Maid for the family

Damien

The sun was shining down on her shoulders, warming her up. It was Sunday and she didn't have to work, but she wanted to weed the rose garden. It had great potential to be beautiful, it was just a little neglected.

"Baby girl, you shouldn't be working on your day off."

She looked up and smiled at Damien. "I'm just doing a little bit. What are your plans today?" She knew that Tyler and Brian had business to do in the city. Caleb was reading in the library and asked to be left alone. She had noticed his moods were very mercurial. Today was an off day for him.

"I was going to drive to the ocean on my motorcycle. Do you want to come with me?"

She jumped up and smiled brightly. "You would really take me? I would love to go! I've never ridden on a motorcycle before."

He chuckled at her enthusiasm and reassured her that he would be delighted to spend the day with her. She ran up stairs to change into clean clothes and pulled her hair back into a  ponytail. She was outside in ten minutes, eagerly waiting for Damien to return with a helmet for her. He stashed a bag in a compartment and told her to hop on.

"Hold on tight, baby girl." Damien waited for Penny to wrap her arms around him and get her feet situated. "Ready?" He asked. She smiled and said, "Yes!" She had never been on a motorcycle before and was excited to experience something new.

She blushed when she thought about how close she was to Damien. She could feel how muscular he was, he must work out a lot. She rested her head against his back, using his body to block the wind. Motorcycles were awesome, she decided, especially with Damien driving.

The last twenty minutes of the ride was through a windy country road, making Penny wrap herself tighter around Damien. By the time they reached the beach her muscles were a little stiff from clenching and from the vibrations. She laughed when she got off and leaned against Damien. "Sorry, my legs feel a little wobbly."

"No worries, what do you want to do first?"

She stared out at the beach in front of them. It was difficult deciding what she wanted to do first. The waves were perfect for playing in, not too big or little. There was a river feeding right into the ocean that also looked fun. But then there was the flat open sand that was perfect for sunbathing or castle building. Maybe Damien would let her bury him in the sand?

"Mmmm, do you want to get wet? I put on my swimsuit just in case. If you don't, that's okay."

"Let's get you wet, baby girl." His deep voice sent shivers down her spine. The way he said that made it sound like an innuendo for something. She blushed and looked away, unable to meet his eyes.

He laughed and got the bag out. He grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the walkway to the beach. Once they were headed in the right direction he wrapped an arm around her waist.

She wondered briefly if he was aware of how intimate the move was. She glanced up at his face, but he was focused on the view. She figured he was just being friendly and tried to squash the tingly feelings. It must be like Tyler and Brian, who kissed her cheeks, but didn't mean anything by it.

"When was the last time you came to the beach?" His voice distracted her from her musings and she took a moment to respond.

"Before my mom got sick, we camped on the beach. It's been a long time. I forgot how wonderful the salt air smelled."

She smiled and lifted her face up towards the sky- letting the sun and air sooth any negative feelings. Her mom was always in her thoughts, but she wouldn't let her grief darken happy moments. Her mom wouldn't want her to be sad.