Lover Be Mine A Legendary Lovers Novel - By Nicole Jordan Page 0,1
was his first reaction after a bark of laughter. “You can’t honestly expect me to play the pathetic hero who dies.”
He put little credence in his sister’s unshaken belief in romantic destiny. And even though he was usually ripe for a challenge, he had adamantly refused even to meet Miss Fortin.
In response, Kate and Skye had endlessly sung her praises in an effort to rouse his interest.
“Sophie Fortin has beauty in abundance,” Kate professed.
“She is clever and kind,” Skye added.
“It is not her fault that her parents are determined to land a high-ranking title for her,” his sister repeated for the umpteenth time.
Jack’s scoffing amusement remained the same. The Fortin chit had to be a timid dormouse, allowing herself to be married off to an older nobleman who had already buried one wife.
“There is no official betrothal yet,” Skye countered. “You must act now, Jack, and rescue Miss Fortin from a loveless union before it is too late. Once she is affianced to the duke, she cannot honorably fall in love with you.”
“Her honor or lack of it is hardly my concern,” Jack replied, unswayed.
“Just say you will meet her,” Kate begged.
He’d held out until two days ago, when Skye cornered him as he left his house just after dawn. He was late for a curricle race, his head aching from an overindulgence of brandy the previous evening.
Completely ignoring his professed desire to be rid of her, Skye had refused to leave until she’d wrung a promise from him to meet Miss Fortin. “You know I won’t give up, Jack,” she said sweetly, “so you might as well surrender.”
For his own peace and self-preservation, he’d yielded, knowing his female relatives would hound him relentlessly otherwise.
The masquerade had seemed the ideal opportunity to conduct his surveillance, since he could employ anonymity to contrive an encounter with Miss Fortin and judge her for himself. The unmasking was not scheduled until midnight, and by then he would be long gone.
He’d come tonight intending to prove Kate’s ludicrous theory wrong. Regrettably, however, his plan had been hurled off course by the beauty herself, particularly her lovely smile. There was a radiance about her that captivated and drew Jack in wholly against his wishes.
At least he now understood why a wealthy widowed duke could be smitten enough to consider offering matrimony to a much younger commoner with no fortune.
Her skin was flawless ivory, her lips full and ripe, Jack noted. He would relish kissing those luscious lips; indeed, he would relish doing much more than simply kiss Miss Fortin.
For a moment he let his imagination run riot. He could well envision the pleasure of bedding her, feeling her go wild beneath him, matching her in the throes of passion.…
But matrimony? Jack curbed the urge to shudder. God forbid.
The notion that Sophie Fortin, or any woman, might be his potential soul mate was laughable. He had no intention of being ensnared in a courtship, let alone marriage. And yet she was definitely too tantalizing to resist pursuing.
The dance ended just then, and Miss Fortin’s partner of the moment bowed and took his leave of her. Alone, she glanced over her shoulder and caught Jack watching her from a corner of the gardens.
Her gaze stayed on him for a long heartbeat. Then, instead of turning away out of shyness or embarrassment, she surprised him by suddenly moving his way.
Upon reaching him, she peered up into his mask, trying to see his eyes. “Do I know you, sir? I penned the invitations for my Aunt Eunice, and I don’t recall anyone of your description on the guest list.”
Although his pirate costume couldn’t disguise his height or athletic build, Jack suspected his identity was safe, since his mask covered the better part of his face and his headscarf mostly concealed his mane of black hair.
“No, we have not met before, Miss Fortin,” he answered, amused by her directness. Baldly confronting a stranger was something only the females in his family would do.
“Then would you care to explain why you have been watching me these past twenty minutes or more?”
Her boldness impressed him, but he parried her question with his habitual facile charm. “Is it unreasonable for a man to enjoy watching a beautiful young lady?”
In response to his flattery, she gave a light, skeptical laugh and glanced down at the cutlass he wore sashed at his waist. “Am I in any danger? Pirates are known to take hostages for ransom and carry away maidens for their own wicked purposes.”