A Tempting View

Helena gestured to a large bowl of freshly chopped greens resting near the far edge of the vast marble island. "Pass me those vegetables, dear."

Inside the sprawling, silent kitchen of the grand mansion, Liana and Helena worked in a seamless, practiced rhythm. The elaborate dinner preparations for the master of the house, Vaughn, were well underway. Liana quickly handed over the glass bowl before returning to her station at the stove. She had just finished whipping up a heavy batch of creamy mashed potatoes and a rich, savory chicken gravy. The older woman glanced sideways, clearly admiring the impressive culinary skills Liana possessed at such a young age.

Helena stirred a simmering pot on the burner, shooting Liana an appreciative look. "I have to admit, I always struggle with getting mashed potatoes this smooth. Since you are here now, I have a feeling you will be teaching me how to perfect them very soon."

Liana offered a bright, humble smile in return. "I promise to teach you everything I know, ma'am."

Cooking came naturally to Liana. She had opened up to Helena earlier in the evening about her unique upbringing. Back at the convent, the older sisters habitually gave the younger girls cooking lessons every Saturday right after morning mass. Over the years, Liana learned how to play around with various humble ingredients, honing her craft until she was trusted to prepare daily meals for the younger orphaned children.

As the hour grew late, they finally moved the fully cooked dinner onto serving platters.

Liana glanced up at the antique wall clock ticking quietly above the refrigerator. It was already past eight at night. Did their mysterious boss usually come home this deep into the evening? She assumed he must be a busy man who took his professional duties to heart. Maintaining such a gigantic, luxurious estate surely required immense dedication and long hours in an office.

Helena untied the thick straps of her apron and folded it neatly. "I am going to head to the servant quarters to get cleaned up first. Should Mr. Ashford show up unannounced while I am gone, please serve him his dinner. If I make it back in time, I will serve him myself so you can also wash up and rest."

"Understood." Liana affirmed in a gentle, quiet voice.

Helena smiled warmly, turned on her heel, and hurried out of the kitchen toward her bedroom in the staff wing.

Determined to leave the pristine kitchen spotless to save the older woman trouble, Liana stayed behind. She turned her attention to the sink, rolling up her sleeves to scrub the remaining dirty plates and pans. Halfway through rinsing a heavy skillet, the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps crossed the polished tile floors right behind her.

Liana did not bother to turn around, assuming the housekeeper had merely forgotten something. "I am almost finished cleaning up here, ma'am. I will go get cleaned up in just a minute."

Silence answered her.

Liana spun around, expecting a friendly face, but the greeting died instantly in her throat.

Standing directly in front of her was not the kindly older woman. It was a towering, broad-shouldered man with rippling muscles that seemed ready to pop the seams of his tailored dress shirt. He stood so imposing and tall that he made her feel defenseless and microscopic in comparison. Sheer panic gripped her chest, squeezing her lungs tight. Having spent her entire life surrounded exclusively by gentle nuns and the occasional frail, elderly priest, she had zero experience dealing with a dominant male presence. Her first instinct was to scream for help, but logic slowly caught up to her racing heart. The heavy estate security would never allow a dangerous stranger to wander inside. This intimidating titan of a man had to be the owner of the house.

Vaughn had just arrived home from a taxing day at the office accompanied by Tessa. Tessa was his childhood friend, a woman he had known through the rocky stages of growing up. They were close enough that outsiders frequently assumed they would eventually marry. Vaughn held zero romantic feelings for her, but Tessa harbored a deep, desperate infatuation. To stay close to him, she had proposed an explicit, purely sexual friends-with-benefits agreement. She granted him permission to do all the sinful, dirty things he wanted to her body for as long as he desired. After one night of raw seduction, Vaughn decided it was a beneficial arrangement, thus starting their dark, carnal relationship.

Upon entering the living room downstairs, Tessa had scanned the empty foyer. "Is anyone at home?"

They both paused, listening to the faint clattering of plates and spoons echoing from the kitchen corridor.

"It is likely Helena finishing up. Head upstairs to the bedroom. I will check on the noise and join you shortly." Vaughn replied casually, loosening his silk tie.

Leaving Tessa to wait in his private quarters, Vaughn tracked the clattering sounds to the kitchen, fully expecting to see his elderly housekeeper.

The minute he stepped through the archway, he stopped dead in his tracks.

He was greeted by the breathtaking sight of an unfamiliar, shapely woman facing away from him. Vaughn stood motionless, shamelessly admiring the creation in front of him. The alluring, voluptuous curve of her hips and the firm, round swell of her ass pressed deliciously against the fabric of her uniform. When did Helena get a rear end that looked like a masterful piece of art?

She spoke blindly over her shoulder, assuming it was the housekeeper, and Vaughn remained quiet until she finally turned to face him.

Heavens. Did an angel just fall directly into his domain?

Vaughn swept a dark, calculating gaze over her trembling form. She possessed flawless, fair skin that glowed like morning sunlight reflecting off a calm lake. Her pouty lips remained slightly parted in shock, framing mesmerizing hazel eyes and impossibly long blonde lashes. Her hair was swept up into a neat, professional bun. The plain, knee-length maid uniform did no justice to the curves hidden beneath the dull fabric.

He noticed her knuckles turning white as she clutched a soapy washing sponge tightly against her chest shieldingly. A sudden jolt of raw, carnal desire shot straight to his groin. His trousers tightened painfully with a throbbing erection. Vaughn imagined those delicate hands wrapping around his dick firmly, gripping his hard shaft instead of a cheap porous scrubber. He actually envied the poor sponge caught in her desperate grasp.

Pushing his dark thoughts aside, Vaughn took a heavy step forward, his towering frame casting a shadow over her. "Who are you and what is your business in my home?"

Liana froze instantly. She bowed her head low, hiding her flushed cheeks shyly. "Good evening, sir. My name is Liana, and I am the new maid."

Vaughn paused. He wanted to demand if she was the one replacing the former maid, Jenna, but he realized this frightened girl would have no clue who Jenna was.

"Where is Helena right now?" Vaughn asked instead, demanding answers.

"She is resting in her room. Should I plate and serve your dinner?" Liana asked in a quiet, fragile voice.

Her melodious, gentle tone sent an unfamiliar tremor shooting straight through his veins. It soothed him in a way he could not logically comprehend.

"Do not bother yourself. I am not hungry." Vaughn replied, his stern voice softening uncharacteristically. He mentally shocked himself. Since when did he ever speak to a woman with such polite restraint?

Liana gave a swift, terrified nod. "Very well, sir. I will just finish cleaning up these dishes and leave."

She turned her back to him, desperate to escape his intense gaze, and resumed scrubbing the skillet.

Damn that ass.

Vaughn gritted his teeth. It took every ounce of his willpower and mental might to tear his eyes away from the mesmerizing sway of her hips. He had seen countless beautiful women, yet this shy, innocent maid disrupted his cold composure with a fierce intensity. Why was he so deeply affected by a servant?

Shaken by his lack of control, Vaughn turned on his heel and retreated toward the hallway. He was dangerously disoriented and severely needed to relieve the agonizing tension coiling in his gut. The housekeeper could wait until tomorrow morning when he had his sanity back in check. Right now, he needed a distraction to purge this sudden, insane fixation. He wanted nothing more than to march up to his master bedroom, press Tessa down into the mattress, and lose himself. He needed to bury his dick deep inside the tight sheath of Tessa's pussy to drown out the lingering image of the angel standing at his kitchen sink.