The Earl's Outrageous Lover Read Online Free PDF

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    She stepped out of his car quickly, eager to be freed from those intimidating eyes of his.  What rotten luck, she thought as she opened the heavy door leading out to the street.  How could she be so attracted to a man who was completely inappropriate for her?  The man was a grouch who was probably painfully rigid in his mindset and so disciplined in his day that any kind of disturbance would irritate him to no end.
    Edward cursed under his breath as he watched the slender woman step out.  Her long legs, round bottom and tiny waist were all he could see besides her dark curls but it was enough to singe his eyes and fill his body with need.  When the door finally closed on her, he swore once again and pulled out his cell phone.  Pressing a number he had on speed dial, he waited the few seconds before his call was answered, spending that time trying to get his body back under control.
    “Julianna, I’m glad I was able to reach you,” he said as soon as the woman picked up.
    “Good afternoon, Edward,” she said with her well cultured voice.  “It’s good to hear from you.”
    Edward was irritated that he wasn’t picturing Julianna’s blond elegance but continued to mull over Jessica’s brunette boldness.  He would someday take Julianna as his wife and he should give her the respect of focusing on her when he was conversing with her.  “I’m sorry to spring this on you, but I have a favor to ask.”
    “Of course.  You know I’ll do anything I can to help.”
    Edward was counting on it.  “I know we don’t have plans tonight, but I was wondering if you might be able to accompany me to a dinner tonight.  Nothing formal, but I need to help out a friend.”
    “Of course.  What time?”
    He was relieved that he wouldn’t have to meet Jessica for dinner tonight alone, not examining his need for ‘protection’ too closely.  “I’ll have Alice send you the details.”
    “That’s fine,” she said and they hung up after a few more pleasantries.
    Edward spent the rest of the afternoon going through meeting after meeting, becoming more angry when his normally intense concentration was tested by images of a round bottom and long legs…of soft, red lips and twinkling chocolate eyes.  As he made his way to pick up Julianna that evening, he resolved to get the woman married as quickly as possible so he could get on with his life.
    Julianna was the woman in his life.  She was cool and sophisticated, and everything his business life needed.  She was a supreme hostess with all the right connections.  They had been dating for the past several months but nothing serious and not exclusive, which was the main reason he hadn’t made their relationship more intimate.  Julianna wasn’t the kind of woman he could have sex with and then move on to a new relationship.  Once they took things to that level, he would be fully committed to a long term relationship.
    No, when he needed sexual release, he would go to his mistress who was happily living in an apartment on the other side of London.  Those two worlds did not mix.
    The thought occurred to him briefly that he couldn’t imagine needing a mistress if Jessica Mallory were in his life.

Chapter 3
    Jessica looked at the table, noting the soft, pink roses and candle light.  It looked perfect.  Romantic, but not overwhelming, warm without being too cozy.  She could sit across the table at Edward and spell out all the things she wanted in a man, all the things that he wasn’t such as fun-loving, gentle, eager to smile at the silliest things.  She wanted a man who would dance after dinner with her – just because a fun song came over the stereo.
    He’d looked so angry earlier in the day which told her that Edward was an old stick in the mud.  She definitely couldn’t picture him dancing anywhere, much less in the kitchen or dining room.
    What she’d done to make him angry, she had no idea.  Initially, she’d gone through the whole conversation