His Christmas Nymph Read Online Free PDF

she didn’t love wouldn’t be so bad after all. She should feel privileged to have a suitor like him and yet she only felt a little sad. Sad that she was being placed in such a situation in the first place and deep down inside of her she was worried how the rest of his family would react to her.
    Marrying him would be her dream come true. After all, she’d have his beautiful Gardens to herself. That right there helped to convince her to say yes.
    “I don’t love you,” she confessed.
    “That’s fine,” he answered. “I think I’m falling in love with you—and if I love you, in time, I feel quite certain you will reciprocate my feelings.”
    She prayed he was right. She didn’t know if she could live her entire life with a man she didn’t love—although, it was far preferable to living with a man she hated.

Chapter Three
     
    The duke’s words struck her to the core. She was so taken aback, she couldn’t find any words to answer him. How could he possibly be falling in love with her so swiftly? The very idea puzzled her and yet, she recalled what her mother told her about her first meeting with her father. She told her she’d known that night that she would become his wife.
    “It’s getting late. You should return home before the sun sets. I will walk with you as far as it’s safe to do so, and let Zeus and Apollo accompany you the rest of the way.”
    Her voice welled in her throat. She had to respond to him now. “That’s unnecessary. I will be quite safe. There are no unsavory types in this area.”
    He looked unconvinced. “You will allow me the luxury of worrying about my future bride.”
    “I haven’t had anyone fret about me since my mother died. I should expect it, as my brothers were terribly protective of me.”
    They started walking side by side back to her house. It was a longer walk returning than she remembered, she attributed it to the fact that she was with a man she barely knew and would have to know much more intimately within a small amount of time.
    “I want to get one thing straight between us—I don’t think I can officially become your wife until I know you better,” she said softly. 
    He stopped short, causing her to halt abruptly as well.
    “If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking about, I understand. You shall come to my bedchamber when you are ready. I shan’t force you into my bed.”
    Relief washed over her. She curtly nodded her head. Her cheeks were burning. The fact that she’d even brought up such an intimate subject spoke to the way she’d been raised. Her mother had always been very honest about such things with her and had told her exactly what to expect once she was married. That was why she knew she could never marry Virgil, she could never lay with a man like him!
    “This is where we must part ways. If we’re seen together tongues will wag—the rubbish they’d say about us would make your ears go red. I don’t want anyone to know we’re even acquainted until it’s too late for them to do anything about it. I want you as my wife before anyone can raise a fuss about it.”
    He bowed to her gallantly and gave her a charming smile. Her stomach dipped and her face warmed. She lost herself in the moment and couldn’t keep the shivers at bay. She shuddered and then frowned.
    “The sun is waning. There’s quite a nip in the air.”
    He looked at her with compassion in his eyes. “If our rendezvous were not to be kept a secret I would lend you my greatcoat. You should hurry home and warm yourself by the fire. Try to forget your troubles, Caroline. If I have anything to say about it, you will have a good Christmastide.”
    Her throat went dry. She couldn’t bring herself to say or do anything. She should be curtsying to him. He was like her Knight in Shining Armor coming to rescue her from her life of hell. Instead, she tipped her head to him, gave him a brilliant smile and didn’t even shudder when he reached for her hand.
    Slowly, he