Read Online A Talent for Trouble by Jen Turano - Free Book Online

breath.
    â€œFine, but I’m telling both of you right now that I expect full cooperation from each of you.”
    Grayson blinked. “I’m involved in this plan?”
    â€œIndeed.”
    He narrowed his eyes. “The last plan I agreed to that involved me being in Felicia’s vicinity almost got me killed.”
    â€œThat’s a little overly dramatic,” Felicia muttered.
    â€œDid you, or did you not, lose control of the horses and drive them along the sidewalk instead of the road, causing too many people to count to throw themselves out of your way?”
    â€œThere were only three people who had to dive out of our way.”
    Agatha held up her hand. “Children, behave.”
    Felicia closed her mouth, as did Grayson.
    â€œMy plan is not a complicated one, and shouldn’t involve anything of a dangerous nature.” Agatha’s smile widened. “We’re simply going to have Grayson escort you to the Beckett ball, and since he’s currently considered one of the most eligible gentlemen in New York City, no one will think to pity you again.”

4

    D isgruntlement, mixed with apprehension, was immediate.
    Grayson couldn’t help but notice that there seemed to be a disturbing trend occurring—a trend that had thrust him directly into the position of knight in shining armor on an all too frequent basis.
    Granted, he’d willingly gone along with Eliza’s demands, fetching Felicia the day before and agreeing to seek Agatha out today, but his participation with his sister’s demands was only due to guilt, not because he was inherently chivalrous.
    Couldn’t anyone see that his armor, what little he actually possessed, was remarkably tarnished—and because of his past was hardly likely to ever shine again?
    The last thing he wanted to do was escort Felicia to a ball. It would require he spend hours in her company alone, hours that he was fairly certain would be vastly uncomfortable, given that he was rapidly becoming fascinated with the lady.
    He’d distanced himself from her at Eliza’s house not becausehe was annoyed about her driving abilities—or lack thereof, as the case seemed to be—but because he’d been helplessly drawn to her as she’d driven his horses haphazardly down the street—and an occasional sidewalk—her shrieks of laughter doing odd things to his heart.
    His heart had once again begun acting rather peculiarly when she’d gone all misty-eyed simply because he’d proclaimed her appearance delightful.
    He hadn’t actually been truthful in that moment, because . . . she was more than delightful today, wearing a new gown that molded to her charming curves and sent his temperature rising.
    He was becoming obsessed with the lady.
    He should have remembered a pressing engagement when he visited the Murdock home seeking Agatha’s whereabouts and Mrs. Murdock had informed him she was at B. Altman’s with Felicia—especially since it had been abundantly clear that Mrs. Murdock was still cherishing hopes of him becoming better acquainted with her daughter. She’d not been bothered in the least when he’d reiterated time and time again that he needed to find Agatha, not Felicia, but had simply patted him on the cheek, told him to say hello to her daughter for her, and practically pushed him out the door.
    What could he have been thinking, traipsing off to B. Altman’s, knowing full well it was madness to spend additional time in Felicia’s company? Eliza would have understood if he’d been unable to track Agatha down, but here he was, standing only a few feet away from the lady who’d begun to occupy his almost every thought.
    An elbow placed none too gently in his side brought him rapidly back to the situation at hand. He glanced at Agatha, who looked as if she longed to do more to him than stick her bony elbow in his ribs, and then at Felicia, who was a