Bride by Design: Flights of Fancy Read Online Free PDF Page B

softly.
    “Yes!” I snapped, glaring at him, even though my panties were moist. A part of me wished he’d lunge across and take me roughly, his chest pressing down on my breasts, his hands groping me… I pushed the thought out of my head. “You’re not going to seduce me and take me to Manchala.”
    He leaned back and looked relaxed. “Why, that thought had never even crossed me mind.” He smiled, and I continued to glare at him through narrowed eyes. “However, I do think it’d be nice to have fun together on a gorgeous, tropical island…”
    “No. Way.” I crossed my arms. Perhaps I wasn’t as hot as his regular socialites and supermodels, but I wasn’t an idiot. “Get some other floozy to do your dirty work.”
    He leaned forward and looked at me earnestly. “Please,” he said, his voice low and desperate, “There’s no-one else I trust. The tabloids would have a field day if they knew I pretended to be married just to get a deal. I saw how you helped that family in the airport, and I know you’re always helping the people around you. You’re the only one I know who can do this, and who I can trust to not tell anyone else. Can’t you do this for me, please?”
    I almost felt sorry for him. Almost, but not quite. I knew how it was to have a burning passion to create beautiful work, and I knew the desperation he felt. But he was rich, gorgeous and charming - even if he didn’t get this deal, his life would still be pretty great.
    “You’ll live,” I said. “Not getting this deal won’t kill you.”
    “No,” his eyes had that dreamy look again, “But this project is huge. It’ll be my legacy, I’ll really make a difference, something gorgeous…”
    He snapped to attention and focused on me again. “Are you sure there’s no way you can help me out?”
    I shook my head no. “I don’t think so. Get someone else.”
    “I’ve said already, there’s no-one else. The girls I know would be thrilled to turn me in and destroy me… Are you sure there’s nothing I can say to convince you?”
    There was a thin, contemplative tone in his voice.
    I crossed my arms. “It’s not going to happen.”
    “Not even if I pay off your brother’s gambling debts?”
    I gasped. “How did you… What did…?”
    He smiled thinly again. “I have my sources. And I know about his addiction and rehab. Drugs can get expensive, can’t they?”
    Of course, he probably sent someone sniffing around before he asked me. I said nothing so he went on, “Six figures of debt, it’ll take you years to pay off, and I know you’ll try to help him out, you always have. Come with me to Manchala for a week, and I’ll pay it all off. One week - that’s all I’m asking.”
    It sounded tempting, almost too good. “I’ll get a job,” I said, “I’m sure I’ll hear back from one of my interviewers soon. I’ll be an interior designer, I’ll be living my dreams and I won’t need your money to pay off the debt.”
    My boasts sounded hollow even to me.
    Colin narrowed his eyes and said, “You don’t actually think you’ll hear back from anyone, do you? If you really want to be a designer, come and work for me. I’ll put you in charge of the design team for the Manchala resort if I get the deal, I promise. You’ll be a real interior designer, not just an assistant fetching coffees for the actual designer.”
    It sounded tempting. He probably saw the gleam in my eyes so he went on, “Manchala will be a big deal on your resume, you’ll be living the dream. I won’t interfere with your work, you’ll get paid well, on top of me paying off your brother’s debt.”
    I looked out the window, pretending to think, but it really just took me an instant to decide. I’d do it. I probably wouldn’t get a job as a designer in this economy, and the Manchala project would look amazing on my resume and establish me as a top designer. On top of that, the guy would pay off Alex’s debt. What more did I want?
    I turned to him