I'm Maid for You

by Luxx Monroe

  I’m Maid

  For You

  Luxx Monroe

  Copyright © 2015 by Luxx Monroe

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved.

  Cover design by Blazing Covers

  Edited by Aquila Editing

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Luxx Monroe

  Dedication

  This is dedicated to everyone out there that believes in love and happily ever afters. You never know when you’ll meet ‘the one’, so always be ready.

  If you’ve already found them, well, enjoy the ride.

  It’s a sweet one.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1: Natalie

  Chapter 2: Kent

  Chapter 3: Natalie

  Chapter 4: Kent

  Chapter 5: Natalie

  Chapter 6: Kent

  Chapter 7: Natalie

  Chapter 8: Kent

  Chapter 9: Natalie

  Chapter 10: Kent

  Epilogue: Natalie

  A Note from the Author

  Acknowledgments

  I need to give a huge thank you to everyone who made this happen. Aquila, for being a kick-ass editor. Blazing Covers for making Natalie come alive, and making a freaking awesome cover. And of course, my wonderful beta and proof-readers out there. This book would be a mess without you.

  I also want to thank all of the book bloggers, reviewers, and fellow authors who gave me such strong support for releasing my debut novella. It would have been impossible to do this without you, so thank you.

  Chapter 1

  Natalie

  The minute you hear the words out loud that your mother is dying, it sends something through your body that is indescribable. I’d never lost a loved one, by death anyway, and I didn’t want to start with my mother as the main target for the Grim Reaper. Instead of worrying if the cancer will spread, we should be planning our future trips together, talking about how crazy my wedding day will be, and about our next spa visit.

  The other craptastic part about this new life endeavor? Her place of employment got wind that she was sick, and fired her right in the nick of time so they wouldn’t have to pay for her treatment. It goes to show you that there really are horrible people out in our world. So now, my mother had cancer, and couldn’t afford to save her own life.

  That’s where I stepped into the picture. When I found out that she’d been canned, I decided that it was my job as a daughter, the only one on her side, that I needed to be the one to make sure she got the care she needed. Even if it meant finding another job, working sixty-hour weeks, and basically draining myself daily. After all, the woman did give birth to me.

  My father split when I was a little girl, and it’s just been her and me for the past twenty-four years.

  I called in my best friend, Maggie to brainstorm ideas, when she proposed something that would change the whole course of my life plan. I had my degree in culinary arts, and dreamed of someday owning my own swanky downtown restaurant that was all the rave, but until then, I worked at an upscale place that was making it’s own waves in the market.

  “Why don’t you just come and work for me?” Maggie asked as she threw the classifieds section of the newspaper across my living room. “I mean, I don’t think there’s anything out there, except maybe an escort service or something.”

  I rolled my eyes and went to retrieve my now crumpled paper. “Don’t be dramatic, and I’m almost considering selling my body.”

  That earned me a slap against my arm, and a dirty look. “Quit it. I’m being serious. Think about it. Please?”

  I sat there and looked at my best friend. She was probably right, even though I would never admit that defeat out loud. Maggie had taken a small home-cleaning service and made it into a six-figure business in a very short amount of time. I let out a deep breath and knew if I wanted to make any extra cash, her cleaning business was the best way to go. My cooking career hadn’t taken off yet, and I couldn’t hold my breath waiting. “I just don’t want anything to affect our friendship. I love you too much to ruin it with business.”

  Maggie grabbed my hands and held them to her chest. “Nothing will ruin us, you silly woman. You should know that by now.” She winked at me and let my hands drop back down to my side.

  I let out a little laugh and thought about all of the moments where we really could have called it quits: boys, sports, high school drama, and don’t get me started on college. But now that we were adults with our own adult lives, we should be just fine working together.

  “Besides, we really won’t even be working together. I’ll get you some high-end clients, and you’ll be doing your own thing. You’ll be doing me a huge favor. I’m having a hard time taking new clients, Nat.”

  “Are you sure? You have to be truthful with me, and you better not be doing this out of pity.”

  “Natalie Mae Rifton. I will slap your cute little cheek if you ever speak like that again.” Maggie said in a more serious tone than I would have liked. I wouldn’t put it past her to give me a little smack, so I shook my head and turned around to walk in to my kitchen.

  “You really have no idea how amazing you are. Even if you resort to violence, you’re the best.” I said the last part quietly, because I felt the dam in my eyes about to break.

  “You’re really doing me a favor as well. Do you know how hard it is to find reliable help in this crazy ass city? I mean, one time I had a girl sleep with the owner of the house she was cleaning during her shift! That was messy, and so now, of course, I have to have strict rules in place. I feel like a mother hen sometimes.”

  I walked over and embraced Maggie in a genuine hug and whispered, “Thank you,” into her ear.

  “You’d do the same for me. Oh, and I have the perfect first client for you. Kent Bryant. He’s some big wig with investments and has a corporation downtown. Apparently he’s had a hard time finding good help as well and a friend of his who had used our cleaning service gave us a glowing review. His secretary and I just made a cleaning schedule, and the girl I was going to use is moving next week. Something about her boyfriend getting a modeling job in New York City or some bullshit that won’t work out.”

  I chuckled about Maggie’s thoughts and her notion that nothing ever ends with a happily ever after. “Well, good luck to them. When should I start, boss?”

  “Don’t call me that,” Maggie said and scrunched up her nose a little. “It sounds weird, but oddly I kind of like it.” She wiggled her eyebrows and walked over to her bag that was by my door. As she pulled out a notebook, I started to have a feeling that this actually might work out. My mom would get her treatments, and we would save her life. “Okay, here we go. Looks like Mr. Bigwig himself wants you to start on Monday. He seems picky, but I know you can handle him. I have a list of everything he’s expecting you to do, and he needs you out at his house every other day.”

  “Let me see.” I took the list from Maggie and scanned quickly down the line. “This looks like basic cleaning demands. I can so handle this.” I smiled and placed the list down on my counter, so I could study it later that night.

  “I know you can. One more thing, when dealing with some
of the wealthiest people in this city, you might find they can be total assholes. Just do your job, and ignore the rest. Okay?”

  I patted Maggie’s shoulder as she was heading to my door. “I will, and I have the address. I’ll stop by and get the cleaning supplies before I head over to Mr. Bryant’s house on Monday. This really is working out great, Maggie. I owe you one.”

  Maggie smiled and gave me a reassuring hug. “Everything’s going to be okay. You know that, right?”

  I told myself I wasn’t going to cry, but when I felt a tear slip down my cheek, I tilted my head back and saw that Maggie’s own flood gates were down. We both silently cried for a few seconds before she wiped her eyes and headed out my door.

  I leaned back on my front door once Maggie was gone, and looked over the details of my new client, my new job. “Okay, Mr. Bryant. Please don’t be too crazy. I really need this.”

  “It looks like you’re all set, Nat. How are you feeling? Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Maggie was monitoring my every move, and quite honestly she was driving me a little insane.

  “I’m fine, and ready. I’ll give you a full update when I’m all finished, and I’ll even take pictures. Okay?”

  Maggie nodded once and saluted me as I headed for my first cleaning client through her service, Maid For You.

  As I was driving through the hills just outside the city, all I noticed were some of the largest houses, or mansions really, I had ever seen, and I started to doubt my decision. Who the hell was I kidding? I barely liked to clean my own house. What made me think I knew a thing about cleaning a freaking mansion. I needed this, however. My mom needed this. I had to remember that the end prize would be my mother’s life.

  When I looked down at the address and saw a matching number outside a wrought-iron gate, I knew I had arrived at my destination. “17239 Vine Hill,” I whispered out loud and pulled right up to an intercom to my left. I pushed the large green button and waited for a response.

  “What’s your business?” a scratchy old voice said through a little bit of static.

  I tilted my head in confusion and was shocked by how old Mr. Bryant sounded. I guessed for some reason I had pictured a younger man in my mind, but it made sense when Maggie told me he was single, and living in a huge palace. Apparently, he’s an older guy living in a castle by himself. “Yes, Mr. Bryant. My name is Natalie and I’m here from Maid For You.”

  “Right. Mr. Bryant is expecting you.”

  When the intercom clicked off, I placed my hand over my mouth and let out a little laugh. So that wasn’t Mr. Bryant. God, I was more nervous than I thought. Of course Mr. Bryant wouldn’t answer his own intercom. He had a maid service for crying out loud.

  I wasn’t used to meeting my clientele face to face. Cooking in the background is what I was used to. I knew making this extra money would help, but now I wasn’t so sure.

  I let out a deep breath and gripped my steering wheel as I headed to the front of Mr. Bryant’s house. It’s just cleaning, what the hell was I so freaked out for? Well, one thing, this was my best friend’s business and I didn’t want to screw things up for her. So, with that being said, I knew I needed to put on my big-girl panties and do my job.

  I stepped out of Maggie’s cleaning van, and looked down at my attire. She told me that all of her maids wore the same outfit, and I had never felt more ridiculous in my life. I honestly was wearing a typical black-and-white French maid’s outfit. I laughed and touched Maggie’s company logo on my right shoulder. Oh, Maggie.

  I turned around and looked up at the house that was mine to clean for the next four hours. Holy shit.

  I walked up to the front door and lightly pushed the doorbell.

  A few seconds later, I was greeted by an older man who was wearing a typical bellhop outfit. It took everything in me to hold in my laughter, but I managed to do it. “Hi, I’m Natalie with Maid For You. Is Mr. Bryant here?”

  The elderly man did a little bow, and asked me to follow him. I may have made a small strange sound, because for some reason this whole thing was absurd. There were really people like this still in our world?

  I followed Joe, I knew the name because as least Mr. Bryant was kind enough to have it embroidered on his shirt, and looked around the most beautiful home I had ever been in. The entire place seemed to be made out of wood, and it made me feel like I was in a mountain cabin. I used to stay with my dad when I was younger, before he took off and decided he didn’t need us in his life. A sudden feeling of sadness crept through my body, but I instantly pushed it aside, and admired the structure of this beautiful home. “This is gorgeous,” I said, more to myself but I got Joe’s attention. He gave me a slight nod and motioned for me to follow him down a hallway.

  “Mr. Bryant is in his office and asked if you could wait outside for a moment.”

  “Of course. Thanks, Joe.” I smiled at Joe and he returned it instantly. Joe had one of those smiles that made his eyes light up, and I knew instantly I would like this guy.

  “Any time, Ms. Rifton. If you need anything, please let me know.”

  I gave him a little wave goodbye, and sat on a plush lounge chair right outside Mr. Bryant’s office. I looked down at my watch and noticed I was a few minutes early. I hoped Mr. Bryant appreciated punctuality and wasn’t annoyed by my early arrival.

  A few minutes later I heard the sound of a phone being clicked off, and I sat up straight, ready to meet my new client.

  When the door finally opened, I stood to meet Mr. Bryant, and when I saw the gorgeous face that was staring back at me, I totally clammed up. Holy. Fucking. Shit. This was Mr. Bryant? I started to remember Maggie saying something about one of her girls sleeping with a client on the job. I wondered if it happened to be the man I was looking at? No, it couldn’t be. This was the first time he was using her service. Me. Using me. He could use me all he wanted. I started thinking how long it had been since I’d had sex, not counting any time I used my vibrator. Months. Shit. I was in trouble. Just when I thought my ears had failed me and I had gone completely deaf, I noticed Mr. Bryant’s lips moving.

  “Natalie, right? Are you okay?”

  I blinked a few times and sank my teeth into my bottom lip. I was speechless, but quickly gave myself a pep-talk to get me back to normal. “Hi, Mr. Bryant. Yes, I’m Natalie from Maid For You.”

  “Yes, that’s what I asked you. I’m glad you made it. And early, too. I like that.” He smiled at me and I swear I could feel a drop of warm liquid saturate my panties. No guy had never had an effect on me like this before.

  I just smiled back and followed him into his office. When he clicked the door shut behind me, every fantasy I had of me dressed in my naughty maid outfit and him inside me flashed through my mind. I had to stop this, though, and get it together.

  Mr. Bryant motioned for me to have a seat across from a beautiful mahogany desk, and he walked over to lean against the front of it.

  “So, Natalie. I’m sure your boss told you what I’m looking for, and I understand you’ve agreed to all of my terms.”

  I cleared my throat and pulled out my notes from Maggie. “I believe so. I need to be here every other morning to make sure the house is in order, in case you have any business contacts coming by or for any dinner parties. I’ll also have all of your laundry pressed and ready for you on Wednesdays, and on Fridays –”

  Before I could finish, Mr. Bryant held up his hand, indicating he wanted me to stop.

  “Yes, that’s what I asked for. But I also had a note asking if the service ever offered a live-in maid. I assumed your employer talked to you about that and you’ve agreed.”

  I must have had a frantic look on my face, because Mr. Bryant placed his hand to his chin like he was equally confused.

  “Well, no, sir. Let me look again and see if Maggie, my boss, put that note somewhere. Live-in maid? As in I would live here with you?”

  Mr. Bryant chuckled and stood to walk around his desk. “Yes, Natalie. As in live here with
me. Would you mind if I made a quick phone call while you think about this out in the hall?”

  He picked up his phone, and I slowly rose out of my chair to make my way back to the hall. I smiled at him, and it was then that I noticed a small dimple in the middle of his chin. I wondered what it would be like to lick that little jewel, and found myself walking almost straight into the door. “Shit,” I said as quietly as possible, but I knew he’d heard me by the lift of his brow. “I mean, yes, of course. I’ll be out here when you’re all finished.”

  I shut the door and quickly grabbed my cell out of my bag. I pulled up Maggie’s number and pushed the green call button. Maggie answered after a few rings.

  “Hey, girl. Everything okay? Did you find the place?”

  I covered the phone with my hand and bent over a little to hide my face, just in case Mr. Freaking Gorgeous Pants decided to come back out into the hall. “Are you fucking kidding me? A live-in maid service? I didn’t even know you did this. What the hell am I supposed to say to this man? Sure, I’ll move in with you, but you really should buy me dinner first?”

  Maggie made a weird sound and whispered back to me. “What did you just say? A live-in maid service? You’ve never heard of it because we don’t do that.”

  “Well, that’s not what Mr. Bryant said. He said it was in the paper work.”

  “No way it said that, I would have definitely remembered that. Wait, hold on. Something’s coming through on the fax.”

  I could hear a few sounds that indicated Maggie had picked up some papers and was wrestling around with them. “Wait, his secretary just sent me something. It looks like they amended it and didn’t send the final list. Oh shit, Nat. He does want a live-in maid. I didn’t know, and we don’t do this at all. If you want me to, I can talk to him and tell him there’s been a misunderstanding. I can fix this.”