Promise Me Forever Read Online Free PDF

ventures?”
    Tom knew that as the enterprise had grown to include more than cattle, Ravenleigh had become an investor, a partner with his brother and his two friends, Grayson Rhodes and Harrison Bain-bridge. Tom was also well aware that the men had kept Ravenleigh informed of his progress, his success, and while it had never been official, he’d often felt as though they had adopted him.
    “I told you the reason I was here,” he said to Lauren.
    “Surely you didn’t travel all this way for something as trivial—” She stopped abruptly, as though remembering that she had a drawing room filled with ladies who might find his reason a tad scandalous. Tom knew all about the damage a scandal could cause. Every Englishman he’d ever met had some sort of scandal associated with him that had resulted in his exile to Texas.
    “I never considered anything about you trivial,” Tom said, watching as vibrant red slashed across Lauren’s cheeks. He hadn’t remembered her being one to embarrass so easily. But then it didn’t take much looking to realize that she was no longer the girl who had challenged him outside the general store. She possessed a poise, a calmness, a grace that she’d lacked in her youth. She was the epitome of a lady, and he wasn’t quite certain how he felt about the obvious changes, wondered if the changes in him were as clear to see.
    “Please, you simply must join us,” the hummingbird urged, again before Lauren could respond, and he realized that he should have waited before approaching her, waited until he could get her alone. After all these years, she deserved that consideration. They both did.
    “Please,” one of the other ladies implored. “We would love to have you join us.”
    How could Tom say no to such an earnestly delivered invitation, when such expectation hovered in the room, as though staying would fulfill their every wish?
    “I appreciate the invite.” He sat on the offered chair, bringing up one leg, putting his ankle on his knee, placing his hat on his thigh.
    With her delicate brow furrowed, Lauren stared at him as though she didn’t quite approve of his posture—or perhaps she was still having a difficult time believing he was there. But then he was having a difficult time believing it as well. He wondered if it would be inappropriate to ask her to step outside for a minute so they could talk in private. He had ten years of questions that needed ten years of answers. But even as he considered the possibility, he knew the required resolution: of course it would be inappropriate to take her aside. The one thing he had learned regarding the women in England was that a man wasn’t allowed to be alone with one—no matter how innocent his intentions.
    With an almost imperceptible shake of her head, as though accepting his presence, she made introductions without fluster, as though cowboys with daring declarations were known to barge into her drawing room every afternoon. The hummingbird was Lady Blythe. The dark-haired woman was Lady Cassandra. The younger ones were Ladies Anne and Priscilla.
    “Are you a cowboy?” Lady Blythe asked.
    “Yes, darlin’, I am.”
    She ducked her head and peered over at him, batting those long eyelashes again, appearing inordinately pleased. He’d always enjoyed showering attention on the ladies, but he was accustomed to having to work a little harder to get any sort of results.
    Leaning over, Lauren touched his hand, and desire speared him clear down to his bootheels. She’d always had an effect on him, but it had never been so strong, so sharp, so immediate.
    “These ladies…their fathers are all peers. You should address them with a bit more formality,” she said.
    “I, for one, don’t mind that you called me darling,” Lady Blythe said. “I’ve never before had a gentleman call me darling.”
    He gave her a broad grin. “I find that hard to believe, darlin’.”
    Lady Blythe released another tiny giggle that was almost a sigh.