Hold Me Closer (Sea Island Brides Book 1) (5 page)

“What's
in it for me?” With his body pressed this close to hers, she
could only think of one thing she wanted from him.

“Money,
of course. Isn't that what most women want these days?” The
arrogance dripping from his tone suddenly broke the spell she was
under in his presence. The rich man's cure for everything. Money. Men
like Hudson seemed to think that if you threw money at it, any
problem would just disappear.

Which
is why he offered Julia a check for fifty grand to get lost and keep
her mouth shut.

Going
underneath his outstretched arm, she escaped to the other side of the
room. She needed to put some distance between them so she could think
clearly.

“On
second thought, I probably should change clothes,” she said,
wanting to take a few minutes to process what was happening in her
living room. “Please excuse me for just a moment.”

Annabelle
practically ran to her tiny bedroom and slammed the door. In her
closet, she located a clean pair of jeans and a pink tank top. Not
wanting to give him too much time to snoop around in her unguarded
living room, she knew she needed to come up with a plan. Fast.

Sliding
into the tight, just-washed jeans, Annabelle took stock of what she
knew so far. Number one—she no longer had a job and was behind
on her bills. Number two—any chance she had of blackmailing him
to help her cousin was gone for good. Number three—the gorgeous
billionaire, Hudson Montgomery, was asking her for a huge favor.

What
choice did she really have but to agree? It was her only chance to
get close to the family now. He obviously had no idea she was the
mastermind behind the photographs, so she was safe there. Instead, it
would look like she was merely a victim of the evil tabloids and was
doing him a favor by helping his family complete their business
merger. In turn, they would owe her a favor as well. At the very
least, she could get Harlan’s contact information so that Julia
could get in touch with him and tell him about the baby.

On
the other hand, if Hudson ever found out she was behind the photos,
it could ruin Julia's chances of ever getting close to the
Montgomery’s. Not that she had much chance now anyway.

When
Julia approached Hudson a few weeks ago about her situation, he had
belittled her and basically called her a liar, saying there was no
way his brother would have had a one-night stand with a woman he met
in a bar. After the way he’d treated her, Julia had been ready
to write off the entire Montgomery family and raise her baby without
a father. But Annabelle knew better.

Once
the baby came, Julia would need help. She deserved help. And after
growing up without parents of her own, she knew that Julia would
regret it if she didn't at least talk to Harlan about the baby. All
she had to do was find him.

And
movie-star Harlan Montgomery was not an easy man to find.

But
his brother was standing in her living room right now asking her to
be his fake fiancee. How could she say no?

Still,
keeping up with her lie and having to be close to him for the next
few months would be too hard. It was better to just put an end to the
whole thing here and be glad she hadn’t been caught.

Hudson
was sitting on her couch reading the paper when she strolled into the
living room, this time fully dressed. He looked up and smiled.
“You’ll do it?”

“I’m
sorry, Mr. Montgomery, but I don’t
think I can agree to becoming your girlfriend or fiancee or whatever
it is you want me to be,” she said. “I apologize for
showing up at your house in a bikini, and I’m sorry this has
turned into such a media circus for you, but I think this is where we
part ways. For good.”

He
frowned, and Annabelle got the impression Hudson Montgomery wasn’t
used to being turned down.

He
stood up from the couch and smoothed the paper he’d been
reading, setting it back down on the couch.

“I
understand,” he said. “Still, I'd like you to go to
dinner with me tonight. I'll pick you up around seven.”

He
walked toward the door as if there was nothing more to talk about.
Had he not even listened to a word she’d just said?

“Wait,”
she said, following him to the door. “I said I didn’t
want to see you again.”

“I
don’t accept that,” he said simply. “I’ll see
you tonight. I have reservations at Ray’s.”

Annabelle
recognized the name of one of Atlanta's premiere restaurants. It was
the type of place she’d never dared set foot in, because even
the appetizers would have scared her bank account.

“My
treat, of course,” he said, as if he’d been reading her
mind. “I'll call my family’s personal shopper here in the
city and have her send a dress over this afternoon. Expect her call
in a few minutes so she can get your size and preferences. Now if
you'll excuse me, I have to get going. I'll see you this evening.”

Unable
to move, Annabelle stood in the middle of her living room as Hudson
closed the door behind him. Personal shoppers? Dinner at Ray’s?
Fear seized her heart as she realized Hudson Montgomery wasn’t
going to take no for an answer.

Just
what have I gotten myself into?

Riding
in a plush limousine was a new experience for Annabelle, and she felt
completely out of her element. The black dress Anna, the personal
shopper, sent over around five this afternoon fit perfectly, so at
least she looked nice, despite her
discomfort. Staying remarkably true to Annabelle's style after a
single phone conversation, the dress was simple and sexy. Anna even
sent over a matching necklace, handbag, and black heels to complete
the outfit.

The
question Annabelle kept asking herself was just how she’d
managed to get roped into dinner when she’d so clearly told him
no?

To
be honest, though, Annabelle was already in awe of Hudson’s
opulent lifestyle. Growing up in a small town south of Atlanta, she
had known a modest childhood. Her parents died when she was only
thirteen, so she’d always felt like she was a burden on the
people around her. Especially Julia, who was a few years older and
was constantly bailing her out of trouble. This was her big chance to
really do something for Julia for a change. What could it hurt if she
enjoyed herself in the process?

Maybe
because this whole thing is a big sham?

It
would do her good to remember that she had a role to play—the
mysterious and enviable date of one of the country’s most
notoriously eligible bachelors. She had always been a good actress,
so the best plan was just to act her way through this entire ordeal.

All
she had to do was get through tonight and it would all be over. And
any information she could get about where Hudson’s twin brother
was right now, or how to get in touch with him, would be a bonus.

So
far, though, Hudson had said no more than three words to her since
she’d gotten into the limo. He took notice of her attire with
an appreciative nod, but then he put his nose into his phone and had
barely come up for air since.

What
would a real date say to him in this situation? A well-matched date
would probably leave him to his work, but Annabelle wasn't really the
quiet type. The silence was killing her.

“So,
is tonight's outing a simple date? Or are you hiding a massive
diamond ring in that fancy suit of yours?”

That
certainly got his attention. Hudson looked up and laughed.

“I
thought you said no,” he teased.

“Are
there any ground rules about what I need to do once we're out in
public? I mean, I’m assuming you lured me out tonight to give
the media a real show. Make it look like we’re a legit couple
or something?”

“Act
like you adore me and you find everything I say completely
fascinating. That should do it, I think.” He winked.

“That
shouldn't be too hard,” she said with more than a hint of
sarcasm. Hudson must have detected her caustic tone, because he eyed
her curiously.

“You
are a strange woman, Annabelle Day.”

“What?”
She laughed it off, hoping he wasn't on to her entire scheme this
easily. “No, I'm not. I'm completely normal, thank you very
much.”

“No,
in fact, you're rather difficult to understand.” He squinted
his eyes slightly and studied her.

Annabelle
fidgeted, biting at her lower lip. She glanced out the window, hoping
the restaurant would miraculously appear, but it was nowhere in
sight. Silence might have been more comfortable. Why had she started
up a conversation?

“The
afternoon when we first met, you seemed willing to put your entire
career on the line just to seduce me by my swimming pool. But today,
you seemed uncomfortable when I got close to you. So which is it?”

“Which
is what?” she asked, stalling.

“Do
you want to seduce me? Or run away from me?” His phone lay
discarded on the seat next to him, and he leaned forward, his knees
just inches from her own.

The
interior of the limo seemed suddenly very hot and stuffy, making it
difficult to draw in a solid breath. There was no doubt she was
attracted to him, no matter how much she hated herself for it. That
sort of thing wasn't something you could decide with your head,
really. And it wasn't something she could turn off, even if she
wanted to.

But
how to answer him when he wouldn't stop staring at her with those
inquisitive emerald eyes of his? All she could bring herself to do
was to stare back.

“Annabelle,
are you scared I'll think you set me up with those photographs?”
His question came out of nowhere. It was as if he had stared straight
into her eyes and pulled out the one thing she didn't want him to
see.

“What?
No, of course not. Where would you get such a ridiculous idea?”
she rambled, stumbling over her words. He was turning her into a
mess.

“I
don't think that, you know,” he said, leaning back against the
seat, giving her some space to breathe again.

“What
makes you so sure?” she asked, searching his face for some clue
of how he truly saw her.

“Little
things. Like the late bills and the circled employment ads in the
paper. Whoever sold those photos got a nice payday, I'm sure. If it
was you, losing your job wouldn't have mattered to you. At least not
today. You certainly wouldn't have come straight home and started
looking at job options.”

“So,
you went through my private papers? That's nice to know,” she
said, relieved he had at least managed to convince himself of her
innocence.

“Plus,
I talked to your editor at Southern Style and he told me that when he
showed you the picture on the cover of that magazine, there was no
way you could have faked the look of complete shock on your face,”
he told her. “You're a victim in this whole thing, just like
me, Annabelle.”

The
tenderness in his voice surprised her. It was the first sign that he
saw her as a human being and not just a means to an end. In some
ways, that disturbed her most of all. Seeing him as a self-centered
billionaire who treated women like objects made him much easier to
hate. And to betray.

They
rode in silence the rest of the way to the restaurant.

****

“I've
never had stuffed quail, but that was delicious,” Annabelle
said, setting down her napkin as the waiter cleared the table. “And
the strawberry soufflé was the perfect end to an amazing meal.
I’ve never been to a restaurant like this before.”

Hudson
was happy to see her smiling. It looked good for the photographers
he'd tipped off about their plans for the evening. Plus, he couldn't
remember the last time he'd had a nice dinner out with a beautiful
woman. Could it really have been more than a year ago?

Taking
over part of the company after the sudden death of his father had
changed Hudson in ways he never could have anticipated. It was
important for him to shed his playboy image in order to garner
respect as the new CFO of Montgomery International. Even his own
brothers and sisters had their doubts about him in the beginning.
He’d had to make a conscious effort to stay away from women and
parties and drinking, but soon he became so immersed in the process
of expanding the company that he no longer had time for the kind of
life he’d lived before his father died.

He’d
been so busy the past several months, he’d hardly seen his best
friends. Maintaining a romantic relationship had been completely out
of the question.

Being
with Annabelle was nice, though. She was fun and beautiful and there
had been several times throughout the evening when he’d
completely forgotten she was there because he’d practically
forced her to be.

For
a moment, he was actually glad that redheaded kid had sold those
photos to the press. It gave him an excuse to be with Annabelle. Now,
he just had to find a way to convince her to move to Sea Island for a
while and agree to be his fiancee.