Read Online The Substitute by Denise Grover Swank - Free Book Online Page B

could demand all she wanted, but she was at his mercy. She had no leverage in this negotiation whatsoever and they both knew it.
    His eyes softened. “Have you have ever been in a situation where you couldn’t see a way out, so you gave up and left it to fate to work everything out?” His eyes widened in mock surprise. “Oh, wait. You do know what that’s like. You’re living it right now.”
    Now he was just pissing her off.
    He put his hands on her shoulders. “Believe it or not, that’s what’s going on with me too. You said I looked determined when I sat down on the plane. I came to Kansas City because my family business is a mess and I’m making a last-ditch effort to save it.”
    When she didn’t answer, he continued.
    “Megan, I sat down on that plane and realized I didn’t have a clue how to save my business. Then you waltzed into my life. I swear to you, I inadvertently told your parents I was your fiancé. But once your parents thought it was true, I figured what the hell? After all, you were in a messy situation too, and I had just given my life over to fate. I believe in karma. Maybe if I help you out, fate will help me out too.”
    She had to admit that he was pretty convincing, but something was off. “If your business is really failing and you’re here to save it, why would you want to hang out at my parents’ cocktail party tonight?” Then she gasped. “Oh! You’re planning to sell your snake oil to my parents’ wealthy friends!”
    “What?”
    She poked her finger into his chest. “If you so much as hint that you aren’t an investment banker, or you try to sell insurance or vacation timeshares or crappy Tupperware to my parents’ friends, I will make you suffer. Is that understood?”
    He clasped her hand between both of his, giving her a sweet smile. “Perfectly. But you’re not giving off a very loving vibe right now, sweetie. You don’t want your mother to think I’m breaking up with you because you’re a bitch.”
    “What? How dare you—”
    Before she could react, he kissed her again, pulling her flush against his body. This kiss was different than the one he’d given her downstairs. The previous kiss hadn’t exactly been chaste, but it had tested the line of inappropriate in front of her family. This kiss dropped all pretense. His hand tangled in her hair and his tongue parted her lips with an intensity and urgency she hadn’t expected. And while some sane part of her knew she should resist, the rest of her eagerly welcomed it.
    “Uh… Megan…” Her brother’s voice broke through her lust-filled haze.
    That’s when reality set in. She was kissing this man, someone she’d only known for a matter of hours, in the upstairs hallway in her parents’ house. She tried to pull away from Josh, but his arms held her tight against him as she glanced over her shoulder.
    Kevin stood at the top of the stairs, his bag in hand, looking very uncomfortable while he studied the wall. “I need to change.” His gaze returned to her. “And you’re in the way.”
    Josh dropped one of his hands, but kept the other around her as he pulled her out of Kevin’s way. “Sorry,” he said, sounding like he’d been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to do.
    Kevin moved toward them, looking into Josh’s eyes. “At least I know you love her. Megan likes to paint a pretty picture of you, but Gram and I talk…and what we’ve pieced together has left me with some major doubts about you.” His eyes grew cold. “Fair warning, buddy. If I find out that you hurt my sister in any way, I’m going to kick your ass. Is that clear?”
    “Kevin!” Megan protested, even though guilt flooded through her for deceiving him. “I’m not fourteen years old, you know.”
    Kevin’s face softened as he turned his attention to her. “Megan, you can be ninety and you’ll never stop being my baby sister. I will always kick the ass of any guy who hurts you.”
    Pulling away from Josh, Megan