“What does she want now?” Dani muttered.
“I have no idea,” Burke answered, all the while wondering what new mischief the other woman wanted to make.
Marching up to the table, she shot Dani a dismissive look before turning and focusing her entire attention on Burke. “Can I speak to you in private, Burke?”
“We have nothing to discuss that needs privacy. If you have anything to say, say it here.” Cynthia’s voice had been soft and demure, which sent off warning bells in Burke’s mind. Burke had learned from their one evening together that Cynthia loved an audience, and it seemed that she was about to put on a performance.
“Well,” she continued in a small voice. “I don’t think that this is something you’d want everyone to know.” Cynthia looked pointedly at Dani as she said the word “everyone”.
Burke sat back, crossed his arms over his chest, and waited.
Cynthia licked her lips and cleared her voice. “I heard that you and Dani were getting married, and I knew I couldn’t let you do that to her.” She gave Dani a look of pity as she continued on in a dramatic fashion. “I couldn’t let him marry you like this. It’s not fair to you.”
The diner had grown considerably quieter as everyone pretended not to listen. Burke finally lost patience with waiting. It was time to go on the offensive. “You’ve got one minute to say what you came to say, and then Dani and I are leaving.”
Cynthia shot him a hostile glare. “I don’t think you’ll be going anywhere real soon.” She took a deep breath, aware that they now had the attention of everyone in the diner. “I’m pregnant.”
Burke ignored the sudden whispers from the tables around them. “Congratulations,” he replied evenly. “What has that got to do with either myself or Dani?”
Cynthia’s face grew red with anger. “I’m carrying your baby, Burke.” When that dramatic statement got no immediate response, she burst into tears. “How can you treat me and our child like that?” she wailed.
Burke noted cynically that while tears flowed down Cynthia’s face, her mascara wasn’t running. She had obviously made sure it was waterproof.
Ignoring the crying woman standing next to him, Burke turned his attention to the woman seated quietly across from him. Right now, he only had eyes for Dani. So much had happened between them. So much mistrust. He had to admit to himself, he had no idea how Dani would deal with this latest bit of mischief.
Dani met his gaze, and he knew she saw the love and the fear reflected there. Her own eyes widened, and he could tell the second she realized that he was more worried about her reaction than about Cynthia’s announcement.
Dani studied Cynthia for a moment and then turned her attention back to him. Her simple nod let him know that she believed in him.
Assured of Dani’s support, he turned his attention back to Cynthia, a hard gleam entering his eyes. “You may be pregnant, Cynthia, but it’s not my child.”
“How can you say that? After what happened on New Year’s Eve.” Drawing a handkerchief from her coat pocket, she dabbed at her tears. “How can you say that?”
Cynthia was trying hard to put just the right amount of tragic passion in her voice. Burke wondered if anyone else could hear the calculated tones underneath.
“New Year’s Eve I left you at the country club, if you’ll remember correctly.”
“I know we had a small fight that night, but that doesn’t matter now. I’m talking about before the dance.” She held the wet hanky to her chest. “When you picked me up that night you told me how beautiful I was. How refined and unlike other women I was. And then later that night…” Cynthia paused for dramatic effect. “When you seduced me.”
Burke couldn’t help himself. He really tried, but he burst into laughter and applause. “What a performance, my dear. You really should go to Hollywood.”
Cynthia stood there for a moment with a blank look on her face. Then she fixed a sad look on her face and turned to Dani. “How can you marry a monster who would desert his own child like this? How?”
Dani just shook her head in wonder. “Cynthia, I don’t believe that you’re carrying Burke’s child. You may indeed be pregnant and, if you are, I hope you’ll go talk to the baby’s real father. Burke and I are still getting married.”
Cynthia’s face turned a mottled red. She obviously was past all caution at this point. “I’ll make him pay. He owes me, and I’ll make him pay.”
Burke had finally had enough. “Cynthia, even if you are pregnant, any paternity test will show that I’m not the father. What are you hoping to gain by this little production? I can guarantee that even if you had succeeded in breaking off our wedding, I would have kept pursuing Dani. I would never turn to a woman like you. You’re a self-centered, childish liar. You need to grow up, little girl. Why would I want you when I have a woman like Dani?”
“Go home.” Burke kept his voice low and level. “You didn’t get what you came for, and you’re not going to. Just go home before you make a bigger fool of yourself than you already have.”
Cynthia stood there for a moment, her whole body quivering in rage. Burke knew that she had expected Dani to throw her ring back at him and storm away. Then she, Cynthia, would console him. He would marry her and then she would have everything she ever wanted: money and status. Burke found himself feeling pity for her. She had no idea why her plan hadn’t worked.
Cynthia struck back, trying to save face. “You’re right. I’m not pregnant. I just thought I’d give you another chance to win me back. You’re making the biggest mistake of your life by throwing me over for a little nobody like Dani O’Rourke. But it’s your life. Don’t come crying to me when you realize what a big mistake you’ve made. I won’t take you back then. I’ll be gone on to much bigger and better things than you.”
Turning, she stormed out of the diner, aware that all eyes were on her. This time it was different. This time the eyes were not sympathetic, but hostile. She pushed open the door of the diner and ran down the sidewalk.
Silence. The silence in the diner was deafening. Burke slowly stood and faced the rest of the people who were dining there. “I’m sorry you had your meal interrupted.”
Picking up Dani’s coat from the seat, he waited as she stood. Dani quietly slipped on her coat and grabbed her purse. He motioned to Shannon, and she hurried over from the counter from where she had watched the entire scene. Her eyes were huge as he handed her several bills. “This should cover our lunch.”
“Oh yes, and more. Wait and I’ll get you your change.”
“Keep the change.” Placing his hand on the small of Dani’s back, he lead her urged her toward the door.
Mrs. Woods, who had been seated at a table by the door, started to clap. A chair scraped back as another patron stood and also started to clap. More chairs scraped, and a second later, the room was filled with applause and congratulations as a smiling Burke ushered his blushing bride-to-be out of the diner.
Chapter Seventeen
“I didn’t think I’d ever get you alone.” Sweeping her into his arms, Burke nudged open the door with his elbow and carried her through the front door of their new home.
Dani tightened her arms around his neck. “It was a lovely surprise, don’t you think? I really didn’t expect Patrick and Shamus to plan a surprise reception. I didn’t suspect a thing.”
“The reception at your house was great, but I didn’t think we’d ever be able to get away from all your friends and neighbors. Now that you’re mine, I don’t want to share you. At least not tonight.” Burke tightened his grip on Dani as he headed up the stairs.
“It’s wonderful to be home.” And she was home, she thought as she rested her head on his strong shoulder. The last two weeks had been a whirlwind of activity, getting the house ready to move into and planning the wedding.
Burke entered the master bedroom and slowly lowered her until her feet were touching the floor. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look?”
She peered at herself in the mir
ror, meeting Burke’s eyes as he gazed at her reflection. She knew that Burke thought that she looked like an angel, with her long hair flowing to her waist and a gown of white lace and satin hugging her body. At least that’s what he told her earlier, and she knew she would always treasure the compliment. She loved the dress, which was not a traditional long one with a train, but a three-quarter length one with long sleeves and a high collar and a long row of small pearl buttons running from the top of the collar to the tip of the hem.
Dani saw the heated look in Burke’s eyes and couldn’t stop herself from blushing with pleasure. “Thank you. You look beautiful too. Well, handsome anyway.” And he did look wonderful in a black tuxedo. It made him look even bigger and better looking that usual, if such a thing was possible.
“Do you want me to help you undo your dress? There’s an awful lot of buttons,” Burke’s breath teased her skin as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. He placed a soft kiss on the side of her neck, his gaze still holding hers in the mirror.
Her mouth was suddenly very dry, and she licked her lips in a nervous gesture. “No.” Her hand drifted up to the buttons at her neck. “I can do it myself.”
“Hey,” Placing his hand under her chin, he tilted her face up so that she was looking at him. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, Dani. You’re safe with me. I’ll never do anything you don’t want me to, and I won’t rush you. We have all night together, and all the nights for the rest of our life.”
“I know it’s silly to be nervous, but I can’t seem to help myself.” She took a deep breath, hoping he would understand.
“It’s not silly, honey, it’s natural. Why don’t you go and change in the bathroom, and I’ll go get us some champagne from the kitchen. Okay?”
“Okay.” She watched as Burke left the room, and then she picked up her small bag that she had left there yesterday and hurried to the bathroom to change.
As she started to undress, Dani’s thoughts drifted back over the last two weeks. She had been so busy right up until the ceremony late this afternoon that she supposed she hadn’t had time to be nervous. She looked at the gold band that she now wore nestled on her left hand next to her engagement ring and smiled. She could hardly believe that they were really married.
The ceremony had been simple, but lovely, and had been held in the chapel at the United Church of Jamesville. It had been planned as a small gathering with Patrick, Shamus, and a few close friends as witnesses. But about ten minutes before they were to start, other people had begun to show up. Some, neighbors from her street, and others, people she had done work for.
Dani had been surprised after the ceremony, when Patrick and Shamus had ushered all their neighbors and friends back to their house on Peach Street for a buffet reception. Everyone had brought something along to the reception, so there had been no shortage of good food to eat. Mrs. Woods had made several of her blue-ribbon winning pies. But the biggest surprise came from Mr. Carter and his wife who had even had a wedding cake made special for them. It was a three-tiered confection of white with candy roses and blue icing ribbons. She had been deeply touched to by people’s good wishes for her and Burke.
The walk down the aisle at the church had filled her with joy. Patrick and Shamus had seemed so proud as they both gave her away. They’d looked so handsome in their tuxedos, and she realized that they were almost grown men now. She had seen Patrick talking seriously to Burke before the ceremony and wondered if Patrick had given Burke the traditional fatherly lecture. The thought made her giggle.
When she finished removing her wedding dress, she hung it on the back of the door, before slipping into a long pale blue nightgown that flowed around her legs and was cut quite low in the front. She slipped the matching robe over it and tied it under her breasts. I look like a bride, she thought as she stared at herself in the mirror. She had a glow about her that she knew love had put there.
A tap at the door made her start.
“Dani, honey, are you all right?”
Burke sounded worried. She must have been longer than she thought. Taking a deep breath, she opened the bathroom door.
Burke opened his mouth to speak and then quickly snapped it shut. He just stood there and stared at her. His gaze started at the top of her head and flowed down her body, slowing on her face and stopping for a moment at her breasts before continuing down to her feet, and back up to her face again. He said nothing. In fact, he stared so long that she started to fidget, slightly uncomfortable, yet pleased by his reaction.
“My God, you’re lovely,” His eyes caressed her as he spoke. Burke held out his hand to her, and she placed her smaller hand in his, showing him without words that she trusted him.
Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed her fingers one at a time. Keeping hold of her hand, he led her back to their bedroom. Slowly, he untied the ribbons of her robe and gently slipped it from her shoulders. Neither of them paid attention to it as it drifted to the floor.
Burke never took his eyes off her face as he reached for her, lifted her into his arms, and carried her over to the bed. The bed was an antique sleigh bed that he had purchased as a wedding gift for her last week when she had admired it in an antique shop. Tonight, it was her wedding bed.
He lowered her onto the turned-back covers and then tucked them around her. Picking up a champagne glass from the table next to the bed, he had a sip of the golden liquid before handing the glass to her.
Burke stood back from the bed and slipped out of his shirt. His socks, pants and underwear quickly followed. When he was naked, he slipped into bed next to her.
Dani sipped nervously at the champagne as she watched him disrobe. The glass in her hand trembled. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Burke carefully removed the glass from her hand and placed it back on the bedside table. “It’s all right, love,” he whispered softly in her ear and then ran light kisses down the side of her neck.
Sighing at his touch, she forgot about being nervous as his lips ran up the curve of her neck and lightly touched her lips. Ever so gently, his lips nibbled at hers until it wasn’t enough. Dani wanted more of his touch. Using her tongue, she licked at his lips. The kiss started soft and sweet and slowly became something harder and deeper as their need for each other grew. His lips devoured hers, tasting and savoring. Then his tongue delved into her mouth, exploring and claiming the territory as his own.
His hands had been just as busy as his mouth, and Dani suddenly realized that her breasts were bare, her nightgown slipped down to her waist.
He slid his fingers over her skin, testing its softness, relearning its textures before he covered her breasts with his hands, his thumbs brushing her nipples. They puckered and tightened as he continued to stroke them.
Pulling his mouth from hers, he kissed a heated path down her neck to her breasts. He drew one nipple into his mouth and sucked gently on it. Desire thrummed through her body, and she cried out, pulling his head tight to her. Burke muttered his approval and proceeded to give her other breast the same treatment.
“You’re so perfect for me. You were made for me.” Burke whispered as he moved from one breast to the other.
Dani just moaned in agreement. She couldn’t speak if her life depended on it. Her hands stroked over his back. She loved to touch him, his skin was so firm and warm, and the muscles underneath rippled when he moved.
Burke pulled back from her and admired her as she lay there on the bed. His eyes smoldered as he tugged the nightgown down over her hips. She lifted her bottom off the bed so he could remove the garment. With the bed covers pushed back, he looked at her, seeing all of her for the first time.
Dani began to feel self-conscious and started to cover herself with the sheet. The barest touch of his hand on her arm stopped her.
“Let me look at you, love. You’re so beautiful.”
Opening her hand, she let go her grip on the sheet, and it slid back down the pool at her waist. She let him draw it the rest of the
way down until she was exposed again. She was so caught up in her own embarrassment that it took her a moment to realize that he was naked, too.
For the first time, she really looked at him, and he stole her breath away. He was so strong and hard, yet his skin was supple and smooth. His chest had a thick covering of dark hair that narrowed down his stomach. Dani followed the arrow down with her eyes.
“Oh my.” She glanced up to see Burke’s amused gaze on hers. “You’re much bigger then I imagined. I mean, you’re a big man…I mean tall…I just never thought…” Dani looked at him helplessly.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” His voice was tender and amused. “We’ll be perfect together. We were made for each other.” Reaching out, he drew her hand to him, pressing her fingers against his erection. “Go ahead and touch me. Feel what you do to me.”
Dani tentatively touched him. “Your skin is so soft,” she exclaimed as she ran her fingers gently up and down his hard length. Slowly, she circled him with her hand and moved up and down, fascinated by the texture and by his response, for Burke was absolutely rigid, every muscle tense.
He endured the tender torture for a few moments before he removed her hand from him. Before she had time to protest, he swooped down and took her mouth in another searing kiss. Like a man possessed, he moved his hands over her body, touching and exploring every inch of her. He found the nest of curls between her thighs, and she moaned when he gently parted her. His fingers moved over her heated skin, around and around until her hips started to move. He slid one of his long, thick fingers into her wet warmth, testing her readiness.
Dani moved her hips as Burke continued to tease and touched her. She couldn’t help herself. “Now. I want you, now.” Clutching at his shoulders, she tried to pull him closer to her.
“Yes,” he groaned as he guided himself to her opening.
When he started to enter her, she tensed and pulled back slightly. It hurt a little as he tried to forge a path inside her.
“You’re so tight. Just relax, and let me in.” Burke was breathing hard as he spoke.
Discovering Dani Page 16
