Exclusive Bad Boy Bonus Romance: THE BRIDE ARRANGEMENT

Megan

Megan Brown found herself faced with yet another dilemma. She could pay all of her bills and not have enough money to feed herself, or she could pay some of the bills and lose something equally important like… power. She put her head in her hands once more, sighing as she glanced over the pile of bills on the table in front of her. She worked too hard to have nothing to show for it. Every single day at the diner she put in hour after hour to try and make it all come together, but she was failing miserably, with no light in the trees.

As usual, she grimaced when she heard the loud clank of tires outside her apartment building. She wasn’t in the best of neighborhoods, but she could afford it and it was home. There had to be more to life than this, had to be more she could do than to wait tables in a shabby bar where all she seemed to be in place for but to be hit on by men, who assumed she was an easy option since she just so happened to be a big girl.

Being a big girl didn’t define her, in fact being big and beautiful was part of what she loved about herself. Sure, she could focus on losing the weight eventually, but in order to do that she had to love who she was now. She walked now, over towards the one window in her efficiency apartment, looking down over the riff raff in the parking lot. Yes, she loved herself, and one day she would be out from under this mess once and for all.

She walked carefully to the bathroom, looking closely at her reflection. Her skin was a shade of honey and chocolate. Not dark, but not light. Her skin was flawless, something she got from a long line of women in the family. She took care of herself, her make up light, never really enjoying the weight of it on her face. Her body wasn’t like the typical women most men would find attractive, no instead she was curvy and full. Her hips were very clearly defined in her outfit, but she loved it.

Sadly, everyone couldn’t hang. That was obvious when her boyfriend Raymond had been caught red-handed with one of her friends. There was something about having a friend that was model thin, and a blonde to boot, that made men act stupid. Her friend Leslie had been around for years, but she was swayed by Raymond, and the two of them had been caught red handed the day she came home early from work. The reality of the situation is that he probably had cheated on her more than once, and this was simply the straw that had pushed her over the edge, once and for all.

Sadly, she had lost a friend as well, but no real friend would sleep with her man. Of course, when she had confronted him, all the while calmly waiting for him to get the rest of his things out of her apartment, he had blamed her weight. Vaguely she remembered him telling her something about how she didn’t take care of herself enough etc. But deep down, though it had stung for a moment she knew that wasn’t true at all.

Sitting down once more she glanced over at the newspaper, hoping to see something new and exciting she may be able to do to earn some extra money. An ad caught her eye, and she had to smile slightly as she read it.

Do you have free time on your hands? If so, we may be able to pay you

For your precious time. Fun and exotic locations, meeting, fun and new people.

Seeking women for dating site, all sizes, ethnicity and ages.

Whatever they were selling, it certainly was worth a shot. After all it did say all sizes. She dialed the number, and was given a time to come in and meet with someone. All she could do now was see what this was all about.

Nicolai

There were days when he thought his responsibilities would never end. To make matters worse, he was stuck in the United States looking for his brother, who would manage to get the family name drug through the mud in more ways than one. He glanced down at his watch, frowning. The flight was delayed, undoubtedly giving cause for concern from his mother. Everything about this plan, she had helped him concoct felt wrong, and it would likely backfire on all of them.

Roman, his brother was the heir to the family fortune, to the inheritance, well… to damn near everything. He was 2 minutes older than him, and about 10 years younger in his maturity level. On more than once occasion Nicolai had to step in for a function and pretend to be Roman. Serving on the board for the business, escorting one lovely lady after another to functions. Even once he had met an ambassador from the Ukraine, presenting business options on how to strengthen the supply of their family holdings. All the while he did his work, he received no recognition for any of it.

He loved his brother, there was never any doubt about that. He simply wanted him to stand up and lead the way the family expected him to. Instead, he left a trail of wounded widows, and debts behind him as he enjoyed the luxuries the family name allowed him.

Soon, he would let it all go, especially if this plan worked. Then Roman would be firmly settled down with a wife, and Nicolai could set out to figure out his own life. Fortunately for Roman they were identical, in almost every way. A full head of wavy honey brown hair and deep brown eyes, they were both tall and muscular. Genetics played a part in that, it wasn’t from working hard at it, at least in Romans case. They both had an easy smile, and at the moment they both sported a full beard. He had adapted it from his brother, and even now the blasted thing was driving him crazy.

He made his way down the walkway towards the plane, finally boarding. He had more than a couple meetings, and then there was the wife hunting to take care of. Surely he could pull this off, perhaps she would be a sweet girl. He frowned, it was doubtful. Money did the talking, and she would do whatever they told her to fit a particular fit for the family. Nothing more, nothing less. He had two days to find a woman, and give her the part. Surely that was plenty of time in a city like Washington D.C.

He settled into the plane for his flight. Within the next year he would be his own man, and his blasted brother would be forced to settle down once and for all. He picked up the phone to have a car waiting for him in the city, the sooner he locked in the girl the sooner he could start looking for Roman.

As he stepped out into the city he made his way to the agency he had procured a month before. Today he could review the tapes, and find the right one. She would have to be attractive, and have some spirit. She would have to be able to be the epitome of etiquette. Most of all she would have to learn when to be quiet, and when to talk. He made his way inside to see the woman he had to choose from.

Blonde, blonde, blonde. Petite, fragile, full of… With a sigh he sat back in the chair. They were all beautiful girls; he wouldn’t take that from them. The fact of the matter was that here in the states this is what “top of the line” was. He knew if he debuted a fiancé with blond hair the media would have a frenzy with it. His brother’s tastes were very different, and in particular he disliked blondes. As he waited for his coffee, he clicked on one profile after another. He scrolled through them all and passed her at first. He moved backwards and waited.

She wasn’t typical in any way at all. She had skin the color of dark caramel, and green eyes. Her body was what caught his eye initially. Curvy, and feminine, she was in fact, quite beautiful. She spoke with intelligence, asking as many questions to the interviewer as they asked her, which caused him to smile. She was certainly not the quiet type. Soon the interview was over and she stood, smiling and shaking the interviewers hand. He watched her as she walked, her head held high, obviously she had been offended by something she had been asked.

Yes, there was something special about her, and he couldn’t wait to meet her.

Megan

“Wait, wait let me get this straight. I came in for an interview last week, was put on reserve and now you’re telling me you need me? She sat back, frowning. Something was definitely wrong.

The entire premise of the ad had been misleading. She wasn’t sure she could even go out with any of these people, not if they expected something from her she wasn’t willing to give. Now, they had called her in to talk about a potential offer.

The petite blonde was red faced as she glanced down at her. Megan found herself mildly amused at her actions. She cleared her throat.

“Well, it seems there was a client who scanned through the women, and he uh… he chose you. I can assure you the offer is a good one, very good actually.”

She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “Ok then, what’s the offer?”

The blond jumped into action, obviously motivated by her commission.

“His name is Roman Gregorio. He is Russian, very handsome actually. He needs an escort to a few functions over a three-day period starting Friday. There are a few catches’, however you would have to be able to conform to.”

“Hmm, a catch? Imagine that.” Megan methodically tapped her foot as she waited for the blond to finish.

“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “He would need you to appear to be his fiancé, publicly, and stays with him for the duration of your assignment.”

“What? Ok sweetheart, I don’t think so. But, thank you for the offer.” Megan couldn’t believe it was really, any of it. She stood to go and approached the door.

“Wait! The pay is $500,000 dollars.” The blond was overly eager now.

She paused, turning slowly. “I’ll do it.”

She made her way to the car lost in her own thoughts. That was a lot of money to pretend to be the fiancé to some rich guy. It would fix all of her problems at least for the time being and possibly set her up for a more productive future. It would certainly pay for college. She smiled to herself. This was certainly starting to sound like an amazing adventure.

She found herself at home, looking through her closet. She lived in the rural area of Virginia, but close enough to Washington. When she had gone locally to apply for this crazy “job” in the first place she’d had no idea her information would be sent out to surrounding counties. Now, she had one day to pack everything she thought she would need and at Dulles International Airport by Friday morning.

There were various things in her closet, a little bit of everything really. She knew that she needed to look nice, presentable for the events she was going to. She had to wonder why he had chosen her, over all the women in the place. It was obvious that she stood out a little different than the others. With a shrug, she decided to not think about it, or care. No matter what happened, she would be 500 thousand dollars richer in a few days. There was still some apprehension in her deep down as she loaded up her things and made her way to the car the next morning. She took a deep breath, smoothing down her dark silky hair as she made her way to the airport.

She found the counter and picked up her information. As promised everything had been taken care of and she soon found herself in a luxurious seat sipping champagne. Whoever she was working for certainly did have taste. The flight was relatively short, as she exited the plane she felt herself a little more excited than before. He was going to meet her here, and take her back to the hotel as a couple. Her role in this assignment was going to start very soon indeed.

She glanced around until she saw a sign with her name on it. She had to swallow hard, as she looked at the man holding it. He was short, a good two inches shorter than she was, balding with a slight grey smattering of hair on his otherwise shiny head, and he was frowning at her as she approached him. She knew this was going to be much harder than she thought. She decided to do her best, after all he had chosen her. She thrust her hand out to him, which he simply looked at.

“I am Megan.” She said it calmly as she waited. He gave her a once over and gave her a slight bow, before turning to have her follow him.

He was a rude little negative thing, but she followed along, determined to make it through the next three days with some sense of dignity. She watched him as he made it to the car and helped her inside, never once smiling at her or saying a word. It would be very difficult indeed to pull off being his fiancé if he was going to be so difficult to talk to. She settled into the plush seats, thinking about her situation once more, letting it roll around in her brain. The truth of the matter east that she didn’t even know this guy, and here she was sitting in his car. He could be a serial killer or something. Who knew?

It may be a good idea to take in her surroundings so that if something bad did happen, she could make it home safely after her escape. She decided to jot down a few notes, stresses and intersections just in case. She slipped the paper and pen back in her bag just as they pulled up in front of a massive and elegant hotel. She gulped hard as she watched him open the door for her. At the very least he had some manners, and was still holding on to chivalry.

She turned to face him, waiting on him to say something, but he simply made his way up the grand staircase and to the front lobby. She followed along, amused as he sent a few young men scurrying out to the waiting car to get her bags. He was a hard-ass, and liked getting his way. Whoever he did have to marry was a poor girl. They rode the elevator and finally she’d had enough.

“I know we don’t know each other, but in order for this to work don’t you think we have to at least look like we like each other. I mean you are stone cold.” She glanced at him waiting on a response. When he didn’t say anything, but simply cleared his throat, she felt herself getting irritated. It was just rude.

“Well, whatever, I mean it’s your money. If you don’t want to talk to me then that’s just fine with me. I’ll just settle in with a good book, and make your appearances. I was just trying to be nice. It’s obvious you don’t feel as though you should do the same.” She snapped at him, and yet she couldn’t stop herself when she did it.

There was a level of frustration in the way he simply walked out of the elevator as it opened, never once saying a word to her. She would have to be careful with this guy. For whatever reason he wanted her to be pissed off, or he was just a jerk. Either way, she needed to keep her cool before she lost this job entirely. They walked up to a room and he produced a gold key swiping it across the front of the door which unlocked it for them. He pushed open the door, allowing her to walk inside and he quickly followed her. Standing by the door, he cleared his throat once more.

“Paulson is that you? I can’t believe you made it back so quickly. I had that ridiculous conference call and now I am stuck…” He trailed off as he walked into the foyer.

It was a rare occasion in her 25 years that Megan had ever been speechless, and this was one of those occasions. He took long strides into the room, his upper body thick and full. His hair fell over his eyes perfectly accenting them, giving her a hint of the chocolate brown there. He had a beard, just enough to give him an edge, and he was beautiful to look at. She felt her body react to him the moment he walked in.

He turned his attention to her, one eyebrow shot up as he gave her a one over and moved to stand in front of her. He smiled then, making her heart beat faster as he took her hand in his, delicately planting a soft kiss on the juncture between her forefinger and thumb. An odd place to be kissed, but it sent a shiver up her spine nonetheless.

“You must be Megan?” He gave her a lazy smile. “I am Roman; I see you met Paulson.”

“Uh, yes, I mean you’re Roman? He didn’t tell me that. In fact, he didn’t say a word.” She looked over and happened to catch a glimpse of what looked like a grin on Paulson’s face before he bowed and left the apartments.

He let her hand go, and there was a slight disappointment in that. “Ah yes Paulson is a man of few words, don’t take it personally sweetheart that is just who he is.” He walked over to the bar, sauntering and he poured a drink, handing it to her before he took a long sip of his.

“Thank you but, I’m fine for now. I don’t like to drink too much.” She gave him a slight smile.

“Well, let me show you your room for the next few days.” He walked ahead of her which suited her just fine as she was able to look at him more closely. He had the most adorable mole under his left ear. Something she hadn’t noticed before. She was still looking at him when he opened the door to her room.

She had never seen a room like this before, all in patters of blue which suited her. There were flowers and fluffy pillows spread around the room accenting the massive bed in the center. She smiled.

“This is a beautiful room, thank you.” She glanced up at him, noting the puzzled look in his eye.

“You’re a beautiful girl, you should sleep on nothing less.” He gave her an exaggerated bow, which caused her to laugh slightly.

“I suppose that means you’ve begun the facade then?” Very well, thank you dear, I can’t imagine anything less.” She blinked her eyes at him and he smiled at her.

“We should probably go over the details of what we need to do while you are here, that’s true enough. I’ll let you settle in and when you’re ready just come out and meet me in the dining hall. I’ll be waiting. He turned and whistled slightly as he made his way out of her room.

Once he was gone she let her body relax, slumping down in a plush white overstuffed chair by a vanity. This job was much more complicated now that she had met the employer. He was too good looking for his own good. With a shrug she slipped into some soft sweats and a t-shirt and pulled her hair up high on her head. She refused to be someone she wasn’t, and her job was to play the role of his fiancé when they were out. As long as she was indoors, she would be herself.

Nicolai

He paused, waiting to hear her moving around in the room. He had been a little taken aback when he had come around the corner and she was standing there. Her video had made her attractive, true, but seeing her standing in front of him had been like a punch in the gut. She was beautiful. He kissed her hand, something Roman would likely never have done. He was doing his best to stay in character as his brother, but he had already slipped once, and he would have to work hard to not do it again. Roman wouldn’t have laughed at her jokes, or smiled at her like some stupid school boy.

He would have to try and stay focused, and not let her under his skin any more than she already was with her smoky eyes and curvy frame. The one thing both he and Roman did have in common was control. He was always in control, as it should be and he liked it that way. It wasn’t just business, no he controlled all areas of his life, unless he was somewhere pretending to be his brother. In his 32 years Nicolai had never let a woman get too close to him. They were there for sport, and for fun, but he had no intention of getting serious about one. Eventually he would have to marry, and continue on the family name. It was something that had been important to his father before he had died, leaving the family fortune in Romans very incapable hands.

For now, he could focus on luring Roman home with the latest debacle he was creating with the lovely Megan on his arm. If word got out Roman was engaged, the media would have a field day, thus pulling Roman home to confront his brother, and ultimately settling him down once and for all. Before the family fortune was lost and the business a failure. He thought about Megan and Roman together, and he smiled. She was his type in some ways, but her personality would certainly drive him crazy. He could tell by the way she raised her chin a notch from time to time, and did her best to take in every detail about her surroundings that she had a very distinct personality, not one for being told what to do.

He turned on one heel flicking the phone in his pocket onto the screen that would allow him to get the ball rolling on the events to come. Yes, Roman would have quite a few opinions about this entire situation when he got the news. He moved into the kitchen once more thinking about the lovely lady in the room next door. He would have to be very careful to not slip up and be himself… again.

He heard the door open behind him, and he turned to face her again. He took in her appearance and wanted to smile, his immediate reaction to her physical being. She was relaxed, and comfortable. He couldn’t help but notice the sway of her hips as she entered the room and settled herself at the table where everything had been laid out. No Roman wouldn’t smile, in fact, he would likely order her back in the room to find something more suitable to wear. The thought went against everything he had he put a frown on his face.

“I trust you are relaxed?” He smiled at her, careful to keep it from making it to his eyes.

“Yes, I am fine. I assumed since we weren’t going to be seen until tomorrow I had the freedom to wear whatever I wanted. If this is a problem, just tell me.” He felt the heat of her eyes on him, and he cleared his throat. Yes, she definitely had some fire in her. He watched her face relax.

“I’m sorry, I suppose the flight was a little more than I thought.” She said it nicely enough, planting a simple smile on her face, but he knew better. She was offended by his offhanded remark, but she needed the money.

“You are fine Megan, now let’s get to the logistics….”

They talked about everything they would be doing, and attending. He showed her layouts of every event and who they would meet. He watched as she marveled over the events and what was expected of her. But she visibly squared her shoulders, determined to get everything done.

“Do you have any questions?” He sat back in his chair watching her.

“Only one… why do you need a fake fiancé?” She leaned forward, asking him bluntly.

“Ah, that… I have a few things in my business that I need to have rectified. I don’t have time to be engaged, but I need every viable businessman in the country to take me seriously. The only way to not appear as a childish dolt, is to establish some roots. Thus, a fiancé.”

“I see; you’re not worried about after the weekend?” She frowned, scrunching up her brow and she was adorable.

“No, on the contrary, if things go well, I’d like to do this again over the next year or so, until I get everything I need… and want.” He let his eyes roam slightly, something Roman always did to women, especially ones with perfect breasts like this one.

She blushed the heat rising up in her cheeks, and he stopped.

“I can do that.” She whispered.

“So Megan tell me about you. We will need to have some foundation in case someone asks. Obviously there will be some fiction mixed in, but I do want to know some things about you.”

She sighed, glancing out of the window before she turned to face him once more. “I am an only child to a single mother, my father left when I was 4. I don’t even remember him. I live in the northern part of Virginia, so it’s not the best areas, a lot of crime, though I am tough and managed to stay out of trouble most of my life. I am 25, I love who I am and I want to go back to school. That’s all there is to me really.”

She was tapping her fingers on the table her manicured nails obviously done by herself.

“Do you have a boyfriend, Megan… one who would come blow our cover?” He asked her simply enough, but the tension between them was undeniable.

“No, I don’t do boyfriends.” She raised her eyes to his, never wavering.

He felt something stir deep down inside him. He wanted her, there was no way around it. She bit back, had an opinion of her own and everything about that usually sent him running, but not with her. He ran everything, and yet here she was meeting him word for word. Perhaps he was amused, but what he was sure of was that he wanted the delectable Megan in his bed. They wrapped up the discussion and dinner arrived. He could tell she wasn’t sure what to do, and despite his reservations he taught her a few things about the multitude of cutlery on her table. She listed and was eager to learn what he was showing her. He moved closer to show her, his hands grazing hers, causing an electric shock that coursed through him. Subconsciously he moved his hands down, brushing the tender curls that had escaped the pile of hair on top of her head. He let his fingers slide down to graze over the smoothness of her shoulders, smiling as he heard her intake of breath. Yes, she was affected by him too.

“We should probably keep things professional, but I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that I wanted to kiss you Megan. But only with your permission.”

He waited, watching her face as she ran through more emotions at one time. She let her eyes meet his.

“I don’t even know you…” The words were whispered, but as she bit her lower lip, her eyes found his.

“Actually, my dear, for all intents and purposes, we are engaged. We will be holding hands and dancing among other things sweetheart, but I won’t push.”

An hour later she excused herself to bed, still shaken by his words. He bid her goodnight, having gone over the money aspect of the arrangement, and what she was allowed to say or not. He sat there lost in thought for a good long while. Part of him was confused about his reaction to her. She was just a girl, not even the most beautiful. But there was something about her that made his fingers itch to go rip open the door to her room and bury himself deep inside her, feeling her curvy frame beneath him. Even thinking about it made him squirm. He would have to work twice as hard tomorrow, and as they faced the evening dinner.

Megan

She sat down on the bed carefully, every nerve ending in her body was on fire. He was too much, too much heat and too much power. She had always thought of herself as a strong woman, but when Roman was around she became unhinged. He said he wanted to kiss her, and for a moment she had contemplated it. She must be slowly going crazy. If it had been anyone else she would have welcomed his advance on her with a sound slap on the face. But not with him, he was dangerous and sexy to boot.

She shed her clothes and slid into a gown, wrapping her hair up for the night. He wasn’t even her type, and she knew she wasn’t his. Yet they sized each other up often enough and now she was tossing and turning in her room, knowing he was somewhere down the hall undressing and climbing into his own bed… With a sigh of frustration she rolled over and finally willed herself to fall asleep.

The next morning came early and she woke up early, as usual. She loved facing the morning sun and bringing in a new day. It was a part of her routine and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She tiptoed out of her room and down the hall into the living area to do some stretches. She glanced down at the city below her from the floor to ceiling glass windows. It was almost too much to take in at once. She was still stretching when she heard him behind her.

“It’s a beautiful view isn’t it.”

She spun around to face him, her cheeks flaming. He had likely seen her stretching before she had even walked over to the window.

“Yes, it is! I rarely get to come into the city.” She smiled at him, now and it came easy to her.

She gave him a once over. Everything about him was perfectly in place. His hair, still damp from an early shower curled slightly at the nape of his neck. He was holding a cup of coffee and he was dressed casually, his khakis and button down shirt completed the picture.

“You like to rise early I see.” He glanced at her once more as he spun to walk back into the kitchen area.

“Yes, I hate to waste time.” She felt the heat rise up in her face as she faced the city once more.

He was driving her crazy, there was no easy way to put it. She barely got any sleep last night and he had started early today, giving her looks and watching her do stretches. She felt the heat rise to her face once more thinking about it. He was in the kitchen humming as he cooked, which surprised her really. She was under the impression he rarely did anything for himself. She padded her way into the kitchen watching him. She didn’t mean to watch him so intently, but he was cooking, happily humming as he did so. He was beautiful to watch, every movement flowed with grace and when he turned to face her, his easy smile, focusing a moment too long on her bottom lip before he handed her a plate of food. She joined him at the bar, both casually taking in the other.

“So Roman, tell me about you. You had no problem asking me questions now your turn.” She settled into the chair, amused as a myriad of emotions crossed his face.

With a sigh, he took a drink of coffee. “I have a brother, Nicolai, and my mother. My father died a few years ago. There is not much else to tell.”

“Is your brother married? Or does he hire fake brides like his brother?” She giggled as she methodically ate the food in front of her.

“Nicolai is not like me Megan, he is a good man, thoughtful and caring. No, he isn’t married nor will he ever be. I am the only one being pushed into marriage for the family.”

“I see.” She didn’t ask anything else, he obviously wasn’t willing to share any more than he already had.

As they finished there was a sharp knock on the door, startling her into action as she jumped up.

He chuckled as he swung open the large door and a team of people scurried in. She watched them set up different equipment in the living room and she frowned as she glanced over at him. What in the world? She rolled her eyes as she watched one woman in particular slink over to him, running her fingers up his jacket. He said hello, but didn’t give her any more attention than that which Megan found amusing. Eventually the woman turned to look at her, giving her a hard look as she looked her over.

“So this is what I have to work with?” She whispered it, only loud enough for Megan to hear.

Before she could say anything in return the team rushed over, and began making measurements of every inch of her. Her eyes found Romans, and he gave her a smile before walking over to her.

“Have a wonderful day, dear, enjoy this it’s one of the perks. I’ll pick you up for the dinner at 7.” He dropped a kiss on her mouth, which lingered for a mere second before he made his way out of the room entirely.

By the time night came, Megan was transfixed, staring at her reflection in the mirror in front of her. Gone was her long silky hair and sweat pants and instead she was now something out of a magazine. Her sleek bob was angled contrasting with her caramel skin. Her black dress hugged her curves, just enough to make her appear thinner, without being too tight. She couldn’t believe how the team had turned her into this. She glanced at the clock, having been given instructions to be ready at 7. As the time came, she made her way into the living room here he was waiting.

Nicolai

He wasn’t ready for her, had yet to slip back into his alter ego. No as she came out of the room, he felt as though someone had punched him in the stomach. Some part of him knew he was playing with fire with her. He wanted to strip her down right now and put her in his bed, for hours. Instead, he had to go out, parade around as though they were engaged all the while wanting to make love to her.

He did his best to recover, but he knew she needed to be reassured. The confident and strong woman she had been yesterday, seemingly had disappeared and now this person was apprehensive, almost scared. She had been recreated and had no idea just how beautiful she was. He took a step in her direction, taking her hand in his.

“Megan you look beautiful.” He raised her hand to his mouth kissing her lightly.

“Thank you, not my usual attire obviously.” She glanced down at her dress, her ample bosom threatening to spill out of her dress.

There was a moment of silence before he pulled a box out of his jacket, opening it and handing the tiny object inside to her.

“We can’t forget the most important part of this.” There was something that shifted in the room as he slid the diamond on her left hand, ensuring the gossip would love to see the ring. He watched her stare at it for a moment before facing him again.

“It’s beautiful, even if it is fake.” She gave him an impish grin.

He swallowed hard, his fingers itching to rip her clothes off altogether and make love to her. She gave him a half smile and it was his undoing. He did his best to do it gently but instead his mouth crushed hers in a searing kiss, his mouth kissing her simply at first and then deeper, until he tasted of her honey depths. He was careful, not wanting to scare her but wanting her to know what he wanted in a single kiss. He felt her respond to him, even subconsciously. The kiss depends even more, both lost in a moment. Finally, there was a knock on the door and he ripped away from her slightly, his face mere inches from hers.

“We will finish this conversation later.”

Before she could recover, she felt herself being pulled behind him, pulled along until they were safely seated in the long car waiting for them. She settled into the plush seats and he sat across from her. He didn’t say anything; he could tell she was flustered still. He let his eyes roam all over her, his body betraying him more than he could ever remember. After a moment he let his thoughts drift to his plan. He had made the steps to assure that Roman would hear about this outing tonight, and would likely call him soon. He could only imagine the look on his face once he heard the news.

Even his mother had called saying that there was some buzz already about the “engagement between Roman and a mystery woman. Everything was right on schedule, and would time out perfectly, if he had his way. He looked over at her once more, she was obviously composed now. He would have to avoid her, especially now that she had kissed him back. It would do no good to complicate things, especially since Roman would likely show up soon. He felt a slight twinge of guilt in how he had lied to her, but it had been the only option. He just had to get through this blasted weekend and maybe he could go home, and get the situation, and her off his mind once and for all.

Megan

Something had shifted, had changed within her. She stared at her reflection in the mirror once more. The dinner party last night had been a success, everyone had greeted her with a smile and stared long and hard at the ring on her finger. Roman had been avoiding her since the party, and since the kiss. Even now she could still feel the pressure of his mouth on hers. She had kissed him back, it seeming like the most natural thing in the world. She blinked at her reflection, thinking about the way things had happened. He had kissed her because she was all decorated in the high fashion, they had draped her in. More than likely he had kissed her because they had to play a part, what better way to do that than to break the ice beforehand?

Either way, he wasn’t even talking to her now. She was left to her own defenses most of the day, thinking about this assignment and how nice it would be to go back to school. She flipped open the laptop in her room and started making a plan of everything she wanted to take, and how long the process would be. She missed him, truth be told. He had an easy smile and made her laugh when he was around. She held no fantasy about anything serious, she knew better than that, but she did like the way he would challenge her, and asked her opinion on things even if it went against his normal nature, which seemed to be all of the time.

As lunch was delivered she was surprised to see two settings, perhaps he was making an appearance today after all. She quickly changed into a simple yellow sundress and as she came back into the main room, she saw him there, in a suit and tie, everything about him perfect. He glanced up at her and then again, giving her a once over.

He smiled at her. “I thought maybe we could have lunch, and go over the dance tonight.”

“That’s fine.” She settled into her chair, waiting.

“It’s an important affair, lots of conglomerates and organizations will be there. We may have to answer a lot of questions, so I thought it best we get the story straight.”

She nodded and they enjoyed a simple lunch, both settling on a story of how they met, and how long. He jokingly told her the story of how his parents were betrothed at a young age and neither wanted the other until they met. She smiled as he spoke, enjoying the moments when he did let his guard down. Soon they found themselves practicing the dances they would enjoy together later. Laughing came easily to both of them as she did her best to step on all of his toes. Time passed, neither of them ready to stop the fun they were having.

As it got later she found herself wondering who Roman would marry one day. She felt something then, something stir within her. She had no right to even care really, but part of her was concerned about him. She made her way to the room to dress for the event. Tonight she wore a simple cream colored dress, with lace and inlays. She loved how the color complimented her skin and she styled her hair in a way to give her an air of mystery. As she let the room to meet him she saw him once more in a tux, and perfect.

He paused as she made her way over to him and he gave her an elbow to escort her out of the rooms and into the night air. The ride this time was far more relaxed, both adjusting to the personality of the other. He handed her another black box this time long and slender.

“What is this?” She frowned as she opened it to a brilliant necklace with a string of diamonds that cascaded down her neckline.

“For you.” He gave her a smile.

“Ah, I see, must appear to be the good fiancé.” She gave him a wink. “I’ll take good care of them Roman no worries.”

They went into the gala, both enjoying the dancing, something she had always loved all of her life. He escorted her around the room, introducing her to everyone and everything was perfect. As they made their way home, she felt the effects of the bubbly champagne on her stomach, and she giggled. No, she was not herself tonight. She saw him watching her, silently, something he actually did quite often. As they made their way up to his rooms she felt his hand touch hers in the elevator, slipping in to intertwined with hers. She felt the tension mount as they exited the elevator and made their way down the hall. Even then she was unprepared for what was to come when he opened the door.

Something between them shifted then, developing into something fuller, more aching. She felt the tempo of her heartbeat quicken as he ran his hand up to cup her face, his thumb tracing her full lower lip. She barely inhaled before she felt the hard fullness of his mouth on hers. He kissed her deeply, drinking of her. She felt his hand in her hair, winding and twisting until he held her mouth to his with a fist full of hair. She no longer cared about the what is… she wanted him to kiss her, wanted this.

“I’m going to make love to you Megan. Here. Now.” He whispered against her mouth. She nodded and he let her go. Only long enough to lead her to his bedroom, and carefully start to undress her, never letting his mouth leave hers for a moment.

He moved slowly, his hands moving around to cup both of her full breasts in his hands. She felt them harden to attention as he moved the hardened nubs between his forefinger and thumb. She gasped loudly as he pulled on them both gently. He kissed her mouth once more, his tongue delving into the sweetness of her mouth. He stopped then, trailing warm kisses back down her body, until he focused his hot mouth on first one crested peak and then the other. Instinctively she put her hands in his hair urging him on as he left a trail of fire with his mouth.

Her body was on fire. Her hands pulling his head up and back to her waiting mouth. He did as she asked and gave her a passionate kiss, drinking from her mouth. She wanted this, wanted him. She knew she was playing with fire, but she couldn’t stop it.

She followed his lead, lifting her hips slightly as he slid his fingers under the tiny strap of her panties, pulling them off her in one swoop. She loved the feel of his hands as they ran over her, and she never once felt self-conscious about her body. Suddenly he was standing above her looking down. She felt more vulnerable than ever before.

“Megan you are beautiful.”

She blushed, slightly frowning.

“I mean it. Look at me.” She looked deep into his eyes before reaching up for him and his mouth found hers again.

He moved above her then, she felt the pressure of him there, between her thighs and she welcomed it. He shed his clothing quickly and she moved to accommodate him eagerly. The joining of their bodies rushed through her like a tidal wave. He felt the heat of her envelop him and he stopped, waiting and feeling her. She was full of him, he moved delicately until he was fully encased within her. Pushing her knew back closer to her head, pushing in further still. There was and urgency between them, a need to cling to one another. He moved slowly, savoring every second of it, and she was lost in it, just as he.

“Megan.” He managed to grit out her name as he moved within her.

He moved faster and faster then, finding a rhythm that suited them both. She wrapped her legs around him, urging him on, pulling him into her, helping him along the way, towards a goal for them both.

She looked at him now as he moved and he never broke stride once as he laid his chest against hers and kissed her deeply. She moaned loudly, driving him more and he his pace became quicker, more demanding. Both unwilling to let go of what they felt they had moved frantically exploring and enjoying the other. She was lost in a swirling of color and heat. She felt the familiar stirrings deep down and her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him. She moved her hands up to his face holding him close to hers as he pushed her higher and higher. She felt her climax begin deep down, her moans escaping her mouth. She was staring into his eyes, both of them finding release. She moaned his name as it ripped through her and she felt it shoot through even her fingers and toes. She sighed his name after they both lay there.

They lay that way for a long time, both feeling and thinking. He trailed his fingers over the curve of her hip as she lay there. Neither of them wanting to move. She drifted off to sleep at some point, a combination of champagne and his touch.

Nicolai

He felt so many things at once, he wasn’t sure where to start. First, he had sworn off her, but she had been so beautiful, so happy. He had wanted her with a passion he had never felt. What’s worse is he wanted her to be fulfilled, and content. He cared about her, more than he wanted to admit to himself. Secondly, she had called him by his brother’s name, thankfully after it was over or it may have ruined the lovemaking entirely. She wasn’t just some person he hired, no she was more than that and he should have told her the truth.

She deserved it, deserved more than this. He looked down at her, still curled up next to him. She had changed him, made him better in a matter of days. He had never lost control of anything and yet here he was with a woman curled up in his bed, something he never did. What’s worse is that he wanted her there, liked her there. She ran a finger down over her face as he watched her sleep. What was he going to do when the time was over, how could he let her go now?

Sleep came eventually for him, and he never felt better the next morning. As she slept, he made coffee, waiting for her to come join him. He wasn’t sure what would happen, but he would tell her truth today, before anything happened to change her mind about him. He glanced at his watch and decided to run over to the other office to get some paperwork, so that he could show her everything. He smiled as he left.

Megan

She felt him slide into bed with her, slipping an arm under her body and pulling her closer to him. She smiled to herself as she reflected sleepily, but the night before. She should have gone to her own room, but instead she had stayed here with him. She felt the heat of him against her, and she curled up into him. As she did, she felt his hands slide up her hips and rest there.

“You are a curvy one aren’t you?” He whispered against her ear.

Her eyes fluttered open and she frowned. Something wasn’t right, not at all. She felt his grip tighten as he held her there when she tried to move. Panic set in as she couldn’t move, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Eventually he laughed and let her go, watching her scramble to stand beside the bed, taking a sheet with her.

“Roman?” He wasn’t himself, not even a little. There was something different about him, his eyes a little more sinister, his gaze leering at her.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am Roman. What game are you playing with my brother lady, and what the hell are you getting out of it?”

As the day went on Megan piled her things into her car and wasn’t able to relax until she was far from the hotel for good. It wasn’t until she was on the highway that she let the tears fall, her heart in pieces. Roman… or Nicolai had lied to her, had made her believe something, and then played with her emotions… and her body. She left right after Romans explanation, right after her heart had shattered. She didn’t want the money anymore, didn’t want anything but to go home where she belonged.

She climbed the stairs to her apartment and sighed as she fell onto her bed finally. Nothing could take away from what they had, but she would have to work hard to forget all about him if she ever wanted to move on. She fell back into her routine, calling work and getting herself back on schedule at the diner. The routine fell into place and after three days she finally was able to go to bed without crying at night.

She glanced around the diner, taking in the two customers left to care for before her shift ended at 11pm. The door chimed letting in another one and she made her way over to take his order. She never even looked at him until he didn’t respond. He looked up at her, and she felt ice, pour over her. She spun around to leave, but he followed her.

“Megan. Please. Just let me explain.” He grabbed her hand in his stopping her.

“You don’t have to explain Nicolai, Roman filled me in on what you were up to.”

“I’m sure he did, but I also know he didn’t tell you everything. Just give me five minutes.”

She looked at him, obviously hurting and she relented. They sat in a booth and he told her everything. She waited, watching him as he spoke, missing his touch more and more with every word.

“I’m sorry Megan, for everything that led up to making love to you. That I’m not sorry for.”

He gave her a once over, and then glanced around the room. “You don’t belong here anymore, Megan, I never gave you the money and the necklace was for you. Not for the part you were playing, but from me to you. Why didn’t you care enough to let me explain?”

She felt anger rise up, though she tried not to let it show. “I left because I woke up to feeling your brother groping me. He pretended to be you. Then he told me everything. What was I supposed to do?”

“Son of a…” He grabbed her hand pulling her behind him.

“Where are we going?” She felt herself being pulled outside and into his car.

“First, we are going to get back to my rooms, where I will then proceed to kill my asinine brother for touching you. Then we are going to have some people go pack your stuff away from that shabby place you live that terrified even me. He pulled the ring she had once worn and slipped it back on her finger.

“Wait, I am not playing the game anymore. It’s over Nicolai, Roman won’t stand for it. I did my best, but just take me home.” She glanced out the window, wiping furiously at the tears that seemed to slip from her eyes despite her efforts to hold them at bay.

He moved to sit next to her, holding her hand in his as he pushed the ring back up. “I don’t want to play a game Megan. I want you to marry me. I want to love you and I want to be with you.” He whispered it and stared into her eyes as he spoke the words.

“Really?” She let the tears fall freely now.

“I swore to never get married, but you have changed me Megan, and after I came back and you were gone I almost lost my mind I was so scared. I even had to but he agency that hired you to get your personal address.”

She giggled then, and smiled as he kissed her deeply.

“I love you Megan.”

“I love you too Roman… err, well”

He pulled her close. “Not funny young lady, not funny at all.” But he said it with a smile.