Enlisted by Love by Jenny Jacobs

played his cards right, despite the fact that Greta thought he was an infuriating man. He did not think she was one of the susceptible women he could charm into agreeing to a date. Therefore, the wise thing to do was ignore her and focus on a more likely candidate.
    Out of deference to Michael and Tess, he had been on his best behavior and even so Greta had accused him of being infuriating. Talk about infuriating! It absolutely wasn’t fair. But it was entirely possible that there was a woman in this room, not Greta, who would recognize at least some of Ian’s finer qualities. Such as the way he looked in this suit, even if he did say so himself.
    The reception was being held at the Eldridge Hotel, an historical landmark of undisputed elegance located in downtown Lawrence. Ian felt sure Greta — not to mention Michael’s mother — had been instrumental in choosing the site. Left to her own devices, Tess would have chosen someplace whimsical, like the annual Renaissance Festival or the county fairgrounds. Michael, having no more sense than any man showed after being hog-tied and thrown, wouldn’t have made any objection to such an arrangement. Though — a smile quirked his lips — Ian could just imagine Mrs. M’s face if she’d been told to arrive at Barn 3 at 10 A.M. on a Saturday morning.
    Scanning the crowd, he caught sight of Greta, who was laughing over a remark made by a distinguished looking gentleman. Apparently the distinguished looking man was not infuriating. Ian’s eyes narrowed. He’d paid her the compliment of believing she was a sophisticated, level-headed adult, and this was the result? He liked Tess well enough, and he could see why Michael had snatched her up, but you couldn’t call Tess a sophisticated level-headed adult, could you? He would have thought Greta would appreciate that he was able to tell the difference — and to admire it.
    What was infuriating about someone noticing you’d outgrown the need for fairy tales? That was what he wanted to know. There were plenty of people who should know better than to believe in fantasies, who lived with their heads in the clouds, and when reality overtook them — wham! They seemed surprised and unable to cope. That was something he admired about Greta. She would never be surprised and unable to cope.
    He swallowed more punch. When had he developed a fondness for sophisticated, level-headed adults? Hadn’t he always liked women who could make him forget the grim and gritty details of his work in a violent and unforgiving world? Nothing wrong with a good time girl to lift a man’s spirits. Right? So he traded his uniform for a suit and tie and suddenly good time girls bored him. What was wrong with him?
    He sighed, wishing Tess had provided something stronger than punch. His new-found preference was a depressing development. Just when he thought he knew himself, he went and complicated matters. What was it about Greta that changed everything he knew about himself and women?
It’s just the challenge
, he told himself, intensely disliking the man who was making Greta laugh. It was probably too much to hope that she was laughing
at
him instead of
with
him.
    The minute she lets me catch her, I’ll be over her
, he reassured himself, shrugging philosophically. She looked elegant and cool in that dress … made from a length of fabric he’d brought back from India. A brilliant decision on his part, not that he would have guessed it at the time. He felt a little possessive about that dress. That was
his
.
    That was also the kind of thought that was going to get him into trouble. She shimmered, radiant in the soft light of the room. He turned his back on her and found the refreshment table. Taking another cup of punch, he surveyed the reception area. He’d come here with a plan, and the plan was to chat up a couple of lovely ladies and see what happened. So here he was. All he needed