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“And what’s wrong with that?” he asked, that cheeky smile back on his lips.
“Nothing, except that the man is fat, humorless, and crippled with gout.”
“Sounds like a strenuous start to a relationship.”
“Well, she doesn’t get that far. Even though the marriage would ensure her financially, she doesn’t want to trade her happiness for it. So, she runs away.”
“Sounds reasonable,” he smirked.
I manage a smile at that, but take a big gulp of my beer to bolster myself.
“She managed to find a job at an inn on the edge of town, and that’s when she meets the first of the brothers.”
“The men are all brothers?”
I nodded.
“Yep. He sees her get fired for dropping a dish of stew, and catches her outside the inn, offering her a job. He takes her home to his manor, since he is the duke.”
“She marries up. Good for her.”
“She doesn’t just marry up. She finds things in each of them that she loves. Their personalities, their sense of humor, and of course their looks.”
“Of course,” he obliges. “So why not just pick one?”
“Why would you if you didn’t have to?”
“Touché.”
“Anyway, I haven’t gotten much further than that. I’m still working on the antagonist. They’re currently far too comfortable and happy. That’ll never do.”
Owen chuckled, sipping at his own dark brew.
I took another mouthful too, tasting the full, grainy and caramel flavor burst over my tongue. It was a little much compared to the lite, cheap stuff I was used to, but what I was aiming for was a buzz, and it would get me there.
“Angst and interest are always welcome in that genre, or so I imagine.”
“Oh it is.” I grinned.
“Hm, I guess I’ll need to brush up on my erotic romance. I’ve dabbled before, a long time ago, but I always found the stories lacking in character and intrigue.”
“What kind of books do you read?” I asked him, finding myself intensely curious on what a man like him would spend his time reading.
He sighed and sat back in his chair again.
“Oh, I dabble in it all. Though, I do enjoy science fiction and fantasy. Sometimes people’s minds are just…fantastic.”
“You write, don’t you?”
He nodded.
“Like I said, I dabble in it all.”
My eyebrows lifted.
“Do you write fiction? I know you wrote a book on creative writing that went on to the New York Times Bestseller list.”
He gave a wistful smile.
