Lord Grayson's Bride Read Online Free Page A

time.” He led her to the door and opened it.
    “This meant nothing, Nicholas,” she said, as he closed the door behind them.
    He started them forward. “Of course it did, Jo. You just aren’t certain what.”
     

Chapter Three
    Josephine feared that the tremble working its way through her body would reach her hands. Nicholas’ warm fingers covered hers around his solid arm and the play of muscle beneath her fingers caused her heart to pick up speed again. Desire uncoiled in a languid stretch in her stomach. How she could want him again after what he had just done to her, she had no idea, but if he discerned how much his touch affected her all would be lost.
    Nicholas slowed his stride to match hers as he led her down the hallway. She commanded her legs to remain steady and, minutes later, as they neared the grand parlor, Josephine glanced up at him, then stopped short.
    “What is it?” he demanded.
    “Your hair, it looks as though...”
    “As though I’ve just come from my lover’s bed?” he offered.
    Josephine shot him a recriminating look. He was right, which didn’t comfort her one bit. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair in an effort to bring the thick mane into submission. Jo startled at the softness of the hair and forced a steady hand as she tucked a lock behind his ear.
    “Keep that up, Jo, and I’ll drag you into the nearest closet and make love to you for real, this time.”
    She jerked her eyes to his face. Were his eyes even darker than they had been when he’d—She yanked her hand back and started to step away. Nicholas grasped her hand, slipped it back into the crook of his arm, then strolled forward as if he hadn’t had his mouth intimately on her only minutes ago. They soon entered the parlor and, as he’d predicted, guests were playing cards and board games.
    To her relief, Lord Beaumond was absent. She prayed Nicholas was right, and the marquess would flee like the rat he was. Nick hadn’t challenged him when he’d had the affair with Deanna, and it hadn’t occurred to Josephine he would do so now. The need to cry rose again, as much because of what had passed between them as the question of how she was going to get herself ruined—and allow him to call off the wedding—without getting him killed.
    Would you like a game of cards, Lady Josephine?” Nicholas asked.
    “I never cared for cards,” she said.
    “Really? I thought you lost ten pounds to Everley playing cards last night. Didn’t he forgive the debt for a kiss?”
    “A kiss to my hand,” she snapped under her breath, then regretted the outburst. She should have said it was a kiss on the lips, but realized he knew the truth and was purposely egging her on. “Do not expect me to change after we are married, Nicholas,” she whispered out of the side of her mouth.
    “This silliness will change,” he replied, “for you won’t have the energy to entertain other male attention.”
    “Arrogant fool,” she muttered, then caught sight of their hostess, Lady Allaway. She groaned when the woman’s gaze landed on them with interest. She rose off the couch where she sat alongside several other ladies and started toward forward with the obvious intention of intercepting them. “Now look what you’ve done,” Josephine complained. “She is sure to bore us with another half-hour of praise for her gardener’s skills at cutting her shrubberies. If I am forced to listen to another long-winded—” She broke off as Lady Allaway neared them, and a corner of Nicholas’ mouth twitched in amusement.
    He released Jo’s hand. “You’re looking lovely this evening, Lady Allaway.” He bent over her fingers and she giggled like a schoolgirl.
    “You are a rogue, Lord Grayson. You must keep your eye on him, Lady Josephine.”
    “Indeed,” Josephine said.
    Lady Allaway turned to her. “Are you enjoying yourself, my dear?”
    “I am. You are without a doubt, the best hostess in all of Inverness.”
    She glowed.