by Dawn Brower
“I realized you were missing after I had a discussion with James.” He sighed. “If I’d come back to Weston sooner I may have rescued you before you were taken to France. I was off investigating a lead...” He was silent for a few moments and then shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. What’s done is done. I can’t change anything. All that matters is you’re safe and will be going home where you belong.”
It was Rosanna’s turn to sigh. It didn’t surprise her he was counting down the minutes to be rid of her. He may have kissed her not too long ago, but his feelings hadn’t altered. Dom didn’t want her and never had. Her heart flipped inside her chest and nothing she could do would stop it from beating rapidly inside of her. An idea was formed in her mind—was she brave enough to see it through? There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Dom desired her. It was marriage he was adamantly against.
She could’ve died. Callista probably did when she fell off the balcony. What was she waiting for? Life didn’t wait for anyone. A lesson she was learning rather fast and perhaps should’ve learned a long time ago. Edward had left the world way too young, and her parents hadn’t been very old when they passed on. It was time to start living and taking what she wanted. Marriage meant nothing to her. Why marry without love? She wanted what James and Alys had. She’d never have that with Dom. He might not love her, but he could make love to her. That would be enough, or at least she hoped it would.
“I trust you’ll keep me protected.” She glanced at his profile in the darkness. “How long until we reach our safe haven?”
“We should arrive shortly.”
What did he consider a short time? “How long exactly?” Rosanna had plans and wanted to know how long she had to make them. “It’s rather cold in the carriage.”
He cursed and reached for her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think of that when I planned all of this. It’s rather chilly, even for this time of year. I promise to light a fire. For now, stay close to me, and I’ll do my best to keep you warm.”
Rosanna hadn’t anticipated his reaction. She should have though. Being close to him had always heated her from the inside out. Of course he’d offer to keep her close to him. He’d offered her his protection and that included seeing to any of her needs. Could she convince him to see to the one thing she truly desired? If she was to live out her life without his love, then at least he could give her something else to hold on to.
She nestled closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. “Thank you for rescuing me.”
“I’ll always come for you.” His voice was full of conviction. “There’s not much I wouldn’t do for you.”
Rosanna wasn’t sure if she should read more into that statement or not. He’d always been protective of her—any of her family. It started with his friendship with James. He’d visited often and was always welcomed. In some ways, he was a part of the family. As she grew up, he’d become the hero of every one of her fantasies. The dashing friend of her older brother, the one man who made her heart flutter, and the only one who’d made her feel desire of any kind. Oh, how she’d wanted him from the moment she’d started to notice his handsome face and his charming demeanor. He was simply hers, and she’d refused to accept anything less—until she’d been forced to. She was tired of sitting idly by while he pushed her into the back of his mind. Rosanna wasn’t a meek miss who accepted life’s fate. Not any longer anyway.
“Do you remember the summer you visited after your last year at Oxford?”
That had been the year she’d turned thirteen and decided she was too old for dolls, and she wanted to grow up much faster than any girl should. Her parents had still been alive. It was the last summer she had with them, and she found out growing up wasn’t at all what she wanted. But, that summer, Dom had come home with James and spent two glorious months at Weston Manor. Whenever he’d crossed her path he’d taken extra care with her. He’d been so charming and wonderful—there were no words to describe it. It was then she’d fallen in love with him. Perhaps it was the foolish musings of a young girl on the cusp of growing up, but she’d never forgotten one moment of it.
“You mean the time you found that dreadful cat in the stable giving birth and refused to leave her side?” His lips twitched against her head. It almost made her smile at the memory. “I had to relocate her to a soft spot in the hay and sit with you while she delivered four kittens.”
“You didn’t have to stay. I would’ve managed on my own.” She would have too, but she was grateful for his company. It showed her a side of him the world rarely saw. The kind, loyal man he’d grown into. He was more than a handsome charming lord of the realm. He was Dom, and he’d always cared about her. Maybe he hadn’t loved her, but for a little while that had been enough. “Daisy was a sweet cat. Her kittens were little rascals though.”
“I’d never leave a lady to fare for herself.” He chuckled “What kind of gentleman would I be if I did?”
“No gentleman at all,” she agreed. “I could always count on you to be there when I needed you. I’m sorry things have been strained between us. You’ve always been good to my family. I appreciate it, never more than I do at this moment.”
The carriage came to a stop, jerking her backward more deeply in Dom’s arms. She glanced up trying to make out his features in the darkness. She wished she could see his expression and try to decipher what he might be thinking. It was a funny thing how life led you down a path you never expected to go. Here, she was in Dom’s arms, and it was as innocent as it possibly could be, and all she wanted was to throw her arms around his neck and beg him to kiss her again.
If only she dared...
“It appears as if we’ve arrived,” he said hoarsely. “Let’s go inside and build a fire. We have hours before we can return to England.”
Hours gave her plenty of time to gather her courage. All she had to do was reach out and grab what she wanted. She’d never wanted anything more than she did Dom. She’d beg if necessary, but before the night was over, she’d have the one thing she desired. Even if it was the last thing she ever managed to do—Dom would be hers in every way.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Dominic stoked the fire and made sure the flames would burn through the coming hours. To make sure it wouldn’t die down, he tossed another log onto the hearth and sat back to watch it burn. He was at a loss for the first time in his life. Rosanna sat on a nearby chase staring into the fire as if it held all the answers in the world. She’d been quiet ever since they entered his cottage. He didn’t know how to bring her out of her reverie. When she started talking in the carriage, he’d had hope she’d started to move past the horrors she’d endured. A warmth spread through him as he reminisced with her about that long ago summer. She’d been so young and on the cusp of womanhood. He’d been able to see the woman she’d grow into, and it’d made him uncomfortable.
After that summer, he’d gone away for a year on the grand tour to see the world before he settled down into his responsibilities, or at least that is what the ton believed. It was then he’d signed up as a spy for the war office. That year, traveling under the guise of a grand tour had given him the opportunity to seek intelligence they’d otherwise not have gained. He’d made some mistakes, but nothing to give away who and what he was. It was as if something was shining down on him making him untouchable. He’d been so foolish in the beginning... What man of two and twenty didn’t think he was invincible? Dom certainly had, and now, eight years later, he felt older than his years belied.
It wasn’t until he witnessed the other side of his new job that he’d woken up and realized exactly what he’d signed up for. Dom had found a colleague and his wife brutally tortured and on the brink of death. His wife had been heavily pregnant with their first child and died before giving birth. His friend had buried his wife and child, and then shot himself the same day.
It was something he’d never forget as long as he lived, and the reason he pushed Rosanna away. All those years ago, he’d not realized what s
he’d come to mean to him. It had been a gradual thing, an awakening of sorts, until one day he opened his eyes as if seeing her for the first time. She was everything a man could want in a wife—that he could want, but he wasn’t what she needed. If he married her, she’d always be in danger. He’d not do that to her or her family. Rosanna deserved far better than he’d ever be able to offer. He’d been a fool to think he could leave this life behind. Here they were in the French countryside after she’d been held hostage by one of Napoleon’s supporters. They’d never be free of that man and his nefarious plans until he died. Even then it might not be possible.
“What has you brooding?”
Dom turned toward Rosanna and frowned. He couldn’t very well tell her the truth. She’d not like hearing it anymore than he enjoyed thinking it. “Nothing important.”
“You’re lying,” she said emphatically. “You wouldn’t be glaring at the fire if it wasn’t something significant.”
In some ways, she was right. He’d been thinking of her and what might’ve been if he’d taken a different path. She was essential to him in so many ways. He’d lay down his life if it meant she’d be spared. He’d meant it when he said there wasn’t much he’d not do for her. Rosanna was his everything, and it would kill a part of him when she found a different man to marry. He’d been foolish thinking he could claim her after this mission.
Dom should never have kissed her or attempted to claim her in any way. Those very actions had put her in danger. The little information he’d been able to gather before her rescue had told him everything he needed to know. The comte had learned of his existence, and what Rosanna had meant to him. He still didn’t know who’d actually taken her, but before he was through, he’d not only know the man’s identity, but he’d make him rue the day he ever thought to touch the woman he loved.
“It’s not something I wish to discuss.” He glanced over at her and kept his features as blank as possible. If she could read anything in his expression, the subject wouldn’t be dropped easily. He should change the subject and give her something else to think about. “Tell me what happened in the room tonight. That wasn’t where Callista was supposed to take you.”
Rosanna stared at him in silence for a few moments. She was searching for something, but what it was he didn’t know. “We were waylaid by the comte. At first, he didn’t realize who I was. Callista slipped up, and after that things went rather downhill.”
“How did they end up falling off the balcony?” He’d push for more details later. It was enough to realize how they were led to be in a different part of the manor. “Callista isn’t usually so foolish.”
“She was enraged,” Rosanna stared past him. “A mad woman, really. She said he was responsible for Edward’s death.”
He sighed. “It’s what she discovered before I arrived in Calais. It is the sole reason she joined the war office. She single handedly delivered some of the most crucial intelligence to aid the war effort. If she said the comte was the one responsible, he was.”
She turned toward him. Her eyes reflected so much pain he wanted to reach out and hold her again. He didn’t dare though. If he did, he’d kiss her and not stop there. He’d wanted her for so long, and if she pushed him even a little bit he’d not be able to deny his feelings.
“He was the mastermind, not the hand that dealt the final blow.”
“Le Cerveau,” he whispered.
“The very same,” she agreed. “I think he paid for his sins. His underling, however, hasn’t. Yet.”
Dom narrowed his eyes and studied her. “What do you know?”
She shrugged. “Not much.” Rosanna stood and let the blanket she’d had wrapped around her drop to the floor. “Or maybe I know too much. It matters not. I’m tired of this discussion.”
Her gaze met his and she moved toward him. He took an involuntary step back. Dom didn’t quite like the look that glinted in her eyes. Maybe it was the reflection of the firelight, or maybe it was something he didn’t want to identify, but it definitely made him uneasy.
“I need to know...”
She held up a hand and cut him off. “I don’t care. I’m done discussing it. There is something inherently more important to me.”
The muscle in his cheek twitched. She was being stubborn, but he had ways to get around that. If he was patient enough, she’d tell him all he wanted. “What is more vital than the matter of treason?”
“I could’ve died tonight.” She inched closer to him. He made himself stay in place. He didn’t want to think of a world where she was no longer in it. “And if I had, I’d never know what it felt like to be loved, to know true desire, and tonight I want to feel, even if it’s for a brief moment, what it’s like to be truly alive.”
Dom couldn’t have heard her correctly. He stared at her, stunned. Words would help—if he could manage to make his mouth work. If she’d died he would have never been the same. The very idea of that happening terrified him. Now she wanted to feel alive? “I’m...” He didn’t know how to respond to her declaration. “I can’t help you.” It was too much and too soon. She’d regret it in the cold light of day. He didn’t want to aid her in making that mistake. As much as he wanted her... Dom had to do the right thing.
It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to reach out and pull her into his arms. He did, oh lord, did he ever. He’d not wanted anything more than to make love to her, to claim her, to make her his in every way possible. But that was the selfish side of him, and he’d not let that part of him run free. If he let it slip out he’d have to marry her. Then she’d be forever in jeopardy. It was too much of a risk until he could ensure no one would come after her. He had an enemy who’d take advantage of the situation, and that enemy was already aware she was important to him. As his wife, the danger would be loud and clear. In time, they could be together, but it couldn’t happen yet.
She raised an eyebrow. “No?”
He shook his head. “I’m trying to protect you.”
“I don’t’ want your protection,” she said defiantly. “I never had. All I’ve ever wanted was you.”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Those were words he’d always craved as much as he’d hoped never to hear. How was he supposed to combat his inner desires if she laid it all out for him? She was so sweet and lovely, and his.
Was he fooling himself? He would never have been able to stand by and let her marry another. He wasn’t that noble. When his eyelids fluttered open, he found her standing directly in front of him. If he wanted her, all he had to do was pull her into his arms and take what she so beautifully offered to him.
“Are you sure?” Dom gulped down a lump in his throat. He had to ask. If she had any doubts, he’d not do something that couldn’t be undone. His self-control was teetering on a very thin edge. It wouldn’t take much for him to crumble over. Rosanna was a living, breathing temptation, and Dom only had so much strength to resist her. The more she demanded, the more Dom wanted to give in and make her his. Why not? As it was, she would already be ruined in the eyes of the ton if they ever found out she’d been alone with him. Just by being abducted it had led to her downfall. She’d never be considered innocent again. “I want you to be absolutely certain. There’s no going back.”
She nodded. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”
He didn’t need to hear anything else. Finally. Despite all the odds and his past actions, she wanted him. His heart beat hard against his chest and his blood coursed hotly through him. Dom reached for her and pulled her into his arms. His craving for her had reached an all time high. Her lips called to him, and he needed to taste her sweetness. It had been too long since he kissed her, and he’d not deny himself the pleasure any longer.
Rosanna wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him. She gasped as he deepened the kiss. Dom took advantage of her open mouth and slid his tongue inside. He teased and kissed her completely until she was moaning with pleasure. If kissing her was this good
, what would it be like to be fully inside of her? He should take a step back and put some distance between them. It was the proper thing to do, but he’d left his honor at the threshold. There was no going back now. He had to have her, and when they returned home he’d marry her.
He lifted his head and met her gaze. Her cheeks were flushed a lovely shade of pink and her eyelids were heavy with desire. “You’re so beautiful.”
“Oh, stop talking and kiss me,” she demanded.
Who was he to deny her? He’d never again push her away. He leaned down and did as she’d asked, and then kissed her in all the ways she hadn’t. He trailed his lips across her throat and down to her bosom. He deftly unlaced her dress and let it fall to her feet in a puddle of violet silk. Dom lifted her, carried her across the room, and put her on a settee of blue velvet. Once there, he removed the rest of her garments. The firelight added to her beauty. Dom kissed and loved every inch of her. He’d never, as long as he lived, ever have enough of her.
“You’re all mine,” he said as he gazed down at her.
“Please, Dom,” she begged. “I need...”
She squirmed beneath him. He’d give her everything. “And I’ll make sure you have what you want most,” he promised.
Dom spread her thighs apart and caressed her with his fingers. She moaned with each press of his finger on her tight bud. Rosanna had to find release before he took her. This was her first time, and he wanted to give her every pleasure imaginable, and perhaps the best way to achieve that was to give in and taste her as he’d been craving. He leaned down and pressed his mouth to her sweetness. With a few swipes of his tongue she screamed as her climax overtook her. It was what he’d been waiting for. He stood and removed his clothing and then returned to her. He covered her with his body and pressed kisses to her cheeks, eyelids, and then to her lips.