Until This Lie Do Us Part

Chapter 2

As soon as he crossed the street and approached her, she glared at him. "It's getting cold out here" he said, sitting down next to her. "Hot chocolate?" he asked, holding it out to her.

"Seriously?" she asked, standing up. "Seriously!" she yelled, startling him some. "What the hell is your deal?" she asked him angrily. "Are you some kind of creeper who is just going to follow me around everywhere?" she asked.

"I'm not a creeper" he said defensively. No girl had ever called him that before. Now he was irritated.

"Then what the hell does a playboy like you want with me?" she asked, folding her arms. "Because if it's sex, you are barking up the wrong tree buddy" she informed him.

Stefan set the drinks aside and grabbed her arm, pulling her back down on the bench. She looked at him like she would rip his arm right off for touching her. "Okay, you want to know what I want with you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. Elena's eyes grew wide. He did want something. And he sounded serious. "I've got 12 million dollars waiting for me and I need your help to get it" he told her.

Elena's eyes grew bigger. "Twelve million?" she repeated.

Stefan nodded. "Yeah. Twelve million. And I can't touch it until I get married." He watched her reaction, but it was a blank stare.

"I ... I don't understand where I fit into all of this" she said, shaking her head and standing once again. "I have to get back" she said, beginning to walk away.

Stefan grabbed her hand and stopped her. "Elena" he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "If we get married, I will give you some of the money" he told her. She was a waitress for God's sake. She probably needed the money more than anyone.

Elena took immediate offense. "Excuse me?" she asked him in disbelief. "Are you out of your frickin' mind?" she blurted out. She was dreaming. That had to be it. Or it wasn't a dream and he was crazier than hell.

"Think about it, Elena" he said in a low whisper as a couple walked by. "I need this money. And thanks to a pain in the ass clause in the document, I have to marry someone. I don't want to be married. I don't want to have responsibility. I just want the money" he told her. "All I have to do is stay married for six months, long enough for all of the I's to be dotted and T's to be crossed so the money can be distributed" he explained. "This would strictly be a business deal" he assured her.

"You're crazy" Elena announced. "I'm not marrying you. I wouldn't marry you for money. I wouldn't marry you if you were the last person on this Earth!" she spat angrily at him. "This conversation is over. Find some poor stupid girl to play along with you" she said, walking away.

"One million!" he called out after her. Elena stopped abruptly. One million? Dollars? She fought the urge to let her financial situation cloud her mind. Stefan walked up behind her and stopped. "One million and all you have to do is stay married to me for six months. I can go over the details more specifically. But nothing really has to change. Except, you have to be one hell of an actress to make my family believe this is real" he told her. He hadn't planned on giving any girl that much money, but he realized right away that Elena needed a larger incentive than most girls. She had principles, and morals, and all that crap.

Elena could kick herself for even thinking about it. She needed the money. But six months of Stefan? That would surely kill her before she even got her money. She turned around slowly. "I don't have to sleep with you?" she questioned.

Stefan smirked. "You don't have to, but, I can't say that you won't want to" he told her, thinking he was being cute.

"Forget it" she said, turning and leaving again.

God she was so sensitive. "Wait!" he said, running after her. "I was kidding" he said, only half telling the truth. She did not look convinced. "I won't expect anything of you except to make this believable in front of others" he told her.

"This is insane" Elena told him, feeling the urge to smack the hell out of him and leave.

"Probably" Stefan agreed. "But we can do this" he assured her. "We both win here." Elena looked past him, thinking. "Look, you don't have to decide right now. Just meet me for dinner tomorrow and we will discuss this in full." Elena looked hesitant. "Eight, my place, tomorrow night" he told her.

Elena blew out a frustrated breath. "Six, The Grill" she said instead. She was going to make the rules, not him.

"Done" Stefan agreed. Elena began walking away again, shaking her head. She was crazy. "I'll pick you up!" he called after her.

"I'll meet you there" she countered, calling back over her shoulder. She picked up her pace some and made her way back towards the diner.

Stefan smiled as he watched her walk away. No matter how he did it, he always got what he wanted. Elena was as good as his.