My jaw slackens. “How do you know?”
“The name?” He says it like it’s obvious.
“Can’t imagine how you can get the nasty out of ‘Anjel Rube.’”
“They probably misspelled Angel Love.” A shrug. “Guys who got the best grades in high school English don’t go into that type of business.”
“You havegotto be kidding.”
He shakes his head. The only consolation is that he isn’t looking at me likeI’m an idiot. But nothing could make me feel worse than how I already feel.
“No wonder those men looked at me funny.” I squeeze my eyes shut. “Why, ohwhyis this happening to me? This is the worst week ever.”
He studies me for a moment, squinting slightly, like he has so many things to say but won’t. That doesn’t make me feel any better—I’m already mentally scolding myself in his voice. If hecould hear it, he might give me a bonus for such a thorough talking-to.
Finally, he spreads his hands. “Think of it this way. It can’t get any worse than this.”
Not sure if he means to cheer me up, because he’s not a cheer-you-up kind of boss. And it sounds like a terrifyingly direct dare to fate.
But I paste on a smile, desperately hoping for the best. “Right. No place to go but up.”
Chapter Ten
Rhys
The executives get over their pearl-clutching moment once I explain that Max’s phone was hacked and she’s been receiving a lot of strange scam messages since arriving in Tokyo. “She clicked one of those links by mistake. Very regrettable.” I lay it on thick, shaking my head.
A man who looks old enough to be in theGuinness Book of World Recordssays, with paternal concern, “You have to be careful these days.”
Max nods with a small, contrite smile, shooting a grateful look in my direction. “Thank you.”
I’m glad Max’s feeling more comfortable, and relieved she was too embarrassed to ask how I know about love hotels. I had to clean up a mess Mom and Dad made once. After them, the hotel supposedly made a rule that said, “NO ANIMALS.” Dad was eager to share the titillating details, but I shut him down. Nobody wants to know what their parents did to have the establishment implement a policy likethat.
But Max still splits my focus. I can’t quit thinking about the thong underneath her dress. It’s like it’s wrapped around my neck, cutting off the blood flow to my brain. Thankfully, I’ve done this kind of deal countless times, and none of the Japanese execs asks any really difficult questions. I more or less wing it, talking on autopilot, drawing on the prep work I did before. And Max conducts herself superbly for the rest of the day.Atta girl.
The wagyu omakase dinner serves more sake than food, but that doesn’t faze her one bit. Good food and alcohol put a lovely rose glow on her already pretty face.
By the time we return to the hotel, it’s a little after ten thirty. Housekeeping has folded the extra blanket and laid it on the bench. Max glares at the floor with her mouth tight, then turns to the couch in the living room.
“That one won’t be any better than the floor,” I say. “The three-inch cushions barely provide any support. Besides, it’s too short for you. Like I said last night, you’re going to have to curl up like a shrimp to fit. Not only is your neck going to be out of alignment, but your lower back and hips will hate you come tomorrow morning.”
She scrunches her face and shudders.
“Unless you want me to do another back cracking—”
“No!”
I smirk. “You’re going to need it.”
She shakes her head. From the way her cheeks flush, she’s remembering the garment mishap from the morning. Hell, I’m recalling it too, and my dick is getting harder.
“But the bed…” Her eyes slide to the white expanse of tightly stretched sheets and a blanket. Sadly, the mattress doesn’t look any bigger than yesterday.
“You don’t have to lay out pillows flat. You can have them stand like this.” I place them, so the long side is touching the mattress.
She purses her mouth as they flop left and right. “They aren’t staying put.”
“If we’re both lying down, they will because our bodies will provide, uh, structural support.”
