Free Billionaire's Bounty (Plus Size Loving) BBW Erotic Romance by Adriana Hunter Page B

enjoyed
having you here with me, Miranda.” His eyes held hers piercingly. “And I
wouldn’t want to give the impression that I consider you no more than a sex
toy, to be used only for my pleasure.” He grinned suddenly, the flash of white
making her breath catch at how gorgeous he looked.
    “How kind of
you to be so...thoughtful. But there really is no need for you to change your
schedule to suit me. I don’t mind being left alone.”
    “Ouch. Nice. I
guess I shouldn’t expect you to want me around all the time. You need your
breathing space. I get it.”
    Miranda looked
away from his ironic smile. She didn’t mind his mocking tone; keeping things
this way helped insulate her from what was inevitably happening. For him, this
was just sex. Great sex it must be said, but that was all there was. The last
thing she needed was for him to feel he had to further “compensate” her with
more of his presence. Also, the less time they spent around each other, the
easier it would be to keep pretending she was still aloof to him.
    “How about
Carly?” she asked quickly, curious about his assistant whom she hadn’t been
seeing as often.
    “Actually, I
gave her the day off,” he said wryly, and Miranda felt like an idiot when she
realized he really had meant to spend the day with her. Her heart almost began
to lift with hope, but then she squashed it down. Jude was the ultimate
charmer; it cost him nothing to be nice. Again and again she had to remind
herself, it doesn’t mean anything .
    And yet, she
couldn’t help feeling a pang as she looked up and met his steady gaze. She wondered
what he was thinking, and why he was staring at her like that.
    “Miranda...” he
began, but his sentence was cut off by the sound of her name coming from the
entrance.
    Miranda turned
in amazement to find her brother stalking into the restaurant, and she saw Jude rise , his face expressionless.
    “You son of a
bitch!” Jeffery snarled, reaching their table, his eyes fastened on Jude. “I
want you to let my sister go.”
    The few other
diners glanced their way in curiosity, and Miranda wanted to sink into the
ground. “Jeff, what are you doing?” she hissed, her fists clenching.
    Her brother
barely glanced her way, holding Jude’s gaze angrily as he gritted out, “I’m
trying to get you out of this asshole’s clutches. I don’t give a damn what he
may have offered you, Miranda. You’re worth far more than any stupid company. I
don’t even care about that anymore.” And this time, he turned to look at her,
his expression pained. “I felt like such a dick for the way I attacked you over
Kirk. I never meant to push you into doing something like this .”
    “This was never
your fault,” she said quickly. “I...” But his earnest words cut her off.
    “No, Miranda,
listen to me; I flew straight here as soon as I could to tell you this: it
doesn’t matter. The company, getting it back; it doesn’t count as much as
keeping our dignity. And that’s why you’re coming back with me. I’m definitely not leaving you behind.
    “Jeff,
seriously...
    “No, he’s
right.
    Miranda stopped
short, turning to Jude when he spoke up for the first time. She looked at him
to find his face was an expressionless, marble mask
    “Everything
your brother says is true,” he went on calmly. “It was wrong, you being
practically blackmailed into this.
    “I’m an adult,
Jude; it was my decision to make.
    “Miranda, it
isn’t a decision if you were coerced into it. You’d never have agreed to be
with me if I hadn’t promised you the company. And for that, I’m sorry.
    “What do you
mean, you’re sorry? Are you backing out of this?
    “Don’t worry;
you’ll still get what we agreed upon. I’ll get the relevant papers signed and
delivered to you,” he said, his lips thinning in a humourless smile. “You’ve
more than earned it. And I release you from any obligation, Miranda. As from
right now, you owe me nothing.
    “Go to hell,
Jude