In Love With You: Short and Sweet Series, #20

By Luna Moon

"You know you're cute but you talk too much." 
"I'm cute?" I said.
"Yes, and I'm handsome. Now that we've settled that can we continue?"
 I nodded.
He picked me up again and threw me over his shoulder. 
"You're making me dizzy." 
"I'm gonna do more than that, sweetheart." 

 

ROSIE yearns for a life away from her dangerous neighbourhood for her and her sister. But Rosie doesn't have any money to get them out of there. 

SAM yearns for a life without the confines and rules of his rich father. But Sam needs his father's money too much to get away. 

When a strange man proposes a crazy arrangement to Rosie she unwillingly commits to more than she bargained for. A fake marriage of convenience to a Billionaire's spoiled son for four months wouldn't be so hard, right? But Sam isn't just any other rich guy and he's about to drive a hard bargain.

 

THAT IS IF HE CAN FOCUS ON MORE THAN ROSIE'S LIPS FOR A MOMENT.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Short and Sweet Publishing
• Release date: Oct 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201181802

Luna Moon

LUNA MOON is a writer (or professional chatter - because she cannot SHUT UP! - whichever one works for you) who writes Contemporary Romance Novellas and short stories. She loves coffee, her beautiful shiny cat and her two possibly insane dogs and reading all day long.

Book preview

Rosie

I was working the morning shift at the coffee shop like I usually did every second week, and there weren’t many people to serve. I was standing by the counter thinking about my sister, Rachel, who was at home being checked on now and then by our neighbour, Miss Nellie.

Rachel was ill from the moment she breathed her first breath. And the one question I always wanted answered was why. Why her? She was the most full-of-life person I’d ever known and yet she had such a short life expectancy. But Rachel had defeated the odds and survived years longer than supposed to. Knowing that, that I had her here on borrowed time, made me more desperate to spend every minute with her, giving her exactly what she wanted and making her happy for as long as I still could. But things have been tough. And to tell the truth Rachel and I were in trouble.

I was busy thinking about it when my fellow waitress, Liz, joined me behind the counter, looking annoyed.

What’s wrong?

He’s back.

Who?

That old guy. He asked for you. Apparently, I’m not good enough to serve him.

She leaned in as if he could hear from all the way here what she would say.

There’s something odd about that man.

I laughed.

He’s nice, and he gives the best tips.

He keeps staring at you while you work and he’s been here every day just sitting there staring.

Don’t be so paranoid. He’s probably just thinking and to you, miss nosy, it looks like he’s staring.

If I were you I’d be careful with that one. Men like that end up following you around after work.

Relax, he’s an old man, he’s hardly dangerous.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

I gave a last chuckle then made my way over to him.

Hi Mr. Pike, are you ready to order?

Rosie! he said and looked excited to see me. Just the regular for me.

Okay, I said and wrote the order. Sunnyside up, right?

No breakfast this morning. Just the coffee.

No problem. I’ll be right back with your coffee.

Two hours had gone by and I was busy serving customers. It was odd but just after I thought of how empty the place was, people started packing it.

I looked towards the window as I walked towards another table and I noticed the man again. He had been sitting there the whole time and each time I asked him if he wanted more coffee. He’d take another cup but not order anything else. And I had to admit I’d been noticing myself that he’d been staring at me the whole time. And every time our eyes met he’d look at me as if he wanted to tell me something but hesitated. I walked past his table on my way back to the counter when he suddenly called,

Miss.

I turned to him.

Yes? Do you want to order anything else?

Actually, he said. I want to talk to you about something.

Sure, I said.

But I wasn’t looking forward to whatever it was he wanted to discuss.

Tell me, he said. Do you ever want to get away from here?

No, not really, I said. I’m happy working here.

Be honest, darling.

I felt uncomfortable with him calling me that but answered,

I am being honest.

Don’t you want Rachel to be somewhere else, safer?

I felt a chill down my spine.

How... how do you know about her?

I know quite a lot about you, actually.

Who are you? I said, not as friendly as before. What do you want?

Relax, darling, he said.

He smiled, I suppose, reassuringly, but it came out more eerie than anything.

I won’t hurt you. In fact, I can help you.

I don’t need your help.

You’re probably not getting a lot, working here. That’s a shame.

Goodbye, sir, I said and turned to leave.

I can offer you money. Lots of it.

I turned around, eyes narrowed.

What?

I can offer you a place to stay. You won’t have to work at all, and then you’ll receive the money.

In exchange for what?

A relationship.

I laughed incredulously,

Not interested.

I turned to walk away.

Not with me.

This was the last time, I thought and turned to look at him again.

My son. He’s quite handsome. I’m sure you’ll like him.

I’m not a prostitute.

I’m not asking you to be. I’m simply asking you to marry him, be a good wife to him and I’ll give you the money.

I raised an eyebrow.

You expect me to marry a stranger?

Only for four months.

And then?

Then we can end the marriage and you can go spend that money on a condo somewhere, he said.

What’s the catch?

No catch. You get married, stay for four months, and then you’re free.

And he agreed to this? I asked.

Of course.

I...

Look, if you’re not sure sleep on it tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow if you’re ready.

He stood up from the table and took out his wallet.

Great coffee, he said, putting down a hefty tip on the table and left.

I watched until he was gone.

I took the tip and walked back to the counter.

Did he give you a big one again? Liz asked.

Here, I said and pushed the tip into her hand. Take it.

Why?

I don’t need his money.

And I meant it. 

Rosie

Was I taking the deal?

Not a chance!

Not only was it dangerous, but I didn’t even know the man.

Well, that was what I thought. Until another bill arrived the next day. And this one needed payment as soon as possible. I called every number I could find begging them to give me more time until I started getting angry. That’s when I knew I had to do something. Fast. It was times like these that I wished our parents were still alive. They’d know what