Marry Me For Money: A Billionaire Fake Fiance Novel

by Ali Parker

  I was used to being asked out and being hit on. It kind of went along with the job. I had plenty of practice with letting guys down easy without insulting them.

  “I’m sorry, Jeff. I can’t. I’m in a relationship,” I heard myself say.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I guess I should have expected that. Please, forgive my forwardness,” he stammered, looking very uncomfortable.

  “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I’ll see you later,” I said and walked away glad to have finally found a way out of the awkward situation.

  I made it out to my car before I processed what had just happened.

  “Wow,” I whispered, looking at myself in the rearview mirror.

  Was I in a relationship? I mean, plenty of women used that excuse to get out of a date, but when I said it, I had actually meant it. That was what had me in a bit of shock. The words had come out before I even knew what I was saying. It had felt so natural to say it. I felt like I was in a relationship. The only problem was, I didn’t know if he felt the same way. I sighed. Mandy was right. That was a conversation I needed to have with Terran. I was not interested in getting my heart broke. If I was reading more into this thing, I wanted to know now. I could handle the embarrassment now, rather than waiting until down the road when I really let myself fall for him.

  I went through a drive-thru, grabbed myself a cheeseburger and headed home. I could think better with a cheeseburger on board. I had just sat down to pig out when my phone rang.

  My stomach flip-flopped when I saw Terran’s number on the screen. No matter how often he called, I still got that fluttery feeling in my belly when I saw his number.

  “Hello?” I said with a smile.

  “Hey, you,” he said in that smooth voice.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Calling you. I wanted to hear your voice.”

  “Oh, that’s sweet. Do you want me to read you a bedtime story?” I teased in my sexiest voice.

  He chuckled. “Maybe.”

  “How was your day?” I asked.

  He hesitated, and I knew immediately that something had happened that he didn’t like. “It was good. Yours?”

  I hesitated as well. “Good, just had a catalog shoot.”

  “You sound tired.”

  I chuckled. “A little. It was a long day on my feet in horribly uncomfortable shoes. I just got home and put my feet up.”

  “Hmm, maybe I could rub your feet for you,” he said, his voice husky.

  “That sounds like an excellent idea.”

  He was quiet, and I wondered what was going through his mind.

  “I should probably let you go. I just wanted to call and tell you I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”

  That wasn’t exactly what I expected.

  “I’m looking forward to it as well,” I told him.

  “Good night, Hailey,” his rich voice washed over me.

  “Good night, Terran.”

  We hung up, and I found myself cradling the phone against me. I loved our end of the day calls. It always brought me a sense of peace and comfort that his voice was the last thing I heard. I was really going to have to pull my courage together and ask him what we were doing. I didn’t want to fall for him and have it all be one-sided. Every day, I could feel myself getting a little deeper into this thing. It was scary. I was afraid of being hurt. No matter how scared I was, I couldn’t stop myself from wanting more.

  I was in too deep.

  “Please let him be a good guy,” I whispered to the universe in general.

  Chapter 19

  Terran

  It had been a few days since I’d seen Hailey, and I was surprised at how much I missed her. We’d both had a busy past few days and had only had a few brief phone conversations. All week, I had been telling myself tonight was the night I told her about my predicament. I needed to get it all out on the table if I wanted this to work. Either she was on board, or she wasn’t. If she wasn’t, I was going to have to end what we had, or at least put it on hold while I searched out a woman who would agree to be my fake fiancée for a few months. Once my inheritance was secured, I could go back to Hailey—if she would have me.

  I knocked on her door, and as usual, she met me at the door, her purse in hand.

  “Hi,” she said with a friendly smile.

  “Hi,” I said, giving her a quick kiss.

  She was wearing a pretty feminine dress that fell mid-thigh. It was classy and elegant, just like her.

  We were going to a nice restaurant tonight. I felt like we had done the casual thing enough, and I was ready to wine and dine her.

  “Did you get a chance to see the kids at the orphanage?” I asked her.

  Her face lit up. “I did. Briefly, but I got to say hi and check in on Melissa.”

  “Melissa is the girl you gave the unicorn to?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “She’s doing well?”

  She shrugged a shoulder. “She’s getting better.”

  “Good. I can’t imagine what those kids must be going through. When I lost my mom at a young age, it was devastating.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize your mother had passed.”

  I took a deep breath. “It was a really long time ago.”

  “What about your dad?”

  I cringed thinking of dear old dad. We had always had a good relationship. It had its moments, but I didn’t hate him. I was pissed about what he had done with the will, but deep down, I knew he thought he was doing what was right, even if I hated it.

  “He passed away a year ago,” I told her.

  She immediately stretched out her hand, covering mine with hers. “I’m sorry. That’s still a raw wound I imagine. Were you two close?”

  I shrugged a shoulder. “We were okay. We weren’t really all that close, but we had a decent relationship. I can’t complain.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it had been so recent. It took me a couple years to get over my mother’s death.”

  “When did she pass?”

  A sad smile crossed her face. “It’s been four very long years. She was way too young. I was mad at the world for years. I was twenty-four and felt like she had been taken from me too soon. We never got the chance to have any of those special moments together.”

  “Like?” I asked.

  She smiled again. “Planning my wedding. Talking me through my first pregnancy. Her holding her grandchild. I mean there’s a chance those things would have never happened, but it always makes me mad that I won’t get the chance. She didn’t get the chance. It was something we had talked about a lot when I was younger. I always felt like I wasted those last years of her life.”

  “How did you waste them?”

  “I was always on the road. It was at the height of my career. I was constantly bouncing from one country to another. Sometimes I would forget to call her. I know I worried her like crazy. Back then, I always assumed there would be time once my career slowed down. And then there wasn’t.”

  I shook my head. My heart hurt for her. It explained why she took a step away from the modeling world. “I’m really sorry. What about your father?”

  She scoffed. “I don’t know. I never knew him. He walked out on my mom when she was pregnant. I don’t know who he is. I mean, I used to ask my mom a lot, but I realized it brought her pain. I let it go and have not thought of him since.”

  “You’re an orphan,” I said, suddenly realizing why she was so drawn to the kids at the orphanage.

  She giggled. “I guess I am. So are you.”

  “I am.”

  “Do you have any siblings?”

  I shook my head. “Nope. Just me. You?”

  “No. I have no living family that I know of. My dad could be alive, and he might have family, but I have no idea. My mom was an only child, and her parents died a long time ago. What about you?”

  I looked at her and felt drawn to her in every way. Her hair was pulled back and styled in some fancy knot
thing that showcased her high cheekbones and beautiful eyes.

  “I have an uncle,” I said with a grimace on my face.

  “Oh, that doesn’t sound good. Do tell!” she said, her eyes twinkling.

  I laughed. “Good ol’ Uncle Lance. He was my dad’s only brother. He was always jealous of my father’s success and convinced my dad owed him. He was always showing up out of the blue demanding money for one thing or another. He was a scam artist. Once he ran out of money, he’d show up and guilt my father into giving him money.”

  “Is he still around?”

  I shrugged a shoulder. “I have no idea. I haven’t heard from him in a long time. I don’t know if my dad was still in contact with him. He wasn’t listed in the will.”

  “Why did he think your father owed him?”

  “I have no idea. He was the younger brother. Those two had a strange relationship. Deep down, I think Lance was jealous of my dad. He was jealous of my dad’s life. When my mom died, Lance showed up to help my dad out. That’s when things really got ugly. I don’t think Lance had any children of his own. I remember sitting down to dinner, just the three of us, and Lance would just have this look of pure anger on his face. He hated that my dad and I were on good terms, even back then.”

  She was shaking her head. “I’m sorry. That guy sounds like trouble, and it’s probably best he isn’t in your life. That kind of negativity isn’t good for anyone.”

  “You’re right. I’ve never looked for him. I had a lawyer try to contact him when my father died, but Lance was off the grid. I’ll admit I didn’t try too hard. If he cared, he would have shown up. My dad was a prominent man. His death wasn’t exactly a secret,” I said, thinking back to the many, many phone calls and cards I received in the weeks following his death.

  “Hopefully, he stays gone.”

  We ordered our food. The heavy pall over the table was not how I planned on our dinner going.

  “I talked with that agent I told you about,” I said, changing the subject to something brighter.

  “You did!” she said, her eyes lighting up.

  “He should be calling you soon.”

  “Thank you! That’s amazing. I really appreciate it.”

  “Of course. I’ve also spoken with legal, and they tell me they’ll have the contract for your exclusivity sent over this week. Sorry it’s taken so long.”

  She smiled, waving a hand. “It’s okay. I still had a couple jobs lined up.”

  Our meals were delivered, and we spent the rest of the dinner chatting about various topics. The mood was light, which I appreciated after the heavy start to the conversation. I hated talking about my family with anybody. Zach knew, but that was it. The dirty details were not something I liked to get into.

  I hated that our night was coming to an end. I wanted to spend more time with her. I wanted to tell her so much, including the part about my father’s damn will, but I couldn’t. I knew it would push her away. I wasn’t ready to lose her.

  I drove her home and walked her to the door as was our normal routine. I made a move to kiss her goodnight when she stopped me.

  “Would you like to come in?” she asked, her voice soft and hesitant.

  I wanted to jump up and clap my heels together but managed to play it cool. “I’d like that.”

  She unlocked the door, walked in and flipped on a small lamp, casting a soft yellow glow over the room. She appeared very nervous. I put my hands on her shoulders and rubbed them up and down.

  “Are you okay?” I asked her.

  She nodded. “Can we talk for a second?”

  “Sure.”

  She grabbed my hand and led me to her couch. I sat down, worried about what she wanted to say. I was expecting the worst. Maybe she was married or had a kid or was leaving the country. Whatever it was, I could tell it was big.

  “I like you—a lot,” she started.

  I nodded my head. “I like you.”

  “You’ve been very patient with me.”

  “Patient?” I asked.

  She took a deep breath. “The sex thing. I know you’re probably used to getting sex a lot sooner than this. You haven’t pushed it, and I appreciate that. I want you to know why I’ve been holding back.”

  “It’s okay, Hailey. I understand. I’m not pressuring you in any way. If I have, I’m sorry. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I would love to, but I won’t make it an issue.”

  She smiled before looking down at her hands folded in her lap. “Good. The thing is I’ve never actually had sex.”

  My ears were buzzing. I couldn’t have heard her right. “What?”

  She looked up at me, shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “I’m a virgin.”

  My mouth gaped before I snapped it closed. “Oh.”

  “I don’t want to be anymore. I want you to be the one. I want you to be my first.”

  “Oh.”

  At that moment, I wanted to rip my shirt off and pound my fists against my chest. I suddenly felt very primal. This woman was untouched by any other man. She was offering herself to me. I looked at her, drinking in her beauty and wondering how I could have been so lucky.

  “Does that freak you out?” she asked.

  I shook my head. “No. I mean yes, but not like you think. Are you sure?”

  “Yes. You’re the first man I’ve ever felt like this with. You make me feel safe.”

  I gulped down the lump in my throat. I knew I should tell her no. I wasn’t worthy. The way she was looking at me stripped away all those noble thoughts. I wanted her like I wanted no other woman.

  “Hailey, I don’t want to pressure you.”

  “You’re not. This is my decision.”

  I reached my hand out to gently touch her face. She was an exquisite beauty, and I wanted what she was offering. I wasn’t strong enough to deny her.

  “Okay.”

  She smiled. “Okay, then. Things just got really weird.”

  I smiled. “Not weird at all. If I do anything you don’t like, or you want me to stop, you say the word.”

  She nodded. “Okay.”

  I looked around the large living room, spotting the hallway and stood up. Her first time should be done right. I grabbed her hand and led her down the hall, instinct telling me which door led to her bedroom. I pushed the door open to a room with a large four-poster bed covered with a fluffy dark purple comforter.

  Her hand still in mine, I turned to look at her. “You’re sure?”

  She looked at me, then the bed. “I’m sure.”

  Chapter 20

  Hailey

  Nervous energy was humming through my body as he led me across the thick white carpet in my bedroom.

  “We’ll take it slow,” he whispered as we stopped next to the bed.

  I nodded my head, almost afraid of going too slow. I didn’t want to back out. I wanted this with him.

  He leaned down and kissed me, sensually and passionately as his hands moved to the back of my dress. I felt the zipper going down and nearly jumped away. He deepened the kiss and quieted the nerves, replacing them with passion.

  I felt the dress open in the back, a cool breeze washing over me. His hands moved to my shoulders, pushing the dress down my body, revealing the sexy lingerie I had put on with the anticipation of this happening.

  “Holy shit, Hailey,” he breathed, taking a step back to look at me.

  I was used to posing in similar outfits and not a bit ashamed of what he was seeing. I suddenly felt emboldened. This was my comfort zone. I reached up and unpinned my hair, letting the curls fall lose around my bare shoulders, holding his gaze the entire time.

  I could see his jaw clenching. I dropped my eyes, noting the arousal pressed against his tailored black slacks. With one smooth motion, I stepped out of the dress before slowly turning around, letting him see the lacy black thong before turning to look at him over my shoulder.

  “You’re killing me. You are the sexiest woman on this planet,” he breathed out.

&nb
sp; I turned back to face him, my heels still on, lining my face up with his as I tentatively kissed him, my hands going to his chest and pushing off his suit jacket before working each of the individual buttons with my fingers. When it came time to undo the button on his pants, I was all thumbs.

  “I’ll do it,” he whispered.

  I took a step back, watching with serious anticipation. I was anxious and nervous to see him—all of him. When he pushed his pants down, I stared at the erection outlined in his tight boxer briefs. With his pants kicked to the side, he stepped toward me, grabbed my hand and pressed it against his thick cock.

  I gasped at the feel of the hardness hiding underneath those cotton briefs.

  “I want you,” he whispered.

  I looked up to meet his eyes, my free hand immediately went to his hair, mussing it and releasing it from the gel hold as I rubbed his dick, relishing in the feel of it. I could feel my panties growing wet, a spiraling feeling of pure joy rolling through my body. I gasped when his cock jerked under my hand.

  “Take me,” I breathed against his lips, not wanting to wait another second.

  He pushed his body against me, backing me up until I felt the bed against my legs. “Lay down.”

  I nodded my head, kicking off my heels and sitting on the bed and scooting backward to rest my head on my pillow. He crawled up next to me, stretching out alongside me before dropping his mouth to mine and kissing me long and deep.

  “I want you naked,” he breathed.

  I nodded, sitting up and removing my bra. I laid down, his hand reached out and stroked over my breasts before softly kissing one nipple, then the other. I sucked in air through my clenched teeth, the wetness between my legs increasing.

  His hand ran over my stomach before hooking in the band of lace on my hip and tugging down. I lifted my hips as he pulled the panties down my legs. I was feeling desperate and wanted him to touch me. I was quivering with need and quickly used my toe to pull my panties off.

  He was up on one elbow, staring down at my body as his hand ran over my bare pussy lips. He gently nudged my legs open. I felt as if I would spontaneously combust at any moment. His knuckles brushed against my inner thigh.