Stately Pleasures by
Lucy Felthouse
Alice Brown has just landed her dream job. Property manager
at Davenport Manor, a British stately home. It’s only a nine-month contract to
cover maternity leave, but it’s the boost up the career ladder she so
desperately needs.
Unfortunately, things don’t get off to the best start, when
Alice finds her boss, Jeremy Davenport, in a compromising position. Far from
being embarrassed by what’s happened, Jeremy turns things around on Alice and
makes her out to be the one in the wrong. So when he and his best friend and
head of security, Ethan Hayes, then throw an ultimatum at her, she’s so stunned
and confused that she goes along with their indecent proposal.
When the dust settles and Alice has time to think about
things, though, she realises that perhaps it isn’t such a bad thing. There are
worse things she could be doing to advance her career, after all.
Excerpt:
Alice took a deep breath, in through her nose and out
through her mouth. Repeated the process once more. Then, realising she could
sit there all day doing it and not feel any calmer, she forced herself to step
out of the car and close and lock the door.
She bent to peer into the wing mirror of the vehicle and
checked her hair and make-up. Satisfied, she straightened, then turned on her
heel and walked quickly across the driveway to the great house before her nerve
failed her.
Davenport Manor was currently open for visitors, so she
walked in through the front door and was met by a smiling elderly lady.
‘Can I help you?’ the woman asked kindly.
‘Yes, please.’ Alice twisted her hands together nervously.
‘I’m here to see Mr Davenport. I’m here for an interview for the property
manager’s role.’
‘Yes, of course,’ the woman replied, ‘that’s today, isn’t
it? Follow me; I’ll take you to Mr Davenport’s office. But just hang on one
second.’
She ducked through the doorway into the next room and spoke
with her colleague. Alice guessed she was letting her co-worker know she’d be
gone for a few minutes. A few seconds later, she was back. ‘OK, follow me, Miss
…’
‘Brown,’ Alice said, then fell in behind the other woman as
she led her to Mr Davenport’s office, and the interview that could change her
life for ever. It was hardly surprising that she was shaking like a leaf.
Alice quickly felt lost as their journey took several twists
and turns along dim corridors – their blinds drawn to protect paintings,
tapestries, and furniture from the sunlight – and up a flight of stairs. She
had a few seconds to worry about finding her way if she was lucky enough to get
the job, then, suddenly, her guide stopped outside a door and turned around.
‘Here you go, Miss Brown. Mr Davenport’s office. Good luck
with your interview.’
Alice smiled and thanked the elderly woman, then smoothed
down her skirt, which also conveniently helped wipe the nervous sweat off her
hands. She stood up straight, gave herself a mental pep talk about being more
than qualified for the role, and knocked on the door.
‘Enter.’
Alice knew that voice could only belong to Jeremy Davenport.
The posh accent, and the fact he’d said “enter” instead of “come in”, screamed
money and an upper-class upbringing. Alice was suddenly nervous of her broad
Midlands accent and lowly background, despite the fact she’d worked her
backside off to get into a decent university in order to gain a Bachelor of
Arts degree and then a Master’s degree. No matter what she sounded like, or
what her past was, she had all the skills necessary to do the job she was about
to be interviewed for.
Suddenly, she realised that she’d left rather a long pause
before opening the door, and she turned the handle before the occupants of the
room thought they were about to interview some kind of simpleton who couldn’t follow
a simple instruction.
Fixing a polite – but hopefully not inane – smile onto her
face, Alice stepped into Jeremy Davenport’s office. Her first thought – which
certainly did nothing to help her nerves – was good God, he’s hot.
Jeremy sat behind a desk, with a heavily pregnant woman
sitting beside it. Alice barely noticed the woman. All she saw was him. A man
with cropped dark brown hair, hazel/green eyes, a jawline you could cut bread
with, and lips that looked capable of doing incredibly wicked, sexual things to
a woman. Or a man. Alice had no idea what his sexuality was, but she found
herself hoping he liked women.
She chastised herself. Even if he did like women, he
wouldn’t go for someone like her. A Plain Jane, with mousy brown
shoulder-length hair, blue eyes, average height and above average weight. Alice
had always known she’d never be a supermodel, so she’d worked extra hard
academically, and here she was. About to be interviewed for her dream job.
*****
Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and
erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over eighty
publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include several
editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women's Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic
Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and
co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house.
She owns Erotica For All, and is book
editor for Cliterati. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join
her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her
newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9
