Love Me Always by Marie Higgins Read Free Book Online Page B

supposed to be Grant’s responsibility.
    Her heart sank. The weeks would pass quickly before she married. How was she going to be able to hold up and remain strong if her heart wasn’t in it?
    The knock on her bedroom door made her jump back to awareness. “Yes?” her voice squeaked.
    “Catherine? It is I, Gregg. Uncle Grant sent me to see if you were ready.”
    “Yes, Gregg. I’m ready.” From the adjoining room where she’d previously bathed, Emily hurried in, giving Catherine a curious look. “Let him in,” she instructed her maid.
    Smoothing her hands down her silk gown, she waited while Emily opened the door. When Gregg walked in and looked at her, his face softened and his eyes twinkled.
    “Catherine, you are stunning.” His gaze traveled down her before bouncing back up to meet her eyes.
    Her cheeks warmed. “Thank you, Gregg.”
    “Come.” He held out his arm. “Let us go down and let my uncle and brothers partake of your loveliness.”
    She took his arm and walked with him down the magnificent staircase. Mrs. Berkley hurried out of her room and followed not far behind. Grant, Nick, and Ian waited at the bottom, all eyes turned upward. Because of Grant’s squinted gaze, she supposed he couldn’t see her yet, but his nephews could. Ian’s jaw dropped as his focus ran up and down her length. She wanted to giggle from his reaction.
    It was Nick’s gaze that nearly shattered her defenses. His face softened the longer he swept his eyes over her – from the top of her ringlet-styled hair to the tips of her ice blue satin-heeled slippers. It wasn’t the fact he admired her that was rattling, but the way he did it. His expression was similar to when she’d seen him smile at the serving woman yesterday, yet now it his gaze was more intent. The realization made her heart pound and her legs weaken.
    Finally, she stood in front of Grant, his eyes clearer now. His gaze ran over her, and instead of making her feel warm and tingly like Nick had, her skin crawled.
    “Catherine, my darling. You’re such a vision of beauty,” Grant told her as he took her trembling hands. “I’m going to be the envy of every man in attendance this evening.”
    It took all her effort to smile, and her voice refused to work.
    His gaze strayed to her bare neck. “There’s something missing, though. You look a little cold.”
    He let go of her hands and reached in the pocket of his over jacket, pulling out a long black, velvet box. When he opened it, she gasped with surprise. A pearl and diamond necklace and matching earbobs lay inside against black velvet.
    “I think these will warm you this evening,” Grant said.
    She’d never seen anything so extravagant in her life, and the sight of them temporarily made her forget her unease. “Oh, Grant…you should not have done this.”
    He chuckled. “I insist. I’ll not take no for an answer.”
    With her gloved fingers, she tenderly touched the necklace. “Oh, Grant, this is so unexpected...and they are so lovely. Thank you.”
    Grant turned to Nick. “My dear nephew, will you do me the honor of placing this around her neck? I fear the clasp is too small for my eyes to see.”
    “Certainly.”
    Nick picked up the necklace and stepped behind her, circling it around her neck. The warmth from his unsteady hands seared her skin, and she inhaled sharply. His hot breath caressed her neck and sent chills down her spine. After he was done, he stepped back. She turned, and with shaky hands, reached for the earbobs and placed them on her earlobes.
    “There,” Grant said, “your perfection is complete.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Panic suffocated her, and she wanted to press her palms against his chest to stop him, but he soon pulled away, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She prayed this was all the affection he’d show her tonight.
    Grant turned to his nephews. “Boys? Why don’t you give Catherine a little show of affection, since she’s practically part