Page 14 of Jordan

"But they can hurt you in other ways," she observed. He wondered if she remembered that he was still holding her hand. Her skin was soft and felt right touching his. Mentally shaking his head, he pushed the troubling thoughts aside. And reminded himself that it was strictly business.

He shrugged carelessly. Standing here next to her, he realized that something was happening. He had spent the couple of nights thinking about his proposal or proposition, would be more appropriate. A loveless union, one where he had promised not to touch her. But here he was doing exactly that. The subtle scent of her perfume, the feel of her skin, the vulnerability he sensed in her was doing strange things to his mind. He knew of her past--had seen the way his parents treated her and her mother, and it had pissed him off.

But as a child growing up in an environment like that, he had had his own problems.

"Not where it matters," he murmured and it was the truth. His sister had cried in his arms, making him even more determined to do this. To defy them and make them angry enough to retaliate. Oh, he was looking forward to seeing the horror on their faces when he turns up with a black woman as his fiancée.

He had little doubt that they would try and bully him out of it. When they would not get to him, they would try to intimidate Julesa. Thinking of that, he turned her to face him, hands sliding up to her shoulders, expression sober.

"There's something you should know."

Tilting her head, she gazed at him and thought fleetingly that he must be over six feet tall. She barely came to his chest.

"What?"

"They're going to try and get you to back away."

She smiled at that, her eyes glowing with an inner light he would not understand.

"How do you think they will go about it?"

"By offering you money."

He lifted a brow when she laughed.

"Did I say something funny?"

"I don't need money. I have enough."

"Everyone has a price," he muttered. His hands were unconsciously sliding up and down her arms, lulling her. "Or so my parents think."

"If that doesn't work what then?" She was trying not to be affected by his touch, but he was infusing a warmth inside her that was making her dizzy and acutely aware of him. His cologne was spicy and completely masculine. His hair was windblown, making him look like a sexy pirate.

"They will try and intimidate you." His hands tightened on her arms, his face going to stone. He would protect her, he swore to that. He would not allow them to hurt her any more than theyalready had. "But I'll be there." His hands moved to curve at her throat. His thumbs tilted her chin up, his eyes deep and intense. "I swear I will never allow them to treat you the way they did when you were a child."

Her eyes kindled as memories came crashing back. She almost blurted out about the diary and what had made her decide to go through with the arrangement. But he was still a Wainwright--still someone she did not trust.

"I can take care of myself," she had to clear the huskiness from her throat.

His grin flashed suddenly. "I have no doubt, you can. Let's get this party started."

Chapter 5

"Relax," he murmured when he felt her tensing up. As soon as she agreed to the proposition, it was as if everything was happening too quickly. He had acquired the ring, an exquisite square cut diamond with dazzling emerald stones surrounding the diamond and it was a perfect fit.

"Do you want something private or a big splash?"

"Something private with just family."

"That makes it easier to plan. Another thing--I have been wanting to move out of the manor since I know myself, so I was thinking that we find a place to live. We own real estate all over town. There's also an isolated cabin that belonged to my great-grandfather. But you would need internet for your work and it's more like a fishing deal than anything else. You decide."

And she had. Now that it was real that everything was going according to plan, she could feel the nerves jangling all over her body. She had not told her brother yet but was cowardly waiting until she had faced his family. One catastrophic experience at a time, she thought grimly.

"What did you tell them?"

"That I am bringing someone special to dinner." He had picked her up at the house. Julesa's spirit had been bolstered at the flash of admiration in his eyes when she opened the door. The dress was new and a Romano's original. The green wool figure hugging, but not too overtly sexy and the color looked great against her skin.

She had decided to leave her luxuriant dark brown hair loose, brushing it until it shone, with the ends in vibrant curls just pasther shoulders. Discreet diamond knobs were at her lobes, and she was wearing a thin gold necklace.

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