Against the Odds by Lisa Kleypas

Author:Lisa Kleypas
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Historical
ISBN: 9781417700806
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2003-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 4

Lydia said unsteadily, "I want to ask a favor of you."

His golden head lifted. "Yes?"

"Tell me the worst things about yourself. Be very honest—admit your worst faults, and make yourself sound as unappealing as possible."

He let out a low, rich laugh. "That's easy enough. But I'm not going to admit my faults without hearing about yours as well."

"All right," she said cautiously.

Jake took a sip of wine, his eyes narrowing slightly as he regarded her over the glass rim. "You first."

Perched on the edge of the chair, Lydia held her own glass in both hands and pressed her knees together tightly. She gave a resolute nod.

"To begin with, I am not socially adept. I don't like to make small talk, I'm terrible at flirting, and I don't like to dance."

"Not even with Wray?"

Lydia shook her head with an awkward smile.

"Perhaps you just haven't had the right partner," Jake said softly.

The rhythm of her breathing changed as their gazes meshed intimately. "Why have you never asked me to dance?"

"Because I don't trust myself to hold you in public."

Lydia colored all over and took a huge gulp of wine. She struggled to bring her mind back to her original line of thought. "More faults…well, I'm too impatient with people, and I hate inactivity, and I am something of a know-all…"

"No," he murmured with obviously manufactured surprise.

"Oh, yes," she replied, smiling ruefully in response to his teasing. "I always think I know best. I can't help it. And I hate to admit that I'm wrong. My family claims that I would argue with a lamppost."

Jake grinned. "I like strong-willed women."

"What about stubborn, unreasonable ones?" she asked with a self-deprecating grimace.

"Especially those, if they're as beautiful as you." He finished his wine and set the glass aside.

The compliment sent a ripple of pleasure through her. "Do you like to argue?" she asked breathlessly.

"No. But I like to make up afterward." His gaze stole over her body in an indiscreet sweep. "My turn now. We already know about my scandalous past. I'll also confess to a complete lack of ambition. I prefer to keep my life as uncomplicated as possible. I have few needs, aside from a nice house in town, a good horse and the occasional trip abroad."

Lydia found that difficult to absorb. How different he was from her beloved father, whose appetite to succeed and conquer was seemingly limitless. The ability to be content with what one had…was that a fault or a virtue?

"What if you came into a large inheritance?" she asked, throwing him a skeptical glance. "Would you really give it all away?"

"To the first charity or hospital I could find," he said without hesitation.

"Oh." Frowning, Lydia regarded the blunted points of her knees through the layers of her skirts. "I suppose that marrying an heiress would be out of the question for you, then."

"Yes."

She continued to frown. "It would hardly be such a terrible fate, marrying into money. Having lots of servants, and nice things, and a large estate—"

"It's not what I want.

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