How To Catch A Billionaire(15)
Author: Helen Cooper

“So I figured the partnership would last for the next two months.”

“Oh.” I’d never heard of a Dom/sub relationship lasting two months, but I guess I didn’t really know much.

“It would start this weekend. Then you would accompany me to a family reunion next month and then to a family wedding in two months.”

“So three trips?” I looked at him suspiciously. “And what do I have to do on the trips?”

“All I will require from you is that you will pretend to be my girlfriend. Kiss me and hug me when appropriate; anything extra is up to you.”

“Hmm.” I was slightly disappointed that he didn’t seem to be begging me for anything extra.

“I’ll pay you $50,000 to play the role. $25,000 up-front and $25,000 when we break up.”

I sat there with my mouth wide open, that was a hell of a lot of money. “Whoa, what?”

“Think of it as your first real paying acting gig.” He smiled at me. “And if it goes well I will recommend you to a producer I know in Hollywood and see if we can get you an audition.”

“Omg, really?” I knew my eyes were popping out but I couldn’t control my excitement. “Wait, how are we going to break up?”

“I’m going to be overcome with excitement at my cousin’s wedding and propose to you.” Harry grins. “And then you are going to say no and leave me broken hearted as young girls always do to older men.”

“What?” I squirmed in my seat. “That’s going to be so embarrassing. Your family is going to hate me.”

“Sarah, you don’t know them, do you really care how they feel about you?”

“I guess not.” I paused. “$25,000 up-front and sex won’t be required?”

“No required sex, though it is an optional add-on.” He grinned. “Though I won’t be paying for that, of course.”

“Of course.” I growled at him. “I’m not a hooker.”

“You could play one for a night, if you wanted.” He smirked.

“I don’t want.” I retorted but I felt my body flush. That could be kind of exciting. I’d always wanted to role-play but had never been brave enough to bring it up to any of the guys I had dated.

“Let me know if you change your mind.” Harry grinned at me and thanked the waiter for the two flutes of champagne. I grabbed my flute and chugged down half of the glass.

“So, do we have a deal?” he questioned me. All of a sudden, he looked very serious and his eyes looked at me intently. “It goes without saying that you cannot tell my family the truth and you cannot act like an idiot and pretend you are being possessed by ghosts at any point.”

“I wasn’t acting,” I lied, thinking back to the encounter in his office.

“One good thing is I know you have the lying part down.”

“Excuse me?” I said offended. “I don’t lie.”

“What’s that?” He started counting on his fingers. “Lie number one hundred and five?”

“Whatever.” I finished my champagne and chided myself for having downed it so quickly. I could feel my head get light. “But yes, we have a deal.”

He grinned at me. “Great.” I stared at his teeth and wondered about the fact that this man would want to hire me to pretend to be his fiancée. He must be really messed up in the head.

“No problem.” I grinned back at him, leaning towards him and licking my lips. “I’d like the first $25k tomorrow, please.”

He burst out laughing then. “Well then, there you go. A woman who is not afraid to admit she is only after the money.”

I frowned at him then and took his hand. “You know, not all women are gold diggers and after your money. I mean, really what can you do with oodles and oodles of money? Only so much.”

“There are shoes and clothes and jewelry.” Harry allowed me to stroke the palms of his hands as I spoke to him earnestly.

“Not all women care about that.” I sighed, suddenly overwhelmed with tiredness. “I want to go home. I’m sleepy.”

“Oh?” Harry looked at me in disappointment. “I was hoping we could spend the evening learning facts about each other for the weekend.”

“Tonight?” I groaned yawning.

“Well, we only have a few days until we leave and I know my family, they will smell a rat if we don’t seem to know anything about each other.

“I guess we can try.” I yawned again. “Though I may be asleep by the time we get back to Brooklyn.”

“Then let’s go to my place first.” He cocked his head and studied my face. “Okay?”

“Fine.” I yawned. “No funny business though.”

“I promise.” He grinned. “No funny business.”

“Fine, let’s go.” I jumped up and waited for him to pay the bill before we left. I was excited to be going back to his apartment again but didn’t want to question my excitement. A part of me was wondering if I was getting into something that was out of my depth but I ignored the voice warning me to tell him no to his plan. I figured nothing could really go wrong. It was my first real acting gig and he was paying me handsomely for it. Perhaps I’d even get a real role in a real movie after this. That would be amazing.

Chapter 8

“Would you like anything to drink?” Harry called out to me from his kitchen as I settled into his couch comfortably.

“No.” My voice was soft as I answered him. “I’m fine.” I closed my eyes and snuggled into the comfy pillows.

“Oh no you don’t, Sarah. Wake up.” He walked back into the room and I opened my eyes. I had to stop myself from jumping up as I ogled him. He had taken off his t-shirt and was bare-chested. I just wanted to touch him. He looked even more magnificent then I had remembered. More manly than any of the boys I had dated in college. Wowzers.

“Can we make this quick?” I snapped at him, mad at myself for feeling sexy thoughts about him, when he didn’t seem to be feeling torn by lust for me.

“Well we can if you have a good memory.”

“My memory is fine.” I decided to hold off on asking him he had onset dementia, just in case someone in his family did and it hit a raw nerve.

“Ok, so let’s start.” He settled into the couch, next to me and it was all I could do to not touch him. I wanted to stroke the hair on his chest to see if it felt as silky as I remembered. I flushed as I remembered what he had done to me in his bedroom and office. “Earth to Sarah.”