Victoria The Billionaires Maid

Oliver’s [POV]

I chose to ignore her. Asinine conversations like this one could be had in the privacy of our suite, or better yet, not at all.

“Oooh, manwhore. She just dissed you, man.”

“Usual thing for her.” I smiled thinly and returned to my contract.

If she decided to flirt with this latest stranger, I wouldn’t interfere.

I’d acceded to Ally’s wishes and come on this trip at the last minute because I truly did care about Sage’s well-being.

Most likely, she would’ve been fine on her own. I wanted to make sure of it.

As for her hooking up with someone? Not my concern.

I might have to grit my teeth a few times, remembering how perfectly she’d curved against me on the plane, but pleasures of the flesh were fleeting.

And she’d probably never even shut up long enough for us to have sex anyway, were I interested in daring such a thing.

Jeez, a virgin. I hadn’t even been with a virgin when I was one myself. My first lover had been older than me by a decade, and quite experienced.

Something every virgin deserves for their first time. Do you mean that Sage deserves someone with your experience for her first time? I wasn’t debating with myself.

I was going to finish reviewing this contract and send it off to Shelly, our admin at the real estate office.

Then I was going to imbibe heavily in the libations available at the hotel while escorting Sage on her “super fun vacay”, complete with air quotes.

The driver finally pulled into the circular driveway in front of the Golden Apple and we disembarked.

Check-in went quickly, though Sage was oohing and aahing enough that even the other tourists seemed entertained by her.

The place was pretty blinged out, I had to agree. Faux gold was everywhere, and the chandeliers were so huge that the prismatic light was blinding.

We were ushered into a gold elevator and to our connecting suites with enough fanfare that I was glad I’d sprung for the extra expense.

Sage’s beaming smile was worth it as she commented on every amenity.

Alas, her glow disappeared the minute the door of her suite closed behind the porter who’d dropped off our bags. I’d have to cart mine next door to my connecting room, but no matter.

“Ugh, I need a shower. That flight was so long.” She flung herself on her bed, spreading her arms wide.

One shoe dangled off her foot and her clingy leggings were definitely doing their job.

“We traveled from one coast practically to the other.” I picked up my bags and prepared to head into the other room. I needed to freshen up a bit myself.

“Take a shower and maybe a nap. I’ll pick you up for a late dinner at” She popped up on the mattress.

“No way. I only get one vacation like this. I’m not sleeping it away. And hello, marble tub big enough for two. Forget a shower.” She tugged off her cardigan, revealing a tiny cami beneath with straps that kept tumbling down her arms.

Fuck, did she not have on a bra? She had to. With all of that nature’s bounty going on, no way could she stroll around freely. Maybe one of those shelf-bra thingies?

Hmm, or “Hey there, earth to Oliver.” She snapped her fingers.

“You gonna hang around in here all day so I can’t try out the Jacuzzi, or did you want to join me?” She asked the question with a smirk, fully intending for me to say no.

She didn’t have a bathing suit after all. And I was a gentleman. Except maybe not right now.

I was still smarting with annoyance from the car and perhaps I was curious to see just how far she’d go. To see how far I would go.

“You know, I could use some water therapy myself.” I set down my bags and undid the button on my suit coat.

My winter jacket from home had been tucked away the moment we stepped off the plane, and even my suit felt stifling in this heat.

Going from minus-five to eighty-five in one day was inhumane, so why not hop into a sizzling Jacuzzi while I was at it? Especially when Sage was now staring at me as if I’d just sprouted horns and fangs.

“You can’t use the Jacuzzi right now. I’m going to use it.”

“Didn’t you just offer to share?” She swung her legs over the side of the bed.

“You can’t be serious.”

“Taking a dip in a Jacuzzi is no more intimate than in a swimming pool. Though you don’t have a suit, so hmm…problematic.” I tapped my chin.

“I suppose you could ask the concierge to get you an emergency one from one of the shops. They’ll do that, you know, with the proper encouragement.”

“I don’t have a ton of money for tips for things I can just as well buy myself later.” She tucked her hands under her arms.

“You brought a suit?”

“I did. I always enjoy a swim or two while I’m staying at a hotel.”

“I’ve never stayed at one before. This is all so new. I swear, I’m in my mid-twenties and it’s like I’ve never done anything at all.” She heaved out a breath.

“You know what? Fine. Share the Jacuzzi with me. I’ll just improvise for a suit.” I was entirely too on board with that idea.

“I’ll go get it started,” I said, both to give her privacy and to give my overeager dick a chance to settle down.

She wasn’t even getting fully naked, for pity’s sake.

Maybe canceling my date with Ursula last night had been a mistake.

Evidently, I’d needed some serious relief. I’d never slept with Ursula, despite the prevailing opinion.

We’d been dating for a month or two, not exclusively on her end, but on mine.

It was an exceptionally busy time at work as people prepared to put their homes and commercial properties on the market at the first hint of spring, so I’d been content to attend the opera and the theater with her and leave it at that.

We’d never crossed to the physical level, but not for her lack of interest. I’d been the one to put on the brakes, time and time again.

I didn’t even know why. Now, as I readied the Jacuzzi for Sage and swiftly shed my suddenly way too tight, restrictive suit, it made sense.

Much as I hated to admit it, the idea of being intimate with Ursula had never given me one-tenth of the excitement as hot tubbing with Sage.

Ursula was safe. Predictable. She didn’t want much from me, and I definitely wasn’t looking for more from her beyond companionship.

Sage, however, was a forbidden fruit. My sister-in-law’s best friend. Everything I should never want, and smart-mouthed and sexy to boot.

I had been entrusted with keeping her safe, but anything beyond that would be risking my relationship with Ally.

Sage was like a sister to her, and Ally wouldn’t believe I could want anything other than sex. Hell, even if I did, I wasn’t sure I’d believe myself.

I slipped into the water and let out a sigh as the heat seeped into my aching muscles. Damn, this felt good. Sage would love it too. Instant stress-reliever.

Minus us being in there together, which would probably ramp up the tension for an entirely different reason.

Getting this close to her with only hot, bubbling water between us was dangerous.

A fact that was driven home when Sage hesitantly stepped into the bathroom wearing a pair of short, tight, ass-hugging sleep shorts and her silky cami.

Now I could tell for certain it had a shelf bra because just her cautious footsteps were making her breasts bounce in ways that should be illegal in all fifty states.

“Don’t,” I gritted out when she moved to cover herself with her arm, already self-conscious.

“Don’t hide.” Her throat bobbled, but she let her arm drop.

“I’m not sure why you’re doing this. Or why I’m doing it.” She stepped back, already reaching for the knob on the bathroom door.

“You can just use it now. I’ll use it later.”

“You don’t have to worry that I’m getting the wrong idea. I’m not. We’re just two friends in a Jacuzzi. Trying to be friends,” I amended.

“Not sure we’ll get there easily.”

“I like the touching-you part of friendship.” She cleared her throat.

“I mean, I don’t get hugs much anymore. My parents are traveling, and Ally is the size of a beluga, and well, she hugs her husband, not me. I guess I’m just a tactile person and”

“C’mon, get in.” I motioned to the tub.NôvelDrama.Org: text © owner.

“Friends share hugs. Friends hold each other.”

“Yeah, it’s the dick thing kind of holding me back.”

“Pardon?” She bit her lip.

“You were hard last week. In the break room. And I kind of figured it was because you might be one of those guys who could get aroused at anything, and I wrote it off. But now you’re giving me that look again, and if I’m hugging you…”

“I’ll be seized by a wave of uncontrollable lust and will insist on having you, right here, right now.” My tone was dry.

“Let me assure you, I am in full control of my impulses. Nothing will happen other than a friendly embrace.”

“Okay.” She took another step forward and stopped.

“This isn’t weird? I mean, even hugs feel like crossing a line somehow. Plus, it seems harder for us to be friendly toward each other than it is for other people.” Understatement of a lifetime.

She consternated me almost as much as she intrigued me, and I was positive the reverse was also true possibly without the intrigue. Though she certainly seemed curious now.

“We’re in Vegas, right?” She nodded.

“And on vacation. So, what happens on vacation in Vegas stays in Vegas.”

“When you put it that way, I’m in.” She crossed the rest of the way to the oversized hot tub and stepped in, pausing to let out a breath.

“Whoa, that’s warm.”

“It is.”