Dakota's POV
My clothes were askew... My clothes were askew! I immediately sat up, almost falling off the high bed. I looked around, trying to remember how I had got to this hotel room. Ignoring the pounding headache, I jumped off the bed as I heard the doorknob of the bathroom door jiggle.
I looked around for something. Anything at all that I could use as a weapon just in case. I desperately grabbed the TV remote as the door opened and a... Phew... A very handsome man walked in. His blue eyes gazed into mine and I swallowed at the intensity of his gaze. He just continuously wiped his hands in the yellow towel that kinda matched his dark blonde hair.
"Is that supposed to scare me?" He finally spoke, his eyes fixed on the remote.
"Who are you? And how am I in your bedroom?"
"This is not my bedroom. This a hotel room." He said. His face was a little blurry, so I reached for my glasses that was carelessly lying at the side table.
I was wrong. He wasn't very handsome. He was more than that. He was a— I shook my head, determined to block the stupid thoughts.
"You have not answered my question."
"I brought you in here yesterday night."
"You kidnapped me?" Why was I suprised? This hadn't been the first time.
"No. You drank too much and I checked into this hotel room for you. You were too drunk to do that yourself, so I figured I could help." He said. His voice was calm. His expression unreadable. His eyes fell to my chest and my eyes followed his gaze.
My blouse gaped open, revealing my purple, hello kitty bra and my face burned. I immediately clutched it close. My hands fumbled as I struggled to button my top.
"Did we...?" I trailed. His eyebrow shot up as though he expected me to finish.
"Did we what?"
"You know..." I tried again, quickly glancing at the bed. Hopefully that would help him understand what I was trying to ask.
"No, I don't know." He said, oblivious to the question. My face grew hotter. My neck too.
"Did we have sex?!"
A ghost smile played around his lips. "Oh, is that what you wanna know?"
"Yes." I managed through gritted teeth.
"I don't do drunk women." He said and I tried to look relieved.
"Well, then if we didn't... Why then didn't you leave when you checked me in?"
"You begged me to stay with you."
"What? I did no such thing."
"You did. You asked me stay. Ordered me to. When that wouldn't work, you pleaded."
"Well, you can go now." I said, glancing around. At this point I could no longer hide my embarrassment. I just hoped he didn't recognize me. The jeans and blouse I wore wasn't something I'd wear in public, so hopefully he had no idea who I was.
He just stood there, all six foot three inches of him, towering over me. "You're Dakota Harper." It wasn't a speculation. My heart started pounding.
"You must have me confused with someone else."
He passed me a look. "So you're not the president's daughter?"
"No." My voice grew a little pitchy. The lie was terrible and he knew.
He reached for something on the other side stool and pulled my identity card. "I have your ID card, miss Harper. I know who you are." My embarrassment tripled.
"How much do you want?" I decided to cut to the chase.
"What?" He managed to look confused. It was his first readable expression.
"How much to keep you quiet. I pay you, you never mention what happened yesterday night. It was just supposed to be one drink, but I kinda got carried away, so... How much?"
"What makes you think I want your money?"
"Well, you must want something." I almost cried.
He stared at me for what seemed like hours, then to my surprise, he reached for the door and opened it wide. "You can go, miss Harper." His baritone voice almost ordered me. There was something glinting in his eyes. I couldn't tell what it was. Even though it looked like malice, I knew it couldn't be. We didn't even know each other. I picked my purse and my sandals and fled the room before he changed his mind. When I checked for time, I realized it was just ten minutes before the scheduled breakfast between my boyfriend and I. I started racing down the hall.
***
Harry, my boyfriend, waved at me as I entered into the restaurant. I plastered a smile on my face as I walked over to him. From the corner of my eyes I see a couple pull their phones out and take a picture. One of the waiters seemed to be taking a dozen. I tried hard not to show how terrified I really was. I only hoped my face was Instagram worthy at the moment.
"Hi." I said as I got to his table. He reluctantly got up and pulled the chair for me to sit down in. He then reoccupied his seat. His eyes swept over me, a tight smile plastered on his face.
"You knew this was going to be a public breakfast, Dakota." He sounded angry. A vein popped at his temple.
"Is something wrong?"
"Are you kidding me?" He scoffed. "Just look at you. Look at your dress. You look like the freaking housekeeper. Why the heck would you show up wearing that?" He asked and I swallowed. If I had gotten the opportunity to change I would have but I couldn't tell him I spent the night with a stranger.
"I'm sorry." I pleaded. It was all I could say whenever he started throwing a tantrum. "I got carried away with work." I lied.
"Don't let it happen again. I won't have my girlfriend looking like a chucklehead in public. Besides, you don't want people thinking the president of the United States can't afford a descent stylist for his daughter." He said. He quickly placed a smile on his face as the waitress placed two steaming cups of coffee before us.
"Thanks sweetheart." He winked at the waitress, who seemed surprised at first, then pleased. Who could blame her? He was rich and famous. He was most girls' dream. Just not mine. As he turned to watch her leave, his collar shifted and my eyes fell on the fresh hickey that once hid behind his collar.
My heart sank, but I managed to ask. "Who were you with last night?"
He turned back to me. "What?"
"You were with someone last night. Who?" I persisted.
"I wasn't with anyone, Dakota. Unless you mean Jessica, my secretary. We had pressing work to do at the office yesterday, so..."
He wouldn't meet my eyes. He was lying. My eyes welled. He had promised me the last time I caught him in bed with a woman that it would be the last time. He'd swore on everything he believed in. And I had believed him. It was always that for us. He'd cheat and I'd forgive him. I'd lost count after all.
I glanced around. A lot of people were gazing at us. I couldn't make a scene. Even something as little as a tear would be flooding the newspaper by afternoon. I smiled politely at them. Just like I'd been taught.
"I'm leaving." I announced, trying as hard as I could to keep the smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.
"You're not going anywhere." He ordered. "We're going to talk."
"Yes, I am. I'm going home. I can't even look at you right now."
"Nothing happened, alright? It was just kissing." He had the dignity to explain. But I knew he was lying.
"I wasn't born this morning, Harry. Once you reach the level where a hickey is given, sex always follows. It's either one of the housekeepers at the white house. Or one of your interns. Or one of those supermodels you claim you're endorsing. Now you're sleeping with your secretary and you expect me to sit here and look at you? Well, I can't." I was almost choking. It was suddenly hard to draw in air. I got up as quickly as I could and raced to the door, almost knocking down my coffee.
Gasping for air as I stepped outside, it had taken a while for me to realize that the car Daddy had gifted me nearly a month ago for my twenty fourth birthday sat there. I quickly moved to the car, waiting for Lorenzo, my bodyguard, to open the door for me like he always did. Only when the door opened, it wasn't Lorenzo who stepped out. It was... I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the hot stranger from the hotel. He was no longer wearing just sweatshirt which showed off his muscled arms. No, they were disappointingly clad in a black suit now.
"Are you following me?" I finally managed.
"No, miss. I'm here to pick you up."
"Who are you and where's Lorenzo?" I frowned.
"I'm your new bodyguard." He said.
"Lorenzo's my bodyguard."
"I am covering for—" he started to explain but the gunshots that started towards me and missed cut him short. He threw me into the car before I could put together what was happening and raced off with the shooters angrily and hastily following.