Opposites Attract (7 page)

‘Uh huh.’ She leaned forwards. ‘Do you have your stuff?’

‘Yeah.’ Ethan leaned in.

‘You, ah, want to trade for the room?’ She leaned closer, glancing around. ‘My boss is gone tonight. So long as you’re out of here by eight tomorrow morning.’

‘Very cool,’ Ethan said. ‘What you want?’

‘A butterfly on my hip. About this big.’ She rounded her fingers to the size of a quarter.

Ethan grinned. Two free rooms for a tattoo that would take him about ten minutes to do. Yeah, he’d definitely gotten into the right profession.

‘Are you finished flirting or should we just camp out here?’ Alexis asked.

Ethan closed his eyes. To the clerk, he asked, ‘How much do the rooms usually run?’

“Forty dollars with the coupon from the phone book,’ the blonde said, handing him two sets of keys.

‘Great, thanks,’ he said before turning to Alexis. ‘You owe me twenty bucks.’

The clerk giggled.

Cleveland was definitely not her city. So what if Susan said it was known for rock ’n’ roll and Lake Erie? She didn’t care. She didn’t want to be there. And it wasn’t like she had the extra money to go to any of the museums, or the zoo, or to theme parks, or shopping, or anywhere cool. No, all she got was a cheap hotel room so far away from the water it was like Lake Erie wasn’t even there.

She wasn’t expecting much by the looks of the lobby, but she was expecting more than this. The room was flooded with pastels. She’d seen rooms like this before – in movies about poor people. What was this place? A one-star hotel? A no-star? Well, what did she expect for twenty dollars? At least it looked clean enough.

There was a round table with a complimentary notepad and pencil on it. A small television set sat in the middle of a long brown dresser. The only piece of artwork was of a Southwestern influence and hung in a mauve plastic frame. It matched the mauve floral pattern of the bedspread. Alexis stared at the queen-size bed in horror. The hotel room only had the one bed. It looked stiff, if the bedspread was any indication. She sighed. It would probably be too much to ask that Ethan be gentleman enough to sleep on the stained mauve carpet.

‘Hey, move, this is heavy,’ Ethan said from behind her. ‘The room’s not going to bite you, doll.’

Alexis sat her camera bag on the table, getting out of his way. She ignored him as she took out the small battery charger and plugged it into the wall. The red light on it blinked, showing the battery was low. She’d probably have to leave it plugged in all night.

‘What is that anyway?’ Ethan asked.

‘Camera,’ Alexis said, her tone flat. Did the man not know what a camera was?

‘Uh, yeah, I see that. What kind?’

‘Do you know your cameras?’ Alexis asked.

‘I’m an artist,’ was his answer. ‘I’ve seen a few.’

‘Oh, do you sculpt? Paint?’ She turned, frowning as he watched him plug in a laptop. Then, some machine she’d never seen before. It was a big square with a digital panel and dials.

‘I tattoo.’ He glanced at her. The dim room was lit by a lamp on the dresser, but the light still managed to pick up the colour of his eyes. She had to look away first. There was no way she would allow herself to think any part of this man was cute.

‘I thought you said you were an artist.’ Alexis frowned in confusion.

Ethan shook his head in obvious exasperation. ‘Tattooing is an art form.’

‘Art is found in museums,’ Alexis argued. ‘Drawing silly little pictures on people is not art. Little children do that to each other in school.’

‘Ever hear of the tattoo museum in Amsterdam? Or the ones here in the US? The one in Oxford?’ he asked, chuckling to himself.

‘No,’ she said carefully. ‘Still, art is old, you know. The forms have been around for a long time. When did tattooing start? The 1950s, with biker gangs and sailors?’

‘Um, try about thirty eight thousand
BC
,’ he said. ‘It’s a lot older than some of your so-called art mediums.’

‘You’re kidding.’ Alexis stepped closer to him. She looked at his little eclectric box with renewed interest. ‘They didn’t have electricity back then.’

‘Not all tattoos are done with electricity.’ Ethan laughed and she had the feeling it was at her expense. Even so, he had an almost adorable charm when he smiled.

‘How do you know that?’ she asked.

‘I read.’

She looked up. Ethan was close, maybe a little too close and she smelled the faint trace of cologne. She’d caught whiffs of it in the car, but now it started to curl around her senses. Glancing down, she reasoned that his skin would feel the same in the dark as a non-tattooed man. She’d already hit rock bottom. Could she really get any lower? The strange attraction she’d been trying to deny since first seeing Ethan leapt in her stomach. If they were to find a little mutual release – release she obviously needed – who would ever find out? It’s not like Susan would ever believe it happened. Refusing to back down, she curiously waited to see if he’d make a move to touch her. ‘What’s that box thing?’

‘Power supply. I’m going to give the hotel clerk some ink tonight.’

‘Is that safe?’

Ethan stepped closer. His arms crossed over his chest and he said quietly, ‘Are we actually having a conversation that doesn’t include fighting?’

Alexis blinked, surprised. He was right. How could she have even for one second considered sleeping with the insufferable man? Stiffening at the sardonic look on his face, she said, ‘You know, it’s people like you who spread disease.’

‘Oh, here we go.’ He turned his back on her. ‘Save the speech, doll, I don’t want to hear it – not from an uninformed, judgemental priss like you.’

‘Ah! You are the rudest . . .’ She took a deep breath. ‘Where are my bags?’

‘In the trunk of the car where you left them. Need the keys to go get it?’ He pulled the key ring out of his pocket and held it up. ‘Just push the little button twice. The trunk has electric locks.’

Alexis couldn’t believe it. She’d seen Ted carrying up Susan’s belongings for her. Now Ted was a gentleman. Was it too much to ask for the same courtsey from Ethan?

She snatched the keys, stomping from the room. His laughter followed her out the door. Damn him, the barbaric jerk.

‘Hey, what ya doing out here?’ Susan asked, coming out of her room. She glanced down at Alexis’s bag on the ground. ‘Did something happen? Did Ethan kick you out already?’

The evening was a little cool. From her spot she could hear cars travelling over the nearby interstate. The sky was dark and the streetlights shone down on the abandoned parking lot. They were on the second storey, along the back of the hotel. Beneath her, she saw the red dot of a cigarette as an overweight man smoked. His white T-shirt was stained with sweat beneath the underarms. Alexis knew, because he’d offered to help her with her bags. She was still creeped out by it.

Alexis glanced at the bag by her feet and then to the room she shared with Ethan. ‘No. He didn’t kick me out.’

‘Did you lose your room key?’ Susan insisted.

‘No.’

‘Well, it’s not like this parking lot is a great view,’ Susan said. ‘Are you pouting?’

‘I think Ethan’s in there having sex. I didn’t want to walk in on it.’ Alexis couldn’t meet Susan’s eyes.

‘What? You’re kidding,’ Susan said, whispering. The curtains were drawn and she looked at them sideways, trying to see in.

Alexis shook her head, giggling slightly at Susan’s look. ‘No. I heard buzzing. I think they’re using toys.’

‘Oh, my gawd. Gross.’ Susan wrinkled her nose. ‘Come on, let’s listen.’

‘Ew, no,’ Alexis said, unable to help herself as she crept to the door.

Susan leaned her ear to the wood. ‘Shh, listen.’

Was it wrong of her to be jealous of Ethan right now? How come Mr Bad Ass got some action and she, a perfectly normal woman, couldn’t even find a decent pity lay. Pouting slightly, Alexis said, ‘It’s bad enough I have to go in there afterwards.’

‘I don’t hear anything,’ Susan said. Alexis leaned next to her. The buzzing started again and Susan had to hold her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.

‘Oh, gawd. That hurts,’ a woman’s voice cried. ‘Stop. Stop. It hurts. Are you sure it’s not too big?’

Too big? OK, even though she hated the man, that comment was intriguing. Alexis widened her eyes as the buzzing stopped. ‘Maybe he’s not doing it right.’

‘Maybe the toy’s broken,’ Susan added. ‘I never heard one that sounded like that.’

‘What are you two doing?’ Ted whispered from right behind Susan.

Susan gasped, jumping as she spun around. She gave Alexis a dirty look. ‘Ah, nothing.’

‘What’s going on in there?’ Ted asked.

‘Nothing.’ Susan playfully stepped in his way when he tried to move towards the door.

‘Nothing, eh?’ Ted looked at Alexis.

Alexis giggled. ‘Ethan’s got himself a little friend.’

Ted frowned.

‘He’s, you know,’ Susan said.

‘He’s bumping uglies,’ Alexis answered.

‘Gross, Lexy, that’s vulgar,’ Susan scolded, even as she nodded at Ted.

‘What? It’s true. I highly doubt any
lovemaking
is going on.’ Alexis chuckled. ‘Please say I can sleep on your floor tonight, Ted. I’ll owe you for ever if you let me.’

‘How do you know he’s in there with someone?’ Ted asked. ‘Did he say?’

‘Nope, heard it. Went to the car to get my bag and came back to . . .’ Alexis waved a hand towards the door.

‘You mean he didn’t carry your bag up for you?’ Susan asked, frowning slightly.

Alexis shook her head in denial.

‘Hey, did you hear that?’ Susan turned to Ted. ‘He didn’t carry up Lexy’s bag.’

‘Well, he’s not her servant or her boyfriend,’ Ted defended.

‘Well, I guess that’s true,’ Susan said.

Alexis frowned. Well, so much for Susan’s support. ‘He’s not a gentleman, that’s for sure.’

Susan giggled as a loud moan sounded and then a high-pitched screech. She waved Ted to the door. ‘They’re using toys. Come on, listen.’

Ted leaned his ear to the door. Alexis and Susan did the same. The buzzing sounded, turning on and off several times. The woman moaned, making strange noises. Ted aughed and knocked on the door.

‘Come in,’ Ethan yelled.

‘No!’ Susan and Alexis cried softly at the same time.

‘Relax, detectives,’ Ted mused. ‘He’s giving the hotel clerk a tattoo in exchange for free rooms. The man is definitely a charmer. I was impressed. If he keeps it up, maybe the whole trip will be virtually free.’

Ted stepped in, smiling as he was proven right. Ethan had moved the round table next to the bed and was in the process of throwing away some of his mess. He pulled a long sheet of paper off the bedspread. It had the wrinkled imprint of the clerk on it.

‘It’s so neat.’ The blonde clerk was looking at her hip in the mirror, grinning. Alexis sat her bag on the dresser, glancing down to see a bright blue and yellow butterfly on the woman’s hip. She hated to admit it, but it was kind of cute. The girl definitely had the stomach for it. The woman turned and showed her hip to everyone. ‘Isn’t it groovy? I mean, really to die for?’

‘Yeah, it’s the bee’s knees,’ Alexis drawled sarcastically. Ethan glared at her. The poor clerk didn’t even realise she was being made fun of.

‘Thank you, Ethan,’ the clerk said.

Alexis watched as Ethan took apart his machine, throwing a white tube and some other stuff in the trash along with little red ink cups. Then, when he’d finished cleaning up the area, he threw his gloves in the trash as well.

‘How about a free movie as a tip?’ the clerk asked.

‘Cool,’ Ethan said. ‘Thanks.’

‘This is awesome,’ the clerk said. ‘OK, I have to get back to work. I’m like the only one here tonight. I so have to call Janet. She’ll never believe I did this. Oh, for the movie, just give me ten minutes and then punch in the code for the one you want. It should come on.’

Ethan thanked her again. Alexis waited until the girl was gone, before asking, ‘You going to charge me for the movie, too?’

Ethan grinned, but he didn’t look happy. ‘Depends. You going to watch the movie?’

Alexis huffed in outrage. ‘I can’t believe you’re charging me twenty dollars when you got the room for free. Half of nothing is nothing.’

‘Ooh, yeah, let’s go, honey,’ Ted said. ‘This is going to get ugly.’

Susan shut the door as Ted led her out of the room.

‘Yeah, so? You didn’t do the work. I did. It’s called trade,’ Ethan said. ‘Otherwise, we’d have given money to the hotel, the hotel would’ve paid her after taking a cut and she would’ve paid me for the tattoo. This way, we cut out the middle man. Everyone wins.’

‘Everyone but me,’ Alexis said.

‘Not everything is about you, doll. How are you possibly hurt?’ he asked, moving to the bathroom. She heard him washing his hands. When he came back, he was drying them on a towel. ‘You were going to pay twenty for the room anyway. You’re not out anything.’

‘Fine, you cheap bastard.’ Alexis nodded stiffly. ‘You want your money? I’ll give you your money.’

Alexis went to her camera bag, which was now on the floor, and dug into the side pocket. Her hands shook as she pulled out a twenty-dollar bill. She threw it at him.

‘Wait,’ he said as she turned to open her suitcase. She pulled out a nightgown and watched him from the corner of her eye. He lifted his hand to give the money back to her.

‘No, it’s yours,’ said Alexis. ‘You’re right. I don’t want it.’ Alexis gripped her nightgown and stormed past him. ‘I’m taking a shower. And don’t try to charge me for the water – I already paid.’

Ethan sighed, feeling like a jerk as Alexis slammed the bathroom door. He’d meant to aggravate her and only ended up feeling like a low-life piece of scum. Moments later, he heard the shower turning on. Crossing over to her camera bag, he unzipped the pouch and slipped the money back inside.