Grayson’s eyes met hers, a curious glint in them, “I did,” he started, “But I wanted to make sure he wasn’t the one stealing my money.”
Reyna nodded, then turned to grab the paperwork, “May I?” she asked.
Grayson nodded inquisitively, as she picked up the paper work and sat down next to him. He found the situation somewhat amusing, his new maid going through his bills and statements. He stared at Reyna; the glow of the fire glistening off her tanned skin, her dark lashes fluttering as she concentrated on what she was reading. For a second, Grayson realized he knew nothing about her. But then again, why would he? She fascinated him, but he wasn’t sure why, other than the fact that he was clearly attracted to her. After ten minutes Reyna pulled out a yellow statement, and slid it across the table to Grayson. Her finger pointed to a set of numbers lining the right hand column, “There’s your first discrepancy,” she said definitely.
Curiously, Grayson sat forward and looked at the paper, stunned he replied, “I’ve been looking over these for weeks, how did you…?”
Reyna smiled, “Maybe you’re too involved,” she replied. His eyes met hers, and she smiled mischievously, “Or maybe I’m just better at math,” she joked.
Grayson smiled, the first real smile she had seen from him. Her heart filled with warmth, and she had to force herself to look away. Reyna spent a few more hours poring through the numbers; she quickly found a few more errors. After the clock struck twelve, Grayson insisted she get some rest, and Reyna headed off to bed.
The following morning saw the Thorne’s and Ivana leaving for the short Christmas break. When all the packing and chatter had subsided, Reyna found herself standing alone in the big empty house. She quickly finished her work and made her way back to her room, where she sat in silence. The quiet depressed her, and she needed a distraction as she longed for her family. Reyna wandered down the vast hallways in the manor until she came across a room of empty shelves. From what she had heard from James, this was the Thorne library, but most of the books had been stored in the barn across the lawn, as Camilla had wanted to turn it into a spa. Reyna looked around and found four lonely battered books lying on a dusty shelf. Three were Dickens and she wasn’t sure she was up for that, so instead she picked up Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea” and headed back to her room.
V
Christmas morning came too quickly, and Reyna had read the four books in the library. She had a routine, which included the cleaning and general housework in the manor, and then hours of solitude curled up in a book. Wearily she looked out the window at the cascading snow of winter. She desperately wanted to get to the barn and bring back some more books, but the cold was not the most inviting scene. After a few hours of intense boredom, Reyna grabbed her flimsy coat and trudged off toward the barn.
Grayson was terribly annoyed that he had to be dropped off outside the Manor gates, as the car wouldn’t make it into the snow filled driveway. His quick departure from the family holiday came when he learned that more of his money was being swindled, and he couldn’t seem to pinpoint the culprit. With the house to himself, he was sure he would be able to get to the bottom of this once and for all. He stomped his way through the icy snow and pushed open the front door. The silence of the manor unnerved him somewhat, but he knew it would come in handy when he was working. This is not what he wanted for his life. He had worked hard to earn his money, but he had not considered that it would be so hard to keep it. He wanted a family, a life, and a home. But what he got instead was an unsatisfied and cold wife, a disgruntled daughter who felt neglected and a house so big there was no home left in it. He sighed deeply as he made his way into the den. The first thing he did was to kindle a fire to warm himself. As he placed a few pieces of dry wood on the warming embers, he noticed movement outside the window. Squinting slightly through the falling snow he noticed a person in a black coat shuffling through the bad weather. Concerned, he stepped forward toward the window to get a better look. The person was too far away, and the snow was too heavy for him to make out who it was. He watched as the figure came closer toward the manor, and suddenly disappeared. Grayson paled, frantically opening the door and standing on the frozen porch. “Dammit,” he grunted, as he realized that whoever it was must have skidded on the iced lake outside the barn. He cursed his sense of humanity that was forcing him to run out into the blistering cold. He ran through the falling snow, his feet sinking deeper and deeper into the thick blanket of the lawn. Fear flooded his body when he saw the crack in the ice and the frosty water seeping through. The person was struggling to come up for air, the cold water constricting their ability to breathe. Slowly, Grayson stepped aside, and maneuvered his way to the hole in the ice. Anxiety gripped him, when he saw Reyna struggling in the water. Without thinking he stepping forward, the breaking ice giving way more, and swiftly pulled her sopping body out of the water. “Reyna,” he said as he shook her. The sound of cracking ice startled him, and he stepped back onto the banks before more ice could give way and open the hole even more. Carrying her cold and still body in his arms he rushed back to the Manor.
Her lips were an icy blue, her lids fluttering open and close. She didn’t seem to understand what had happened, the cold of the water occupying every cell of her body. Grayson made his way into the den and placed Reyna down in front of the blistering fire, trying to warm her. He quickly grabbed a blanket and was about to wrap it around her when he realized the cold was sinking into her bones from her clothes.
“Reyna,” he said quietly, kneeling in front of her. Reyna looked up into his pale blue eyes, her body still shaking from the cold. “Reyna, I have to get you out of these clothes,” he said gently as he untied the black coat around her.
Reyna nodded, but her body felt too weak to move. She literally felt frozen. Grayson gently lifted her to her feet and peeled off the coat from her slight frame. She wore a woolen knit sweater and a pair of jeans, which clung tightly to her frame. Somewhat hesitantly, Grayson proceeded to remove the rest of her clothing. Her hands and feet had turned blue, and knew he needed to get her warm soon. She complied with his every move, as he lifted her sweater off and pulled off her jeans. He swallowed hard at the sight of her full breasts housed beneath a black lace bra, her nipples standing erect because of the cold. Her skin was covered in a layer of goose flesh, frozen to the bone. Tenderly, Grayson unhooked her bra, freeing her from its icy cage, and slipped off her cold panties. He felt his body react to her nakedness, she was stunning, perfect even in all her imperfections. Quickly he threw the blanket around her and made her sit by the fire. “I’ll make you some tea,” he said, deep concern in his voice, as he left the room.
A few moments later Grayson arrived back in the room carrying two steaming mugs. Reyna sat by the fire, warming her fingers and toes, which were slowly returning to their natural color.
He smiled gently as he walked toward her, “How are you feeling?” he asked softly as he placed the two mugs on the coffee table.
Reyna blushed furiously, replying, “Mortified.”
Grayson chuckled and sat down next to her in front of the fire. Suddenly his face darkened, “You know it was really stupid to go out in the storm like that, alone.” Reyna gulped at his harsh tone, her eyes sparkling wide. “Thank goodness I came back early, you could have died,” he carried on, his voice waning.
Reyna sighed deeply, watching his eyes staring into the fire, something was on his mind. Gently, Reyna placed her small hand on top of his and squeezed, “Thank you,” she whispered. Grayson’s body flinched at her touch, his eyes meeting hers. For a moment there was nothing between them as he stared into her beautiful face. Slowly he moved his face toward hers, watching her for a sign that this was not a welcome gesture, but none came. Softly, he pressed his lips against hers and felt her deep sigh as she opened her mouth to his. He artfully slid his tongue into her mouth, his desire growing as he heard a low groan emanate from her throat.
Reyna reciprocated Grayson’s ev
ery move and every touch. She slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, pulling him closer and allowing the blanket around her to fall to the floor.
Grayson inhaled deeply as he pulled his lips from hers and took in the sight of her body once again. The burning feeling inside him was alive again. All that he could think about was Reyna and how much he wanted her. Promptly, he lay Reyna down on the plush carpet and pulled off his shirt as he lay next to her.
His warm body filled hers with warmth, as she reached out to entangle herself in him. His hot lips darted from her chin to her neck down her chest, stopping briefly to suck on each hard and throbbing nipple. Reyna wanted to scream. It felt so good. She felt his hand on her stomach making its way down. The knot in her stomach was building as he grazed over her feminine parts and gently opened her thighs. A scream erupted from her as she felt his fingers expertly moving through her wet folds.
Grayson couldn’t bare it much longer as he watched Reyna’s body arch to his touch. She was wet for him. She wanted him. Hastily he pulled off his pants and laid on top her, her eyes wide at the sight of his impressive manhood. Slowly he pulled his fingers out of her as she neared the edge, a wanting in her face. His tip found its way to her moist opening and he plunged into her with force. She screamed, in pain or pleasure he wasn’t sure. Swiftly she wrapped her thighs around his waist and pulled him in deeper. She was tight and wet, and he was on the edge. Rhythmically they made love, moving together, the friction of skin that ended in an explosion of convulsing bodies. Reyna breathed heavily as Grayson rolled off her and pulled the blanket on to both of them. She smiled briefly before her eyes closed shut in his arms.
Reyna woke to the sight of dying embers in the fireplace, a crackling that still gave off enough heat to warm her body. She turned over on something soft, and realized she was no longer asleep on the floor, but on the lush brown couch. She sat up slowly, holding the blanket to her chest in modesty and looked around. She saw Grayson, fully clothed, a mug of steaming liquid in his hands, leaning against his desk looking out at the winter wonderland from his frosted window. Reyna’s heart beat a little faster as she gazed at him; she was definitely falling for him. Slowly she wrapped the blanket around her like a towel, sitting up on the couch. Noticing the movement, Grayson turned and smiled at her, “Hey,” he said gruffly.
“Hey,” she replied sweeping her hair up into a makeshift bun. “You’re up early,” she said enquiringly as he folded his arms against his chest.
Grayson sighed heavily, “A lot on my mind.”
“Want to share?” she said in an earnest tone.
Grayson looked back out the window, deep lines etched onto his handsome face. Grayson shook his head, “Just work,” he grunted as he walked toward her. “Can I get you some coffee?” he asked changing the subject.
Suddenly Reyna blushed furiously as she realized she was the one who should be getting him coffee. She was suddenly overcome by guilt and she didn’t know how to act. Seeing her internal struggle, Grayson smiled, “It’s best not to over think it,” he said comfortingly holding his hand out to her.
After coffee, Reyna made her way back to her bedroom, showered and changed. She knew Grayson had come back to work, and that she had a job of her own to do. It wasn’t like what happened between them changed much. Like he said, she shouldn’t overthink it, which is something that she was really good at. Reyna stood in front of the mirror in her bathroom, a look of self-disgust on her face. How many other maids had Grayson slept with, she thought, a heat developing in the pit of her stomach? It was obvious that he and Camilla weren’t that couple, but surely that didn’t stop a handsome man like him from getting what he wanted, from whoever he wanted. Reyna sighed as she splashed water on her face, trying to forget the vivid memories playing in her mind. She was just one of many, and now she would go back to being his maid.
Grayson scribbled some notes on a piece of paper, but his mind was far away from his work. He thought of Reyna falling in the ice water, her almost lifeless body in his arms. He frowned as another memory crept in, one far more distant but visually similar. He shook his head, trying to remove the images. His mind drifted to Reyna again, this time, her smell, her taste, her touch. He allowed himself some time to relish in the memory. What was it about her that intrigued him so? There were many beautiful women in the world; many beautiful women that did not work for him that were willing to do anything for him. But why did he want her? She was his maid for crying out loud. The sound of the door swiftly opening caught his attention and he was surprised to see Camilla and Ella walk in. Camilla threw her handbag on the couch and walked over to Grayson, her arms folded, “Like I said darling, people asked questions.” Grayson shook his head and sighed as he looked from his wife to his daughter. “All about Grayson Thorne, and how he wasn’t spending Christmas with his family.”
“Camilla,” Grayson started.
Camilla shook her head, her large silver earrings jingling, “No Grayson,” she said vehemently, “I will not be that woman! As fake as this family is behind closed doors, to the world we will be perfect. If you want to keep your image and reputation afloat, I suggest you learn some acting.” With that Camilla turned to walk out of the room followed by Ella, who hadn’t once looked up at her father from her phone.
Grayson sighed heavily, then said softly, “What happened to you Camilla?”
Camilla stopped, and turned to look him in the eye, “Life happened darling. I had to grow up quickly and learn what the world was all about.” With that she left.
VI
Reyna walked into the quiet kitchen, and was a little shocked to see Camilla standing in front of the stove. She had heard some commotion at their arrival, but hadn’t expected to encounter her boss’s wife in the kitchen. Camilla turned and smiled half-heartedly at Reyna as she said, “Don’t worry dear I’m not trying to cook anything. I’m trying to figure out where the wine glasses are.”
Reyna rushed over to a cabinet on the other side of the room and handed Camilla a long stemmed glass. Camilla nodded, “The family will be having dinner at six, be prompt.” With that she left with a bottle of wine. Reyna sighed and looked around her, a mammoth task in front of her.
At six, Reyna quickly rushed out to the dining room with the first tray of food. Grayson, Ella and Camilla were sitting in absolute silence. Camilla impatiently tapping her fingers on the wooden table. Ella sat silently texting on her phone. Grayson stared off into the distance. This was the first time Reyna had seen him since this morning, her heart racing a little as she smelled his cologne.
“You’re late,” barked Camilla.
Reyna looked awkwardly at Camilla, her face flushed, “I’m…I’m sorry Mrs.…” stuttered Reyna.
“Camilla please, it’s barely a minute past six,” said Grayson, his voice rough and grainy. Reyna looked at him, their eyes meeting for a moment.
“This is why people take advantage of you, why your money is disappearing. You need be firm with the help, she works for you, she should do as she is told,” demanded Camilla, her eyes narrowing at Reyna.
“It won’t happen again Mrs. Thorne” said Reyna softly as she quickly exited the room, trying to hold back her tears. She managed to make it through the dinner service without another mishap, but she felt broken inside by the way Camilla had humiliated her. She was even more ashamed because she was definitely falling for Grayson Thorne.
After dinner, the family made their way up to their rooms and Reyna set about cleaning the kitchen. She was grateful for the distraction, it actually took her mind off her own thoughts, and the solitude gave her time to turn her pain into anger. The kitchen door creaked open and Reyna braced herself for another demeaning interaction, when she turned to see Grayson walking in. She dried her hands on the dishtowel she was holding, and politely asked, “Mr. Thorne, is there something I can get for you.”
Grayson’s eyes darkened as he moved toward her, “Mr. Thorne?” he asked somewhat annoyed.
Reyna
gulped, “Well as your wife so clearly stated, I am the help.”
Grayson narrowed his eyes, and then leaned against the kitchen counter opposite Reyna, his thighs bulging against his jeans. Reyna unconsciously wet her lips as her eyes moved up and down him.
“You know, she was right,” said Grayson smugly, as he folded his arms across his chest. Reyna paled, tears threatening her eyes. “You work for me and should do as you’re told,” he continued. Reyna noted the dangerous tone that laced his husky voice, her eyes meeting his. “Come here,” he said firmly.
Somewhat reluctantly, Reyna placed the dishcloth next to her and walked towards him. Barely inches from him, she kept her eyes firmly focused on his.
“Kiss me,” he said, his voice catching in his throat. Obediently, Reyna stepped forward, her chest meeting his as he lowered his lips to hers. The kiss was intense and passionate as Grayson lifted her up and placed her on the counter, his hands drifting up her legs. Reyna gasped as he spread her legs and kissed her neck. He nibbled at her ear lobe, whispering, “Take off your clothes.” Reyna’s heart pounded in her chest as she moved to unbutton her dress. Slowly she opened her eyes and was shocked to see Ella standing in the doorway. Swiftly Ella left the room, and Reyna jumped off the counter. Grayson grabbed her arm and looked at her curiously, but she quickly shook her head and ran out of the room.
Reyna paced up and down her small room, wringing her hands. She was sure Ella had gone to her mother and told her what she seen. She knew any minute now Camilla Thorne would walk in and fire her on the spot. Her eyes drifted around the room. How could she have let this happen, she needed the job and the money and she had messed it all up. The part that annoyed her the most was that she was heartbroken that she would never see Grayson again. What is wrong with you? She thought.
Suddenly a knock on the door startled Reyna, and jumped. Paling slightly, she walked over and twisted the door handle. Promptly, Ella waltzed in, a conniving grin on her porcelain face. Reyna gulped as Ella closed the door behind her, her eyes darting around the room in casual amusement. “Here’s the deal,” said Ella confidently handing a piece of paper to Reyna. “I need this money, to get some stuff that I need. Unbeknownst to my dear father, I have no trust fund left and am in dire straits. Luckily, I had Mr. Green, dad’s accountant, under my thumb for a while, but he is growing suspicious. Who better to get some money from him, than his new mistress.” Reyna’s jaw dropped open, “You’ve been stealing money from your father?” said Reyna incredulously. Ella rolled her eyes, “You get the money, I don’t tell my mother your little secret, and you get to keep working here and screwing Grayson Thorne.”
The Billionaire’s Mistress Page 2