Mysty McPartland Read Free

become worried. She wouldn’t put it past her sneaky father not to have mentioned her demand to the duke. Well no use putting it off, she told herself. Drawing in long breath for courage, she eyed him with determination. “I’m sure my father informed you of my terms. That I would be your substitute bride but I would not be your substitute bedmate.”
    He could only stare back at her incredulously. Was the woman insane? Didn’t she realize the only reason he married in the first place was to beget heirs, and for no other reason. He shook his head, she was being ridiculous. “Now see here woman, I didn’t agree to anything. Your father never came to see me and why do you think I was in a rush to marry? It wasn’t because I wanted a damn wife to begin with. I want heirs and since we’re married, you’re going to supply them.”
    The anger coming from him made her jerk away, she’d already been a victim of it once. However, she told herself not to be a weak kneed ninny and lifting her chin, she met his hostile glare with her own. “Well there is only one recourse you can take sir. And that is to have the marriage annulled at once and find yourself a more willing wife. One, who doesn’t mind a loveless marriage or accept a bridegroom who has shared his body with more women than anyone can count.”
    His jaw clenched, he glared at her hotly. “Firstly, there will be no annulment. Do you think I would put myself through this debacle again? Well, you’re wrong. Secondly, you’re living in fairy land if you think anyone marries for love even if it does exist, which I very much doubt. Thirdly, you’re sounding quite miffed over just how many women have enjoyed my body. And I can assure none of them have ever complained.” The damn woman infuriated him. If she thought she was going to keep him out of her bed, well she was dead wrong.
    “I can strongly assure you sir, I am not miffed or anything else.” She scoffed in indignation and turned away. The man was so egotistical and needed to be put in his place. Who did he think he was; some demi god or the world’s greatest lover?
    It was hard to control his annoyance. Not even married half an hour and they were already bickering. It didn’t make the future years with this woman look an inviting prospect, however, it wasn’t going to change anything. “I suggest we put the rest of this conversation aside until after the wedding breakfast and we are alone.” Nathan suggested tightly.
    “Fine with me, but I can’t think of anything else that needs to be said on the matter.” Sheldon could see by the narrowing of his eyes that he was fighting to control his temper. She turned away and fiddled with her oversize wedding gown. The man was just too handsome for his own good she reluctantly admitted to herself. She also couldn’t help remembering when she stumbled across him in the whore house, naked and in bed with a woman.
    Even now she grew breathless picturing him in all his glory, such a magnificent physic. He had a strong, broad chest that was scattered with a swirl of dark hair. The hair tapered in a thin line down a flat stomach and muscled ribs. She could feel her face growing warm and tried to shut off her thoughts, but they wouldn’t be ignored and she couldn’t stop remembering the power of what stood out so proudly between his strong thighs. Oh, she’d seen naked men before and she didn’t know why this one affected her differently.
    Since the night she spied him naked, she hadn’t been able to forget him or the beauty of his body. Much to her annoyance, he also had a face to match the rest of him. Now truly miffed at herself, she determinedly shut her mind off and was relieved when the carriage pulled up in front of his mansion.
    Nathan studied the woman through narrowed eyes. She wasn’t what people would call the usual beauty. Not with those big purple eyes, the little snub nose, her lips though were full and pouting, lush and red. He shifted. He