by Amy Brent
The concierge wanted her to pay double the rate and seemed to have every intention of holding her hostage. The poor sap didn’t realize who he was dealing with. Lulu “Mad Dog” Roman, Attorney at Law, practically had the guy in tears before hanging up the phone, then agreed to the twenty-percent surcharge just to throw him a bone.
“Maybe I’ll fuck him to make him feel better,” she said with a smile after coming into my office to deliver the news.
“That would be the Christian thing to do,” I said with a smile, doing my best to hide the excitement of spending the weekend at Paradiso and possibly getting a Yoni Massage from the master himself. I had watched the Devin McMasters video a dozen times and had brought myself to a powerful climax each time at the exact moment he gazed into the camera and smiled at the end. I couldn’t wait to meet the man in person. I’d probably pee in my pants. At the very least, I was pretty sure that I would cream my panties just knowing he was in the room breathing the same air I breathed.
The week was spent in depositions for a new case we’d taken on, the divorce of a Hollywood producer and his trophy wife, appropriately named Candy, as in “arm candy”. Twenty-five-year old, Candy Sweet (yep, that was her real name, I couldn’t make this shit up), had signed a prenup, but her sixty-something husband, Roger Sweet, was throwing her over for an even younger woman—a twenty-year old set assistant on his newest film. We were contesting the prenup, of course, trying to increase Candy’s walk-away from a few hundred-thousand dollars to few dozen millions. Lu and I would get nearly a million dollars for our time and effort, which would be our largest payday ever for a single case. Thankfully, I barely had time to notice the days flying by.
By the time Friday arrived, I was chomping at the bit to get going. The plan was to leave the office at noon, rent a car—Lulu insisted on a convertible Mercedes ala an upscale Thelma & Louise—and drive the two hours north to Paradiso Resort & Spa, which was nestled in the hills north of the city.
Lulu forced me to drive so she could navigate and commandeer the Bose sound system as we drove the ninety miles north. She had made a special “mix CD” for the trip, composed of songs like We Are Family and Little Red Corvette and Put a Ring On It. We sang at the tops of our lungs and ignored the looks of everyone who passed us by. By the time we turned off the interstate and onto the winding road that would lead us through the hills to Paradiso, Lulu got bored with the music and pulled out her iPad to read all about Paradiso to me.
“You are going to love this place, Cass,” she said, turning in the seat to face me with the iPad in her hand. “I remember the first time I drove up. It was like driving through the gates of Heaven. Then I met Devin and… oh my god…”
“So you keep telling me,” I said with a sideways smile. “Read it to me.”
She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head and held the iPad so she could read from the Paradiso website. “Okay, let’s see… Surrounded by 100 wooded mountain acres and 10 miles of hiking trails, Paradiso’s spa treatments are nothing short of overwhelming. Guests can spend their time wrapped, scrubbed, rubbed or pampered in a variety of ways. An expert team of therapists, masseuses, and specialists are at your beck and call twenty-four hours a day, ready to ensure your comfort and happiness.” She poked me with a stiff finger. “Sounds pretty good, huh.”
“So far, keep reading,” I said with a smile. I kept my hands on the wheel and my eyes on the road, which was winding upward toward the resort, which was located at the crest of the mountain.
“Okay, let’s see…” she tapped a button and read some more. “You can take advantage of an Hinoki body treatment, which is a muscle-soothing blend of Hinoki, Cypress and Cedar that will help restore your inner balance and clear your mind.”
“What’s Hinoki?” I asked.
“Who knows,” she said, waving the question away. “Followed by a Lomi Lomi massage and a microcurrent facial.”
“Microcurrent? You mean like electricity?”
She giggled. “Yes, they hook up jumper cables to your nips and light you up.”
I mugged a face at her. “Hmm, could be interesting…”
“For you maybe,” she said. “Okay… oh, the food… um… the food is fucking amazing. Okay… Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner overlooking the beautiful Koi ponds and Japanese gardens that run through the property. Or enjoy a private archery or tennis lesson from one of our pros, followed by a relaxing herbal wrap and Hydra facial.” She bumped me with her elbow. “Doesn’t that sound amazing?”
“Amazing,” I agreed. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. “What does it say about the Yoni Massage?”
“Hold your short pussy hairs, Harriet,” she said. “I’m still looking at the menu…”
“You certainly have your priorities in order,” I said. “Food before Yoni.”
“You do not want your Yoni rubbed on an empty stomach,” she said, chuckling at herself. “Let’s see… oh, listen to this… Enjoy your stay in the main lodge or book one of our 800-sqaure-foot villas for greater privacy and comfort.”
“Why didn’t we get a villa?” I asked.
“Because they’re booked two years in advance,” she said, frowning as if I’d asked a silly question. “You’ll love the lodge. Just shut up and listen.”
“You’re a bitchy tour guide.”
She ignored me and kept reading. “Designed in the style of a traditional Japanese inn, or a ryokan, the entrance welcomes weary travelers who cross the footbridge above a stream filled with crystal clear waters and large Koi. Though designed in the old-world style, Paradiso is modernized for the ultimate comfort and luxury with our guests in mind.”
“So, the place has an Italian name, but is designed like a Japanese inn?” I huffed and mocked condescension. “What were they thinking?”
“They were thinking that bitches like us would pay six-grand for a weekend no matter what the place looked like,” Lulu said.
“Are you at the page that talks about the pussy massage yet?” I asked.
“Not quite… let’s see… you don’t care about the amenities… you don’t care about the décor… the moment you cross the Yatsuhashi-inspired footbridge you begin your journey where you will be nurtured and transformed… blah blah blah…”
I glanced over. “You’re not doing a very good job of building up my hopes.”
“Fine… um… start your day with a guided hike on our private trails through fragrant citrus groves and across glorious mountain switchbacks. Have breakfast in your room or schedule one of our private fitness classes or spa treatments.”
“I’m just about ready to turn this car around and go back home,” I said, growling at her. “Get to the good stuff or put the CD back on.”
“God, you’re so push,” she said, her finger sliding across the screen. “No wonder most other people can’t stand you… let’s see… yoga, archery, boxing… a session with your very own personal trainer… a facial or body treatment… meditation class… Tai chi on the mountain… a guided walk through our botanical labyrinth… nights of camaraderie over luscious dinners with our other guests…”
“You’re killing me,” I said just before seeing the sign that led me to turn off the winding road and through the tall gates of Paradiso. I felt my heartbeat quicken when I saw the main lodge at the top of the hill. He was there. I could feel him. Devin McMasters. The man with the magic hands.
Lulu glanced up, then went back to reading from the web page. “Enjoy Pilates, haiku writing, a soothing scalp treatment or a deep-conditioning shampoo and blow dry as you prepare to leave for the real world. A celebratory dinner marks the weekend of rejuvenation and reimagination that will inspire you to rise to new heights.”
“New heights,” I grunted.
She kept reading even as I pulled up to the entrance and put the car into Park. “Included in every guest’s stay is a daily in-room massage, three skincare or body treatments, and a manicure/pedicure. A menu of luxurious beauty and body treatments
are also available, from exfoliating body scrubs and hydrotherapy baths to treatments customized to your skin type and concerns.” She looked up and smiled when she realized the car had stopped. “Dammit,” she said.
“What?”
“I was just about to read the part about getting your pussy rubbed.”
I rolled my eyes at her as an attendant wearing all white opened the car door and gave me a bow. “Come on,” I said. “Let’s go experience it firsthand.”
CHAPTER NINE: Cassandra
Lulu was right about one thing: driving through the massive iron and stone gates of Paradiso was a little like I would imagine driving into Heaven might be. Built into the side of the mountain, the main lodge was breathtakingly beautiful, like something you’d see in old Japan with its sandstone and heavy timber construction, stilted foundation, curved tile roofs, and brightly colored accents. Another reason it felt heavenly was that I could feel the weight of the world lifting from my shoulders as I drove through the gates. Sadly, I knew the world would be waiting for me when it came time to leave, but a few days without cares and woes would be a wonderful thing.
There were four young men standing at the circular entrance to the lobby, all wearing billowy, white satin shirts, white slacks, and white tennis shoes, like handsome young angels without wings. They smiled broadly as they watched us approach. One of them trotted around the car to open my door and offered me his hand. Another did the same for Lulu. We glanced at each other and grinned. A third angel unloaded our suitcases from the trunk. The fourth one gave us a little bow and directed us across a wide footbridge that spanned a stream filled with large koi. I paused on the footbridge for a moment, watching the colorful fish swimming beneath us.
“Beautiful, huh,” Lulu said, waving her hand toward the water. “This stream is fed from a natural spring further up the side of the mountain. We can hike up tomorrow if you want to see it. You could actually drink this water, though it would probably taste like koi shit.”
“You’re awful,” I said, letting my eyes follow the clear stream, which snaked its way around the lodge as far as I could see in both directions. “It is beautiful.”
“Come on,” she said, tugging on my arm. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Lulu pulled me across the bridge and I willingly followed, feeling a little mesmerized by it all. The air was so crisp and clean that I had to sigh as it filtered in and out of my lungs. The smell of pine and flowers hung in the air, the sounds of the wind in the trees and the birds on the branches. It was a little like stepping into an old Disney movie. I wondered if there would be talking mice in our room and chatty rabbits on the hiking trails.
Another handsome angel held open the ornate wooden doors and welcomed us inside. The lobby continued the Japanese motif with light bamboo walls, teakwood hardwood floors and accents, and floor to ceiling windows that looked out on three sides.
I remembered Lulu saying that Paradiso only had room for thirty guests at a time, which was part of the cozy appeal and probably one of the reasons it cost so much. There were several groups of women huddled about the lobby, chatting, pointing at the view, giggling. They all seemed thrilled to be there… even a little giddy… like high school girls on a field trip to the mall. I wondered if the place would have the same effect on me. I seriously doubted it. I had never been one given to giddiness. And you could not pay me to go to a mall.
As Lulu checked us in I walked around the lobby and looked out the windows at the surrounding woods and the mountain above us. I could see the villa’s dotting the mountain side, like colorful little Japanese huts that rented for ten-grand a night, each connected to the main lodge by winding staircases that looked like they had been there forever. The place was breathtaking, peaceful, serene. It made me just want to take a deep breath and smile. Maybe I’d end up giddy, after all.
“Okay, all set,” Lulu said, coming over with two cardkeys in her hand. She handed one to me and I slid it into my back pocket. “They’ll bring up the luggage. Want to see our suite and freshen up a bit? There’s an orientation dinner, but it doesn’t start for a few hours. I could give you the nickel tour in the meantime.”
“Sounds great,” I said, looking out the window, sighing again. “If it’s anything like this I’m going to be a very happy lady.”
“Trust me, you’re not going to be disappointed,” she said, hitching her head toward a wide staircase at the other side of the lobby. “Come on, there’s no elevator, so we’ll have to climb the stairs to the second floor.”
“No elevator? How… quaint,” I said playfully.
“I know, right!” she said, huffing playfully and rolling her eyes. “I know it’s a health spa and all, but I’m not sure who told them that climbing stairs was good for you. It wears my ass out!”
“Come on, old girl,” I said, offering her my hand. “I’ll hold your hand and help you up the stairs.”
As we were walking across the lobby to the staircase, I glanced up to see two men coming down the stairs from the second floor. They were both dressed like the valets outside and the concierge behind the front desk: billowing, white silk shirts open at the collar, white slacks, and sandals. It was hard to tell who was who since they all dressed the same. But these two men looked different somehow, older, in charge. As a lawyer, I was pretty adept at reading body language. The way they carried themselves with an air of authority as they descended the stairs told me these were not bellboys coming for our bags.
One of the men was shorter and thin, Asian looking, with coal black hair, olive skin, dark eyes, and just a shadow of a well-trimmed beard. The other man was tall, clean-shaven, with sweeping blond hair and a deep tan that contrasted against the whiteness of his shirt. He had a wide smile and eyes so blue I could see the color of them from twenty-feet away. I recognized him immediately. I felt the breath catch in my chest. My mouth was suddenly dry, but other parts of my anatomy were starting to moisten.
Coming down the steps toward us was Devin McMasters…
Yoni Master…
The man with the healing hands…
The man of my wet dreams…
Lulu looked up and when she saw them, threw her hands in the air and squealed. “Ben! Devin!”
They gawked at her, startled for a moment at the high-pitched squeal in the tranquil space, then they smiled and the Asian man held out his arms and pulled Lulu in for a big hug. Devin McMasters was much more refined. He cupped his hands behind his back and bent forward so Lulu could hug his neck.
“It’s so good to see you, Ms. Roman,” the Asian man said. He looked past Lulu to me and stuck out his hand. “Hi, I’m Ben Chin, Director of Paradiso.”
“Hi, Cassandra Casey,” I said, slipping my hand in his, trying to focus on his face rather than stare at the handsome man beside him.
Lulu turned and put one hand on my shoulder and gestured toward Devin with the other. “Cass, this is Devin McMasters. Devin, this is my partner, Cassandra Casey.”
“Partner?” Devin asked tentatively, one perfect eyebrow arching slightly. He kept his hands behind his back. I got the impression that his hands were reserved for far more important things than shaking the hands of his guests.
“Law partner,” I said quickly, as if I had to make sure he understood that we weren’t lesbians. That would have been about my luck. Come all this way to meet Devin McMasters and have him think I was gay. Wait a minute… Why would I care what he thought and why would he care if I was gay? It wasn’t like I had shot with him, for petesake. Christ… see what being giddy does to me…
“Ah, I see,” Devin said, giving me a smile that made my knees wobble.
“Ben, can you show me to our room?” Lulu asked, taking Ben’s hand and starting up the stairs with him in tow behind her. I supposed he knew Lulu well enough not to argue. He looked helplessly at Devin for a moment as his arm was being pulled from its socket.
“Go ahead,” Devin said with a smile, twitching his head toward the top of the stairs.
He gazed into my eyes. “We’ll be right behind you.”
Lulu gave me a wink and tugged Ben up the stairs. I leaned against the rail and tried to force my heart back into normal rhythm. Devin’s hands were still behind his back. I resisted the urge to ask him about Yoni.
“Do we know each other, Miss Casey?” he asked, narrowing his blue eyes at me. His gaze was hypnotic. I felt myself being drawn into his eyes like wading into two dark pools.
“I don’t think so,” I said, my eyes drifting around his face, taking stock of it, searching my memory but coming up blank. There was something so familiar about him, so appealing, but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what it was. I think I would have remembered that face… unless I was drunk, which I often was in my misspent youth.
After an awkward moment, he smiled and lifted his chin. “Well, perhaps we met in another life.”
“Perhaps,” I said with a smile.
“Will I see you at the orientation dinner tonight?” he asked.
“I hope so,” I said. He smiled at me again. I could feel the heat on my cheeks and the dampness between my legs. My nipples plumped in my bra, pushing against the thick padding. I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat and tried to shrug without looking like a nervous marionette. “I mean, yes, I’m sure we’ll be there.”
Before he could say anything else, Ben came down the stairs without Lulu. There was a look of urgency on his face. He was holding up an odd-looking cellphone. I glanced up to see Lulu leaning over the railing on the second-floor landing. She made a circle with the thumb and forefinger of her right hand, then slid a stiff finger of her left hand in and out of it. She grinned like a naughty child.
“Dev, it’s Genevieve,” Ben said, holding out the phone. He looked at me and smiled. “It’s a satellite phone. We don’t have cell service this far up. There’s always one of these at the front desk if you need to make a call.”
Devin frowned at the phone for a moment, as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to touch it, then took the phone and held it behind his back. “I look forward to seeing you tonight, Miss Casey,” he said officially before putting the phone to his ear and walking away.