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"People who don't have to know...won't know. But people who you trust and care about...you won't have to lie to them either."

Pippi found herself shaking her head in a literal attempt to shake off his hold on her, but it was impossible. It was almost as if he had put a curse on her, and she found his every word alluring!

"You can tell your family you're in a relationship with me, and it would be the truth. They'd have no reason to worry about you. That's important to you, isn't it?"

It was, dammit. She would never want to give her family any reason to worry.Never.But how was it that he knew of this, too? It left her feeling torn between glaring at him and bursting into tears, and before she knew it, the words had already flown out of her mouth."You're like the devil in disguise."She meant it as a joke, but somehow the words ended up sounding half accusing.

Even so, this only made him laugh, and the sound itself was devilish as well, with the way it made her breasts swell and her thighs tremble.

Bloody, bloody, bloody -

"I'm glad to hear you're finding it hard to resist me," Acheron purred.

Hell!

Pippi choked back a slightly hysterical laugh. God help her, but the man's gall was unbelievable. Squaring her shoulders, she told herself that all this crazy talk had gone on long enough, and it was time for her to come back to reality. Taking a deep breath, she said carefully, "Mr. Simonides—-"

"Acheron," he corrected her.

"Mr. Simonides," she said stubbornly.

"Acheron." His voice was very gentle. "Or..." His gaze slowly moved down to settle on her lips, the action silently spelling out his threat to kiss her if she persisted against his wishes.

She was frowning unhappily at him now, but Acheron only found this promising. Compared to the women whose obsession with his money made them sickeningly sycophantic, Pippi's inability to pretend was a refreshing and welcome change. He only hoped two months wouldn't prove long enough to have her turn out the same as the rest.

"I just don't understand," she said stiltedly. "I didn't plan...I really don't want to ask this, but...why me?"

"I don't know," he said simply. It was the truth, and he had only spoken it because she had been similarly truthful with him. "All I know is that we want each other—-" His dark gaze warned her from making any unnecessary protests that he would have no trouble disproving. "And I'm willing to pay any price for the right to fuck you."

Pippi couldn't help but wince.Did he really have to be so graphic?She should feel insulted, and yet her stupid body actually felt the opposite, with the way her nipples tightened with arousal.

Lifting her chin, she said haltingly, "There's no price—-"

"I'm afraid there always is," he interrupted.

She stiffened. "Are you saying you can buy me?"

He met her offended gaze unflinchingly. "I'm saying I know what you need. A risk-free situation, in which you'll be able to keep your ideals intact, your conscience clean, and your life uncomplicated...all the while indulging your wildest, most unspeakable fantasies—-"

Acheron Simonides slowly looked down at her, his midnight-black eyes turning into a reflection of the darkest piece of her soul, and her body responded to it shamelessly and instantly. Her breasts swelling and curving, her nipples tightening, and moisture - so, so much moisture building between her thighs as visions flashed in her mind, exquisitely lurid premonitions of how the two months could turn out to be—-

Acheron undressing her...

Acheron lowering his body on top of her...

Acheron entering her...

Acheron, Acheron, Acheron...

"Everything you'd ever want a man to do to you, I'd do it a thousand times better. You just have to become mine."