by Eden Bradley
Holy shit.
She was here.
~ * ~
Julianne had been told to expect creepy, but this was beyond strange.
If she didn’t have such utter faith in her friend, Carol, she would’ve turned around and headed home after getting a look at the house.
Hell, if you were smart you wouldn’t be here at all.
Sighing, she shook her head. There was one huge reason she was here.
No. Actually, there were five-hundred-thousand good reasons.
And she needed every last one of them.
Steeling her backbone, she turned off the car, listening to it wheeze and moan. Her nearly fifteen-year-old Toyota needed new brakes to pass inspection. Hell, it needed a lot more than that but she didn’t have the money for the brakes much less a complete overhaul.
But she would…if she went through with this very indecent proposition.
She’d have the money for a car and be able to pay off her mom’s medical bills and have money left over to start her own business. Or go back to school.
But first she had to get out of the car.
Turning, she looked at the house. If this were a movie, she’d get out of the car and a guy in a mask made of other women’s flesh would jump from behind one of the huge trees surrounding the place. He’d drag her off to hang her on a meat hook at the back of the house and skin her.
The house… Well, in the daylight, it probably looked a hell of a lot better.
Now, just after nine on the night before Christmas Eve, it looked pretty damn depressing.
No holiday lights hung from the rafters of the Victorian mansion. The building wouldn’t look out of place in Cape May. But stuck out here in the middle-of-nowhere Berks County, Pennsylvania, it looked…
Sad. Lonely. And more than a little creepy. One tiny light shone on the porch, barely enough illumination to make out the front door. At least the house had no broken windows or unhinged shutters. And no sign that said “Beware!”
A new coat of paint would go a long way toward a new lease on life for the place. Which was exactly what Julianne needed. A new lease on life.
And this…whatever the hell this was would be the start of that. Half a million dollars would go a long way toward canceling her and her mom’s debt and setting them up in a new life.
Far away from small towns and small-minded people.
Resolve stiffened her spine and she got out of the car. Her heels sank into the gravel driveway but she’d been wearing stilettos since she was fifteen. She could probably run a seven-minute mile in them and not break her ankle.
And her high school guidance counselor had told her she had no life skills.
So there, Mr. Clark.
A cold wind whipped through the trees, making them moan and shake. Gathering the lapels of her coat closer together, she shivered as the wind bit at her naked legs.
Hurrying up the front steps, she walked to the door and knocked before she had second thoughts. Or third or fourth. Or fiftieth.
It’s not that she didn’t enjoy sex. Some people in this one-stoplight town thought she enjoyed it a little too much.
And even if those same people figured she’d probably sold herself before, it would be a lie.
Sure, she enjoyed sex. Hell, she loved it. And if she met a guy she liked and took him home with her for the night, whose business was it but hers and his?
It wasn’t like she went out of her way to find married men to tempt away from their wives. Was it her fault she didn’t do background checks on every man she was attracted to?
No, goddammit, it wasn’t.
But she’d found out the hard way that, even if the man lied and said he was single and had no kids, she was still the bitch who’d ruined his marriage.
She and her mom really needed to get out of here. Start over. Make her dream of owning her own catering business a reality.
The man inside this house would give her the means. According to Carol, she’d be doing this guy a favor. Her friend had implied that he’d been in an accident and had some “issues” from that.
As long as he didn’t want to hurt her or, oh, say, hang her on a meat hook and skin her alive, she’d be on board. Five-hundred-thousand dollars was a great motivator.
But she still had to be attracted to him. And she had to like a guy to take him to bed. But she was no princess in an ivory tower either, waiting for Prince Charming to rescue her. If she really couldn’t stand him, she was out. Money be damned.
“Think of this as a blind date,” Carol had said. “If you hit it off, that’s great. If you decide to spend the night, you’ll be five-hundred-thousand bucks richer. If you want to leave, all you have to do is say the word and you’ll be out the door. I give you my word.”
She still wasn’t sure why the man had gone through Carol to approach her with this unusual request. Carol was an event planner. She didn’t typically set up reclusive rich guys with minimum-wage catering employees.
No more stalling. Knock on the damn door.
She reached for the old-fashioned brass knocker before she managed to talk herself out of it.
Seconds later, a lock clicked and the door swung open. She almost expected it to creak. Instead, it barely made a sound.
“Come in, please.”
The voice was low, cultured and totally fit the man who opened the door. Had to be in his mid-seventies, at least. He was still handsome even though he had a bit of a paunch and not much hair. What little hair he did have was trimmed neatly around his head. He wore khaki pants and a blue, button-down shirt and…
Jesus, the guy reminded her of her grandfather.
This is so not going to happen.
There was no way in hell she could make herself go to bed with him. “You know—”
“Mr. Smith will see you in the drawing room.” The man waved his hand down a dark hall to her left. “It’s the last door. Can I take your coat?”
So she wasn’t here to see him? She almost breathed a sigh of relief.
But really…Mr. Smith. Gee, how original. “No, I think I’ll keep my coat, thank you.”
If she wanted to make a fast escape, she wanted to have it close. Besides, she didn’t want the grandfather look-a-like to see what she had on underneath.
She’d dressed for the occasion.
The man’s slight smile appeared understanding. “Then I’ll make myself scarce.” He held out a little black disk that looked like a car remote. She took it without thinking. “When you’re ready to leave or should you need anything, press this. Have a good night.”
He nodded, turned on his heel, and disappeared down a hallway on the opposite side of the house.
A panic button? Seriously?
She couldn’t decide if she should be relieved or amused.
Okay, girl. It’s now or never.
Debt free with enough left over to finance her dream, all for one night in a man’s bed?
Or back to working for minimum wage and trying to dig out from a mountain of bills for the rest of her life?
She turned and headed down the hall.
~ * ~
TWO
The strong knock made Erik smile, which pulled at the tight skin of his jaw. The pain was negligible but a reminder of why he’d come up with this plan to get Julianne into bed.
From the first moment he’d seen her, dressed in the buttoned-up, black-and-white uniform of a catering waitress, he’d wanted her.
Julianne Carter had long, dark hair, deep brown eyes, curves that wouldn’t quit and a frail mother with a mountain of debt. She could have any man she wanted. And she’d never want him.
As beautiful as she was, she’d take one look at him and run the other way. This was the only way he’d ever get close to her.
He’d gotten used to seeing the shock on a person’s face. He didn’t want to see it on hers. He’d had so much taken away from him over the past two years. But he wanted her, or at least as much pleasure as he could get from watc
hing Keegan fuck her.
And damn it, he was going to get it, even if it took deception and money. Everyone had their price. He’d learned that the hard way.
Anyway, it wasn’t like she wouldn’t get something out of the bargain. She needed the money. And she’d get Keegan.
If things worked the way he planned, she’d never even see him. And if they went better than planned… Well, then she wouldn’t see much of him.
Getting up, he retreated to the far side of the room, where the shadows would hide him, but where he could see everything in the firelight.
“Go ahead. Let her in.”
Keegan scowled at him, his normally easy-going expression nowhere in sight. God damn it, Keegan would screw the whole deal by scaring her off before she ever got in the room.
But Erik would frighten her more. Hell, he frightened his own parents. Keegan was the only one who didn’t look at him with horror and pity.
The horror he could take. The pity…not at all.
Keegan knew that, which was why he took a deep breath and let the tension bleed away before he opened the door. The man was a damn good actor. He could’ve had a huge career on the screen.
Dim light from the hallway spilled into the room, though it didn’t reach far enough to expose him.
And then she walked through the door.
Holy hell, she was fucking gorgeous.
He clamped down on the urge to groan. His cock hardened in his jeans, his lust for her so fucking hot, he swore he could taste it.
She made him wanted to walk out of the shadows, throw her naked on a bed and fuck her until she was so sated she couldn’t see straight. Scars be damned.
But he couldn’t take the chance of scaring her away.
She’d been curious enough to open the proposal he’d sent through Carol, their friend and business manager. When Carol had said Julianne had accepted the offer, he hadn’t let himself hope she’d actually show up. And now that she was here, he didn’t think he’d be able to keep his hands to himself.
He’d told Keegan he only wanted to watch.
He’d been lying. He wanted to do so much more.
~ * ~
Julianne recognized the handsome man who opened the door, though she couldn’t place the face.
He nodded, no hint of a smile on his face. “Come in. I’m…glad to see you made it.”
Wow, nice voice with the hint of an accent. Irish? Scottish? She wasn’t sure. Whatever it was, it sounded amazing.
The nervous energy gathering in her gut began to dissipate as her sensual, adventurous side responded to him.
“I wasn’t sure I was going to come,” she admitted. “But when you offer a girl five-hundred-thousand dollars to have sex with you, it certainly grabs her attention.”
She swore she saw the faintest hint of a blush color his cheeks. What the hell? This was his deal. Why would he be embarrassed?
Still, it boosted her confidence. She would carry this off. She needed that damn money.
And this guy certainly wasn’t hard on the eyes. His dark brown hair glinted red in the firelight and was a little longer than business casual, with waves that made her want to sink her fingers in them. Blue, blue eyes, a strong nose and beautifully curved mouth. And cheeks covered with absolutely adorable freckles.
He looked about ten years older than her so that made him early thirties. Didn’t make a difference. Age meant little to her. Unless he was old enough to be her grandfather. Then, yes, that obviously was a problem.
But why would a guy who looked like him need to bribe a girl to sleep with him?
Waving her into the room, he closed the door behind her. She almost expected to hear the click of a lock. She was surprised when he left the door cracked just enough that she could see it.
Had he done that for her?
“Would you like a drink?” He motioned toward a fully stocked bar on the other side of the room from the roaring fireplace. “And can I take your coat?”
Did she hear a hint of nerves in his voice? Was he afraid she’d leave?
Surprisingly, she really wanted to stay.
“I’ll take some white wine if you have it.”
As for the coat… Maybe it’d be best just to get this part over with. She’d worn her warmest, a down stadium jacket that covered her from neck to knees. Not only because the temperature outside hovered close to zero but because she wasn’t wearing all that much underneath.
As he nodded and turned toward the bar, she unzipped. While he had his back to her, she took a deep breath and let it fall to the floor.
And swore she heard the distinct sound of a man drawing in a sharp breath. But she was pretty sure it hadn’t come from the man standing at the bar.
Her gaze searched the darkened corners of the room, which was bigger than she’d first realized. Much bigger. Someone could hide in that darkness and she’d never know they were there. Unless they made a sound.
Was there someone else in the room with them?
“You’re beautiful.”
Her attention returned to the man she could see. He’d turned back to her and now she saw lust in every line of his face.
His desire emboldened her and she walked toward him with her head high and her gaze pinning him in place.
“Thank you for the wine.” She accepted the glass and took a sip before touching her hand to the bare curves of her breasts revealed by the slinky corset. “Do you like? I’ve had it for a few years. Saw it online and knew I had to have it. I just never had the right occasion. I thought tonight might be time for its debut.”
He took a gulp of his drink, his eyes closing for a brief moment before he took a deep breath. “I’m honored you wore it for me.”
Honored? Okay, what was wrong with his man that he had to offer women a small fortune to sleep with him?
The mass of conflicting thoughts and emotions running through her made her head spin. This evening was becoming more surreal than it already had been. And she was so turned on right now, her panties were soaking through.
What decent girl would be so aroused under these circumstances?
No, she didn’t believe sex between consenting adults was a bad thing. And yes, she was consenting.
For five-hundred-thousand reasons.
But the money… Did taking money to have sex with this man make her a whore?
Did it matter?
She took money for performing a service where people looked through her like she was invisible. Why should it be different to take money for a service she actually enjoyed?
“Obviously you know my name, so I’m at a disadvantage. What’s yours?”
He didn’t hesitate, like he was trying to decide if he should lie. “Keegan.”
Unusual. She liked it. “Have we met before, Keegan?”
His gaze never left hers. “Not formally, no.”
“But I do recognize you, don’t I?”
There was that hint of a blush again. The one she really liked.
“Probably, yes. You catered an event I…attended a few weeks ago.”
She thought for a minute, staring into those blue eyes. “TinMan Biometrics. The reception at their offices.”
Finally, the guy smiled. And her doubts melted like chocolate in the sun.
Was she being too trusting? Taken in by a sweet face and her own greed?
Maybe. But was it really greed when the money wasn’t all for her? When most of it would go to pay her mom’s doctor’s bills?
Sure, he could still knock her out cold, drag her into his basement and dismember her for kicks and giggles. And even though the agreement she’d signed had included a non-disclosure clause as well as one that ensured her safety, she’d left a note for her mom just the same.
That same agreement had assured her that her partner for the evening had a clean bill of health. Yes, she was on the pill but she’d still brought condoms.
“So tell me—Oh!”
He wrapped one hand around her neck and kiss
ed the hell out of her.
The shock made her freeze for several seconds before her mouth began to soften.
She stood on her toes to make them fit together better. Even though she was wearing heels, he still had a good three inches on her.
She liked that he was taller. Liked the feel of his hand on her neck, the way his lips felt against hers.
Her eyes had snapped shut when their lips touched and she let herself fall headlong into the kiss. Holding her steady with one hand on the back of her neck and the other on her hip, he plastered her body against his.
And damn but the guy could kiss. She felt like she was being devoured. In the best possible way. His mouth sealed over hers, his tongue pressing between her lips, sliding against her tongue and demanding she give herself over to him.
Her pussy went wet, a tight ache building low in her body. A void that needed to be filled.
God, she wanted him to lay her out and fuck her until she screamed. And then to continue until she couldn’t scream anymore.
Obviously, it’d been too long since she’d gotten laid.
Her arms slid around his waist, head tilting so she could get a better angle. She sought to assert some dominance, to control some part of this—to control him—but he wasn’t going to allow it.
Sliding his hands into her hair, he tugged. It wasn’t painful but he wasn’t letting go either. She let him direct her movement and his mouth moved. He spread kisses along her jaw to her ear, worrying the lobe between his teeth before he bit his way down her neck. Each sharp nip at her skin made her shiver, made her nipples tighten into points as hard as diamonds. Her breasts were crushed against his chest but she wanted to rub herself against bare male flesh.
His bare male flesh.
She gasped as he lifted her off the ground just as he bit the curve of her neck and shoulder.
“Wrap your legs around my waist. Do it now.”
My God, that voice. That accent did things to her that should be illegal. Shouldn’t be possible. Every nerve ending in her body tingled with anticipation.
Her clit swelled, her sex tightened into a hot, throbbing ache.
Had he put something in her drink? She didn’t feel drugged. She felt…overheated. Overwhelmed. Like a vast pit of sexual need had been tapped deep within her and she needed to be fucked. Now. Right now. Hard and fast. Forced to submit. Forced to give over control.
