The Billionaire's maid

Chapter 27

"Take a seat," Penny gestures with her old wrinkled finger toward the white sofa. I follow Nick and look from under my lashes to the interior. I know who helped Nick with his interior.

My mind drift off to the moment I met Devon's family for the very first time and the most stupid part is that this wasn't the first time I would meet Penny and she will see me as her grandchilds girlfriend not just the housekeeper.

Many times I think about the contract and how stupid this is. I feel like a cheater to all of my friends and especially to my father. Even with Nick's sweet gesture to just forget the contract I just couldn't ignore the fact I'm playing a role in his life, in his grandmother's life and it's all just fake.

"I made cocktails," Penny says with enthusiasm. "Do you like a mojito?" She asked me with a broad smile.

"Yes, thank you." I answer her friendly.

"Nick what do you want? I can make you something non-alcoholic if you'ld like?" Penny asked him.

"A coke is fine," he responds. "Sit down so I can give you your present first." Nick ushers his grandmother. I've never seen him so happy as of right now. His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and he's sending her the biggest smile I've ever seen. He looked so handsome right now.

Penny mumbled something before she took her present out of Nick's hands. Full expectation I watch her opening the box. Penny looks at Nick with contentment, defenitely happy with her present. "How did you get this? I thought they were sold?" She stammers.

"They were sold, however I found another piece in Europe identical to this one." Nick explained her with proud, his hands resting on his knees.

"This is breathtaking." She says in astonishment and I could see her blinking away her tears.

"She saw this piece of art in a museum in New York last year." Nick admits, explaining everything to me. You could see him enjoying this moment seeing his grandmother exctatic about his gift.

"It's beautiful," I tell them while eyeing the piece thoroughly. I didn't have knowlegde about art, but even I could see it was something special. It was a painting with coloured roses and a woman sitting on her knees admiring and plucking some.

"It's from a Belgian artist Jan Deckx he only makes these kind of portraits." Nick informed us.

"It's perfect." Penny gushed while setting it gently against the sofa. "I'll make sure this will get the best spot in the house." She says happily before closing in on Nick and hugging him tightly.

"He's such a good boy," Penny says while eyeing me as if she wanted to warn me to not hurt her grandson. I swallow and avert my eyes from hers. How can I ever hurt your grandson if we aren't truly a couple?

-

After an hour struggling to keep up with Nick's sweet comments toward me I find myself relieved to head home. It felt so wrong and it was so exhausting. Parties are so different then actual family.

"What do you want to do now?" Nick asked when I seated beside him in his car. Quickly he starts the engine to get on the airconditioning. It was pretty hot outside and it seemed it would stay warm for a while according to the man on the radio.

"I don't know." I tell him truthfully and look at the clock. It was 3pm and I wasn't sure what to say or what he would want to do.

"Why don't we go for a swim? We pick our stuff at home and head to a pool?" He suggested.

"We will go swimming?" I ask him in surprise.

"Yeah, you can swim right?" He asked and I just giggle at his suggestion. I never thought he would be the type to go for a swim.

"Of course, I can swim." I respond with a grin.

"Did you know I could have become a pro if I didn't injured my knee? I was a very talented swimmer." He explains while driving of the parking lot of his grandmother.

"Really?" I asked him with interest.

"Yeah, you look surprised?" He askes with a wide grin plastered on his face.

hi

"It's because I am surprised." I smile at him. "I wouldn't have guessed that."

"There's so much you don't know about me," Nick says misschieviously before cruising his car through the crowded street with ease.

-

We arrive at the pool and I find myself looking for a spot in between the crowd. Nick takes my hand as he guides us to a spot near the pool. As I walk past a lot of people, I immidiately recognize his yellow shorts and high voice when he gets nervous or excited.

Quickly I pretend to take something of my swim bag and Nick must have felt a change of my demeanor as he looks at me with confusion.

Devon hates swimming and when I ever asked him to join me he always had an excuse to not come. Most of the time the weather was too hot, the water too cold or his bestseller sunburn. With his pale skin he got sunburned quite easily, however he never wanted any suncream.

I exhale loudly as I sit down at the empty spot Nick had found. "What's wrong?" Nick asked putting his bag beside me.

"Nothing," I shrug. To pretend everything was fine I rummage into my bag to take out the suncream I always use when it's hot. With my pale skin I always turn red in an instant. Nick on the other hand has a great tan and I don't even know how he gets it. It's like his skin just needs a bit of sun to become brown in an instant.

"Do you need some help? With your back, I mean?" Nick asked while withdrawing from me and showing his back while undressing. His back muscles flex when he pulls of his shirt to reveal his athletic upper body and he's also wearing a bright red shorts.

Distracted by his appearance, I totally forgot he asked me somthing.

"Do you need some help?" Nick asked for a second time now eyeing me curiously with a grin on his face.

"Yes," I answered quickly. I hand him the suncream and take off my shorts. I already wore my dark green bathing suit underneath it.

My bathing suit was open from the back, but very simple at the front. I ly down on the towel on my stomach, resting my head on my arms as I look toward the pool, a few teens pushing each other into the water.

I relax a little until I feel hands on my back. Nick gently caresses my back and shoulders with the cream, leaving no spot behind. I breathe out the moment he stopped and feel my nerves relax again. Why am I on edge when he touches me? This is what friends do, it's nothing sensual...