Hold Me Closer (Sea Island Brides Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

attraction you
claimed to have for me a few days ago already waned?”
    “Judging
from the rate of my heartbeat, I think it's safe to say it's still
intact,” she said with a pitiful attempt at making a joke. “I
just don't understand why you need my help.”
    “I'll
make this short,” he said, his face inches from her own. “My
family is in the middle of a very important merger. We can't afford
the sort of one-night-stand scandal the tabloids are trying to make
this into. If we make public appearances together, say we've been
dating in secret for some time and are in love and getting married,
we take all the air out of their tires.”
    “What's
in it for me?” With his body pressed this close to hers, she
could only think of one thing she wanted from him.
    “Money,
of course. Isn't that what most women want these days?” The
arrogance dripping from his tone suddenly broke the spell she was
under in his presence. The rich man's cure for everything. Money. Men
like Hudson seemed to think that if you threw money at it, any
problem would just disappear.
    Which
is why he offered Julia a check for fifty grand to get lost and keep
her mouth shut.
    Going
underneath his outstretched arm, she escaped to the other side of the
room. She needed to put some distance between them so she could think
clearly.
    “On
second thought, I probably should change clothes,” she said,
wanting to take a few minutes to process what was happening in her
living room. “Please excuse me for just a moment.”
    Annabelle
practically ran to her tiny bedroom and slammed the door. In her
closet, she located a clean pair of jeans and a pink tank top. Not
wanting to give him too much time to snoop around in her unguarded
living room, she knew she needed to come up with a plan. Fast.
    Sliding
into the tight, just-washed jeans, Annabelle took stock of what she
knew so far. Number one—she no longer had a job and was behind
on her bills. Number two—any chance she had of blackmailing him
to help her cousin was gone for good. Number three—the gorgeous
billionaire, Hudson Montgomery, was asking her for a huge favor.
    What
choice did she really have but to agree? It was her only chance to
get close to the family now. He obviously had no idea she was the
mastermind behind the photographs, so she was safe there. Instead, it
would look like she was merely a victim of the evil tabloids and was
doing him a favor by helping his family complete their business
merger. In turn, they would owe her a favor as well. At the very
least, she could get Harlan’s contact information so that Julia
could get in touch with him and tell him about the baby.
    On
the other hand, if Hudson ever found out she was behind the photos,
it could ruin Julia's chances of ever getting close to the
Montgomery’s. Not that she had much chance now anyway.
    When
Julia approached Hudson a few weeks ago about her situation, he had
belittled her and basically called her a liar, saying there was no
way his brother would have had a one-night stand with a woman he met
in a bar. After the way he’d treated her, Julia had been ready
to write off the entire Montgomery family and raise her baby without
a father. But Annabelle knew better.
    Once
the baby came, Julia would need help. She deserved help. And after
growing up without parents of her own, she knew that Julia would
regret it if she didn't at least talk to Harlan about the baby. All
she had to do was find him.
    And
movie-star Harlan Montgomery was not an easy man to find.
    But
his brother was standing in her living room right now asking her to
be his fake fiancee. How could she say no?
    Still,
keeping up with her lie and having to be close to him for the next
few months would be too hard. It was better to just put an end to the
whole thing here and be glad she hadn’t been caught.
    Hudson
was sitting on her couch reading the paper when she strolled into the
living room, this time fully dressed. He looked up and smiled.
“You’ll do