An Irresistible Bachelor Read Free Page A

chances, but maybe now was a good time to give it a try. He had to admit he’d been rather touched by Grace’s ardent support of the woman.
    And the dreams? He wasn’t going to worry about them. Hell, he didn’t even like redheads.
    â€œJack?”
    He turned to the bed and looked at the dark shape of Blair Stanford. His fiancée.
    â€œSorry I woke you,” he said as she sat up on her elbows.
    â€œAre you okay?”
    â€œYeah, I’m all right.”
    She reached a hand out to him. “Come back to bed.”
    Jack slid between the sheets and felt Blair put her arms around him.
    â€œYou’re tense,” she said softly, stroking his chest.
    He wove his fingers through hers. “Go back to sleep.”
    â€œIs there something wrong?” she murmured. “You’ve been tossing and turning every night for the past few days.”
    â€œThere’s nothing to worry about.”
    He stroked her forearm, trying to get her to relax, but she propped her head up on her hand.
    â€œJack, we know each other too well for secrets.”
    â€œTrue. But who says I’m hiding anything?” He smiled at how her short blond hair was sticking out at right angles. He reached up and smoothed the sides down, thinking she wouldn’t have stood for that kind of disorder if she’d known about it. Even in the middle of the night.
    Blair stared down into his face for a long time. “Are you rethinking our engagement?”
    â€œWhat makes you say that?”
    She hesitated. “I was very surprised when you asked me to marry you and we haven’t really talked about it since.”
    â€œWe’ve both been busy. That doesn’t mean I’m having second thoughts.”
    What he really wanted to say was that she should know by now that he didn’t do “second thoughts.” Having made the decision that it was time to get married, and having found a woman he wanted to be his wife, he had everything arranged.
    â€œIt’s just that . . .” Blair shrugged. “I didn’t think we’d ever take this step. I keep wondering when I’m going to wake up from the dream.”
    He touched her shoulder, feeling the tension in her. “Where’s all this anxiety coming from?”
    â€œI never thought you were the kind of man who’d settle down. There were a lot of women before me.”
    â€œCome on, you know the stories of my love life are vastly overblown.”
    â€œMaybe so, but there was plenty to go on. And it’s not just the women. You’re a traveler.”
    Jack laughed and thought of his twin brother. “That’s Nate. He’s been around the world how many times? Four, now?”
    â€œThat’s not what I mean and you know it. You’ve always been restless.”
    He thought about the odd mix of blood in his veins, the DNA of WASP aristocracy and Portuguese fishermen combined. She was probably right, though he’d never thought about it before. He did have a seaman’s need for freedom, just like his brother, but he’d tempered the drive with his strong will and a healthy dose of avarice.
    â€œWell, restless or not, I’m staying with you,” he told her.
    He heard her sigh in the dark. “I just want you to be sure.”
    â€œYou know how I feel about you.”
    â€œYou don’t love me, Jack.”
    The quiet words hit him hard. He opened his mouth, not sure what he was going to say, but she put a slender fingertip on his lips.
    â€œIt’s okay,” she whispered. “I’ve always known.”
    He grabbed her hand and kissed it, wishing he could tell her otherwise. There were so many things about her that he liked and respected. She was a business success in her own right, running a thriving interior decorating company. She had fantastic style and grace. And she was both caring and understanding, two things he was going to have to rely on in the upcoming twelve