Famously Engaged by Robyn Thomas Read Free Book Online

throat. “They’ll have proof that you are. I will have broken the habits of a lifetime for you: proposed, moved in, and tried to keep our association secret.
    They’ll tear apart your life trying to establish how and when I met all of the lottery candidates, and what tipped the scales in your favor. When they can’t verify anything they’ll speculate instead.”
    She snorted and glared at him, oh-so-tempted to roll her eyes.
    “Try to keep a lid on the melodrama and employ some common sense before you say anything else. They’ll take one look at me and realize the whole thing is a farce. As long as they’re gone before Brad and Skyla’s wedding there’ll be no harm done.” She dusted her hands together. “Easy.”
    He leaned in, his face so close to hers that she thought he might kiss her. “The media are probably setting up camp outside as we speak, and trust me, if there’s any chance of this story being true, they’ll be relentless in their coverage of it. You were supposed to be so grateful I’d made Brad move out that you wouldn’t care about the media attention.”
    His exasperated tone made her laugh. “Should I apologize?”
    “No, but you should try to appreciate the gravity of the situation and brace for impact. By this time tomorrow, you could be anything from a saint to a stripper, depending on what they can dig up or what they choose to invent in lieu of facts.” The banked fury in his eyes would’ve made her take a step back if the counter wasn’t already there.
    “Beth,” he heaved out a breath and swiped his open palm over his face. “People always fall in with my plans. I ask for something and it’s done without question. You’re an exception, and without immediate backup, I can’t be sure what will happen. I expected you to be housebound with a sick mother when the story broke.”
    He hesitated, and she sank her teeth into the inside of her lower lip. “I’ve asked my manager to assemble a damage-control team and have them fly in from London.”
    “What does that have to do with me?”
    His lips opened to reveal his teeth for a fleeting moment, but it wasn’t even close to being a smile. “They’ll ensure you don’t feel like you’re facing this alone. You can count on them to act in your best interests, and they’ll live here until our engagement is dissolved.”
    She curved her hands around the edge of the counter behind her and squeezed, her tired mind trying to make sense of the contempt in his tone. “Fair enough. Some pleasant company might make a nice change.”
    “Pleasant?” His arrogant manner suggested that she ought to be glad he’d deigned to ring her doorbell with his lottery news.
    “Tell me, Jake, how famous do you have to be before you stop
    caring about anyone except yourself? I didn’t ask for you to come here on one of the worst days of my life. I haven’t leaked your private details to the media or trapped you in a public engagement or accused you of adultery or insulted your clothing choices or checked you out and then passed because you weren’t up to my usual standard.”
    In the space of a heartbeat he braced his hands atop the counter on either side of her hips, his jaw tight as he leaned his head down to her eye level. “That’s not what happened.”
    “Sure it is. You said you could have anything you wanted and then you walked away.”
    “Beth—”
    “And now”—she swallowed, unsure if she wanted to quantify her current needs—“now, when all I want is for someone vaguely  human to hold my freaking hand for five minutes while I fall asleep, you won’t do it. You’re so famous that you’re willing to soak up the ambience of my home while I cry myself to sleep in the next room.”
    His mouth met hers almost before she’d finished speaking.
    It was a kiss unlike any she’d ever had, so achingly gentle that she felt her lips trembling beneath his. She held her breath and locked her knees. Jake’s