Read Online Passionate Secrets (The Secrets Trilogy Book 2) by Lana Williams - Free Book Online
Authors: Lana Williams
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stand before her. It was all she could do not to step back. “If you’d listen for a moment, perhaps I could explain in full what I’m suggesting.”
Her mouth went dry as she held his gaze, reminding her that she didn’t know this man at all. She couldn’t have spoken if she’d wanted to, not with him so close. The scent of his cologne swirled through her, muddling her thoughts. Her gaze caught on his chin, the strong length of his jaw, the sculpted lines of his lips. She forced herself to look up into his eyes but that riveting blue sucked the breath from her lungs.
“No ordinary man would do,” he said.
No, she thought. He wouldn’t. However, a man like Michael— She stopped the thought before it could take hold. The idea of marrying hadn’t crossed her mind. The hopes and dreams she’d held as a young girl had long since passed. Placing the welfare of her entire family in the hands of a man held no interest for her.
“Marriage is a business arrangement for many people,” he continued.
She scoffed. “How would I meet this extraordinary man who’d consider marrying me? I have no dowry, no title.”
“I’d like to introduce you to my grandmother, Viscountess Weston. If you’re both in agreement, she’d assist in launching you into society.”
Fear speared through Emma at the images that created. Of her standing against a wall in her plain governess attire while beautiful people danced around her. Of, once again, watching, but not belonging.
“No, thank you,” she blurted out, unable to bear the idea of enduring such a thing.
Silence greeted her refusal until at last she made herself meet his gaze. But rather than the pity she’d feared to see there, only understanding was visible.
“Marriage to the right man would solve many of your problems. It could provide you with security for your future.”
“No.” She backed up a step only to bump into the chair she’d recently vacated. Remaining standing seemed impossible so she dropped into it.
He narrowed his eyes, looking at her curiously. “Why?”
“What I need is a position. A husband is of no help to me.”
“I disagree.”
“How would you know? You’ve never had a husband, nor do you know anything about what my family needs.”
He folded his arms over his chest as he propped a hip against the desk. “Do you refer to the overdue rent? Or perhaps to the money owed to the doctor?”
Outrage made Emma’s hands shake and her heart pound. She allowed that to push back her embarrassment. “Have you been spying on us?”
“What of your sister? Is she recovering from her illness?”
Emma stood again, anger lending her strength. “How dare you!” She leaned forward to put her face in his, wanting to grab the lapels of his jacket and shake him. “Who do you think you are?”
He leaned forward as well until his nose was a mere breath from hers. “I believe I’m the one person trying to help you.”
“By spying on us?”
He unfolded his arms, and she startled when she felt his finger trail on the underside of her chin. His touch unsettled her nearly as much as what he’d done. “I want to help you,” he whispered.
She did her best to ignore his touch. “Why?”
His finger stilled at her simple question. “Does it matter?”
She jerked back. Wasn’t that what she’d told herself the first time she’d come here? That it didn’t matter? Then why did it? Because this man mattered. She couldn’t say why, but Michael mattered far more than she should’ve allowed him to.
Michael stared at Emma, realizing he couldn’t answer her question. He wasn’t completely sure why he was helping her. Of course it was because he needed to keep an eye on her to see if Professor Grisby contacted her. But there was more to it than that. What exactly, he couldn’t say. Perhaps it was their shared past. Perhaps it was because he felt sorry for her. Yet none of that seemed quite true.
Something in the golden depths of her brown eyes
Her mouth went dry as she held his gaze, reminding her that she didn’t know this man at all. She couldn’t have spoken if she’d wanted to, not with him so close. The scent of his cologne swirled through her, muddling her thoughts. Her gaze caught on his chin, the strong length of his jaw, the sculpted lines of his lips. She forced herself to look up into his eyes but that riveting blue sucked the breath from her lungs.
“No ordinary man would do,” he said.
No, she thought. He wouldn’t. However, a man like Michael— She stopped the thought before it could take hold. The idea of marrying hadn’t crossed her mind. The hopes and dreams she’d held as a young girl had long since passed. Placing the welfare of her entire family in the hands of a man held no interest for her.
“Marriage is a business arrangement for many people,” he continued.
She scoffed. “How would I meet this extraordinary man who’d consider marrying me? I have no dowry, no title.”
“I’d like to introduce you to my grandmother, Viscountess Weston. If you’re both in agreement, she’d assist in launching you into society.”
Fear speared through Emma at the images that created. Of her standing against a wall in her plain governess attire while beautiful people danced around her. Of, once again, watching, but not belonging.
“No, thank you,” she blurted out, unable to bear the idea of enduring such a thing.
Silence greeted her refusal until at last she made herself meet his gaze. But rather than the pity she’d feared to see there, only understanding was visible.
“Marriage to the right man would solve many of your problems. It could provide you with security for your future.”
“No.” She backed up a step only to bump into the chair she’d recently vacated. Remaining standing seemed impossible so she dropped into it.
He narrowed his eyes, looking at her curiously. “Why?”
“What I need is a position. A husband is of no help to me.”
“I disagree.”
“How would you know? You’ve never had a husband, nor do you know anything about what my family needs.”
He folded his arms over his chest as he propped a hip against the desk. “Do you refer to the overdue rent? Or perhaps to the money owed to the doctor?”
Outrage made Emma’s hands shake and her heart pound. She allowed that to push back her embarrassment. “Have you been spying on us?”
“What of your sister? Is she recovering from her illness?”
Emma stood again, anger lending her strength. “How dare you!” She leaned forward to put her face in his, wanting to grab the lapels of his jacket and shake him. “Who do you think you are?”
He leaned forward as well until his nose was a mere breath from hers. “I believe I’m the one person trying to help you.”
“By spying on us?”
He unfolded his arms, and she startled when she felt his finger trail on the underside of her chin. His touch unsettled her nearly as much as what he’d done. “I want to help you,” he whispered.
She did her best to ignore his touch. “Why?”
His finger stilled at her simple question. “Does it matter?”
She jerked back. Wasn’t that what she’d told herself the first time she’d come here? That it didn’t matter? Then why did it? Because this man mattered. She couldn’t say why, but Michael mattered far more than she should’ve allowed him to.
Michael stared at Emma, realizing he couldn’t answer her question. He wasn’t completely sure why he was helping her. Of course it was because he needed to keep an eye on her to see if Professor Grisby contacted her. But there was more to it than that. What exactly, he couldn’t say. Perhaps it was their shared past. Perhaps it was because he felt sorry for her. Yet none of that seemed quite true.
Something in the golden depths of her brown eyes
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