Read Online Falling For Her Fake Fiancé (The Beaumont Heirs 5) by Sarah M. Anderson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sarah M. Anderson
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of distance.”
The silence between them grew. In the background, she heard the whistles and buzzers of the game on the TV.
“It’s not important,” he finally said. “So, fine. We won’t exactly be long-distance for the next two weeks. Then we get married. Then what?”
“Oh, I imagine we’ll have to keep up appearances for a month or so.”
“A
month
?”
“Or so. Ethan,” she said patiently. “Do you want this to be convincing or not? If we stop being seen together the day after we tie the knot, no one will believe it wasn’t a publicity stunt.”
He jumped out of his chair and began to pace. “See—when I said long-distance, I didn’t actually anticipate being in your company constantly.”
“Is that a bad thing?” She batted her eyes when he shot her an incredulous look.
“Only if you keep kissing me like you did in the elevator.”
“I can kiss you less, but we have to spend time together.” She shifted so she was cross-legged on the bed. “Can you do that? At the very least, we have to be friends.”
The look he gave her was many things—perhaps angry, horny—but “friendly” was not on the list.
“If you can’t, we can still call it off. A night of wild indiscretion, we’ll both ‘no comment’ to the press—it’s not a big deal.” She shrugged.
“It’s a huge deal. If I roll into the Brewery after everyone thinks I had a one-night stand with you and then threw you to the curb, they’ll hang me up by my toenails.”
“I am rather well liked by the employees,” she said, not a little smugly. “Which is why you thought up this plan in the first place, is it not?”
He looked to the ceiling and let out another muttered curse. “Such a good idea,” he said again.
“Best laid plans of mice and men and all that,” she agreed. “Well?”
He did a little more unproductive pacing, and she let him think. Honestly, she didn’t know which way she wanted him to go.
There’d been the heat that had arced between them, heat that had melted her in places that hadn’t been properly melted in a very long time. She’d kissed before, but Ethan’s mouth against hers—his body against hers—
She needed the money. She needed the fresh start that an angel investor could provide. She needed to feel the power and prestige that went with the Beaumont name—or had, before Ethan had taken over. She needed her life back. And if she got to take the one man who embodied her fall from grace down a couple of pegs, all the better.
It was all at her fingertips. All she had to do was get married to a man she’d promised not to love. How hard could that be? She could probably even have sex with him—and it would be
so
good—without love ever entering into the equation.
“No more kissing in the elevator.”
“Agreed.” At least, that’s what she said. She would be lying if she didn’t admit she was enjoying the way she’d so clearly brought him to his knees with desire.
“What do people do in this town on a Sunday afternoon?”
That was a yes. She’d get her funding and make a few headlines and be back on top of the world for a while.
“I’ll take it easy on you tomorrow—we need to give the gossip time to develop.”
He shot her a look and, for the first time since dinner, smiled. It appeared to be a genuine smile even. It set off his strong chin and deep eyes nicely. Not that she wanted him to know that. “Should I be worried that you know this much about manipulating the press?”
She brushed that comment aside. “It comes with the territory of being a Beaumont. I’ll leave after this game is over, and then I’ll stop by the office on Monday. Deal?”
“Deal.”
They didn’t shake on it. Neither of them, it seemed, wanted to tempt fate by touching again.
Seven
“B ecky? You’re not going to believe this,” Frances said as she stood in front of her closet, weighing the red evening gown versus something more...restrained. She hated being restrained, but
The silence between them grew. In the background, she heard the whistles and buzzers of the game on the TV.
“It’s not important,” he finally said. “So, fine. We won’t exactly be long-distance for the next two weeks. Then we get married. Then what?”
“Oh, I imagine we’ll have to keep up appearances for a month or so.”
“A
month
?”
“Or so. Ethan,” she said patiently. “Do you want this to be convincing or not? If we stop being seen together the day after we tie the knot, no one will believe it wasn’t a publicity stunt.”
He jumped out of his chair and began to pace. “See—when I said long-distance, I didn’t actually anticipate being in your company constantly.”
“Is that a bad thing?” She batted her eyes when he shot her an incredulous look.
“Only if you keep kissing me like you did in the elevator.”
“I can kiss you less, but we have to spend time together.” She shifted so she was cross-legged on the bed. “Can you do that? At the very least, we have to be friends.”
The look he gave her was many things—perhaps angry, horny—but “friendly” was not on the list.
“If you can’t, we can still call it off. A night of wild indiscretion, we’ll both ‘no comment’ to the press—it’s not a big deal.” She shrugged.
“It’s a huge deal. If I roll into the Brewery after everyone thinks I had a one-night stand with you and then threw you to the curb, they’ll hang me up by my toenails.”
“I am rather well liked by the employees,” she said, not a little smugly. “Which is why you thought up this plan in the first place, is it not?”
He looked to the ceiling and let out another muttered curse. “Such a good idea,” he said again.
“Best laid plans of mice and men and all that,” she agreed. “Well?”
He did a little more unproductive pacing, and she let him think. Honestly, she didn’t know which way she wanted him to go.
There’d been the heat that had arced between them, heat that had melted her in places that hadn’t been properly melted in a very long time. She’d kissed before, but Ethan’s mouth against hers—his body against hers—
She needed the money. She needed the fresh start that an angel investor could provide. She needed to feel the power and prestige that went with the Beaumont name—or had, before Ethan had taken over. She needed her life back. And if she got to take the one man who embodied her fall from grace down a couple of pegs, all the better.
It was all at her fingertips. All she had to do was get married to a man she’d promised not to love. How hard could that be? She could probably even have sex with him—and it would be
so
good—without love ever entering into the equation.
“No more kissing in the elevator.”
“Agreed.” At least, that’s what she said. She would be lying if she didn’t admit she was enjoying the way she’d so clearly brought him to his knees with desire.
“What do people do in this town on a Sunday afternoon?”
That was a yes. She’d get her funding and make a few headlines and be back on top of the world for a while.
“I’ll take it easy on you tomorrow—we need to give the gossip time to develop.”
He shot her a look and, for the first time since dinner, smiled. It appeared to be a genuine smile even. It set off his strong chin and deep eyes nicely. Not that she wanted him to know that. “Should I be worried that you know this much about manipulating the press?”
She brushed that comment aside. “It comes with the territory of being a Beaumont. I’ll leave after this game is over, and then I’ll stop by the office on Monday. Deal?”
“Deal.”
They didn’t shake on it. Neither of them, it seemed, wanted to tempt fate by touching again.
Seven
“B ecky? You’re not going to believe this,” Frances said as she stood in front of her closet, weighing the red evening gown versus something more...restrained. She hated being restrained, but
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