Page 4 of The Mech Who Loved Me
"Have you had too many wedding toasts?" Avablurted.
"He's handsome," Perry pointed out. "Clearly knows his way around women, and he couldn't take his eyesoffyou."
"I'm probably the only woman in there who's not married. He is the worst sort of rake! And he doesn't like me. We worktogether.We—"
"A physically fine specimen,however."
Heat filled Ava's cheeks. "While I cannot deny that, there is one crucial flaw with your thinking. Kincaid despises blue bloods." She gestured to herself. "Iam a blue blood. He also has a distinct dislike for virgins and no interest in marriage. Indeed, a significant aversion to such a state. This morning he told Byrnes if the groom wanted to flee across the Channel, there was still time and he'd stall the weddingparty."
Perry crossed her arms over her bosom. "You don't have tomarryhim."
"What?" She wasn't certain she'd heard Perrycorrectly.
"And if he is opposed to your state of virginity, then he could rectify that quiteswiftly."
Please, garden, swallow mewhole....
"If you cannot find someone who fits your ideal as a husband, and you feel like you're missing out, then why not explore your options? Consider it an experiment. Do you really want a husband? Are you simply lonely? Curious? Or is itsomethingelse?"
Ava stared at her. The very idea... was not as outlandish as it firstseemed.
"Ah, I thought I heard your voice out here." With that, Perry's husband Garrett appeared. He slid a hand over the small of her back, and the two of them looked into each other's eyes. "Were you looking for me? I heard you mention a 'physically finespecimen.'"
Perry rolled her eyes. "This is none of your business. Go backinside."
"Who do I have to kill?" he askedpromptly.
"No one. I was referring to a gentleman for Ava. Not one I hadmyeyeupon."
Garrett's blue eyes twinkled teasingly as he glanced at Ava. "Good. It's bad taste to shed blood at a wedding. Who are wehunting?"
Oh, God.Ava groaned. "We are not hunting anyone.Iam not hunting anyone. Perry has this madscheme."
"You always have the best schemes," he told his wife. "What's thescheme?"
Perry fiddled with the buttons on his coat, setting him to rights again. "You're not going tolikeit."
"You don't know that," heprotested.
"I told Ava she didn't need a husband. What she needs is... to experiencepassion."
Garrett looked blank. Then his cheeks reddened. "No. That's enough." He held his hands in the air. "I positively don't need to know anything more about this scheme. Do not listen to Perry. You're a young, unmarriedwoman—"
"A state that doesn't seem to have any prospect of changing anytime soon," Ava argued. "And I'm six-and-twenty, Garrett. Hardly adebutante."
"You also didn't seem to have those compunctions when you were chasing me." Perry crossed her arms over herchest.
"That wasdifferent."
"Oh?" One perfect blonde browarched.
"It was different because it was me, and I knew what my intentions toward you were," he countered. "What you'reencouragingis—"
"An experiment," Ava said, warming up to the idea. Not a husband, but alover.
"Possible future heartbreak." Garrett hesitated before patting her shoulder. "I don't want to see you hurt, Ava.Youknow...."
What you've been through,remainedunsaid.
