Read Online Love's Guardian by Dawn Ireland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dawn Ireland
Ads: Link
something?” Declan straightened the stacks of papers he’d been working on and came around to lean on the edge of the library table, avoiding the carved wooden wings of the mythical creatures that cavorted around the sides.
“I was looking for a quill and ink.” Alex began to back away from him, one hand hidden in the folds of her skirt. “I’m sorry to have bothered you.”
She acted as jumpy as a horse at the start of a race. Any minute he expected her to bolt out of the room. “What did you need them for?”
“It’s not that I needed them. I just felt like writing.”
His Alex, writing because she felt like it? Next she’d be telling him she’d taken up sewing. He raised an eyebrow until she continued in an exasperated tone.
“If you must know, I wanted to add to my list.”
So that was what she’d been trying to hide. It must be of some importance for her to be so touchy. “List?”
“I’m making a list of the qualities I want in a husband. That way I’ll just score each potential candidate. I’ll marry whomever has the greatest number of points.”
He should have expected something like this from Alex. “Admirable. But have you forgotten I have a say in whom you marry?” He would agree to most anyone who was suitable, just to put her out of temptation’s way, but she didn’t need to know that.
“No,” she retorted. “I intend to choose someone you can’t object to.”
“So, what qualities do you find desirable in a male?” He’d never posed that question to any other woman, but he couldn’t contain his curiosity as to what Alex found attractive in a man. “Perhaps, you’d like an intellectual.” He pretended to ponder his choice, then gave a slight shrug. “Oh, but there wouldn’t be any sport in that. You’d run the poor man through before he’d even raised his weapon.”
“I suppose no man could match you in prowess with a rapier.” Alex perused her list, making an elaborate production out of studying every item. “No, I don’t find arrogance on here anywhere. You’d never be a choice.”
“I wouldn’t be a choice, because I choose not to marry until I must. When I do, it will be a business arrangement, nothing more.” He didn’t want to think about his inevitable marriage. Instead, he turned his attention to the rapier collection near the fireplace. “These weren’t here when I was a child. When did your grandfather start collecting?”
He studied the rapiers with a critical eye. They were of the finest quality, about thirty in all, with various grips and blades. He didn’t know much about antiquated weapons, but some appeared to be from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
“They’re mine.” Alex came to stand next to him. “I would select what I wanted, and Grandfather would purchase them for me. Most vendors have an aversion to selling to women.” She gave him a slight smirk. “Even if I could out-fence every one of them.”
“Now who’s being arrogant?”
“Not arrogant. Confident.” Alex smiled up at him. “There’s a difference.”
“Is there?” Her teasing smile undid him. She was so close he could smell the vanilla fragrance she favored. “Might I find confidence on this list?”
He’d meant to grab only the paper, but somehow ended up taking her hand. Her pale fingers were devoid of jewelry but perfectly formed. Everything about her fascinated him. He lifted his gaze to her luminous green eyes.
She was exquisite. He’d known many beautiful women, but they’d never affected him like this. He desperately wanted to feel her pressed against him.
“I think I should warn you about arrogant men,” Declan whispered. “They’re liable to take advantage of a situation.” He brought his other hand up to caress the silky hair at the back of her head, and slowly drew her mouth to his.
Alex wasn’t sure when she dropped her list. She wasn’t even sure how she came to be in his arms. One moment Declan gazed at her with a
“I was looking for a quill and ink.” Alex began to back away from him, one hand hidden in the folds of her skirt. “I’m sorry to have bothered you.”
She acted as jumpy as a horse at the start of a race. Any minute he expected her to bolt out of the room. “What did you need them for?”
“It’s not that I needed them. I just felt like writing.”
His Alex, writing because she felt like it? Next she’d be telling him she’d taken up sewing. He raised an eyebrow until she continued in an exasperated tone.
“If you must know, I wanted to add to my list.”
So that was what she’d been trying to hide. It must be of some importance for her to be so touchy. “List?”
“I’m making a list of the qualities I want in a husband. That way I’ll just score each potential candidate. I’ll marry whomever has the greatest number of points.”
He should have expected something like this from Alex. “Admirable. But have you forgotten I have a say in whom you marry?” He would agree to most anyone who was suitable, just to put her out of temptation’s way, but she didn’t need to know that.
“No,” she retorted. “I intend to choose someone you can’t object to.”
“So, what qualities do you find desirable in a male?” He’d never posed that question to any other woman, but he couldn’t contain his curiosity as to what Alex found attractive in a man. “Perhaps, you’d like an intellectual.” He pretended to ponder his choice, then gave a slight shrug. “Oh, but there wouldn’t be any sport in that. You’d run the poor man through before he’d even raised his weapon.”
“I suppose no man could match you in prowess with a rapier.” Alex perused her list, making an elaborate production out of studying every item. “No, I don’t find arrogance on here anywhere. You’d never be a choice.”
“I wouldn’t be a choice, because I choose not to marry until I must. When I do, it will be a business arrangement, nothing more.” He didn’t want to think about his inevitable marriage. Instead, he turned his attention to the rapier collection near the fireplace. “These weren’t here when I was a child. When did your grandfather start collecting?”
He studied the rapiers with a critical eye. They were of the finest quality, about thirty in all, with various grips and blades. He didn’t know much about antiquated weapons, but some appeared to be from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
“They’re mine.” Alex came to stand next to him. “I would select what I wanted, and Grandfather would purchase them for me. Most vendors have an aversion to selling to women.” She gave him a slight smirk. “Even if I could out-fence every one of them.”
“Now who’s being arrogant?”
“Not arrogant. Confident.” Alex smiled up at him. “There’s a difference.”
“Is there?” Her teasing smile undid him. She was so close he could smell the vanilla fragrance she favored. “Might I find confidence on this list?”
He’d meant to grab only the paper, but somehow ended up taking her hand. Her pale fingers were devoid of jewelry but perfectly formed. Everything about her fascinated him. He lifted his gaze to her luminous green eyes.
She was exquisite. He’d known many beautiful women, but they’d never affected him like this. He desperately wanted to feel her pressed against him.
“I think I should warn you about arrogant men,” Declan whispered. “They’re liable to take advantage of a situation.” He brought his other hand up to caress the silky hair at the back of her head, and slowly drew her mouth to his.
Alex wasn’t sure when she dropped her list. She wasn’t even sure how she came to be in his arms. One moment Declan gazed at her with a
Similar Books
