Read A Gentleman Says "I Do" for Free Online

never felt before swept across her breasts and then tumbled its way down into the depths of her abdomen. She inhaled the clean, fresh scent of shaving soap that lingered on his skin. Her chest tightened, and her stomach felt like it fell to her feet.
    Catalina knew she should shrink from his touch, but she couldn’t. It was as if she wanted and needed him to touch her so softly to prove he was a gentle man in spite of his tough talk and angry expressions. And for a fleeting, bewildering moment, her heartbeat raced and her throat went dry as she thought about the possibility of dallying with the rake. She had always wanted to be kissed by a man who stirred her senses the way this man did. It took all she could do not to throw her arms around his neck, place her lips on his, and give in to the madness of the intriguing man.
    “Understood, Miss Crisp…”
    “What’s this? I just heard there’s a gentleman in the house.”
    Catalina spun at the sound of her aunt’s voice and saw the petite woman dressed in a flowing, puce-colored gown breeze into the room with all the fanfare of a young maid at a cotillion.
    Aunt Elle’s face was flushed, and several strands of her dark brown hair had fallen from the chignon at the back of her head. The delicate lace fichu wrapped around her slim shoulders hung askew, and she wore only one large pearl earring. Catalina had no doubt her aunt had spent the afternoon lying on the settee in her bedchamber reading poetry and sipping wine.
    Holding a fine linen handkerchief in her hand, Aunt Elle said, “Catalina, my dearest, have you forgotten all your upbringing? You simply cannot entertain a gentleman without me or a suitable chaperone of some description present. What in heaven’s name were you thinking?”
    After rushing to Catalina’s side, her aunt stumbled to a halt too quickly and almost toppled over.
    “Careful, Auntie,” Catalina cautioned, trying to catch hold of her aunt.
    As if sensing a disaster in the making, Mr. Brentwood reached out and gently grabbed hold of her aunt’s waist to keep her from falling and to steady her. Aunt Elle clutched his upper arms as if she were hanging on to him for her life.
    She smiled up at Mr. Brentwood but made no move to dislodge herself from his grasp. Her hands squeezed the muscles in his arms, and she said, “My stars, you are a strong young man. Just like my Mr. Gottfried was.”
    Catalina purposefully kept her gaze from meeting Mr. Brentwood’s, but there was no way he didn’t know that by five o’clock in the afternoon, Eloisa Lucinda Gottfried had already had at least one glass of sherry too many.
    Catalina took her aunt’s wrist and gently pulled her away from Mr. Brentwood and helped her to stand up straight.
    “Auntie, I am not entertaining Mr. Brentwood.”
    “Of course you are, dearest. I’m tipsy, not blind.” Aunt Elle paused to put her handkerchief over her mouth and hiccupped as she looked down at the tray. “I can see you were having tea with him. I know what you were thinking, but I won’t have you risk your reputation over it no matter how worthwhile a plan it seemed at the time.”
    “Nonsense, Auntie. I wanted only to find out if I could help Mr. Brentwood. He is looking for Papa.”
    “Didn’t you tell him we don’t know where Phillip is? Oh, never mind. Both of you sit back down and finish your tea. I’ll handle this, Catalina.” She turned back to Mr. Brentwood and smiled. “But first, we must be properly introduced.”
    Catalina quickly made the introductions while her aunt swayed on her feet and smiled at Mr. Brentwood.
    After greetings were exchanged, Aunt Elle said, “Mr. Brentwood, you should have made known your intentions to court my niece.”
    “Auntie, no,” Catalina said, her frustration mounting as she continued to avoid Mr. Brentwood’s eyes. She could imagine what he was thinking and didn’t need to see it written on his face.
    “Mrs. Gottfried,” Mr. Brentwood said, “I would