Private Scandal Read Online Free PDF Page A

awkward and malodorous years of adolescence was that no matter how you grew up, you were still that angry kid who got tossed into military school for having one too many parties at his parents’ house. Actually, it was the party on the yacht that sent him to Colvard Military Institute. He had to grin at all he learned there. It was as much about how to behave as it was about how to not get caught misbehaving.
    “Don’t listen to him. He snores like a bear.”
    “No, I don’t.” Megan had never said anything, and she wasn’t the type to keep something like that to herself. Though she never slept over as often as he liked, but he always thought that had more to do with her need for privacy than him.
    “Go on then,” Danny motioned for the phone. “Let’s call your bride and ask.”
    Brandon only glared. He’d figured Danny had begun to put things together about Megan, but this confirmed it.
    “I knew you weren’t really getting married.” Gemma sat up straighter.
    “No, he is. Well, he wants to, his bride isn’t as convinced he’s husband material as you are.”
    She slumped back into the cushions and looked at Brandon. “What about Dane Preston? Do you—”
    “Gay,” Danny said.
    “Excuse me?” Gemma’s long hair cascaded over her shoulder as she tilted her head to the side.
    “He’s gay.”
    Brandon drummed his fingers on his desktop. “For her purposes, that wouldn’t matter. But he’s too much of a risk.”
    “The gambling thing?” Danny looked up at him. Brandon nodded in response. Danny shook his head and wheeled closer to where Gemma sat. “Okay, so let me get this straight, princess. You’re okay with marrying a gay guy or a guy who’s hopelessly hung up on someone else, but the string of pretty boys you play with aren’t in the line-up. Why is this?”
    Gemma shot him a desperate look, but Brandon could only shrug. “Go ahead, tell him.”
    She narrowed her gaze and then turned to Danny. “My grandfather decided to make my inheritance contingent upon being married for one year by my thirtieth birthday. I have a month to get married, or else next year my inheritance will go to some Antarctic exploration fund.”
    “Ah, the last frontier.”
    “This isn’t a joke.”
    “You don’t want to get married, then get a job, princess. It’s not as if you didn’t know this was coming. It sounds to me like you’ve known for a while you’d have to hitch up.”
    “It’s not just about the money. It includes the Ryan Estate. All those people would have to find new homes because I doubt some Antarctic explorer is going to want to hold on to an Alzheimer’s center.” Her face reddened and her voice rose with each word. She swallowed hard and seemed to gain her control back. “I can’t marry just anyone off the street. There’s a clause that I can’t have a prenuptial agreement. It has to be someone I trust not to stick with me for a year and then rob me blind in the divorce. It isn’t worth doing if I’m going to lose everything anyway.”
    Brandon scratched his head and shifted in his seat. “It’s not that I don’t want to help you, Gemma. But I can’t marry you.”
    “Because of this mystery woman. Are you sure she’s worth me losing everything?” There was desperation in her dark green gaze, but it didn’t tempt him in the slightest. Neither had the kiss she’s planted on him a few months back when she first told him about her crazy scheme. He wanted Megan and nothing was ever going to change that.
    A smile slowly spread across his face. Megan was worth any risk. But he didn’t have to throw his friends to the wolves either, just at each other. “Danny and I will think on it for you. There’s got to be a man in California who doesn’t need to marry you for your money.”
    “I guess if that’s the best you’re going to offer, there’s nothing more I can do.” Gemma rose, brushing a hand over the imaginary wrinkles in her skirt. He got up from the desk and