The Tycoon's Reluctant Bride Read Online Free Page A

felt the stainless steel of the sink against her spine. “Alex--”
    “I meant what I said.” He took one more step towards her. Now, only a few inches separated them.
    She gazed up at him, her pulse rapid. What would it be like to be wrapped in his arms, to kiss him … to make love with Alex Trask? If she married him, she might find out.
    He’s your only option, her mind screamed. But how could she marry a man for the sake of business instead of love?
    “ If you marry me, you can save your parents' company.” His eyes gleamed with determination - and desire.
    He didn’t play fair. She supposed that was one of the reasons he’d become a billionaire in the first place.
    “ And if I don’t?” she challenged breathlessly.
    He shrugged. “Then your clients will continue to refuse to pay you. Why someone’s trying to run you into the ground, I don’t know - yet.”
    “But if I marry you, you’ll find out?” Her tone was wry.
    “ Yes.” His expression became resolute. “And once all your slow-paying clients know you’re my wife, I’m sure you won’t have any more problems.”
    Laura closed her eyes for precious seconds. This was it. Crunch time. In the end, she knew there was only one decision she could make.
    “All right.” She gathered her courage. "I’ll marry you.”

CHAPTER 3

 
    The next day, Laura found herself in an upscale attorney’s office, sitting in a leather chair that perfectly matched the highly polished mahogany furniture, going over a pre-nuptial agreement. Am I crazy? she asked herself as she tried to pay attention to what the lawyer was saying.
    “ This is pretty straight-forward,” the urbane man in his early sixties said, his pen hovering over one of the clauses. “In the event that you divorce, you’ll both keep everything you each brought into the marriage. Since King Royale belongs to your parents, then Mr. Trask has no claim to it, and the business will remain your parents’.”
    When Laura remained silent, the attorney continued, “Mr. Trask wanted to make sure you understood that.”
    She nodded, trying to still her trembling hands. Although Alex was practically a stranger, she’d thought that he was a fair man.
    After she’d agreed to marry Alex, he’d immediately arranged this appointment, telling her he’d hired an attorney for her to go over the pre-nuptial arrangement his lawyer had prepared. He’d even organized a car to pick her up.
    Now, sitting in the office, going over the legal document clause by clause, a part of her felt sad that Alex was already making provisions in the event their marriage failed. But what did she expect? He was a billionaire who needed to protect his assets. The rational part of her understood that, but the emotional, romantic part wondered why he wanted to marry her in the first place if he was already thinking about a possible divorce.
    “ This clause states that if the marriage disintegrates, you’ll receive one hundred thousand dollars per year for the next twenty years, indexed to inflation.”
    Pulled out of her thoughts, Laura stared at the man seated across the desk. “Excuse me?”
    He smiled kindly at her. “Mr. Trask wants to make sure you don’t suffer any financial hardship if the marriage fails.”
    “ I couldn’t--” If they did divorce, she didn’t want anything from Alex. He was already helping her.
    “ And if you have children,” the lawyer continued, as if she hadn’t spoken, “Mr. Trask will pay all their expenses and suggests a joint custody arrangement.”
    Her stomach tightened. She hadn’t event thought of that possibility. Although … last night, after she’d accepted his proposal, he’d tilted her chin and said, “I want to be clear. This is going to be a real marriage.” Desire blazed in his eyes and she’d gulped, images rising in her mind of Alex and her entwined, naked, on a large bed.
    She thought her whole body would turn a fiery red, then he’d released her, telling her he’d