An Improper Deal (Elliot & Annabelle #1) (Billionaires' Brides of Convenience Book 3) Read Online Free Page B

half-brother, but Lucas and I made our first billion in our twenties, while he wasn’t able to amass that kind of fortune until he was well into his thirties, and even then it was with his first wife’s help.
    Jealous and petty. Dad in a nutshell.
    “I’ll think of something,” Elizabeth says.
    “Get some poor schmuck who will be grateful for a bit of your money, but won’t, you know, bother you for the other stuff.”
    A carefully waxed eyebrow arches. “What, no sex for me?”
    It’s my turn to make a face. “Ugh. No! You’re like Mother Teresa. You can’t do that kind of thing.”
    She chuffs out a laugh.
    Our server clears the table and brings out the soup. Mine is a lobster bisque, and hers is cream of crab. The bisque is damn good. If I owned a restaurant like this, I’d get fat. “Seriously. You’re a woman,” I say.
    “Am I now? I hadn’t noticed.”
    “What I mean is, you’re going to have expectations, you’re going to get vulnerable. Women just do when they have sex. They think it means something more than it should. And you in particular. You’re a nice person; it’s gonna happen. Plus, you haven’t dated seriously for what, five years now? It’s been a long ti—”
    “Four,” she corrects, her voice suddenly brittle. “And I appreciate your concern, but I’m a big girl and can handle myself.”
    Four years, and still she reacts like that. I shake my head. “I wish duels were legal.”
    “I’m glad they aren’t. You would’ve been shot dead.”
    I laugh. “No. I’m an awesome marksman. I’d kill anybody who hurt you.”
    Her expression softens, and she reaches over and squeezes my hand. “You’re sweet, Elliot. But don’t worry about me. If duels were legal, I’d do the shooting myself.”
    “What? That’s a man’s job. You’re supposed to look distraught and twist a hanky around your fingers.”
    “Yes,
baby
brother,” she says, raising her eyes heavenward.
    I stick my tongue out. She always plays that card when she thinks I’m being overprotective.
    “So are you going out tonight?” she asks.
    I consider. I was thinking about doing exactly that to see the redhead, but the manager said she isn’t there anymore. It isn’t like me to want to see a woman for a second time, so for that reason I’m going to stay home even though I keep thinking about that curvy body and the temper in her eyes. She’s feisty, and feisty girls are insanely fun in bed. “Probably not. I need to wait for Ryder’s gift.”
    “Right.” A hint of censure comes into her voice. “A stripper, delivered to your doorstep.”
    “Exactly.” I grin. If what I heard from the people setting it up is correct, she’s more of a high-end prostitute than a stripper. But I’m not going to quibble over such a minor point. A gift horse deserves to be ridden, not endure a dental exam.
    “Why am I not surprised?”
    “Want photos?” I ask.
    “Ugh. No.”
    “I may make a video and post it on YouTube.”
    She squeezes her eyes shut and raises a hand, palm out. “Please. I was traumatized enough from your previous tape.”
    “That was like three years ago.”
    “Amazing how it feels like yesterday. Intense trauma tends to last.”
    Propping an elbow on the table, I rest my chin in my hand. “So what are you getting me for my birthday?”
    “What, this sumptuous lunch isn’t enough?”
    “We all gotta eat.”
    She snorts. “I’m not sending you a stripper.”
    “Of course not. Can’t copy Ryder.” I fake perking up. “I know: a hooker baked in a pie!”
    Laughing, she throws a napkin at me. “You’re horrible,” she says, still chuckling. “Absolutely hopeless.”
    “But you love me anyway.”
    “That I do.” She wipes a tear from her eyes and sniffs. “Lord knows why, but I do.”
    My phone vibrates with a new text. I pull it out just in case it’s from Ryder, but it’s not. It’s…
    I scowl. What the hell?
    Can we meet
,
love? I’m going to be in town in a few