3: Strong minds clashes

 *Skye*

 “Well done”. Marsden exclaims, his green eyes twinkling with mischief. “I think we can say you clearly won this round Mrs Sinclair and put my son in his place. Bravo!”

 “Thanks, but please call me Skye”.

 While Being sassy with Ben seems to have won me some points with Marsden, it still takes everything in my to stop my hand from shaking as I hand him a cookie. Trembles run through me like a slow moving avalanche, and it isn’t just the understandable annoyance causing it. It is also this unexpected and very unwanted attraction to Ben that has every damned nerve ending standing in attention.

 I have of course never met him and I had no idea he would be here, but I have heard the stories. I have heard women drool over his inhumane good looks and to be honest I had known who he was the moment he opened the door.

 Pretending to think he was a servant was a panicked defense mechanism to uphold my facade. I had been completely unprepared for the magnetism of those hazel eyes, and that they would spark a desire within me that very damn near had me spin right around and run after the farmer and his dirty car.

 His dark hair is slightly tousled, like it is just on the verge of needing a trim. I have never in my life felt anything like this, never had such an instant visceral reaction to any man.

 The fact that I find him this incredibly attractive is irritating me beyond measure, it’s just not acceptable. It is also dangerous.

 Yes he might be coming off as rather rude and condescending, but I have no doubt that he is simply trying to protect his father, and I admire that to be honest. Sadly for him I also have someone to protect and I will do it at any cost and with any means possible. My mind, my body or my soul, nothing is sacred to achieve my goal.

 I get ready to defend myself when I notice that Ben pulls out what looks like a newspaper clipping and starts unfolding it. I have a feeling what it is.

 “So Skye my dear, how do you like upstate New York so far ?” Marsden asks kindly. I would actually have loved to know him when he was younger. I have a feeling he was a real charmer back then.

 “Strong !“ Ben says out of the blue, stopping me from answering.

 His son is definitely no charmer, despite women in New York claiming the opposite. If the stories are to be believed, he has swept half of them off their feet and right into his bed.

 The sigh from Marsden is clearly annoyed. “I gave you my advert to read so you would know what I have been searching for, not to use against her. We have been corresponding for a while and I know she fits perfectly for providing me with an heir”.

 “So it shouldn’t be a problem that I want to make sure I feel the same ?” His intelligent eyes land on me with a scrutinising gaze. “Strong … Sorry to be blunt, but you look like you could hardly push that chair from one end of the room to the other”.

 “Well I can always call for a servant to do it for me, that strength I do possess”.

 “If you did not notice, the housekeeper served the tea, did that seem normal to you ?” He shakes the key he had gotten from Mrs Barny. “The indoor staff here consist of the butler, the cook and the housekeeper”.

 “But you have plenty of money to hire more help”.

 “Maybe, but my father prefers to keep a small staff, people he knows and trust”.

 I smile at his father. “Then I will be happy with that too”.

 “You can hire all the help you want my dear”.

 Ben’s clenched jaw makes me have to fight to keep my face neutral. It seems the poor guy is not only in a battle of Will’s with me, but also with his father. To me Marsden doesn’t seem mad, like rumours say, he seems sharp. And the way he already protects me makes me sure this was the right choice.

 “So … healthy”. He shoots at me.

 I feel my lips slide up in a smug smile. “I promise you, I have not been sick a day in my life”.

 “Really ? Not even when you were a kid ?”

 “Not even then and I also still have all my teeth, so nothing wrong there either. You can count them if you want to”. I quickly regret the last sentence when he looks like he wants to count them with his tongue, his eyes darkening.

 I hold my breath, waiting.

 Then he shakes his head slightly. “I will trust you on that”.

 I had not expected him to trust me on anything, to be honest. Right now I am just waiting, knowing what will come and hating it.

 “And fertile ?”

 Oh you really are a bastard. This will be a bit more … complicated.

 “I had a son, he … he didn’t make it to his first birthday”.

 Ben swallows and his eyes flicker, looking like he regrets having asked it just as much as I hate him asking. “Sorry for your loss, I didn't mean to bring up painful memories”.

 So he does have a heart, even if he is coming hard at me with the third degree. Probably I should shut up, but I feel I have to set everything straight and prove I am the right woman. I might be here to marry his father, but it is clear to see that he has a lot to say around here, being the family heir.

 I am to give birth to the extra security, so that if anything happens to Ben, or if he fails to produce an heir of his own, there will still be someone to take over. So it’s better if we get along.

 “My son was not sick. It was gross neglect from someone who was meant to care for him that took his life”. I look at Marsden. “I do not want nannies or anything like that to care for my kids, I wish to handle it myself and see that they grow up healthy and happy”.

 “I am happy we see eye to eye on this”. He gives me a smile before turning to his son. “Are you done with the third degree ? The priest will be here in an hour”.

 I am not sure how he can know this with such certainty without looking at a watch. The one sitting on the mangel seems to be broken as the little arms have not moved since we walked in, forever showing a time of sekventere minutes to noon.

 “Dad, would it be okay for me to have a moment alone with your intended bride, just to make sure she fully understands the life she is signing up for ?”

 “I do not see the necessity, as I said we have corresponded for a while, I have been honest with her”.

 He gives his father a small smile. “No doubt you have. Sometimes seeing things from another point of view can just be healthy when making a big decision”.

 “So you can scare her away you mean”.

 His eyes move to me, running over me. “I don’t think she will be easily scared off, not if she is serious”.

 I am unsure if it is respect or a challenge that is lingering in his words.

 He slowly unfurls his long legs and stands up, keys ready in hid hand. “Allow me to give you a tour of your future home Mrs Sinclair. I promise to be on my best behaviour”.

 I do not want to be alone with him, but truth be told it is not because I fear his behaviour. I am sure he will act like a gentleman. My fear is that he is way too handsome, too very tempting and too masculine. I know from stories and rumours that he isn’t someone who lives in luxury, he is known to be adventurous, travelling in dangerous and Remote parts of the world.

 He has broad shoulders and looks well muscled without it being too much. There is a sleekness to his build, and I can imagine him swimming in exotic lagoons, galloping through desserts and hiking up mountains.

 So I should say no. Tell him that there is no reason as I am sure about my choice. He angles his chin down slightly, looking me over with a penetrating gaze that tells me he is reading my mind. Damn him, he is challenging me.

 I decide to put my gloves back on, just in case he is going to offer me his arm. I have a feeling I need as much of a barrier between us as I can get. Then I take a deep breath, getting to my feet. “I would love a tour of the house”.

 “Don’t let him force you”. Marsden assures me.

 “No worries, I can handle him. And I do want to become good friends with him, after all he is your son”. I look at Ben as I say it, knowing without a doubt that I need to keep a healthy distance.

 “Let’s go then”. He steps up to me and offers me his arm. I swallow and take a deep breath and place my hand on his arm. Oh I was wrong, the thin gloves does nothing to stop the heat from his skin from spreading into me. I can clearly feel how firm his muscles are and the subtle masculinity rolling of him.

 If I wasn’t so sure he would take it as a victory I would have stopped back and say I had changed my mind. But I would hate for him to see me as spineless.

 As I told his father, I can handle him, and keep a healthy distance.

 But to be honest I am no longer sure that I want to do that.