Chapter 10

"Would you like me to record you?" He asked.

Nah, bruh, she thought to herself. You are good right where you are.

"No. You can just explain everything as we walk through."

As they moved from room to room, Gio took on the voice of a tour guide. "Here you will find a voice activated virtual assistant which is connected to your speaker system—both indoor and outdoor. Do you like music, ma'am?"

"I love music," she replied while trying not to be too obvious by pointing her cellphone camera right in his face.

"What do you listen to?" He asked.

"Uh…Amy Winehouse?"

He told the Assistant to play Amy Winehouse and the warm dulcet tones of Love is a Losing Game began to play. Her brow gathered as she was reminded of how truthful those lyrics were.

"Assistant, play Nightmares on Wax," She commanded. And the music changed to the chill, down-tempo beats of her favorite DJ.

The butler's brow lifted. "Nice. Nightmares on Wax? I do not know this group."

"It's not a group. He's a DJ from England. He makes electronic music. He's my favorite artist."

He nodded as if storing that information away. He demonstrated the many ways that the Assistant could be used from turning on and off lights, to providing useful information concerning her itinerary. "This assistant has been programmed with your shipboard information."

"I am impressed. So, I guess I don't need a butler, then." She joked.

He chuckled. "Well the Assistant cannot make you a drink or unpack your bags."

"What?" She asked in surprise. "You're going to unpack for me?"

He inclined his head. "It is one of my services. Shall we continue?" She followed him as she contemplated him handling her intimates. Luckily it was all new stuff that she'd purchased with He Who Shall Not be Named in mind. She shrugged inwardly as she considered that the butler was the only male likely to see her new undies on this trip.

As they moved from room to room, Sidney was left even more impressed. Her butler showed her a small office where there was a laptop computer and cellphone on the desk. He picked up the phone and showed it to her.

"You may use this to contact me or any of the other ship services." He showed her the buttons for the spa, gym, and room service among others. "I can be reached by pressing the middle button. I am at your disposal morning noon and night."

She gave him a dubious look. "Morning, noon and night?"

"Yes," he said as if it was no big deal. "In the event that I am not available there will be a substitute. So, do not hesitate to reach out if there is anything that you need." She thought in amusement about the many times her grandfather would call them into the room just to turn the channel on the television when she was a kid. She decided that he would not enjoy being a butler for her grandfather.

Next, they went up to an upper level where she had a grand loft with a walk-in closet. The bathroom contained a two-person jetted tub and a shower large enough for a party, with shower heads that would hit her from no less than five different directions. She shooed him out briefly so that she could take advantage of the toilet.

She was then shown three balcony decks that overlooked not only the ocean but a large outdoor screen.

"There are nightly movies. Your speakers can be tuned so that you can hear the movie in surround stereo. Or, if you choose, you won't be disturbed by its sounds."

Sidney leaned against the railing and looked at the deck below. It was decorated like an old-fashioned carnival boardwalk. There was even a carousel and outdoor restaurants. The large screen was situated before a large swimming pool and she imagined that people would recline in floats as they enjoyed the movie. It would be nice to watch from here, but more fun to watch from the pool with everyone else.

She turned to the butler and found him watching her.

"I like it."

II

Gio had almost offered again to give his guest a tour of the ship. He rarely offered to do this, especially for lone travelers. He would not want to give the impression that he was an escort; sexual or non-sexual. His training had instilled in him a need to keep a certain amount of aloofness. But he was finding it difficult to do so with this new guest.

There was something refreshing about her, and not just her gorgeous shape and color. He did not find either to be a stigma the way that many American men did. It was the open honesty that she could not conceal that really caught his attention. Even when she tried not to show her excitement at the expensive accommodations, he could see in the way that her eyes would widen and her lips would part that she was not accustomed to such finery. It didn't make sense that someone wealthy enough to afford an exclusive penthouse suite would not be accustomed to being surrounded by riches.

Gio could not count the number of times that he'd met guests that criticized the smallest details such as the laptop not being a brand that they preferred, or the fixtures being stainless steel instead of gold, all the while standing next to a crystal vase that cost a fortune or in a room decorated by a world-renowned designer.

This guest did not take the details for granted. She even ran her fingers along the small trinkets in the kitchen as he explained the functions of the appliances. She picked up a bottle of olive oil and examined the label, her lips trying to sound out the Italian writing. Of course, he read it to her and she gave him an impressed smile.