Hard Rider

“Yes,” I said, flashing my own fake smile as I pulled my stepsister closer, wrapping her up in my arm. “My wife and I are looking to spend a few nights here.”

Tanya gave me a look, but didn’t budge. I returned her glare with one that pleaded with her to just go with it. When she sighed, I assumed she got the hint.

“I see,” he said, tapping a few keystrokes into the computer. “Normally our guests book in advance, but I believe we have a few rooms available.”

I felt Tanya’s arms snake around my waist as the man behind the front desk continued his typing. Just like that, she’d gone from cold to hot again. What was her deal?

“Make sure it’s a big room, baby,” she whispered just loud enough for the concierge to hear. “I don’t want to spend our honeymoon cramped in some tiny little suite.”

The way she looked up at me had my heart thumping. She’d made her eyes real big and was looking up at me through those thick, flirty lashes. I felt her fingers running up along my side.

Now I understood. This wasn’t real. This was payback. A chance to make me squirm.

Bitch, I thought, even if I couldn’t help but smile. Two could play at this game.

“Honeymooning, hm?” the man asked, a knowing smile creeping across his lips. “We just so happen to have our honeymoon suite available—and I can even throw in a discount for you, Mr. and Mrs.—?”

“Thompson,” I said quickly. I had an English teacher named Thompson once. “Honeymooners. That’s us.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Thompson,” the man repeated, typing it into his computer. I casually glanced down at his nametag.

“We really appreciate this, Jerry.”

“Oh, no trouble at all. Always happy to help out a pair of newlyweds.”

We’d packed light, though Jerry was kind enough to offer us some assistance in the form of another staff member, which we politely refused. I had planned on having a talk with Tanya on the way up to the room, and having a nosy bellhop standing in the elevator wasn’t exactly going to make the conversation flow.

The thought of the kiss still burned through my brain, the way her lips felt against mine, how warm and soft they felt as they gave way against one another. I could feel my pulse quickening again just from the thought of it.

“The honeymoon suite, and I saved you some money,” Tanya said as the elevator doors closed.

“Yeah, but now we’re probably stuck with some heart shaped bathtub and pink wallpaper,” I replied.

“Sounds like you know the place. Do you take all the girls here?”

“Not all of them,” I said coolly.

I glanced over at her as we ascended. She was standing against one of the walls, her eyes trained on the digital display that flashed with every floor’s number as we passed them. We were near the top, just before the more expensive suites—the ones you had to pay top-dollar for. I’d never actually been to the honeymoon suite—mostly because I’d never been on my honeymoon. It seemed almost to imply something just from the very idea—it felt like a show of commitment. Maybe her little performance down in the lobby had saved us a few dollars, but now I was starting to think maybe I should have forced the issue and went with a normal room.

The elevator chirped when we reached our floor, its heavy, brass-plated doors sliding away to reveal a hallway with a few doors leading off to the side. Ours—of course—was at the very end and was promised to be the biggest on the floor. I guess I couldn’t be too upset about this. After what had happened these last few days, a little luxury sounded nice.

“Think they’ve got room service?” Tanya asked, and I couldn’t help but make a face.

“Of course they do, and we can order whatever we want.”

“Seriously? You’re actually going to let me order what I want?”

“What? Of course I am. You’re a grown-ass woman.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sorry. Must’ve forgot with the way you’ve been treating me lately...”

I slid the keycard into the electronic lock on the door, watching the light shift from red to green before turning the knob and pushing it open.

The suite certainly did not disappoint. It was far from the gaudy image I had in my head. A small living area greeted us as we entered our temporary home-away-from-home. A large modern-looking couch and two matching arm chairs sat huddled around a low dark wooden coffee table, set with a perfect view of a forty-two inch plasma-screen television.

Past the living room rose a short set of steps leading up to a raised platform, upon which sat a massive California king-sized bed made up immaculately with what looked like the utmost care. Just past the bed, a door lead into what I could only assume was the bathroom.

Tanya let out a squeal of delight as she threw her bag down on the couch and rushed over to examine the bed. I turned my gaze toward the massive plasma-screen TV, imagining what channels I could get while we stayed.

“Oh, my God!” I heard my sister scream happily from somewhere behind me, turning back around just in time to see her exiting the bathroom with a look of pure joy lighting up her beautiful face. “They have a Jacuzzi in here!”

Before I could even say a word, Tanya’s shirt was coming off. My eyes opened wide, my face beginning to flush as she began shuffling out of her jeans until she was left in just her lacy red thong and a perfectly fitted matching bra.

“Tanya!” I said, trying to at least appear somewhat scandalized by the thought of my naked stepsister. Though after the last few days, I couldn’t deny that I’d been yearning to see exactly this, ever since that first night she’d spent at my house.

“C’mon, Gunner! You and I both need to relax after the couple of days we’ve been having,” she said, turning around as she began undoing her bra, letting it fall to the ground as she disappeared from view. “Besides, aren’t you on vacation?” she shouted.

Despite my protests, I followed after her into the bathroom, removing my shirt and dropping it where Tanya had left her own clothes. She was right, of course. After the time we’d been having, a little relaxation would probably do us some good.

As I turned the corner into the bathroom, I got my first look at the Jacuzzi, relief flooding over me as I saw that it was separated in the center into a sort of “his-and-hers” setup. At least there’d be one thing between me and my very naked stepsister.

Though as soon as I set eyes on her, I wasn’t sure anything could keep me from putting my hands all over her.

When I entered the room, Tanya turned toward me, giving me my first look at her gorgeous breasts. They were young and perky, but full, the kind of breasts you’d kill to have your hands on, with soft, rose-colored nipples. I turned my head away a moment too late, certain that she’s caught me staring.

“What’s wrong? A lap dance is one thing, but seeing me naked crosses the line?” she asked, a chuckle rising from her full lips as she stepped into the swirling waters of the hot-tub. “We’re a little too far beyond the Pale now, Gunner, don’t you think?”

“I guess,” I said, nervously undoing the button on my pants before I too stripped down to nothing. I stepped out of the crumbled jeans and slowly dipped myself into my side of the Jacuzzi’s hot, turbulent waters. I lowered my body all the way down to my chest, closing my eyes as I felt the massaging jets begin their work on my tense back muscles. For a long time, the two of us sat in silence, letting the rushing water fill the silence between us.

“Do you think he knows where we are?” Tanya asked, sinking down almost all the way to her chin in the bubbles and warm water.

“I made sure nobody can find us,” I said, resting my arms on the walls of the hot tub. “And I paid cash downstairs. We hole up here for a few weeks, let the detectives do their job, and everything’s going to be fine.”

I wanted to believe my own words… To relax and just enjoy a little break from work and worry and this psychopath… So why the fuck did I have the feeling that I’d missed something?

Tanya was quiet for a

moment as she settled in. But that damn pensive look never left her face. She curled her toes on the rim of the tub.

“What if he goes after someone else?”

“Just let the detectives do their job.”

Tanya actually looked a little scared. “I mean it, Gunner,” she said, splashing some water at me from her side of the tub. “We should at least make sure this guy doesn’t hurt anyone. I’ve got friends back at that club. What is this psycho goes back there? Someone needs to warn them.”

“All right,” I relented, holding my hands up to stave off the bulk of her splashing. “I’ll talk with the detective. Just keep your water on your side and for tonight at least, relax.”

“Thank you,” she said, giving me a strained smile. I could tell she had more thoughts running through her head than she probably knew what to do with—one of which I could actually do something about.

It was going to hurt. But Tanya had questions. And I had the answers. It wasn’t right to keep them from her. Not when there was a chance that...