Page 14 of Claimed Gem

Stephanie could feel her face heating as she denied their suppositions. “Nothing is going on between us! He was sick the other night from drinking too much and I simply helped him up to his room. I didn’t even go inside it.”

“And this morning?” Pepper asked with a waggle of her eyebrows. “Did he just need help finding his room again?”

“No,” Stephanie shook her head. “I had to return something to him that he left last night,” the lie tripped off her tongue. None of these waitresses had been working last night so they wouldn’t know if Ries had been in the bar or not. “It’s called customer service.”

“Order’s up,” the bartender placed drinks on Stephanie’s tray.

“Thanks. I’ve got to get back to work.” She picked up her tray and left, but not before hearing the snickers and comments about her definition of “service”.

Stephanie wanted to turn and defend herself, but she knew they wouldn’t believe her. And even if they did – maybe that wouldn’t be a good thing. If word spread that she knew about a plot on Ries’ life, the situation could become much more dangerous – for both of them. She bit her tongue, even as her face burned.

Some of those women were fine with making some extra money by being nice to the customers. Stephanie had never gone down that road and she didn’t intend to start now but it seemed that her actions were doomed to be misinterpreted. And she couldn’t tell them the truth. Not the whole truth.

She went about the rest of the morning shift, ignoring the rest of the waitresses and their sly looks and comments. During her midday break, she found herself sitting on the beach, eating a sandwich and trying not to worry about Ries. Instead, she found herself fantasizing about his strong arms and caring eyes which only made her angry once again.

The waitresses had assumed she and Ries were getting hot and heavy in his room.

And, Stephanie realized, what made her mad the most was that shewantedto. She hated that she wanted to. She didn’twantto. But still her mind drifted back to his gentle fingers and his charming smile.

Ries was so handsome, and when he’d handed her the drink early this morning, her fingers hadfelt as if she touched a live wire. The man had some serious chemistry and her body wasn’t as immune as she liked to pretend it was.

She mentally told herself that she and Ries were never going to happen, unless the man was completely drunk and unaware of who he was with. She’d seen the model-like women he’d surrounded himself with at the bar and she was a far cry from meeting their standards. She couldn’t imagine himwantingher in any meaningful way. She’d just be a piece of meat to him.

And yet, he had hit on her that first night.

But he didn’t hit on her in the wee hours of the morning. In fact, he’d tried to dismiss her after she’d shared what she’d heard. Those were not the actions of a playboy on the prowl.

It was almost too bad.

In one respect, a wealthy boyfriend could solve all of her money problems. It wouldn’t matter if she had something useful to do as an occupation, she wouldn’t need to work.

Maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to push Ries away the next time he comes on to me? He is the handsomest man I’ve met – maybe ever. He’s charming and he’s treated me kindly so far. I could do a lot worse.

But Stephanie couldn’t quite convince herself that she should give in and compromise her values just to land a wealthy boyfriend. Everyone else expected her to sleep around and couldn’t seem to understand that she didn’t operate that way.

And there was more. Something about it felt – wrong. Like she’d be using Ries, after he had been the only one to try to help her.

I wish people would just take me seriously for once. I’m not just a sex object. I have a brain and dreams and aspirations. And the power to make them come true. I wish someone could see that.

That’s when she realized that someone had.

Ries. He’d listened to her and took her seriously. That was something. That was quite a lot.

It was all the more reason not to use him for his money or let him bed her. Inwardly, Stephanie seethed.

There’s no way I’m going to jeopardize this by giving in and sleeping with him at the first opportunity. That would make me no better than the rest of them. Ries is off-limits as far as I’m concerned.

I’d rather have him as a friend and ally than a notch on my bedpost.

8

Stephanie spentthe rest of her short break walking around the town. She worked the night shift, once again keeping her eyes peeled for the man she was seeking.

She hadn’t seen Ries all day but he eventually wandered into the bar, sitting in Terri’s section instead of her own. She made a point to work her way around to his booth, stopping to pick up empty glasses on a nearby table.

“Hi,” she told him quietly.

“Hi.” Ries’ eyes drifted over her body but then rose to her face and stayed there. She stepped closer and asked, “Have you found anything?”