The Billionaire's Maid

3. Ariel

3

Ariel

Although my heart ached for my mother, I did find solace in the fact that I finally had a direction for my future. I’d never even been on a commercial airplane before, yet there I was, sitting on a private jet. Such luxury was completely foreign to me, but I could see that would change.

I’d been able to sleep peacefully in the comfortable bed at the back of the plane. After I woke up, I took a shower, fixed my hair, and even did my makeup with the toiletries that were stocked in the lavatory.

The attendant had shown me around the jet when I first arrived. There had been a change of clothing all the way down to a b*a, panties, and a pair of sandals in the closet. I’d given my sizes to Nova, the manager of Paradise Resort, only an hour before arriving at the airport. The idea that they’d managed to purchase all that for me in such a short time made my head spin.

Nova had also assured me that there would be plenty of clothing for me and everything else I’d need waiting for me on the island. She even sent me pictures of the bedroom suite I would be staying in.

My new reality was so much better than any dream I could’ve ever thought up on my own. And I had Doctor Ferguson and Mr. Dunne to thank for that. They were my real-life angels. I would never forget what they’d done for me.

Being able to leave my mother with the knowledge that I would be better than okay was a gift I’d never expected to get. My life was changing for the better, and I couldn’t have been more excited for what was to come.

But at the same time, I was losing my mother, and I couldn’t have been sadder. The mix of emotion proved hard to take. I was feeling a bit crazed, trying to manage so many extreme feelings.

When the pilot came on the speaker, I jerked my head off the soft pillow. “We’re about to land in Aruba, Miss Pendragon. Can you please get to your seat and buckle up?”

Getting up off the bed, I gave myself one last look in the mirror before landing. The reflection staring back at me looked quite different from how I’d looked the last few years. The fancy soaps, shampoos, and conditioners I’d found had made a major improvement.

Heading into the cabin, I took a seat then buckled up. The attendant came out to check on me. “Did you have a nice nap?”

“I had a wonderful nap, thank you.” I picked up the bottle of water I’d left in the cup holder by the seat before I’d gone to lie down. “So, we’re about to arrive. Is it weird that my stomach feels like something is jumping around in it?” I took a long drink to quench my thirst.

She smiled at me. “I think mine would, too, if I were in your situation. You’re about to embark on quite a journey.”

A journey?

Yeah, I guess it could be called that. “My whole life is about to change. I hope I do well with it.”

“I hope you do, too.” She took a seat across from me and buckled her seatbelt. “I’ve heard a lot about Galen Dunne, but I’ve never met him. He’s quite the handsome man from what I’ve seen. I think I read last year that he was still a confirmed bachelor and about to turn forty. He sure doesn’t look that old, does he?”

I had only seen the one picture of him, but I had to agree. “No, he certainly doesn’t look old at all.” If he’d been turning forty a year ago, that meant he was most likely forty-one—twenty years older than me. Not that it mattered. He would be my boss, nothing more than that. “He’s been very pleasant every time we’ve talked. I think it’ll be nice to work for him.”

“I bet it will be,” she agreed. “I’ve only heard good things about him.”

The plane began its descent, and I clutched the armrests as I closed my eyes. “Almost there,” I whispered to myself.

Once the plane touched the ground, I opened my eyes and laughed. The attendant laughed as well. “We made it.”

Nodding, I couldn’t get the smile to leave my face. “So, I’ve got a boat to catch, and then I’ll be at my new home. This is so surreal.”

“It is, isn’t it?” She unbuckled her seatbelt as the plane came to a stop. “Ready to begin your adventure?”

“More than ready.” My tummy was twisting and turning, but I wouldn’t let that hold me back. “I hope my nerves go away soon. I hate feeling this way.”

“You should call Mr. Dunne to let him know you’re here,” she told me as she got up. “I’ll open the door so that you can get on your way.”

Pulling out my new cell, I turned it on then made the call. “Ariel?” he answered.

“Yes, sir, it’s me. I’ve just landed in Aruba. What should I do next?” I followed the attendant out the jet’s door and walked down the stairs that had been pushed up to the aircraft.

“You should just stop right there. I’m coming out to the tarmac to get you.” The sun was so bright I had to shield my eyes as I looked around for him. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder as someone came up behind me. “Hey there.”

Turning around, I saw the man face-to-face for the first time. The man was such an eyeful that my words almost stopped in my throat.

“Mr. Dunne, it’s so good to meet you. I certainly didn’t expect you to come out here to get me. What a pleasant surprise.”

“Well, I didn’t want you to have to worry about how to get around.” He took my hand then placed it in the crook of his arm. “This way. I’ve got a car waiting to take us to my yacht.” He looked at me for a moment, then pulled something out of the pocket of his shorts. “Here, you can have these. They’re a necessity here.”

I took the sunglasses he’d handed me then put them on. “Thank you, sir. How considerate of you.”

“Ah, that English accent of yours is going to be nice to hear.” The smile he wore couldn’t have been faked. “I’m so glad you’re here, Ariel.”

“Me, too.” I peeked at him out of the side of my eyes, knowing my curiosity would be hidden by the dark glasses: he stood a foot taller than me; his body was even more muscular than it appeared to be in the picture I’d seen of him; he smelled like sunshine and sea breezes; his hair moved in dark waves over his broad shoulders as the wind whipped it around his gorgeous face. I’d never been around such a handsome man before. It felt weird, but a fantastic kind of weird.

Getting into the back of a small car, I felt a bit awkward as Mr. Dunne slid in next to me. The car was so small that our legs touched. “They don’t have anything larger than this here. Sorry about that, Ariel,” he apologized.

“It’s fine.” I looked out the window as the driver sped off. “This place is pretty. So different from London.”

“I hope you learn to love it the way I do.” He put his arm across the back of the seat. “I hope you don’t mind me doing this. I’ve got to stretch out a bit. This car is so cramped, and I’ve never liked small spaces.”

His knees were nearly up to his chin, so I knew he wasn’t just throwing out a line. “No, that’s fine.”

“I don’t wish to stir up any bad feelings, but I must ask how you’re handling this whole thing,” he said with a sympathetic tone to his deep voice. “I don’t want you to hesitate to tell me how you’re feeling about your mother and what she’s going through. And the job, too. I want you to feel free to talk to me about anything. Your situation would be difficult for anyone, Ariel. I don’t want you to feel alone.”

“Um, thanks.” I didn’t know what to say. “At this moment, I’m a bit overwhelmed.”

“I suppose I would be, too, if I were in your shoes.” The way he smiled made me feel safe—a feeling that had become rare in the last few years of my life. “Once the overwhelmed feeling goes away, feel free to talk to me.”

“Yes, sir.” I ran my hand over the yellow dress. “And thank you for the dress and shoes and stuff.” I didn’t want to mention the underclothing to him. “I didn’t expect this, but it certainly was welcomed. I looked a fright before I had a shower and got to use all the fancy things in the lavatory.”

He took a chunk of my hair between his finger and thumb. “These auburn curls must’ve proven hard to tame while living on the streets. I’m glad you were able to give them a proper shampooing.”

The way his wrist rested on my shoulder as he toyed with my hair stirred odd sensations in my nether regions. That wasn’t a good sign. The man was my boss. And he could never be anything more than that.

I had a job and a home now; I couldn’t mess that up by having an attraction to the man who’d given me everything. The only thing I could do was ignore the growing moisture that had begun to accumulate in my new panties. Panties he’d purchased for me.

Oh, hell, girl, you’ve got to stop.

“Here we are. We’re at the dock where my yacht awaits.” The car stopped, and Mr. Dunne got out, reaching in to take my hand. “Come now, give me your hand, Ariel. I can’t wait to show you my pride and joy. Lady Killer is the latest yacht I’ve added to my collection. It’s got it all. A hot tub, a steam room, an ice machine. And the cook has made us a fabulous lunch. I hope you enjoy fresh seafood.”

“I’ve never had it.” He didn’t let go of my hand as he led me to his boat. “Not fresh, anyway, only frozen.”

“Oh, I didn’t think about that.” He pulled me up to walk by his side, still holding my hand. “Well, I should think you’ll like it. My chef could make a twig taste delicious. He’s a genius.”

“I’m sure I’ll love everything.” I couldn’t stop looking at all the grand boats that lined the dock we walked down. Then we stopped in front of the ‘Lady Killer,’ its name proudly painted on the back end of the yacht. “Oh, my! This is gorgeous, Mr. Dunne.”

“Thank you! I quite agree with you, Ariel.” He took a step onto the deck of the yacht. “Come aboard, my dear. Your new life begins now.”

And what a life it should be!