Finally His Read Online Free Page B

least a week, if she finds out I warned you.” He glanced over at Jolie and winked at her. “It will be a pleasure to look after your little lady here.”
    Richard, too, looked over to her, and when he held out his hand, Jolie hurried toward him.
    “I’m sorry about this. Jolie, meet my good for nothing brother-in-law, Horace. Strictly speaking Horace III, Lord Asterton, but don’t let that title fool you. He married my hoyden sister after all.”
    Jolie somehow managed to smile and extend her hand toward the older man. He caught it in a firm handshake and then much to her surprise pulled her in for an unexpected hug.
    “Go, Rich,” he said over her head, and when he pulled back to study her, his affectionate smile did a lot to soothe the army of butterflies that seemed to be intent on wreaking havoc with her insides.
    “I’m delighted to meet you, and so will my wife be, once she gets over the surprise of Richard actually having brought a date with him.”
    Clearly judging her astonished expression correctly, he grinned, took her by the elbow and propelling her through the open door, clarified.
    “He doesn’t usually. Tiff is despairing with him, which is why … well you’ll see. Just keep on smiling and ignore the inevitable dagger looks you’re bound to get from some of the females in that room.”
    Before she could question what he meant by that, a cacophony of noise erupted from the back of the house, as Richard presumably had walked in on his surprise. His laughter echoed up the long hallway, and snaring a flute of champagne from the sideboard, Horace pressed it into her hand, and urged her on.
    “You might need this. Come on, let’s join them. And smile, you’ll be fine.”
    Jolie was indeed grateful for the fizz, not least because she had something to keep her hands busy with, as she walked into pandemonium. A little boy in the most adorable blue striped flannel pajamas hung off Richard’s neck, while the woman in the picture on his desk tried her best to extricate him out of her boss’s arms.
    “Come on, Archie, let Uncle Rich go. He’s got to say hello to everyone else, and you really need to go to bed now.”
    “Don’t wanna. Papa, tell her I don’t have to.” Behind her Horace laughed, and a little pang of something went through Jolie, when the big man stepped up and took his son off a laughing Richard.
    He bent his head to whisper something to his wife, and Jolie forced a smile on her face when Richard’s sister visibly startled, and looked toward her.
    “No can do, young man. You’ve seen Uncle Richard, and now it’s time for bed.”
    The little guy sulked, and then seemingly cottoning on to the fact that Jolie was standing in the doorway like a spare wheel while any number of people sidled up to Richard to shake his hand, and in the case of one tall, willowy beauty attempted to kiss him, Archie frowned.
    Horace put his wriggling son on the floor, and the little fellow sidled over to her.
    “Who are you?” he asked.
    Jolie tore her eyes away from the sight of said far too beautiful stick insect with some difficulty, not least because she was now draping herself all over Sir. He was hers, dammit, at least for tonight, and the hot poker of jealousy stabbed her insides, especially when that blasted woman looked across at her and smirked.
    A tug to her hand forced Jolie’s attention to the little guy by her side.
    “I’m sorry, Archie, is it?” she asked, and the boy’s blue eyes twinkled in delight.
    “Yes, that’s me. Who are you?” he asked.
    “Archibald, really.” His mother advanced on them hands on hips, and Archie ducked out of her way by going ‘round Jolie and hiding behind her legs. When Richard’s sister followed him, he repeated the move, time and time again, as though she was some glorified maypole to dance around. His father, too, seemed to find this amusing, because he winked at Jolie again, making her feel ten times better about this whole