The Convenient Marriage

"Please god send me a saviour!"

Miri spoke aloud as she stared in frustration at her laptop.

The doorbell rang. Miri started in surprise. A saviour?

She went down the stairs and swung the door open wide. She recognised him right away. Carter Carrington, old money playboy investor, a frequent star of Page Six gossip columns. What was he doing on her doorstep on a Monday morning?

Miri peered around to see if he was alone, nope just one handsome playboy on her doorstep all alone. The day was warm and the dress in the street green and lush. Carter wore jeans and short-sleeved check shirt.

"Can I help you?" She said.

Carter grinned, oh wow thought Miri he really is devastatingly handsome.

The handsome head spoke, "I'm hoping we can help each other."

Miri stared at him, "And how can New York's number one playboy help me?"

Carter grimaced, "Ah, my reputation precedes me. You know not everything they print in the press is true, right?"

Miri shifted from foot to foot and thought about it, "Where there's smoke there's fire."

Carter grinned again, he liked a woman who answered back. Too many of his dates lately had laughed at everything he said, agreed with everything he said, angled to be Mrs Carter Carrington.

Carter spoke, "May I come in?"

Miri looked affronted, "Sorry, I don't let strangers in my house."

Carter turned up his hands, "Well we just established you do know me. I'm here to make you a deal, I know you're having trouble with Fielder Retail. I'm here to see what we can do for each other. I've come to your house so no one knows we're meeting."

Miri paused. Miri was the heir to Fielder Retail, a company established by her great grandparents. Fielder was in a lot of trouble. Malls were failing, sales were down and under mismanagement, no one had truly taken Fielder online. Miri intended to fix all that, turning the company into an online fashion Mecca and moving it into the 21st century.

Except for the part where at 26, she wouldn't control the company until she fully came into her inheritance at 30. In the meantime the company was being run by incompetent managers she couldn't fire.

If Carter Carrington had some help to offer she was open to hearing him out.

Miri opened the door and gestured for Carter to come in, "Come in, but you're not sitting down."

Carter laughed, "Yes M'am."

Miri led Carter into a sitting room, trying not to think about how good looking he was. She could see his muscles in his short-sleeve shirt. I guess, she thought, it's not just money those supermodels are after.

They stood facing each other. Carter didn't look like a bleary-eyed playboy, thought Miri. And Miri, thought Carter, looked hot in a prim way in her midi dress and sensible shoes. There was no hiding that bombshell body.

"Well," said Miri, "How do you know anything about my company?"

Carter let off a slight shrug, "I'm an investor. It's my job to know. I know you can't take control of the company until you're thirty and you need to if you're going to save it. You also need a cash injection even if you did take control."

Miri flushed, "No, I do not. How dare you come into my home and tell me how to run my company."

Carter grinned, "You're cute when you're mad. And it's not your company is it? Not really. Not yet. But it could be.

Furious and curious Miri ventured, "And how could it be?"

Carter smiled, "Marry me."

There was silence. The two stood facing each other as Miri looked at Carter in amazement. Maybe he was on drugs. Who shows up at a strangers house on a Monday morning and offers to marry them?

Miri gathered herself, "So I see the drug rumours are true."

Carter laughed, "'I've never touched a drug in my life but I have touched the documents that refer to your trust. Did you know that if you get married you gain control of the company? You don't have to wait until you are 30?"

Miri was startled. How did he have access to her trust documents?

Carter continued, "I'm here to ask you to marry me. You marry me, we take over the company and save it, I make some money on my investment. Eventually, we go our separate ways marriage wish. It's just on paper."

Miri spoke, "You'd marry someone you don't know to control a company, you're that ruthless?"

Carter shrugged, "I would, yes. I see what I want and I take it by any means possible."

Miri replied, "You better sit down."

The pair sat and talked it over. While a wild idea, Miri was prepared to do anything to save the company. Even if it meant marrying a notorious playboy. As they talked Miri tried to push down the feelings of arousal. Carter was just so sexy, so alpha, so rude sometimes. He was everything she was supposed to not like. Prim and proper Miri was used to dating sober-minded men who gently made love to her. She was not so sure how gentle Carter would be.

Winding up their talk Carter said, "So, it's agreed then. Subject to discussing it with our lawyers we agree to marry in name until you can control the company in your own right. I will offer my services and investment in return for a stake in the company.

Miri nodded, "And we maintain separate lives."

Carter nodded, "Or course. But do I get a kiss to seal the deal?"

Miri was affronted, "Absolutely not."

Carter smiled, "We'll see."

Miri glared at the playboy, "Let me be clear Carter Carrington it will be a cold day in hell before you are ever in my bed. The door is that way, thanks for stopping be."

Carter knew when to exit. He headed to the door and Miri tried not to stare at his broad back as he left. A cold day in hell, she told herself, a cold day in hell.