“I bet you will be if I can get to the right number. $750,000.”
“Would you stop it with that? I said I’m not interested. I don’t like you.”
“You don’t have to like me. That’s not part of the job. I’ll pay you a million dollars for three month’s work,” he said, sounding business-like and confident. “I’ll pay you a quarter of that immediately, after we sign the contract. I’ll pay you another quarter at the midpoint. And I’ll pay you the rest at the end of the three months. Now tell me, for real, what other job could you possibly do that would earn you that much money?”
There was no job. No job in the world she was qualified to do that would give her so much money. She wasn’t likely to earn that much in her entire lifetime, doing what she was doing now. Even if she managed to finish her PhD, she wasn’t likely to get a job lucrative enough to make that much.
It was ridiculous. Insane. This whole thing was unreal.
She didn’t trust it, although she was almost dizzy with the possibility. Paying off the rest of the medical bills. Paying off her student loans and credit cards. Buying a house—maybe near the ocean. Getting a complete restart on her life.
“It’s too good to refuse, isn’t it?” he said, an edge of amusement to his tone.
She was usually an easy-going, rather passive person. She was used to doing whatever it took to help other people. But his arrogance triggered something contrary inside her. “You can’t just buy me off, you know.”
“I bet I can. For a million dollars? I bet I can.”
“I’m hanging up now.”
“Okay. Think about it overnight. I’ll call you tomorrow to get an answer.”
***
You can find out more about Fooling Around here.
About Noelle Adams
Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she writes full time, reads any book she can get her hands on, and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.
She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances. For more information, please check out her website: noelle-adams.com.
Books by Noelle Adams
Eden Manor Series
One Week with her Rival
One Week with her (Ex) Stepbrother
One Week with her Husband
Beaufort Brides Series
Hired Bride
Substitute Bride
Accidental Bride
One Night Novellas
One Hot Night: Three Contemporary Romance Novellas
One Night with her Boss
One Night with her Roommate
One Night with the Best Man
Willow Park Series
A Baby for Easter
A Family for Christmas
Reconciled for Easter
Home for Christmas
Heirs of Damon Series
Seducing the Enemy
Playing the Playboy
Engaging the Boss
Stripping the Billionaire
Standalones
A Negotiated Marriage
Listed
Bittersweet
Missing
Revival
Holiday Heat
Salvation
Excavated
Overexposed
Road Tripping
The Protectors Series (co-written with Samantha Chase)
Duty Bound
Honor Bound
Forever Bound
Home Bound