The Tycoon's Marriage Exchange Read Online Free PDF Page A

presence as both my fiancée and my wife.  Your parents can’t afford to keep dressing you and there’s no way I’ll let you wear anything your previous boyfriends have paid for .  As your husband, I can and will provide for you.”
    She couldn’t believe he was bringing up her lack of boyfriends at a time like this.  She knew she was a bit of an introvert and had more than her share of ambition.  So what if it meant she hadn’t dated many other men?  She didn’t feel like she’d lost out on anything important.  “I’m fully capable of dressing myself,” she snapped and spun around on her heel. 
    Hector almost groaned as he watched her walk out, wanting to call her back and apologize, to explain that she would need so many more clothes than she was used to, and he wanted to assure her that he could dress her in the finest, whatever she wanted. 
    But as his body reacted to even her retreat, his eyes drawn to her legs and that gorgeous hair that flowed down over her shoulders like a silken waterfall, he knew it was better to let her go and allow his body to get back under his mind’s control before the guests started arriving.  If he thought she was mad now only because he’d been gruff, he couldn’t imagine her fury if he greeted her friends and neighbors with his body in this kind of condition.  That kind of embarrassment she didn’t deserve. 
    Four hours later, he was no longer aroused, but he was intensely furious and the effect was the same.   As he watched his fiancée flit from group to group, laughing and talking, doing an excellent job of ensuring that everyone was having a good time, had a drink in their hands and no one was left alone…in other words, acting like the perfect hostess, he should have been proud.  Instead, he wanted to…okay, do the exact same thing he’d wanted to do when she was in his office.  He could add in to the scenario tossing her over his shoulder and carrying her into his office before laying her down on his desk and making love to her until she was screaming out his name. 
    This was more of a branding issue though.  No denying the need that was pounding through him but he also wanted to claim that woman as his own.  He wanted to put his stamp on her, to brand her with his touch and his kiss, to know every part of her and for her to know that she was his.  She flirted with every man in the room, no matter the age or marital status.  She did it in such a fashion that even the women weren’t offended, which should be a good thing, he told himself.  Kallista definitely knew how to work a crowd, how to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable . 
    But she avoided him like he was some sort of leper! 
    This was their engagement party, dammit!  She should be by his side!  Her mother should be working the crowd and Kallista should be enjoying the congratulations being poured on her by the guests at her luck for the privilege of marrying him. 
    Hell, he didn’t even care if others congratulated her or if they completely ignored her.  Okay, so maybe he’d prefer it if they ignored her.  He wanted her!  He wanted her flirtations, the wicked gleam in her eye just before she gave off one of those conversational zingers that made whatever group was listening burst out in laughter. 
    He also wanted her soft, tender hands on him just like she touched the other guests.  They’d had two short conversations in the past week and his lovely Kallista hadn’t touched him once.  Not even a handshake, he realized.  In fact, she ensured that she was always several feet away from him, so she wasn’t even within arms distance of him. 
    No matter where he was in the room, she continuously managed to be on the opposite side, maneuvering carefully so she was out of his range. 
    It was well past the point when their engagement should be announced, he told himself.  He looked around for Demetrius and caught his eye, nodding to indicate that it was time.  Demetrius