Hold Me Closer (Sea Island Brides Book 1) by Georgia Kelly Read Free Book Online Page A

having her close to him on the island.
    “So
it will be a business deal?” she asked. “Strictly
business?”
    “We
can even draw up a confidential contract if you want.”
    “And
what do I get when all this is over?” she asked.
    Something
inside Hudson’s stomach tightened. Of course she’d ask
for money. He expected it, but there was a part of him that had been
hoping she would be different. Still, he couldn’’t very
well ask her to pack up her entire life and move to Sea Island for
nothing.
    “Whatever
you want,” he said. “Name your price.”
    She
smiled and he wasn’t totally sure he understood the look in her
eyes. “What if I wanted to wait and tell you what I want when
this whole thing is over?” she asked.
    He
took a deep breath. What did she mean by that? Was she afraid she’d
give him too low a figure right from the start? Maybe she wanted to
size him up and see how much she could get out of him in the end.
    The
truth was, he didn’t really care how much she wanted. He was
willing to pay. His family needed her right now, and he would do
whatever it took to get her to agree.
    “As
long as it’s reasonable, sure,” he said.
    “I’ll
hold you to that,” she said with a smile.
    “So
you’ll do it?” he asked.
    She
nodded. “I’ll do it,” she said.
    He
picked her up and swung her around, loving the sound of her joyful
laughter. He hoped it was a sign that their agreement wouldn’t
end up being all work and no play.
    As
he looked down at her smiling face and thought of the way it had felt
to hold her in his arms, he realized he was looking forward to the
future that stretched out ahead of them.

 

Chapter Four
     
    Annabelle
had been up most of the night packing, but she doubted she would have
gotten much sleep anyway.
    The
doubts running through her head had her tossing and turning until the
sun came up. Had she completely lost her mind? She was picking up her
entire life and moving to Sea Island for who knew how many months,
and for what? The chance to find a guy her cousin had had a secret
one-night-stand with a few months ago?
    She
was taking this too far, but she couldn’t stop herself. There
was something about Hudson Montgomery that turned her brain to mush.
    Just
the thought of spending six hours in a limo with him this morning had
her changing clothes and checking her makeup twelve times in the past
half hour.
    Yep.
She was definitely losing it.
    When
the limo finally pulled up in front of her apartment, there was an
army of reporters waiting to snap her picture as she ran out to meet
it. A sweet older man named Raymond took her bags and helped usher
her into the limo without too much drama. She just kept her head down
and did her best to ignore the questions being shouted out to her.
    Much
to her disappointment, though, Hudson wasn’t waiting for her
inside the limo.
    “Will
we be meeting Hudson somewhere this morning?” she asked,
telling herself she didn't care if he was there or not.
    “No,
ma'am. Mr. Montgomery had an important meeting in Savannah this
morning, so he took the helicopter home last night.”
    Helicopter?
So that's how he’d been able to get to Atlanta in such a hurry.
Riding in a helicopter was yet another thing Annabelle had never
done, and she was relieved Hudson had not insisted she accompany him
last night. Ever since her parents' death, she hadn't been able to
think about getting in a plane. She doubted a helicopter would make
her feel any more comfortable.
    Without
a companion in the back of the limo to keep her company, Annabelle
watched TV. Raymond told her where to find the Montgomery’s DVD
collection. If anyone had told her three days ago that she'd be
riding in a fancy limousine watching movies on her way to stay in her
own private cottage on the Montgomery’s plantation, she would
never have believed them. She could hardly believe it now.
    Soon
she would officially be Hudson Montgomery’s fiancé. The
thought caused a thousand