The Gift-Wrapped Groom Read Online Free

size qualifications Winsome had stipulated his grandson-in-law must meet, Nicholas had expected to be matched with a tall, hefty woman. This woman, standing so stock-still before him, was barely five-eight and rather on the slim side beneath her jade sweater and blue jeans. She stared at him from eyes as silvery green as the Siberian Sea, frozen in place within an oval of porcelain skin.
    A cold, remote face, devoid of all life and passion.
    But not so the long, thick hair that framed her face and flowed past her shoulders. Fire danced through its luxuriant red-gold strands—a scorching intense fire that lit up the room from the moment she entered it and brought a disturbing heat to his hands.
    She was surprisingly, undeniably, astoundingly beautiful.
    He had been prepared for ugly, had, in fact, fervently hoped for it. An ugly woman, unable to find a decent husband and needing to go so far as to have her grandfather arrange for one to be imported, this was understandable. But a woman who looked like this—one whose mental and physical health had been guaranteed—this woman could have only one kind of drawback. The worst kind. The moral kind.
    If even by American standards her morality had been found wanting, Noel Winsome must be wanting indeed.
    For himself it did not matter, of course. So little did. But the grandfather hoped for children. What if there were children? Should he back out now? Could he?
    â€œWell, come on, Noel, Nicholas. The least you two could do is shake hands.”
    Yes, Nicholas supposed it was the least he could do. He took a step forward and put out his hand. She did not take it. The look of shock gradually faded from her face. In its place emerged a hard look that kept her features frozen in place.
    She turned toward her grandfather. “I would like to speak with you alone.”
    Nicholas dropped his hand. So, she would end it and save him the trouble. He allowed himself to feel neither relief nor disappointment.
    Winsome’s voice remained amicable. “I don’t think that would be very polite, do you? Nicholas is my guest and he’s come a long way to meet you. If you have anything to say to me, you should be able to say it in front of him.”
    â€œI can’t believe you actually did this.”
    Nicholas watched a new emotion pass over the old man’s face. It matched the hardness of his granddaughter’s, and then some. Gone was the charming, welcoming man who had greeted him with such enthusiasm and warmth. Up until this moment, he hadn’t thought this grandfather and granddaughter looked at all alike. Now the resemblance was remarkable and unmistakable.
    â€œBelieve it, Noel.”
    â€œAll those requirements—”
    â€œNicholas meets them and then some. He’s real. He’s here. He’s all yours.”
    Something like desperation began to lace her tone. “But the required blood tests, the license—”
    â€œWere all taken care of days ago when I decided on Nicholas. I spoke to our doctor just before your physical in Missoula last month. Told him all about our little surprise.”
    â€œYou told him—”
    â€œHe drew a little extra blood just in case. Old Clyde has always been a good, loyal friend.”
    â€œOf all the—”
    â€œI knew about Nicholas then, of course. But there was a lot for my people in Moscow to take care of, and international red tape can be horrendous. You’ve no idea what kind of strings I had to pull and markers I had to call in. Still, it was all worth it. Nicholas is perfect, made-to-order.”
    â€œThis man is really...Russian?”
    Nicholas was becoming irritated at the way this woman spoke with her grandfather as though Nicholas wasn’t even there. Such a lack of manners. But then, Nicholas reminded himself, as he had for the last week, that he should not expect too much. After all, she was only an American.
    â€œNicholas will apply for citizenship