Samantha James by A Perfect Groom

Author:A Perfect Groom
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

And what had he done? He hadn’t been appalled. He hadn’t been disgusted. He’d simply held her, and it had felt remarkably good and right. And…oh, but she’d wanted him to hold her again this afternoon, back at the stream. She wanted him to kiss her as if there was no tomorrow…

Oh, but she was a fool! He’d kissed her once—once!—and surely it wouldn’t happen again. It was well known the woman didn’t exist who could put his heart under lock and key.

So why had he called her beautiful? Had he meant it? Of course not. Her heart contracted. From his own lips, he was a womanizer, a niggling little voice reminded her. No doubt it was naught but habit, a slip of the tongue, in much the same way he called her sweetheart.

Still, a curious sadness dwelled in her breast. Ah, if only…

On and on her emotions squalled and blustered in her chest. But he was right about one thing. She was wild. Wanton, and a little shameless. Lord, but she was a hypocrite! To think she had lectured him as she once had…Her conscience was proving most troublesome indeed. She was shocked at her own audacity as they had sat at the stream. Why had she queried him as she had?

Oh, indeed, she had no doubt that many of the tales she’d heard of his scandalous behavior were true. He’d admitted as much this afternoon. Never had he pretended to be anything but what he was. A rogue and a rascal. A rake and a libertine.

And yet…a part of her whispered that he wasn’t the cold-hearted man he pretended to be, though everyone was convinced he was.

From the corner of her eye, she saw him drop a fond kiss on Julianna’s cheek. Her throat tightened oddly. When he was with his family, he was…different somehow. With them, he was care free, not care less. He wasn’t what she’d first been so convinced he was, uncaring or insensitive. Last night, she realized shakily, had proved it.

She didn’t know what to make of it. She didn’t know what to make of him.

A high-pitched squeal pierced the air, followed by another. Sebastian and Devon’s little ones were tottering across the lawn as fast as their chubby little legs would carry them. Every so often they glanced behind at their pursuer, Justin. A woman Arabella suspected was their nurse trailed behind. Arabella shook her head as if to clear it.

Even as she watched, he caught up with them, laughing, scooping them up, one in each arm. It was a sight so unexpected, so startlingly unlike the man she thought she knew, that her jaw nearly dropped open. At that precise instant he raised his head.

Their eyes tangled. Arabella couldn’t have looked away if the earth had crumbled beneath her feet. Indeed, she decided hazily, that was how he made her feel.

Long legs closed the distance between them. The little ones were still giggling in delight as he came to a halt directly before her.

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