Chapter 13 Eden
Eden
“It really is something else.” Eden leaned against the bartop, chin in hand, and a Shirley Temple chilling before her. “Look at her. Three guys surrounding her like she’s the queen of the island. Almost feels backward when you remember where we are.”
Blair followed Eden’s line of sight. There, at the end of the pool, was Monarch – the older, definitely more experienced Butterfly who commanded the subservient attention of three male guests.
She lay back in one of the lounge chairs, black sunglasses on, and a white hat flopped to one side as a guy in swim trunks and not much else massaged her feet.
Two strappy sandals were tossed to the side.
Nobody cared, because the other men sat on either side of her, laughing at whatever jokes she told.
Already, one of them had come to the bar to order Monarch’s favorite soda.
As far as Eden could tell, none of them had known each other on Friday.
“There’s a reason she’s the legend,” Blair quipped from the other side of the bar.
“Every season I’ve worked here, she’s been here.
Obviously, she doesn’t work every single season, but I hear in the outside world she’s done the whole gamut of sex work.
Porn star, pricey escort, even married some rich old dude for a while… you name it, she’s done it.”
“If she’s got rich widow money, then why is she here?”
Blair snorted before gesturing to the scene before them. “She’s having a great time.”
Eden took another look at the woman with fantastic style, sheer confidence, and – probably – a great plastic surgeon.
Monarch had to be closer to fifty than forty, but not a single one of the guests hanging on her every word and foot gave a damn.
They probably didn’t have MILF or older women fetishes, although La Mariposa certainly catered to those as well.
Eden had enough jokes land flat on their faces around men to know when they were laughing and having a good time.
Whatever anecdotes Monarch shared, she had command of the pool area.
Amazing.
Since Eden already had a liaison that day, something she made sure went into the books when she was back on the clock, she had the run of the property until that night’s party.
She decided to lounge at the pool since it meant she didn’t have to change out of her bikini and robe.
When she saw Blair was here again, Eden knew she had made the right choice to hang out.
And when Monarch drew these men like moths to a flame? Entertainment!
“It’s just so different from the vibe I was led to embrace here during orientation.”
Blair tossed some dirty glasses into a bin.
“You get invited back enough times, you can start doing your own thing as long as it pleases the guests, I guess. Kinda like being on this side of the bar. They order one drink, but I put my own spin on it based on their personality and attitude. Gets me more tips, for sure, but you must have the confidence to do it first.”
“Didn’t you say you just got your bartender’s license a couple of years ago?”
“Yeah. And I barely had any experience when my boss asked if I could fill in one season. But I made the most of that experience I had. I knew the money here would be ridiculously good if I could get invited back even twice a year. So I took some risks my first time here. Paid off, I guess. They still invite me back.”
Eden glanced her up and down. “Helps that you’re gorgeous, huh?”
“Hm, you think? I’ve got being thin on my side. But my hair isn’t actually blond, if you can’t tell from my stellar roots.”
“But it’s like such a great vibe on you! You’re like the hot girl next door who is serving up drinks and being sweet. I’m guessing. I actually have no idea how you interact with the guests. ‘Cause it ain’t how I’m doing it.”
Blair laughed at Eden’s candor. “Nope. Certainly not. They can’t pay me enough for your part of the deal.”
“Not even a hundred grand before bonuses?”
“We may all have our price, hon, but mine’s way higher.”
Louder laughter floated in their direction.
Eden glanced over her shoulder and discovered that Monarch had yanked down one of the guys’ swim trunks and played with his junk.
For some reason, this was hilarious to everyone, including the guy with the junk in question.
Could I ever be that forward? Eden never thought she’d have a “style” as a Butterfly, but here she was, contemplating a grand return if she was invited back.
This was supposed to be one and done… She assumed it would be tolerable for the money, and she’d never have to do it again.
But not only had she made a friend in Blair – who happened to live in the same metro as Eden back home – but she had a lot of fun with the two men who had been taken in by her that weekend.
I probably shouldn’t think it’s like this every time.
And there would only be so many seasons a woman could work before she grew tired of it. Not everyone was Monarch.
But what if Eden was a Monarch type? What if this, as things turned out, was her calling?
She thought about that for a few seconds. Haha, no.
She’d take her payday the following week and restart her life. She was only twenty-five. That was nothing in the realm of the world, but at La Mariposa? I might be a MILF already.
When Eden finished her drink, she said goodbye to Blair and took a short walk around the pool area.
She would eventually settle down and relax for an hour or so, but she wanted to get away from Monarch’s absurdism before it turned into a preview of that night’s party.
Could they at least take it to a cabana?
Oh, no. They were going to one of the smaller wading pools.
Eden lounged back in one of the chairs and closed her eyes. In a few minutes, the sunlight was blocked from her face.
“Hmm.” She opened one eye and was nearly blinded, even through her sunglasses. “I know that profile anywhere.” She shielded her brows and took in the imposing figure of Bryce, a man who did not suit that name at all. “What can I do for you?”
He sat on the chair next to hers. By the looks of it, he had come for a swim, but had not yet dipped his toes into the pool.
“I’m inclined to be corny and say, stay there just like that, being beautiful.”
“Well…” Eden rolled her head back so she gazed up at the blue sky. “Yes, that is pretty corny. But it works for a reason.”
“For what it’s worth, I mean it. You are gorgeous, Brim.”
She slightly blushed. Too bad he couldn’t possibly see it in the bright sunlight reflecting off the chlorinated water.
“You’re a classic gentleman, sir.”
“Come on. Would a gentleman do to you what I did last night?”
She grinned. “You might be surprised.”
Honestly, who was this woman? Every time Eden second-guessed herself, one of these guys came along and just…
brought out this persona who might not actually be a persona, if she were true to herself.
Maybe it’s who I always wanted to be around men.
Except that Eden had plenty of chances throughout her life.
But that was when she assumed it was her youth doing most of the carrying…
Was she actually beautiful? Did she have some je ne sais quois that made her stand out in a crowd?
What was it? Her face? Her body? How she carried herself?
Dressed? Did she have some confidence that Blair had been talking about?
Do I just show up, take some chances, and put my own spin on things to stand out?
She hadn’t even meant to do it! This was a woman whose history with relationships was vanilla and just kinda… there!
Yet these two men kept coming back to her.
Like they couldn’t get enough. Neal kept going on about how much she hoped he thought of him with other guests.
Bryce had even insinuated that he wanted nothing more than for Eden to know that she was his here.
Yet they both respected her job and the rules of the land.
They were possessive while still keeping it within the scope of La Mariposa.
They’re not like this back home, I bet. That was the fantasy-breaking thing of it all.
If Eden encountered either one of them in the city, they would be different.
Definitely less relaxed and likely to take risks with someone like her.
Here, she had their undivided attention.
They were locked in on her like she could give them her time, her body, even a bit of her heart. Not like she would ever forget them.
She might as well take full advantage of this while she could, and not just because she got a bonus every time one of them spent time with her.
“I have a proposition for you,” Bryce said, as a loud woo!
echoed across the pool. Neither of them turned to see what was happening over by the bar, but Monarch was certainly hard at work.
“Today is our last night on this island, and I want to make the most of it by asking you to be my date to the party.”
Eden wanted to laugh, but didn’t want to accidentally offend him. “You mean the orgy. Because that’s the only sanctioned party going on tonight.”
“Which you have to work, I’m sure. It’s usually all hands and genitals on deck.”
Finally, she could laugh, because he had made a joke. “I’m a woman at large, sir. Nobody gets to monopolize my time at the party. Or, at least, not on paper.”
“Which is why I’m asking you, not your supervisors. Surely, you must have figured out what half of my fun is here.”
She couldn’t help but bat her eyelashes. “I have some idea.”
“Let me hear it. Tell me how on the same wavelength we are.”
“You want my honest opinion, sir?”
“I always want a professional’s opinion.”
Wow. He really does think I’m a pro. Why wouldn’t he? She was working here as a Butterfly, wasn’t she? And so far, she had played the part perfectly. Eden had been exactly what he was looking for on La Mariposa.