The Perfect Kiss by Anne Gracíe Read Free Book Online Page A

masculinity.
    She shook her head. He had no business to be walking about half naked. He was an atrocious man! With atrocious manners.
    “This place is in an atrocious state!” Grace shook out sheets with a practiced snap of linen. All the Merridew girls had had the basic household skills drummed into them from an early age.
    “How could he possibly invite guests here? He ought at least to have the house cleaned !” She gestured around her indignantly.
    Melly looked embarrassed. “Actually, Lord D’Acre didn’t invite us. It was Papa’s idea to come.”
    “What? Without an invitation?” Grace sat down on the bed she’d been about to make up and stared at her friend in amazement. “Melly Pettifer, your father is one of the most proper men I know. What on earth would make him invite himself—uninvited!—to a run-down, deserted house?”
    Melly shook her head. “I don’t know. I think . . .” Her voice trailed off.
    “You think what?”
    Melly’s embarrassment deepened. “I think Papa thought if he forced Lord D’Acre to marry me here, where it’s harder to get away, rather than in London, he might . . .” She flushed and whispered, “Might change his mind.”
    “Make it a real marriage, you mean?”
    Melly gave a despairing half nod. “You know Papa—he has no idea of the real world. He thinks I am beautiful. He says Lord D’Acre will not be able to resist my . . .” Her plump face crumpled. “My charms .”
    Grace hugged her friend. “You do have charms, Melly,” she said firmly. Melly was loyal and loving and sweet-natured. She would make a wonderful wife and mother. Only perhaps not with Lord D’Acre . . .
    Melly sobbed, unconvinced. After a few moments she gathered her composure and glanced at the door across the hallway. “Do you think they’ve finished examining Papa by now?”
    Grace gave her an encouraging pat. “Go and knock on the door and ask. I’ll finish making the bed, then I’ll go downstairs and see if I can get some hot water.”
    “Oh, yes, please, I’d love a cup of tea,” exclaimed Melly with a watery smile. “I wonder, who is going to cook us our dinner? I am very hungry.”
    “I’ll see what I can do,” Grace assured her. She could manage to make a cup of tea, but she had a sinking feeling about dinner.
    Melly had been taught to manage servants; she had no practical skills except sewing. Grace might be an expert at making a bed, but cooking was another matter entirely.
    But they had to eat. Someone would have to do something.
    As Melly raised her hand to knock, the door to Sir John’s room opened and Lord D’Acre emerged. “The doctor’s finished with him. You can go in now, Miss Pettifer.”
    Melly slipped past him into her father’s room, leaving Grace facing Lord D’Acre. Or more accurately, facing Lord D’Acre’s spectacularly naked chest.
    Or was that naked, spectacular chest?
    It was definitely naked. And indubitably spectacular; deep, powerful-looking, and golden. Not that she had anything to compare it with, apart from the chests of statues, and marble simply didn’t compare with the fascination of warm, smooth flesh.
    He could have used the time to put a shirt on, she thought. His entire upper half was naked. Even more naked than before, for he had no old man in his arms this time. And he was quite shameless about it. Grace forced herself to keep her gaze above his chin, but even so she was aware of a deep chest, an expanse of golden skin, a sprinkling of dark hair and two small . . . She tried not to stare. Did men actually have nipples ? The thought made her blush.
    She stared hard at his nose, trying not to look at his nipples. Her fingers itched to touch them, just to know what they felt like.
    His gaze seared Grace and his eyes narrowed. “I was worried about you, you know. Why didn’t you tell me you were riding for the doctor?”
    She instantly felt guilty. “I’m sorry. It seemed the right thing to do at the time. Sir John needed his