Accidental Proposal (A Year Agreement Book 1) (6 page)

Grabbing the book, I made my way over to the comfy leather-looking chair and sat in it. I almost moaned as my body sunk into the couch and hugged it. The couch was really, really comfortable. With a content smile, I cracked open the book and got to reading. Everything around me faded. I was immersed inside the book, even though I’d read it multiple times. When reading, I let myself be taken in and surrounded by the book, like I was really inside of it. Reading was a way of letting everything fade away and be forgotten for a few moments. I didn’t have to worry about making rent, my jobs, or now what I have to do with Liam’s deal; everything just melted away and I was able to focus fully on the story and being one with it.

Hours passed as I read, ignorant of the time ticking by. I came to a stop at the end of a chapter, dog-earing the page, and set the book down to stretch my neck. My neck was now cramped and aching. When I stretched out my legs, popping noises could be heard as my stiff joints and muscles finally moved. When I looked down at the book, I realized I was more than halfway done. Holding my neck with my hand, I glanced at the clock before coming back to it.
Wow, I’ve been reading for almost five hours!
I stood up and stretched my back before my stomach started growling. Grabbing my book and placing it on the table, I left the library to make my way to the kitchen.

I walked funny the whole way there, feeling a little stiff from sitting down a long time. Heading into the kitchen, I grabbed a glass and filled it with water before gulping it all down in a matter of seconds. My stomach still growled, so I grabbed a random container from the fridge and microwaved it. Dinner was coming early today. Rolling my shoulders as I waited for my food, I wondered if Liam would be home tonight.
Probably not.
I wanted to talk to him, but with the way he’d acted earlier made me a little reluctant to. If he was just going to insult me again, I didn’t want to talk to him.

If we did sit down and tried to get to know one another, things would be better. Maybe this deal wouldn’t be so bad, but it seemed I was the only one who cared about that. I had no idea how we were going to convince his parents that we were in love. I hadn’t even been in the same room as him for more than twenty minutes, and I knew nothing about him other than he played sports in high school. And I only knew that because I snooped around.

I sighed, and the microwave beeped. I dished the food out on a plate. Looked like tonight I was having stir fry.
I really need to buy actual food and make it myself.
I didn’t know how much longer I could eat microwave food. I took a seat at the bar and ate my food by myself in silence. It wasn’t like I wasn’t used to eating alone. This place just made me feel even more alone, given its size. With my tiny apartment my presence took up space, so I didn’t feel like it was just me, but here it was the opposite. I hadn’t felt this lonely in a while.

As I was finishing up my food, I heard a door being opened and slammed shut, followed by a giggle.
Wait. Liam doesn’t giggle.
With raised eyebrows, I stood up before going and peeking around the wall. Just a few feet from me was Liam, pushing some brunette against the wall while sucking or kissing her neck. I scrunched up my nose as I watched and heard the girl moan. From what I could see of the girl, she was pretty. With Liam covering most of her body, I could only make out that she was wearing a dress, and a small one at that. With his head buried in her neck, I could see her red lipstick smudged, and I knew it was all over Liam’s face and neck.

Disgusted, I pulled my head back. Liam’s little speech from when I’d first arrived ran through my head.
“If I bring women back here, I expect you to be in your room or leave. I don’t want them asking questions.”
For some reason, knowing Liam brought a woman here and that he was in a heated make-out session with her just down the hall made my chest ache. I guess I didn’t think he was serious about bringing women here. Trying to be quiet, I grabbed my plate and set it in the sink. Guess I’d have to clean it tomorrow. I tip-toed over and peeked around down the hall. They were still there, and that was the only way to get to my room.
What am I going to do?

Just as I thought about trying to head to the living room since it was closer, I heard Liam’s voice.

“Come here.” I peeked around the corner but quickly retracted my head. They were coming this way! I pressed myself tightly against the wall, silently wishing I was invisible. I heard the girl’s heels click against the tile floors, and I bit my lip as they got closer. From the corner of my eye I saw Liam come into view, then the girl he was with. I saw him glance at the kitchen so I pressed further into the wall, wanting to become one with it. I said a silent “thank you” for not turning on the light when I came down here to eat. Thankfully, they passed by the kitchen, and I heard their footsteps continue to the spiral stairs. I waited for his door to shut, but it never did.

Not caring or chancing Liam would come back this way, I ran to my bedroom, shutting the door. I leaned against it, breathing heavily.
Man, I need to work out.
I smiled a small smile, glad I didn’t get caught. Who knows what would have happened if Liam had seen me? Taking a deep breath, I looked around the room, knowing I was going to be in here all night. I changed out of my clothes and into my PJs and washed my face. When I exited the bathroom, I froze when I heard a noise.
What the hell?
Confused, I looked around before silently opening my door an inch.

I could instantly hear moaning. Groaning and scrunching up my face in disgust, I shut my door, but I could still slightly hear it.
Does that woman have a microphone? I can hear her through the walls and downstairs! That’s why Liam didn’t close his door, to make sure I could hear him and stay away. Don’t worry. I didn’t plan on coming out.
Frowning, I climbed into bed, leaning against my pillow. When I heard the random girl’s moans, I covered my ears and groaned loudly. It was going to be a
long
night.

Chapter Six

Somehow I fell asleep sometime during the night. I kept my mind off of the sounds coming through the walls by playing on my phone and looking up YouTube videos. The sound of voices woke me up, and I groaned loudly, pulling my pillow over my head. No way in hell was I going out there, especially with that girl Liam had over. I rolled over and stared up at the ceiling. It was Sunday, so it had only been a day living with Liam. I was already done.

This deal wasn’t going to work.
Why did I even take it in the first place?
Yes, I needed the money, but I didn’t think it was worth it. Liam was asking me to lie to his entire family, fake that I was in love with him, get married, and then leave when the year was up. Yes, I knew I should have thought about all that before agreeing, but hey, I didn’t say I was smart. Hearing Liam and that girl having sex while I was only a floor away made me realize that this deal wasn’t right, for anyone.

I didn’t want to hurt and lie to people I hadn’t even met just so Liam could get the company from his father. I wasn’t going to be some pawn in this little game. I still had my pride. Well, most of it anyways. I could still go back to my jobs and maybe hopefully my apartment. I just had to tell Liam I was not going to do this anymore and that I would be leaving. Nodding at myself and my decision, I pulled the covers away and got out of bed.

As I moved around my room, I heard what I thought was the front door open, then close.
Okay, now is my time.
I quickly went and washed my face before throwing on a pair of sweats and a loose t-shirt. There wasn’t anyone here to impress, so why get dressed up? I walked out of my room, pulling my hair into a messy ponytail, and headed toward the kitchen. My footsteps were soft on the tile because of my socks. I glanced at the clock and saw it was only a quarter after nine. So early on a Sunday. Wanting to get this over with so I could run away like a dog with its tail stuck between its legs, I looked around for Liam.

I didn’t find him in the kitchen, living room, or even his bedroom. I wondered where he could be. I didn’t think he was the one who’d left earlier. With a quick glance in the garage, I realized I was correct because all four cars were parked. When I headed back to the kitchen, I could actually feel myself starting to worry. Stupid, I know. I heard a splashing noise and turned my head to look out the window. I could just make out a body moving in the pool. Found him.

Heading outside, I took a deep breath when I was close enough to the pool.
Here we go. We can do this, Jenna.

“Liam?” I called out. Thankfully, just as I called his name, his head popped up from the water at the other end of the pool. He jerked his head in my direction.

“Jenna?”

“I need to talk to you,” I said as he worked his way toward me. He was only a few feet away from me when he stood up, the water coming to the middle of his thigh. I looked down his shirtless body, and my mouth dried up. The man worked out! Water rolled down his toned chest to his stomach, before his swim shorts soaked it up. A hard eight-pack graced his stomach, and my hands twitched, wanting to feel it. Without his dress shirt on, I realized his arms were bigger than I had originally thought. They were roped in muscle. He wasn’t even flexing, and they stood out, well defined. Liam’s brown hair stuck to his forehead, and drops of water hung at the tips. Seeing a man shirtless, with water dripping off of his body, made my body flush. The idea of running my tongue across his chest came to mind, and I didn’t care that the liquid was chlorine and not regular water.

“Jenna?” Liam snapped his fingers in front of my face, and I jerked my gaze away from his body. My face flushed. I cleared my throat, feeling embarrassed for being caught staring at him.

“Oh, sorry. I, um…” I tried to remember why I came out here in the first place, but my mind was blank. Liam smirked at me as he walked up the steps, eventually stepping out of the pool. Without meaning to, I looked over his body again, wanting to run my hands down his wet front.
Jenna, stop! You came out here for a reason, and that reason isn’t to eye-rape him.
“I need to talk to you about our deal,” I finally forced myself to say. If you were in my position, you would understand how hard it would be to say something while looking at a hot, shirtless guy.

“Again?” Liam asked, grabbing a towel and running it across his head.

“Yes. I…I can’t do it.” He turned and stared at me. “After hearing you and that girl, I know I can’t do this. I can’t be a pawn in your game.”

“You think you can just walk away?” Liam said, dropping the towel at his feet and taking a step toward me. I gulped and took a small step backwards. I couldn’t go far because the pool was right behind me.

“Yes…and I will.” I pushed down my nervousness and straightened my back. “You are just using me to get the company from your father. I won’t be used then cast aside.”

“Jenna, you chose this. You could have said no, but you didn’t. You also signed a contract that is non-negotiable.” He stood right in front of me, staring down. With his huge frame surrounding me, I felt really intimidated.

“I don’t care about the contract or the money anymore. I just want to leave. You can find another girl to use,” I bit out, feeling anger rise inside of me.

“Wow, you really are stupid. The contract you signed states that you are not allowed to get out of it until the year is up, or if you do, you owe
me
one million dollars.”
What?! Damn it. I knew I should have read that contract in detail.
He did that on purpose because he knew I didn’t have any money. I’d have to stay here. I glared at him.

“You know I don’t have that kind of money.”

“Yes, I do. That is why the contract is the way it is. You will stay here with me for a year, whether you want to or not,” he hissed at me before turning and walking away. I stomped my foot on the ground like a little kid, but I was too angry to care at the moment. Liam had cornered me, and I stupidly fell for it! Now I was really stuck here until the end. Liam’s figure disappeared inside the house. I let loose a string of curse words.

I really was stupid. I should not have taken this deal. I should not have trusted Liam with that contract, and I should have known this was too good to be true. I was mad at Liam, but I was mostly mad at myself for actually thinking this deal wouldn’t be a terrible thing. My anger simmering down, I walked down to the bungalow and sat on the bench.
I hate my life.

The rest of the day passed by slowly. I spent a good three hours outside just thinking and yelling at myself. It seemed Liam had no plans of leaving the house, so when I walked back inside, he was eating in the kitchen. I passed him, not saying a word, and headed to my bedroom. I spent the rest of the day/night avoiding him. When I ventured out of my room a few hours later to grab some dinner, I saw a light down the hall on and knew Liam was in his office. Not caring if I was quiet or not, I grabbed a container of food and microwaved it before heading back to my room to eat. The less time I spent around Liam, the better.

When I woke up on Monday morning, Liam was already gone, and I was thankful. This was going to be the longest year of my entire life, but I was determined not to let Liam get to me. If he wanted a wife, he was going to get one. Two could play at this game. I had no problem spending his money, changing his house, or acting like the spoiled brat he seemed to think I was. He should have picked another girl to use.

The rest of Monday I walked around the house, coming up with ideas on how to change it. If I was going to be here, it was going to look different, more homey. Right now it was empty and cold. All week I was going to redecorate to keep myself busy.

Dinner came and went, and still no Liam. I grabbed a blanket from my bedroom and headed to the living room to watch a movie. Going over to the wall with movies lined up in every space available, I ran my eyes across each shelf, trying to find a good movie. For someone who wasn’t ever home, he sure did have a lot of movies.

Finally I grabbed the movie
Dear John
and then got to work trying to figure out his DVD and sound system. Yes, even Liam had Nicholas Sparks movies. It took me five minutes just to turn it on. When I got the movie in, I jumped back onto the couch with the remote and curled up in my blanket. The entire time I watched it, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d ever get a love like Savannah and John’s. Probably not after this, honestly. Of course, me being a girl, I cried throughout the movie, wanting a love like theirs. When it ended, it was only nine, so I put in another movie, something less sad. When the credits started rolling for
21 Jump Street
, I got up and headed to see if Liam had popcorn. I found some in only a couple of minutes before I was back on the couch clicking “Play” and eating.

As I watched the movie, laughing every so often, I could feel my eyes starting to droop. The popcorn bowl sat on the coffee table, completely empty. The harder I tried to stay awake, the more my eyes wanted to shut. I lost the fight a few minutes later and let sleep take me.

***

Liam

I glanced at clock on the dashboard and saw it was nearing midnight. I looked back at the road, thinking about Jenna. She should be asleep by now, so I didn’t have to worry about seeing her. I thought back to when I first saw her at Tammy’s club.

Friday, two weeks ago

She was standing behind the bar in a tank top that was tight and fit her like a glove. From my seat in the dark corner, I couldn’t make out her eyes, but I bet they were a pretty blue color. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail, and she moved around the bar with ease. I could tell she had been working here for a while and knew her way around.

I watched as a man came up to her and started flirting. I found it amusing, as she shot down whatever he was saying. She wasn’t even giving him the time of day. Something about her intrigued me. I couldn’t help but wonder what she was doing in a place like this.
She’s probably trying to show her daddy that she’s fine without his money.
She might be perfect for what I had in mind.

My father thought that if I settled down, I would be better qualified to take over the business. Yeah, right. Just because I was not married didn’t mean I didn’t know how to run a company. My father said the other day that he would step down in a few months, and if I wanted his position, then I’d better show him I was more mature than I used to be. I made the mistake of telling him I was in a “serious” relationship. So now he wanted to meet her as soon as possible. I needed to find the perfect woman to convince him. I couldn’t bring my usual type, because that wouldn’t show my father anything. That was why I was here, scouting out women to see if they would work.

“Hello. Can you ask that girl over there to bring me a drink?” I asked a waitress who was about to pass by. She looked at me, confused, but nodded and headed back to the bar. I watched as she went around and told the girl I’d been eyeing to bring me my drink.

She stepped around the bar, and I felt my pants tighten. She was wearing a pair of shorts that didn’t cover much, showing off her long legs. Her tight tank top had risen up, showing an inch of skin below her belly button. She was hot. I could give her that. I watched as she looked around until she came close enough to me and stopped. Now that she was up close I saw her eyes were a light green, instead of the blue I’d originally thought. She stared at me, frozen, her green eyes trailing across my face. I tried not to smirk at her reaction.

“Here you go,” she all but whispered before turning and walking away. I watched after her, narrowing my eyes as I stared at her little ass encased in those booty shorts.
Nice ass.
I took a sip of my whiskey. There was something different about her. I knew she was the one I needed. She seemed like the type my parents wouldn’t expect me to be with.

I sat at the table, watching her for another hour or so before she looked like she was about to leave. Standing up, I dropped a twenty on the table, buttoned up my suit jacket, and made my way out the door. I was going to talk to her. I got in my car, waiting for her to appear so I could discuss a deal with her. A few minutes later she appeared, sending a wave behind her, then heading in my direction. She had her arms wrapped around herself, and she had a small, thin jacket on. She must be cold. As she walked by, I told my driver to pull up next to her. I watched as she looked around nervously and froze as my car came to a stop beside her. I stepped out. Her green eyes widened at my appearance.

“I need you to come with me,” I said.

“W-what?” she stuttered out, obviously confused.

“I need you to come with me,” I said slowly. Did she not hear me?

“Excuse me? I am not going anywhere with you. I have no idea who you are. And don’t talk down to me as if I’m stupid or a child,” she said, narrowing her gorgeous green eyes at me. I clenched my jaw as she crossed her arms across her chest, staring at me stubbornly.

“Jenna, I need you to come with me. I have something to discuss with you.” She looked at me like how the hell did I know her name? “I was at the club, remember?” I watched her as she had some internal debate. “Jenna, I promise you I will not harm you. All I want to do is talk to you for a few minutes. Then I’ll bring you back home.”