Chapter one

HAYLEY’s POV

“You are a fucking thief, Hayley and I should have known when I gave you this job.”

“You are fired, Hayley… I do not ever want to see you anywhere near my property.”

“You are good for nothing… very useless and on top that, a thief”

I took another swing of the bottle in my hand, my head buzzing with unsettled thoughts and the crippling fear that I was a twenty five years old jobless woman in New York.

I giggled at the thought, my eyes blurring as I took another swing of the beer. My throat burned and my eyes watered as the beer hit my tongue, traveling down to my stomach but I did not care… it was nothing compared to my shitty life.

Chester had been right about one thing when he broke up with me via letter, never minding that he had left me in crippling debt.He had said there was nothing I was good for and he had been right.

Here I was in the middle of a dingy bar and cradling a beer while I thought about how I wasn’t going to starve for the next couple of days until I got another fucked up job.

“You look like you need some company, little girl. What are you doing here all by yourself?” A voice said from behind me

I made no move to respond nor address the man until I felt a hand on my arm.

“Do not fucking touch me?” I snapped, shifting away and nearly stumbling.

“Now, now, do not be rude. I want to be friends, baby girl and you look like you need a shoulder to cry on” the man breathed down my neck, crowding my space.

My panicky eyes darted around the bar while I tried to avoid the horrible stench of his mouth. I did not think anyone had noticed our tussle and even if they had, I was sure it happened all the time in these places.

“I do not need a friend, please go away” I muttered more to myself than to the man.

He lunged forward, grabbing my arm again while I yelped in disgust and backed further away.

I tripped then, my eyes widening in the realization that I was about to be on my butt in this stinky crowded bar atop of everything else.

This has been the most shitty day

A strong arm wrapped around my waist, steadying me while I grabbed thin air. The first thing I noticed about this stranger was his scent… he smelled like roses.

Why would a man smell like roses? I thought to myself even as I let him continue holding me.

“The lady has asked you to back away” The deep rumble of his voice sent goosebumps down my spine.

“Is she yours?” The drunk in front of me asked.

“She is mine” The man announced.

I gasped at this, my breath hitching in my throat at his words.

The drunk man scoffed, turning away from us.

I sighed in relief, stepping forward and almost stumbling again.

“Watch it! So fucking clumsy” The man snapped, still holding unto my waist.

“Thank you for the…” I said, turning around.

The rest of my words died on my lips as my eyes met his. He was staring at him with lips pursued, waiting but there was nothing I could have said that would not come out as a squeak.

“Well?” He prompted

“Help” I squeaked

“I am Christian” He declared, putting out a hand.

“Hayley” I muttered, almost screaming when my hands touched his.

“Hayley” He echoed as if to sample the feel of my name on his tongue.

“Well, Hayley… I don’t know what you are doing here all alone but…”

“Are you with someone?” I blurted

Why had I said that? Blame it on the beer, I thought.

“I am sorry, I should not have… it is none of my bu…”

“I am not with anyone but I am a big, strong man and cannot be harassed” He interrupted

“Yes” I sighed dreamily. “I mean, you are right and I should not have come here alone”

My cheeks colored when he arched one perfectly carved eyebrow and I realized we were still holding hands.

“I will take you home”

“There is no need for that. Thank you for saving me, Christian but I will be fine on my own” I told him, retrieving my hand from his.

I grabbed my purse, still conscious of his eyes on the side of my face, searing me.

He still had his eyes on me by the time I turned and I smiled slightly in his direction, lunging for the door because I suddenly wanted to get away before I kissed the damned man.

The cold breeze of the outdoors hit me in the face, sobering me up instantly. It was dark but I could still get a cab and if not then maybe walking would do a lot of good.

I saw the light from a car approaching me and put my hand out until the man stopped in front of me.

“Seacreek?” I told him.

“Hop in”

I opened the car door, screaming for the second time that night when a hand touched my arm.

“Stop” Christian swore.

“What the fuck? You scared me… I thought I was about to be mugged for Christ sake”

“You are easily scared” He challenged

“That is not true” I protested. “You do not come up to someone from behind and expect to get a receptive welcome and it is late at night” I argued.

“Fine, I am sorry but we have to talk” He told me, signaling in the direction of the cab man.

The driver took the hint and drove away while I sighed in frustration.

“What is there for us to talk about, Christian” I asked.

“Hayley…”

“Before you begin, I do not hookup with random men or strangers and if that is what you are about then the answer will be no” I interrupted.

He stared at me like I had lost my mind before he laughed, curling my toes in my shoes.

“It is nothing like that, Hayley.” He reassured me. “I just… I think I can help you”

“What makes you think I need your help?” I questioned, insulted and exposed.

“You look like you are in need of saving” He paused, smiling to cushion the effect of his words. “You do not meet a beautiful girl such as yourself, drinking beer at a bar in the middle of the night if she does not have problems weighing her down and I kind of have a tiny problem of my own. We can help each other if you would listen to me”

“How?” I asked, genuinely curious.

I knew I should have told him off in that moment but something about how he had said he wanted to save me made me believe him.

Do not get me wrong, he looked exactly like the kind of person your mother must have warned you to run away from but in that moment, I did not think I had much of a choice.

“I want you to marry me” He announced, matter of fact.