by Sabrina York
Even her joy in their engagement didn’t deter Elena from sending them off to do their duties. Caris glanced back over her shoulder and locked eyes with Dom. He gave her a smile and jaunty wave before disappearing into the entertaining parlor.
It was early evening before Elena deemed all the last minute preparations were complete. Caris escaped to her room to get ready for the party. After a long bath to relax her stiffening muscles, she dried off, and powdered and perfumed herself. She was a little unsure about how to use all the makeup in the kit she had bought a few days ago, so she stuck to the basics, choosing to emphasize her lips with a bright red lipstick.
She pulled on the slip and pinned up her hair before sliding on the dress. As a final step, she pushed her feet into white velvet pumps and stood before the mirror on the interior closet door. Caris’s mouth fell open when she saw herself. She wished she had held off mailing Mandy’s package so she could have included a photo of herself looking as she did just then.
She was very different from the ragamuffin foster child who had been shuttled between so many homes. She bore little resemblance to the everyday Caris who lived on the M & M. Tonight, she looked nothing like the sophisticated fashion plate Brendan had tried to mold her into with sexy clothes and daring hair styles. She was elegant and refined. Caris spun around and giggled, ruining her lady-like demeanor.
She was poised when she left the room. She wouldn’t embarrass Dom tonight, in front of his friends and co-workers. No one would question his interest in the nanny, looking as she did.
Caris found Elena and Dom in the sitting room. Jessica was sprawled on a blue and white snowflake blanket, trying to push herself up into a crawl. She cried with frustration when she failed to get going. Caris’s mouth dropped open when Dom lifted the baby. She wore a dress almost identical to Caris’s.
Dom saw her teary expression and smiled. “Mom’s doing,” he said.
Caris noticed he wore a white velvet tie with a red silk shirt under his dark suit. Elena wore red velvet pants and a white and red blouse. “We all match?”
Elena nodded. “It’s a statement, dear. We’re a family, and I’m going to make sure everyone in attendance realizes that.” She walked forward and put her arm through Caris’s. “Unlike that woman who’s causing all the trouble, you belong with us.”
She was so overwhelmed by their show of support that she nearly dissolved into tears. Only the thought of making the trek back up the stairs in the three-inch heels to repair her eye shadow kept them at bay.
Caris stood close to Dom’s side, sipping a glass of champagne. Jessica lay over his shoulder, snoring softly. Within minutes of the first guests’ arrival, she had fallen asleep. A neighbor girl waited nearby to fill in as babysitter for the rest of the party, but Dom hadn’t relinquished his niece yet. He seemed determined to show her—and Caris—off to everyone in the parlor.
She had been pleasantly surprised by the reactions to the introductions. Dom hadn’t made the formal announcement yet, but he had introduced her as his fiancée to everyone. Caris had met friends, employees, and business associates, and none of them had mentioned anything about the articles or the gossip circulating. Their congratulations had seemed sincere. She suspected Jessica’s presence went a long way toward softening most of them and figured Dom had realized that too.
When Elena rang a silver bell from her seat near the piano, one of the attendants shut off the stereo piping music into the hardwood-floored, spacious octagonal room. Elena stood up and clapped her hands together. Her voice echoed off the oak veneer walls to each guest in every corner of the room. “Servers circulate among you now with baskets. Select a number for the gift exchange.”
Dom signaled to Lindsay, and she hurried forward. He passed the baby over without waking her, saying, “Make sure you come get us if there’s a problem.”
Lindsay nodded and whisked the baby away. Caris sighed as she went, feeling as though she would have to face all the guests on her own merits without Jessica’s charming presence. Then she turned to the server touching her sleeve and withdrew a red slip of paper with the number 44 handwritten on it. Dom held a similar green one in his hand.
Within minutes, Elena had coordinated the gift exchange. When Caris finally got to rip open the present, she was pleasantly surprised to find a silk scarf and broach. The givers were the Murphys, and though they had bought the gift for an unknown recipient, she didn’t think they could have picked something she liked better. The maroon and emerald shades would accent her hair and eyes, and the white-gold broach matched her new engagement ring.
After everyone had opened their gift, Dom took her to the Murphys for an introduction. “Jim, Celine, this is Caris, my fiancée.” His eyes glowed with pride as he put his hand on her back.
Caris held out her hand and shook each of theirs. They both had friendly demeanors, without a hint of reproach. She surmised they had been McNeil friends before Lisa’s arrival in Dom’s life. “How do you do?”
“Lovely dress,” Celine said. Her cheeks were flushed, and she seemed a bit tipsy. “I can see why Dom was lured away.” The pink in her cheeks turned a scorching scarlet. “Oh, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to imply—”
Caris forced a smile. “Please, don’t worry about it.” She cleared her throat and waved the boxed set. “This is lovely. You couldn’t have chosen better if you had been shopping with me in mind.”
Although still obviously embarrassed, Celine latched onto Caris’s attempt to smooth over her gaffe and jumped in with the name of the store where they bought the scarf and broach set. She spoke in a rush, but gradually calmed down as the minutes passed.
When they finally moved away to meet the remaining guests, Caris was left with a warm impression of both Celine and Jim. Part of her was thrilled that Celine thought she was up to the challenge of stealing Dom from his ex-girlfriend—not that she would admit that to anyone.
Dom chose to make the announcement then, signaling to the servers to pass out champagne to those without a flute. When everyone had one, and all eyes faced forward, he put his arm around Caris and said, “My future wife.”
The crowd clapped and called out their congratulations. Caris inclined her head, acting on instinct. She smiled at everyone as Dom gave the details of the ceremony and issued invitations. Then he lifted his glass, and the guests emulated him. Before she knew it, the news was out, and she was accepting congratulations, hugs, and kisses from people she had known only a couple of hours. She felt like they had accepted her in Dom’s life without difficulty.
After a while, the guests gravitated toward the chairs as Elena began an elaborate Christmas game involving spelling words, acting out scenes, and quoting famous lines from holiday movies. From what Caris could tell, it seemed to be a game of her own devising. The guests were relaxed and mellow by the time the stereo turned on again for dancing. This time, the music was a more eclectic selection of soft rock, ’40s, and Christmas carols.
“Shall we?” Dom asked as a song with a slow beat issued from the speakers strategically placed around the old-fashioned room. He didn’t wait for an agreement as he put his arm around her waist and pulled her to the area designated for dancing.
Caris cuddled close to him, laying her cheek on his jacket. She closed her eyes and let her body match the movement of his. The rhythm of the song was simple, and she had no trouble keeping up with him.
“Having fun?” he asked in a low voice.
“Um hmm.” Caris sighed. “I never thought Christmas could be like this. How’s the actual day?”
“It’s only the four of us. Mom likes to entertain, but she wants just family on Christmas.”
“What about tomorrow?”
Dom took time to dip her before answering. “The Murphys are having a party this year. A few other friends are too, but we accepted Jim and Celine’s invitation before the others arrived.”
Caris gnawed on her lower lip. “I don’t have another formal outfit.” The thought of br
aving the shops to find one didn’t appeal.
“Wear that gorgeous red sweater set.”
She looked up at him. “You remember that?”
Dom nodded. “I remember wishing I could strip it off you. You have no idea how many of my fantasies that outfit fueled.”
Caris giggled as she returned her head to his chest. “You fantasized about me?”
“I still do,” he said bluntly. “I can’t wait to make love to you.”
Her throat went suddenly dry, and she avoided answering as the music stopped, and one of his friends cut in. She still didn’t know how she would cope with making love with Dom, but she knew she had to try. Her body wanted him, burned for him, ached for him. If only her mind would cooperate and stop reliving that last terrifying evening with Brendan, she knew she could go to him and give herself freely.
She caught his eye from across the room, where he danced with the young daughter of a manager at McNeil Worldwide, and smiled. There was one other thing she had to freely give before she could let him go through with the wedding. She had to tell him the truth about who she was, and why she had come to the M & M. She also had to find a way to tell him of the love she held close in her heart. If he could still want her after he knew of her deception, she hoped that would free her from the last ties of fear Brendan had bound her with.
Caris frowned as she saw Dom stiffen. Her eyes followed his gaze, and she gasped when she saw who stood in the doorway of the entertainment parlor. She stumbled to a halt, knocking her partner off balance.
“Ms. Reese? Are you alright?”
She forced her attention back to the man for a second, attempting to give him a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, but I should check on the baby.” Without excusing herself, Caris pushed through the crowd of dancers to the side door. She exited into the hallway and detoured down the hall to the staircase. Her stomach burned for the first time in weeks, and she could taste acid at the back of her throat.
Caris ran up the stairs as fast as she could and entered the nursery. She startled Lindsay into dropping a book on the floor.
“Are you okay, Caris?”
She took a deep breath. “I’m fine. Why don’t you go downstairs and get a plate of food? I’ll stay with the baby for a few minutes.”
Lindsay looked at the half-eaten plate resting on a table by the chair. “But—”
“Please,” Caris said more sharply than she had intended. She immediately leveled her voice. “I’m sorry. I just need a few minutes alone with Jessica.”
With a shrug, Lindsay got out of the rocker and laid down the book on the chair. “I wouldn’t mind some dessert.”
“Fine then.” Caris gave her a falsely bright smile as the girl walked past, managing to maintain it until she left the nursery. Then her face crumpled, and she rushed to the crib. She ran her hands over Jessica, knowing that the baby was fine, but needing to reassure herself. She lifted her sleeping daughter from the crib and held her close.
Tears ran from her cheeks and splashed onto Jessica’s sleeper. The baby didn’t stir as Caris lifted her into a tight hug. She didn’t think she could ever let her go, but knew she must. It was only when Caris brushed a kiss across her forehead and laid her back in the crib that she whimpered. “My precious, don’t forget me,” she whispered before she turned away from the crib.
Caris went into the nanny’s room and lifted the empty case down from the shelf. She laid it on the bed and began tossing in clothes without paying attention. Her only thoughts were of escaping M & M before Dom discovered the truth. She knew she couldn’t take Jessica with her. It wouldn’t be fair to her daughter or Dom. She owed the baby a better life than she could give her. She didn’t want Jessica’s last memory of her to be Caris pinned under a police officer.
She closed the case with a snap, not sure if she had packed everything she needed, but having no time to double check. Within minutes, surely her deception would be exposed. If she was lucky, Dom might wait until the guests left to throw her out. She had to be gone before he confronted her. She couldn’t let Brendan involve the police and have her arrested. She would never get a chance to redeem herself with Dom if that happened. Nor would she ever see her daughter again.
She didn’t take time to change from the Christmas dress as she lifted the case from the bed. She hurried to the door, consumed with worry about how to escape the house without being seen. She knew Dom kept a set of keys to the Prius in the garage. If she went down the side way, she would only have to pass one doorway of the entertaining parlor, which cut down on the chances of anyone seeing her. She could borrow the car until she got to the airport and leave it in short-term parking. She would call him from somewhere and try to explain. If he wouldn’t listen, she could at least tell him where she left his car.
She was so focused on plotting an escape that she failed to realize someone stood in front of her when she opened the door to her room. It took less than a second for her to recognize her visitor. Her heart skipped with fear, and she backed away. Caris’s eyes searched for Dom, expecting him to be standing there too, but they were alone. Just the two of them.
Brendan gave her a cold smile. “Going so soon, darling?”
Chapter Eleven
He stepped into the room, forcing her back, and slammed the door. “I’m hurt. You weren’t even going to say hello.”
The suitcase slipped from her trembling fingers as Caris backed away from him. Acid burned all the way up her esophagus, making her mouth and throat dry. She had to swallow several times before words would emerge. “Where’s Dom?”
Brendan shrugged as he took a step closer. “Downstairs, I imagine. I saw you leave and followed you.”
She didn’t ask why. She already knew the answer. He would never let her be happy without him. “What do you want?”
He sighed. “I saw your pictures in the magazine. I was shocked to think you had pushed your way in here and pulled the wool over Dom’s eyes. It’s not at all like you.” He took another step closer.
Caris took two more steps back. “It wasn’t like that.”
He lifted a brow. “You didn’t seduce Dom into letting you stay? Didn’t shove some sob story down his throat about how I separated you from the brat?”
She blinked in confusion. He didn’t realize that Dom didn’t know she was Jessica’s mother? How could that be? The reporters called her the nanny, not the baby’s mother. How could he have missed that?
His eyes narrowed when they fell on the ring. “I never would have thought he’d marry you. Why did you do this, Cari?” he asked, his voice a whine. “He’s my brother. How do you think I feel?”
Anger caused her green eyes to darken. “How you feel? I don’t care how you feel. You took my baby, and I did what I had to so I could be with her again.”
Brendan seemed to sag. “I knew it. You don’t really love him. You’re just using him.”
She hesitated, knowing it was safer for Brendan to believe that, but also knowing Dom would be destroyed if he heard that version. “I didn’t say that.”
Brendan’s mouth tightened. “What do you feel for my brother?”
“That’s between us.”
He stared at her for a long moment without speaking. “It doesn’t make sense, you know. You aren’t his type at all. Lisa was the kind of woman to please him, not someone like you.” He shook his head. “He wouldn’t just open his house to the kind of woman I painted you to be.”
Her throat grew as dry as the desert, and she found herself incapable of responding. She eyed him nervously, almost seeing the wheels in his mind turning.
Brendan’s head suddenly snapped up. “He doesn’t know, does he?”
“Wh—”
The smile on his face gained a sharp edge. “Dom thinks you’re just the nanny. He wouldn’t marry you if he knew who you really are.”
“He knows everything.” She winced when her voice emerged as a high-pitched squeak.
He laughed. “You aren’t much of a l
iar, darling.” He took another step closer to her.
Caris backed up until her back hit the closet. Her gaze swept around the immediate area, searching for a weapon. She found nothing as he closed the distance between them and pressed his body against hers. She shoved against him. “Get away from me.”
Brendan grasped her hands at her sides and nuzzled her neck. “You don’t want him to know, obviously.”
“Tell him whatever you want,” she challenged. “It won’t change how we feel about each other.”
He lifted his head. A hint of anger crept into his blue eyes, but he still sounded amused. “This could work for everyone.”
She frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“I bet you would do anything to make sure he doesn’t find out.” Brendan kept hold of her left hand as he used his finger to touch her nipple. He squeezed the hand when she tried to pull away, not stopping until she whimpered. “I promise not to tell—”
“Liar,” she spat at him.
He released her wrist and clamped his hand over her mouth. “If you do what I ask.”
Caris stared up at him with wide, frightened eyes. She winced as the burning in her stomach intensified.
“It’s been so long, Cari.” He pressed himself closer to her, pinning her arms, before he brought his other hand up to her hip. “I want to take you to bed.”
She tried to respond, but couldn’t with his hand in the way. When he cupped her cheek, she said, “I wouldn’t let you touch me for anything.”
He pulled lightly on her hair. “I won’t ask again.”
“You never asked,” she said, barely restraining her anger. “You thought it was your right to take anything you wanted.”
Brendan sighed. “Do we always have to fight? Stop being so stubborn, and we’ll both get what we want.”
She shook her head. “I don’t trust you. You would never let me be happy with Dom and Jessica.”
All traces of amusement disappeared from his expression. “You’re right, but you’ll get a little more time with them if you give in. I won’t tell him.”
