The Earl's Outrageous Lover Page 0,31
I’m sure there’s an issue with kidnapping here.”
“In public?” he laughed and shook his head. “Be real, Jessica.”
Jessica tried to pull out of his arms once again but he pulled her tighter, molding her against him and she gasped, looking up into his eyes. She saw the fire in his eyes and shook her head. “You’re not playing fair.”
“I never play fair. I play to win.” He glared right back at her and finally said, “Please explain to me why I leave you with a perfectly acceptable man and every time I turn around, I find you with a man who is the complete opposite of who you should be conversing with? The two men I’ve pulled you away from would be more than happy to share your bed, Jessica, but they won’t marry you. Not even for all of your father’s money. So focus on the assignment!”
The music ended and in typical Edward fashion, he turned to politely applaud the musicians. She took that moment to escape, walking away from him as quickly as she could in the opposite direction.
Before she could get more than a few steps, Edward was right beside her, guiding her over to the edge of the ballroom. “What’s going on with you, Jessica?” he asked, his face a mask of indifference but she could see the anger in his eyes.
She stared up at him for a stunned moment, then it came to her. He really didn’t get it. He had absolutely no clue what kind of man she was interested in. She was twenty-five years old, forced to marry or have thousands of people lose their jobs and the only part of this situation that can make it palatable is to find someone she’s attracted to. And he was intent on shoving boring or irritating men in her direction.
“Do you honestly believe that either of the men you’ve pushed on me might be interesting companions for the rest of my life?” she asked, wondering what he might think about marriage and her prospects in general.
“I think they are good, solid men who would be happy to have you.”
She blinked. “Okay, do you think I would be happy to have them?”
He crossed his arms over his chest, shrugging slightly. “I honestly have no idea what kind of man interests you. But I think you should stick to probable candidates instead of the ones who are just out for an easy conquest.”
She was fed up with him and his obtuseness. Poking him in the chest with her forefinger, she leaned up to him, trying to emphasize her anger. “Why don’t you just leave me alone and let me go about this my own way. I refuse to let you convince me that I’m some sort of horrible leper or an ugly bug that needs to be married off to the first available man who can stomach me. I put more value on myself than you do and think that my prospects are much better than men who step on my toes and can’t dance and talk at the same time, or some guy who has mother issues. So just stay out of this!”
She started to turn around and walk away, but once again, he stopped her and turned her back so she was facing him. This time though, he had her back up against the ballroom wall and he was looming over her. She tried to pretend it didn’t impact her, but this side of Edward was downright intimidating. “No, Jessica. This is the way it’s going to work. I took on this task and I’m going to see it through whether you like it or not. We’re going to get you married to someone who will treat you well and who you have a small amount of affection for and you’re going to go about your life making babies or traveling or whatever else it is that you want to accomplish in this world. While that is happening, you’re going to listen to my advice and honestly assess the men I introduce you to.”
“And if I don’t like them at all?”
“You mean after you’ve given them a fair chance to represent themselves?”
She bristled at the implication that she hadn’t given the previous two men a chance to show off their best sides. But she didn’t think either of them had a good side so she had no qualms about dismissing them. “I think I give everyone a fair chance before I know whether I am