The Billionaire's Bluff

by Nella Tyler

"You thought I was sleeping with her?" he asked, his expression and his voice calm.

  What could I do but reply honestly? I nodded. "Yes, Ben, I thought you were having an affair with her."

  He sat down on the couch, but not too close. "Look, Maggie, I know that you have a history of an ex who cheated on you. I also know that having a job means a lot to you, and I want you to know that I couldn't let Savannah ruin any chances you have of finding a job here in the city-"

  "What did you do?"

  He shrugged. "I paid her off.”

  I was stunned. "What? You paid her off? But why?"

  "Because you're more important to me than anything in the world," he said quietly.

  I was still reeling with what he had done. "How much did she demand from you, Ben?"

  "That's not important-"

  "Tell me," I insisted.

  "Twenty grand."

  I nearly had a heart attack. "Oh my God, Ben, you shouldn't have paid her. I'm so sorry that you had to do that, or felt as if you had to. I don't want to be responsible for you losing that kind of money. Can you break off the deal? I don't have to work in Atlantic City. As a matter of fact, I'm thinking about moving out of the city altogether-"

  "I don't care about the money," he said. "I told her that that was all she was ever, ever going to get, and if I ever saw her again, I would have her arrested. Besides, I don't care about the money as long as it means that your reputation will be safe. I'm not quite sure I can trust her, but I told her what would happen if she didn't keep her word."

  I didn't even want to know about that, as I was sure that it involved murky connections, but I had no doubt that he could make sure that Savannah herself never worked in the city again if she went back on her word. Still, I wasn't sure what to say. The thought that Ben had given so much money to her for my sake overwhelmed me. I looked at him, and he looked at me.

  "You mean everything to me, Maggie," he said. "I want you to know that I didn't mean to insult you by asking you to move in with me. I just hate to see you working so hard, especially when I can help make your life a little bit easier."

  "I'm sorry I got all huffy, Ben. I have to admit that your offer was more than generous, but it made me feel like I was a failure-" He leaned toward me, wrapped his arms around me, and then whispered in my ear.

  "Never, Maggie," he said. “You couldn't be a failure if you tried. In fact, you've taught me quite a bit during the last few weeks. Most of all, I've learned that there are lots of things in life that are more valuable than money…"

  Well, I have to admit that one thing led to another, and we spent most of the day talking. Sometimes we went out by the pool, other times the Jacuzzi, and then eventually, we ended up in his bedroom. By the time darkness settled over his property, it was though we had tried to cram our entire lifetime, our hopes, our dreams, and our feelings into the space of an afternoon. For the first time, I felt as if I understood Ben and he understood me. When I fell asleep in his arms that night, I felt right with the world, and for the first time in weeks, at peace with myself.

  *

  The next morning, I succumbed to my curiosity. What he had mentioned before didn't sound quite so insulting anymore. He had been genuinely honest when he said he would do anything for me, and I appreciated that, I really did. I was curious about what he had planned; in the event I did agree to move in with him. If I did though, I would have to make it clear that I would not be a kept woman; I would expect to get a job and be a productive member of society.

  When I glanced at him, I saw his eyes open. He was watching me.

  "What are you thinking, Maggie?"

  I hesitated and then just blurted it out. “If I did agree to move in with you, Ben, what do you have planned? I want you to know that I can't be idle. I have to think about a job, my future security, whether we work out or not."

  He smiled. "Then think of it as a vacation. Ideally, I would buy an RV and we could travel around the country, playing the casinos…" He paused. "Honest, no cheating or counting cards or anything like that, but just having fun in places where we could both try our luck at the table, tour the country a little, give you a little break from the pressure, and then we can decide what to do or where to go."

  I thought about that, but said nothing. A vacation. It sounded wonderful.

  "You could, of course, agree to move in with me, and you wouldn't have to worry about anything while we were away. You could do some thinking, decide what you wanted to do, if you want to go to school… We could get to know one another, just basically have fun together. We could plan a route through the country and check out different casinos, and try them out."

  A vacation. Traveling with Ben in an RV, just touring the country and the casinos. I glanced at him. "No more counting cards?"

  He shook his head. "No more counting cards. That got way out of hand and cost you your job. It'll take me a while to make up for that, and I don't want to ever put you at risk again."

  I thought about it for several moments, lying on my back in his luxurious bed, just imagining how nice it would be to not have to worry about things, at least for a few weeks or maybe even a little longer. A vacation. I turned to him. "Can I have a day or two to think about it?"

  He grinned as he leaned closer to kiss me. "Take all the time you need. I’ll support whatever decision you come to. But before you decide, Maggie, I want you to know that you mean a lot to me. No matter where we end up, I want you to know that, okay?"

  I nodded. No doubt about it. I had a lot of thinking to do.

  I went home, looked around my apartment, and realized a huge opportunity loomed before me. What was holding me back? I didn't have a job and it would be nice to be able to take a break, think about things, and decide what I wanted to do with my life. Ben had given me the perfect opportunity to do just that. The more I thought about it, the more the thought appealed to me. It wasn't like I was asking for any long-term commitment from him, and I didn't expect one. But for the first time in my life, maybe I needed to take a chance.

  By that evening, I had pretty much decided what I wanted to do, but I texted Ben and told him that I would come by in the morning and give him my decision. He sent me back a brief message telling me that there was no rush, to take my time, no pressure, followed by a few x's and o's. I smiled.

  Deep in my heart, I did hope that Ben and I could establish a solid relationship, and maybe a road trip was just the ticket to do just that. I went to bed that evening, feeling a thrill of excitement, of hope, of possibilities.

  By the time I returned to Ben's house the next morning, I felt excited. My stomach was filled with butterflies. I knocked on the door, surprised when his butler answered, but he smiled at me and gestured for me to come inside.

  I felt nervous, excited, and anxious all at the same time, so much so that I might just explode. I had never done anything like this before, and while I didn't know how it was going to turn out, I had resolved that if I didn't take chances in life, life would pass me by. I didn't want that to happen anymore. My coming here this morning and giving Ben my decision would bring me one step closer to actually pushing myself out of my comfort zone and taking a chance – on life, on Ben, on deciding the future.

  The butler had just gestured for me to wait in the living room when Ben came down the stairs. He paused and smiled at me. I couldn't wait any longer. I rushed past the smiling butler, took a few steps up, and then literally threw myself in Ben's arms. He wrapped his arms around me and laughed. Our lips gently caressed, and then grew more passionate. By the time I pulled away, my heart was pounding and I saw the vein in his own neck pulsing, as well.

  "Have you made a decision?"

  I nodded and smiled. "I'm ready for the adventure of a lifetime," I told him. "Let's do it!"

  *

  The next few days passed in a blur of activity. Although I only had a month left on my lease, I gave my notice, and Ben graciously paid my obligation for breaking the contract. He helped me pack m
y belongings and in a matter of days, a moving van stood in front of the apartment complex. The boxes and my few pieces of furniture were heading over to Ben’s mansion, where most of it would be stored in his basement until we made some more long-term decisions. For now, it was good enough.

  I packed some of my more personal keepsakes and favorite items in my old car, which I had insisted on keeping, even though Ben had told me he would buy me something better. I told him it didn't matter because we would be going on a road trip, anyway. He had purchased an RV, and to my surprise, told me that our road trip, rather than being a few weeks in length like I had imagined, could take up to a year.

  I had gaped in surprise and then decided that it didn't really matter how long we were gone. I had a lot of decisions to make, Ben and I had to get to know each other a little better, and an RV was a perfect place to do just that.

  I had told him that I wanted to keep all my things, and being completely honest, explained that if things didn't work out between us, I didn't want to start out with absolutely nothing. He seemed to understand and nodded in agreement, although he did say that he had a feeling that things would work out between us just fine.

  As the last of my things were loaded into the moving truck and I headed to my car, ready to follow it to Ben’s house, he stood beside my car door, gazing down at me.

  "Are you ready?"

  I smiled up at him through the open window. "I've never been more ready for anything in my life."

  He chuckled as he leaned down, resting his forearms on the windowsill. He leaned forward and kissed me, passionately. I returned the kiss with equal feeling. Then, when he broke the kiss, he stared at me for several moments, his expression serious.

  "I love you, Maggie," he said.

  The words thrilled me and sent a warm sensation rushing through me. He had spoken the words with confidence. For my part, I also felt conviction and excitement at the prospect that I was loved and cared for. "I love you, too, Ben," I said. "I can't wait to go on this road trip with you and see what happens."

  He smiled and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small, black, velvet-lined box. I stared up at him in amazement as he lifted the lid and showed me the engagement ring inside. Oh my God. I gazed at the ring, then up at him.

  "You’re my Queen of Hearts, Maggie, and you always will be. By the time we get to Vegas, I'm hoping that you will accept this ring and I can place it on your finger. But I want you to know that I'm not going to rush you. No pressure. It's going to be in my pocket the entire way. When you're ready, and when you want me to slip this ring on your finger, you tell me, all right?"

  Tears filled my eyes – but this time they were not tears of pain, betrayal, or heartache. My heart thumped with excitement. While I didn't feel ready to accept his engagement ring right this minute, I knew that he was giving me time, and time was what I needed most of all. I wanted to feel perfectly right about everything and I appreciated the fact that while he held out hope, he wasn't going to pressure me.

  Even with everything happening so fast, I knew that I couldn't be more excited – or happier – to begin my new adventure with Ben. And I had no doubt, that by the time we hit Las Vegas, we would do so with his ring on my finger.

  THE END

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  Maid for Him: The Complete Series

  By Nella Tyler

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2015 Nella Tyler

  Maid for Him #1

  Chapter 1

  I couldn't believe it. I finally had a job. I'd been searching for weeks, but it was obvious that my skill set wasn't quite up to the task. Not because I didn't have the inclination or the ambition, quite the opposite. It was just that I’d never held a job before. Still, at twenty-two years of age, I thought it was about time that I started making my own way in life.

  My dad couldn’t understand it. Why couldn’t I get a job in my field of studies? Did he not get the fact that due to the recession, jobs were still scarce, especially around here?

  Up until recently, I had been relatively content living the life that my parents had carved out for me. I had grown up privileged and had never had to work for anything in my life. On my sixteenth birthday – boom – there was a car waiting for me in the driveway with the obligatory big red bow on top. My high school graduation? A trip to Europe. Just this past summer upon my graduation from college? A condo, bought and paid for in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, just a hop, skip, and jump from my parents’ mansion.

  Not that I didn't appreciate the perks that came along with being rich. I certainly did, but I didn't want to live that kind of life, at least not yet. I wanted to make my own way. I needed to prove to myself and to my parents that I was self-sufficient, mature, and willing to work for what I wanted out of life. The fact that I could never even spend all the money put away for my inheritance, even if I tried, was beside the point.

  I wanted to put my college degree to good use someday, preferably now. I wanted to secure a future for myself that extended beyond my family – and their money. Unfortunately, life has a way of knocking us for a loop, so imagine my surprise when, even with my brand new degree in education, I had not been able to secure a teaching position at any of the local schools. I had intended to teach high school history, but the looks I got when I walked into the few interviews that had been scheduled almost immediately shut me down.

  I couldn't understand it until I talked to my best friend, Samantha, who had also grown up on the "right side of the tracks” and whose family had a mansion not far from that of my parents.

  "Look, Molly," she told me. "You're just way too good looking for your own good!"

  "What do you mean?" I asked. “What does that have to do with my job hunt for a teacher’s position?”

  "Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?” Samantha said with her eyebrows raised and forehead wrinkled. "Seriously, Molly, you're very attractive and that silky brunette hair of yours and those warm, chocolate brown eyes are just the beginning. You've got a sultry look about you, a come hither look-"

  "A come hither look?" I asked, confused. "What the heck is that supposed to mean? You know me. I'm not a flirt. I want people to take me seriously. I'm just trying-"

  "You asked me and I'm telling you,” she shrugged. “You've got the education, you've got the smarts, but I can put myself in a principal's shoes. Someone as good looking as you teaching a bunch of testosterone-flooded high school boys? Probably not a good mix."

  "But that's just it, Samantha," I said. "I've also tried middle schools and even a few elementary schools! What the heck is wrong with me?"

  "There's an absolutely nothing wrong with you, honey," she said. "But I think you have to face it. You’re competition-"

  "Competition?" I shook my head, not understanding her line of thought. "Who exactly am I competing with?"

  Samantha shook her head, as if she pitied anyone who didn't understand the way things were in the “real world.” "Molly, you're the nicest, sweetest, kindest person I know. But let's face it. You're gorgeous, you've got a great body, and anyone in the PTA who even looks at you is either going to think you're going to steal their hubbies away or they're going to be jealous because you're so pretty."

  "Well, that's just stupid," I said, pouting.

  "See? Even your pouting is sexy."

  I opened my mouth to protest and then saw that she was teasing me, sort of. I closed my mouth. "So, what am I supposed to do?” I hadn't planned on this. “I thought once I had my degree in hand, I would find a job as a teacher and could start my new life.”

  "Remind me exactly why you want to start a new life?" Samantha asked. "You unhappy? You not getting
along with your parents?"

  I shook my head and sighed. "Not at all, Samantha. I just want to make my own way in the world."

  "But why? You can have anything you want. You know all you have to do is ask and your father will get it for you, don't you?" She shook her head. "In fact, I don't even know why you want a job so badly. You certainly don't need one."

  I sighed again. “I don’t know how to explain it. I just feel the need to make my own way. I need to know that I can stand on my own two feet. I want to prove to myself and to my parents that I’m more than just a pretty face, a privileged brat-”

  “You’re no brat!” Samantha explained.

  “You know what I mean. I want to be normal, Sam…you know what I mean?”

  She slowly shook her head. “Not really.”

  "Of all of my friends, I thought you would be the one to understand me," I said. I fingered the cup of coffee untouched before me. We sat in one of the neighborhood coffee shops, me with a caramel mocha and Samantha, as usual, with a latte. "Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for my family and the great life that they've provided for me, but I don't want money or status to be what defines me. I want to make my own footprints in life, come what may. Is that so hard to understand?"

  Samantha smiled. "No, Molly, it isn't. But you've been searching for a job for weeks. Your looks are just part of the problem."

  "But I have my degree!" I protested. "I'd make a great teacher!"

  "That you would," Samantha agreed. "But you're, what, almost twenty-three years old?"

  I nodded.

  "You have no work history. You're competing with people who have some job experience. And in case you hadn't realized it, the economy has tanked over the past few years. You may not felt the pinch, and neither have your parents, but school districts are laying teachers off. As soon as the fall semester starts, they're going to want the teachers with seniority or at the very least, those with more experience."