Page 73 of Play With Me

CHAPTER18

Jude

For a moment, I can’t move. She just bolted. Right when I was going to tell her why things are so complicated with me.

Right after she kissed me, and I pushed her away. I physically smack my hand against my forehead. “Fucking idiot,” I say out loud. “Stupid Jude being fucking stupid.”

Go after her, idiot!

I know Nora. I know she doesn’t take risks, but it seems like she’s trying to change that. And I let her crash and burn.

I reach our rooms and knock gently on her door. “Nora?”

Nothing, not even the sound of movement. Would she even tell me to fuck off if she was there?

I give her a minute as I go into my room, then knock on the inside door. “Nora, please, let me explain? I swear it’s not that I didn’t want you to kiss me.”

This time I do hear rustling on the other side of the door, and I hold my breath, waiting for her to open it.

But she doesn’t. And after knocking, and then texting, both with no response, I start to get frustrated. She needs to give me a chance to explain, doesn’t she?

After last night, I know I’m the one in the wrong, but this stubborn little boy part of me is mad she won’t let me talk to her.

Out in the hallway, I bang on her door again. “Nora, goddammit, please let me explain.”

“She is not home,” a voice says. I whirl to see our bellboy from last night, Gunther. He’s strolling down the hallway like he doesn’t have a fucking care in the world.

For a moment, I panic. Was that rustling I heard her packing her bags? Did she leave?

“How do you know that?”

“I see her that way, in robe.”

Relief washes through me. She’s still here. “Sir, is everything okay?”

“Peachy, Gunther!” I yell, but I’m already breaking out in a run.

I spend 50% of my waking hours in a hotel, so I know the lay of the land. I follow the signs in the lobby and am down at the pool in five minutes flat. I’m sweating my ass off from racing around the warm hallways in a winter parka, but I hardly notice.

I open the door to the pool, walking fast through the men’s change room to abject stares. I know I look insane, in my boots and coat, especially when it’s dong-city in here, but I don’t care. I emerge onto the pool deck, scanning the water for her. It’s huge; twice the size of the pool back home at the Rolling Hills. “Nora!” I yell.

There are a few heads bobbing around in the pool, and a family over in the kid’s area. Everyone turns to look at me. She’s not here.

“Sorry. As you were.” I wave.

It takes me another five minutes to find the spa thanks to the labyrinth of hallways that aren’t laid out the way they should be. By the time I get to reception, I’m soaked through and starting to feel slightly dizzy.

I grip the counter like it’s a life buoy. “Woman. Red hair. Glasses. Is she here?”

The woman at the desk’s eyes are like dinner plates. “Sir, are you—can I help you take off your coat—”

It’s approximately one thousand degrees in here but I don’t care. I need to see Nora. All I can see is her face, looking horrified as I pushed her away.

“Sorry, can’t wait.” I run past her, toward the signs leading to the steam rooms. “Sir!” she cries, but I don’t stop.

All the steam rooms are arranged around a central space with lounge chairs looking out past a cold plunge pool and onto the ski hill. It’s not quite as elaborate as ours but it’s still big.

I open the first door, peering inside. There’s one guy in a speedo. I open the next door, then the next. Nora’s not in any of the rooms. I’m beginning to lose hope when I finally open door number seven and there she is, sitting in a cloud of steam at the back of the room. She’s wearing the same prim-looking red bathing suit with little frills over the top and butt she’s had forever.

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