Page 8 of A Bride for the Billionaire

He clears his throat. "Miss May, she's the woman I want for the job. I want a minimum of two months."

"Two months, Caleb, we were talking about two weeks." Miss May says surprised, her voice hitching at the end of the sentence. I feel a small hand on my shoulder. "Cora? What do you want to do? I know that you are both suited on paper, but if you don't want to spend two weeks with him let alone two months, then I will find him someone else. My ladies are important to me and I want you to be comfortable with him and I can see you aren't."

I turn, slowly, taking in his handsome face. I used to look at every part of his face and kiss it. The feeling of his hands on me runs through my mind and I shudder. His eyes sparkle as he takes me in. What am I doing? I need the money, I tell myself. I need somewhere to stay. I'm down on my luck and if he wants to pay me to live a better life for two months, then I'm down for it. The only thing is that I need to make sure I escape with my heart.

I look him in the eye. "I'll do it, but there will be conditions."

"Anything you want, Cora," he sounds desperate himself.

"I won't be having sex with you, so don't even ask." When I finally look up at him I can see his tongue tracing his lip. I can imagine what is going through his mind. I've had that tongue over every part of my body and I can't help the hairs that rise up on my arms at the thought of what his tongue did to me.

He smiles. "Done. What else?"

"If I want to go out on the town with my friend, Lou, then I will."

"Done. Will you be dancing and drinking?" he says looking at me with a smirk on his face. We used to dance together all the time, well it was foreplay for after the club,

"Of course I will. If I meet someone and want to go home with them, then I can."

His eyes darken and he takes a step toward me, grasping my arm. "Absolutely fucking not." he pulls me so that I fall against his chest.

"I don't expect you not to sleep with someone else. You get free reign too."

He starts laughing. "No way. The only woman I'll be sleeping with is you."

We hear a throat being cleared and we both look over to Miss May. "Seems like you really have unfinished business here. Cora, do you want to take the assignment, or do you want him to leave."

I slowly look at her and her face takes a while to come into focus, as I finally take my eyes off Caleb. "I... I'm not sure."

"Not only will I pay you double, May, but I will pay Cora double and cover all her expenses."

"That sounds like an offer that you shouldn't refuse, Cora." Miss May is betraying me.

"Fine. I'll do it, but remember I won't sleep with you, Caleb. I'll play nice whenever you need me to, but that's it. I'll need my own room at your house and I'll keep out of your way."

"Deal." He tries to pull me into his arms, but I stand fast.

I look at Miss May. "When you've finalized the details let me know Miss May." I turn to look at him. "I answer to her and not you. Remember that." With that I turn and walk out of the room. I can't breathe and I can feel the tears about to overflow. I just need to get out of the building and over to the bar. Hopefully Lou is still there.

I walk in the bar and I see her sitting at the table with two cocktails. She looks up and sees my face. She stands and moves toward me. "Cora, what's happened?"

"My fake husband is Caleb." I fall into her arms and sob. "Caleb wants two months. I don't think I can survive that long in his company. After how he hurt me I'm not sure I can even be civil to him, but I have to be."

"Caleb? Caleb Masters?" Lou asks. "You know what you need to do, right? You need to make him fall in love with you all over again and then you need to ditch him and break his heart."'

I stare at her. That is so mean. "I guess karma's a bitch, right?"

Chapter Five

CALEB

What the fuck just happened? I watch Cora walk out the door. Everything inside me wants me to go after her. Tell her to stop and talk to me, but I have to face Miss May, who is staring at me.

"We don't normally suggest our Brides take an assignment with someone they know. Particularly if there is any form of indecision from the Bride." Miss May stands in front of me with her hands on her hips. My lips turn up in the corner, she looks like my tiny mom when she's trying to give me advice.

"I appreciate that, but she did agree to do it."

"Reluctantly, I know she needs the cash. We will make this happen, but if at any stage she wants to leave, you have to let her."

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