Lover Be Mine A Legendary Lovers Novel - By Nicole Jordan Page 0,5
I assure you. I am very careful in that regard.”
His own mother had borne him out of wedlock, although she hailed from a much different class than the Arundel Home’s occupants. As a former bastard himself, Jack hadn’t wanted to sire any by-blows, so he took precautions in all his love affairs.
“Then why would you become a trustee?” Miss Fortin asked.
Because it was a personal mission for him, supporting unwed mothers. Perhaps irrationally, he had a deep-seated, quixotic need to aid women like his mother, who might find themselves alone and helpless.
Yet he had no desire to make his personal crusade common knowledge. He’d never told anyone about his commitment to the Arundel Home—not his relatives, not even Skye, whom he was closest to among his family members.
Still, he had to tell Sophie Fortin something to satisfy her curiosity. “Like you, I once knew someone who could have benefited from an institution like Arundel.”
She studied him for another long moment, then nodded as if coming to a conclusion about him. When she next spoke, her tone had softened. “I think your generosity is admirable.”
Jack shrugged. “It is nothing. I merely donate my race winnings to the Home.”
“Winnings that are undoubtedly significant, given your success at carriage racing. And I suspect the women you help there do not consider your contributions ‘nothing.’ ”
“Well, pray keep your observations to yourself. No one outside of Arundel knows of my involvement.”
Her quizzical look suggested she was trying to understand him. “You are definitely a puzzle, Lord Jack. Why don’t you want anyone to know about your altruism?”
Because he kept his personal feelings private, even from his family. He didn’t open up easily, especially not to sheltered young ladies who were practically strangers, as Miss Fortin was.
But he deflected her question with a sardonic grin and an exaggeration. “Growing up as the youngest male Wilde cousin, I had the devil of a time holding my own with my brother and my cousin Quinn. They would have roasted me alive for such softness.”
In their youth, his adopted brother Ash and his cousin Quinn would have ragged him mercilessly for any tender feelings toward the fair sex, although that was certainly not the case now.
“Philanthropy is not considered a manly pursuit,” Jack added jokingly with a silent apology to them both.
“I doubt anyone would ever think of you as a man-milliner, my lord. But your secret is safe with me.”
The glimmer of laughter was back in her eyes, and Jack found himself caught again by her spell as he studied his would-be Juliet.
She was a puzzle herself. At twenty years of age, Miss Fortin was supposed to be young, naive, innocent. Instead, she seemed astute, clever, and perceptive. She was definitely not spineless or docile as he’d anticipated. And her frankness made him like her even more.
Which only compounded his dilemma. He’d planned to get her alone, then satisfy himself that there was nothing to Kate’s mad theory and go on his way.
The trouble was, Sophie Fortin thoroughly and utterly intrigued him. Too damned much, devil take her.
As the silence between them drew out, she suddenly seemed to grow aware of how intently they were staring at each other.
Tearing her gaze from his, she bent and demurely donned her stocking, garter, and slipper, then returned her attention to him.
“Thank you for your gallantry in tending to my wound, Lord Jack, but I must go.”
“Not so quickly, Miss Fortin. I mean to claim my kiss now.”
Her laughter faded, to be replaced by uncertainty.
“I need to be able to tell Skye and Kate that I succeeded,” he explained.
“I cannot kiss you.”
“You are not engaged to Dunmore yet, are you?”
“No.”
“Then what is the impediment?”
Her gaze dropped to his mouth, then lifted again, but she offered no reply.
“Think of it as an experiment,” Jack urged when she kept silent. “I simply want to test my sister’s hypothesis.”
A true statement, he rationalized. If Sophie Fortin was easily frightened by kissing him, then she couldn’t possibly be his ideal mate.
When she remained unmoving, he leaned forward until her lips were close enough to capture. He breathed in her sweet, feminine scent, then let his mouth caress hers with a featherlight pressure.
She gave a soft gasp at that mere contact, while he turned instantly hard at her delectable taste.
Jack drew back sharply. He’d known very few females who could arouse him so quickly, which in itself was an ominous sign. The stark attraction was there between them, without question.