The Billionaire's Private Nurse

Chapter Seven - The Beige Room

ANNIE

I went back to the guest bedroom. I shut the door behind me with a sigh and leaned back against the door. I lifted my hands to my cheeks to see if they were as hot to the touch as they felt. I wasn’t sure exactly what was coming over me. I'd been kneeling on the bed, flexing Mr. Greene's legs and my mind had wandered into entirely inappropriate territory. I remembered what he looked like naked, the sculpted muscles of his chest, his abs, the bulge of his biceps. The bulge of other parts. I grunted.

What was it about this man? Sure, he was handsome, but he wasn’t exactly charming. He was a prickly as an angry hedgehog most of the time. Definitely NOT my type, even if he wasn’t a client. So, what was the big deal? His body was just a body. Just like anyone else's.

Yeah, right.

I blew a curl out of my face and paced around the room. The guest room was probably bigger than my whole apartment. It was tastefully but blandly decorated in shades of beige and sand, with ocean and beach-themed artwork on the walls. All that neutral color was making me twitchy. I dug around in my suitcase and pulled out a colorful silk scarf. I normally used it to wrap my hair, but for the time being I draped it over the mirror on the dressing table, just to add some bold color to the bland room.

I didn’t feel sleepy. My mind was still disturbed by my completely unprofessional reaction to Mr. Greene. I took time to empty my suitcase. My scrubs were already hopelessly wrinkled, but I put them on hangers in the massive walk-in closet. Maybe some of the wrinkles would fall out on their own? I tucked my underclothes into the dresser drawers, and found my pajamas. She always wore modest night clothes, knowing that I could be called out of bed for an emergency at any time. I pulled the satiny tank top over my head, and yanked on the matching shorts. I gave myself a critical look in the mirror.

I had a strong and sturdy physique. I was taller than average, with big bone structure. I wasn’t fat, but I was definitely curvy. Idid my to stay fit. I turned in the mirror to examine my backside. This was the body that God gave me, and I refused to be ashamed of it. But the fact was, I wasn’t what most men found beautiful or desirable. Most men wanted tiny and feminine. The kind of girl they could pick up and carry like a princess.

Well, in my line of work, I was more apt to be the one doing the picking up and carrying. Hell, I was sure the only reason I'd been assigned to Mr. Greene was the fact that I was brawny enough to handle his massive body without hurting myself. I snorted at myself in the mirror. Whatever I thought of Mr. Greene, he'd never see me as anything other than a nurse in a uniform.

I headed into the bathroom and was just starting to brush my teeth when there was a knock at the door. I glanced at the clock before I went to answer the door with the toothbrush still hanging out of my mouth. “Mpphhh?”

The butler was there. I thought the old gentleman was adorably cute in his stiff black suit. He even wore gloves, something I’d never seen before outside of the movies. “Sorry to disturb you madam. Mr. Greene requested that I deliver this to you as soon as it was ready.” He held out a small box.

I lifted an eyebrow and took the small box. I opened it and found a shiny new phone nestled inside. I lifted it out and examined it. I could practically tell by the feel of it that this phone probably cost more than my car. It was already powered on, so I swiped the screen. “The password is set to your last name, Clarke. The phone is untraceable. You may use it to call or text only the people who are already on the contact list. You will not be able to use it for any other numbers unless you clear it with the security team first. You cannot access social media accounts. If you have any questions, I’m sure Mr. Greene can answer them in the morning.”

I took the toothbrush out of my mouth to say thank you. The butler gave me a curt nod and excused himself. I shut the door and turned the lock again. I considered the phone while I went back to the sink to finish my nightly routine. I checked the contact list. My father was on the list, plus my sister. I noted that my brother hadn’t made the list, and that made me smirk. Jeremy was the most boring person in the whole world, as strait-laced as they come. But he was a retired military officer; maybe that was why he hadn’t made the list. A few of my friends were on the list, along with my boss, MaryLou. Mr. Greene was on the list, along with “Jim - Security”, “Paul - Butler”, “Helen - Chef”. I shook her head. I would call my sister and my dad in the morning to let them know I was on an assignment. Otherwise, I didn’t have anyone I needed to call. My work kept me busy, often for months at a time. I hadn’t been out on a date in... crap, it had been more than two years.

Maybe that was the problem. Maybe that was why the grumpy Mr. Greene had my insides all fluttery.

I yanked down the tan-colored comforter and slid between the sheets. I closed my eyes and slid my hands over the silky smooth Egyptian linen. I wasn't particularly impressed by the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It didn't matter if my clients had more money than God, they still got sick, they still got hurt, they still died in the end. All their money couldn't save them. But, the job had definite perks. The jacuzzi tub in my bathroom, and these sheets... these sheets almost made it all worthwhile.