Read Online Some Like It Charming (A Temporary Engagement) by Megan Bryce - Free Book Online

Wyatt.”
    “Stop breathing in my ear, O’Connor.”
    She didn’t even have to look at him to know he was smiling. He would like knowing he was getting to her.
    She said, “And just for that I’ll say growth will be three percent. Ten percent is in your dreams.”
    “And what discount rate are you using?”
    “Fifteen.”
    He barked out a laugh. “Fifteen percent interest for fifty years? Now who’s indulging in fantasy.”
    “I’ve done it for the last ten.”
    He put his mouth next to her ear and murmured, “Have you? Perhaps I hired you for the wrong position, after all. But let’s be a little more realistic and say ten.”
    “If you’re not going to beat the market, what’s the point?”
    “Let’s just see what you come up with.”
    She worked on the spreadsheet for a few minutes, then sat back and they looked at the number together. Her heart started beating very fast.
    “Well,” he said. “You should have been an accountant.”
    “Looks to me like I can be anything I want now.” She swallowed. “Is it worth that much to you?”
    She couldn’t decide if she wanted him to say yes or no. Talk about a mutually beneficial agreement. She just might throw in a kid or two for that.
    And still, she knew, it wasn’t anywhere near half his fortune.
    Ethan said, “If you really can get ten percent per year, I can just give you an even million. You won’t have to go work for HGC, at least.”
    She wouldn’t have to work for anyone ever again. She could sell her house, move somewhere cheaper than L.A., and live pretty well.
    He breathed in her ear. “You could just take a share of the company. It would practically be the same.”
    Except she’d never be rid of him. “I don’t know why you keep trying to give away part of your company. Stop it.”
    “I think my mother would like you if she could hear you protecting my interests.”
    “Someone has to. You keep trying to give away your legacy.”
    “But this way you know I’m serious.”
    She gestured toward the computer. “I’ll know you’re serious with this, too. Are you really going to pay me a million and a half dollars to be your fiancé for six weeks?”
    “No. Just a million.”
    “I like the sound of a million and a half better.”
    “Who doesn’t?”
    She twisted in her chair. “I could say two million.”
    He raised his eyebrows. “There are probably a number of women who would do this for two million.”
    “Good. Call them up.”
    “I’ll thumb wrestle you for the half.”
    She shook her sadly. “Good thing you inherited your fortune. I don’t think you would have made it on your own.”
    “I’ll have you know I’ve won quite a few negotiations with my stellar thumb wrestling skills.”
    “Since the sixth grade?”
    “If you’re going to be picky about it. . .”
    She couldn’t help her smile. “Half now, half later?”
    “You don’t trust me? That hurts, Wyatt.”
    She could see he was real worked up about it. “It’s not really about trust. It’s more I just don’t believe you’ll do it.”
    “To show I trust you , I’ll have the full million wired into your account in the morning.”
    “Million and a half.”
    He shook his head. “It’s never going to happen.”
    “You shouldn’t have begged. I know you’ll pay the half.”
    He held his hand out and she gave him the pre-nup. He read it over quickly. “I hesitate to bring this up but you’re missing something.”
    “What am I missing?”
    He wiggled his eyebrows at her and she shook her head. “I’m not missing anything. There will be none of that.”
    “None of that or none of that ? And what about this and that?”
    “There will be none of any of it, so I don’t need to include it.”
    He looked down at her lips. “I’m just saying it’s ambivalent. Just how real is this pretend engagement going to be?”
    “It’s not real at all . This contract is for our public performance.”
    He leaned down close to whisper in her ear. “Ooh,