The Marriage Bargain Read Online Free Page A

well known in Europe. The media lurks around every corner. You’ll have to be mindful of every move you make, including those in front of my family.” His aloofness siphoned the confidence from her soul, leaving her too spooked to do more than nod. Julian continued like he was relating a P&L statement. “Above all others, my family must believe the marriage is real.”
    Was sex part of the bargain? Not that Camille found the thought of sleeping with him out of the question, but she wasn’t ready to start trading her favors for money either.
    “You can’t buy me.” Defiance rumbled through her like a run-away train. “Not like that.”
    “Chéri, if we make love, it will be your idea.” With a wink, he tilted closer and his devilish grin ignited the allure of temptation.
    “We won’t. And I won’t.” She hoped he bought the resistance.
    “Whatever you say, Chéri.” His mischievous smile gave way to roguish laughter. He turned her on. She didn’t mind that so much as not being able to control the desire itself.
    Calling her by the wrong name bruised her ego and earned him a vengeful tone. “My name is Camille.”
    “I know that,” he said, undaunted. “Chéri is, how do you Americans say...a term of endearment. I called you darling .”
    “Sorry.” The bitter tang in her apology stung, but she didn’t give him time to exploit her blunder. “So, once we’re married, as long as I don’t leave you or tell anyone the marriage is merely a business contract, at the end of six months we’ll go our separate ways and I’ll get five million dollars for my troubles?”
    “That is the deal,” he said through a half-smile with nothing behind it but teeth.
    Damn. This guy must be really loaded.
    “What do you want to pretend to be married for, anyway?” she asked. The reason he gave seemed a little extreme. “Why can’t you just tell your dad to get off your back?”
    Julian stood. “Chéri, you will understand that better after you meet him.” He buried his hands in his trouser pockets and towered above her like a hungry vulture eyeing his cornered prey.
    “I see.” The words tumbled from her mouth. But frankly, she didn’t see at all. It made no sense.
    “So, do we have a deal?” he asked, carefree and smoothly. He slid his hand out of his pocket and volunteered it as a gesture of good faith.
    “There’s just one more thing.” She evaded his handshake overture. “We have to get married before we leave the States.” Considering she was born to distrust people, she insisted on a formal guarantee before her feet left American soil.
    “If that makes you feel better. Sure.” He shrugged, way too calm, or foolish. “But we have to keep the American marriage under wraps.”
    “Why?”
    “There will be another, more elaborate wedding when we arrive in France. The six months will start after that one—”
    “Wa...wait.” Camille flew up like a bottle rocket and teetered at his side. “When will the French wedding take place?” she asked, intrigued by the lengths he’d go to in order to pull off his ruse.
    “Two weeks. A month.” His eyebrow quirked as if amused. Apparently he’d seen disapproval in her reaction, rather than intrigue.
    Displeasure clamped her mouth shut and bulleted her head back.
    “Surely, Chéri, for five million dollars an extra couple of weeks won’t matter?” Julian said, reading her all wrong.
    But since he had, maybe she should just go with it. Evidently, it was what he expected and Camille thought it better to please. “You said six months.” She made it up as she went along. “Not six months and two weeks, or seven months.” Agitation echoed in her voice, unnerved and alarming. It scared even her. She added for good measure, “Six. Months.”
    The rant made her question the whole crazy notion more than it solidified her decision to hop on board. What kind of idiot agrees to become some stranger’s wife for six months, anyway? One who’s lost her job,