Read Online To Love, Honor, and Obey... (Fated for Love) by Ella J. Quince - Free Book Online
Authors: Ella J. Quince
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If we are to marry, you can’t be so reckless ,” Chance said angrily.
Obedience stepped back in surprise. “I beg your pardon?”
Chance frowned. “I didn’t mean it to come out like that.”
“Like what exactly? How else does one say the words: if we are to marry?” she said incredulously.
“What I meant was—ah hell.” He turned and walked away. He stopped by her mare, and resting his hand on her neck, he looked out over the field.
Obedience stared after him in a stupor, standing in ankle deep mud, and unable to look at anything but him. He was covered in mud from the knee down, his hands muddy, and yet somehow he still looked impeccable. Tulip, her mare, nuzzled his shoulder and he patted her nose. It was then that Obedience noticed she was favoring her right foreleg. She walked over to them and bent to examine it.
“I think she sprained it ,” she said without looking at him.
Chance bent down and palpated the leg. Tulip nickered and nudged him. “Easy, girl.” He soothed her. He finally looked up at Obedience. “I agree. She can't bear a rider now.” He put his hands on his hips in agitation. His face was set, his eyes far more serious than she was used to. “I wanted this moment to be different—better, but the heart of the matter is … I think we should marry.”
Obedience felt her heart thumping heavily in her chest. She wondered if this is what it felt like before one fainted. She placed her hand on tulips neck to ground herself. “Because of the kiss?”
Chance looked away again, his eyes scanning their surroundings. “Yes and no. We should marry because I need a wife, and you deserve to be treated better than your family treats you. The kiss only affirmed that we would suit each other.”
As proposals went, it was god awful, even for someone as practical and unromantic as Obedience. She never day dreamed about falling in love and getting married the way other girls did. She had never given it much thought, except she did think about Chance, and she did dream about being in love with him, though she would never admit it to anyone. This moment was not a dream come true. It was a blow to her heart.
“That we would suit...” she murmured, more to herself than to him.
“It’s why I kissed you last night. I wanted to see if there could be any passion between us.”
She looked up at that. “You mean like an experiment? You kissed me as an experiment?” She turned and walked away, pulling Tulip by the reins behind her. She didn’t want to hear anything more, or she might do something embarrassing like cry. She could already feel her cheeks burning in humiliation.
“Obedience, wait.” Chance caught up with her and pulled her to face him. “I’m more charming than this I swear, ask anyone in town. I’m still trying to ask you to marry me, I’m failing miserably, but I’m still trying.”
“I have yet to hear you actually ask ,” Obedience said in distress.
“I’m sorry.” He stepped in front of her so she couldn’t take another step. “I really meant this to be to be special, but I guess, well —” He went down on one knee before her, still holding her hand.
He looked ridiculous, they both did, and Obedience was tempted to laugh except... there was something earnest in his eyes, so she didn’t.
“Obedience, will you marry me?”
Her heart thumped excitedly. She would love to say yes, except he hadn’t said anything that convinced her she should. “No.” He didn’t look surprised that she refused. He knew her so well. He stood and let go of her hand.
“May I ask why?”
“You may.” She smiled. She was actually relieved that they got it over and done with.
He scowled at her. “Why won’t you marry me?”
“You don’t love me, not that way at least. Why on earth would we marry?” She could see his jaw clench.
“That is precisely why I kissed you last night, to prove that despite our not being in love , we could have a satisfying marriage and
Obedience stepped back in surprise. “I beg your pardon?”
Chance frowned. “I didn’t mean it to come out like that.”
“Like what exactly? How else does one say the words: if we are to marry?” she said incredulously.
“What I meant was—ah hell.” He turned and walked away. He stopped by her mare, and resting his hand on her neck, he looked out over the field.
Obedience stared after him in a stupor, standing in ankle deep mud, and unable to look at anything but him. He was covered in mud from the knee down, his hands muddy, and yet somehow he still looked impeccable. Tulip, her mare, nuzzled his shoulder and he patted her nose. It was then that Obedience noticed she was favoring her right foreleg. She walked over to them and bent to examine it.
“I think she sprained it ,” she said without looking at him.
Chance bent down and palpated the leg. Tulip nickered and nudged him. “Easy, girl.” He soothed her. He finally looked up at Obedience. “I agree. She can't bear a rider now.” He put his hands on his hips in agitation. His face was set, his eyes far more serious than she was used to. “I wanted this moment to be different—better, but the heart of the matter is … I think we should marry.”
Obedience felt her heart thumping heavily in her chest. She wondered if this is what it felt like before one fainted. She placed her hand on tulips neck to ground herself. “Because of the kiss?”
Chance looked away again, his eyes scanning their surroundings. “Yes and no. We should marry because I need a wife, and you deserve to be treated better than your family treats you. The kiss only affirmed that we would suit each other.”
As proposals went, it was god awful, even for someone as practical and unromantic as Obedience. She never day dreamed about falling in love and getting married the way other girls did. She had never given it much thought, except she did think about Chance, and she did dream about being in love with him, though she would never admit it to anyone. This moment was not a dream come true. It was a blow to her heart.
“That we would suit...” she murmured, more to herself than to him.
“It’s why I kissed you last night. I wanted to see if there could be any passion between us.”
She looked up at that. “You mean like an experiment? You kissed me as an experiment?” She turned and walked away, pulling Tulip by the reins behind her. She didn’t want to hear anything more, or she might do something embarrassing like cry. She could already feel her cheeks burning in humiliation.
“Obedience, wait.” Chance caught up with her and pulled her to face him. “I’m more charming than this I swear, ask anyone in town. I’m still trying to ask you to marry me, I’m failing miserably, but I’m still trying.”
“I have yet to hear you actually ask ,” Obedience said in distress.
“I’m sorry.” He stepped in front of her so she couldn’t take another step. “I really meant this to be to be special, but I guess, well —” He went down on one knee before her, still holding her hand.
He looked ridiculous, they both did, and Obedience was tempted to laugh except... there was something earnest in his eyes, so she didn’t.
“Obedience, will you marry me?”
Her heart thumped excitedly. She would love to say yes, except he hadn’t said anything that convinced her she should. “No.” He didn’t look surprised that she refused. He knew her so well. He stood and let go of her hand.
“May I ask why?”
“You may.” She smiled. She was actually relieved that they got it over and done with.
He scowled at her. “Why won’t you marry me?”
“You don’t love me, not that way at least. Why on earth would we marry?” She could see his jaw clench.
“That is precisely why I kissed you last night, to prove that despite our not being in love , we could have a satisfying marriage and
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