them up with two fingers as if they were dirty instead of just wet. âIâll get these washed.â
âOh, no, thatâs not necessary,â Breanne said, feeling as if she should have cleaned up for the maid.
âIt is part of your service.â Larianaâs expression was perfectly even, and perfectly lofty. âWhere is your groom?â
âHeâs . . .â The hell with it. âHe dumped me.â She waited for some sign of superiority from Lariana.
But the maid dropped her icy expression immediately. âMen are such scum,â she said with feeling. âBottom feeders. Every last one of them.â
âNot every last one,â Shelly said quietly. âSome are good.â
âTake off the rose-colored glasses, Pollyanna,â Lariana said.
âSo Iâm hopefulâso what?â Shelly lifted her chin. âSheâll find another man. A better one.â
âNo, thank you,â Breanne interjected. âNo more men.â
âEver?â Lariana asked, intrigued.
âEver.â
Lariana didnât look convinced. âThey are scum, but once in a while, they are good for a few things . . .â
Breanne picked up the vibrator, waggled it. âAnything that this canât take care of?â
Shelly gasped, but Lariana burst out laughing. âI have extra batteries, when you need.â
Shelly looked scandalized. And desperate to change the subject. âI still canât believe Edward messed up and booked two of you for the same week.â She tossed a big log onto the fire. âHe never messes up.â
Lariana snorted her opinion of that, and when Shelly looked at her, more unspoken communication passed between them. âI need to get back to the kitchen,â Shelly said.
âYou do that.â Lariana moved to the fireplace. âYou canât just add a piece of hard wood, Shellyâitâll die. You have to put in some kindling, too.â
Shelly ignored her and joined Breanne by the couch. âDonât let her intimidate you while Iâm gone,â she whispered as they both watched Lariana handle the fire like a pro.
âShe is pretty intimidating,â Breanne admitted.
âItâs all an act. You should have seen her the last time Edward yelled at her. She cried.â
âEdward yells at you guys?â
Shelly laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. âJust remember, sheâs human. I mean, sheâs sleeping with Patrick, for Godâs sake.â
âPatrick?â
âOur fix-it guy.â
âDoes he clink spookily when he walks?â
Shelly grinned. âAye, mate, that he does,â she said in perfect imitation of Patrickâs accent.
Breanne looked back at the cool, classy-looking Lariana poking at the fire and tried to picture her with the tall, skinny, almost gangly, redheaded Patrick. âAre you sure? â
âOh, yeah.â
Lariana rose, and with Breanneâs clothes over her arm, moved toward the door, picking up the carry-on as well. âPlease follow me, Ms. Mooreland.â
âBreanne,â Breanne said, but Lariana was already gone.
Unless she wanted to say good-bye to her bag and everything in it, she didnât have much choice but to follow Lariana out into the pitch-black hallway. Ahead of her, the maid moved quickly and briskly, her heels tapping as she pulled a flashlight out of nowhere to light their way.
They came to a fork in the hallway.
âDown that way is the movie theater, with thousands of DVDs to pick from,â Lariana said, sounding like a tour guide. âOn the other side is the gym, complete with sauna and indoor pool, and if you want, Shelly is also an excellent masseuse.â
âI donât think Iâll be staying long enough to enjoy those things,â Breanne said, not having missed Cooperâs non-committance about leaving. If he didnât, she would.
âAre you going to let