Free Armored Hearts by Melissa Turner Lee Page A

door. Grandfather stood just outside, leaning against the banister.
    “Is it done?” The old man fixed his eyes on Gareth, a look of expectation on his worried face.
    “Yes. All that’s left is for me to propose.”
    Grandfather nodded toward the evening room’s door. “She’s waiting for you on the terrace.”
    As Gareth started to push himself in that direction, his grandfather put his hand on his shoulder. “You’ve grown into a fine man, a far better man than I was at your age. Better than I am even now.”
    Gareth choked on the lump which formed in his throat and nodded at his grandfather. “I…” he swallowed. “I need to be done with this.” And he wheeled himself down the way to the sitting room and onto the terrace where Jessamine stood.
    Her crème colored dress with muted red flowers swayed in the breeze and hugged her figure. Gareth felt heat rush to his face. The cold night air filled his lungs. He drank it in. She certainly wasn’t difficult to look at. In fact, she grew prettier each time he saw her. Her cheeks were rosy in the cool air, and the breeze blew back the portion of hair pulled back but not up, as she looked at him expectantly. The longer he gazed at her, the harder it was to look away.
    But it didn’t matter how pretty she was; this would not be a love match. This slavery was forced on Gareth. It wrenched his gut to be coerced into anything. She was like the chair now, trapping him and labeling him. Imprisoning him . When he let his thoughts linger there rather than on her pretty face, it put a bad taste in his mouth, and he was ready to spew it all over her. This union wasn’t even a like match.
    “Miss Keller, how fortunate to find you alone out here. It’s almost as if you were waiting for me.”
    Jessamine smiled. “Maybe I was.”
    “Yes, like a snake waiting in the rabbit’s den.” He narrowed his eyes at her.
    Jessamine blinked hard and looked taken aback. “I am a snake and you are my prey? Is that how you see this?”
    “How else am I to see it? Either throw Tabitha out to the wolves or sacrifice myself to you and give her a chance at a life.”
    This wasn’t the topic he’d planned to speak on. He’d plan to get the proposal out of the way and over with, but his ire at the situation couldn’t be contained.
    Jessamine circled him, never backing down or looking offended. “Why so hostile? Why can’t you see it as the offering a lifeline rather than a trap? I didn’t create your grandfather’s financial problems. My father and I have only offered a solution.”
    “Perhaps it is different in America, but here, it is not polite to speak of finances.”
    “You were the one calling me a snake for trapping you. I was simply pointing out that I was offering a lifeline to you all.”
    “At the price of me and my future title.”
    Jessamine turned and placed her hands on her hips. “Well maybe it’s not your title that interests me about you. Maybe I couldn’t care less about such things. Maybe what I want from you… ” Jessamine stepped toward him and bent down until her face was inches from his, “is far more interesting than a title.”
    Gareth swallowed. Jessamine’s floral fragrance mixed with what had to be her natural essence, and it clouded his mind. He held his breath in order to think. Her eyes were as teasing as her scent was maddening. The way she leaned over him caused her modest décolletage to become less modest. He forced his eyes shut in order to think.
    Why was he angry with her? Right, she was forcing him to live life in the blasted chair. Forcing him to hide in his own home. The anger returned. Anger—his go-to emotion.
    “Step. Back. Miss Keller.” Gareth’s tone was harsh and commanding.
    When he sensed she no longer stood close, he opened his eyes. Jessamine had retreated against the balcony railing. A calculating smile played on her lips. She always looked like she had him figured out already.
    “Oh, let’s get this over with,