Read Online More Than Willing by Laura Landon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laura Landon
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the chance.
Without dropping her gaze from Delaney’s imploring gesture, she stepped past Lyman and rushed to his side.
The minute she was within reach, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her toward him. The relief she felt was enormous; vast enough to overshadow another little warning her emotions issued.
“Are you all right?” he whispered as he moved her to his side.
“Yes, fine.”
“You’d better be,” he said so softly she wasn’t sure she’d heard him right.
“Who are you?” Lyman repeated much louder than before.
“Obviously a much more preferable companion to the lady than you.”
Maggie looked to where Lyman stood, his stance rigidly still, his hands fisted at his sides, and his eyes narrowed in an angry glare. “How dare you barge in on your betters.”
“How dare you attack a lady.”
“Attack? I didn’t attack Miss Bradford.”
“Then why did it seem she had no part in encouraging your advances?”
Gray Delaney kept his hold on her and when he spoke his voice held a threatening tone she’d never heard before.
“Perhaps it would be wise if you left,” he ordered.
Bradford’s jaw dropped. “How dare you.”
“I dare because if you don’t remove yourself from the lady’s presence, I’ll remove you myself.”
When Lyman didn’t respond immediately, Gray took a step forward. “Do you need someone to show you to the door?” He emphasized his words with a nod toward the exit.
Her cousin’s glare turned murderous.
“You have sunk to levels of which even your mother would have disapproved,” he said, focusing his glower on her.
Maggie’s temper flared. “Leave. Now.”
“It will be my pleasure.”
Lyman walked past them but stopped when he reached the door and turned back. “Your father cannot return soon enough. Even his presence cannot undo the damage you’ve done to your reputation.”
Maggie watched her cousin storm from the room and heard the front door close behind him. When she was certain he was gone, she stepped out of Grayson Delaney’s arms.
She’d seen a side to her cousin that frightened her, but some of what he’d said was the truth. The feel of Gray Delaney’s arm around her had sent a fiery heat raging through her and she knew part of her remained in danger – her heart.
Chapter Five
“Your cousin bears watching.”
Maggie clasped her hands around her upper arms and hugged herself. She was on fire, every inch where he’d held her hot as if flames burned beneath her skin. And she couldn’t stop trembling. The nervousness wasn’t from the distasteful near miss of Lyman Bradford’s kiss, but because of the overwhelming sensation Grayson Delaney’s touch caused when he pulled her against him and held her. She cleared her throat and tried to compose herself. “He’s angry because he thinks you interfered with his offer to marry me for the brewery. He’s harmless, really.”
“No one is harmless. Especially someone who has as much to gain from marrying you as your cousin has.”
“I can take care of myself.” Maggie’s show of bravado fell short of eliminating the doubts racing through her mind.
“That’s not what it looked like when I walked in.”
“My cousin would have given up once he realized I didn’t share his passion.”
“Would he have?”
Delaney’s dark brows shot upward as if questioning the validity of her statement. The slight lift to his mouth confirmed his disbelief.
Maggie turned away from him and stepped across the room. The familiar crackling of the fire in the grate steeled her with a little more courage than she’d had when she stood close to him. She clasped her hands in front of her and faced him.
“My cousin is a gentleman, Mr. Delaney. Unlike some who have less stringent lines of constraint, he would have stopped when he realized I wasn’t willing.”
He laughed. “Ah. Unlike the notorious rakes we all know exist in Society preying on young, innocent females.”
“I’m sure you
Without dropping her gaze from Delaney’s imploring gesture, she stepped past Lyman and rushed to his side.
The minute she was within reach, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her toward him. The relief she felt was enormous; vast enough to overshadow another little warning her emotions issued.
“Are you all right?” he whispered as he moved her to his side.
“Yes, fine.”
“You’d better be,” he said so softly she wasn’t sure she’d heard him right.
“Who are you?” Lyman repeated much louder than before.
“Obviously a much more preferable companion to the lady than you.”
Maggie looked to where Lyman stood, his stance rigidly still, his hands fisted at his sides, and his eyes narrowed in an angry glare. “How dare you barge in on your betters.”
“How dare you attack a lady.”
“Attack? I didn’t attack Miss Bradford.”
“Then why did it seem she had no part in encouraging your advances?”
Gray Delaney kept his hold on her and when he spoke his voice held a threatening tone she’d never heard before.
“Perhaps it would be wise if you left,” he ordered.
Bradford’s jaw dropped. “How dare you.”
“I dare because if you don’t remove yourself from the lady’s presence, I’ll remove you myself.”
When Lyman didn’t respond immediately, Gray took a step forward. “Do you need someone to show you to the door?” He emphasized his words with a nod toward the exit.
Her cousin’s glare turned murderous.
“You have sunk to levels of which even your mother would have disapproved,” he said, focusing his glower on her.
Maggie’s temper flared. “Leave. Now.”
“It will be my pleasure.”
Lyman walked past them but stopped when he reached the door and turned back. “Your father cannot return soon enough. Even his presence cannot undo the damage you’ve done to your reputation.”
Maggie watched her cousin storm from the room and heard the front door close behind him. When she was certain he was gone, she stepped out of Grayson Delaney’s arms.
She’d seen a side to her cousin that frightened her, but some of what he’d said was the truth. The feel of Gray Delaney’s arm around her had sent a fiery heat raging through her and she knew part of her remained in danger – her heart.
Chapter Five
“Your cousin bears watching.”
Maggie clasped her hands around her upper arms and hugged herself. She was on fire, every inch where he’d held her hot as if flames burned beneath her skin. And she couldn’t stop trembling. The nervousness wasn’t from the distasteful near miss of Lyman Bradford’s kiss, but because of the overwhelming sensation Grayson Delaney’s touch caused when he pulled her against him and held her. She cleared her throat and tried to compose herself. “He’s angry because he thinks you interfered with his offer to marry me for the brewery. He’s harmless, really.”
“No one is harmless. Especially someone who has as much to gain from marrying you as your cousin has.”
“I can take care of myself.” Maggie’s show of bravado fell short of eliminating the doubts racing through her mind.
“That’s not what it looked like when I walked in.”
“My cousin would have given up once he realized I didn’t share his passion.”
“Would he have?”
Delaney’s dark brows shot upward as if questioning the validity of her statement. The slight lift to his mouth confirmed his disbelief.
Maggie turned away from him and stepped across the room. The familiar crackling of the fire in the grate steeled her with a little more courage than she’d had when she stood close to him. She clasped her hands in front of her and faced him.
“My cousin is a gentleman, Mr. Delaney. Unlike some who have less stringent lines of constraint, he would have stopped when he realized I wasn’t willing.”
He laughed. “Ah. Unlike the notorious rakes we all know exist in Society preying on young, innocent females.”
“I’m sure you
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