The Earl's Outrageous Lover Read Online Free PDF Page B

to try to determine what she might have said or done that would offend him.  But in the end, there had been so little conversation, she went with the idea that he’d just come from a frustrating meeting and his attitude had nothing to do with her.
    Of course, there was the misunderstanding about the police station.  She thought it was terribly sweet that he’d raced down to the police station, more than ready to step in and help her out of whatever predicament he imagined she’d fallen into.  Yes, that was very sweet and countered a lot of the negatives she’d come up with in her mind about his personality.
    The doorbell rang and she smoothed her pink dress over her hips, ensured that the gold chains were smooth and she still had both gold earrings in her lobes.
    “Do I look okay?”  she asked Beth, the housekeeper who had been with her family since before she was born.
    Beth looked back at the lovely woman and smiled.  “You look stunning,” she replied honestly.  “Just a touch demure, but nothing to hide your sparkling personality.”  Beth loved this exquisite young woman like she was her own daughter.  She wasn’t sure why Jessica was making such a fuss about this dinner tonight though.  “I’m sure the dinner will go exactly as planned,” she assured her nervous friend.
    Jessica took in a deep, calming breath, then nodded her head, giving Beth permission to open the door.  “Thanks for the pep talk,” she whispered a moment before the door opened.  She wanted things to be perfect tonight with Edward.  She didn’t want to make any mistakes that might irritate him.  She needed his help to get through this maze of finding a husband.
    Jessica had anticipated this moment all afternoon, hoping that Edward would walk into her house, see her dressed in a more demure style and her appearance tonight would counter his previous impression of her.  He’d said that she’d been gallivanting around the world so this was her chance to show him that she wasn’t flighty but could be earnest and take this legal issue seriously.
    So when the door opened and she saw Edward, her eyes sparkled with anticipation and she smiled brightly.  She took in his tall, muscular frame in the dark suit and a shiver of awareness flashed through her.  Good grief, why did he have to look so amazing?  Those broad shoulders and his height were intimidating enough but those hazel eyes looked like he could see right through her façade and know her darkest secrets.  Could he know that she didn’t like him?  That she thought he was a fuddy duddy?  Okay, an incredibly sexy and attractive….yes, even a yummy fuddy duddy but still….
    Why on earth was she trying so hard to impress this man?  She didn’t even like him!  She shouldn’t care about his opinion of her.  He was here to help her find a husband, not hire her for a job opportunity.
    It took her several moments before she realized that he wasn’t alone.
    When she noticed the gorgeous, cool, blond woman standing beside him, she stumbled mentally, completely unprepared to host another woman in her propaganda night.  Blinking rapidly, she searched her brain to try and catch up with what was happening.  Who was this woman and why was she here?  It was embarrassing enough that she was trying to impress Edward with her seriousness.  Did she have to have another witness if she messed up somehow?
    Thankfully, her mother’s training snapped in at the last moment and she stepped forward, her hands extended to the lovely woman as the couple entered the foyer together.  Edward had his arm around her waist in a proprietary fashion and Jessica suddenly and unexplainably wanted to scratch the woman’s eyes out.  Instead, she extended her hand and introduced herself.
    “Good evening!”  she managed to say with just the right amount of warmth in her voice.  “I’m Jessica Mallory and I’m so grateful that both of you were able to make it for dinner