Chapter 1 - Signing a marriage contract and becoming Adrian Moore's fake wife!

Liz Walters sniffed as she wiped her tear-streaked cheeks.

“I didn’t know I have an asshole of a cousin!” She mumbled to herself, unbothered by the people close to her staring at her as though she was insane.

“I can’t believe I’m fucking broke.” She couldn’t stop whining about her misery.

Her life took a terrible turn all thanks to her good for nothing cousin, the same cousin she trusted with all her money, her savings and apartment.

Enough was enough. No more crying, Liz! She reprimanded herself as she used the music blasting from the speakers to calm her tensed muscles. She needed to loosen up.

Thrusting aside those thoughts, she took a sip of her cocktail. She was starting to feel the heat of the whiskey in it. It burned down her throat and warmed up her chest. It felt good.

It was a bitter-sweet feeling.

She lifted the glass to her mouth to take another sip. But she got distracted when a man came to stand beside her and ordered in a deep, tipsy voice, “Scotch on the rocks.”  

His voice was as fluid as hot caramel.

Curious about the man, Liz stole a quick glance, and her breath got caught in her throat.

The man was already looking at her and… their gazes locked.

He was tall; probably six-three or six-four, with Atlas-size broad shoulders and a narrow waist, the man wore a well fitted business suit of dark gray with subtle pinstripes, complete with a solid, darker vest. A black tie and matching pocket square rounded out the look.

His thickly muscled arms flexed as he swiped a hand through his dark brown hair. One broad hand smoothed his jacket.

He was, well, different from all the other men she’d met before. He was handsome, not perhaps in the conventional sense, but he had that appearance which could make him stand out in the crowd. He was fair, almost pale white. His unfathomable, dark green eyes contrasted exceptionally with his light toned face.

He gave a devil-may-care outlook.

“Are you okay?” The man asked her. His voice sent a shiver gliding down her back. She fought the urge to quiver.

Liz pointed at herself as if to asked, are you talking to me? There was no way this handsome man was talking to an average looking woman like her, she thought.

The man cocked a perfect eyebrow at her. “You seem upset.”

Realization dawned on her that he was indeed speaking to her.

“Yeah…” she whispered, still not so sure if she should start a conversation with a stranger while she was already feeling slightly drunk. She knew what this could lead to but then, she decided to just pour out her pent up frustrations and feelings. “I have had a bad day.”

“I could tell…” he drawled out.

His words sent Liz’s heart into her throat. Oh, crap. Crap, crap, crap. Could it be that he’d heard me complaining about my cousin, about my broke ass? She didn’t want to be embarrassed in front of a man like him.

Hell, there might not be enough alcohol in the bar to save her face from going up in flames. She could already feel the heat crawling up her neck at the mere thought of this man watching her rambling about her shitty life from afar.

She’d thought she would be free to drown herself in her sorrows with some drinks without anyone poking their noses in her business. Yet, she’d captured the attention of this man when she wasn’t even here to hang out with any man.

Every time she’d come down at the Helium bar ready to mingle, she’d never caught the interest of any man… but tonight, it happened when she least expected it. It was the last thing Liz wanted. She was no doubt looking terrible. Could this day get any worse?

She was relieved when the man kept the conversation going naturally and said, “Let me introduce myself…”

But then, she caught him watching her fidget nervously with her fingers, so, she quickly held the stem of the coupe glass which was chilled to the touch to hide her nervousness.

“I’m Adrian Moore.”

She swallowed hard. “I’m Liz. Walters. Liz Walters.”

A dark, seductive grin revealed dimples.

She’d never had an opinion on dimples. Suddenly, she loved them… craved them and thought every man should have them.

Shifting his green gaze down to the drink in her hands, he asked, “No offense but isn’t that drink too strong for a woman like you?”

Liz glanced from him to her cocktail and then shrugged, “Thought this would help me forget the bad day I had.”

“That’s… interesting.” Adrian flipped open the lower button on his jacket and slipped one hand in his pocket as he leaned against the bar countertop, facing her. “If you don’t mind, may I know what happened?”

She started feeling a bit tipsy. In spite of her conscience warning her, she found herself saying.

“My cousin swindled me out of my savings and apartment.” Liz disclosed with a tired sigh. “And here I am, spending the little money I’ve got left on drinks!”

Adrian glanced down at the luggage she’d left stranded at her feet. His lips twitched. “With your luggage in tow.”

Liz couldn’t help chuckling at her own miserable state.

She hated to admit this but she felt a lot better getting this off her chest. It didn’t matter anymore that she was telling a stranger about her personal life.

Her cousin, Drake, had ruined her perfect plan. She’d given him all her savings and even sold her apartment to give him the rest of the money with the promise that he would buy her the house she’d set her eyes on for years now.

Liz waited for him at the side road with all her luggage packed since this morning. But, he never returned.

It was with great regret that she’d finally registered the fact that she had been swindled by her own cousin.

Morning became afternoon and afternoon became night. She’s watched the whole day passed by as everyone went on with their life while hers had gotten stuck. She’s never felt this hopeless and helpless standing by the road, abandoned like a fool.

She felt like her life literally stopped while she was stranded in the middle of nowhere.

“I see I got here just in time to save the day.” Adrian winked at her.

Dreaded heat flooded Liz’s cheeks. One wink from this sexy man and she completely melted to a puddle on the floor. “W-What do you mean?” She stuttered, her voice faltering.

Adrian met her gaze. “I have a proposal for you.”

“Proposal…?” Liz arched an inquiring eyebrow at him. “What kind of proposal?”

“Sign a marriage contract with me and be my fake wife for three months.” He suggested with an indifferent shrug of his shoulder.

Except for the loud music playing around them, temporary silence fell over them until she decided to break it. “What’s in it for me?”

“A salary and a house… you get to stay with me at my place.” A slow, lazy grin tugged at his lips.

“I don’t even know you.” Liz darted a glance at Adrian. His grin never faltered, but his face seemed to tighten.

“Well, we’ve got the whole night in front of us to get to know each other.” His stare grew a little more heated as he held her gaze.

Liz’s heart started racing in anticipation at the double meaning behind his words.

She held her glass to her lips and chugged down the rest of her cocktail to buy herself some time. She raised her hand to order another one when Adrian signaled at the bartender, “Get the lady another one of those drinks.”

The bartender was quick, not wanting to defy Adrian’s orders. His reactions to Adrian got her thinking.

Who exactly was Adrian Moore? Was he an influential business man around here?

The bartender appeared to be scared of him as though he didn’t want to mess up when it came to Adrian’s demands. It wasn’t only now that Liz had noticed the bartender’s weird behavior around Adrian.

From the very moment Adrian came to stand beside her, the bartender had started being extra careful with the party-goers sitting by the countertop.

Could Adrian be the boss of the Helium bar? Liz couldn’t help but think about the identity of the handsome man who’d taken a liking to her.

When the bartender placed another cocktail in front of her, Adrian said, “This one’s on me. Enjoy!” 

Liz remained silent, occupying herself by swirling the drink in her glass.

She noted Adrian’s stare on her but she kept her eyes on her drink until she heard him sighing tiredly, shifting his eyes elsewhere.

Despite all her baffling thoughts, Liz watched Adrian dig through his briefcase and couldn’t help but admire the chiseled line of his jaw and broad sweep of his shoulders.

She snapped out of her reverie when he placed something in front of her. It was the contract.

What the hell? Was he going around with the contract in his briefcase? How many women had he already asked before coming to her with the proposal? Had he been rejected? Why would any woman reject a man like him?

Did he not find anyone? Was that why he came to an average looking woman like her? Here goes her self-respect. Liz felt her chest squeeze in discomfort at her own thoughts. I should have known… no man would have been so interested to speak to me had there been nothing in it for them!

Hesitating for a split second, Liz made her decision. She held the papers in her hands and started flipping through the pages, reading its contents, its rules and regulations.

Adrian Moore had experienced a moment of absolute, unanticipated desire when he’d caught sight of Liz Walters. He’d seen lots of beautiful women before, but Liz was something else.

At somewhere near six feet in heels, she looked up at him with glistening denim-blue eyes framed by long black lashes. Pale pink lips had parted as she’d sucked in a breath. Color had stolen across her high cheekbones.

She’d dropped her gaze when she’d realized that he was indeed speaking to her.

Something inside him had shifted then… hard.

He knew instantly that she was the one he’d been looking for… she’d be perfect for the job, he’d thought.

She was the kind of woman he needed. Simple and modest, not like the arrogant woman his mother wanted him to marry.

Adrian had decided right there and then that he would never marry Jocelyn Hudson for she always showed an offensive attitude of superiority around her employees but acted as though she was the sweetest human alive around him.

But, Adrian knew that she was two faced.

When he’d heard Liz rambling about her cousin’s deceit, he just knew she’d be ready to sign the contact with him since it would benefit both of them.

She would get a chance to earn some money and would get to stay at his place while he would have a fake wife to throw dust in his parents’ eyes. They would have no choice but to respect his decision and accept Liz as his legal wife.

His parents would have to give him the sole ownership of the Moore’s corporation like they promised once he’d be married to this attractive woman beside him.

They wanted him married so he’d be once Liz would sign the contract but why was she taking so long to sign it?

Adrian bit his lower lip in nervousness as he waited patiently for Liz to sign the contract.

She took her time to read it thoroughly. Everything seemed to be going just fine until her forehead creased up with confusion with her gaze fixed on a certain spot on the paper.

He opened his mouth to ask her what the matter was when she spoke.

“Why do I have to sleep in the same room with you?” She slurred in between her words.

Was she already drunk? Adrian thought. He hated to admit it but he could feel himself getting a tad bit tipsy as well.

He shook his head to snap out of it and drawled out, “You’ll be my fake wife so…”

She hummed in response and chuckled at her own stupidity. “Right… we’ll have to pretend to be a happy married couple… got it!” She chimed before holding the pen Adrian had placed beside the contract in her right hand and… signed her name on the contract.

Adrian felt like he could finally breathe. He hadn’t realized that he’d been holding his breath.

The last thing he remembered was telling his secretary, James to book them both a hotel room.