Hired Bride Read Online Free PDF

instead of on the way Gwen looked. But inhaling the subtle scent of her perfume with every breath worked against him, and he kept stealing peeks at her.
    Finally, he couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “You’re going to knock my family out,” he said. “My friends too.”
    â€œThat’s what you wanted to accomplish, wasn’t it? I mean, isn’t this entire charade aimed at impressing your family and friends?”
    â€œTrue.” Zane laughed then, albeit weakly. “Guess I didn’t expect to be impressed myself.”
    Uh-oh, Gwen thought warily. If she let herself, she could be very impressed by him. He looked fabulous in his dark suit and white shirt, and she would bet anything that the tie he was wearing had cost as much as her entire outfit—which she’d bought on mark-down.
    But she had not dressed to impress him, she insisted to herself. She was only keeping up her side of their “business arrangement,” and she didn’t want to hear any more compliments from him while they were alone.
    â€œLet’s keep this strictly impersonal,” she said coolly. “I have a few questions. Since you want yourfamily to believe we’re a…couple, I should know a little more about you than I do. For instance, how do you take your coffee, and what’s your favorite drink as far as alcoholic beverages go?”
    â€œI suppose you’re right, but remember that I should know more about you too. Coffee strong and black, and while I’m not much of a drinker, I prefer scotch. What about you?”
    â€œCoffee with cream, no sweetener. Wine or champagne only. Are you a reader?”
    â€œI run in spurts. I doubt if anyone’s going to ask you what book I might be in the middle of reading.”
    â€œProbably not. I enjoy reading but have little time for it. Same with TV.” Gwen paused, then asked, “If someone asks me what I do, what would you like me to say?”
    Zane sent her a frown. “Is there anything wrong with the truth?”
    â€œNot to me there isn’t, but bathing dogs and running other people’s errands is hardly a glamorous job.”
    â€œIt’s an honest living. Just be yourself, Gwen, except for our supposed relationship. Now that subject might raise some questions. How we met, for example.”
    â€œWell, if I’m going to be honest about my job, I might as well be honest about that, as well.”
    â€œMight as well be,” Zane agreed, then chuckled. “It was pretty funny, wasn’t it? Your chasing Alamo through the house, both of you sopping wet?”
    â€œHilarious,” Gwen said wryly.
    â€œOf course, you can’t say it happened only yesterday. I’d like everyone to think that we’ve been seeing each other for at least two weeks.”
    â€œFine,” Gwen snapped.
    Zane sent her a look. “You don’t like lying, do you?”
    â€œNever did, never will. But it’s what you’re paying me for, and I’ll do what I can to help you pull the wool over your relatives’ eyes.”
    â€œWhen you put it that way, it seems pretty underhanded,” Zane muttered.
    â€œIt is underhanded.” Gwen sighed. “But it’s your family, and I’m just the hired help.”
    That last remark hit Zane the wrong way, and he fell silent to stew privately. It was too late to wish he’d met Gwen under different circumstances and hadn’t instantly seen her as a replacement for Heather, but the thought was there, all the same. He didn’t like Gwen thinking of herself as the “hired help,” but what could he do about it now? They were almost to the ranch, and he knew they would be rushed by relatives the minute they arrived. Everyone would want to meet his lady friend; he and Gwen would instantly have to go into their act.
    No, there was no turning back now. He was caught in a trap of his own making, and wishing that he’d