My Dangerous Rogue, Paula Wong [best books to read for self improvement TXT] 📗

does. “He is engaged to a woman named Loretta Chase,” Cullen said in a lazy tone, pouring himself some more scotch offering it to him.
“I have met Miss Chase in one of the charities I had attended, very kind and beautiful woman actually.” Pauline explained to her husband and looked up at Richard her eyebrows slightly raised. “So tell me, why would you want to marry a woman like her?”
“That is what I had asked,” Cullen grumbled, taking a sip out of his drink. “He would never go for a woman like Loretta Chase, I would have guessed that he would have gone for someone like Carmen Whistrop,”
She glared at him in response. “Do not be ridiculous, Lady Whistrop is a married woman,”
“Married to five men, all of them related as a matter of fact.” Her husband said quietly.
“It was not her fault that she was raised in a horrid family. You must understand that,”
“And did I mention that she had tried to seduce me as well?”
Pauline chuckled. “Yes I knew about that and I am so proud of you for not actually falling into her traps.”
“Well she was an attractive woman,” He smirked while Pauline’s expression suddenly turned grim.
“If you are trying to make me angry then you are indeed succeeding,” she replied looking over to Richard once more. “And I am afraid I have to counteract with your reason dear. I think Loretta is just the perfect woman for Richard,”
Cullen raised a brow, and so did Richard. “What makes you say that?”
“Miss Chase is a woman with long tolerance and deceitful mind. Though not as bad as what you and Cullen think.” She took a sip of her tea, placing it on the tray when she was done. “She can get you to reveal everything: that is how deceitful she is, without even saying much, just with her expressions and voice. Richard on the other hand, has a short tolerance and a dangerous mind. He can be able to reveal your darkest secrets by just a look that can be worse than the devil himself,”
“But that would make them much more of an unfortunate couple. A bad pairing,”
Pauline smiled and poured herself some tea yet again. “That is where you are wrong. In chemistry, opposites attract. Both negative and positive, Loretta and Richard. The ying-yang. Light and dark, good and bad,” she glanced over at Cullen. “Are you catching up my dear,” He growled and leaned against his chair study. “Yes, I get it.”
“You’re saying that I am the negative, ying, dark, and bad?” Richard asked apparently amused by her assumptions.
“Yes that is where I need for you to do me a favor,”
Richard leaned forward on the chair, seeming to be concerned at Pauline’s distraught face. He had never seen her in this type of emotion. “What favor?”


Loretta paced around the room, her hands on her waist, her anger flaring. “Oh why that little!” she shouted. “How dare he keep me here captive!” She balled her hands on her sides. Then with a low voice she looked at the library carpet. “And here I was worried about the reason why he would act like a blasted rogue again. He was so different last night, completely different from today. Was he even real?” She sighed and walked over to the window, thousands of books filled each shelves in the room. All of them from famous authors, poets, and people.
Outside, it was still snowing, the sun covered by thick white clouds across the sky. She watched as the carriage pulled over the estate driveway. Grimly, she glanced back at the grandfather clock.
It was a quarter after five. True to his word, Loretta looked throughout the library. For hours, she had wondered what was wrong with her. Why she would make love to someone like him? Twice as a matter of fact. Her face contained a steel expression as her decision sank in. She will not let him touch her again, in any intimate way. Never will she let that rogue do whatever he wants done. She is not his wife, and she will never be. She will personally be true to that. Now all that she needs to do is to keep that in mind whenever he is near or around. If she can be able to control her raising heart, the longing her body craves, the emptiness that needs to be filled. She shook her head. No matter, she will be able to find another. Another suitable gentleman who would love her, care for her, suit her every needs. She has no need for such a disgraceful man who is an out of control rogue.
With that settled, she made herself sit on the chair, her body relaxed her expressions emotionless. She had thought too much that she forget that he had arrived in the estate and was making his way up to the library. Suddenly, Loretta had the urge to fix her hair, to present herself properly, not with her hair in escaped pins, her gown wrinkled and not ironed. What was she thinking? She doesn’t need to beautiful for him, she doesn’t care for his opinions no matter what they are. Just as she promised, her heart didn’t contrast as he came into the room.
But when he turned around, her heart betrayed her. He was dressed in the most presentable way unimaginable. His waistcoat tailored neatly, trousers fitting his tall and masculine legs, boots containing his smooth feet.
His hair was doubtfully messy, black hair hang down his forehead, the others not on their right side. Her fingers grew damp as she remembered the way her hands ran through them when he was tasting her body. She wiped them away as she finally met his green-blue eyes. “How dare you keep me here. I am not some servant you can control. I cannot even believe you had the nerve to do what you had done,” she got up, thankful that her anger overcame her giddiness.
He shrugged and shook off his waistcoat, placing it on the library chair across from where she stood. “I needed for you to remain here so I can have a little chat with your parents,”
Her eyes widened. “Did you tell them I was here?”
Richard regarded her with a cool expression. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because they were worried sick about you. Your mother was close to fainting even though she may not said anything. Your father lacked sleep and food. Because of your doing,”
She slumped down on the chair, feeling lightheaded all of a sudden. “I did not know it will result into that,” she whispered, looking down at her delicate pale hands.
“It does not matter, they are alright.”
“What did you say to them?”
His mouth formed into a thin line, suddenly curving upward almost resulting into a smile. “I asked for your hand in marriage,”
Chapter 10

Loretta almost fell from her chair if her hands were not gripping the arm holder. “I beg your pardon?” she asked her temper growing again. He just doesn’t know how to stop being an ass now does he?
He sighed and leaned against the chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him. “I had said, I asked their permission for your hand in marriage,”
She felt her whole world crumble out in the universe, the room suddenly seemed blurry in her vision, and she fought the urge to run away. “Why in devil’s name would you do that?” she whispered. “I do not wish to marry you Lord O’Conner. I hope you can understand that,”
“I can understand perfectly,”
She let out a breath and relaxed.
“That you do not want to marry a man such as me, and that is why I want to marry you.”
And just as that she stiffened again, her words felt like syllables in her mouth, couldn’t even produce nor speak them, too shock to respond.
“You have no choice but to accept it in the matter. You are steeped in deep scandal Miss Chase. It is, after all, the only option you have without having to kill your parents with worriedness.” He sat coolly at his chair, like this doesn’t affect him as much as it affected her. He truly was a rogue! How could have this happen? Everything was going according to plan, except for the fact that he had appeared in the train station to claim her. How had he known? No one knew about this except for Wilhelmina, her coachman, Jane, and her husband. No, it is impossible. Jane would never betray her trust, that is something she holds dear. She is all about loyalty. Surely she did not sell her out. Loretta looked up at him. Options ran through her head.
“I will ask my mother and father if I can travel through Europe for a short while. I am sure they will accept,”
“After the stunt you have pulled, I do doubt that.”
She looked at him with bewilderment. How could he sit there calmly? As if this absurd decision does not affect him too. His freedom will be taken away. He is an out of control man, he would be just too much to handle. Too much for her at least.
Then in an instant, memories of their love making appeared on her mind, playing like a broken tape recorder. The way he touched, caressed, and kissed made her body tingle. Her breathing grew rigid. How could this have happened? She was a proper woman. She was not to bed men unless married. She lost her innocence to a man with low intentions.
She was stupid for letting him bed her.
“I appreciate the proposal Lord O’Conner but it seems that I have to decline. Marriage is not fit for a woman like me. I prefer to ride and explore the world before that happens,” which was completely a lie. She wants to be married, that is every woman’s dream. To love someone who would love her back. To kiss away every problem in her life, to wake up in the morning with the person you cherish more than life itself. Be with someone you cannot live without.
“Then we will travel first.” He advised persistently. “We can wait for marriage probably until next May.”
She shook her head and looked up at him. “I would rather be steeped in scandal than be married to one who had caused it,”
Richard’s calm expression suddenly turned grim. “Please do not forget that YOU were the one who caused the scandal my sweet. This was you’re doing. And let us face it, with the ton knowing what had happened to you and me, no eligible bachelor will want to marry you. So I am your only salvation ,”
That may be said, he is right. But… how can your salvation be you’re destruction?
Loretta took a deep breath and weighted the possibilities in her mind. He is accurate about everything but one. She will never marry a man such as