CHAPTER THREE: Maid’s Uniform

CASSIE’s POV

The master’s bedroom was enormous, beautiful, and completely trashed. Clothes on the floor. Papers scattered across every surface. Sheets half off the bed. Empty glasses on the nightstands. It looked like a storm had gone through it.

Sebastian glanced at me. “Messy, I know. That’s why we hired you. Can you handle it?”

I nodded right away. “Of course. My son makes bigger messes than this.”

Something shifted in his expression. “What?”

“What?”

“You have a son?”

“Yeah. He’s two years old.”

“Oh.” He looked around the empty hallway like someone might be listening. “Are you married?”

“No. I already broke up with his father.”

“Oh.” That second “oh” sounded lighter. Almost like he was relieved.

I frowned. “Is that a problem?”

“No. Not at all.” He pointed toward a closet at the opposite side of the hallway. “Cleaning supplies are in there. If you need me, text. I’ll be in Duke’s office.”

Then he left so fast it felt like he was running from something.

I closed the doors behind him and stood alone in the middle of the wreckage. The connecting door to my new room sat closed on the far wall. The short skirt brushed the backs of my thighs every time I shifted my weight.

I rolled my shoulders, picked up the first discarded shirt from the floor, and started working.

Whatever this job really was, I had already said yes.

An hour into the job and I still wasn’t finished. My back ached. My knees burned from kneeling on the hard floor. I reached under the heavy dresser again with the handheld vacuum, stretching farther than the short skirt wanted to allow.

That was when I felt it.

Someone watching.

I glanced to the right, toward the tall mirror on the wall, and nearly dropped the vacuum.

Mr. Freniere stood a few feet behind me. Silent. Still. Dark eyes fixed on the place where my skirt had ridden up.

“Mr. Freniere.” I scrambled upright and yanked the hem down as far as it would go. First day and I had already given my new boss a full view of everything underneath. Perfect.

He didn’t look away. “Keep cleaning.”

I forced a small smile. “Yes, sir.”

I reached for the regular vacuum so I could finish the carpet properly. His voice stopped me.

“Continue with the one in your hand.”

I looked down at the tiny handheld. It would take forever. He knew that.

He wanted me on my knees longer.

I kept the smile in place. “Of course, sir.”

I dropped back down, careful this time, and went back to work under the furniture. Every time I stretched forward the skirt slid higher. I could feel the cool air against the backs of my thighs. I could feel his eyes on me the entire time. He never spoke. He never moved closer. He just stood there and watched while I cleaned.

My face stayed hot. My pulse refused to settle. I focused on the dust and the soft hum of the vacuum and tried not to think about how deliberately he had chosen this.

When I finally finished the last corner and stood, my legs trembled from kneeling so long. He was still there.

“My room,” he said. “Spotless. By tonight.”

Then he turned and left without another word.

I stared at the closed door for a long second, heart still racing, before I forced myself to keep working.

…

DUKE’s POV

I pushed the bedroom door open without knocking.

She was on her knees, back to me, stretched low under the dresser. The short uniform skirt had ridden all the way up her thighs. Soft bare skin. The full curve of her ass on display. Nothing covering her except the thin strip of fabric between her legs that did almost nothing to hide her.

I stopped in the doorway and let myself look.

She still hadn’t noticed me. Every time she reached farther the skirt climbed higher, baring more of that smooth skin. The position left her completely open. Vulnerable. Exactly the way I had told Sebastian the uniform needed to fit.

Tight. Short. Easy to watch.

I stayed silent and enjoyed the view. The soft give of her thighs when she shifted her weight. The way the little strip of fabric disappeared between them. The faint flush already coloring the backs of her legs from kneeling so long.

My cock stirred, heavy and interested, but I didn’t move. I just watched her work, knowing she had no idea how thoroughly I was taking her in.

Finally, she felt the weight of my stare. She looked into the mirror, saw me, and scrambled upright so fast the vacuum nearly slipped from her hand. Her fingers flew to the hem of the skirt, yanking it down in a useless attempt to cover what I had already seen.

Color flooded her cheeks. “Mr. Freniere.”

I kept my eyes on her face now, but the image of her open and unaware stayed sharp in my mind. “Keep cleaning.”

She forced a small smile and reached for the larger vacuum. I stopped her with one quiet order.

“Continue with the one in your hand.”

She glanced at the handheld, then back at me. Understanding flickered in her eyes. She knew. She still dropped back to her knees and crawled under the furniture again.

I remained where I was.

I watched the skirt fail her over and over. Watched the soft flesh of her ass flex each time she stretched. Watched the thin fabric between her legs shift and tighten with every movement. Heat settled low and steady in my gut. She was already mine. She just didn’t understand the terms yet.

When she finally stood, legs unsteady from kneeling so long, I gave her the only instruction that mattered.

“My room. Spotless. By tonight.”

Then I walked out, the sight of her still burned behind my eyes, and left her alone with the mess and the knowledge that I had seen everything.