Read Online Little White Lies by Kimberley Reeves - Free Book Online Page A

I hope you don’t mind, but I planned on taking Miranda for a ride down the coast and then out to dinner.”
     
    “Please, call me Missy.  Miranda, dear, why don’t you change your clothes and gather whatever you need for your outing while this handsome young man takes a stroll in the garden with me.”
     
    Seeing the guarded look on Miranda’s face, Jack offered a reassuring smile before telling Missy he would be honored to accompany her.  After opening the doors to the garden, Missy slipped her hand through the arm he crooked and, together, they proceeded down a path lined with roses of varying colors.  She more or less let him wander down whichever side paths he wanted to for a while then motioned to a bench positioned beneath the shade of a tree.  Once they were seated, she took a moment to give him an appraising sweep with her eyes.  Her face was withered with time, but he could tell she had been quite a beauty in her youth. It was easy to see where Miranda got her looks.
     
    “Tell me, Jack Devlin, just what are your intentions towards my granddaughter?”
     
    Jack couldn’t quite contain his smile.  “I intend to make her happy for one thing.”
     
    “She’s a wonderful girl. I don’t want to see her get hurt.”
     
    “Then we agree on that, because I don’t want her to get hurt either.”
     
    “You must be very important to Miranda if she brought you back here.  I assume you two have slept together?”
     
    Even having been forewarned, her question caught him off guard.  “I…we…I mean…”
     
    Missy smiled knowingly and patted his arm.  “Good, it’s about time that girl found herself a lover.  And I must say she certainly didn’t settle for second best.  You are a very striking young man, Jack Devlin, and I’m sure you could have your choice of women. So tell me; why are you with Miranda when it’s so obvious she is not your type.”
     
    “You’re wrong about that,” he said, “Miranda is exactly the type of woman I want to be with.  I just didn’t know it until now.”
     
    Missy beamed at him.  “She is pretty special, isn’t she?”
     
    “Very special.”
     
    “You’re not after her money are you?”
     
    Jack laughed.  “You don’t pull any punches, do you Missy?”
     
    “Not where my granddaughter is concerned.”
     
    “I promise you, I’m not after her money.  As a matter of fact, I didn’t even know she had any until we drove up to the mansion and I made the family connection.  I own a very successful business, but my finances weren’t a concern even before the company became profitable.”
     
    Missy seemed satisfied with his answer.  She eyed him for a moment then pursed her lips. “If you get her pregnant, you will have to marry her.  I’m very liberal on the whole sex before marriage thing, but I won’t have you getting my granddaughter pregnant and then abandoning her.”
     
    Jack had to bite the insides of his cheeks to sober himself.  Missy was delightfully straight forward and he found it refreshing, but her pointed statements tickled him and he had to work hard not to howl with laughter each time she posed a new one.  He nodded thoughtfully, stalling for time until he could respond with some semblance of gravity.
     
    “We’re taking precautions, I assure you, but in the event Miranda was to get pregnant I would most definitely marry her.”
     
    Pleased by his answer, she stood up.  “We’d better get back before Miranda comes looking for us.  She’s probably worried I’ll scare you off but I’ve barely even ruffled you, have I?”
     
    Jack rose to his feet and offered Missy his arm.  “Was it your intent to scare me off?”
     
    “Not entirely.  I was really hoping I wouldn’t, but of course I had to put you to the test.  Miranda needs a strong man, one who can stand on his own and won’t be afraid to stand up for her.  The poor thing is painfully shy and takes things to heart so easily.  Now Bri, I