Romance: Hired Read Free Page B

were here, he would say something like, ‘One small step for a woman, but one giant step to selling your soul.’
    I had suffered through a cold shower at my apartment before dressing my best, but I feel even colder now.  I didn’t feel like a princess in spite of being invited to Damon’s castle.  I felt like a whore arriving on time.
    The massive doors leading into the mansion were easily eight feet tall. I was speechless as I walked up the stairs.  This was the house I had dreamt of in my childhood. 
    I wanted to be that princess. 
    I wanted to be swept of my feet by the fairytale prince and whisked away inside the mansion.
    As a little girl, I wanted all of this.
    Once we were inside, Damon led me from room to room, giving me a tour of much of the North wing.
    He talked, but I struggled to listen. 
    I was in awe of this house and it’s impressive beauty.  My mouth dropped as I was shown room after room after room.  The mansion almost made me forget why I was here.
    I noticed every little detail of every room. 
    I noticed the expensive marble that was used excessively. 
    The dustless rooms.
    The wide range of beautiful and rare artwork.
    The astounding, winding staircase.
    I was in awe.
    But it was the feeling in the mansion that hit me most.  I felt it in every room.
    The house was empty.
    Every room felt alone.
    Unused.
    This was a house.  A mansion.  A piece of architectural grandeur. 
    But it was not a home.
    These rooms were for showing, not for living in.
    One part of the house had a different feeling.  I was envious of the art studio that Damon had remodeled for himself.  I had never imagined that Damon would be a painter or a sculpture.  I admired the beautiful works of art that he had created with his hands.  He definitely had an eye for beauty. 
    “When I feel lonely, I come here,” he commented.
    “There must be fifty pieces of art here,” I whispered to myself, thinking that he must have spent a lot of time here.
    He shrugged his shoulders to indicate he understood what I was implying.
    Just as I had expected, there were servants bustling about the main rooms and the kitchen, ready to cater to his every whim. 
    He greeted them all warmly and introduced me to each and every one by name.  He was extremely personable towards his hired help, and he was even more personable to me. 
    As he introduced me to them, I almost forgot that I was also the hired help.
    The most impressive part of the building was his study. 
    It seemed nearly every great literary work ever written adorned its walls.  The oak trim adorned every inch of the room.  The marble floor beneath our feet was absolutely stunning.  The vaulted ceiling with the skylight in them made the space look heavenly.  A breath caught in my throat as I admired the view. 
    “This house is absolutely breathtaking,” I complimented. 
    I wish I had the words to explain the mansion, but I was at a loss for more words. 
    He went on to tell me that he had other houses in other parts of the world.  One of his smaller homes was in London, another in Brazil.  He even had an island off the coast of Hawaii that he visited occasionally when he had to entertain business partners there. 
    “But I like this one the most.  I always have.” 
    He explained further that he had lived here for the past five years, since he came into a lot of money and success in his business. 
    “I come here when I need to just get away. Hardly anyone knows that I own this mansion. You have to tell me you won’t share it with anyone.”
    “Cross my heart.” 
    I smiled at him warmly.  I was nervous, but glad that he wasn’t making me feel terribly uncomfortable at the moment.  As if reading my mind, he walked behind the bar in one of the lounge rooms and poured two glasses of white wine.
    Damon sipped at the wine, never really taking his eyes off me.
    “This wine would taste a lot better in the spa that is in the corner of the balcony over here.”