The Earl's Outrageous Lover Page 0,42

I allow myself to be so silly as to fall in love with a man who is completely unpredictable, thrives on being as inappropriate as possible and can’t have a serious conversation to save his soul.”

Edward laughed, since he thought of Jessica in exactly that manner. He wasn’t sure what he felt for Jessica right now. He just knew that he wasn’t going to let her out of his life. And he’d be dammed if he’d let her marry some other man. The crazy woman was his and he damn well protected what was his! “Well, when you finally admit it, I hope you and James will be very happy together.”

Julianna waved that away. “James and I won’t work,” she reiterated. “But I am very sorry that you and I won’t either.”

He smiled and patted her hand. “Everything works out exactly as it’s supposed to, I think.”

She smiled back at him, relieved that he was taking this so well. She thought about it for a moment, then looked at him more closely. “You’re in love with Jessica, aren’t you?” she guessed.

Edward grimaced, but nodded his head. “Crazy in love,” he admitted.

Julianna sighed, more relieved than she could have thought possible. “I should be furious with you, I think,” she said as she broke into a laugh. “Isn’t this about the time that I start raving about how horrible you are for letting me go on and on about sleeping with James when you’re….” she stopped, blushing prettily as she hovered over the issue at hand. “Well, you know….”

“Yes,” he laughed right along with her. “And yes, this is the time when we both should be screaming at each other for the other’s infidelities.”

Julianna giggled slightly. “Well, I guess things did work out pretty well after all, eh?”

Edward sighed. “We’re still in a bit of a mess though. I’ve got to get her to marry me.”

Julianna patted his hand this time. “I don’t think you’ll have to do much convincing.”

“She’ll hate me in the morning.”

“Just be your normal, charming self and she’ll be the happiest woman on earth.”

He warmed to her reassurance, but he wasn’t exactly sure how to go about making all of this happen. Jessica wasn’t the kind of woman he was used to. He thought about just ordering her to pick out a dress and meet him at the church, but he suspected that Jessica would have some issues with that mandate. She didn’t strike him as the kind of woman who would take orders very well.

Julianna stood up and took a deep, cleansing breath. “Well, this was much easier than I was expecting.”

Edward stood up with her, his thumb catching a tear that escaped and was traveling slowly down her delicate cheek. “Are you going back to James?” he asked.

Julianna shook her head. “He’s definitely not the man for me. I don’t want to be bogged down in his craziness. I need a bit more control over my world.”

Edward considered giving her some advice, but since he had a beautiful, naked woman upstairs in his bedroom and he had no idea how to make that permanent, he didn’t feel up to offering her anything. “I’m here for you. Always.” They were in the foyer now, standing underneath the dimmed lights and he gave her a hug. “You’ll be fine. And if not, I’ll punch his lights out for you. Okay?”

She laughed and laid her head against his chest. “See? There’s that incredible charm,” she teased.

Edward closed the door behind her, then wondered how he was going to get Jessica to the altar.

He walked back up the stairs, ready to crawl right back into bed with his sleeping beauty. When he reached his room though, the woman in question was nowhere to be found.

“Jessica?” he called out, checking the bathroom. Even her clothes were gone. He raced down the stairs, calling out her name and feeling as if something was wrapping around his chest and tightening. Something told him to find Jessica. Fast! Calling out her name, he raced through the rooms, checking each to see if perhaps she’d just decided to curl up somewhere and read or have a cup of coffee. Tea, actually. He knew that Jessica didn’t drink coffee, preferring tea. Why he was thinking about her beverage preferences at a time like this, he had no idea.

“Jessica!” he called out and rushed into the kitchen, an area he’d rarely seen. But she wasn’t here either. His housekeeper stepped out of her bedroom which was