Facing Up To Fatherhood

by Miranda Lee

  She swallowed convulsively. Dear heaven, what did he mean by properly? Surely he didn’t mean all those shockingly intimate activities she’d read about, the ones which she couldn’t believe any woman really enjoyed.

  Yes, of course he did, came back the cool voice of reason. He was a man of the world. And after the way she’d acted last night—and today—he believed her to be a woman of the world.

  The thought had her nervously licking her lips.

  ‘I can see you do,’ he misinterpreted, and bent to brush his lips over her trembling ones. ‘It’s going to be so hard trying to work for the rest of the day,’ he murmured. ‘Thinking of tonight… Thinking of you… Thinking of this…’

  And he kissed her again.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  THE taxi delivered Tina to the door, Ida coming down to the front gate to meet her, Bonnie hoisted happily over her shoulder.

  ‘So how did it go?’ she asked, her intuitive blue eyes giving a still stunned Tina a curious once-over. ‘You don’t look all that happy. Did you sort out whatever it was you had to sort out with Dominic?’

  The question put Tina’s distracted mind back on track. Any personal problems she had with Dominic were irrelevant in the face of the big picture, which was that Bonnie’s future, and Ida’s happiness, were assured.

  ‘Yes, I did,’ she said, smiling at Ida as she took Bonnie into her arms. ‘Once we really talked, your son agreed it was very likely he was Bonnie’s father, and that Damien Parsons wasn’t. The timing was all wrong for it to be Damien’s,’ Tina invented, since she didn’t have permission to mention the vasectomy.

  ‘Timing, schiming,’ Ida tossed back impatiently. ‘You only have to look at little Bonnie there to see she’s Dominic’s. She has the Hunter genes stamped all over her.’

  Privately, Tina still thought Bonnie was nothing like Dominic. She was dainty and fair and ultra-feminine, just like Sarah. But who was she to spoil a grandmother’s pleasure in her granddaughter?

  ‘If he’d listened to reason, I could have pointed out all the evidence for his own blind eyes,’ Ida swept on, ‘but he was being so pig-headed that I thought it would do him good to stew in his own juice till the tests came back, and then he’d have egg all over his face. I’m almost sorry he’s now facing up his responsibility. I was rather looking forward to him looking a little foolish for once.’

  ‘I can’t imagine Dominic ever looking foolish,’ Tina murmured as they walked towards the house.

  ‘He certainly did last Friday,’ Ida said drily. ‘You rattled his sabre, I can tell you.’

  Tina thought that was a very apt turn of phrase. She certainly had. But he’d soon found a scabbard for that rattling sabre, hadn’t he? Hers truly.

  ‘Dominic has this ingrained determination to control everything in his life,’ Ida raved on. ‘No doubt this change of heart is him still trying to do that. Today at the surgery made him face that soon he wouldn’t be able to pretend he wasn’t Bonnie’s father. That the test would prove differently. I’ll bet he decided to embrace the truth first, so that he feels in control again. Dominic has to be the boss of everything, you know. When he’s being his most nice and reasonable, he’s at his most dangerous and devious. Was he nice and reasonable to you when you got in there to see him?’

  ‘Well…um…yes, I suppose he was. In a way…’

  ‘Then watch yourself. He’s probably planning how to get you to do exactly what he wants.’

  Tina’s mouth went dry at the thought of what Dominic wanted tonight.

  Ida opened the front door for her without drawing breath. ‘No doubt he’s trying to organise his life so that Bonnie will make the least amount of change to his routine. He’s sure to ask you to move in here permanently now, so that he has two women on tap to do all the baby-minding. Dominic will be a responsible father, but not in a full-time hands-on way. That would interfere with his work!’

  Tina dragged her mind back from the abyss to listen to what Ida was saying.

  ‘Nothing is allowed to interfere with my son’s work, not even his extra-curricular activities. Why do you think I didn’t know about that Shani woman? Because he slots sex into his life like his dental appointments—well after office hours or during his lunchbreak. Yes, you can look shocked, but I’ve seen his bank card statement. How else can you explain bills for city hotel rooms when I know full well he came home those nights and was working in his office all those days, except lunchtime?’

  They were by then standing in the blessedly cool hallway, at the bottom of the stairs. Tina’s eyes were wide on Ida, and her heart was racing. If what Dominic’s mother was saying was true, then she was about to be slotted into Dominic’s life even more conveniently than Shani. He wouldn’t even have to leave the house to have sex with her!

  ‘Has he asked you to move in here?’ Ida asked.

  ‘No.’

  Ida nodded wryly. ‘He will, dear. He will. And when he does, what will your answer be?’

  Tina could tell that, despite Ida’s critical attitude towards her son, she was eager for her to say yes. And, really, it was the perfect solution all round. If she and Dominic hadn’t become lovers, she would not have had second thoughts.

  But they had become lovers, and nothing would change that.

  Tina was beginning to appreciate how weak a woman could become when in the grip of a sexual infatuation.

  She refused to call it love. Sarah had always called her infatuations ‘love’, but time had always proved her wrong.

  Still, Tina could certainly understand why a girl like Sarah had been out of her depth if she’d felt like this all the time. It was difficult to stay strong, and independent-minded; difficult to ignore the yearnings Dominic had set up within her body.

  ‘What will I say?’ she said, and sighed in recognition of her own weak flesh. ‘I’ll say yes, I suppose.’

  Ida beamed. ‘That’s what I’d hoped you say. Here now, give me Bonnie back and you go upstairs and have a nap. You look awfully tired, dear.’

  ‘I am, Ida. I am.’

  Dominic felt some alarm when he came home that night. Tina was acting strangely with him, tensing up whenever he came within three feet of her. She seemed to deliberately avoid being alone with him, using the baby or his mother to keep him from having the opportunity to speak to her privately, or to even steal a simple kiss.

  And he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to kiss her very badly.

  The three of them sat down to dinner at seven-thirty, with the pram pulled up beside him, Bonnie inside.

  Dominic had insisted, hoping to impress Tina with this sudden burst of fatherly attention. She hadn’t seemed impressed, however. She remained distracted and tense all through the meal. Even his coochie-cooing the baby occasionally hadn’t raised much more than a tight little smile.

  ‘Did you manage to get some sleep this afternoon?’ he asked when his mother left the table to get the coffee pot.

  Immediately her shoulders stiffened and her eyes skittered away from his. ‘A little…’

  ‘Tina, what is it?’ he asked, but she didn’t answer.

  ‘Is it something I’ve done, or not done?’

  She shook her head.

  ‘Is this your way of telling me you don’t want to come to my room later?’

  Her head whipped back, her eyes shocked yet glittering. ‘Your room?’ she said huskily.

  Any fear he’d had that she no longer wanted him was firmly routed. He understood where she was coming from now. Underneath, she was as excited as he was. But she wasn’t as sure of herself sexually as their raw encounter in the office earlier in the day might have suggested.

  Dominic suspected that Tina was essentially a shy girl, with few lovers in the past and a deep distrust of the opposite sex. He would have to be careful tonight, and not frighten her with demands beyond her limited experience.

  Not that he was looking for just sex. He wanted so much more than that.

  ‘It’s further away from th
e stairs,’ he explained softly. ‘And it has a lock on the door.’

  ‘But I won’t be able to hear Bonnie from there if she cries.’

  Incredible, he thought. She was practically quivering with desire, but she still thought of the baby. What power this little child had!

  Of course, Bonnie was a sweet little thing. Very pretty and very engaging. Anyone could easily become entranced by her winning little smiles.

  ‘I’ve asked Mum to keep Bonnie downstairs with her tonight,’ he told a startled Tina. ‘She said she was going to suggest it herself. She said you needed a good night’s sleep, and naturally I agreed.’

  Tina trembled at the wickedness of the man. He had it all thought out, didn’t he? All planned, as Ida had said. Nothing was to be allowed to interrupt his pleasure.

  Or hers, came the added corrupting thought.

  Devious and dangerous, his mother had called him. She was right there. He wanted what he wanted, when he wanted it.

  The trouble was, she was a willing victim of what he wanted at the moment. But what would happen when he tired of her? When the sex grew boring and some new and more exciting woman walked into his life?

  She’d swiftly supplanted Shani, after all.

  One day someone would supplant her.

  Who next? she wondered. Joanna Parsons, perhaps? Or had he already tasted that particular pie?

  No, no, he would not seduce another man’s wife. That was not Dominic’s way. He had his own moral code when it came to sex and it didn’t include adultery.

  ‘What on earth are you thinking about?’ he asked a tad irritably, just as his mother came back into the room, carrying the coffee pot.

  Tina decided to take back some control over her life, at least superficially. ‘I was thinking it might be a good idea if I moved in here on a semi-permanent basis,’ she said, before Dominic had a chance to ask. Or coerce. ‘What do you think, Ida? After all, it’s your house.’

  Ida threw her an admiring glance. ‘I think that’s a splendid idea. That way we can share the babysitting. All three of us.’

  Tina watched Dominic as his mother’s words sank in. ‘All three of us?’ he repeated, frowning.

  ‘Yes, of course,’ Ida returned sweetly as she poured the coffee. ‘You’re Bonnie’s father, after all. You have to do your share.’

  ‘Mmm. I don’t have much time for babysitting, you know. I work very long hours.’

  Ida exchanged knowing looks with Tina. ‘Really? Well, maybe you’ll have to work less long hours in future.’

  His smile was as sudden as it was unexpected. ‘You’re absolutely right. I will. But not tonight, I’m afraid. Tonight I’ve brought some important work home with me which needs my urgent attention. Tomorrow night, however, I’m all yours. Night-night, sweetie.’ He blew Bonnie a kiss before scraping his chair back and rising to his feet. ‘I’ll be in my room if I’m desperately needed.’

  Tina’s stomach contracted at his choice of words, and she steadfastly avoided his eyes as he left the room, his coffee in hand.

  She busied herself spooning some sugar into her own coffee, then adding cream. ‘Seems you were wrong, Ida,’ she said casually whilst her insides were in knots. ‘He’s going to do his bit.’

  ‘You think so? Remember what I said, Tina. When Dominic is being nice and co-operative, he’s up to something. Some secret agenda of his own. Don’t ever…ever underestimate him.’

  Tina didn’t. But she thought Ida was being a little harsh. Dominic had been very good since finding out he was Bonnie’s father.

  Well, not good exactly. A good man wouldn’t have had her on his desk in twenty seconds flat today. A good man would not manipulate his mother to mind his baby so that he could have his wicked way with his baby’s guardian half the night long.

  Tina’s spoon rattled in the cup as she stirred in the sugar. How long could she delay, she wondered agitatedly, before Dominic came to her room tonight and dragged her down to his?

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  THE bedside clock said eleven-thirteen. Tina had stayed downstairs watching television with Ida till ten-thirty, at which point Ida had announced she’d best get to bed. Bonnie had had a bottle at nine-thirty and would wake again around two or three. When Tina had promised to be downstairs for the morning feed, Ida had told her not to be so silly.

  ‘I’m not so old that I can’t remember how it feels to be sleep-deprived. You sleep in as late as you like for once. If I get desperate by morning, I’ll go get Bonnie’s father up bright and early to help. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled,’ she’d cackled.

  Tina hadn’t dared say anything to this. But she vowed not to be tricked into spending the whole night in Dominic’s bed.

  If she ever reached his bed. At that moment she was sitting on the side of her own bed, body showered and legs smooth, skin powdered and erogenous zones perfumed.

  She’d felt hopelessly turned on during all these erotic preparations, her hands shaking so much while she’d shaved her legs that she was lucky not to have nicks all over her.

  Now, she just felt sick.

  Time ticked by towards midnight, which seemed to her the deadline for staying in her room. Dominic would surely come to see where she was after midnight. And, when he did, the humiliation would be greater than any endured by going to his room first.

  Swallowing, Tina rose and walked towards the door.

  Dominic tried not to clock-watch. After his second cold shower of the night, he sat at his computer, pretending to work, when all the while he was listening for Tina. It was nearly midnight, damn it! Surely she was going to come. Surely.

  And then he heard something: the soft squeaks of a door being opened and closed. He strained his ears and thought he heard the soft fall of her footsteps coming down the hall, at which point he could not stay sitting a moment longer. Leaping up, he swept open his door and found himself looking down into her upturned eyes, her wide, dark, fear-filled eyes.

  With a groan, he reached out to cup her frightened face, drawing her towards him and upwards till she was on tiptoe and their mouths were almost touching.

  ‘There’s nothing to be afraid of,’ he whispered. ‘Nothing at all…’

  Tina had to give him credit. He knew all the right moves and said all the right things.

  At his soft touch and equally soft words her fears were scattered, and all she wanted was to sink against his hard male body and surrender to its power.

  Which was exactly what she did. And oh…how wonderful he felt. And how wonderful he smelt, his skin freshly washed, with just a splash of expensive cologne.

  His first kiss was hungry and long, their mouths staying glued while he angled her inside and locked the door behind them. His second kiss was softer, yet just as seductive, his hands expertly divesting her of her wrap and nightie without missing a beat.

  Once she was naked, a long tremor ran down Tina’s spine, and Dominic drew back to look at her.

  ‘Don’t tell me you don’t like showing off this perfect body of yours,’ he murmured.

  Tina had never thought her body perfect. It was a far cry from the hourglass shape and voluptuous breasts men seemed to favour, and which Sarah had been blessed with. Though perhaps Sarah’s figure had been more of a curse than a blessing.

  ‘You like my body?’ came her surprised reply.

  ‘I adore it,’ he growled, and scooped her up into his large strong arms. ‘I love your small breasts and your slender hips. I love your flat stomach and your tight little butt. I especially love your long legs and your slender ankles. Hell, I love everything about you, woman. I thought you knew that.’

  He carried her quickly to the bed, where he lowered her onto the crisp clean sheets and snowy pillows. He tossed aside his black silk robe as if it was a rag and would have joined her on the bed still wearing his pyjama bottoms, if Tina hadn’t protested.

  ‘No, no,’ she said with a boldness which shocked and excited her at the same time. ‘I want you naked too.’
r />   His eyebrows arched, but he didn’t seem to mind complying.

  And why would he? she thought breathlessly as her eyes roved hotly over him, this time without skittering nervously away. The man was magnificent.

  ‘Do…do you work out a lot?’ she asked, once he’d lain down beside her. Tina had automatically rolled onto her side, and Dominic did likewise, propping himself up on one elbow.

  ‘Some,’ he said. ‘It relieves stress. There’s a convenient gym in my building.’

  ‘And the all-over tan?’

  ‘Sunbed.’

  He smiled and she frowned. ‘What’s so funny?’

  ‘I don’t usually like to talk when I’m in bed with a woman.’

  ‘Oh.’ Suddenly she felt foolish. And shy. If she could have fled, she would have.

  ‘But I like talking to you, my darling Tina,’ he went on, reaching out to stroke a soft hand down her arm and over her hip onto her thigh. She could not believe what a turn-on she found such a simple gesture.

  ‘I like it so much,’ he murmured, ‘that I could just talk to you and touch you all night.’ His hand kept moving, trailing up and down her body. ‘Would you like that, my love?’ he crooned in a voice almost as mesmerising as his hand, which at that moment was trickling over her breasts, teasing their expectant nipples. ‘You wouldn’t have to do a thing. Just lie back, close your eyes and enjoy…’

  And somehow, in no time, that was exactly what she was doing, lying on her back and enjoying, with his hand finding increasingly intimate places and his voice in her ear promising her the most incredible pleasures if only she’d trust him. With his erotic whispers and caresses, she felt every vestige of control slip away, every fear, every inhibition. When his hand stopped and his mouth took over, protesting never entered Tina’s mind.

  And so it was for the next few hours.

  Dominic made love to her several times, surprising Tina with his gentleness, but also with his stamina. He could not seem to get enough of her body. Touching it. Tasting it. Taking it. Over and over. Her fears about what he might demand of her never eventuated. He didn’t make any demands she couldn’t meet. In fact, he didn’t make any demands on her at all except to surrender to what he wanted to do to her body, which, though stunningly intimate, never crossed the line into anything which made her uncomfortable.