Page 37 of Craving Paradise
“How’s this going to work then?”
“What?” she asks, swimming toward me. She rests her hand on the edge of the pool.
“This,” I say, waving my hand between us.
“There’s no this, Jasper. We fucked. We had fun. You’re a guest. That’s all.”
“Don’t you think knowing each other outside the club changes things?”
“No. I’m a professional. There are many people I’ve been attracted to at the club and watched them fuck my friends, my colleagues, and people I hate. It is what it is. There are no attachments in The Paradise Club, and that’s why the rules are in place,” she explains passionately. “Is this the first time you’ve run into someone outside the club?”
“Yes.”
“Look, is it weird that you're Autumn’s brother? Kind of. Was I shocked seeing you here tonight? Yes. Has it put the tiniest bit of reality into a world of fantasy? Sure has. But if it’s going to be complicated for you to separate our two worlds, I’m happy to make a note on your file that we don’t get paired up again. We should declare this weekend to the club, but I’m happy to chalk it up as an unexpected blip and something that won’t happen again. It can be our secret,” she explains to me.
She’s right. I’ve let the good sex go to my head. Would I still be thinking about her if she wasn’t in Ibiza? Maybe, but I’d also probably be fucking that annoying blonde from earlier too.
“What happens if I want to request you again after this weekend?”
“That’s fine as long as you know outside the club’s walls, nothing can happen,” she warns me.
“I can handle that.”
She gives me a bright smile before swimming away from the wall and out into the pool.
“Just know, Jasper, everything that’s said in those rooms at the club never gets repeated.”
That’s when I remember spilling my inner thoughts to her in the Jacuzzi and bed.
Shit.
“Jasper, I promise it’s going to be okay,” she reassures me, noticing my internal freakout.
“Everything is locked up in the vault. I understand your trust for women isn’t high, but I have nothing to gain from spilling your secrets, and don’t forget you have the biggest one dangling over my head. My job.”
“I’d never do anything to make you lose your job.” There’s nothing for me to gain by calling her out. I’m not vindictive. I could have done so many things to Hazel and William for their betrayals, but I didn’t.
“People do things when they become hurt. Do you know the state secrets I hold up here?” she says, tapping her head, “… or do I?” Then she giggles.
“Your secret is safe with me. Does your sister know what you do?”
Lauren shakes her head. “All she knows is I work at a mysterious private members’ club that she can never visit.”
“You keep your entire work life a secret?”
“Yes. I signed a contract that tells me I must, and if I don’t, I could get sued.”
Wow. I never realized, but it makes sense there are a lot of powerful people at the club, and others would pay a lot of money to find out about certain individuals’ kinks. More importantly, people have much more to lose if their secret came out than I do. I would also assume Lauren doesn’t want her family and friends to find out her job includes having sex with rich guys.
“Well, you can trust me too,” I reassure her.
“Thanks.” She gives me a warm smile, which goes straight to my dick.You’re going to have to wait till we get back to London, little guy. She’s a no-go zone here.
“I should head back to town and leave you to it,” I say, standing up and shaking myself off.
“Let me walk you out.”
“No, stay in the pool. It’s all good.”