Page 27 of BillionHeir
Chloe, it seems, has no idea what she is doing to me. She finishes drying what she can, then holds out her hands to help pull me up out of the chair. Ever the professional, she doesn’t so much as glance downward as I stand, keeping her eyes trained on the wall just above my left shoulder.
She helps me turn and walks with me slowly the same way we came in, her hands on my ribs as she guides me into the bedroom where she has already set out a pair of boxer briefs, shorts, and a T-shirt on my bed.
I retain my dignity as best I can while putting on the clothes. Once I am dressed, Chloe helps me put the sling back on my arm so I don’t injure myself in my sleep. By the time we are done, I have never been happier to get back into bed.
Chloe tucks me in, still wet from the shower. She hasn’t complained once, though I know she has got to be uncomfortable. Most women I know would have at least expressed their discomfort, but instead, this woman has just dutifully done her job. There is something admirable in that.
When she turns to leave, I bring my hand up to grab hers just before she is out of reach, running my thumb across the back of her hand as I hold it in mine. “Chloe,” I say, not quite ready for her to go.
“Yes?” she asks, her brows furrowed as she waits for me to continue.
“Thank you.”
Chapter 10
_______________________
Chloe
What the hell was that?
I focus on getting my breathing under control as I lean against the door I just slammed, feeling all kinds of foolish. The man is my patient for God’s sake. Lusting after him like this is wrong on so many levels.
I look down at myself. I am still damp from the spray of the shower. My hard nipples are pressed against the fabric of my T-shirt and thin bra, betraying me as I gasp for breath. I can’t believe I was thinking about himlike that.
Should I quit? Probably.
Am I going to? Probably not.
I would be a fool to walk away from the rest of the money he promised me.
I walk into my bathroom, peeling my wet clothes off as I go. I turn the shower on and immediately get in, not waiting for the water to heat up. The cold spray beats down on me, punishing me as the icy droplets drip down my body.
I need to get a hold of myself.
* * *
An hour later, I emerge from my bedroom in fresh clothes, a pair of black athletic leggings and another fitted T-shirt, this time in a pale purple color that I love. I have a better grip on myself and have vowed to continue behaving professionally with this man at all costs, no matter how sexy he might be. I need to remember that he is recovering from a helicopter accident. I don’t care if he is down on his knees begging me to kiss him, the answer is going to be no.
I peek into Maxwell’s room and find him asleep on the bed where I left him. I am certainly not going to sit and watch him while he sleeps, so I leave the room quietly and go downstairs to the kitchen so I can find something to eat. The chef left plenty of meals to heat up, but today I am feeling like a nice, fresh salad for lunch. Fortunately for me, I find everything I need in the fully stocked refrigerator. It must be nice living like this, withother people to do all your chores and errands for you. I will have to be careful not to get too used to it.
I turn on a playlist on my phone, singing along quietly to the music while I chop and dice the lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes, and toss them all into a big bowl.
I didn’t find any pre-made salad dressing in the fridge, so I search through the cabinets for some ingredients to make a light dressing. When I find the oil and vinegar, I combine the liquids in a separate bowl, add some salt and pepper, and whisk it all together. I put the two bowls into the fridge separately to chill while I clean up my mess.
Just as I am closing the dishwasher, my phone rings.
I pull it out of my pocket and see Jenna’s name on the screen.
“Greetings from Maine,” I say when I answer the call.
“You didn’t.”
I wince as I respond. “I couldn’t say no, Jenna. He was too insistent.”
“I am familiar with how convincing he can be. I tried to warn you.”
“I know, I know. I should have listened to you and traded shifts with someone else so I could avoid him while he was there. But I didn’t. And now I am here.”
