By: Kimberly Loth
Releasing
November 16, 2016
Self-Published
Self-Published
He
presents a proposal that can fix both their problems—get married.
Will she say
yes?
Bethany
McAlister loves that house more than life itself and will do anything to keep
it. Even if she can’t begin to afford the taxes on it. When a notice arrives
informing her that her house is about to go to auction she desperately takes on
a roommate, but gets a surprise when the dead sexy Jamie Green shows up on her
doorstep to take her spare room. Jamie brings not only much needed cash, but
more problems than Bethany cares to take on. But then he presents a proposal
that can fix both their problems—get married. Will she say yes and risk her
heart or no and risk losing her home that means so much to her?
In the
backseat his dog, Hexa, whined. She could see the yard. He let her out, and she
rolled around in the grass. At least she’d be happy here. He opened his trunk
and stared at the house. The waves crashed behind it, and the air smelled of
salt. Yeah. He’d love it here.
The house
was three stories, painted a soft yellow with green accents. Three porches
framed the massive stairway that lead to the front door. Most of the houses on
Folly Beach had garages under the house and the front door on the second floor.
Before
heading up the stairs, he stepped back and snapped a few pictures with his
camera. That would be for him. To document his time here. He hoped this would
be a good several months. They’d be hard, but rewarding. He looked down at the
paper in hand. Bethany Davis was his new roommate.
He left Hexa
in the yard and headed up the stairs to the double glass front doors. No
privacy there. He rang the bell and saw a flurry of movement, and the door
opened. He found himself face-to-face with a woman who was five foot nothing,
with ice blue eyes and a messy brown knot on the back of her head. She must be
Bethany. Her wide eyes opened even wider when she looked him up and down and
checked out his two suitcases. She was cute, but not his type. Thank goodness.
He couldn’t afford distractions, and in spite of his recent efforts, he wasn’t
too good at avoiding them.
“Um, come
in,” she finally said. “The bedroom is around the corner.” She wouldn’t look
him in the eye, and he was instantly curious. Her posture indicated confidence,
but the lack of eye contact did not.
He whistled
for Hexa and dragged his two suitcases into the house. He waited for his dog
and then shut the door. She made a beeline for Bethany, and jumped up on her,
putting her paws her shoulders. Dobermans weren’t heavy, forceful dogs, but
Hexa was tall. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Good way to meet his new
roommate. She’d be liable to kick him out now.
He dropped
his suitcases to rescue her. To his surprise though, she was laughing, and
instead of pushing Hexa away, she got on the ground to play. She didn’t even
look up at him.
He glanced
down, and without meaning to, right into her shirt. She had nice cleavage, but
he closed his eyes. He did not come to Charleston to get involved with another
woman. Besides, she totally wasn’t his type. He preferred his women tall and
blonde. At least that's what he told himself. Maybe Miss Bethany would be more
distracting than he originally thought.
“Are you
okay with her? I’m going to put the suitcases in the bedroom.”
She nodded
and pointed to the open door, off the foyer.
The old
house had white pinewood floors and light blue walls. It seemed to have a beach
theme, with shells scattered on the side tables. An old southern staircase led
up to the third floor.
He hauled
his suitcases into the bright and spacious bedroom with a balcony. His face
fell when he saw the bed though. It was a tiny daybed, clearly meant for a
child. There was no way his six-foot-four body would fit on it. He snapped a
few pictures of the room and sent a quick text to his assistant. She’d order
him something decent to sleep in.
Hexa barked,
and he went out to investigate, but both Hexa and Bethany were gone. He walked
past the stairs and into a living room. In the kitchen Bethany was sitting on
the floor with Hexa, doing tricks for treats.
“She’s
well-trained,” Bethany said, keeping her eyes on the dog. This would not do at
all. He couldn’t live with her if she wouldn’t even look at him. Well, he
could, but it wouldn’t be very fun.
“Yeah, she
is.” He crouched down next to Hexa in the hopes that he could at least get
another glimpse of Bethany’s eyes.
She kept her
hands and gaze on Hexa. “It was nice of you to bring in Jamie’s stuff for her.
Is she here yet?”
He creased
his eyebrows. “I’m Jamie.”
Bethany
continued to pet Hexa and then stood slowly. She opened and closed her mouth.
Then she looked him in the eyes for the first time. Her pupils were huge,
nearly causing the blue to disappear. “I’m sorry. I told the agency I would
only accept females. I think there has been a misunderstanding. You can’t stay
here.” She reached around him and reached for her phone.
He grabbed
her hand. The one with the phone. He needed to reassure her that he wasn’t
dangerous. Her hand was ice cold, and she sucked in a hard breath.
Kimberly
Loth can’t decide where she wants to settle down. She’s
lived in Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, California, Oregon, and South
Carolina.
She
finally decided to make the leap and leave the U.S. behind for a few years.
After living in Cairo, Egypt for 2 years, she's decided to go to the Far East
and currently calls Shenzhen, China home. She loves romantic movies, chocolate,
roses, and crazy adventures.
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