Victoria The Billionaires Maid

I closed my eyes and leaned my head into the cool tiles as the heat soaked into my skin. I tried to visualize the stress being washed off me and sucked down into the drain… disappearing into the ocean somewhere and leaving me renewed.

It didn’t quite work that way, but by the time I was finished showering and I had dressed in my crisp uniform and put my hair into a neat bun, I at least felt strong enough to face whatever came.

I’d been through a lot in my life. I could handle this.

When I got to work, I parked in the lot next to the cook, Gregory’s Mercedes. He was a retired Wall Street millionaire who had gone to culinary school because he was bored.

I only knew that because Manny told me. He said that Gregory wouldn’t take any money for working for Reigns.

All he asked was that he be allowed to take what was left over in the kitchen with him each day to share with the homeless shelter he sponsored.

Manny also told me that Alex not only agreed; he also gave the shelter a monthly stipend of his own. That was another point in his favor, not that I was looking for them.

I knew rationally that our tryst was just that and even if Alex had wanted to make more of it, I’m sure it would be completely unheard of and unacceptable in his position.

I walked into the service entrance, put my purse and sweater in the locker there, and then went through the kitchen on my way to pick up my housekeeping cart.

I was stopped in my tracks at the sight of Alex, sitting at the table doing some kind of drawing of a landscape on his laptop.

Alex’s landscaping designs were brilliant, and although his parents had been wealthy I read somewhere that the only money he took from them was what he’d used to start his business. Since then, he’d amassed his fortune thanks to his hard work and talent.

He must have felt me looking at him because he turned all at once and smiled.

“Good morning, Vicki.” He was smiling. He was still calling me Vicki. My stomach stilled a little bit and against my better judgment, my heart gave a little flutter.

“Good morning Mr. Reigns.” I wasn’t naked in his bed. I knew enough about professionalism to know that during the day with the cook standing not three feet away now, he was no longer Alex.

“Good morning!” Gregory’s voice boomed as he stepped out of the walk-in freezer. “Are you hungry Victoria?

I was about to make Mr. Reigns some of my magic waffles before he leaves for his trip.” His trip? He was leaving? Why did I care? Oh, Vicki! Pull it together!

“No thank you, Gregory. I should get to work.”

“Aw, come on Vicki, I hate to eat alone.

My room is pretty decent today.”

Alex was still grinning at me and his tone was teasing. It wasn’t unusual for him to invite any of the staff to eat with him.

It was well known around the house that he did hate to eat alone.

“Okay sir, thank you,” I said. I noticed that today, he didn’t seem fazed at all by my use of “sir.”

I wondered if that meant he no longer had any desire to kiss me.

I wished that I felt the same. I had to keep reminding myself not to look at his lips. I sat down and Gregory brought me a cup of coffee.

Alex continued to work on his project as I tried to nonchalantly study his profile. He was so gorgeous that it should be illegal.

This morning he was clean-shaven and wearing a perfectly tailored dark gray suit and light blue tie. He looked good enough to have for breakfast.

When he seemingly finished what he was doing, he looked at me and said, “So how was your weekend, Vicki?”

I glanced over at Gregory. He was running the blender and oblivious to our conversation. Not that we were saying anything wrong,

I was just still feeling a little anxious about it all.

“It was relaxing,” I told him.

The truth was, I tried hard to relax but I hadn’t been able to. I’d driven myself crazy over it all weekend. The good news was, that I did a deep clean of the apartment and everything was squeaky clean now.

“Good,” he said. “I worked all weekend.

I’m going on a trip to Texas today.

I’ll be gone for at least two weeks, maybe three.”

I hated that my chest hurt when he said that.

What was wrong with me? We had sex, Vicki! We’re both adults. Get over it!

“Texas? That sounds fun.” He laughed. “Not really,” he said.

“It will be lucrative though.

My company won a contract to design a large public garden there.

I’m going to go down and get them started.

The whole job is likely to take a few months, but my part should hopefully only be a couple of weeks.”

Gregory served our breakfast then and while we ate, Manny came in and Alex invited him to join us. I was both happy and confused.

I was happy I still had a job and that Manny was doing the job now of keeping the conversation going. I was confused that Alex hadn’t alluded at all to our time together on Friday, or why he’d just left Saturday morning with no word.

I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, but I tried to make myself believe that since I still had a job, it was the best possible outcome.

After breakfast, I wished him a good trip and went to work. As I cleaned his room, I tried not to imagine myself someday sleeping in his arms in the giant California King bed. I tried… I didn’t quite succeed. By the day’s end, I’d decided that him leaving for a couple of weeks would be good for me.

It would give me time to get back on track without having to see his gorgeous face every day. The other good news was that all of my confusion and angst over Alex had kept my mind off of Jason.

Alex was gone for almost a month and by the time he returned I had myself completely pulled together.

On top of that, I’d not only accepted Jason’s “break” as a good idea; I was thriving on it.

I realized that without the pressures of a boyfriend who could be demanding at times, I got a lot more rest and I got a lot more done. I had started my online classes.

I was taking medical terminology and nutrition online. Those were the last two classes I would need to qualify for the program. I hoped to have enough saved up by the next semester to apply.

I ran into Alex occasionally and our conversation had always been light and easy. I still wondered sometimes why he never mentioned that day but Liz, always the voice of reason, had convinced me that he probably realized what risky territory he had dived into.

I could have cried sexual harassment. I guess that I don’t think like a rich person or a litigious one. He has to guard his assets because there are always vultures circling. I’m not a vulture, but after the ordeal, he was going through with his soon-to-be ex-wife, who could blame him for being cautious?

It was Saturday and I got up early because I had a nutrition quiz due by noon. I also woke up because of some amazing smells wafting from the kitchen, down the hallway, and underneath my door.

Liz was cooking. She’d told me not long ago that one way she dealt with her now five months of celibacy was by cooking. She used to be overweight because back then, she dealt with things by eating.

She found out that she could deal with it just as easily by cooking yummy foods and just sampling as she cooked instead of eating a full meal. I think I was suffering the most for it. I’d already gained three pounds this month.

“Good morning. That smells amazing,” I told her, padding out in my robe and slippers. “What are you making?”

“I have the works,” she said.

“French toast, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, and fresh squeezed orange juice.”

“You’re amazing. You’re my favorite roommate.”

“I know,” she said. “Grab some juice and have a seat, I’ll fill you up.”

I got my juice and sat down. Within minutes, my plate was filled with beautiful, fattening food. I picked up the maple syrup and began pouring it onto my French toast. I love maple syrup, I usually overdo it.

That’s why I was surprised that as soon as the sweet, syrupy fragrance hit my nostrils, my stomach lurched.