Page 17 of Royal Hottie
“Thank you.” She turns to Maya and does a comical double take. “Holy foxiness, woman! I almost didn’t recognize you in that outfit and with your hair down. You are one hot mama!”
Maya smooths her hair, her cheeks flaming. “Thank you, ma’am.”
Ruby smiles. “I know guys who would trip over their own tongues just trying to ask you out.” She turns to me. “Right?”
“Yes, she looks lovely. Would you like an outfit too?”
“Me? Oh, no. I’ve got limited time to get the suite ready, and I need to be efficient.” She hurries over to the men with the columns, giving them directions. They look confused.
I head over and direct them in French to put the columns on the yacht, where the crew will help get them on board. Then I call ahead to give the crew advance warning. By the time I finish, Ruby is looking at me like she’s about to leap into my arms and kiss me senseless. There’s no other description for the adoring lustful look in her eyes.
She goes up on tiptoe and whispers in my ear, “You sound so sexy speaking in French.”
I grin because giving directions isn’t sexy. I whisper in her ear in French that I enjoy the library. It was one of the first phrases I was taught by my French tutor.
Her eyes glow at me adoringly, her voice breathy. “That is hot.”
And now I know the key to seducing Ruby. Guilt stabs at me and I look away. Anna warned me off Ruby and she’s right. I’m not looking for serious, Ruby doesn’t do casual, and we’re heading our separate ways soon. That means I need to shift back to the friend zone no matter how much lust glows in her eyes. Or grows in my trousers.
I force my mind away from its usual lusty path and focus on the fact that Anna would kill me for hooking up with Ruby. Gabriel would likely join the fray, always taking her side. You don’t piss off the king and queen.
~ ~ ~
Ruby
This week has been a whirlwind. I’ve been so laser-focused on pulling the fantasy suite together before Anna arrives, I’ve barely stopped to eat. I put in long hours, along with Maya and Phillip, and I’m proud of the way it has come together. It’s now Sunday morning, the guests arrive tonight, and Anna is due any moment.
I take a final walk-through of the master suite and then stop by the adjoining rooms. My only regret is that I didn’t have time to order what would’ve been a fantastic regal touch—stained-glass windows with the royal crest. It’s unnecessary, really, with the view of the island and the sea from here, but there’s something so special about the glow of light through stained glass. Maybe I’ll suggest light boxes behind stained glass as a future add-on.
I’ve already taken pictures both with my phone and my digital camera for my portfolio. In addition to the antique mahogany furniture, I’ve installed golden sconces throughout the space that look like candles but are really lights. The antique tabletop clock and vintage phone previously taken from the attic are now in the master living room and bedroom respectively. The Grecian columns were color washed with satin and metallic paint to make a glowing light gold, and set in the master bedroom. Each column is topped with a cherub I found in an antique shop in Nantes. The gold color continues on the decorative pillows and throw blankets on the beds and sofas.
The ceiling paintings turned out amazing! Even better than I imagined. The master living room’s fantasy seascape painting is trimmed in a curving gold frame. Clara really captured the blue-green of the sea here, which is the gorgeous backdrop for mermaids and nymphs, along with dolphins, fish, and seabirds. The starry sky paintings over the tubs in each bathroom are dreamy, and the acoustic panels help create a warm hushed sound. Phillip took care of restoring the fireplace mantel himself. He surprised me with his offer to help. I gave him some instruction on stripping the old paint, sanding, and painting. Jeanne then carefully replicated the original royal crest at the center of the mantel and added a thin line of gold paint along the top of it on the crown’s edges.
The suite of rooms says elegance and grand royal tradition. I love it so much I want to move in. I take a seat in front of the new fireplace mantel in the master suite’s living room to wait for Anna. I’m not sure how many women were invited for the ladies’ week, but the suite, along with the adjoining rooms, can sleep eight, if the women don’t mind sharing a bed. Each room has a king-sized bed. No sleeper sofas. Maybe that was on purpose to limit the number of guests. The palace is still a private residence.
“Ruby! Ahhh! Get over here!”
I turn at the sound of Anna’s voice, and she looks happier than I can ever remember seeing her. Her wild dark curls frame a heart-shaped face flushed pink with excitement, her brown eyes sparkling, her smile beaming. She’s wearing a form-fitting black long-sleeved dress that ends mid-thigh with leopard-print heels. Still the Anna I know. She’s always had a thing for leopard prints. She says the leopard is her spirit animal.
I rush to hug her, and she envelops me in a monster hug, crushing me against her chest. She’s taller than me, like most people.
She pulls back and holds me by the shoulders. “It’s so good to see you! Thank you so much for coming to our rescue!”
That’s Anna for you. This was practically an act of charity on her part. She already had a gorgeous suite and was generous enough to offer me work to add my own personal touch. This is a fabulous prestigious project to add to my portfolio. “Thank you for the opportunity. Really. I owe you big time. And I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it to your wedding. It was at the same time as my parents’ twenty-fifth anniversary party, which I planned.” She knows I’m their only child, so she understood. Though soon I’ll have a little sister! Only four months until she’s due.
“I know. I missed you, but it’s okay.”
“Honestly, even if it wasn’t their anniversary, I didn’t have the funds to travel out here, and I would’ve been too embarrassed to ask you to cover me. Before I started this job, I was at a real low point. Broke, unemployed, living with my parents, nursing a broken heart from a man who basically lied to me the entire year we were together. Married with triplets on the way sent me in a tailspin.”
She shakes her head. “He sucks! You deserve so much better.”
“Thanks. Again, I’m sorry I missed your wedding—”
“Stop, girl. Nothing to be sorry about. I understood you had other priorities, and I totally get being in a tough place and feeling like there’s no way out. Now let me see what you did here.” She does a slow turn, taking in the master living room.
I hold my breath. I so want to please her. She’s done so much for me, giving me this project.
“Oh, wow,” she breathes. “This is exactly what it needed. That extra layer of sparkle. It feels extra royal now.”
