Suddenly, there was a knock at her suite’s door. Caught off guard, not having ordered anything brought to her room, she frowned. Ruthi lived a structured, controlled life. Interruptions drove her crazy. “Who is it?” she snapped.
There was a pause and then a quiet voice. “Delivering fresh towels, Ms. Shay.”
Ruthi closed her eyes and sighed, already frustrated with the resort. The flight in was a bumpy nightmare, the bellman was slow when he carried her bags, and even the champagne she was handed upon arrival at the house was crap.And now this disruption of my musings?she thought.Incredible.
“Just come in and do what you need to. Then get out,” Ruthi growled, not bothering to look when she heard the door open and close, followed by sharp-sounding footsteps on the wood floor.What in the world…she thought and turned.
Standing in the middle of her room was a woman in a simple maid’s uniform, but no towels were in evidence. Ruthi was about to ask what was going on when her eyes fell to the woman’s shoes. These were definitely not part of the average maid’s uniform. These were a pair of jet black, four-inch stilettos. Ruthi blinked with surprise and then raised her eyes to meet the stranger’s. They were a vibrant green and radiated power. The woman was stunning. Scarlet lipstick covered full lips that held a hint of a suggestive smile. Ruthi was at a loss for what to say.Has a movie starlet-wannabee snuck into my room to beg for a role?she wondered. Somehow, she knew that was not it. The woman before her would never beg.
“Lower your eyes,” the woman stated, her voice deceptively quiet for the authority it radiated.
Ruthi hesitated. No one told her what to do. She opened her mouth to protest but then clapped it shut. Something about the stranger made her think twice about disobeying. She looked at the floor.
“Good,” the woman continued. “When I come into a room, you will always lower your eyes to my feet.”
“Now wait,” Ruthi said. “What—”
“You will not speak unless I tell you to do so,” the woman said, gently cutting her off. “Do you understand? You may speak.”
Ruthi licked her lips, every part of her wanting to disobey, yet there was something about the stranger she found undeniable. Sensual, powerful. In the silence, an unmistakable flutter of excitement started in Ruthi’s stomach. The sensation caught her by surprise.How long since I felt anything? Five years? Since Lynn left?she wondered, then realized with an unexpected panic she needed to answer.
“Yes,” she rushed out. “Yes, I understand.”
“Good,” the woman repeated, a warmth in her tone. “You will call me Eve. Do you understand? You may speak.”
“Yes, Eve.” Ruthi answered immediately this time, feeling the excitement in her body spread. When the sound of the woman’s heels tapped on the floor, Ruthi nearly looked up. Not until she heard the door open and close, did she peek. The woman was gone, and Ruthi realized her fantasy had begun.
3
Disconcerted from her encounter with the mysterious Eve, Ruthi took a walk to clear her head.I wonder how long they’re going to make me wait before we can get this show on the road, thought Ruthi impatiently, striding toward the lagoon.I suppose it’s too much to ask if Ms. Bubblegum is here for reasons other than the commercial. Gah. How damned annoying.
Despite her efforts, however, she couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful Domme who had appeared so unexpectedly only a short while ago. The maid’s uniform paired with stiletto heels had taken her aback, but there had been no mistaking the control and dominance in the Mistress’s voice and manner.Shouldn’t she have on a catsuit and be carrying a whip or something instead of wearing a maid’s uniform?she wondered. Completely at a loss as to how she should find the Domme again, she forced herself to think about the commercial instead.
“It’s for a good cause, but Ruthi Shay doesn’tdogood causes,” she groused out loud, picking her way carefully along the path. “The suffering of humanity is much more interesting—and Oscar-worthy—when there is no happily ever after. However, I made a deal to shoot a commercial for this particularcharity in exchange for having my fantasy fulfilled, even if it means trying to coax a modicum of talent out of a TV comedy sitcom actress past her prime. God knows, I’ve had to deal with worse.”
Hearing voices around the bend ahead, she slowed her pace as two women came into view. One was the blonde whom Ruthie recognized as Madeline Whitley. The other woman was a bit shorter, with cropped dark hair and glasses, who seemed focused on ensuring Madeline didn’t stumble or fall.Great. She brought a fan club of one with her. Save me from actresses and their egos.Not bothering to hide her eye roll, Ruthi stopped as the two women came near.
“Hi. You must be Ruthi Shay. I recognize you from your pictures. I’m Madeline Whitley,” the blonde said pleasantly, extending her hand. “This is my assistant, Kel Lehman. I’m looking forward to shooting this commercial with you. The Solis Foundation is such a good cause, isn’t it?”
Uninterested in making friends or wasting her time on pleasantries, Ruthi was direct, ignoring Madeline’s outstretched hand.I’m not looking for a new bestie, honey. “Ms. Whitley, you know as well as I that shooting this commercial together was a condition of being accepted to the island,” she said, clearly shocking Madeline and Kel with her candor. “To be sure, the talent I seek in my film work as opposed to your… aptitude, shall we say,” her lip curled slightly, “are as different as night and day. Therefore, I think we can dispense with the chitchat since we most assuredly would not be working together were the circumstances different. Unfortunately, I have been provided with no details on the shoot as of yet, so I’m waiting for either Ms. Leighton or her assistant Antonia to contact me. Once they do, we can begin. I should warn you, I’m a stickler for punctuality. Coming late to my set never ends well for anybody.”
Ruthi stepped around Madeline and Kel, who were still somewhat frozen by their encounter. “I’ll be in touch,” she said as she continued on toward the lagoon, leaving a stunned Madeline and Kel behind.
Madeline blinked,still staring in the direction Ruthi Shay had gone, though the director had long since vanished around the bend. Her brain was still catching up to what had taken place.Did that really just happen?Madeline wondered.Did I just get verbally shanked by a woman wearing combat bootsand contempt like bad perfume?She hadn’t even realized she was holding her breath until Kel nudged her elbow. Madeline exhaled, sharp and shaky.
“Well,” Kel said, neutral as ever, though Madeline didn’t miss the slight edge in her voice. “That was... something.”
Madeline tried to laugh, but the sound came out fractured. “I think I just got eviscerated with a glance and a sentence fragment.” She rubbed at her jaw, as if trying to scrub the sting of it off her skin. “Jesus. I haven’t felt that small since... I don’t know. High school theater auditions?”
The air around them was impossibly perfect. Warm, jasmine-sweet breezes threaded with the rustle of palm fronds, but it all felt distant, like a movie set she’d wandered onto by mistake. A little beyond the curve of the path, the lagoon glimmered. A white heron stood elegant and unbothered at the edge of the water.
Of course there are beautiful birds here. Because this place is a postcard. A fantasy,Madeline thought.And I’m the joke scribbled on the back.Her eyes locked on the large, magnificent bird as it scanned the water. She couldn’t tear her gaze away. It was so unfair.Nature gets to be beautiful without trying. Without hustling. Without auditioning for it. And hereshe was, standing in a place that should’ve made her feel alive, but instead made her second-guess her entire existence because some emotionally unavailable movie director couldn’t be bothered to fake basic civility.
Aptitude. The word echoed again in Madeline’s mind. She swallowed, throat tight. “God,” she murmured, barely above a whisper. “Maybe Jennie was right.”
Moving in front of her, Kel cut off Madeline’s view of the lagoon. Her stance was steady, arms crossed lightly, glasses hiding her expression. “No,” she said, firm. “Jennie was never right. About anything.”
Madeline blinked, surprised by the intensity in Kel’s voice. It wasn’t only support. It was protection. Like Kel would’ve thrown herself between Madeline and Ruthi if she could’ve.But still, Madeline thought.She’s only an assistant with no power.“You saw her, Kel,” Madeline said. “She looked at me like I was a nuisance. A waste of her time.”
