The Billionaire's Hired Bride (BWWM Billionaire Romance Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

“She’s not going to care, anyway. She’s just there for the money. You said it yourself, she’s not interested in sex.”
     
    They were definitely talking about her, which made Minnie all the more glad that she was hidden away. In truth, she felt like she would rather have not come across this conversation at all, but now that she was listening, it was impossible to pull away.
     
    “She’s nervous about sex.” Footsteps, probably his, lead the way a little further out of her hearing, another door or two further down the hall around the corner. “And it’s not going to help if she knows I’m getting involved with every girl who invites us to a party.”
     
    “She doesn’t have to know – “ Liz began, but stopped at the sound of more footsteps. Those had to be James walking away from her. “She might not ever be interested! You can’t just decide she’s the one after two months!”
     
    “I haven’t decided anything,” James responded, his voice growing too faint to hear down the hallway. “But I don’t lose anything by trying. I do have hands , Liz, I know how to use them.”
     
    Blushing a bit, Minnie had to bite on the back of her wrist to stifle a giggle. Liz didn’t answer, and after a moment, her footsteps turned the other way, the clack of her heels on the floor coming right past Minnie’s hiding place. It wasn’t until that sound, too, was gone that Minnie risked slipping out, and quickly made her way back to the party.
     
    *
     
    It didn’t seem as lively, somehow, after she made her way back. What she’d heard was too heavy on her mind, and she didn’t even know how to think about it. From the glares Liz shot her every now and then, Minnie felt she could be sure that her side of the conversation, at least, was authentic. But she couldn’t help being suspicious that James’ words had been staged, planned ahead for listening ears like her own, for the endless  rumors and gossip that came out of these sorts of parties.
     
    Liz was right about that one thing; two months was far too quick to decide that you loved someone, as far as Minnie was concerned. And true, James hadn’t said that, but it was all too easy to make the leap in her mind. By the time he came back to the party, Minnie was having to forcefully remind herself of that, at the same time she was trying to remind herself to act normal.
     
    The second of those reminders was easier to follow through on than she expected, though. When James appeared, Minnie took her towel with a laugh, chastising him for being late and telling him that she’d been out of the pool for nearly an hour. The look on his face as he made a small, embarrassed apology was strangely cute, a word she didn’t think would have gone with James under any other circumstances.
     
    Perhaps because of the awkwardness with Liz that followed both of them around for the rest of the party, they went home early, not long after sundown. Neither of them talked much on the way home, and Minnie had to make efforts to not convince herself that it was because he knew what she’d heard.
     
    It wound up being a quiet popcorn and movie night, instead, which she couldn’t really complain about, even if the Transformers movies seemed to be getting worse with every sequel.
     
     

Chapter5
     
    As Minnie had pretty much expected, she hadn’t been the only one to overhear that conversation between James and Liz. The rumor reached her first through Avery, predictably, over text –
     
    [Heard he’s falling for you. What’s your secret?]
     
    Luckily, Minnie was out between classes at the time, and didn’t have to hide the sour frown she made at her phone. It was probably teasing, but…
     
    [haven’t heard anything like that]
     
    Avery didn’t answer her again for nearly half an hour, but she knew he would. He couldn’t resist rumors, which was probably how he’d found out about James looking for a paid girlfriend in the first place.
     
    On the other hand, he