Read Online Love With the Proper Husband by Victoria Alexander - Free Book Online

with a gentleman before and it was remarkably stimulating. “Lord Pennington, the only true benefit of marriage to a woman is financial. I have no need of marriage as I have a modest income, nowhere near yours, I imagine, but sufficient for my needs.”
    His gaze flicked over her gown. “Extremely modest it would appear.”
    Any sense of amusement vanished. “I have just learned of my financial state and have not yet had the opportunity to put any of my funding to good use in the purchase of a suitable wardrobe.”
    “That too is a relief.”
    “Too?” She studied him carefully. “What do you mean, too ?”
    “Well, I simply meant…” He paused, obviously searching for the right words. He looked exceedingly uncomfortable, and she hadn’t so much as a twinge of sympathy for him.
    “Yes?” she prompted.
    “Come now, Miss Townsend, you know full well what I meant.” His gaze roamed over her once again. Entirely too intimate and speculative and approving. For a moment she had the most disconcerting feeling he saw her entirely without the benefit of clothing. “I was prepared for someone not the least bit attractive. Someone rather overbearing in appearance. You are a most pleasant surprise. I am extremely fond of red hair.”
    She ignored the rush of heat to her cheeks. “As flattering as that is, my lord, it’s neither here nor there. Now then, we were speaking of the reasons why women choose to—”
    “What of love, Miss Townsend?” His tone was mild but his gaze was intense. “Affection? The sort of emotion that keeps poets putting pen to paper. Surely you believe there are woman who marry for benefits far more esoteric than finances?”
    “Certainly.” She raised her chin and met his gaze directly. “I simply think love, affection, emotion are ridiculous reasons to tie yourself to a man for the rest of your days. Marriage is a cage, and love is nothing more than a baited trap.”
    “Really?” He studied her intently. “You have given this a great deal of thought, then?”
    “Some.” She shrugged. It had long ago dawned on her that it wasn’t simply marriage that destroyed women’s lives but love. Love that made them follow a man to the ends of the earth or destroy their health in pursuit of a son or ignore infidelities by spouses who had sworn to love them forever and ignore as well the pain they wrought. “Enough to know I have no desire for it.”
    “Then this is perfect.” He grinned. “You do not love me. I do not love you. Oh, admittedly I fully expect to experience a certain amount of lust toward my new wife. Toward you. Indeed, even now—”
    “Stop it at once!” In spite of herself, she wanted to laugh. He was most amusing. “You are incorrigible. Do you never take no for an answer?”
    “Never.” He moved toward her.
    “What are you doing now?” She stepped back.
    He stopped in front of her, a scant few inches away. His gaze slipped from her eyes to her lips then back, and she could have sworn he’d physically touched her. “As you are not interested in love or fortune I thought I should demonstrate the benefits of lust in a marriage.”
    “Surely you do not intend to…to…” She swallowed hard and stared up at him. “Kiss me?”
    “No, of course not,” he said softly. Once again his gaze lingered on her lips. “I had not even considered it.”
    “You’re lying.”
    “I most certainly am not,” he murmured, but she would have wagered her entire inheritance he was. “My dear Miss Townsend, when I intend to kiss you there will be no doubt in your mind.”
    “There is none now.” She would not have thought it possible but his eyes were an even deeper green than before.
    “Have you been kissed before?”
    “Not willingly.”
    “Oh?”
    “I have had the attentions of men forced upon me on occasion,” she said before she could stop herself.
    Concern crossed his face, and any ardor that might have crept up on her unexpectedly vanished.
    “Does that bother