Mistress & a Million Dollars / Satin & A Scandalous Affair: Mistress & a Million Dollars. Jan Colley

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СКАЧАТЬ want you to be my lover,” he repeated firmly, leaving no doubt this time.

      She gave him a glance of utter disbelief. “You can’t be serious!”

      “You deny you want me, too?”

      She swallowed past her suddenly dry throat, tried to speak and had to swallow again. “I can deny it and I do,” she lied, knowing she couldn’t admit wanting him. It would give him an unfair advantage over her. One he wouldn’t hesitate to use.

      “Why sound so shocked? I’d have thought a woman like yourself—” he gave a tiny pause “—would be used to such propositions.”

      Her blood pressure began to rise. “You mean because I’m a model?”

      He inclined his dark head. “What other reason would there be?” he said silkily, as the waiter arrived with their brandy.

      Her lips flattened with anger. At the wedding, Jarrod had made a similar comment about how far she’d come in the business. It hadn’t sounded like a compliment back then, and neither did this comment. Had he thought she’d slept her way to the top? It sickened her to think that, yet why she cared she didn’t know. It would serve him right if she called his bluff.

      Why not?

      “Okay, I’ll sleep with you,” she said, once the waiter left. “For a million dollars.”

      His eyes flickered then became shuttered. “That can be arranged.”

      Her brain stumbled. “What?”

      He shot her a dry look. “Sleep with me and I’ll give you a million dollars.”

      He’d well and truly called her bluff. “But—but you don’t have that kind of money to give away.”

      His brows lifted. “You know that for a fact, do you?”

      Oh heavens. Was she stupid or what? Apart from coming from a wealthy family, he’d made a name for himself as a property lawyer. Of course he’d have a million dollars to spare. What an idiot she was!

      From somewhere she managed to scoff, “Ill-gotten gains, Jarrod?”

      Contempt flashed in his eyes. “No. I’ll leave that to the Blackstones.”

      “That’s my employer you’re talking about,” she said coolly.

      “Doesn’t change a thing. The Blackstones are far from saints.” He picked up the two glasses and passed one to her. “Now, about our agreement—”

      She took the brandy glass from him, but an acute sense of panic raced through her again. “Keep your money. I don’t want it. I—” She stopped.

      She did need the money.

      Needed it more than he could ever know.

      “Having second thoughts?” he asked.

      “No.” She took a sip of brandy, and wished her denial carried the same strength as the alcohol now burning her throat.

      “We can always do with more money,” he pointed out, watching her as if knowing all along it would come back to this.

      This being money.

      Of course, she now realized that by even suggesting the million dollars she was playing into his belief that she was cut from the same cloth as her sister. Marise had said she’d fallen in love with Matt, but Briana suspected Matt’s wealth hadn’t hurt, either. And then there was Marise and Howard….

      “A million dollars, Briana,” he reminded her.

      No, she couldn’t do it. She wasn’t for sale.

      Then she forced her heart to steady itself. What if she looked upon it as a loan, asked a small voice inside her. A loan she would pay back once her contract with Blackstones was renewed.

      A million-dollar contract.

      But if it wasn’t renewed? What if they got someone else to replace her as the face of Blackstone Diamonds?

      What if—

      No, she wouldn’t think about “what if’s”. Nor would she think about not repaying the money to him at all. It just wasn’t in her to be underhanded.

       But could she make love to Jarrod Hammond?

      Oh God. How much of a hardship would that really be? She was attracted to him, no doubt about it. Intensely attracted, if she were to be honest with herself. It wasn’t like she would be making a huge sacrifice and giving her body to someone who was revolting and wouldn’t appreciate her. Jarrod would definitely appreciate her. Oh yes. She didn’t know a man who would appreciate her better.

      “Briana?”

      She glanced at him then. He looked cool and calm, yet she sensed he was anything but. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him. So what harm would she do in sleeping with him? It wasn’t as though she would be doing anything against her will.

      On the contrary…

      “It’s a deal,” she heard herself say.

      He scowled. “It is?”

      “You don’t have the money?” she said with a rush of disappointment that was about more than just getting her father out of trouble.

      His dark brows straightened. “I have it.” Just as quickly a considering light came into his eyes. “But now that I think of it,” he drawled, “a million dollars for one night is a bit too much money—even for the face of Blackstone’s.”

      Her lips tightened. He’d been playing with her. “Fine. That’s it then.”

      “No, I’d say it’s worth a month of nights together, don’t you?”

      She stiffened in shock. “No! I can’t. A month is too long.”

      He shrugged his broad shoulders. “That’s my offer. Become my mistress for one month and I’ll give you a million dollars.”

      She swallowed hard. “That wasn’t what I agreed to, Jarrod, and you know it.”

      “You agreed to sleep with me. True. But we didn’t mention a timeframe.”

      She shook her head, not understanding him. “Why can’t you be satisfied with one night?”

      He didn’t move a muscle. “Can you?”

      She winced inwardly. Could she do it for one whole month? One night was so different. Or was it? Wouldn’t only one night make her feel as if she really were selling herself? Wouldn’t being his mistress for a month make her feel better about it all? Or was she just kidding herself?

      “Briana, you want the money. Don’t deny it.” He waited a moment. “And I want you.”

      She СКАЧАТЬ