Read Online Her Convenient Millionaire by Gail Dayton - Free Book Online Page B

with Miss Sherry Eloise Nyland wouldn’t last. She believed he was just a working stiff, living from paycheck to paycheck. She was slumming. Trying out a new plaything. Her attitude might change if she knew he probably had more money than she did, but that would be even worse. He couldn’t do what she asked, and he could never, ever kiss her again.
    He set her a few steps away from him. “It wouldn’t work.”
    â€œIt…” Sherry swayed, her eyes glazed over. She licked her lips. Mike stifled his groan.
    â€œI wouldn’t mind,” she said. “If you wanted—you know—sex. It would be all right.”
    She was making him crazy. Mike ran both hands back over his hair, one after the other. “Why me? Why me and not Vernon?” He needed to know.
    â€œI trust you. You’re a good man. Vernon…isn’t.”
    Mike stopped in midpace and turned to look at her.“What do you mean?” He didn’t like the way she’d said that.
    â€œI—” She was back to the hand twisting again. “I’m not sure, exactly. It’s hard to explain. People talk about how brown eyes look so warm and kind, but Vernon’s don’t. They’re cold. Hard. He looks at me like I’m a bug and not a person. Or maybe it’s more like I’m like a toy he wants to play with. I’m just a thing to Vernon. And he pinches.”
    Sherry lifted her arm, turning it to show the tender upper inside surface. Half a dozen tiny yellow-green bruises marred her perfect skin.
    Anger blasted through Mike. Who the hell did this joker think he was?
    â€œHe scares me, Mike.” She folded her arms protectively across her chest.
    â€œHe won’t touch you again.” Mike cradled her against him, stroking her hair until she relaxed and let her head settle against his shoulder. He ignored the way she fit there, just like he ignored the urge to pull her hard against his arousal. He was above his urges, smarter than his hormones.
    â€œThen you’ll marry me?”
    â€œNo. But I’ll protect you.”
    Her head came up and she looked at him, her eyes suspiciously shiny. “How? You have to work. So do I.”
    â€œI seriously doubt they’re going to try to snatch you off the street or out of the club.” Most Palm Beach types didn’t have the guts for something like that.
    â€œBut what if they do? Juliana said Tug sounded furious. Mad enough to scare her.”
    â€œI can put you on nights, when I’m there. If he’s desperate, he’ll do something soon. I can play bodyguard a day or two.”
    â€œWhat about your mother? You need me here whenyou’re at work. And if they came looking for me here, I can just see her losing her temper right into a coronary. I know the building has pretty good security, but no security is perfect. I don’t want her hurt.”
    Neither did Mike. “She can go stay with one of my sisters till things calm down.”
    Sherry bit her lip. He wished she wouldn’t do that. “What if they don’t calm down? I’m really afraid that if I’m not actually married…”
    â€œIt won’t come to that. But if it does, you can decide what to do then.” He gave her a quick squeeze and stepped away, reaching for distance. “It’ll be okay. Promise.”
    He only hoped it was a promise he could keep.
    Â 
    The next day, after an all-morning “discussion” with Clara about the situation, Sherry helped Clara pack, while Mike made arrangements with his sister. Although she didn’t know this sister, Sherry was pretty sure Mike had given her the harder job, because Clara was unpacking almost as fast as Sherry could pack. Things went faster when Mike came in to pack his mother’s medication and Clara left to undo her son’s work.
    Sherry put in the last pair of support stockings, closed the suitcase and latched it. Good thing Clara’s