mr. Vasiliev."

  I laughed at that. "Look, if this is about the girls who were with me last night, I'll pay for the damages they caused."

  "That wasn't up for negotiation," Richard replied. "Your final bill is already being prepared, and we have papers you'll need to sign that say you won't trespass on the hotel property again."

  "Fine." I didn't fault the guy for being a dick about it. He was responsible for the property, after all. "I'm happy to settle up when I checkout."

  "And when will that be?"

  I glanced at the security officer who looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but here. "Considering you brought the hotel's hired muscle with you, I'm guessing I'll be checking out soon."

  "Yes, I think that's best."

  "Fine."

  Richard stepped forward and sneered at me. "We run a clean hotel here."

  I frowned at him. "I'm sure you do."

  "Diego?" He addressed the security guard without taking his eyes off of me. "Please escort Mr. Vasiliev down to the lobby and out of the hotel."

  "Yes, sir."

  Richard strode out of the suite, and I stared after him, trying to figure out what the hell his problem was. The security guard, a much shorter Latino guy, gestured toward the bedroom. "Should I call for bell service?"

  "I don't have any bags."

  "Then we should get moving." Diego headed for the door. "Because if he gets to Jem before we do—"

  "What?" I clapped a hand on the younger man's shoulder and spun him around. "What are you talking about?"

  "That dick thinks Jem was in here blowing you for money, man. He's about to go fire her."

  "What?" Anger burned through me with the fury of a thousand suns. "Why the fuck would he think—" I stopped as I thought of the way I had kissed her and slipped that tip into her pocket. "Blyad." I scratched my nails against my scalp. "That wasn't what happened. I was tipping her."

  "And kissing her," Diego retorted, his mouth slanted with disapproval. "Richard has his nose so far up Amanda's ass he'll believe anything she tells him, but I've known Jem for years. She isn't like that. I don't know why the hell she was kissing a guy like you, but she isn't one of those cochinas who flops on her back for the VIP guests."

  "A guy like me? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

  "Really, dude? I was the one who had to chase your groupies from one fucking end of this hotel to the other last night. I got slapped in the face and bit!" He yanked down the collar of his uniform shirt to show a dark bruise in the shape of teeth. "I know your type. I know what happens to nice girls like Jem when they get involved with pricks like you."

  "You don't know shit about me." I stormed for the door. "You can either help me find Jem or I'll tear this hotel up floor by floor until I find her."

  Diego raced after me. "She's down on five. Hey! Man! This way. We'll take the employee elevator. It will be faster."

  Irritated with the fucked up way a harmless kiss had spiraled out of control, I joined Diego in the employee elevator. The security guard said nothing as we dropped more than a dozen floors. When we stepped off the elevator, I spotted a ma
id leaning out a door and listening intently. She had a worried look on her face. A heartbeat later, I understood why.

  "That is not what happened!" Jem's raised voice came out of a hotel room with a door that had been propped open by a triangular wooden block. A cleaning cart sat in the hallway. "I got wet helping him get cleaned up after I found him sick in his room."

  "We have you on camera! You can lie all you'd like, but I know what I saw and I know what I can prove with our security footage."

  "And what, exactly, can you prove?"

  "Empty your pockets."

  "What?"

  "Empty. Your. Pockets."

  "No!'

  "Why not? Are you afraid that I'll see the wad of bills he paid you for sucking his dick? Huh? What's the going rate for Houston hookers these days?"

  My heart jumped into my throat, and I saw red. Like a raging bull, I raced down the hall and into the hotel room where Richard had Jem cornered and backed up against a bed. The sight of the bigger, taller man forcing her into a position like that infuriated me. The expression of humiliation on Jem's face at being accused of selling her body was too much for me to handle.

  I gripped Richard's shoulder and jerked him around before grabbing two handfuls of his suit jacket and lifting him up off the floor. I slammed him into the wall and got into his face. "Don't you ever talk to her like that again! You so much as frown in her direction, and I'll break your fucking knees."

  Eyes wide, Richard sputtered. "You can't—"

  "Try me." I gave him a shake. "If you want to accuse someone of doing something illegal, you bring that shit to me. You don't go behind my back and attack her."

  "I didn't—"

  "The hell you didn't," I snarled. "I don't like bullies, and I really don't fucking like you."

  "Step." Jem quietly urged me to let him go by placing her hand on my arm.

  Still glaring at Richard, I released my clenched hold on his suit and let him fall to the floor. Diego chose that moment to finally come into the hotel room. Red-faced, Richard shouted, "Get them both out of the hotel. Now!" He pointed a finger at Jem. "You're fired. Get your stuff out of the locker room, turn in your lanyard and get off this property."