Lover Be Mine A Legendary Lovers Novel - By Nicole Jordan Page 0,23
for the Marriage Mart, and she is rather inexperienced when it comes to men in general. She is out of your league entirely.”
Jack returned her gaze solemnly. “I give you my word, I will not break her heart. At week’s end, if there is no chance of mutual affection between us, I won’t continue my courtship any further. And regardless, I will do my utmost to dissuade her from marrying Dunmore.”
“Very well, then. Ring the bell to summon my butler. I will send Sophie to meet you in the blue parlor downstairs so that you may reveal your plan to court her. I have tried more than once to talk her out of wedding Dunmore, but my efforts were futile. I earnestly hope you can succeed where I failed.”
Jack felt a surge of satisfaction at winning the first skirmish, but he didn’t expect Sophie to fall in line with his plans as easily and so braced himself for a protest.
His breath caught a little when she appeared at the parlor door a short while later. Desire came rushing back to tighten his loins and thrum in his blood. She looked incredibly lovely in a morning gown of pale green muslin, her dark hair spilling down around her shoulders in a riot of curls. He could envision those long, silky coils wrapped around him as their bodies writhed together. At the erotic image, hunger knifed through Jack, sharp and insistent.
Her deep blue eyes held an unmistakable flash of pleasure at seeing him, as well as wariness and a hint of suspicion. “My Aunt Eunice says you wrangled an invitation from her to join her house party along with your cousin, Lady Skye. Yesterday you claimed you were not set on stirring up mischief, but why else would you insist on attending if not to make trouble for me?”
“Because I mean to court you. I have your aunt’s blessing, by the way.”
Sophie’s brow creased. “You actually cajoled my aunt into aiding your courtship? I am all astonishment. What did you do, cast a spell on her?”
“I did my best to enchant her.”
She laughed unwillingly, then shook her head in exasperation. “You are truly unbelievable. I always heard you were a bold rogue, and now this.…”
“I told you, I don’t intend to skulk in the shadows,” Jack contended as he moved to stand before her.
“Well, you cannot court me in public. My father would be livid. And in any case, you don’t want to marry me.”
“Actually, I believe I might.”
She looked startled. Her lush mouth parted as she stared up at him in shock.
In truth, Jack had surprised himself by joining the lists for her hand. His reasons for pursuing Sophie were innate and intuitive rather than overtly comprehensible, but it felt right.
“You have a vexing habit of rendering me speechless,” she muttered after a moment. “I still think you are up to no good.”
“I assure you my motives are entirely pure,” Jack retorted. “I wouldn’t think of wooing you if you actually loved Dunmore. It wouldn’t be honorable.”
“Oh, now you are concerned with honor?”
He grinned. “Occasionally the concept crosses my mind.”
He took a step closer to Sophie. “Can you deny wanting to know if we are a match?”
Her lengthy hesitation spoke volumes. “No … but my father would never permit me to marry you.”
The prospect of betraying her parents troubled her greatly, Jack knew. “Then I will have to woo your father as well as you. Attending your aunt’s gathering will give me time to soften his animosity. And who knows? Perhaps we can even find a way to end the squabble between our families.”
Sophie frowned. “It is hardly a squabble. I told you how much the title means to him.”
“So you did,” Jack said more soberly.
“Then why won’t you abandon this futile quest?”
Reaching up, he pressed his fingers to her lips. “Because the stakes are too high. I am asking you to trust me, Sophie.… Will you do that much?”
The look that crossed her lovely features was one of hope, of wistful yearning. Then as she gazed up at him, sexual awareness suddenly joined the other expressive emotions in her beautiful eyes.
As his thumb stroked her lower lip, Sophie went still. Jack stepped even closer, breathing in her sweet scent, feeling the heat of arousal rising inside him. She could feel it too, he knew.
Desire shimmered between them, alive and palpable. And yet there was more to it than simple physical hunger. It was as if a powerful rush of need