Deceiving The Groom Read Online Free

after him, watching him disappear onto the street. She put her fingers to her lips and felt the warmth of his kiss. Her heart pounded as though an orchestra of drums had taken up residence inside her body. How could he kiss her like that? She’d encouraged him, she knew that. It was kind of the point. Yet now the effect of his kiss lingered on her body and mind. Her hands knotted into fists and she squeezed her eyes closed. She had to get it together.
    She walked away from the front door and snuck around the quaint weatherboard house to the back yard. She crept to the rear of the garden, stepping around bushes in the dark to the garden swing she saw when she first arrived. She sunk into the cushions and dug in her handbag for her phone. She pressed a number in her recent calls list.
    The phone rang, then a cool male voice answered. “Yes?”
    “It’s me,” Claire whispered.
    “How did it go?”
    “Exactly as you said it would.” Her voice quivered. “He kissed me…”
    The voice chuckled. “Excellent, I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist you. Not with those big eyes of yours and the damsel in distress act.”
    “It doesn’t matter. I’m not going through with it.”
    The voice spoke again, but this time the humor was gone. “What do you mean you’re not going through with it? We have been over and over this, Claire!”
    “There’s a kid, Geoff!” Her voice rose higher. “Did you know he looks after his orphaned niece? His orphaned niece !”
    The phone went silent. Her cousin spoke again, but softly. “That doesn’t change anything .”
    “Like hell it doesn’t. Did you know about this?” She growled into the phone.
    “It was irrelevant.”
    “I won’t mess with a child, you know that.”
    Geoff adjusted his tone to placating. “She won’t be hurt. Even if we pull this off he will still be in a perfectly able position to care for her.”
    Claire put the tip of her index finger between her teeth. “I won’t have a kid involved, no matter how you rationalize it.”
    “Oh, but there is a child involved. Penny, or have you forgotten your sister already?”
    Claire tore the nail from her finger. Her chest squeezed as her words wrenched from her. “I never forget about her.”
    “Then remember why you’re doing this. And remember who that man is.”
    Her eyes stung. “I’m not sure who he is now.”
    “Then let me remind you.” Geoff’s voice turned to gravel. “Liam Channing is the man who stole your family’s farm out from under you in your darkest hour. He is the man who made orphans of you and your sister, and made millions while leaving you destitute…”
    Heavy breaths rasped in Claire’s earpiece. “Still having attacks of conscience, Claire?”
    Claire leaned back against the swing. Tears leaked down her cheeks. “No.”
     
    It was three pm by the time Claire summoned the will to go to Liam’s office. She hesitated at the door, glancing across the road to the shop front that would soon be hers and Geoff’s. How would she survive working so close to Liam? At least it might make things proceed faster. This couldn’t be over soon enough.
    Claire raised her hand to knock on the glass door. The door swung open under her knuckles. Liam leant in the doorway pulling a tailored jacket over his arms. He tugged at the lapels, fabric molding to his body, emphasizing the fabulous vee of his torso. Claire watched where his fingers moved to do up the last button at his waist.
    “Claire, I didn’t think you were coming,” he said, tugging down the jacket.
    “Sorry, I was held up. Am I too late? You’re leaving?”
    Liam picked up his leather briefcase and they stepped into the street. “Yes. I need to pick up Lexi from school. It’s Mrs. Ruiz’s day off.”
    Liam pulled a set of keys from his pocket and slid one into the door. Claire watched the key turn, causing a clunk as the lock slid into place.
    “Oh… Should I come back on Monday then?”
    Liam turned and gazed at Claire