that," Serge promised.
Audra managed a smile. Her ID began beeping, drawing the attention of everyone in earshot.
"Damn VIPs. Taking advantage of the twenty-four-hour maid service. Sucks to be on call." Serge patted her arm and headed off.
Audra uttered a few swear words under her breath as she read the digital display:
MAXIMA
Did he need someone to wipe his bum now? She slammed her bowl of mango cheeks and ice cream down on the table and decided he could wait until after dessert.
The persistent beeping continued.
"You're doing Jackie's job at the Pearls?" Penny squealed, seizing Audra's wrist so she could read the display. "Ooh, who needs you urgently in Villa Maxima? Is he rich? Hot? Single?"
Audra swallowed. "Confidential. You know I can't say. Guest privacy and all."
"Can you tell me how big his dick is?" Penny persisted.
Huge. Audra felt her face grow red. "Penny, you know it's against the rules to get with the guests."
Penny shrugged. "Wouldn't stop me. What's a low-paid job like this compared to being swept off your feet by a rich man who's hung like a horse? I'd ride him before he could ask for room service." She winked.
Maybe Penny would've been a better choice to service the villas, Audra fumed. At least she would have enjoyed dealing with the almighty prick who thought he was God. But then Penny might also get the full-time job that Audra wanted, which she couldn't allow. She'd better find out what he wanted. The sooner she dealt with him, the sooner she could knock off for the night.
Audra made her excuses and left the table.
"Have fun counting the inches!" Penny called after her.
TEN
Audra slowed her steps as she reached the front door of the villa. Reminding herself that every word would be recorded, she forced herself to put on her professional smile. Even if she was out of uniform, she'd be the consummate professional she needed to be. She swiped her ID and allowed the intercom to notify Jay that she was waiting outside.
The door opened and he stood in the doorway. "Fuck me!" He looked her up and down, wide-eyed.
Here we go again. "Mr Felix, I've already said no, thank you." She turned to go.
"No, wait!" He grabbed her hand.
Assault. She had an excuse to get him arrested. If she wanted to.
"Please." His brown eyes begged. "I'm sorry. I expected you to be in your shapeless uniform again, not –" He waved at her singlet top and shorts. "– this. You surprised me."
Audra wished she'd worn one of the laundry bags over her clothes. Then maybe he wouldn't be staring at her breasts. "Is there something you need, Mr Felix? Something that is within my job description to provide?"
He reddened. "It's my phone. It's not working."
She nodded and waited for him to step aside to let her in. She led the way to the kitchen, where the intercom phone was. "This one?"
"No. Mine." He waved his smartphone. "I can't get reception."
"That's because there isn't any. The year the resort was built, the phone tower came down in a cyclone. They replaced it, only for the next storm to knock it down again. It cost too much to replace, so no one ever did." Audra lifted the intercom receiver. "You can make outside calls with this. Just press zero for an outside line, then the number. It'll be added to your hotel bill when you leave."
"Okay." Jay took the receiver from her and frowned at his phone. He stabbed the buttons on the intercom and clamped the receiver between his shoulder and his ear. "It's not ringing." He handed it back to Audra, who held it to her ear. A recorded message told her to leave her name and number after the tone and someone named Jo would get back to her.
"Your friend's phone isn't switched on," Audra told him, wondering how much she'd have to explain.
"My sister. She made me promise to call her. I need to talk to her!" Audra recognised the panic in his eyes. It was the same look her brother got when the world overwhelmed him and he forgot to take his pills. Her heart twinged