Jacob,” Edward said and didn’t even wait to be polite but took Jessica’s hand. Without another word, he took Jessica into his arms and danced away from the stunned younger man. No explanation, no teasing to ease the situation, just an abrupt end which left the man standing in the middle of the other dancers, leaving him to awkwardly make his way to the side of the dance floor.
“That was rude!” Jessica snapped at him.
“Jacob is a notorious flirt. He’s completely wrong for you.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She pulled out of his arms and left him standing there just as he’d done to Jacob a moment later.
Edward wasn’t the same kind of man though and she should have known better to try it with him. Edward grabbed her arm and pulled her right back into his arms, locking her in place and continuing the dance. They were getting curious stares from the other dancers, but Jessica didn’t care. She was so furious with him she couldn’t speak for a long moment.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she demanded when he pulled her closer to him.
“Keep your voice down. And realize that we’re dancing if it’s such a mystery to you.”
“We are not dancing! You are dragging me around against my will. I’m sure there’s an issue with kidnapping here.”
“In public?” he laughed and shook his head. “Be real, Jessica.”
Jessica tried to pull out of his arms once again but he pulled her tighter, molding her against him and she gasped, looking up into his eyes. She saw the fire in his eyes and shook her head. “You’re not playing fair.”
“I never play fair. I play to win.” He glared right back at her and finally said, “Please explain to me why I leave you with a perfectly acceptable man and every time I turn around, I find you with a man who is the complete opposite of who you should be conversing with? The two men I’ve pulled you away from would be more than happy to share your bed, Jessica, but they won’t marry you. Not even for all of your father’s money. So focus on the assignment!”
The music ended and in typical Edward fashion, he turned to politely applaud the musicians. She took that moment to escape, walking away from him as quickly as she could in the opposite direction.
Before she could get more than a few steps, Edward was right beside her, guiding her over to the edge of the ballroom. “What’s going on with you, Jessica?” he asked, his face a mask of indifference but she could see the anger in his eyes.
She stared up at him for a stunned moment, then it came to her. He really didn’t get it. He had absolutely no clue what kind of man she was interested in. She was twenty-five years old, forced to marry or have thousands of people lose their jobs and the only part of this situation that can make it palatable is to find someone she’s attracted to. And he was intent on shoving boring or irritating men in her direction.
“Do you honestly believe that either of the men you’ve pushed on me might be interesting companions for the rest of my life?” she asked, wondering what he might think about marriage and her prospects in general.
“I think they are good, solid men who would be happy to have you.”
She blinked. “Okay, do you think I would be happy to have them?”
He crossed his arms over his chest, shrugging slightly. “I honestly have no idea what kind of man interests you. But I think you should stick to probable candidates instead of the ones who are just out for an easy conquest.”
She was fed up with him and his obtuseness. Poking him in the chest with her forefinger, she leaned up to him, trying to emphasize her anger. “Why don’t you just leave me alone and let me go about this my own way. I refuse to let you convince me that I’m some sort of horrible leper or an ugly bug that needs to be married off to the first available man who can stomach
“That was rude!” Jessica snapped at him.
“Jacob is a notorious flirt. He’s completely wrong for you.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She pulled out of his arms and left him standing there just as he’d done to Jacob a moment later.
Edward wasn’t the same kind of man though and she should have known better to try it with him. Edward grabbed her arm and pulled her right back into his arms, locking her in place and continuing the dance. They were getting curious stares from the other dancers, but Jessica didn’t care. She was so furious with him she couldn’t speak for a long moment.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she demanded when he pulled her closer to him.
“Keep your voice down. And realize that we’re dancing if it’s such a mystery to you.”
“We are not dancing! You are dragging me around against my will. I’m sure there’s an issue with kidnapping here.”
“In public?” he laughed and shook his head. “Be real, Jessica.”
Jessica tried to pull out of his arms once again but he pulled her tighter, molding her against him and she gasped, looking up into his eyes. She saw the fire in his eyes and shook her head. “You’re not playing fair.”
“I never play fair. I play to win.” He glared right back at her and finally said, “Please explain to me why I leave you with a perfectly acceptable man and every time I turn around, I find you with a man who is the complete opposite of who you should be conversing with? The two men I’ve pulled you away from would be more than happy to share your bed, Jessica, but they won’t marry you. Not even for all of your father’s money. So focus on the assignment!”
The music ended and in typical Edward fashion, he turned to politely applaud the musicians. She took that moment to escape, walking away from him as quickly as she could in the opposite direction.
Before she could get more than a few steps, Edward was right beside her, guiding her over to the edge of the ballroom. “What’s going on with you, Jessica?” he asked, his face a mask of indifference but she could see the anger in his eyes.
She stared up at him for a stunned moment, then it came to her. He really didn’t get it. He had absolutely no clue what kind of man she was interested in. She was twenty-five years old, forced to marry or have thousands of people lose their jobs and the only part of this situation that can make it palatable is to find someone she’s attracted to. And he was intent on shoving boring or irritating men in her direction.
“Do you honestly believe that either of the men you’ve pushed on me might be interesting companions for the rest of my life?” she asked, wondering what he might think about marriage and her prospects in general.
“I think they are good, solid men who would be happy to have you.”
She blinked. “Okay, do you think I would be happy to have them?”
He crossed his arms over his chest, shrugging slightly. “I honestly have no idea what kind of man interests you. But I think you should stick to probable candidates instead of the ones who are just out for an easy conquest.”
She was fed up with him and his obtuseness. Poking him in the chest with her forefinger, she leaned up to him, trying to emphasize her anger. “Why don’t you just leave me alone and let me go about this my own way. I refuse to let you convince me that I’m some sort of horrible leper or an ugly bug that needs to be married off to the first available man who can stomach
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