Wife by Wednesday - By Catherine Bybee Page 0,3

onto the next. Your sister was smart to stay away and if you hadn't hit the bastard to protect your sister, and I'd found out about it, this interview would have been over before you even sat down."

"How the hell - "

"I have a very extensive list of contacts. Most of which I'm sure you'll know about before this day is out."

Damn right. He'd be on the phone with his assistant before he reached the car.

"What's this going to cost me, Ms. Elliot?"

"Consider me an agent. When your lawyer draws up the prenuptial agreement bear in mind that twenty percent of what you offer your future wife will be paid to me up front."

"And if I only offer her a small stipend?"

"The women I work with have a minimum spelled out in that stack of papers."

"And if the woman doesn't hold to her end of the deal? If she fights the contract after a year?"

Samantha stood, giving Blake no choice but to stand beside her.

"She won't."

"You sound so certain."

"The predetermined amount of money, her share, goes into an account. If the woman fights for more, that money pays your attorneys to squelch her. Anything left over is yours to keep. The only time this would change is if a child was brought into the picture and paternity tests proved it was yours. Family courts with kids aren't something I agree to deal with. It will be up to you to keep it in your pants, Mr. Harrison. That is of course if you intend to end the marriage after the agreed upon year. If not, then enjoy your happily ever after and name your child after me."

She'd thought of everything. To say he was impressed was an understatement.

"I need those papers by three this afternoon. I'll be in touch by five with a list of prospective women. We'll set up meetings as soon as tomorrow if your schedule allows."

Blake reached down, lifted her bag, and handed it to her.

She shoved a lock of unruly hair from her eyes and swung the handle over her shoulder. "Do you have any more questions for me, Mr. Harrison? Or should I be calling you, Your Grace?"

The slow way she rolled his title off her tongue with her hypnotic voice was something he could get used to. He wouldn't mind hearing it again, over the phone... "How about Blake?"

****

As soon as Sam knew she wasn't being watched, she slid behind the wheel of her car and allowed the Cheshire cat grin she'd been feeling deep inside her to spread over her face. An undignified Snoopy dance had her wiggling her butt in the soft leather. "About friggin' time," she whispered to herself.

The dashing Duke was her ticket to the big leagues. From the inception of Alliance, she'd pictured clients like Blake Harrison lining up for her services, rich men in need of finding a wife to check off their bucket list. She'd found wives for men who didn't have time, or the desire to go through the dating game. They weren't looking for love, but companionship. Some men wanted to claim a wife so that their lovers would stop bugging them for a ring. To date, she'd kept a steady income and personal referrals that built her business to sustain her.

With Harrison, and his estimated profit potential, she'd be able to pay her largest expense for a good two to three years, or so she hoped.

A millionaire on his own, Harrison didn't need his late father's money. But to allow a bank account that could buy out small countries to disappear into the melting pot of charity, or to the cousin Blake had mentioned, would be a shame. Especially with all the corruption and scandal associated with charities. There was no telling where that money would end up and whose pocket it would fatten.

Sam knew first hand how do-good money often fell into greedy hands.

Harrison's situation would bring up distractions she'd not faced before. His title might be the biggest problem to overcome. She'd have to screen the prospective women to make sure they didn't have fairytale dreams of being a Duchess. Years of Disney videos were hard to combat. Combine that with Harrison's over-the-top good looks, and the women she'd introduce him to would have to be blind not to want more from the man than his money.

The pictures she'd seen of him didn't do him justice. She'd always looked up to men, had to with her five foot five frame, but Blake