The Miami Millionaire Read Free Page A

was something quite nice and comfortable about it.  For all the very prim and properness of his smartly-cut suit there was a strength and almost roughness to his hand that didn’t quite match his look, like someone who worked with their hands.  She liked the contrast.  It was almost as if by holding his hand he had let her into a little secret that everyone else didn’t know - a little something about Jake the private man that nobody else could see.
     
    “Smile for the cameras.”  Jake said as his cheeky grin changed to one of total professionalism and serious smiles.
    ‘Cameras?  What cameras?’ Victoria thought having totally forgotten about everything else apart from the closeness of this stranger and the feeling of his hand holding hers.  But then she became very much aware of a crowd of people running towards them with cameras clicking and mini tape recorders held in their outstretched hands. 
     
    Victoria tried to take an involuntary step away from Jake wondering what on earth was going on, but Jake wasn’t giving way and she stayed firmly in place. Then it occurred to her!  Jake Cumberland!  The Jake Cumberland of Creative Technology Holdings!  The Chairman and founder of one of the biggest American new technology companies who was now launching several new products over here in the United Kingdom. Of course she had known he was coming to the fete today, but as the donations and arrangements had been made by his public relations team at the last minute she hadn’t had time to research much information on the Chairman himself.  Victoria had managed to find some articles on his products and the success of his company, but she hadn’t actually seen a photograph of Jake Cumberland himself and this wasn’t what she had been expecting at all.  Victoria had expected a much older man in his fifties or sixties to pull up in a big black limo, not this thirty something fit Adonis-like man to come crashing down from the sky!
     
    As the crowd of reporters closed in Jake turned Victoria away from the encroaching crowd and casually steered her in the direction of a large black promotional lorry parked at the far side of the fete which seemed to have arrived whilst she was in the beer tent.  Still with his professional smile in place for the clicking cameras, he kept his voice low so only she could hear him. “And what do you do Victoria Pembrose?  When you are not enjoying a country fete that is?”
    “I’m in marketing.  In-fact I am one of the organisers for this fete, and on that note I would like to personally thank you for your very generous donations to our raffle and tombola.  You have been a great help in raising a sizeable amount of money today.  It’s all going to a wonderful cause.”  She continued to walk with Jake towards the lorry, still hand in hand.
    “No problem, anything for a good cause.” 
    Again came that squeeze of his hand.  Victoria flashed him a look and once again she was mesmerised by his crystal clear blue eyes - they were so unusual and contrasted with his almost jet black hair.
    “So you’re a local?  Do you live near here?”  Jake asked as they finally reached his destination, the promo lorry.
    “No, I’m from London.  I’m just here for the day.”
    Jake raised that eyebrow again, they were a long way away from London.  He didn’t need to ask her the question, his expression did it for him.
    “I grew up near here and a friend of mine is on the committee.  The charity we are raising money for today is very close to her heart, and as no one else had any marketing knowledge and I work in marketing, she asked me for a favour and I said I would give them a hand.”
     
    Jake looked around at the large field full of gazebos and marquees bursting at the seams with hundreds of people all happily buying local handmade produce and sipping drinks.  He realised his PR team had been right about the age group of the people here, there was a good mix but the beer