Free Belong To Me (book 4) (The Fielding Brothers Saga) by Marie Higgins Page A

away, Charlotte turned to Ian and scowled. “I don’t accept your offer, sir. I detest you with every fiber of my being and I still want to dissolve our marriage.”
    His heart clenched. Guilt caused his gut to sink, but he remained contained, determined to get his way.
    George stepped forward and patted her shoulder. “Charlotte, there’s nothing I can do. You are, after all, still married.”
    “No.” Tears filled her eyes. She looked at Mrs. Archibald. “Please don’t make me stay.”
    A lump formed in Ian’s throat. Had he made the correct decision? Silently, he cursed. He wanted her for himself, and blast it all, he would not share. “Charlotte, sweetheart?” His voice softened. “What if I made you a deal?”
    Her deep amber eyes glared back at him. “What kind of deal?” she snapped. “The kind where I sell my soul to the Devil?”
    His fingers brushed a tear from her cheek. “No, nothing like that. I’m just suggesting a simple bargain. Stay with me for one month, and then if you still don’t wish to be married, I’ll sign the papers. But we have to live as husband and wife that whole time.”
    She shook her head. “That’s too long. Make it two weeks and I’ll agree.”
    “No.” He tried not to grin at her temperament. “I want a month. That gives us enough time to get to know each other again…” He paused, and then asked, “Are you afraid you might like me after a month’s time?”
    She pursed her lips. “I’m not afraid of anything.”
    “Then will you make the deal with me? We owe it to ourselves to get to know each other better, just as you had suggested earlier.”
    Her gaze switched between him and her friends, and Ian secretly thanked Mrs. Archibald and George for not siding with Charlotte this time. When she finally met his stare, a look of defeat rested on her lovely face.
    “All right. A month’s time, and no longer.”
    He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “It’s sealed then.”

 
    Chapter Five
     
    Softness brushed across Charlotte’s cheek, and she slowly stirred awake. The soothing caress smelled of roses, the sweet fragrance teasing her senses to awareness. The bed beneath her moved as someone sat beside her, and her dreamlike state changed to reality. A man’s scent of spice and leather brought her sharply awake.
    She blinked, trying to get her bearings. The surroundings were not familiar. The wood frame bed and matching dressers were too masculine. Her gaze slid to the man looming over her, a red rose dangled between his fingers as he stroked it across her cheek. Her heart sank.
    Seeing Ian’s handsome face brought back last night’s pandemonium, things that happened at the opera, and especially the horrible deal he had forced her to make.
    He grinned. “Good morning, my sweet.”
    Ian moved the rose down her cheek to her mouth, and then softly across her lips. His gaze rested where the rose stopped, and she feared a kiss would soon come. Before she could protest, he dropped his mouth to hers for a brief kiss. When he pulled away, the warm glow from his eyes sent shivers over her body.
    “Do you know how beautiful you look in the morning?” he asked softly.
    Reality came crashing around her. She had to live as his wife for a whole month. Last night hadn’t been a nightmare, after all.
    She pushed her hands against his solid chest and moved him upright, and then quickly sat up. When his attention dropped to her chest, she looked down and noticed how the satin camisole molded to her bosom. She reached for the sheet and tugged it up, but his hip blocked any movement.
    Last night, she’d gone straight to the room he’d assigned her before her trunks had arrived. She quickly stripped down into her camisole and drawers and climbed into bed. The stress throughout the day had worn her frazzled nerves, and when her head hit the pillow, she slept like the dead. Now she wondered if he had tried to crawl into bed with her sometime during the night.
    “How long