Read Online Not the Marrying Kind by Nicola Marsh - Free Book Online Page A

want him, shouldn’t want this…whatever this was.
    He plundered her mouth, long, hot, moist kisses that had her boneless and mindless with desire, until all she could do was sag against him, soft and pliant and wanting. So much wanting.
    An eternity later his lips eased away, lingering long enough to place a surprisingly sweet kiss on the corner of her mouth.
    “One last time.” He traced her bottom lip with a fingertip, the residual tingle from his kiss intensifying, as he stared at her with the determination of a guy used to getting his own way. “Marry me?”
    She wanted to say no.
    She wanted to tell him where he could stick his proposal.
    But he’d left her no choice. Sara had been the only parent she’d ever known, and now it was Poppy’s turn to do the protecting. She owed Sara and she’d do whatever it took, including giving in to this incredibly infuriating guy.
    Hating how he’d bullied her into this, hating herself for succumbing to that scintillating kiss more, she nodded, a reluctant “Yeah” tumbling from her lips a second before he claimed them again.

     
    “You’re not wearing heels.” Ashlee stared at Poppy’s feet, her eyes wide. “Did you botch the Blackwood pitch?” She placed a hand on Poppy’s forehead. “Fever? Not feeling well?”
    With a resigned sigh, Poppy flopped onto the ergonomic chair and propped her ballet-flat clad feet on the desk. “Leave me alone, I’m exhausted.”
    “Ah…it’s like that.”
    “Like what?”
    “Would The Hottie have anything to do with your exhaustion?” Ashlee rubbed her hands together. “Spill.”
    Poppy winced behind her sunglasses. Yeah, Beck Blackwood had everything to do with her bone-deep tiredness.
    She hadn’t slept all night. It had little to do with the exceptional espresso she’d drunk on the jet before touching down just after midnight, and everything to do with what he’d done.
    Blackmailed her into marriage.
    And used his damned kissing skill to seduce her into saying yes.
    Okay, so she hadn’t put up much of a fight once her hormones overrode her anger but jeez, did he have to be so goddamned sexy? As a fury-diffuser and distracting technique, his kisses had done the trick, and once they’d broken the lip-lock and come up for air, they’d sat down and worked out the logistics—what the prenup entailed, a generous settlement of the half-a-million figure she’d thrown at him expecting refusal, and the terms of their business arrangement.
    That’s what this marriage was—a business arrangement between two people with no romantic aspirations or illusions, two insane people who’d do anything to reach their goals. She should be proud of herself for going this far for Sara. Instead, all she could think was What the hell have I done ?
    “Where do I start?” Poppy took a deep breath and blew it out, glad she could trust Ashlee. She couldn’t talk to Sara, not about this, and if she didn’t tell someone, she’d burst. “The part where he agreed to my pitch?”
    Ashlee squealed and clapped her hands like a hyperactive kid.
    “Or the part where I agreed to marry him?”
    Ashlee collapsed into the seat opposite, her mouth a perfect O as she stared at Poppy as if she’d announced she was a finalist for American Idol .
    “Crazy, huh?”
    Ashlee’s lips moved but no words came out.
    “He needs a wife for business, I need money to save Sara’s business, so apparently we’re a good fit.” Poppy resisted the urge to squirm in her seat at the memory of exactly how well they fit together.
    When he had her backed up against that wall, his hands everywhere, she’d been so turned on she could’ve gotten naked right there and then. Funny how fast thoughts of kneeing him in the groin had turned to wanting to grope his groin. “It’s a temporary arrangement. Twelve months, tops. Not so bad.”
    The silence grated on her nerves. “Say something.”
    “Are you nuts ?” Ashlee shook her head, cleared her throat. “Did he