The Billionaire's Bluff

by Nella Tyler

  "You don't have to give me a schedule or anything," he said. "I trust that you know what you're doing and that you know how to do it. I'm just curious, is all. I hope you don't mind if I check up on you every once in awhile. I suppose it's good for me to know what to expect."

  I felt a niggling of doubt. This was odd, but he was the boss and he owned the place, so what could I say? I nodded. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask." With that, I returned to polishing off the counter, using one towel for the countertop, then some kitchen wipes to take care of the stainless steel appliances.

  I didn't hear anything for a while and busied myself working my way from one end of the counter to the other. I figured he had gone back to his work upstairs and focused on my work. Soon I found myself humming. When I finished the counter and turned to throw the soiled wipes into the trashcan, I was startled to find Luke still standing in the doorway, watching me. Once again I swallowed a gasp and, once again, I asked if there was anything I could do for him. He stood there, arms crossed over his chest, feet crossed at the ankles, and leaning against the doorjamb, and merely shook his head.

  I felt somewhat disconcerted as he literally followed me from room to room. I didn't get the impression that he thought I would steal or break anything, but his curiosity and his eyes on me were definitely unnerving. While he was certainly handsome, and I thought it was sort of cute that he was so innocent when it came to being an employer, I was still a little creeped out at the same time. After all, his constant staring made me feel uncomfortable. I began to grow self-conscious about bending over, not that he could look down my shirt, but I didn't necessarily want him ogling my ass, either. I tried to act as natural as possible, although my nerves started jangling.

  The hours passed, and by the end of the day I had managed to get through the entire downstairs. Of course, there was plenty more to do, but I had taken care of the sweeping, the dusting, and the polishing until four o’clock in the afternoon, with an hour off for lunch. I had left the property for that hour, somewhat relieved to be away from Luke's constant staring. I hadn't gone for anything to eat, but had driven off the estate and then pulled my car up against the curb of a nearby park to just watch the kids at play.

  By the time I left the Benning house at a few minutes after four o’clock, I was tired, ready to go home, take a bath, and relax. Perhaps tomorrow he would be more comfortable with me in the house and wouldn't feel the need to follow me from room to room. Just as I was gathering my things to leave, he entered the foyer.

  "Wait a minute, Molly, will you?"

  I gazed up at him, uncertain. Was he not satisfied with my work? Was he going to fire me already? His next words took me totally by surprise.

  "If you're not doing anything this Friday night, would you like to go out with me?"

  Chapter 4

  To say I was caught off guard would be an understatement. What the heck? Just what kind of assets did he think he'd hired me for? I really needed this job, but I had no intentions of getting physical with my boss. However, if I outright refused and acted all indignant, I would be putting this job into jeopardy. I felt like I was caught in the middle of a quandary and for the first time realized what other maids had probably gone through in their lives. I needed to be able to learn how to deal with the same problems other maids and house help dealt with. But how far did one go to keep a job?

  Still, I was tired of being sheltered and pampered. I needed to learn how real-life worked, and there really was no better way to go about it than what I was doing right now. In fact, this job had already opened my eyes to a whole different world – one that I had never thought about while watching our own maids go about their business. Now that the shoe was on the other foot, I was already gaining greater understanding. I believed this new understanding would make me a more compassionate, caring, and well-rounded human being.

  Then again, he had asked me out on a date, not to come up to his room. Maybe it wasn't even a real date. Maybe he had asked so that he could get to know me better. It wasn’t a marriage proposal, for crying out loud, or a proposition. Maybe it was just his way of getting to know the people he would be working with. Had he done the same with his chef and his gardener? I had no idea. Luke Benning was nothing like what I had expected. He could be eccentric and unorthodox, as far as I knew.

  Again I got the distinct impression that Luke was not at all familiar in his role. Maybe he didn't even realize that such invitations or “hobnobbing” with the staff just wasn’t done. At least, not in the circles I had grown up in. That was not to say that my family wasn’t terribly fond of our own staff and many had been with my parents for decades. This was also not to say that rich people didn't get to know their staff and sometimes grow extremely attached to them. I myself was incredibly fond of all the housekeepers, gardeners, and cooks that my parents had employed over the years.

  As I stood in front of Luke, all these thoughts raced through my head. I thought that the least I could do was see how it goes. Maybe this “date” might give me a chance to understand him a little better. Not to mention that he was very handsome. Just looking at him got my nerves tingling with desire. Not that I would act on it, of course, but still, it was there and I couldn’t deny it.

  I could definitely do worse. Then again, maybe he had asked because he wasn't quite sure of the “rules” and maybe he was just really nervous. It hadn't taken me long today as he followed me around to decide that it was just because he wasn't quite sure he knew what to do with himself.

  So, this was a conundrum. I had grown up with money and was trying to live a simpler life in a way to gain more experience and a depth of understanding of how "the other half" lived. Here was a guy who obviously just came into money and had no idea how to deal with it. He had no basic understanding of how things were supposed to work in such circumstances. I knew only a little about his history. I didn’t know what he did for a living now. Had he ever been the boss or an employer? I sincerely doubted it.

  I realized that he was still staring at me, waiting for my answer. I gave an inward shrug and figured why not? "I'd love to," I said. After all, a lot could happen between now and Friday night. Maybe he would change his mind. Maybe he would decide that I wasn't a good enough maid and would fire me before Friday came around. No harm, no foul.

  At any rate, he seemed pleased with my response and smiled. He gave me a nod and then turned to go back inside. The front door shut softly behind him and I slowly walked down to my own car. Had I made the right decision? I certainly didn't want to give him the wrong impression. Yes, and he was very good looking, but it took a lot more than that to get me interested in any guy. Besides, I wasn't on a manhunt. I certainly wasn't in the market for a boyfriend and beyond that, I wasn't looking to hook up with someone rich.

  The whole point of me finding a job was to convince myself that I could make it on my own. I didn't need to rely on anyone but myself to make my way in life. That was the point. Was I going to take this job as a maid seriously? Absolutely. For the time being, I needed to forget the fact that I came from money and that any time I needed it, all I had to do was run to the ATM. If I needed a lot, all I had to do was call my father and ask. Nevertheless, I had challenged myself to do this and I was going to see it through.

  The idea that I might be fired on the spot if I hadn't accepted Luke's invitation disturbed me. Would he have let me go? I wasn’t sure. So why had I accepted? Why hadn't I stomped off in a huff? The truth was I was curious to know a little more about him. What exactly did he want? Why did he watch me so carefully? A thought struck me. Could it be possible that he knew my father and that my father had told him what I was up to? Was he spying on me to report back?

  I shook my head. I knew most of the people my father was acquainted with, if not directly, then through casual conversations. I had never heard mention of Luke Benning, new money or not. In fact, I got the distinct impression that Luke was new to the entire area. Perhaps over the next few days, I could
do another Google search on him or at least, try to find out a little more about him – where he came from and how much money he had come into. Most of all, I wanted to get to know Luke the man. The handsome man. The sexy man. The one who kept his silence and just watched.

  Just the thought of him watching me like a hawk today gave me an odd thrill. I should be disturbed, and while it had been a little creepy at times, I sensed that he was not intending to creep me out.

  Perhaps by Friday night I would know enough about him to feel more comfortable getting to know him better. On the other hand, if I even so much as found an inkling of anything underhanded, nefarious, or otherwise questionable about him, I would come up with an excuse not to go out. I had no compunction about quitting if that was the case, either.

  Of course, I could always just tell them the truth, that I didn't think it was appropriate for me to go out with him, but then again, I circled back to my needing – wanting – this job. Did I need it badly enough to feel pressured into doing something I didn't want to do? No. Did I need it bad enough to feel that I had to do everything he asked or my job would be at risk? No.

  It was a matter of principle. Until anything untoward occurred before or on our “date” Friday night that gave me any indication that he wasn’t on the up and up, I would give him the benefit of the doubt.

  Because I sensed he was so new at this, I wondered if he had asked me out to pick my brain. But why should he? After all, I was a maid. Then again, who, more than a maid, knew the inner workings of a household? How things were done and scheduled? He should already have had someone in place or some guidance from somewhere to help him through this aspect of his new environment. The more I tried to figure out what exactly was going on with Luke Benning, the more questions I ended up with.

  As I made my way to my car, I tried to push all the questions out of my mind. Friday was several days away. Until then, I would do my job to the best of my ability and help Luke with something if I was asked. In the meantime, I would do what I could to find out more about him. Friday would come soon enough and then maybe I would have a few answers.

  *

  Over the next few days, I settled into a routine as the maid. I was pretty much left to my own devices, as Luke had no other housekeepers or inside staff other than the chef, who only worked from ten o’clock in the morning until four o’clock in the afternoon. I arrived at seven o’clock in the morning and left at around four o'clock in the afternoon, as well, with roughly forty-five minutes to an hour for my lunch, during which I typically ran my own errands. The chef, a young man by the name of William, knew his stuff and was friendly and helpful.

  The first time I entered the kitchen to do some cleaning up when he was there, he gently yet firmly informed me that the kitchen was his domain and what needed to be cleaned he would clean. After casting a quick glance around the kitchen, I realized that he was more than capable of keeping its spotless. The stainless steel appliances glistened without a single fingerprint to mar their surface. The countertops were kept neat and organized, and even the sink was kept spotless.

  After the first couple of days when I tentatively ventured into the kitchen to eat my brown bag lunch at the small nook in one corner, he told me that he would be more than happy to prepare me a plate for my noon meal on the days I worked. I gratefully accepted his offer. His creations were imaginative, fresh, and delicious, certainly better than the PB&J and chips that I usually packed.

  He had tsk-tsked the first time he had gotten a view of my brown bag, and from then on I had a plate of freshly cut vegetables, fruit, sometimes a salad or an imaginative sandwich. I caught him eyeing me once in awhile, but not the way that Luke did. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen much of Luke during the past few days. After that first day, when he followed me around so studiously, his eyes rarely leaving me, I wondered about it.

  I wasn't quite sure what was going on with him. After all, until the point he asked me out on that date Friday night, I couldn't get him off my back. Then, the moment I agreed, he disappeared. Nevertheless, I was thankful. There was nothing more nerve-racking to me than trying to do my work with someone staring at me every minute. It made me jittery, uncertain, and yes, even sometimes gave me second thoughts. What kind of secrets was he hiding? What was he up to?

  Luke’s critical gaze had been less on the tasks I was performing than on me. I didn't get the sense that he was dangerous, or a pervert or anything like that, but still it made me uncomfortable. In fact, it had been extremely difficult to focus on my job. Knowing that he was eyeing me sometimes made my pulse race. Glancing into his hazel eyes and acknowledging that smile made me tingle in places I hadn’t tingled in for a long time.

  At this point, I didn't know what to think of Luke Benning. He was odd, no doubt about it. Since the day he had asked me out, he had spent most of his time ensconced in his upstairs office, which adjoined his bedroom. I had only found that out inadvertently when I had tried to enter the room to a vacuum and dust, only to find it locked. To my surprise, he called out from inside, telling me that he was working, there was no need to clean his office today – or any other day; he could take care of that room by himself.

  That certainly gave me pause for thought. What was he doing in there? Something illegal perhaps? No…why would I think such a thing. He was working! It took a lot of work to manage money. Besides, it really wasn't any of my business. Every time I passed his office since then, the door remained shut and locked. I very rarely saw him in the house or wandering around the grounds. One day, I had been tempted and, finished with my dusting upstairs, had quietly stepped to his office door and pressed my ear against it. It was quiet, so maybe he was doing paperwork. Come to think of it, I still didn't know what he did for a living. Of course, with his money, he probably didn't have to make a living. Maybe he could live off his inheritance. I didn't know, and I didn't really care. My job was to keep the inside of the house spotless and I was doing my best to do just that.

  Chapter 5

  On Thursday afternoon, the day before our date, I was dusting at the end of the upstairs hallway. I heard a door open and glanced over my shoulder to see Luke appear in the doorway of his office. He stepped out and closed and locked the door behind him. I schooled my expression, but once again wondered what was so secretive about that room. He seemed startled to find me standing at the end of the hallway.

  "Hello, Molly," he said. "How are you doing today? Getting along okay here?"

  "Yes, sir," I replied. "Everything is just-"

  "Call me Luke, Molly," he said. "I don't stand much on formality."

  "All right…Luke."

  "Are you just about finished with what you're doing?"

  I glanced down at the little end table with the vase of fresh roses and nodded. "Yes, can I help you with something?"

  "I would like to show you something," he said, gesturing downstairs. "Would you care to go for a little walk with me?"

  What could I say? I was curious, yet strangely hesitant. I nodded, shrugging. I glanced down at my watch. "Can you just give me about ten minutes to finish up, put away my supplies, and then I can meet you downstairs in the foyer?" He said nothing for a moment and I wondered if I had committed a faux pas. Then he smiled and nodded.

  "Certainly." He turned to make his way down the hallway and downstairs. "I'll meet you in the study or the den when you're finished."

  He seemed to genuinely respect the fact that I wanted to finish up my chores. While I had been slightly hesitant to make the request, I didn't want to give him the impression that I wasn't serious about my job or the hours that I was getting paid to complete my tasks. Nevertheless, I quickly finished up my tasks, carefully put away the vacuum and cleaning supplies in the closet downstairs off the kitchen, and then, brushing out my clothes, I made my way to his den.

  I approached the room, which I thought more of as a miniature library and entertainment room than a more formal study. Yes, it had a desk, but the desk was perfectly clean
and looked little used. I should know; I dusted it every day. One entire wall of the den was lined with books of varying topics. Some of them toward the top shelves looked like antiques. I had to use a small stepladder to reach and dust off the upper shelves, but I had often glanced at the titles as I brushed my feather duster over them, wondering what it would be like to own so many wonderful books. There were numerous fiction titles by famous American authors, a few in French, a couple in German, and a variety of scientific and nature volumes, as well. On the other wall stood the television and a number of cabinets that remained empty.

  Not for the first time, I wondered how much of the stuff in this gorgeous house belonged to Luke and how much had been left here by its previous owner. While I certainly didn't know much about Luke, I doubted that anyone so young could have amassed such a book collection, especially if he had only recently come into money. Then again, what did I know?

  I paused in the doorway and saw Luke sitting in the soft leather chair behind the desk. It was turned so he was able to look out the window toward the backyard. The window offered a really gorgeous view of the flower garden and the stone walkway that disappeared behind a tall hedge. Taking a deep breath, I calmed my nerves and knocked on the threshold.

  Chapter 6

  The chair spun around and Luke glanced at me in surprise. Had he forgotten? The next instant, a smile brightened his features. He really was a nice-looking man, and for a second, I felt a twinge of pity for him. He seemed so much like a fish out of water. I wished I could just come out and ask him some questions, but didn't want to intrude on his privacy.

  He immediately stood. "Ready?"

  I nodded, curious about what he wanted to show me. I was pleased to see that he appeared to have been working, or at least, reading through a sheaf of papers encased in a plain brown folder. He placed the folder in the desk drawer, pulled a key from his pocket and then locked the drawer. I kept my expression blank.