Page 6 of Billionaire Retreat

I opened my room and realized that unlike all the others, mine had a view of the forest. It was beautiful. The floor of my room extended into the forest and sat above the trees. If I looked down, it appeared as if my room was part of the nature around me. The architecture was bordering on divine.

I was in awe and apparently so were the rest of the girls who had decided to invite themselves in to stare at my view.

“Oh my gosh! This is sooo nice,” one gushed. “You’re so lucky.”

I nodded, speechless. If this was what it felt like to work for the rich, then I should have sought them out a long time ago, I decided.

And then I saw my uniform, which was a long, strapless maxi dress. The bodice featured an intricate white floral detail and the bottom from just above the knee down to the ankles was made from sheer, delicate material. I felt I’d rip it just by touching it.

“Oh my gosh. Your dress is so beautiful. It’s like you got the best of everything.”

I was confused. “You guys don’t have the same dress?”

They all shook their heads. “No, everyone has a different dress. Yours is the only one that is white.”

“Maybe you’re the virginal sacrifice,” one said. A few of the other girls snickered, and Gertrude cleared her throat.

“Leave the cattiness for another day, ladies. It won’t be tolerated here. Everyone’s here to have a good time. If I even feel that one of you is making life difficult for someone else, I’ll have you replaced and you won’t be compensated for your time.”

I smiled to myself. I liked Gertrude… maybe when I grew up I’d be just like her. I smiled at my thought. I had just turned 22 and Gertrude looked to be around 30. There wasn’t a huge gap between us, but I admired how confident and self-assured she was. She was the type of woman who demanded respect and received it. I could learn a lot from her.

“Your assignments are eagerly waiting to meet you all. I would suggest that you get dressed and refreshed quickly.” At that moment, the porter came in with my bag and set it on my bed.

I smiled and mumbled thanks, and he gave me a small wave in acknowledgment.

The other girls disappeared and Gertrude along with them.

I freshened up in the bathroom, which was just as fancy as the rest of the room. I applied mascara and eyeliner, hoping to make my already large dark eyes seem even bigger. I was frequently told I had a natural “deer caught in headlights” look. My eyes were my best feature, large and almond shaped like my mother’s. I applied a nude lipstick to my full lips and smiled in the mirror. I decided to braid my hair into a goddess braid around my head and took a flower from a vase and stuck it behind my ear.

I inspected myself after I was fully dressed and totally approved. I was a knock out. I was ready to entertain… or be entertained.

I made my way down the hall where an attendant pointed me in the direction of the dining room. When I walked in, I saw the other women from my group already there and there were about five men chatting with them. Waiters bearing food and drinks made their rounds and I nervously reached for a glass of wine, hoping for a little “liquid courage.”

I was assigned to G. L. Wallace. That’s what the note had said in my envelope. I nervously approached the group of men who thankfully were wearing name tags. Not one said G. L. Wallace.

Where was my assignment?

And then I noticed a figure standing on the balcony overlooking the jungle. I made my way to the French doors that led to the balcony and stood at the threshold, my heart racing. I didn’t know why I was so nervous.

A million thoughts were racing through my mind. What if he didn’t like me? What if he thought I was ugly? What if he was ugly? I mean, not unattractive, but an ugly person? Mean and cranky? God, what had I gotten myself into?

As that last thought entered my head, the man turned around and my breath caught.

“G.L. Wallace?” I asked with a shaky voice as I showed him my assignment card.

He gave me a small smile that served to make my pulse quicken, “Griffin. My friends call me Griff. And as luck would have it, you’re Parking Lot Girl?”

I laughed nervously. “It’s Nina. Nina Charles.”

“Nina,” he said, putting down the glass of champagne and approaching me. He stopped right in front of me and said, “You’re the last person I expected to see here. I thought all the entertainment specialists were going to be sorority sisters. At least that’s what the guys told me ad nauseam.”

“Definitely not a sorority girl. Disappointed?”

He shook his head slowly, letting his eyes look over me. He took his time, slowly starting at my face and then slowly moving down my body.

I could feel myself blushing as he got an eyeful. My breasts, though on the smaller side, looked huge in the dress I was wearing because of the deep V-neck that left little to the imagination.

While he checked me out, I did the same, I’m not ashamed to admit. It was like heat was filling the space between us as we studied each other. He wasn’t dressed as formally as before. This time he wore plain white jeans and a nautical-themed shirt. It was topped with a flawlessly cut white blazer. He looked handsomely untouchable, yet his body language showed he was completely relaxed.