Stuffed

“I need to get back to work.” She pulls me in for an awkward hug before she walks off without a goodbye.

“You gotta stop coming here,” Lawrence says.

“I know,” I sigh.

“See you later, kid.”

I smile before going back outside to the waiting car. I haven’t even started my shift, and I’m already tired. I don’t know how she does it, but she can drain the energy right out of me.

By the time I make it to the casino, I’ve pushed all thoughts of her away. I have my own stuff to worry about, and I’ve still got to meet with Neil. I have a bad feeling about this. I knew the look in his eyes because I’ve seen it in some of my mom’s boyfriends.

I head to my locker and take my coat off before changing into my heels. My calves burn from the workout I did earlier. It wasn’t much, but it almost killed me. I know Rogue told me not to, but for some reason that made me want to do it even more. There I go playing with danger.

My mood starts to change thinking about him, and I wonder when he’ll get here. Will it be later in my shift, or could he want to see me so badly that he’s here first thing? I’m still surprised he tracked me down and it wasn’t for the money. It should’ve bothered me that he came to my home, but it hadn’t. All I felt was excitement and a thrill. God, maybe my mother and I have something in common after all.

I don’t know what this is I feel for Rogue, but I want to find out. What if he asks me to go home with him tonight? Why not? I never do anything like this, and I can have one wild night to see where this goes. Right?

Neil calls my name, breaking me from my wonderful thoughts, and my stomach drops. I turn around to see him standing in the doorway of his office. “Change of plans. Come see me after your shift.”

Before I can tell him I have plans, he’s already shutting his office door. Gah. I hate that man.

Chapter Eight

Rogue

I roll the chip over my knuckles back and forth while I wait. I don’t like waiting, but I seem to be doing a lot of that for Ember. She’s worth it, my mind whispers, and I can’t disagree.

Finally, the doors to the poker room open, and she walks in, carrying her drink tray and wearing that same goddamn uniform as last night. Only this time she’s got on the corset with a different black skirt. This one is fluffy like a tutu and her fishnets have been swapped for garters. Her skirt is so short I can see where the tights clasp to the garters and the little pink bows on the back of them make me drop my poker chip.

“Fuck.”

Her eyes widen in surprise, not at me but at the empty room. “What did you do?”

I stand up and walk toward her to where she’s rooted to the spot. “I called to book a private room again, and your manager told me they were all booked.”

“I bet he did.” When she smiles, her rosy cheeks are rounder, and it makes her look so fucking innocent. “So the next step was to…?”

“Buy out the poker room.” I shrug like it’s not a big deal when in fact the manager had thrown a tantrum when I went over his head.

“Rogue, there must be twenty tables in here.”

“Thirty-five.”

“I don’t even want to know how much that cost.” She looks around the room and then back to me. “So you’re the only one in here tonight?”

I nod over to the dealers by the bar talking to one another. “They come with the room, as do you.”

“There are rules about what I can do while I’m on duty.” Her eyes roam over my suit, and I smooth my tie down, hoping she likes what she sees.

“I spent a good hour being briefed on that.”

“Tell me what you’ve learned.” She walks past me, and I turn to look at her big beautiful ass making that tutu wiggle.

“You’re allowed breaks to sit down and rest.” She nods as she peeks over her shoulder. “You aren’t allowed to gamble or drink.” She nods again as she goes over to where I was sitting. “You’re not allowed to touch me.”

“Bingo.” She winks as she places her tray on the poker table and turns to face me. “So you’ve rented out this whole room to have me all to yourself, and you can’t lay a finger on me.” She nibbles on her lip. “Are you disappointed?”

“Yes.” Her brows draw together as I shove my hands in my pockets. “I don’t like being told what I can and can’t do. Especially when it comes to something I want.”