by Hart, Alexa
I never thought in a million years that I would be seriously considering selling my v-card to a perfect stranger, but here I am… desperate.
My brother’s life hangs in the balance and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep him alive.
If that means doing Luke Inman… then so be it.
I hear he never stays with a woman for longer than a month. And the payment for being his girl for that time is, well… let’s just say… I need that money.
He can literally have any woman he wants. A virgin, young enough to be his daughter isn’t exactly on the top of his list.
If I can get him accept my offer, I’ll do whatever it takes to please him.
He can have all of me…
For one month.
I know what I’m doing is wrong, but I’m out of options.
The worst part of all is the more time I spend with Luke, the more I find myself wishing for him to be my first.
No cheating and a guaranteed HEA!
Chapter 1
“He’s going to be fine, Mom. We will figure something out.” Bella said into the phone. She didn’t like the way that her mother’s voice had cracked when she was explaining the new surgery that her little brother needed. It was a small thing, that slight waver in her voice, but it was enough to send a cold thrill of panic running under Bella’s skin. Her mother had always been a rock, unshakable, immovable. It was the legacy of her mother’s courage and strength that had emboldened Bel to take her future into her own hands and move to a different state in the first place. The many miles separating Bel from her mother and brother had never seemed so vast as they did that night.
“I know. I know he is. I will figure something out, I’m sure.” Her mother said.
“We will figure something out.” Bella asserted. She kicked a bit of loose gravel in the parking lot outside the restaurant where she worked. She needed to be clocking in at that very moment.
“Baby.” Her mother began. “I don’t mean to burden you with this. I just needed to keep you informed on what’s going on. I know you can barely afford to live in that city as it is.”
“Mom. He’s my brother. This has nothing to do with you burdening me. I will do everything I can to help. I’ll take as many shifts as they will give me. I’ll get another job. Whatever it takes, okay?”
“You are already working too much as it is, sweetheart.” Her mother said, sounding defeated.
Bella realized that a man had gotten out of the car that had parked alongside her own spot. He was politely looking away, but it was obvious that he could hear her conversation. Bel lowered her voice.
“It’s not like this is optional. He needs the surgery, so he’ll have it. We will find a way to pay for it. I will find a way to pay for it. Leave it to me.”
“Bel-”
“Leave it to me, Mom. I love you. I have to clock in now.”
“We’ll talk later.”
“Mm-hmm, bye.” Bel nodded although her mother couldn’t see the subtle gesture over the phone, then hung up. Tying her black apron over her hips as she hurried in the back door, she rushed to the time clock and clocked in, only to be immediately accosted by her coworker.
“Bel! Thank God, I thought you were gonna be late!” A bouncy, petite blonde named Ellen greeted.
“I do try not to be, you know. We pretty busy?”
Ellen shrugged. “Meh. But look who’s here.” She did a funny little jerk with her head, apparently instructing Bel to look behind her over her shoulder. Bel looked around at the customers seated at the tables in the romantically lit French restaurant, but she didn’t notice anyone who seemed familiar.
“Who?”
“Oh my God, are you serious?”
Bel shrugged one shoulder.
“It’s the Sugar Daddy of New York City.”
Bella laughed. “The what, now?”
“Luke Inman.”
Bella’s face was blank, and Ellen rolled her eyes. “He’s the sexy older guy in sixteen.”
Bel’s eyes darted to table sixteen, where a man sat alone. She recognized him at once as the man who had parked alongside her car and pretended not to hear her on the phone as he walked in. He had dark hair that was going slightly salt and pepper and by far, the most attractive features she’d ever seen. She had been so engrossed in the conversation with her mother that she hadn’t noticed how handsome he was when she saw him in the parking lot outside of the restaurant. He was clearly much older than her usual type, if she had a type at all, but men half his age would kill to have a body like his. Even through his flawlessly tailored dress shirt, Bel could see the chiseled, perfectly sculpted muscles beneath.
“So, what’s he doing in Connecticut?” Bel asked. Ellen only shrugged.
“Jan is leaving, you’re taking her station which means you get to inherit his table. Lucky. I wonder if he has a girl right now.” Ellen said, looking back over her shoulder to steal a glance as well.
“Has a girl?”
Ellen didn’t have time to elaborate because Jan, the waitress Bel would be relieving, approached and soon she was thrown into the beginning of the dinner rush. By the time she got to his table, she was in full work mode, and made no further appraisals of his obvious sexiness as she introduced herself.
“Bella.” He smiled, repeating her name.
Okay, maybe she was making further appraisals of his overtly obvious, undeniable sexiness. His smile was disarming, and his voice was unusually intimate. She needed to get a hold of herself. She’d been distracted enough with her brother’s illness lately. One more mistake or a late clock in and she feared she would lose her job. She couldn’t let that happen….
Continue reading Hard Bargain
About the Author
Alexa Hart is an author, wife, mommy to two adorable fur babies and big-time hopeless romantic. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her amazing husband (her very own real-life bad boy), growing gorgeous flowers in her garden and finding inspiration for her next book literally everywhere she looks. Love is all around us and it brings her so much joy to bring that love to life in each story she writes.
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