Substitute Bride (Beaufort Brides Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

couldn’t understand how his
quiet, understated nanny had transformed into this lush, sensual creature. His
eyes crawled over her quite without volition, taking in every curve and dip of
her body.
    She had some sort of lace thing covering her neckline, but
he still had an ample eyeful of the rich crease and shadow beneath.
    His body buzzed with interest in a way he hadn’t felt in a
really long time.
    “We weren’t finished our dance,” Julie said, frowning in
concern. “We’re at a ball.”
    He managed to make his eyes move down to his daughter. “Of
course. You can finish your ball.”
    Her face broke out in smiles. “You can come too,” she
announced. “Maybe there’s an outfit for you too.”
    “Oh, I don’t know—” James began.
    At the same time, Rose said, “Julie, honey, your Daddy might
not feel like—”
    “Of course,” old Mrs. Beaufort interrupted, speaking over
both of them. “There is an outfit for your father.”
    “But Grandmama,” Rose began, her face twisting in concern.
“He might not want—”
    The old woman ignored her, leaving the room for just a
minute and then returning with an old-fashioned jacket with tails and a top
hat. “You may wear this.”
    The girls cheered and danced around in excitement about the
idea of his dressing up with them, and they were clearly so happy about it that
he couldn’t bear to disappoint them.
    So, although he’d had a really long day and wanted to just
go home, he pulled on the jacket, which was a little tight in the shoulders,
and put on the top hat, which was damned uncomfortable.
    “Ooh,” Jill said, “You look very elegant, Daddy!”
    “Elegant!” Julie chimed in.
    Rose was looking more and more embarrassed. “I’m really
sorry,” she murmured. “She’s impossible when she gets an idea into her mind.”
    “Don’t worry about it,” James said, trying to keep his eyes
from slipping down to her cleavage again.
    He really needed to get a grip. Rose was his nanny. He was
engaged. He could absolutely not be thinking about her this way.
    “Okay,” Jill said, obviously thinking through the situation.
“When Mrs. Beaufort starts playing again, I’ll dance with Julie and, Daddy, you
can dance with Rose.”
    “Oh, but—”
    “Begin,” Mrs. Beaufort instructed, cutting off her
granddaughter’s objection.
    She began playing the song again, and James’s daughters
jumped into dancing position, strutting around together in a faint semblance of
a waltz.
    Rose looked at James and then dropped her eyes. “We don’t
have to. I’m sorry I got you into this.”
    “Daddy, aren’t you going to dance?” Julie asked, sounding a
little disappointed.
    James smothered a groan. “Let’s just do it. But I’m warning
you, I can’t dance worth a bean, so I apologize in advance for your toes.”
    Rose gave a little laugh, and he swung her into dance
position, telling himself to keep it together for a few minutes. Then he could
leave and his stray, very wrong thoughts would fade into nonexistence.
    He’d never been attracted to Rose like this. It obviously
wouldn’t last very long.
    He just wished she wasn’t wearing that damned wedding dress.
    Her body felt warm and soft against his, and he could smell
her every time they moved—the scent of her hair, the lotion she used.
    He wanted to pull her even closer, but he rigidly controlled
his mind and body.
    This would be over soon. This was just some random passing
fluke.
    It didn’t mean anything.
    And it didn’t matter that Rose’s big brown eyes and soft
lips were the most beautiful things he’d ever seen.
    She was gazing up at him, as if she really liked him, as if
she thought he was something good.
    He wasn’t good. This was just wrong. As wrong as anything
he’d ever experienced.
    He needed the dance to end. Now.
    The dance did end, but not as he’d expected. A voice came
from the doorway behind him. A familiar female voice he’d never expected to
hear here.
    Genevieve’s voice,